Skipping Stones

I began interning with Skipping Stones this summer and I have really enjoyed being able to read and learn from the variety of submissions we receive from all around the world. The multicultural magazine provides a platform for young adults to express themselves through art and literature and I am constantly shocked by the level of intelligence these young artists and writers possess. The best part about being able to read through all the submissions is that they are always unique and vary in length and content. Each individual entry is personal and insightful, while at the same time relatable. Topics include stories and poems about racism, friendship, family, traveling, history, nature and many more. Skipping Stones teaches you to be open minded and to embrace people from all walks of life, while simultaneously inspiring and educating you.

One of the beautiful things about literature is its ability to create mutual understanding. We can talk all day without really considering or sharing a new perspective. But through an engaging medium, one that captures us with the magic to see alternate worlds, we can truly come to understand our brothers and sisters, no matter how distant physically or culturally. Skipping Stones is this medium, providing youth with stories to learn from and a voice to tell.

I began interning at Skipping Stones as a writer with a limited knowledge of international cultures and conflicts outside of the U.S.A. After months of volunteering, I was introduced to countless facts and traditions I had never even heard about by children as young as six years-old. But it goes deeper than culture, straight down to the writer personally where original ideas and personal experiences open readers' eyes to new perspectives and broaden their conception of the world. This magazine is education that you can't always find in school because it is from youth with significant messages that live lives completely different from our own. This magazine is important, and it is valuable, and I couldn't be happier to be a part of it.

Skipping stones is an excellent non-profit multicultural children's magazine. It accepts and publishes submissions from children all over the world on a variety of multicultural topics. In particular, Skipping Stones seeks art, poetry, and essays pertaining to issues of global, cultural, or ethical importance. Not only does the magazine encourage young authors to write, it encourages them to express themselves about what makes them unique, and to share their experiences with a wold-wide audience. It also inspires me, as an intern, to work harder and do better, to use my skills in the most productive way. It brings culture and global literature together, in a place where children of all ages have access. As I continue to volunteer at Skipping Stones, I find myself realizing the dedication it takes to run such a non-profit organization. I enjoy helping out at Skipping Stones because it gives me a sense of purpose, a sense that I am creating something that will enrich the lives of children everywhere.

Skipping Stones is an incredible magazine, one that promotes valuable and important messages about our global citizenry, culture, environment, health and more. One of the most deeply meaningful magazines I have ever read, Skipping Stones manages to share the stories, opinions, and experiences of writers, young and old, from all over the world. It is truly an honor to intern here; I enjoy every minute and I am rewarded by knowing that I am making a difference in the world through each and every issue that I work on.

This is a multi cultural children's magazine where we learn about lots of different cultures and individual writings and kids art. We always look forward for the new issue to learn and see the creativity of the children which is always diverse in nature. It always gives children a positive experience. The Editor, Mr. Arun is a very dedicated person with lots of vision and devotion in giving & providing kids a great platform for their writings, poems and art.

I feel so privileged to have worked with Skipping Stones. Their dedication to children and desire to foster understanding of cultures is not only admirable but an important world cause.This magazine offers children from around the world a way of expressing themselves. During my time at Skipping Stones, I read so many inspirational stories.

I look forward to each new issue of Skipping Stones Magazine as I’m thrilled to hear about caring individuals making a difference throughout the world and at the same time sharing their creativity. I wish I’d had such a resource when I was a child.

Estela Bernal

I have volunteered for Skipping Stones as an IT Consultant for over ten years. I am inspired to do this, because I feel Skipping Stones is a very positive experience for children, both those who have their creative work published, and for those who read and share in other children's perspectives through the magazine. It gives children a voice and encourages and nurtures their positive energy and idealism. It is for this reason that I have wholeheartedly contributed my time and energy to Skipping Stones.

I have been a volunteer illustrator at Skipping Stones for around 7 years, and really love my involvement. Arun, the editor, has a wonderful vision for the magazine, and is wholeheartedly devoted to giving kids around the world a platform for their poems and stories. I remember when I was a child, getting to have one of my poems and one of my drawings in a magazine. It was exciting, and powerfully empowering, to say the least. To think of all the kids who enjoy both reading and writing for Skipping Stones warms my heart with gratitude for all of Arun's hard work as editor.

Skipping Stones is a refreshingly earnest and content-heavy magazine with a clear and strong mission- to encourage creativity and communication among today's youth in order to celebrate diversity. I read and contributed in high school and now, 16 years later, I hope my son will be able to read and contribute to it as well. The caliber of the writing and art submissions is inspiring and humbling, especially since most of the contributors are children. It is a great platform for allowing youth to voice their opinions and share their creativity with each other and the world.

I'm a board member and volunteer. I support Skipping Stones because it connects young people from many cultures and lets them exchange ideas, stories, and traditions. In our hyperactive and attention-deficit world, Skipping Stones comes along at a meditative pace and provides a quiet, reflective space that encourages creativity and self-expression. Our founder and publisher of 23 years, Arun Toke, excels at the difficult task of promoting a tolerant exchange of ideas while at the same time standing tall for core values such as global peace, respect for all cultures, and a deep commitment to protecting the sanctity of the natural environment and all forms of life.

As a mother and educator, I find Skipping Stones to be an invaluable resource for cross cultural learning. I live in Japan, and my children are bicultural (Japanese and American). My daughter has mulitple disabilities. Reading about similar children helps to build their self-esteem. My children have also expanded their world view through reading stories by others around the world. They have also been motivated to write and share their stories and artwork. We love Skipping Stones and look forward to every issue.

I have been involved with Skipping Stones for over twenty years. I have served as a board member, classroom teacher whose students submitted their writing and artwork, and as a contributor myself. In those twenty years, I have seen Skipping Stones evolve and mature into an international forum for young people and adults to share their cultures and dreams for a better world. What greatly impresses me about Skipping Stones is it ability to consistently produce a very high quality magazine on a shoestring budget. It has managed to retain its integrity and original mission without having succumb to pressures to commercialize or lower their standard. I have seen the joy on children's faces when their piece is published, and experienced that joy myself when I have been published in the magazine. It validates culture, it validates individuals, and it celebrates diversity at the same time. I have just distributed copies of the Jan, - Feb. 2012 issue to children here in Mexico, where I currently reside, who had their photos on the cover. One such child was from Ayotzinapan, a tiny Nahuatl village in the Sierra Norte of Puebla. She never dreamed of being in a magazine, and now wants to contribute some of her writing. So do her friends. Skipping Stones makes a difference in the lives of young people and provides a forum for them to share, not through cyberspace, but through the printed word, on paper, that you can hold in your hands. It does a formidable job as a small press making a big difference.

I first met Skipping Stones publisher Arun Toke in 1986. I was an out-going board member of another non-profit organization, and editor/business manager of its house publications; Arun was my incoming replacement. One thing I learned about Arun early is that he is a man of profound belief/faith, is consistent in it, and walks in integrity to a degree unusual among men. Not long after, he founded Skipping Stones, and I've had the honor of serving on its board most of the years since. Whereas my own (commercial) publication operated under the usual financial terms -- debt to finance start-up, early operations, cash flow, and growth -- Arun has always run Skipping Stones in the black. He's done so by keeping all costs (including his own income) to a bare minimum, helped in part by a steady stream of volunteers and interns who gladly give of their time and talents for Arun and the mission of Skipping Stones. Not one penny is wasted, nor is a single sheet of paper. Arun has also been diligent about applying for -- and receiving -- grants; I do't have the list, but many important organizations and foundations have seen value in supporting Skipping Stones over the years. Board discussions periodically return to questions of sustainability and growth -- how to pursue it, and how to pay for the pursuit. I cannot shake the idea that if Skipping Stones had more support (capital), it could give wings to its vision in a much broader way with much more impact on the world. Most mass marketing campaigns, however, often involve some kind of dumbing-down of the product, some compromise of the mission, some appeal to commercial methods and interests, all of which Skipping Stones has been committed not to do. So it continues on, with a very committed, strongly supportive niche audience. I wholeheartedly support the mission and organization and its leader. Any donations (or purchases of subscriptions) are very frugally spent, every penny wrung out to effect the greatest good possible. That great good is a very great good among those it reaches.

Skipping Stones Magazine is an outstanding organization that helped me learn much more about the world, my writing, the importance of hearing other voices, and the importance of sharing my own as well. I distinctly remember the happiness and pride that I experienced when my writing was included in the magazine, making me a published author at last! That moment spawned a new passion for writing, and soon I became a frequent contributor to the magazine. It wasn't until I started interning at Skipping Stones though, that I gained a profound sense of myself, and the world around me. My work as an intern included reviewing submissions from young authors all around the world. Not only did this enhance my own writing and critique skills, but I also learned a tremendous amount about other cultures and ways of life. This developed a new sense of connection and love for the world, and all the people in it. Skipping Stones Magazine opened my eyes to the world, and helped me gain new levels of experience and passion for writing. And for that alone, I am ever grateful.

I love Skipping Stones! I've been a student intern for almost a year and have learned an incredible amount about the day-to-day operations of nonprofits and tangible ways to create positive social change. Even more personally, I've learned how to effectively edit the work of others to increase clarity while retaining a certain unique voice; my own writing has also improved through learning how to make sentences more concise. Skipping Stones' greatest selling point is that it offers youth of all backgrounds a chance to have their story heard. Rather than publishing accounts of one particular group's experience and traditions, diversity is celebrated, flaws and all. Fostering a love of learning and a sense of responsibility for society at large is also important, and the magazine's themes are almost always positive and optimistic as well as timely. For example, recent issues have covered different accounts of bullying and how the situations were ultimately overcome; growing up with gay parents; growing up adopted; and ways to promote sustainability, such as through plastic bag collection. Bilingual pieces, folktales and cultural celebrations are published in every issue, encouraging readers to become one with the entire world. I greatly admire what Skipping Stones has accomplished.

I have served on the board of Skipping Stones ever since it published its first magazine almost 25 years ago. I have contributed to this non-profit from both my personal funds and through my business, TOPS Learning Systems, because I so believe in its cause – bringing children and young adults together across all cultures to foster international understanding, green living and world peace. The only way for our next generation to really understand each other is to EXPERIENCE each other through opinion, art, poetry, and stories. Skipping Stones is like a mini foreign exchange program where students meet face-to-face within the pages of the magazine. Arun, the editor of Skipping Stones has been doing real good in the world with very limited resources. Contributing to Skipping Stones is an excellent way to guarantee that your generosity will really count for something. --Ron Marson

Even thought I have only recently joined Skipping Stones, I have already learned and contributed a great deal to the magazine. I was quickly introduced to all aspects of making an issue, from reading submissions sent by aspiring writers from around the world to formatting and proofing articles. My favorite assignment was being asked to write an article of my own. Once I got a feel for the multicultural and ecologically aware stories that characterize Skipping Stones, I wrote an article about the wildlife of the Sonoran Desert, where I grew up. I loved having the opportunity to teach about the desert as part of Skipping Stone's focus on nature conservation and getting to share my hometown with readers. I was so happy to have my article featured in the magazine and I was very excited when a picture of the Sonoran Desert made the front cover! With all of this happening in my first few months, I am looking forward to see what other contributions I will be able to make. As I continue, I'm also excited to keep reading the wonderful pieces sent in from youth of all ages. I love seeing the talent and creativity that pours into Skipping Stones and I am grateful to be a part of it.

I helped launch Skipping Stones and have continued to be impressed with its heart and sincerity. Folks involved now work harder than ever to showcase children's stories from around the world. The quality of art and writing continue to impress me, and the general message is always compassionate and real.

Skipping Stones Magazine is in its 24th year of educating youth on global issues, publishing young writers and artists, and encouraging literacy and arts both in the US and abroad. This multicultural, ad-free, ecologically-friendly children’s magazine allows young people to celebrate their differences, learn about relevant global issues, and voice their opinions in an eloquent and creative manner. The magazine’s success in fostering a love for the arts and humanities in children of all ages has been recognized by many organizations; Skipping Stones has twice been given the NAME Award of the National Association for Multicultural Education, and many other honors over the years. As a high school intern working at Skipping Stones, I am continually awed by the impact I have witnessed this special magazine have on young lives; I have read submissions from immigrant children, children that have lost parents, teenagers living on their own, and even youth prisoners, and I am so grateful that they have this opportunity to see their creative work published—always in the original language with English translation on the same page. Children that often do not have a voice in their day-to-day life get to share their stories and speak out for what they believe. Working at Skipping Stones has given me the chance to offer my opinions to other conscientious readers of the magazine, grow as a writer, and learn about running a non-profit organization. Because of my time at Skipping Stones, I had the honor of speaking at an interfaith 9-11 memorial service as a youth representative. Arun Toké has served as a mentor to me, constantly impressing me with the gentle way that he touches people’s lives and changes the world from the ground up. He is an exceptional and dedicated man, an active peace and youth advocate in our community, and the driving force of this non-profit magazine since 1988. The simplicity and awareness with which Arun Toké lives and runs Skipping Stones is very much in keeping with the magazine’s goals of “communication, cooperation and creativity.” Thanks to the dedication, imagination and innovation of all who work at Skipping Stones, this unique magazine is helping youth worldwide grow into globally conscious, active citizens dedicated to the arts and humanities.

I have been working with this nonprofit ever since the beginning... back in 1988. The organization provides the best multicultural forum anywhere for children and youth. It is ecologically aware and a caring group. Lots of students volunteer for the organization. I have had chance to work with them as well as other community members.