Religion Newswriters Association recognizes teen writers at its annual awards

Brooklyn, NY—KidSpirit, the online magazine and community by and for 11- to 17-year-olds, was awarded an Honorable Mention by the Religion Newswriters Association for its Interfaith Connections department in the Online Religion Section of the Year category. KidSpirit was the only youth publication honored.

The Interfaith Connections column was created with the express intention of fostering dialogue to encourage greater mutual respect and understanding among young people from diverse religious backgrounds. Each quarter, three young writers of different faith backgrounds and spiritual traditions address a question posed by an all-youth Editorial Board relating to KidSpirit’s current theme.

In 2013, KidSpirit contributors chose to consider these four themes: The Heroic Spirit, The Soul of Gender, Beauty and the Senses, and The Nature of Truth. Interfaith Connections articles published in each of these issues include, “Beauty in Judaism”, “Evolving Gender Roles in the Vedas”, “An Unexpected Path to Heroism”, and “The Ultimate Superpower”.

Award-winning work by youth, including Interfaith Connections articles, can be found in KidSpirit’s just-released print volume, the Best of KidSpirit Online, Vol. III. 50 youth-editors from around the world voted on content that they felt best represents KidSpirit’s mission for youth to engage each other about life’s big questions in an open and inclusive spirit. The volume showcases articles, artwork, and poetry from over 40 youth from 11 states and 5 countries.

Youth represented in the Best of KidSpirit will be honored on Sunday, November 9th at KidSpirit’s 2014 Awards Ceremony and Celebration in New York City. The event will feature teens reading their work and displaying their art. The Guest of Honor will be Paul Raushenbush, Executive Religion Editor at The Huffington Post.

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