Producer Kevin Lafferty wins 2008 Carnegie Medal for “Jump In!”

Contacts: Macey Morales/Jennifer Petersen


ALA Media Relations


(312)280-4393/5043


mmorales@ala.org


jpetersen@ala.org




For Immediate Release,


January 14, 2008


Producer Kevin Lafferty wins 2008 Carnegie Medal for “Jump In!”

PHILADELPHIA - Producer Kevin Lafferty along with executive producer John Davis, and co-producers, Amy Palmer Robertson and Danielle Sterling, are the 2008 recipients of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video for the production of “Jump In!: Freestyle Edition.”




The video, originally aired on the Disney Channel, is a Disney DVD and features Corbin Bleu of “High School Musical” fame. The award was announced January 14, 2008, during the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, January 11-16.




Pulled in two directions, Izzy Daniels must find a balance between his passion for boxing and his promise to help his friends with an intense Double Dutch competition. “Jump In!” combines themes of friendship, hard work and individuality with energizing hip-hop and impeccable choreography.




“This enthusiastic story is a vibrant fresh perspective of overcoming personal struggles which children and parents will appreciate,” said Carnegie Award Chair Wendy Woodfill.




Established with the support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Carnegie Medal honors an outstanding American video production for children released during the previous year. The award is administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of ALA.




Members of the 2008 Carnegie Medal Committee are: Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, Minn.; Roxane Bartelt, Kenosha Public Library, Kenosha, Wis.; Sarah S. Erwin, Kirkwood Public Library, St. Louis, Mo.; Carol Hopkins, Puyallup Public Library, Puyallup, Wash.; Ellen Jepson, Appleton Public Library, Appleton, Wis.; Rita Lipof, Broward County Library, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Martha Lund, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Gahanna, Ohio; Brandy Sanchez, Missouri State Library, Jefferson City, Mo. and Amanda Williams, Austin Public Library, Austin.




More information about the Carnegie Medal can be found at
http://www.ala.org/alsc/carnegie.html.




For information on other ALA literary awards, please visit
www.ala.org.