3/30/2011 - Jackson, Miss.

Parents & Kids Magazine's and IHL's College Knowledge Project's award-winning comic book targets middle-schoolers

Parents & Kids Magazine and the College Knowledge Project of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) earned top honors from the Parenting Publications of America (PPA) for The Master Plan Workbook, a comic book-style publication geared to help Mississippi's eighth grade students focus on college early and get on the right path in high school.

The Master Plan Workbook received the 2011 PPA Gold Award for its cover design and the 2011 PPA Silver Award for its overall design, highest honors in the competition with more than 900 entries from across the nation. According to the judges' comments, "This guide for middle-schoolers does a great job of executing on a clear, creative visual theme that supports the content. … that keeps the intended audience in mind."

"It's imperative for students to start thinking earlier than high school about what they want to do when they grow up and what it is going to take to get there," said Gretchen Cook, publisher of The Master Plan Workbook and the Mississippi-based, 20-year parenting publication Parents & Kids Magazine. "If we can begin getting kids' minds on college before they enter high school, it's much easier for them to choose the correct types of classes not only to meet their college-bound requirements but also to reach them more successfully."

"We are very proud of The Master Plan Workbook and appreciate the input we've received from counselors and students as we worked with Parents & Kids Magazine to bring the workbook to life," said Marsha Watson, Director of the College Knowledge Project. "We are committed to increasing early awareness of post secondary education and career pathways for Mississippi students and their families by providing critical planning and preparation resources."

The College Knowledge Project is a higher education initiative of IHL and funded by the College Access Challenge Grant program at the US Department of Education.

Kyle Hilton, of Jackson, Miss., is the illustrator of The Master Plan Wookbook, and Scott Anderson of Parents & Kids Magazine, is its designer. "What makes The Master Plan Workbook more appealing to the junior high age group is its comic book-style," says Anderson. "It's something the kids may actually want to read, relate to, and keep on hand."

According to Cook, every junior high school in the state is given the opportunity to order The Master Plan Workbook for its eighth grade students. Also, every high school in the state is given the opportunity to order The High School Master Plan (for ninth graders) and The College Planner (for juniors and seniors), all packed with information specific to the Mississippi college-bound student. All publications are provided on a first-come, first-served basis and at no cost to the school.

For more information, call Parents & Kids Magazine at 601-366-0901 or visit www.parents-kids.com.

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