See now why can't everyone else in this thread be as cordial and affluent as you =)
I really appreciate your response without throwing in things like .... omg this member must be trolling us !

lol
Looking at things a little differently from the childs POV i'd hope to give them all their options early on, especially since older firmwares have shown to be far easily jailbreakable than newer ones. It also opens up far better file system access as KPP has shown. This way the child learns early on how to utilize extensions for the best benefit to provide a extra layer of hardened security on the device along with the best fish eye view that works best for them.
I've looked at smartphones for the longest time as being more than just the device. Just like the presidency is more than just one man or woman. As Tim cook and company have so eloquently put a smartphone is a very intimate thing. It's almost like a extension of ones self. And he's right there; it is.
Accessories compliment a device turning it into a suite that is a true extension of ones self.
Going out on a limb here. What i would have done is gotten each of them a nexus one and explained some of the best ways to root, upgrade and add accessories to the device for the best smartphone suite conceivable. Then let them go out and get them.
Give them goals and grades on what they can accomplish with the device then later on downgrade or upgrade them to wherever the grass is greenest at that point.
Anways, i suppose everyones budget at any given time can be a bit frantic.
I wish them all the best with the SE and hope a jailbreak comes out for 9.3.x soon.