KIDS FIRST! Jurors

Some of our KIDS FIRST! Jurors

 

Moturayo Ajibulu

Motunrayo Ajibulu (age 18) is a high school senior who lives in Orange, Virginia. She has been in her school's drama club since her freshman year. When not on stage, she manages their social media page and helps select what shows they perform. One of her main concerns is that kids are exposed to a lot of content that is appropriate for older audiences. She joined KIDS FIRST! because she believes it's important for kids to consume age-appropriate media. She is most proud of having her bi-literacy seal for Spanish and winning a Best Actress Award. In her free time she loves reading, watching musicals, and writing stories.

 

Andrew Bever

“Write What You Know, Shoot What You See” is Andrew Bever’s mantra. A lover of all art, with a focus on cinema and short films, Andrew has been making his own short films since high school, starting when he was tasked by his drama class teacher to write a two act play for his final, and instead wrote, shot, and edited the same script using a combination of a Sony Hi8 camcorder and tape recorder. After handing it in, showing it to the class, and seeing their reactions, it was a high speed, downhill race chasing the dream of being a filmmaker. Andrew attended several colleges in New Mexico and West Texas, before he found his alma mater in Santa Fe University of Art and Design, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Degree, with a focus on Film Producing and Cinematography. He currently owns and operates Bad Raven Films in New Mexico, specializing in commercial production, and product videography. Bever currently serves as lead video editor and video coach for the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics team and we love him!  

Ashleigh C.

Ashleigh C. (age 20) lives in DC and has two sisters - one a twin.  She loves that KIDS FIRST! offers her a voice for her opinions about entertainment. Her favorite film is Just Go With It because of its comedy, inspiring actors and clear message. Her favorite actor is Chris Evans, for his acting and his contribution to ending political discourse like a real-life Captain America. Danai Gurira is her favorite actress, for her portrayal of a strong African American female in The Walking Dead. Ashleigh became president of her high school speech and debate team after taking first place at the VA High School League Speech and Debate tournament. She is a co-researcher at George Mason University, studying Youth Participatory Action research and an advisor for Bridge USA’s High School Program for retooling civic/political discourse in today’s youth. She does cross country and teaches young girls about STEM through an all high school female-led non-profit organization named Posse Empowerment.

Lisa Black Cohen

Lisa Black Cohen is a multi-faceted professional based in New York City. She works as a general and special education substitute teacher, and is an experienced art educator. She is the Executive Director of The S.E.L. (Social Emotional Learning) Art Project, a non-profit that brings art to underprivileged and special needs students. She is a docent at Gracie Mansion, and is a published writer in art publications. She has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Fordham University, and a masters degree in Contemporary Art from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. She has published art-themed articles in Sotheby’s Institute of Art’s London based art magazine.

Denise Bloomfield

Denise A. Bloomfield has an A.A. Degree in Journalism and a B.A. Degree is Addictive Studies. She has experience as a Domestic Violence Advocate and has also worked in Special Education, Child Abuse Prevention and has been a Freelance Writer for local magazines and newspapers. She currently is a Freelance Writer, Homeschooling Mom and Publisher of SoCal City Kids (www.socalcitykids.com). She loves writing, homeschooling, photography, being a Mom and reviewing DVDs and Screenplays. Denise says,"I love being a Juror for KIDS FIRST! because it is interesting, fun and a wonderful opportunity!" More on Amazon Author page:  https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00F9F7W70

Mikella G.

Mikella G. (age 18) hails from New York City. She loves acting, singing and dancing so she thought joining KIDS FIRST! would be a lot of fun and a great experience to get to interview people, and write reviews on films and TV shows. She also loves to bake, play guitar, practice makeup and travel. Her favorite film is Titanic, because of its interesting storyline, great acting, its romance aspect and the action-packed, tragic tear-jerker ending. Leighton Meester is her favorite actress. She plays the iconic Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl (one of her favorite shows) and other films. "The way she goes from playing Blair, someone with a huge personality, to other types of characters, shows what a truly is an amazing actor she is." Her greatest accomplishment was getting into a performing arts high school for musical theater. She aspires to become an actor and singer,and hopes to travel and see the world.

Hafsa Hayi

Hafsa Hayi, a 16-year-old high school sophomore from Columbus, OH, brings a vibrant passion for film to KIDS FIRST! With a younger sibling and a lifelong love for movies, especially Disney animation, Hafsa joined KIDS FIRST! to explore her interest and address her concern about age-appropriate programming for children. An avid soccer and volleyball player, Hafsa's favorite film is 'Madagascar,' drawn to its humor and engaging characters. She admires A.O. Scott for his insightful film analysis. Hafsa is thrilled to be a KIDS FIRST! juror and dreams of traveling the world, aiming to visit every country.

Bria Holmes

Bria Holmes (age 30) is an African American who lives in central FL and is employed as a reading tutor. She has a passion for critiquing children's film and is concerned about child viewing content that is too violent, too mature, or has explicit language. Her favorite film is the 2016 stop-motion film: Kubo and the Two Strings due to its brilliant stop-motion cinematography, and behind the scenes moments showing how much effort and craftsmanship went into creating it. Roger Ebert is her favorite critic, because he was so detailed in his critiques. She is proud of earning a BA in English and Writing and graduating with honors. Bria is a lifetime member of two academic honor societies, Tau Sigma and Omega Nu Lambda. She reviews films for KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, Albuquerque Film and Music Festival, and San Diego National Film Festival and is a volunteer reader for young children, where she sometimes dresses up as a literary character.

Nancy Kenney

Nancy Kenney is the Vice President of the Board of Trustees for the Coalition of Quality Children's Media. She is also venue coordinator and a curator for the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival. Nancy is a documentary producer, an award-winning composer for film and a new urbanist. Nancy has a MS in International / Intercultural Development Education and studied film composition at Berklee College of Music. She has taught music for kindergarten through university students. Nancy is as a sustainable land developer and a founding partner of the new urbanist community designed by Andres Duany called Aldea de Santa. Nancy's company, Arthouse Productions, has documented new urbanist projects and practitioners, and created an online accredited curriculum for architects, planners, and students called New Urbanist Media. She is the mother of a talented filmmaker, Conci Althouse, and she serves on the board of NetWorks Productions, a non-profit that creates and disseminates media to help regenerate the earth. Nancy has been honored with the Muse Award for "Best Video Produced by a Museum in the US" for "Edward Weston – A Retrospective" and "Best Use Of Media Award from Santa Fe Film Festival for “Colonia Prisma At Tierra Contenta” 

Xiangxi Kong

Xiangxi Kong is a 20-year-old international student in her junior year at Emerson College in Boston. She has been interested in film since kindergarten and is realizing her dream in college. She has always believed that a good movie can change a child's life, so she chose to join this team. Her other hobbies include rescuing cats and watching musicals.

 

 

Debra Larson

Debra Larson is a retired English Master at The Lawrenceville School and Princess Anne High School. She has a MA from University of Virginia in English Language and Literature / Letters; a MA from University of Oxvord with Distinction, Medieval Studios and a MA from Shakespeare Institute with Distinction, Shakespeare. She lives in Santa Fe, NM and is the founder and director of the Santa Fe Wine Club.

Juanita Seon Leary

Juanita Seon Leary has been a KIDS FIRST! Juror since 2007. Her interest and passion for movies and children are what attracted her to the program. Ms. Seon is an Adult Juror and certified KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Boot Camp Instructor. She is the founder and director of Young Media Critics - advocates for media & digital literacy. Young Media Critics Movie Club teaches critical thinking skills to youth, as part of the media literacy movement. Ms. Leary is the adult co-host of Young Media Critics, an internet radio show on Blogtalk.com, a Toastmaster and a member of the Main Line Speaks Toastmasters Club. Ms. Leary resides in Philadelphia, PA  and is very excited about bringing the concepts of KIDS FIRST! to the area.

Eshaan M.

Eshaan M. (age 18), lives in Houston, TX, loves watching movies and telling stories. KIDS FIRST! allows him to explore storytelling within the realm of movies. He likes providing a reliable retelling of his movie-watching experiences with audiences. Eshaan also loves musical theatre, playing videogames, spending time with family and friends, writing, exploring new cuisines, and traveling. Eshaan is a huge fan of the Bourne series and his favorite actor is Tom Cruise because of his bankable performances — Top Gun is a family favorite. Neal Justin of the Minneapolis Tribune is an entertainment critic he looks up to. Eshaan reported for Time for Kids magazine in 2019-2020; one of his highlights was covering the Democratic Debate in Houston where he enjoyed talking with then Senator Kamala Harris. Eshaan plans to explore a career in the humanities. He loves reading and writing and is tons of fun! Portfolio. Playlist.

Avalon N.

Avalon N. (age 16) lives in Iowa and loves reviewing movies and interviewing actors, producers, directors and others through KIDS FIRST! She is passionate about theater and film and plans to continue her vocal and acting career in college. She also loves dance, swim team, snowboarding, parkour and Tae Kwon Doe. Some of her favorite musicals are Mean Girls, Heathers and Six. One of her favorite musical movies is Oliver because of how it usesthe background and primary music to help the actors move around the space. Some of her favorite actresses are Katie Douglas, Samantha Pauly and Reneé Rapp. Her greatest accomplishment so far is working on and acting in over 14 community theater productions with four different companies. She aspires to pursue a career of performing arts after high school with primary focus on musical theater in both stage and film musicals. She hopes KIDS FIRST! will help her gain some skills necessary for this as well as exposure and insight into the industry.

Jackson Logan Honukoa N.

Jackson Logan Honukoa N. (age 11) is a hot pink-haired mix of many cultures and values - Hawaiian, British, San Franciscan, New Mexican, and more. Having traveled to four continents, he loves learning about new cultures and perspectives. His favorite place is Tokyo, Japan because it is such an interesting city and feels like you’re in a movie when you are there. He is a swimmer, plays the guitar and ukulele, loves to read, write, and draw. He has designed many comic books which he hopes to release or make into movies someday. He is a film fanatic and intends to study film and make movies. His favorite movie is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse because its animation is so completely new in its style – like nothing before, with vibrant and saturated colors. It has a great storyline, with lots of different characters whose stories intersect and branch off. He is inspired by the Star Wars and Marvel franchises and he dreams of building his own cinematic universe one day. Watching movies transports him to another time and place and he loves sharing that magic with the world as a KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

Maica N.

Maica N. (age 17) lives in New Jersey. She loves being on camera and performing because she grew up a dancer. She also loves critiquing films and TV shows and pointing out little things that people may not notice at first glance. KIDS FIRST! offers her an opportunity to write film reviews, watch new movies and shows, interview stars, and get herself out there. She likes to dance, sing, write songs, learn ASL, watch football, and play lacrosse. Her favorite film is The Game Plan, because it combines two of her favorite things, dance and football, and the character development is exciting.  Her favorite shows are Arrow and Switched At Birth. She is proud of being in the top 10 of the class of 2025 in school, and winning the solo dancer award at the 2024 South Jersey Cappies!

Oyebisola Olanipekun

Oyebisola Olanipekun (age 21) lives in Lanham, MD and is a full-time college student at a local community college. She became a KIDS FIRST! juror to improve her writing skills and help promote safe, educational entertainment for children. She believes kids should have access to content that is both appropriate and enjoyable. She also interns at the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame as an administrative intern. In her spare time, she enjoys reading various genres, watching interesting films and TV shows, and spending time with family. Her favorite film is Something New, a  lighthearted romantic comedy that she enjoys watching when she feels down.  She has a unique ability to continue when faced a setback. She loves exploring new topics, especially historical facts. She is a Sagittarius, and her favorite colors are black and purple.

Janie Ramirez

Janie Ramirez (age 16) is from Houston, TX and is a high school senior with three siblings and several young cousins. She decided to join KIDS FIRST because it seems like a really fun way to volunteer. She really enjoys volunteering, especially if it is for a good cause, like helping children. What concerns her most about what kids watch is how much films influence them because they are still growing. She is taking dual credits in school so, when she does have free time she loves to watch movies and TV shows. Her favorite film so far is Vampire Diaries and its spin-offs because they are really entertaining. She loves their story lines and experiences many emotions while watching the series. She is most proud of graduating early and having about 27 college credits once she graduates. An extra fact about her is that she has five dogs.

Chris Thomas

Chris Thomas is an award-winning screenwriter and a seasoned creative writing instructor who specializes in helping young writers get their stories out of their heads and down on paper. A Senior Visual Strategist, she has written and produced animated educational tools for the national anti-tobacco trials, as well as presentations for the DOJ, the Oklahoma Bombing trial, the FAA, NATO, and NASA. As a Senior Film and Video Producer she is the recipient of three Alfie Awards including the Judges Choice Award, The National Retail Council’s Heineman Trophy and an ITVA award for outstanding Achievement. She served on the Board of Directors for the Boulder Writing studio and most recently, her screenplay, Desert Run, took first place in the Writemovies National Screenplay Competition and finished in the top 10% of the prestigious Nichols Competition. Her work has also been recognized by the New Mexico Film Foundation. Chris holds an MA in Elearning.

Tiana Sirmans

Tiana Sirmans. (age 14) hails from Delaware. She enjoys interviewing and meeting new people, attending press junkets, and is a natural on the red carpet. Tiana loves to travel, cook, read, write stories and watch movies. Inspired by Lin Manuel-Miranda, Tiana is currently working on a musical. Her favorite film is Encanto, so she also looks forward to interviewing Manuel-Miranda one day. Tiana was previously a TIME for Kids reporter and is a member of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. She is also a reporter with the Jr. NBA & WNBA. Tiana has been an entertainment journalist for The Kelly Clarkson Show and even interned with Access Hollywood and Thrive Global with Arianna Huffington. One of her dream assignments was covering Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards, which she recently did, thanks to KIDS FIRST!! Tiana is a Distinguished Honor Roll student, a member of her school’s Student Council Student Culture Team, and an advocate for climate change and human and civil rights. Tiana plans to study journalism at an HBCU and eventually host her own national television show. 

Tom Wang

Tom Wang (age 20) lives in Amherst, MA. He wanted to join KIDS FIRST! to hone his writing skills since it is an important asset for any career. He also wanted to learn how a movie is reviewed, or the process of analyzing a movie and how the concept of that works. The concern he has for kids watching media is that too much content is way too violent for younger audiences. He is currently a college student and hopes to become a software engineer once he graduated, if he doesn’t pursue a master’s degree. In his free time, he codes a lot, works on projects and watches movies. His favorite film is Anita, an inspiring film about the singer Anita Mui, dubbed the Daughter of Hong Kong. She was one of the most iconic Cantopop singers and the face of Hong Kong entertainment. He is most proud of having transformed himself into a capable Computer Science student.

Selene W.

Selene W. (age 15) lives in the greater Miami area, has one sister and two furbabies. She joined KIDS FIRST! Film Critics because she loves film and theater and enjoys interviewing people. She believes this experience provides her with opportunities to learn more about the entertainment industry and meet new people. Selene plays basketball and tennis and does all styles of dance.  In her spare time, she loves to read, listen to music and plays both piano and guitar.  Her favorite film is Pride and Prejudice and she enjoys reading Jane Austen novels.  She loves to compare her favorite books to their film adaptations.  Selene aspires to use her creative talents and work in the entertainment industry.