According to a recent press release, upon receipt of a $32.5 million grant from the US Department of Education, “(Chicago’s) WTTW will team with W!LDBRAIN Entertainment, the award-winning production company and animation studio, to develop UMIGO (you make it go), a trans-media property created by Michael Polis, President of W!LDBRAIN Entertainment and Executive Producer of Yo Gabba Gabba!. “
Developed for pre-school end elementary school students ages 2 thru 8 that live in low-income households, UMIGO will begin its project online as a web-based product focused on child-initiated play and learning games using colors, digital painting, blocks and other kid-oriented tools that will help the kids think creatively and build base mathematics skills.
Over time, UMIGO will develop into a television series and retail products so kids can reinforce the skills they learn online.
"As a public television station that devotes half of its broadcast day to educational children's programming, we are honored that we have been chosen to collaborate on this important project," said Dan Schmidt, President & CEO of WTTW. "This initiative is especially timely, as math and science skills are vital to surviving in our new digital culture," he added. It is important to note that the funds from this grant are restricted and will go entirely toward this project. This grant allows us to be a part of educating children in the ever-growing digital space," said Schmidt.
"UMIGO is a fun and engaging virtual world where young minds can let their imaginations run wild," said Polis. "When we were kids, we thought of all sorts of incredible things to invent. UMIGO will test the boundaries of even the most creative imaginations while providing a solid foundation in mathematics," he continued. "Our multi-platform strategy will make UMIGO accessible to children and families of all socio-economic levels. We look forward to collaborating with WTTW and the Michael Cohen Group on a property that contributes to giving all kids an equal opportunity for success in school," he added.
Children who grow up in low-income homes often do not have as many educational opportunities as children from more affluent households. In some cases, parents may work two jobs making it difficult to be as involved in early childhood education. Preschool education is not always widely available and sometimes does not include much academic rigor. The UMIGO program is a solid step towards offering low-income children, in the Chicago area and around the country, the tools they need to begin school with a positive outlook and skill set.
Posted By: Paul Adams
Wednesday, October 27th 2010 at 12:04PM
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