OSA’s OpticsForKids Web Site Receives Parents’ Choice Foundation Award

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2-The Optical Society’s (OSA) youth education Web site, OpticsForKids.org , recently received the Recommended Award by the Parents’ Choice Foundation for the Fall of 2008. The Parents’ Choice Foundation serves to help parents make informed decisions about appropriate products for their children. They have been bestowing honors in nine categories of services and products for children with four different approval ratings since 1978.

Earlier this year, OSA redesigned OpticsForKids.org and added numerous new activities and features such as an optics timeline, optical illusions, a career assessment tool, experiments for children of all ages and much more. The Web site seeks to provide comprehensive optics and photonics resources for pre-college students, educators and parents.

OpticsForKids.org recently launched a new look with major enhancements with the intent to give children, teens and adults a more dynamic experience for learning about optics and photonics”, said OSA Executive Director Elizabeth Rogan. “To be given the Recommended Award for a Web site by the Parents’ Choice Foundation validates OSA volunteers’ efforts in creating a resource that opens children’s minds to the world of optics and photonics.”

OpticsForKids.org was reviewed for the award by a diverse panel consisting of parents, scientists, educators, librarians, performing artists and kids. The Parents’ Choice Foundation reviews products on a number of criteria such as entertainment, education quality and the ability to bring children and adults together for a multifaceted learning experience. The panel’s review of OpticsForKids.org is available on the Parents’ Choice Foundation’s Web site .

This is the second award for OpticsForKids.org since its redesign; this past August, the site also won an iParenting Media Award for Outstanding Products of 2008 .

About OSA Uniting more than 70,000 professionals from 134 countries, the Optical Society (OSA) brings together the global optics community through its programs and initiatives. Since 1916 OSA has worked to advance the common interests of the field, providing educational resources to the scientists, engineers and business leaders who work in the field by promoting the science of light and the advanced technologies made possible by optics and photonics. OSA publications, events, technical groups and programs foster optics knowledge and scientific collaboration among all those with an interest in optics and photonics. For more information, visit www.osa.org .

Media Contact:

Angela StarkOptical Society 202.416.1443astark@osa.org