OUR STORY?

***** First, may I suggest that, those with minimal time go directly to FAQ’s (http://tinyurl.com/88jkp46) to get pointed questions answered, before diving into the following "Welcome To..." presentation.

*** NOTE:   Our project's film will document [on-screen] exactly how preschool age children express their emotions when given an uninhibited opportunity. You will be surprised, to say the least -- our research has proven to be very revealing on a host of interesting levels.

Dear Parents, Educators, Friends & Documentary Film enthusiasts,

Kindly join us on an important  journey -- it entails engaging preschool age children in Emotional Literacy http://tinyurl.com/4x73sko. (Above is one of our fun videos of the many done during our early development. Feel free to use the Embed or URL link to share with your friends)

I'm Jay Johnson (a Fun Factory Education volunteer, i.e., a retired senior citizen and living testament to: “you can teach an old dog new tricks”) and over the last 8 years I've come to learn a great deal about the preschool/childcare industry. This insight came about as a result of my getting back in touch with Marilyn Lewis (I sadly read about the loss of her beloved 19 year old son Brian [auto accident] and was deeply moved to contact her - DEDICATION: http://tinyurl.com/7ss7eoe). Before continuing permit me to indulge myself with the following question.

Have we (our society) lost our way?

The cautious optimist within drives me to say somewhat, and the hopeful pessimist within says certainly. I'll explain. This project's subject matter and its very direct point suggest that our society has gradually, yet generally left the vital part of developing our emotional skills up to trial & error on so many levels, frequently with "error" prevailing. The subject of Emotional Literacy should be important to us all, but in particular to our youngest and most vulnerable. Until we recognize how we are all linked to our earliest understandings of our individual and collective emotional skills, we will journey through our lives carrying "baggage" that we just can't seem to unload. So, I ask of you, to travel this journey with us and see if there is the possibility of an awakening.

Now...

Upon recently learning about  KickStarter.com and through company (Fun Factory Education Corp.) consensus, I (http://jayjohnson.biz, business owner, entrepreneur, book publisher—and now a Documentary Film Producer) was honored with the challenge of making this special presentation and appeal to you, our potential “Pledger” (from whom we humbly solicit your most generous pledge). Permit me to express the first of many heartfelt thanks for visiting our location and considering us as a viable Pledge Choice, given all of the worthy choices you have - we are honored. May I suggest, despite the length of this "presentation," that you read all of it and get to know Ms. Lewis and her [our] goals for Fun Factory Education (FFEC).

Emotional Literacy applies to ALL children, regardless of their ethnic and socioeconomic background. IN NO WAY WHATSOEVER does this area of social & emotional development, for any preschool age child, suggest that a child has an emotional problem, quite the contrary, i.e., WHO could have guessed that over the past several years (particularly 2010, 2011 and 2012) our society would become consumed with discussions, TV specials, criminal trials and efforts towards understanding and preventing BULLYING (particularly in school environments at all grade levels)? Highly esteemed Dr. Daniel Goleman points out http://tinyurl.com/6o6nfmq. FFEC has made significant, easy-to-use, common sense advances in the area of “emotional literacy,"  primarily by making it crystal clear that EMPATHY - the ability to understand and share the feelings of others - is essential to a preschooler's development.

Our project's 30-40 minute film will not only be loads of fun to watch (e.g., with our zany main character, Professor Frisky von Onion Bagel, S.D. [S. D. stands for his “degree,” hence his endearing nickname, Super Doggy], dancing, singing, the words of experts and interviews), but also an important learning experience that ultimately hundreds of thousands of viewers will see (we are making it available for FREE to over 125,000 licensed childcare facilities in the USA & Canada). It'll show preschoolers engaging in the core principles of emotional literacy (none of these demonstrations will be scripted).

***** FAQ’s (http://tinyurl.com/88jkp46)

http://kickingitforward.org/

In addition to being a "Pledger" you will also be a true "Frisky's Angel" - http://tinyurl.com/3r8mby6.

One Day, One Day: The Story of Gravity Free University is in part the story of a wonderfully warm and humble lady named Marilyn Lewis, our CEO (a business owner, community-oriented philanthropist, educator, teacher, author, wife, mom, grandmother, writer, inventor, singer, songwriter), whom I have had the pleasure of knowing for nearly 38 years. In my opinion, she is a RARE and truly DEVOTED child advocate who certainly opened my eyes to things I wish I'd known when my two adult sons were preschool age youngsters (my oldest, now an attorney, volunteers some legal expertise to Fun Factory Education; and the youngest, a college student, is part of our team). Scroll down to the bottom to read Ms. Lewis' own words of appreciation.

One Day, One Day is about more than Marilyn Lewis' journey and tireless dedication to the betterment of Child Care in America (download her booklet http://tinyurl.com/buckmut), it's primarily a demonstration of an important discovery realized during her three-decades in an industry charged with the responsibility of caring for and educating our young children. As an owner & operator of a number of licensed commercial child care facilities, she entered the industry with a laser focus that has sustained her throughout the years. Her resolve makes me very proud to know her (http://tinyurl.com/7wq8uf4).

WHAT'S OUR EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY?

We are determined to make the majority of our emotional literacy learning products FREE because we believe there are creative ways to fund education (e.g., KickStarter.com is one), and it supports our [core] belief that education should be free, or so inexpensive that it allows for all children to have access to it, especially our youngest and most vulnerable. We often have wondered why public education has been tuition free for so long in America, yet no mass scale “tuition free" daycare/preschool. As a for-profit company we seek to be profitable, but we are also devoted to serving the best interest of preschool age children—thus we have had to find VERY creative ways to do so, especially since government funded programs, (e.g., Head Start, many local School Readiness funding agencies) are constantly having budget constraints and economic challenges. Long time "emotional literacy" advocate Rob Bocchino, M.S., C.A.S. says, http://tinyurl.com/6qppsxc.

WHAT DO WE DO?

We’ve created an innovative (proactive) learning system, with a fun and colorful character, that engages preschool age children in the development of their skills for dealing with their own emotions and the emotions of their peers (e.g., we've seen a number of preschoolers with aggressive tendencies learn how to have more empathy for their peers). We’ve created an entire “learning system” to address this on a daily basis in a playful manner, as preschoolers love to play. http://tinyurl.com/852xtc2

In fact, Social & Emotional development is an accepted early childhood development domain recognized by ALL early childhood educators throughout the world. Unfortunately, many experts believe Emotional Literacy is often watered down by shallow concentration, unskilled providers or inconsistent attention to it. http://tinyurl.com/76w4f4m

Our specialized system goes a step further in that we have developed a 2-volume [1,000+ pages] curriculum based system to create a wholesome, fun, child-driven, more interactive method of providing preschoolers with the foundation for exploring their own emotions as well as their peers. We have had great success and feedback from hundreds of parents during our monthly P.E.P. (Parent Empowerment Project) meetings during the early stages of our system's introduction in Ms. Lewis’ preschools. Each meeting was observed by a licensed therapist wishing to research this “approach” by our use of an entire curriculum based learning system. http://tinyurl.com/7grrvvf

WHAT WOULD BE OUR "DREAM" RESPONSE?

Obviously about 4,000 people pledging $25 to $50 ea. would be fantastic, and if we dare say, we’d love to exceed our “Pledge Goal” by at least $50,000, so we can speed up the promotion and implementation of our company’s primary goal, which is to provide FREE learning systems to at least 100,000 licensed preschool locations throughout the USA & Canada. MOST important, would be to reach thousands of Pledgers who will support us with any amount they can afford (we dream of 10,000 Pledgers as our "magic number" to achieve).

***** NOTE: Our FAQ's answer what we would do if we could exceed our Pledge Goal. See FAQ #7.  http://tinyurl.com/88jkp46

HOW WILL WE USE THE PLEDGED FUNDS?

We will shoot One Day, One Day: The Story of Gravity Free University, as our FACT & FUN filled documentary film production about Emotional Literacy for Preschoolers. This professionally filmed production will serve as the USA & Canada debut of our Patent-Pending Emotion Activity Center [shown below] which has been used by children attending our independently owned preschools (hundreds of children have used it over the past 4 years without a single unfavorable development). See FAQ # 6.

Simply put...

Preschool age children totally GET IT!

It is delivered in a wholesome manner that they can process (http://tinyurl.com/7k6fnor), NOT what adults think is awesome or trendy. Browse through the contents of our learning system's catalog (http://tinyurl.com/7ydpsa6). 

Then, through an aggressive distribution process we will make it known that it [our documentary] is available for FREE (we will use snail mail, email, industry publications and social media to spread the word). This will include ALL licensed preschool, Head Start and home care locations in the USA & Canada for FREE (that's well over 125,000 commercial locations, responsible for millions of children every day, and thousands of home care & religion based locations). PLUS it will be available for any parent to download (adding viewership) as the word filters through from preschool & child care providers, early learning agencies, social media, etc. We appeal to you to be involved with our efforts, pledge generously and use your "address book" to tell your family & friends.

Here are some Fun Pics (at a local event - there's more on our website http://tinyurl.com/73f6fhr) and two short videos of Super Doggy dancing (a tad silly, but early on we were trying to learn how to incorporate video to appropriately engage 3 to 5 year old children in the learning process - they absolutely loved it). We're also supporters of Dr. Dimitri Chritakis, who questioned how children are impacted by much of the usual trendy and hi-tech methods presently in abundance. Read about him:  http://tinyurl.com/7ao88sl  We have modeled our corporate decisions and learning system's content to address the many cautions he has been warning parents and the entertainment industry about for years (parents should read what he has to say).

Albeit Fun Factory Education is a business, its true spirit is its “state of mind,” i.e., always working on how to engage children in a fun, wholesome, child-driven manner, that results in their exploring their emotions. It’s a common sense and proven approach to developing a preschoolers’ emotional literacy, and will be shown and discussed in our film. We will be seeking to engage our viewers (some of whom may be actual “Pledgers” with their preschool age children in attendance, so be sure to read the details of our REWARDS).

This documentary’s production will not only be a great learning opportunity for all who view it, but it will include children having lots of fun, dancing and singing with our EnDucate costumed character (see above pics from a “Back 2 School Bash” attendance), our CEO narrating and being interviewed about the goals of Fun Factory Education's emotional literacy learning system, demonstrations of the use of our patent-pending Emotion Activity Center, independent remarks & interviews from other experts, and why we wish to deliver this content for FREE. It will be entertainment with a clear message for children and adults, and most definitely a “family viewing” production.

***** NOTE: This documentary film is ONLY the beginning, as it is designed to lay the groundwork for the FREE placement of our entire preschooler’s emotional literacy learning system into 100,000+ locations (Market Value: $2,000.00 each, if we were to sell it). This feat will require the support of some celebrity figures (we're already working on that and the legendary Ed Asner has been kind enough to provide some contacts http://tinyurl.com/6qx4mo8) and of course we will do it at cost (NOT market value), which will make the goal not only achievable, but also very attractive to our partners & sponsors.

ALL of the funds (minus any legally required taxes & fees - see FAQ #5.) will go towards the production of a 1st rate documentary film with fun [original] music, dancing, story telling and entertainment by our “character,” i.e., an appropriately balanced dose of entertainment, serious information and actual Emotion Activity Center demonstrations to make the experience value packed and memorable for all viewers. PLUS the fulfillment costs of our REWARDS obligations (read about our wonderful "Rewards" http://tinyurl.com/7vaf6ab and how they can make "you" a part of our film). We will provide at least weekly “Updates” about our progress. So expect to hear from us often.

WHAT ARE OUR QUALIFICATIONS?

Video has been a fun part of our message that we’ve used on many occasions (i.e., usually a number of short videos 1 to 5 minutes), now we are ready to move up to a professional film production, hence the need and importance to hire a "filmmaker" at this juncture. Our CEO, Marilyn Lewis has 29+ years in the child care industry, as an owner/operator of multiple locations the entire time http://tinyurl.com/6p7yups and whose experience, our film director believes, will be critical in the actual direction of the film; her creativity would qualify her as the co-director. (Read her story: http://tinyurl.com/7rumee8)

She is not only a successful business woman, educator, teacher, inventor, author, singer, songwriter, education innovator and dedicated advocate for children; she’s a pioneer in this often neglected area of childcare (a fully coordinated emotional literacy introduction to preschool age children, 3-5 yo’s). She's also an eye & ear witness who has spent her research time in the classrooms with the children, as she learned from them exactly what they actually required, as she was developing this wholesome, fun, child-driven (as opposed to adult driven) learning system.

Fun Factory Education is the first to incorporate ALL of the necessary tools into a daily structured, proven, child-embracing, child-driven Emotional Literacy Learning System (GRAVITY FREE UNIVERSITY PRESCHOOL LEARNING SYSTEM http://tinyurl.com/7jnz7d3), which allows for it to be used either exclusively as a preschool standard  curriculum system, or as a supplement to any approved learning system used throughout the USA & Canada. It has already proven to enrich children over the past 4 years.

WHO'S ON OUR TEAM?

In addition to Marilyn Lewis, our CEO, there’s Jon-Ryan Johnson (Costumed character activities and development coordinator), Christopher Brom (DVD and eBook graphic art developer), Brianna Lewis (Fun Factory Preschool & Academy of Achievers staff training and development coordinator), Jay Johnson (Business coordinator); VistaMax (Filmmaker); and Robert Rostick (Photographer).

HOW FAR ALONG IS OUR PROJECT?

Our “Film” project's funding will allow for us to get our Four Disc Children's Collection distributed to our Pledgers (buying in large quantity will make it much more affordable) before it actually reaches the majority of child care facilities as a part of our learning system. The documentary requires an estimated 8-10 weeks (window of pre to post production for availability to Pledgers), and our Super Doggy photo spread still needs to be shot.

We have one of our Rewards product's design & studio production completed (http://tinyurl.com/4yet9ky) and now need your help with funding its purchase to tie in with the release and distribution of our Documentary Film. This Four Disc Children's Collection will be included with all Rewards $25 and up (Free S/H included in the USA & Canada; elsewhere, send us your location for specific shipping charges unless you pledge over $100.00). If we exceed our Pledge Goal by at least $50,000 we will add six [6] more audio books to the Four Disc Children's Collection.

So, “Project Pledgers” ($25.00 and up) you will receive a copy, which is valued at over $70.00 http://tinyurl.com/cbfa5y4, and of which the eBook portion [alone] sells on Amazon for $39.96 http://tinyurl.com/3bjqast.

CAN YOU STAY IN CONTACT WITH US?

We encourage contact with us at: FFEC@me.com in addition to the regular updates we will provide (at least weekly). We love input, especially when we can learn or direct folks towards resources for their preschool age children.

HOW ELSE CAN YOU HELP OUR EFFORT?

Besides pledging at least $25.00 (we will appreciatively accept your $10.00 pledge) today and then encouraging all of your family, co-workers, friends, and employers to do the same (thank you in advance for any “extra effort”), we ask that you consider the following request.

***** We are very interested in communicating with the following persons:

•           Major Pledgers or Corporate Sponsors ($1,000 to $10,000)  whom you may know, be employed by, or you may persuade to make a pledge (as long as it is within KickStarter guidelines). We'd love for them to know what we are doing and how they can help.

•           Game developers who are interested in “Enducating” with fun technology, e.g., we’d like to see different educational games developed around our “character" and the understanding of emotions targeting preschoolers.

•           TV Producers (children’s specialty programing), e.g., we have several concepts that we believe will do well on cable TV.

•           Major Celebrities (interested in participating, e.g., singing songs, reading stories, product catalog placement, etc.), i.e., some of you who are reading this “project presentation” may have close ties to a celebrity, or even a business relationship, so we’re open to speaking with any such person to advance our goals for our learning system's success.

•           Theater Producers, i.e., we have the draft of a children’s interactive, audience participation play, and seek contacts to help further develop it.

•           Documentary Film Festival entry, i.e., we'd love to enter our finished film into a documentary film festival where it can get some degree of recognition for its educational content & film production merits.

•           Social Media experts, i.e., persons who know how to use social media to get information out on a regular basis, and to explain to us what it entails to achieve the best results.

Thank you ALL so very much for understanding our effort and joining us in doing more than just talking about it - our film will "open eyes" and bring about changes - that is our commitment to you. Anything less would be unacceptable.

Appreciatively we remain,                                                                                    Jay Johnson, on behalf of Fun Factory Education Corp.'s Team

"I am personally humbled by the kind presentation above, and ever so grateful that an innovation such as KickStarter.com would provide a forum for some of my efforts to not only be funded, but to be considered worthy of such by so many kind people. On behalf of preschoolers everywhere, thank you all for your generous support."

Sincerely,                                                                                                               Marilyn Lewis

http://kickingitforward.org/

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded."                                            Ralph Waldo Emerson

New to Kickstarter? 

No worries -- it's easy. Here's the official explanation from Kickstarter or we'll just let you know how it works here:

• PLEDGE -- for a limited time, make a pledge to our documentary project. Take a look at the far upper right corner of this page -- that's how many days we have left to accept pledges. Click the green button that says, 'Back This Project.'
• HOW MUCH? -- that's up to you. Any amount from $10 on up allows you to see the movie and become part of the experience. The more you pledge, the more rewards.
• YOUR CARD ISN'T CHARGED -- when you pledge, your credit card isn't charged. You'll make your pledge (via the green 'Back This Project' button above) through Amazon payments; you'll be authorizing a payment for your pledge and your card isn't charged.
• YOUR CARD IS CHARGED ONLY IF WE REACH OUR GOAL -- if we reach our fundraising goal by the deadline (also listed in the top right corner), then your card is charged. If we don't reach our goal by this deadline, your card is not charged and your pledge is discarded, and we can't make our documentary film. 
• SO PLEASE PLEDGE EARLY -- by pledging early, you'll encourage other backers to do the same.

P.S. -- We apologize for our lack of "social media" sophistication in the use of Facebook, Twitter, etc. (most of what we do is NOT hi-tech, just fun and fundamental to a preschooler's preparedness for life's challenges). We will consult with a social media expert just as soon as our budget permits.