WRAC Channel 8, Willmar Early Childhood Family Programs and Early Childhood Initiative partner for success
Willmar organizations working with Encyclopaedia Britannica’s “Ben & Bella Read Along” program recently received national recognition through the 31st Annual Telly Awards. Willmar Regional Access Channel (WRAC 8), Willmar Early Childhood Family Programs and Willmar Early Childhood Initiative were one of nearly 11,000 entries from all 50 states and numerous countries competing for the prestigious awards. Less than 10 percent of entries are chosen as winners of a Silver Telly, the award’s highest honor. Other outstanding entries, including the “Ben & Bella Read Along,” are eligible for a Bronze Telly.
Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and web commercials, videos and films. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators and corporate video departments in the world. In addition to WRAC 8, this year’s winners include CBS Television Distribution, Discovery Channel, ESPN, Harpo Studios, Microsoft, The Weather Channel and others. To view a complete list, visit www.tellyawards.com.
The local partnership began in February 2009 when the Willmar Early Childhood Initiative, Willmar Early Childhood Family Programs and WRAC 8 started the Read Along program where community volunteers read children’s stories and give a parenting tip. The intent is to provide an educational alternative to cartoons that would encourage literacy development and kindergarten readiness for Willmar’s youngest children.
The local program expanded to include Encyclopaedia Britannica’s interactive, online educational English immersion program “Ben & Bella” after Rudy Vigil of WRAC 8 made a connection to an Encyclopaedia Britannica representative at a technology conference.
“We were given total and complete access to the program to produce a show that would meet the needs of our community,” Vigil said. “To combat the issue of children entering school unprepared, we developed a show using ‘Ben & Bella’ that would target our English Language Learners and children who are not able to access preschool.”
Jodi Wambeke, who coordinates both Willmar Early Childhood Family Programs and Early Childhood Initiative, notes that five episodes are completed and a sixth underway this summer. “What we have done is taken the show and broken it down to the story, music and activities,” Wambeke said.
Encyclopaedia Britannica is currently using the local shows as promotional sales tools around the country.
The Willmar Early Childhood Initiative is one of the Southwest Initiative Foundation’s 14 regional coalitions working to ensure all of our youngest children thrive and have a healthy life of learning, achieving and succeeding. For more information, visit www.swifoundation.org/earlychildhood.
The Southwest Initiative Foundation is a regional community foundation dedicated to advancing southwest Minnesota through leadership, relationship building, program development and philanthropy. The Foundation has contributed more than $50 million through its grant and loan programs in southwest Minnesota. It has also helped more than 480 businesses start or expand through its business finance programs, which have created or retained more than 7,600 jobs. The Southwest Initiative Foundation is an equal opportunity provider. To learn more, visit www.swifoundation.org.
