Subject: Guidance

The Kids at Kerrisdale Series

"Highly Recommended. An excellent dramatic series that will help guide today's teens about academic skill sand life skills. Each episode will provoke thought and spark discussion." -Infotech
This series offers true-to-life stories that revolve around the comings and goings of students who deal with problems facing young people today; issues like peer pressure, smoking, drugs and alcohol, relationships, child rights and safety - the stuff real-life dramas are made of! Produced by the Knowledge Network/Open Learning Agency. Programs available on 10 or 21 DVDs, Digital Streaming Files or Videos; also in a 10-Disc Set. For pricing call in US: 800.876.2447/Intl. 603.434.9262 or e-mail

List of Titles

1. The Zone (Advertising and Alcohol)

It's the start of a new school year for the kids at Kerrisdale. As usual, the new semester brings an influx of new kids, one of whom makes Melissa feel uncertain of her position within her group of friends, especially when she hears that Jorge is looking for a co-host for the school radio. Jai and Amber now work part-time Click for more

2. The Rave (Adolescents and Alcohol)

Raves, or Rave dances or Rave parties, are all-night events that feature fast-paced electronic music, light shows, and all too often alcohol and drugs. This program uses an upcoming Rave as a backdrop to look at how adolescents deal with the pressure to drink alcohol. Here we see that Jai and Amber have convinced a Click for more

3. Smokescreen (The Hazards of Smoking)

Melissa is devastated by her loss as DJ to Layla and decides to follow Cindy's advice and present a new Melissa to the school, a cool sophisticated image guaranteed to hide her vulnerability. Jesse on the other hand is pleased with the progress he is making finding new friends, especially an older boy who seems to Click for more

4. Smoke and Mirrors (Smoking and Advertising)

This program uses two story lines to explore the pressure on young people to smoke; it educates them on the health hazards of smoking and also on how effective advertising techniques can be. Here we meet Kea, who has been chosen as a model for a new line of teen clothing, which means winning a dance scholarship. However, Click for more

5. Slave Day (More to Life Than Drugs)

This program explores common misconceptions and apprehensions of students as they prepare to enter high school. One common fear is that "everyone does drugs and how will they be able to say no and still be accepted?" Here we see it's the start of the new school year at Kerrisdale High School and the old gang is back Click for more

6. Pitfalls (Smoking, Drugs and Safety)

This is a multi-themed show which deals with the issues of smoking and electrical safety. On one hand schools do not want to condone smoking by providing a designated smoking area, but on the other hand when a school has a smoking pit, the young people are not exposed to the additional danger of drug pushers or just Click for more

7. Nothing Up My Sleeve (Media Literacy)

"Recommended. Akin to an "After-School Special," this program is a useful addition to any discussion on media literacy." -School Library Journal
The kids at Kerrisdale are organizing a school dance to raise money for the student fund, but an explosion destroys the expensive music system and threatens to Click for more

8. Eyes From the Sky (How Technology Affects Us)

Amber's plans for a clean sweep of the science fair turn into a last minute scramble to track down some high tech thieves before her Aunt loses her job and her secret satellite communications device. Along the way, Amber is accidentally kidnapped and it's up to Jessie and Jai to track her down before the thieves realize Click for more

9. Balancing Act (Balance and Smart Eating)

Obesity - this generation's "battle of the bulge" - is an important health topic. Here we meet two Kerrisdale kids, Amber and Jai, who decide to take on baking muffins for The Zone to bring in more customers and earn some extra cash. The success of their new venture is more than they bargained for and they have to Click for more

10. Not So Fast (Balance, Understanding, and Conservation)

Our differences can divide us or, in appreciating our differences, that understanding can bring us closer together, which is the happy ending that results in this multi-themed program. Here we meet Layla, who wants to plan a "fat-a-thon" to help raise money for new exercise equipment, and Ben, a new student who happens Click for more

11. Sticky Situations (Safety in the Workplace)

The theme of this show is safety in the workplace. For many youths their first job is in the service industry and often many are unaware of important safety rules. With that in mind this program looks at some of the basic safety regulations in the food service industry. Here we see, as The Zone takes on a whole new Click for more

12. Showdown at Devil's Dip (Safety and Peer Pressure)

This program explores the issues of safety and peer pressure and the need many adolescents feel to prove themselves to their peers. Here we see that Chris just wants to play roller hockey, but Jai goads him into accepting a challenge to a roller blade race against Amber down the notorious Devil's Dip. Will Devil's Click for more

13. Multiple Choices (Conflict Resolution and Anger Management)

Let's face it, reality is, people often disagree about things, and often disagreements can turn into serious conflicts. In this program we see the themes of career choices, conflict resolution, and anger management are interweaved into a thought-provoking story as two Kerrisdale kids, Jorge and Chris, set up a Virtual Click for more

14. Quibbling Rivalry (Conflict Resolution and Work Safety)

Things haven't been working out for Jai recently. His hours at work have been cut, Amber's been named "Employee of the Month," and Brad publicly humiliates him by bailing him out of a heated confrontation with rowdies at The Zone. It's all too much for Jai, and he decides to quit his job. But that doesn't stop the Click for more

15. Two Worlds (Culturally Based Conflict Resolution)

The theme of this program is culturally-based conflict resolution. Here we meet Melissa, who is troubled by her situation at home where her parents are not getting along; also she is hurt when Kea appears not to be there for her. Kea seems to be focusing more on exploring her Chinese culture and her chance to go with Click for more

16. Alien (ESL and Understanding) Differences)

Fitting in is never easy in any group when you don't know or aren't skilled in the group's language; this can be especially true for English as a Second Language students. Insensitive individuals can make an ESL student feel as if he or she were an alien from another planet. That is exactly the point of this program, Click for more

17. Coming Home (A Child's Rights to Protection)

This program focuses on Melissa and Jesse's home life. Their father has now left and their mother has had an emotional breakdown. This means the two kids have to be put in temporary care while their mother recovers. We see Melissa negotiating to stay with a friend while in care and Jesse going to a foster home. The Click for more

18. Family and Friends (Two Views on Children's Rights)

This program explores the issues of child's rights from the perspective of a Canadian child and a refugee child from El Salvador. With rights come responsibilities and Melissa's and Manuels's stories look at this issue from very different viewpoints. We learn that Melissa's overwhelming goal in life is to become a Click for more

19. Kelly's Story (Child's Rights and Sexual Abuse)

Sexual abuse is never an easy topic. It's even more difficult when it occurs within families. This sensitive program explores the rights of children to a safe home environment, freedom from abuse, and the help that is available to them through services put in place to protect those rights. It also looks at the rights Click for more

20. Happy Campers (Energy Use and Safety)

It's nearing the end of the school year and part of the class goes on a camping trip to a hydro-generating station and dam as part of a study on energy safety and conservation. Melissa is portrayed as the energy hog of the story, which also focuses on safety at the dam. Many people use dams for recreation and some Click for more

21. The Haunted Cottage (Safety and Energy Conservation)

A so-called haunted cottage is an interesting setting for a program whose focus is supposed to be: think green, think smart, conserve energy, and be safe. In this episode we learn that Amber's brother has gotten a job cleaning up the abandoned cottage, while Jai and Amber have dared each other to find out if it is Click for more