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New Moon Magazine: Teaching Girls Respect by ExampleThe AEP Awards represent the best materials in educational publishing and education marketing. Throughout the year, profiles of award winners will be published in AEP Online and posted on the AEP website to highlight innovations in product development, editorial practices, and marketing strategies. In 1992, Nancy Gruver saw her twin daughters approaching adolescence and sought out a way to help them make the transition to womanhood without losing "the girl within." She was looking for more than just a source of advice; she wanted something that would teach them the larger lessons of responsibility, self-confidence, and respect for both themselves and others in the face of media and societal messages that dictate what a woman should be. She was disappointed to find that there were no such resources available, so Gruver decided to create her own. The result was New Moon, a magazine for girls that is written and published by girls. New Moon magazine's purpose is twofold: to provide its readers with a sense of belonging and connection and to create a unique learning environment in which girls feel empowered and respected. The former is reflected in the magazine's mission statement--"bringing girls' voices to the world"--and is accomplished through its 25,000 paid subscriptions worldwide. The second is achieved through New Moon's editorial board, comprised solely of girls ages 8-15, who are given full reign over the magazine's content. "Kids have far more capability and capacity than adults think they do. If you create an atmosphere that honors and respects them, then they rise to that level of respect," says Gruver. Each issue of New Moon is conceived and produced by an editorial board consisting of 15 girls. Board members must retire when they turn 15, a stipulation put in place by the girls in order to ensure that the magazine stayed in tune with its readership. Despite this turnover, New Moon has maintained its high level of quality and consistency for almost 15 years. From the beginning, it was clear that the girls must be in charge. Gruver wanted them to be the ones reading submissions, choosing content and artwork, and doing the majority of the editing. However it was also clear that they would need the support of an adult staff to take care of the administrative work, sales, and assist with the editorial work. Maintaining the unique partnership between the girls of the editorial board and the adult staff of the magazine that supports them has been one of the biggest challenges they've faced, said Gruver. "If you want to create an environment where kids have power, it takes more time. The kids have to learn how to be in charge, and the adults and kids have to learn how to work together and utilize each others' abilities."
Questions, ideas, or in need of more information? Please contact Stacey Pusey at 302-295-8349. |
For more information on the AEP Awards, contact Doug Ferguson at 856-241-7772.
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