OF, BY AND FOR THE CHILDREN : Bravo network gives high schools a chance to show dramatic license

Last year Bravo put out a call to high school drama departments, asking them to send in videotapes of their productions for the first annual National High School Theater Competition.

The winners, judged on the basis of artistic and creative merit, were high schools from Massachusetts and Minnesota, both performing Shakespeare plays, and a Mill Valley school, performing a student-written piece.

Short clips from the winning performances--each of which netted prize money of $2,500--will be shown on Bravo’s short cultural news update, Arts-Break, which airs Sunday at 4 p.m. and is interspersed throughout the month after Bravo programs.

Schools interested in entering next year’s competition may contact Bravo at 150 Crossways Park West, Woodbury, N.Y., 11797; (516) 364-2222.

“National High School Theater Competition,” Sunday 4 p.m. Bravo. For 13- to 18-year-olds.

MORE KIDS SHOWS

For Kids’ Sake: Drop Everything and Read (noon KCAL), hosted by Meredith Baxter Birney and David Birney, discusses why it’s important to learn to read and how books and reading can improve family life. Afterward, local news anchor Pat Harvey hosts the taped “Read On--For Kids’ Sake Call-in Special,” in which experts answer questions about reading. For parents.

Summer might be over, but Salute Your Shorts (11:30 a.m. Nickelodeon), about a new kid who has to do some pretty strange things to fit in with the crowd, is set at summer camp. For 8- to 15-year-olds.

Bravo airs Culture for Kids every Sunday at 2 p.m. Currently showing: “Grim Tales,” a 12-part series that brings to life the stories of the Brothers Grimm through animation and puppets. For all ages.

Highlights from this summer’s AAU Junior Olympic Games (Sunday at 3 p.m. Nickelodeon) includes record-breaking performances by athletes aged 8-18. For all ages.

The Halloween That Almost Wasn’t (7:30 p.m. Disney) is an animated special for those who can’t wait until the spooky holiday. For: 3- to 13-year-olds.

Jonathan Winters narrates the very tall tale “Paul Bunyan” in the newest episode of Showtime’s animated Storybook Classics series. Bunyan was a legendary, larger-than-life logger, but this version has a ‘90s twist--Paul decides to replant all the trees he has chopped down. “Paul Bunyan” airs at 4 p.m. during Showtime’s “Familytime,” a fixed time block devoted entirely to family programming, 4-6 p.m. weekdays and 6-10 a.m. Sundays. For all ages.

The second installment of the new monthly feature HBO Storybook Musicals is an animated version of the Judith Viorst book “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day” (4:30 p.m.), about a boy who gets up on the wrong side of the bed. For 2- to 11-year-olds.

Russ Tamblyn, perhaps best know these days as “Twin Peaks’ ” Dr. Jacoby, stars in the 1958 classic movie, tom thumb, about the diminutive hero who is exploited by bad guys Terry-Thomas and Peter Sellars. For 3- to 10-year-olds.

KNBC’s “Atomic Legs” is a Young People’s Special (6 a.m.)about a 10-year-old boy who is the victim of a prank that teaches him an important lesson, For 6- to 10-year-olds.

Babe Ruth World Series Baseball (Saturday at 3 p.m. Nickelodeon) features highlights of the summer’s Little League championships. For all ages.