8th Graders in Lancaster create animated TV series with educational tech tool

2 May

In a socioeconomically disadvantaged community located 72 miles outside Los Angeles, a group of 140 eighth-grade students from the Lancaster School District has successfully produced a six-episode animated TV series titled "Lancaster, California."

The series was developed under the guidance of two veteran middle school teachers and using Wonder Media, an educational technology tool created by Terry Thoren, former CEO of the company that developed The Simpsons and Rugrats.

The animated series, which details the adventures of the Martinez Family after their move from Northern Ohio to Lancaster, CA, was crafted over the course of one school year.

This educational project, spearheaded by teachers Micki Quinn and Crystal Stephens, was designed to integrate with the students’ English language arts curriculum, enhancing their academic and social-emotional engagement.

Micki Quinn remarked on the project's impact on her students:

"My students' investment in this project, both academically and socially/emotionally, caused a high degree of engagement in a writing process that required them to rely on each other because all 36 scenes in the 6 episodes mattered to every student.

“The writing helped them to visualize the story before it was animated which was the grandest effect of the entire process. The growth in those skills were transferred to their personal writing skills."

Crystal Stephens, co-director of the project, noted the creative growth among the students:

Creatively the students went from wanting to know how to build a TV series with sustainable character arcs to knowing how to achieve the process and doing it with panache."

Story Maker by Wonder Media has been implemented in 342 schools across America. The tool is designed to teach at-risk students authentic career production skills while reinforcing soft skills such as creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and team building.

Lancaster Superintendent Paul Marietti highlighted the ongoing success of the partnership with Wonder Media, now in its sixth year:

"This is our 6th year working with Wonder Media. We know that we can't teach students if they don't come to school. Story Maker® engages students so they don't want to miss a single production session."

The culmination of this year-long project will be showcased at the premiere screening of "Lancaster, California" and an awards ceremony scheduled for Monday, June 3, 2024, at 1:00 pm at the Fulton and Alsbury Academy of Arts and Engineering. The event will also be streamed live on YouTube.

Terry Thoren, CEO and Founder of Wonder Media, expressed the broader mission of the initiative:

"We are on a mission to discover and ignite the hidden skills and talents of all student groups with the use of animation. Educators are discovering that students who have a difficult time applying themselves to formal teaching methods blossom with Story Maker."

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