Thursday, November 29, 2007
Episode 2 "To kill or not to kill"
Pictures::
Kid Nation
Ew Greg killing a chicken :(
Kid Nation
Ew Greg killing a chicken :(
Taylor and Leila not working with the district
Second Kid Nation Showdown
Sophia mad at the job the council is doing
Greg mad because he didn't get the Gold Star
Michael wining the Gold StarRecaps::
The Kids come closer to the realities of the food pyramid when they realize they'll have to kill town livestock if they want protein in their food. Greg assumes the leadership role as the Town kills chickens for protein. After the Showdown, while the Green District is stuck as Laborers, the Yellow District remains as Cooks and continue to shirk their duties. Michael solves the town's water crisis and is rewarded for his hard work with the Gold Star, much to the dissatisfaction of Greg. "We've got this animal part under control." As the sun rises on Bonanza City, Kids gather eggs in the chicken coop. Many of the Kids come from farming backgrounds and have already formed close bonds with the livestock. Nine-year-old Emilie, whose family runs a horse farm, is particularly at home with the animals: "They're my soft spot." In the Town Chapel, Mike, Taylor, Laurel and Anjay read the next chapter in the Pioneer Journal. The Journal states that the Kids are probably tired of eating jerky and beans, and then offers them some advice: "You brought chickens with you, right? Truth is: they're good for more than eggs." The four young Council members look at each other in shock. Can they kill a chicken? As Sophia, the resident cook, is in the kitchen lamenting over the lack of fresh food, Anjay is excited by the thought of fresh meat, declaring, "I want a chicken dinner enough that I would kill it." Laurel is shocked. "Are you that heartless that you could kill a chicken?" she asks. The Council Leaders realize that if the four of them are divided on the issue, the rest of the Kids will undoubtedly also have strong feelings about killing chickens. They decide to put the issue to a town vote. "To kill or not to kill? That is the question." Inside the Mess Hall, the young pioneers reluctantly dine on yet another starchy breakfast of grits, oatmeal and biscuits. Spooning up a sticky glob of oatmeal, Savannah observes, "The food here doesn't have its own taste. It is its own taste." The Mess Hall goes into an uproar when Mike announces that the Council is considering killing chickens. DK wonders why the Kids are so upset when most of them eat meat at home. "What's different now?" he asks. "Are you in love with a chicken or something?" When Markelle questions whether the Kids even know how to kill a chicken, Greg announces to the crowd that he has experience working as butcher's assistant and is quite confident in his ability to kill a chicken properly. With all arguments on the table, Taylor puts the matter to a vote. The majority vote for the chickens to be killed. Emilie, who thinks killing animals is "mean and cruel," and only a few other Kids vote against the proposal. Taylor declares, "We are cooking chickens!" as Emilie wonders, "Oh my God, what is happening in this town?" Emilie threatens the Council that she will go home if they kill a chicken. She, Campbell and Savannah run to the chicken coop and lock themselves inside, intent on stopping any chicken-killing. Savannah, a stranger to the butchering process, wonders, "Are they gonna hang them like they did Saddam Hussein?" Taylor approaches the chicken coop and convinces the animal lovers to talk the matter over in the town Saloon. Inside the Saloon, the Kids calmly argue why it's important for them to eat protein. Furthermore, they will only butcher two chickens to make a stew for dinner. After listening to numerous arguments, and assured that she won't be required to participate in or view the butchering, Emilie gives in to the other Kids' requests. "We sped up the natural cycle of life and death." Surrounded by a crowd of curious Kids, including Emilie, Greg decapitates a chicken with one swift chop of his hatchet. Several Kids jump in alarm when the chicken's body continues to move after the head has been severed, but Greg assures them "it's only reflexes" and that the chicken is, in fact, dead. Emilie cannot overcome her fear and runs away at the sight of the dead bird's flailing body. Greg then kills the other chicken and shows the remaining Kids how to pluck the feathers. Later, in the kitchen, Greg helps Sophia gut the chickens. Sophia admits: "This is without a doubt the grossest thing I have done in my entire life." Sophia believes that the town is very fortunate to have Greg around to help out. Greg comments that he thinks butchering the chickens will increase his odds of winning the Gold Star. After Greg, Sophia and others prepare the chicken dinner, the Kids enthusiastically chow down on the stew. Emilie, however, sits alone in her bunkhouse, upset that Kids are eating chicken. She considers going home. "It's horrible," she declares. "I've had it." "It seems like everyone from Yellow is in their bunk." It's a chilly morning in Bonanza City, and many of the Kids use the frigid weather as an excuse to sleep in. Sophia cooks breakfast, while Taylor and some Yellow girls, who are supposed to be cooking, stay warm in their bunkhouse. Zach apologizes for his District Leader's inaction. When Zach asks Taylor to help out instead of gossiping with her friends, Taylor and the other girls laughingly refuse his request. Zach fumes, "Taylor just encourages them not to do anything." Michael and the other boys from the Green District make a startling discovery as they try to carry out their duty of hauling water: the town water pump is frozen solid. The Kids worry about how long they will be able to keep Bonanza City functioning, because without water they cannot cook, clean or launder their clothing. Michael, Eric and Hunter save the day when they hatch a plan to thaw the water pump: they boil several buckets of the little remaining town water and pour the hot liquid into the frozen pump. The heated water manages to melt the ice that's lodged in the top of the pump, and the Green boys are able to replenish the town's water supply. Mike and Laurel take note of Michael's initiative. "I think we're gonna rock." It's time for the next Bonanza City Showdown! Each District is intent on winning the Upper Class this time, and the Kids are especially eager to win after they see one of the reward options: a 45-foot heated water slide. Jonathan tells the Kids that they'll get to see the other option after they've completed the Showdown, reminding them that each District has to finish the competition within an hour for them to get any prize at all. But even if the Kids don't win the water slide, they're sure to get drenched in this Showdown: they have to lay pipe from a water pump through a series of obstacles to a waterwheel at the end of the course. To complicate matters, they'll have to do all this with water running through the pipes. Once again, the Showdown comes down to the wire between the Blue and Red Districts, with Greg ultimately leading Blue to take the Upper Class. The Yellow District beats out the struggling Green District to win the Cooks once again, finishing the Showdown with just five minutes left to go. Faced with being Laborers once again, the Green Kids give it their all to finish within the hour, but are ultimately unable to win the town its reward. Instead of being mad at the Green District, though, the town comes to the District's support. Facing another stint as Laborers, the Green District groans when Jonathan reveals the other reward option would have been heated water pumps placed throughout the entire town, a perk that would've helped out the Laborers. "This is the dirty work that just has to get done." As the Kids face their seventh day in Bonanza City, some of them take their duties more seriously than others. The girls of the Green District are back at the stinky job of cleaning the Bonanza City outhouses; the boys of Green are off hauling water, mournfully remarking, "I don't think anyone wants those pumps more than we do." Once again, the girls of the Yellow District ignore a mounting pile of dirty dishes, preferring to spend time downing sodas in the Saloon. Taylor airily comments, "Pageant girls do not scrape off that old food, we use dishwashers." Mallory and Sophie have created a Pet Day Care, where they groom the town's stuffed animals. As Mallory cares for Taylor's bear, she comments, "Taylor loves to sleep in, and so does her bear. What a coincidence!" Gold Star winner Sophia and the other Green District members pick up the slack in the kitchen with help from Greg, who volunteers to do extra labor even though he is in the Upper Class. Sophia is grateful for Greg's assistance, but Mike wonders how sincere his actions are and questions whether he is working just for the Gold Star. While the rest of the Red District works in the Stores and Saloon, Emilie spends her time in the chicken coop. Yellow District's Colton yells at Emilie to go do her own work as a merchant, and to get out of the coop since she isn't a Cook or member of the Upper Class. As the young cowgirl leaves the coop, Colton shouts, "If you want to be with the animals, go home!" Emilie doesn't take these words lightly, and she seriously considers leaving Bonanza City. "Get prepared for either a lot of cheering or a lot of yelling." Before the Town Hall meeting, the Council meets to discuss who should get the Gold Star. Anjay and Taylor think Greg should get the Gold Star since he has been working so hard, but Mike counters that Greg might have been working for the sole purpose of winning the Gold Star, unlike Michael, who works for the good of the town. Laurel backs Mike's choice of Michael, and the Council enters the Town Hall meeting in a deadlock. At the Town Hall meeting, Sophia and Savannah immediately gripe about the Yellow District's recent performance as the town Cooks. Savannah asks Taylor, "Green is out there doing the Kitchen, so why can't Yellow?" Soon, all of the Kids are in an uproar when Taylor responds, "As the youngest people, we don't have as much good cooking experience. I'm sorry, you're just gonna have to starve." Michael tells the Yellow District Leader, "You guys all have potential. Don't blame your age. Please." Jonathan then asks the Kids if any one of them feels like they cannot tough it out in Bonanza City and would like to go home. Although it has been a rough few days for her, Emilie decides to stick it out. The other Kids are jubilant that everyone has decided to stay in town. The Council then awards Michael the Gold Star. An elated Michael accepts the golden trophy, telling the other Kids: "There are a lot of people out there that deserve this as much as I do. All of you could get this." Jonathan then hands Michael the key to the Bonanza City phone so that he can call his parents with his amazing $20,000 news. Michael's mother tells him, "We love you, and we're really proud of you." "I was the obvious choice." Bonanza City celebrates making it through another three days of pioneer living and congratulates Michael. Greg, however, is none too pleased by the Council's decision. The 15-year-old fumes, "I did a hell of a lot more work than Michael did. I thought it was pretty disrespectful, and I'm gonna do something about it."
The Kids come closer to the realities of the food pyramid when they realize they'll have to kill town livestock if they want protein in their food. Greg assumes the leadership role as the Town kills chickens for protein. After the Showdown, while the Green District is stuck as Laborers, the Yellow District remains as Cooks and continue to shirk their duties. Michael solves the town's water crisis and is rewarded for his hard work with the Gold Star, much to the dissatisfaction of Greg. "We've got this animal part under control." As the sun rises on Bonanza City, Kids gather eggs in the chicken coop. Many of the Kids come from farming backgrounds and have already formed close bonds with the livestock. Nine-year-old Emilie, whose family runs a horse farm, is particularly at home with the animals: "They're my soft spot." In the Town Chapel, Mike, Taylor, Laurel and Anjay read the next chapter in the Pioneer Journal. The Journal states that the Kids are probably tired of eating jerky and beans, and then offers them some advice: "You brought chickens with you, right? Truth is: they're good for more than eggs." The four young Council members look at each other in shock. Can they kill a chicken? As Sophia, the resident cook, is in the kitchen lamenting over the lack of fresh food, Anjay is excited by the thought of fresh meat, declaring, "I want a chicken dinner enough that I would kill it." Laurel is shocked. "Are you that heartless that you could kill a chicken?" she asks. The Council Leaders realize that if the four of them are divided on the issue, the rest of the Kids will undoubtedly also have strong feelings about killing chickens. They decide to put the issue to a town vote. "To kill or not to kill? That is the question." Inside the Mess Hall, the young pioneers reluctantly dine on yet another starchy breakfast of grits, oatmeal and biscuits. Spooning up a sticky glob of oatmeal, Savannah observes, "The food here doesn't have its own taste. It is its own taste." The Mess Hall goes into an uproar when Mike announces that the Council is considering killing chickens. DK wonders why the Kids are so upset when most of them eat meat at home. "What's different now?" he asks. "Are you in love with a chicken or something?" When Markelle questions whether the Kids even know how to kill a chicken, Greg announces to the crowd that he has experience working as butcher's assistant and is quite confident in his ability to kill a chicken properly. With all arguments on the table, Taylor puts the matter to a vote. The majority vote for the chickens to be killed. Emilie, who thinks killing animals is "mean and cruel," and only a few other Kids vote against the proposal. Taylor declares, "We are cooking chickens!" as Emilie wonders, "Oh my God, what is happening in this town?" Emilie threatens the Council that she will go home if they kill a chicken. She, Campbell and Savannah run to the chicken coop and lock themselves inside, intent on stopping any chicken-killing. Savannah, a stranger to the butchering process, wonders, "Are they gonna hang them like they did Saddam Hussein?" Taylor approaches the chicken coop and convinces the animal lovers to talk the matter over in the town Saloon. Inside the Saloon, the Kids calmly argue why it's important for them to eat protein. Furthermore, they will only butcher two chickens to make a stew for dinner. After listening to numerous arguments, and assured that she won't be required to participate in or view the butchering, Emilie gives in to the other Kids' requests. "We sped up the natural cycle of life and death." Surrounded by a crowd of curious Kids, including Emilie, Greg decapitates a chicken with one swift chop of his hatchet. Several Kids jump in alarm when the chicken's body continues to move after the head has been severed, but Greg assures them "it's only reflexes" and that the chicken is, in fact, dead. Emilie cannot overcome her fear and runs away at the sight of the dead bird's flailing body. Greg then kills the other chicken and shows the remaining Kids how to pluck the feathers. Later, in the kitchen, Greg helps Sophia gut the chickens. Sophia admits: "This is without a doubt the grossest thing I have done in my entire life." Sophia believes that the town is very fortunate to have Greg around to help out. Greg comments that he thinks butchering the chickens will increase his odds of winning the Gold Star. After Greg, Sophia and others prepare the chicken dinner, the Kids enthusiastically chow down on the stew. Emilie, however, sits alone in her bunkhouse, upset that Kids are eating chicken. She considers going home. "It's horrible," she declares. "I've had it." "It seems like everyone from Yellow is in their bunk." It's a chilly morning in Bonanza City, and many of the Kids use the frigid weather as an excuse to sleep in. Sophia cooks breakfast, while Taylor and some Yellow girls, who are supposed to be cooking, stay warm in their bunkhouse. Zach apologizes for his District Leader's inaction. When Zach asks Taylor to help out instead of gossiping with her friends, Taylor and the other girls laughingly refuse his request. Zach fumes, "Taylor just encourages them not to do anything." Michael and the other boys from the Green District make a startling discovery as they try to carry out their duty of hauling water: the town water pump is frozen solid. The Kids worry about how long they will be able to keep Bonanza City functioning, because without water they cannot cook, clean or launder their clothing. Michael, Eric and Hunter save the day when they hatch a plan to thaw the water pump: they boil several buckets of the little remaining town water and pour the hot liquid into the frozen pump. The heated water manages to melt the ice that's lodged in the top of the pump, and the Green boys are able to replenish the town's water supply. Mike and Laurel take note of Michael's initiative. "I think we're gonna rock." It's time for the next Bonanza City Showdown! Each District is intent on winning the Upper Class this time, and the Kids are especially eager to win after they see one of the reward options: a 45-foot heated water slide. Jonathan tells the Kids that they'll get to see the other option after they've completed the Showdown, reminding them that each District has to finish the competition within an hour for them to get any prize at all. But even if the Kids don't win the water slide, they're sure to get drenched in this Showdown: they have to lay pipe from a water pump through a series of obstacles to a waterwheel at the end of the course. To complicate matters, they'll have to do all this with water running through the pipes. Once again, the Showdown comes down to the wire between the Blue and Red Districts, with Greg ultimately leading Blue to take the Upper Class. The Yellow District beats out the struggling Green District to win the Cooks once again, finishing the Showdown with just five minutes left to go. Faced with being Laborers once again, the Green Kids give it their all to finish within the hour, but are ultimately unable to win the town its reward. Instead of being mad at the Green District, though, the town comes to the District's support. Facing another stint as Laborers, the Green District groans when Jonathan reveals the other reward option would have been heated water pumps placed throughout the entire town, a perk that would've helped out the Laborers. "This is the dirty work that just has to get done." As the Kids face their seventh day in Bonanza City, some of them take their duties more seriously than others. The girls of the Green District are back at the stinky job of cleaning the Bonanza City outhouses; the boys of Green are off hauling water, mournfully remarking, "I don't think anyone wants those pumps more than we do." Once again, the girls of the Yellow District ignore a mounting pile of dirty dishes, preferring to spend time downing sodas in the Saloon. Taylor airily comments, "Pageant girls do not scrape off that old food, we use dishwashers." Mallory and Sophie have created a Pet Day Care, where they groom the town's stuffed animals. As Mallory cares for Taylor's bear, she comments, "Taylor loves to sleep in, and so does her bear. What a coincidence!" Gold Star winner Sophia and the other Green District members pick up the slack in the kitchen with help from Greg, who volunteers to do extra labor even though he is in the Upper Class. Sophia is grateful for Greg's assistance, but Mike wonders how sincere his actions are and questions whether he is working just for the Gold Star. While the rest of the Red District works in the Stores and Saloon, Emilie spends her time in the chicken coop. Yellow District's Colton yells at Emilie to go do her own work as a merchant, and to get out of the coop since she isn't a Cook or member of the Upper Class. As the young cowgirl leaves the coop, Colton shouts, "If you want to be with the animals, go home!" Emilie doesn't take these words lightly, and she seriously considers leaving Bonanza City. "Get prepared for either a lot of cheering or a lot of yelling." Before the Town Hall meeting, the Council meets to discuss who should get the Gold Star. Anjay and Taylor think Greg should get the Gold Star since he has been working so hard, but Mike counters that Greg might have been working for the sole purpose of winning the Gold Star, unlike Michael, who works for the good of the town. Laurel backs Mike's choice of Michael, and the Council enters the Town Hall meeting in a deadlock. At the Town Hall meeting, Sophia and Savannah immediately gripe about the Yellow District's recent performance as the town Cooks. Savannah asks Taylor, "Green is out there doing the Kitchen, so why can't Yellow?" Soon, all of the Kids are in an uproar when Taylor responds, "As the youngest people, we don't have as much good cooking experience. I'm sorry, you're just gonna have to starve." Michael tells the Yellow District Leader, "You guys all have potential. Don't blame your age. Please." Jonathan then asks the Kids if any one of them feels like they cannot tough it out in Bonanza City and would like to go home. Although it has been a rough few days for her, Emilie decides to stick it out. The other Kids are jubilant that everyone has decided to stay in town. The Council then awards Michael the Gold Star. An elated Michael accepts the golden trophy, telling the other Kids: "There are a lot of people out there that deserve this as much as I do. All of you could get this." Jonathan then hands Michael the key to the Bonanza City phone so that he can call his parents with his amazing $20,000 news. Michael's mother tells him, "We love you, and we're really proud of you." "I was the obvious choice." Bonanza City celebrates making it through another three days of pioneer living and congratulates Michael. Greg, however, is none too pleased by the Council's decision. The 15-year-old fumes, "I did a hell of a lot more work than Michael did. I thought it was pretty disrespectful, and I'm gonna do something about it."
Kids Kids Kids....
Heres a list of all the kids::
| B | B | Alex | 9 | Nevada | ||||
| B | Y | Blaine | 14 | Florida | A model | |||
| Y | Y | Brett | 11 | Minnesota | ||||
| G | G | Campbell | 10 | Georgia | ||||
| Y | Z | Cody | 9 | Ohio | ||||
| Y | Y | Colton | 11 | Nevada | ||||
| R | R | Divad | 11 | Georgia | ||||
| R | R | DK | 14 | Illinois | ||||
| R | B | Emilie | 9 | Nevada | ||||
| G | G | Eric | 14 | New Jersey | ||||
| B | B | Gianna | 10 | Illinois | ||||
| B | B | Greg | 15 | Nevada | The oldest & the hottest | |||
| R | R | Guylan | 11 | Massachusetts | ||||
| G | G | Hunter | 12 | Georgia | ||||
| R | R | Jared | 11 | Georgia | ||||
| R | R | Jasmine | 11 | Georgia | ||||
| G | Z | Jimmy | 8 | New Hampshire | The youngest | |||
| Y | Y | Kelsey | 11 | Pennsylvania | ||||
| G | G | Kennedy | 12 | Kentucky | ||||
| G | G | Laurel | 12 | Massachusetts | ||||
| Y | Y | Leila | 9 | North Carolina | ||||
| R | R | Madison | 11 | Texas | ||||
| R | R | Maggie | 14 | Minnesota | ||||
| B | B | Mallory | 8 | Indiana | Celebrated her 9th birthday on show | |||
| R | R | Markelle | 12 | Georgia | ||||
| G | G | Michael | 14 | Washington | Celebrated his 15th birthday on show | |||
| B | B | Migle | 13 | Illinois | ||||
| R | R | Mike | 11 | Washington | ||||
| G | G | Morgan | 12 | Indiana | ||||
| B | B | Natasha | 13 | Florida | ||||
| B | R | Nathan | 11 | Illinois | ||||
| B | B | Olivia | 12 | Indiana | ||||
| Y | Y | Pharaoh | 12 | Pennsylvania | ||||
| Y | Z | Randi | 11 | Nevada | ||||
| G | G | Savannah | 10 | Kentucky | ||||
| G | G | Sophia | 14 | Florida | Town Sheriff | |||
| Y | Y | Sophie | 10 | Washington | ||||
| Y | Y | Taylor | 10 | Georgia | Pageant Queen | |||
| Y | Y | Zach | 10 | Florida |
Episode 1 "I'm trying to be a leader here!"
Pictures:::
On the bus coming to Bonanza city!
Bonanza City
Doing there first showdown
Helping out in the kitchen
Haha Taylor kissing the goat
Aww Greg and Blaine the hotties are happy about getting merchants!
Wining the reward; DAMN! Mike can jump
Learning to use the cash register in the SaloonRecap::
KID NATION host Jonathan Karsh introduces us to Bonanza City, a mining town that failed in the 1880s. In the next 40 days, 40 new pioneers will attempt to rebuild the town. But these pioneers are all children. Will these young pioneers be able to succeed where their adult ancestors failed, without parents or teachers to guide them? Will they successfully build the first Kid Nation? A big yellow school bus speeds through the desert with 36 kids from across America, ranging in age from 8 to 15. The bus is bursting with energy as the Kids look out on the harsh landscape with a mixture of wonder and worry. Several Kids voice their fears about the upcoming adventure. The youngest, curly-haired Jimmy, expresses his concerns: “I think I’m gonna die out here because there’s nothing!” Bright-eyed Mallory, also eight, is nervous as well, but comforted by the fact that she is joined on this journey by her older sister, Olivia. Jonathan greets the Kids as they are dropped off. The bus drives away, and they are now removed from any sign of their normal lives. Jared, an 11-year-old from Georgia, admits, “I’m not going to lie to you. I’m nervous as heck.” Jonathan hopes the Kids are up to the challenge, assuring them that they have the support of each other and a four-member Town Council, who are on the way. “These guys are our leaders?” The Kids turn to see a helicopter approaching in the distance. Dust whips the air as the helicopter lands, and four more children step out to greet the rest. Jonathan introduces these four Town Council Members:
11-year-old Mike, a capable Boy ScoutThe young leaders greet the group confidently, but many of the Kids are less than impressed by their Council. Nine-year-old Cody quips, “What? Is this the right people, or are they just getting right back on that helicopter?” Jonathan points the Kids to a group of wagons with the supplies they’ll need for the next 40 days. Bonanza City is several miles away, and they’ll have to haul everything to town themselves. Jonathan warns that the adventure ahead of them will be tough, but if any of the Kids can’t handle life in Bonanza City, there will be a Town Hall meeting in a few days, and they’ll have the opportunity to go home. While the 36 kids prepare for the long trek to town and wrangle runaway goats, Jonathan pulls the Council Leaders aside. Jonathan tells the Council that when they arrive in town, they should head to the Chapel to find an old book that may provide some useful advice. Jonathan then reveals a big secret to the Council Leaders: every few days, they will award a Gold Star worth its weight in gold--$20,000--to the kid they feel is most deserving. From that point on, the Council Members watch the other kids very closely, trying to decide who’s Gold Star-worthy. “How are we gonna pull this off?” The Kids begin their grueling hike across the hot desert, pulling the heavy wagons filled with 40 days’ worth of pioneer supplies and managing their goats and chickens. Fifteen-year-old Greg immediately questions Mike’s authority, challenging him to switch places, just for five minutes. When Mike can barely pull Greg’s wagon, Greg backs off for the time being. Mike quickly realizes that life as a council leader may be tougher than he imagined. Just as it seems it can’t get any worse, 14-year-old Chicago native DK drops to the ground with a painful leg injury. The muscles in DK’s leg are too cramped for him to continue the march on foot. Greg helps DK onto one of the wagons, and Mike and two girls take over DK’s spot, leading the wagon train into Bonanza City. Exploring their ghost town and coming to the realization that there really are no parents or teachers anywhere, the Kids seek shelter in various bunkhouses. They quickly discover that there are no beds to be found and that they will be sleeping pioneer-style, atop thin bedrolls on the floor. The kids are overwhelmed by questions about what to do, where to go and how to get the girls out of the boys’ bunkhouse. As Taylor is surrounded by older children asking for guidance, she worries, “Oh my gosh, this is gonna be hard.” "This is soap, not butter!" It's total mayhem in the kitchen as the young pioneers realize that none of them know how to cook. The Kids discover an old cookbook and page through the recipes, ignoring Anjay's suggestion to make cotton candy for dinner. The inexperienced young cooks decide to make cheese and macaroni. While they successfully light a fire in the ancient stove, they don't follow the recipe. Their attempt to make macaroni proves disastrous as they overfill a pot with pasta, wondering if it will ever come to a boil. Fortunately, 14-year-old Sophia dumps the pot of ruined food and starts from scratch, following one of the recipes from the cookbook. Sophia easily steps into a leadership position, and order is returned to the kitchen. The Council members also pitch in, walking to the outskirts of town and pumping water from an old well. Although cooking on a wood-burning stove proves more difficult that she thought, Sophia stays level-headed as Kids chant "PASTA!" inside the Mess Hall, and she manages eventually to get a meal on the table before the night is done. The food isn't the best they've ever tasted, but the Kids are thankful to eat. After dinner, Laurel discovers a homesick Taylor crying. Taylor misses the creature comforts of home and doesn't know if she can rough it without a proper bed or meal. Laurel assures Taylor that life will only continue to get better as they become better organized and learn their way around the kitchen. But Taylor says if things don't get better, she will have to leave Bonanza City. "I'm trying to be a leader here." Mike's hopes of creating order that evening are dashed when the other young pioneers announce that they are simply too tired to have a town meeting. Mike is disappointed as he bids the kids goodnight. "You know, I'm tired, too. But I'm in here making an effort to try and make this work," he says. Mike, Laurel and Taylor share their concerns about being Council Members. They feel the weight of the entire endeavor firmly on their shoulders and worry if they have the strength to cope. Laurel continues to prove her worth as a leader as she urges Mike and Taylor to rely on each other for support, "It's so hard, because all eyes are on you if you make a mistake." They have a group hug and vow that tomorrow will be a better day. The young pioneers wake to a rooster's crow to face a new day in Bonanza City. Sophia takes control of the kitchen again, and is pleased as the Kids work together, collecting eggs, milking goats and whipping batter, to prepare a pancake breakfast. The Kids enthusiastically chow down on Sophia's breakfast, but Jared arrives late to discover that there are no pancakes left for him. Sophia chastises the Kids for not being considerate of each other, and they all start arguing. Mike cuts through the chaos, shouting, "Hey! Every single person in here listen!" and uses the opportunity to hold an impromptu town meeting. When Greg tells Mike that he needs to take control, Mike shouts back, "We are!" Greg tells Mike not to get in his face and the older boy shoves Mike aside. Mike barks, "You want me to take charge? I'll take charge!" Greg pokes Mike in the face and leaves the building. The meeting almost breaks into chaos, but 14 year-old Michael stands up and implores the Kids to give their leaders a chance. The Kids cheer Michael's words and carry out the rest of the meeting in order. The Council is impressed by Michael's leadership and takes note of him as a possible Gold Star candidate. Mike later approaches Greg to make peace. Greg assures Mike that everything is fine, but behind Mike's back remarks, "You haven't seen me upset." "Maybe you can build a better Bonanza." The Council Members finally make it to the Chapel and find the old book that Jonathan told them about; it's a Pioneer Journal, which explains what went wrong with Bonanza City back in the 1880s and offers advice to future generations. Inspired by the Journal, the Council divides the town into four more manageable Districts:
10-year-old Taylor, a competitive pageant queen
12-year-old Anjay, a smart spelling bee champ
12-year-old Laurel, a respected student leader
Anjay picks many of the older kids, including Greg, for his Blue District.As the Four Districts move into their bunkhouses, Laurel discovers that little Jimmy is missing from the Green Bunkhouse. She discovers him overwhelmed by homesickness, crying behind one of the buildings. Jimmy doesn't think he can make it the next forty days without his parents. Laurel tells Jimmy that she'll do her best to make do for his mom and dad. Jimmy is heartened by Laurel's words and considers toughing it out in Bonanza City. As Jimmy deals with his homesickness, Taylor makes a visit to the goat pen, petting the animals to help her through her homesickness. As night descends on Bonanza City, most of the pioneers sleep restfully in their bunkhouses. But Greg and his buddy Blaine scrawl "Go Blue!" in chalk over all the other bunkhouses. When the Kids wake up to discover graffiti scrawled across their bunks, Greg and Blaine feign innocence. But 9-year-old Alex knows the truth and sighs, "It's juvenile behavior." Mike also believes the older boys are responsible and is determined to teach them a lesson. "We should put a Caution sign on the door." The Kids come to terms with one of the stinkier aspects of pioneer living: using an outhouse. There are 40 kids living in Bonanza City and only one outhouse for all of them to use. Ten-year-old Guylan laments, "If anybody ever tells you that it's easy living in Bonanza City, you should slap them across the face, because they're a smack-down liar." "Maybe it's time to be a little more organized." The pioneers gather around the Chapel, where Jonathan rings the bell. Jonathan shows the Kids the Job Board, which will help provide a little order for Bonanza City. The Kids learn that they will be divided into four classes to run the town: Upper Class, Merchants, Cooks and Laborers. Each District will be responsible for chores related to their specific Class and will be paid accordingly in buffalo nickels.
Laurel chooses the kids she feels are emerging as leaders, like Sophia and Michael, to make up her Green District.
Taylor takes many of the younger kids, to whom she can relate, for her Yellow District.
Mike picks the kids he gets along with best, like super-smart Jared and charismatic DK, for his Red District.
The Laborers will clean the outhouse, pick up garbage and haul water for the entire town, for the pay of just two buffalo nickels.The Kids run back to their bunkhouses and suit up for their first Showdown. The older Kids in the Blue District are confident that they will win the Upper Class, especially Greg, who feels his physical strength will lead them to victory. The Blue Boys run around town chanting "Blue!" as Greg chalks up the other bunkhouses right in front of the other Kids. The other Districts are steamed at the Blue Boys. Little Jimmy from the Green District chases after Greg when he again chalks one of the Green District bunks. Mike and the other members of the Red District are determined to teach the graffiti-scrawling older boys a lesson and win the Upper Class themselves. Jared shouts, "It's time to get even." The Yellow District is determined to prove that size doesn't matter, and even though they may be the youngest District, they can still win the Upper Class. "Welcome to your first Showdown!" Jonathan greets the Kids as they run to their very first Showdown, which is all about teamwork and leadership. The goal of the Showdown is for each District to fill three empty bottles with water in their District's color. Each district must collect the water using giant pumps that the Kids will have to carry in groups across the playing field, connecting the pumps to pipes laid in the ground. As they pump with all their might, water will shoot out and the kids must catch it in their buckets and then empty those buckets into their bottles. Each of the Council Leaders is given maps with the location of each color-coded water source on the field. After Jonathan explains the Showdown to the Kids, he reminds them that how they place in the Showdown will determine their social classes and jobs: the District that crosses the finish line first will become the Upper Class, the District that earns second place will become the Merchants, the third place District will become the Cooks, and the District that comes in last will be the Laborers. And if all of the teams are able to complete the Showdown within an hour, the entire town will win a reward! The hour flies by as each District works its hardest to take the Upper Class. Mike leads his Red District to a narrow defeat over Greg and the older kids of Blue District, earning the respect of his teammates and leading Jared to proclaim, "Mike is number one!" The little kids of Taylor's Yellow District manage a third place finish over the older kids of Green. Jonathan hands each district their pay. While the Green District members may only be getting 10 cents each, they're happy with the knowledge that they completed the Showdown within an hour, helping to earn the entire town its first reward. The Kids are nervous when Jonathan reveals that the reward will be a choice. The Kids are excited when Jonathan reveals the first reward option: seven additional outhouses for the town that will certainly ease the stinky bathroom situation in Bonanza. The Kids go crazy, though, when they see the second reward option: a television set! Jonathan tells the Council Members that they run the town and that it's their responsibility to make the reward choice for the town. After seriously debating their decision, the Council Members choose the seven additional outhouses, to the delight of most of the town. The Kids acknowledge that while they miss the creature comforts of home, the television would only prove to be a distraction from all the work that needs to be done to build Bonanza City. The Kids are also ecstatic that they will no longer have to wait in line for the bathroom. "Say hello to the Job Board, people." The next morning the Kids of each District begin the duties for each of their Classes. The little girls of the Yellow District are in charge of the kitchen and are able to bake up hearty breakfast of oatmeal, grits and biscuits. Unfortunately, the Yellow District doesn't feel like cleaning up the mess that they've made in the kitchen. Taylor quips, "I'm a beauty queen. I don't do dishes." The Kids of the Blue District are delighted to open up the shops and saloon, filled with candy, soda and toys for the Kids of Bonanza City. The Upper Class kids of the Red District enter the shops with a dollar's worth of buffalo nickels, and blow most of their pay on candy and root beer. Jared excitedly purchases a large chunk of chocolate and a copy of Shakespeare's Henry V. After the Green District toils away hauling water and cleaning outhouses for only ten cents each, Sophia resorts to dancing in the street for nickels to buy the bicycle she has her eye on. Sophia admits that she's not a very good dancer. In fact, Olivia pays Sophia to not dance near the Blue Bunkhouse. Sophia eventually dances herself to a new bicycle and joyfully rides it around Bonanza. "Who should we give the Gold Star?" That evening, while Taylor curls up in the Yellow Bunkhouse, Anjay, Laurel and Mike debate who should win the first Gold Star. Two clear contenders have emerged, both from the Green District: "head chef" Sophia and "peacemaker" Michael. Both contenders are hard workers and have displayed leadership skills that are invaluable for the young town. The Council Members decide to delay their decision until the Town Hall Meeting the next day in hopes that Taylor will decide to stick it out and make the decision with them. "This is Man's Day!" Cody and Campbell decide to take Jimmy jackrabbit hunting, hoping that a little adventure will help persuade him to stay in Bonanza City. Cody tells Jimmy, "Dude, you're already going jackrabbit hunting with ten-year-olds." Jimmy doesn't know what to do. He misses his family, but he's having fun. But fun quickly draws to a conclusion when girls loom in the distance and the three boys make a run for it. "I hope everyone is going to be nice to each other." The Kids are called by Jonathan to their first Town Hall Meeting, assembling in an old barn to discuss the issues facing the town. When Jonathan asks if anyone is unhappy with the job that the Council is doing, Sophia raises her hand. "What makes me unhappy is that a lot of people are unwilling to the dirty work." Sophia refers to the Yellow District's refusal to do any of the dishes. Taylor defends her District and declares that while it may take a long time, the Yellow District will eventually wash all the dishes. Michael again acts as peacemaker, breaking the tension in the Town Hall. He tactfully urges the Council Members to take responsibility for the workers in their districts, but to be their friends, not their bosses. Jonathan then tells the Kids that at each Town Hall Meeting they will be asked the same question: does any one of them want to go home? They are free to leave Town if they want to, but this decision is irreversible. Taylor admits that she was homesick, but she has come to view the other Kids as family and intends to stick it out in Bonanza City. When Jonathan asks if anyone else wants to go home, Jimmy raises his hand. The other Kids try to convince Jimmy to stay, but he still thinks that he's too young to make it in Bonanza City. He's made up his mind, and the little boy bravely walks out the door and out of Bonanza City. "I never told my mom anything so exciting in my life." Everyone gets excited when Jonathan tells them about the Gold Star award, and the Council Members huddle to make their difficult decision. Laurel happily announces that the first Gold Star will go to a member of the Green District: Sophia. Sophia is thrilled when Laurel hands her the first Gold Star and is completely astounded when Jonathan reveals that it is actually worth its weight in gold--$20,000. Sophia apologizes to the town for being bossy and promises to be better about it and to continue working hard to build Bonanza City. Sophia is further delighted when Jonathan presents her with the key to the room with the only working phone in Town. Sophia leaves the town hall, running off to call home. Sophia calls her mother and excitedly tells the good news about the Gold Star. She also tells her mom she is exhilarated by the prospect of building a Kid Nation. There's a lot of work ahead of them, but Sophia is determined that the town will be successful. Sophia's mother is so proud: "When you hear your kid happy, there is no better feeling in the world!" The Town is abuzz with Gold Star fever as Kids congratulate Sophia. Some hope for a Gold Star themselves, as Greg vows to get one, whatever it takes. "We've come a long way since day one!" The town carries Taylor through the streets, celebrating her decision to stay. Everyone is full of hope, and Laurel asserts: "We can make this a Kid Nation!"
The Cooks will be paid twenty-five cents each to cook for the town, do dishes and care for the town livestock.
The Merchants will be paid fifty cents each to run a grocery store, dry goods store and a saloon that sells soda for a nickel.
The Upper Class gets an entire dollar and can do whatever they choose.
Jonathan announces that every three days the Kids will determine their class in true Wild West fashion: with a Showdown.
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