The Teen Grid is a separate "grid" (or world) from the original "Main Grid" (18+) and is only for teens from 13 to 17. Once a teen turns 18 they are transported to the Main Grid, avatars, names, and inventories are all maintained. The Teen Grid was started in a closed Beta around February 13th of 2005, during this period a few previously Main Grid residents were transferred over for testing. Linden Lab gave "amnesty" to several Main Grid residents during this phase if they told LL they were underage (previously being caught underage would result in a ban), these Residents became beta testers and world founders to help build the world before it was opened to the public. Several rules were set for the Teen Grid, the most notable being that cross-communication between the Teen Grid and Main Grid is not allowed. The Teen Grid soon opened to the public with a shiny new website and forums. However due to staff and office hours the Teen Grid was only open during office hours, much like when Second Life was in Beta. As of January 1st, 2006, the teen grid opened 24/7, to all residents.
Teen Second Life Timeline
February 2005:
Only for teens 13-17
When a teen turns 18 they are transported to the Main Grid
The Teen Grid is not a section of the Main Grid, but a separate grid
Amnesty period
Teen Grid rules
Open only during Linden Labs office hours much like SL in beta
Officially to "provide an international gathering place for teens 13-17 to make friends and to play, learn and create."
January 2006
January 1, 2006 - Teen Second Life leaves Beta
Open 24/7
Blue Linden in charge
Global Kids creates in-world journal to document best practices and offer analysis
summer program geared toward using media art, performance and collaborative creation in SL for cultural exchange
pilot project between New York and Amsterdam
Kids Connect Island comes to the teen grid
September 2006
GK publishes Best Practices document
Lucky + Cory + Mariel = TSL Survey
October 2006
MacArthur Foundation announcement simulcast in main and teen grid of Second Life.
First dual grid stream
$50m for new 5-year Digital Media and Learning Initiative
vFunding for Global Kids over three years includes Second-Life based programming.
Favorite quote, heard from teen during MacArthur President Jonathan Fanton's introduction: "You know, I think Jackie Chan should be giving this whole speech thing. No one could do it better."
GK's Virtual Video Project launches at Museum of the Moving Image
GK Inverts Camp GK for new Leadership program
International Criminal Court Scavenger Hunt
US Holocaust Museum's Darfur Photo exhibit in TSL
Social Contract proposed by Global Kids to eliminate the Linden Curtain
December 2006
Eye4You Alliance opens publicly to TSL residents. GK Island is no longer alone
The Global Kids Guide To Presenting In Teen Second Life released
UNICEF's A World Fit For Children Festival
January 2007
US Holocaust Museum – Mia Farrow speaks on situation in Darfur in TSL
February 2007
MIT Beyond Broadcast conference in TSL
GK launches two new islands, one for Machinima and one for Serious Games
March 2007
Eye4You alliance has a week festival in SL in conjunction with national event
McKinley Tech high school, Washington, D.C.
SL Professional Development Curriculum
Playing 4 Keeps
National Service Learning Council simulcasts annual conference into TSL
GK celebrates one year anniversary - The majority of the events, activities and builds were created and run by teens
Activities:
Scavenger Hunt on global environmental issues
GK Birthday Cake Baking Contest
A tour of the new NOAA Glacier followed by a workshop on global climate change
Two dance parties
Birthday card signing
Panels:
TSL residents present on the past year of programs in TSL
TSL residents debate the role of adults in online teen spaces
Blue and Philip Linden on the past, present and future of TSL
Representatives from Learn & Serve America and the National Youth Leadership Council speak to teens through a live audio stream on service-learning
A live video from the annual Global Kids youth conference
April 2007
Moo Money comes to GK island
GK Leadership Program relaunched
NTEC presentation on Second Life rated best conference presentation
Linden Lab responds to teen and adult requests by reorganizing the grid
Teen Unification Project begins
TSL YA (Youth Advocates) forms (Made up of adults doing work within the TSL grid; currently creating a manifesto - the YAM - to empower teens to hold them accountable through a Teen Seal of Approval)
Virtual Video Project launches first set of machinima PSA’s
GK receives funding from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to partner with YouthVenture in TSL to bring health-related youth entrepreneurship into Second Life
A Child's War launched by Global Kids, a 6.5 minute SL-based machinima about child soldiers in Uganda made by GK Youth Leaders through a year-long after school program.
Version 1.17 causes Teen Grid glitches ("This time even more than the Main Grid's glitches that occur every update" -Smiley Barry). Including huge packet loss, ping sim of 5-10k, and keep getting 'Ruthed'.
July 2007
Virtual Curation Program Begins, a summer collaboration between GK in NYC and Washington, D.C. youth at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Global Kids' after school program, Playing 4 Keeps, releases CONSENT!, produced by the Digital Refinery, the year-end Second Life game about unethical medical prison research on African American males since World War Two.
The Non-Profit and Philanthropy Thread at the third annual Second Life Community Convention is produced by Global Kids, with a strong focus on work done within Teen Second Life.