Schools and Teachers

 

“It is absolutely wonderful that it’s free. To make this accessible to all kids is really quite honestly a game changer for many of our students. There is so much appreciation we have for Dianne and her team and the work that they do. There’s a really strong connection between education and poverty, and poverty and health and well-being, and what they’re doing is helping to educate our kids so that they can be more successful academically, but also physically and emotionally.  It appeals to kids who are interested in science, technology, the arts, mathematics, engineering – which is really in alignment with what we’re seeing as a need for this region in terms of talented young people. In order for kids to be able to be successful, a lot of times they need to be able to see themselves in their work or in a video or in a game, and so Clever Crazes has done an outstanding job of making sure that they have a wide variety of [avatars] so that they actually can see themselves.”

Laura Mitchell, former Superintendent, Cincinnati Public Schools

 

“Clever Crazes is one of Cincinnati Public School's most valuable partners. By providing online games and activities aligned to our academic content standards, Clever Crazes is supporting the academic success of our district. Many of our students are online during out-of-school time, exploring the worlds of the Clever Crazes website and learning how STEM is a part of their everyday lives. This valuable afterschool experience is provided at no cost to the district and we could not afford to purchase such a relevant and engaging program for so many students. Cincinnati Public Schools is extremely grateful to Dianne Dunkelman and her staff at Clever Crazes. Not only do they offer the website to our students and teachers, but Clever Crazes provides training and materials to support the use of the program. Our partnership with Clever Crazes is one of the reasons that Cincinnati Public Schools is the only urban school district in the state of Ohio to receive an ‘effective’ rating. CPS greatly appreciates Clever Crazes and their commitment to our students!”

Mary A. Ronan, former Superintendent, Cincinnati Public Schools

 

“When I first learned about this website, I thought it was too good to be true. As a science teacher, I’m always looking for new and exciting ways to review and reinforce the curriculum that I teach in class, but also engaging ways that help students take ownership of their learning, and Clever Crazes really does that. It really has helped build this identity in my students that they are scientists and STEM learners and engineers and that they are capable of putting work in when it comes to education and having a benefit and a reward from it, which has been wonderful to see.

I never thought in a million years that we would win anything, but I thought that the benefits of going through the worlds and using the questions in class would be more than enough. I was pleasantly surprised. My students have won backpacks; many of them have won gift cards; they’ve won sweatshirts; and our school has won $1000 toward our STEM fund. Individuals have benefitted; classrooms have benefitted; the whole school has benefitted from us using this website. I cannot say enough positive things about it! I cannot thank Clever Crazes enough.”

Megan Schaller, Science Teacher and STEM Coordinator, Indianapolis, Indiana

 

“Students file into the dimly lit computer lab, lights flickering on the 25 personal workstations that emit a dull hum standing silent just waiting for those busy fingers. ‘Can we play Clever Crazes today, Mrs. Fox?’ students request as they slide into their seats to await their instructions. ‘Of course we're going to play Clever Crazes today. Where else can you play to win cool prizes like $10 gift cards, cash for our school or brand new cool gym shoes?’ Mrs. Fox responds, prompting the students to get started. Now those eager hands begin clicking away and over the tapping of the keys, the computers wake to the sounds of Kimmie excitedly talking through her instructions with motivating tips on how everyone has a chance to win cool gym shoes.

Many of the students take that opportunity to get out of their seats right then and practice those exercises right along with Kimmie, huffing and puffing, and counting breathlessly. Keller says under his breath, ‘Wow that feels good!’ as he returns to his keyboard and enters the number of reps he just completed. But then across the room, Trevor may cause a whoosh from the roar of a rocket's engine to be heard as he begins his blast off into Space, while Chloe may take that underwater adventure and of course cause bubbles to gurgle up just as she dives into that world. Then there are Lauren and Zach who prefer to take a quiet stroll in the calm but very colorful world of Art. There is no end to the fun in Clever Crazes as it offers students 10 different worlds of fun interactive environments to experience and explore. What better way to learn and also have a chance to win really cool prizes for you or your school!

The students at Cincinnati Christian School want to thank the people who make Clever Crazes possible and continue to provide new worlds that make it challenging and fun. We are excited to see what is in store with some of the new modules coming soon such as Music and Dance. We have been playing in Clever Crazes' worlds for years and we have raised enough money for our school through this program that we were able to purchase iPads to help further our learning and continue to promote healthy lifestyles. Recently, our 1st grade students took the iPads on a nature hike to a creek and they took pictures of the local flowers, trees and bugs found along the trails so they can record the changes throughout the year with pictures. They will return to the same creek again in Fall, Winter and then Spring, taking pictures at each visit and then compare and record the changes in nature.

This project simply would not have been possible had the Clever Crazes program not been developed and offered to our students!! It has also been nice actually playing and seeing results through winning which also builds excitement for our students: excitement not only for winning prizes, but for playing games at school, making it a really fun way to learn. Thank you again, Clever Crazes, for enriching the lives of our students!”

Susan Fox, Art Teacher, Cincinnati Christian Schools, Fairfield, Ohio

 

“CleverCrazes is an important part of our physical education curriculum here at Center Middle School in Strongsville, Ohio. The program has given us many opportunities to teach the fundamentals of our lessons and in the process, earn prizes along the way. Since we have joined the program just over two years ago, we have gone above and beyond in spending money to upgrade our physical education equipment. Most importantly, we have improved our physical fitness equipment over the years to provide students with many different avenues of working out and making it fun. Our technology has improved vastly and the kids are enjoying every minute of it. Without this program, many of the opportunities we provide for our students would not be made available to them. We hope to continue the program for years to come and look forward to the many different worlds you provide to us. The administration is extremely happy with Clever Crazes and we thank you for this wonderful program as it has become a BIG part of what we do here.”

Brian Wilson, 7th grade Physical Education, 7th grade Boys Assistant Football Coach, 8th grade Boys Head Basketball Coach, 7-8th grade Boys Head Track Coach, Center Middle School, Strongsville, Ohio

 

"Clever Crazes for Kids' mission is great! Whoever came up with the idea of promoting healthy living through computer games really knows how to meet kids where they are and teach them in their comfort zone! Our physical education teacher introduced Woodford to Clever Crazes for Kids and arranged for our students to participate as a fundraiser for the physical education department. The school plans to use the money to support the physical education/health & wellness program at Woodford by purchasing a climbing wall. Thanks, Clever Crazes, for developing such an engaging health & wellness educational program for children. We, at the Woodford Paideia Critical Thinking Academy, support your mission and wish you continued success in your worthwhile endeavor!"

Woodford Paideia Academy, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

"At Chase School, we've been working extremely hard this year to create a positive school culture where students are motivated to do the right thing. Clever Crazes for Kids is a wonderful fit because of its emphasis on character development as a component of good self-esteem. We are thrilled to have received the CCK grant because it will help pay for incentives as a reward for students who contribute to our positive school culture. We think it will be easy to incorporate other areas of CCK emphasis, including fitness and good nutrition, into the incentives that we choose."

Chase School, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

“South Avondale Elementary School will use the money to provide transportation to the Flying Pig Marathon for our participating students. We will use some of the funding to create a biggest loser competition throughout the entire South Avondale building to carry out First Lady Michelle Obama's ‘Let's Move’ campaign to curb childhood obesity. We will use the funding to get pedometers and prizes and to bring in speakers about childhood obesity. We will purchase healthy snacks for our participants in our after school activities - Double Dutch, 'Battle of the Tigers Fitness Club' workout classes, dance step classes and etc. We will also purchase track uniforms for the FIRST track team at our school (girls and boys).”

South Avondale Elementary School, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

“Sayler Park Elementary will use its winning within three departments to promote health, nutrition, fitness and concern for the environment. The Physical Education Department will purchase new sports and playground equipment. The Art Department will purchase supplies for students to create posters promoting good health habits and nutrition for the cafeteria. The library will purchase books on these topics and software/materials to assist students in accessing this information.”

Sayler Park Elementary, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

“With some of the money we won from Clever Crazes, to enhance students' knowledge about living green and taking care of our environment, students will visit the Rumpke Landfill and will participate in a trip to LaBoiteaux Woods Nature Center for a demonstration of recycling in nature. Students will also learn about composting, healthy soil and environmentally friendly gardening at the Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati. Since we do not have regular physical education activities in the winter, we are going to take the children skating. During this activity the older children will have a schoolwide, ‘feet on experience’ utilizing the pedometers. Children will be learning about the concept of burning calories to help be more physically fit. I don't know who said it first but ‘a sound body promotes a sound mind.’”

TCP World Academy, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

“Kids In Need Foundation is grateful for our continued partnership with Clever Crazes for Kids! With their generosity, we are able to help to provide backpacks, STEM-based workbooks and classroom materials to thousands of students most in need across our country.”

Kids in Need Foundation

 

“A HUGE thanks goes out to Clever Crazes for Kids for a generous donation of binders, backpacks, bracelets, workbooks, placemats, stickers and pocket folders. These are just some of the pallets received today. We appreciate their continued support of Crayons to Computers and can't wait to get these items on our shelves.”

Crayons to Computers

 

“This website is so awesome! Thank you again for providing such great incentives and an amazing interactive, fun, online learning environment for students.”

BJ Carson, 7^th grade science teacher, Cloverleaf Middle School, Seville, Ohio

 

"Our school is implementing a wellness program, and Clever Crazes works well with our efforts. In fact, we've incorporated the program into our wellness curriculum. The prize money will help us expand our cafeteria to include a salad bar."

Principal, St. Joseph School, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

"Clever Crazes builds on our wellness mandate and reinforces the lessons we teach every day. We will use our prize money to expand the play areas around the school and encourage more physical activity."

Head of School, Seven Hills Lotspeich School, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

“Sts. Peter and Paul Academy will enhance its "Going Green" program.”

Sts. Peter and Paul Academy, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

“Mt. Healthy Preparatory and Fitness Academy will use the prize money to support ongoing physical education programs.”

Mt. Healthy Preparatory and Fitness Academy, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

After-School Programs

 

“To best illustrate how great Clever Crazes is, I first want to tell you about the size and scope of CAPS, San Bernardino, CA. We have 57 sites and over 500 employees. Thank you, thank you, clevercrazes.com for your totally FREE program. It is amazing to find such a comprehensive educational site that not only delivers what they say but actually delivers even more.

As you know we have used the Clever Crazes site since 2012. Our site leaders and coordinators love it and even more important, the KIDS LOVE IT! Thanks, again, to Clever Crazes for making STEM/STEAM learning fun.

Thank you Clever Crazes for your wonderful program, we love it!”

Dennis Warman, District Coordinator, Creative Before and After School Programs for Success (CAPS), San Bernardino, CA

 

“As Chief Consultant, Center for Collaborative Solutions in California, I want to let after-school programs (and school classrooms) know about a totally FREE educational website and how highly I regard it, the Clever Crazes for Kids' (CCK) website, clevercrazes.com. This unique website is based on STEM curriculum and has a video called ‘What is STEM?’ right on the site to help your students understand what the real-world use of STEM is. In fact, CCK has added an ‘A’ for arts to turn STEM into STEAM.

By consulting state standards across the country in developing CCK website materials, clevercrazes.com also enhances the academic materials your students are learning. What makes this website so unique is that the academic materials (facts and quizzes) are imbedded and appear in the form of educational games which capture the joy of learning.

AND CleverCrazes.com awards PRIZES every week during the school year to a school, an after-school program or kids' club, a homeschool, and kids, and, every month during the school year to 216 winning kids in the Step It Up and Kickstart Your Brain exercise challenge.”

Andria J. (Andi) Fletcher, PhD, Chief Consultant, Center for Collaborative Solutions, Sacramento, CA

 

“At LA's BEST, we provide students with innovative learning opportunities. In Clever Crazes, we saw that the program offered opportunities for students to practice with digital technology while learning about how to develop healthy lifestyles. Through the use of technology, students engage in a variety of fun and educational learning games which include subjects such as STEM, Nutrition, Physical Fitness, etc. As students increase their knowledge, they earn points which award fun prizes,encouraging students to want to learn! Many of our schools have won weekly cash prizes! We are thrilled to be able to partner with Clever Crazes to help our students continue to achieve academically.”

Edith Ballesteros-Vargas, Director of BEST Fit, LA'S BEST After-School Program, Los Angeles, CA

 

“Our very SPECIAL THANKS to all of you at CLEVER CRAZES for KIDS from Central Middle After School Program in Oroville, CA for helping us with our vision of becoming a Healthy Behavior Learning Center in Northern California. As we know, 7th & 8th graders can be difficult to reach and we think you found the magic formula - integrating STANDARDS Based Academics, including STEM, with Online Technology targeting our mutual mission of helping kids make "HEALTHY CHOICES" & find PERSONAL SUCCESS, all while having FUN and earning AMAZING PRIZES such as Cool Gym Shoes, $10 Gift Cards and WOW our site WON $500.00. We're thrilled to allow kids on computers, knowing CCK is a SAFE, interactive site challenging students of ALL ABILITIES to REACH their full potential... We're hearing comments from teachers & parents that students are more on task, excited about learning and willing to participate. CCK works perfect for stations during rotations, rainy day enrichment, early finisher activities, when short staffed, with subs and best of all... every day friendly competitions. We can't wait for CCK Version 3.0 and all those new & wonderful worlds to keep our students motivated & smiling...

We Believe in Clever Crazes! Keep up the Great Work, your devoted fans...”

Karen Palmerlee, Site Coordinator & all of us at Central Middle ASP TEAM Success >>> Together Everyone Achieves More Butte County Office of Education, Oroville, CA

 

“Clever Crazes offers fun learning experiences for students, including a virtual personal trainer! The YMCA of Greater Cincinnati and the CincyAfterSchool Network embraced Clever Crazes as a key afterschool program element with terrific results. Not only do students love the educational challenges, but they get moving afterschool by putting the video physical instruction to work. The Y's Mt. Airy afterschool site scored cash prizes, which helped keep everyone motivated and excited about Clever Crazes!”

Rebecca Kelley, Group Vice President, YMCA of Greater Cincinnati

 

“The only health/fitness/nutrition that we currently have is 1 yoga session, and 1 outdoor physical activity. We do NOT have a single session that offers anything like what Clever Crazes offers (the culmination of health, physical activity emphasis, STEM curriculum). I have been working in the field of after school for over 10 years now and was very impressed with the online activities as well as the overall components of the CleverCrazes activities. In this day and age, technology is everywhere and our youth spend more time on computers than they do playing outside. – why not incorporate learning through them as well. Great Job!”

Sarah Mostofi, After School Resource Coordinator, The Children’s Initiative, San Diego, California

 

“We received positive responses of enthusiasm during our Health Fair from our Academy students and College students. Some of our College students pursuing a degree in education as well as staff will be incorporating Clever Crazes into their teaching experience. Thank you Clever Crazes for your impact and vision of enlightening the minds of our present and future generations!”

Esther Holloway, Registered Nurse, God’s Bible School and College, Cincinnati, Ohio

 

“In my afterschool program of 3^rd to 5^th graders, I had two students who were significantly below grade level in reading, and through practice, and skills building with Clever Crazes they were able to be recognized at having the most improved Lexile levels for their respective grade levels. 

My Summer and After school programs have really benefited from the STEM enrichment that Clever Crazes provides, and the student absolutely love competing for real prizes. It has increased confidence, and participation in all of our activities. 

The Clever Crazes Music Mixer game has inspired, and motivated students to create new music. The student often sing aloud to the songs, and work together without being ask-which is what great collaboration is all about.

The Coding, and problem solving activities in Clever Crazes have opened the door to 21^st Century learning. Students are able to see the types of careers that will utilize the skills that they are building, and further investigate these options.

I also tell anyone who ask that the best feature of all of this is that this program is FREE! Clever Crazes can even populate your student list.”

John Reichenberg, Science Teacher, Parkside High School, Salisbury, Maryland

 

“After School Explorers LOVES Clever Crazes!  After School Explorers serves 8 sites across rural Preston County, West Virginia reaching over 300 youth in grades Prek-8. ASE targets K-3 students to promote grade level skills. Clever Crazes gives us the opportunity to develop mouse and key boarding skill with our young ones. Our explorers have also cashed in with Clever Crazes winning sweatshirts, shoes, headphones and more. You should see our explorers light up when the prize arrives! This is a great resource that every after school program should take advantage of!”

Susie A. Huggins, MA, Project Director, AFTER SCHOOL EXPLORERS, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Preston County, West Virginia

 

Parents/Guardians

 

“CleverCrazes.com has been a friend to our children since the day they first logged on with Clever Crazes 2.0. We have an 8 year old girl and a 10 year old boy and I must say the relationship building that has taken place is amazing! Our children have found each of the 9 worlds to be fun, engaging and the educational value is Amazing. As a parent I see the children using the skills they have learned on the site daily and as a review from material learned in class. Each evening the children take care of the recycling, plan the next morning's breakfast and even plan the exercises we will do during our workout time together. What a difference it has made with our family in so many areas. "Problem solving with the children", not a problem anymore with www.clevercrazes.com. I would encourage families to enjoy it together, daily.”

Faith D., parent

 

“Fantastic organization! My 7 yr. old daughter absolutely loves this! She spent her entire technology time tonight on Clever Crazes.”

Cherlyn B., parent

 

“My grandson Nathan loves it.”

Michelle H., grandparent

 

Homeschool Educators

 

“I'm a parent of two children, 5 and 7 years old. I homeschool my 7 year old daughter. I have a B.S. Degree in Physical Education from Russia and M.S. degree in Nutrition from USA. I was looking for a good educational website for my daughter as a supplement for the textbooks and workbooks. In general, the European, Chinese, and Japanese educational systems are more intense than the American educational system, so I set the bar high and went through about 200 different educational websites for children. Some of them didn't have enough information on a subject, some contained too much information that wasn't very useful, and some just didn't have interesting presentation or attention captivating material for the child. Well, your website stood out and had it ALL! I can see why my daughter related to the characters on the website. It was a very clever idea to have children teach other children, and not just one who knows everything, but many who are experts in their fields. I learned new facts from your website too, so thank you. Yet I'm happy that my daughter is able to learn from your experts without me sitting with her and explaining every concept, because they really explain material in good, understandable form. And a child has an extra bonus from learning, such as the possibility of winning a prize (gift cards, money for their schools, after-school program, or homeschool programs or a pair of gym shoes.) My kids thought that the P.E. coach was really talking to them via Skype. That's how well you put it together. And for all the school educators or homeschool parents who want their children to grow up into smart, intelligent, caring adults- use clever crazes website, you can stop looking further. Suggestion to Clever Crazes: you can add languages. It's fun and effective to learn from a cartoon friend. It would have been much easier for me to learn English that way. My kids currently speak English, Russian, and Spanish, and we are learning French, but of course they have more fun learning with their animated friends, than with mom.”

Olya R., Homeschool Educator, Antioch, Illinois

 

“I just want to say that CleverCrazes.com has been a great addition to our homeschool program. My children love your website. With new things added every year and incentives for them, they enjoy learning and playing games in a kid safe site, it has been a blessing. I am homeschool mom of four amazing children. If there is any volunteering opportunity or awareness or remote programs that you think I can help with, please do reach out. Thank you for the past 6 years, and we look forward to another great school year.”

Anita R., Homeschool Educator, Jackson, New Jersey