A nine-year-old South Florida girl is being featured on national television as part of a brand-new PBS KIDS initiative that celebrates the voices and passions of extraordinary young people across the country.
The story of Emiliana, of Wellington, officially launched last Friday on the PBS KIDS Free Video-on-Demand platforms. Her featured segment is part of America’s Awesome Kids, a new series of 25 mini-documentaries produced by Boston-based public media station WGBH in partnership with local stations nationwide, including WLRN in Miami.
She and the other kids from across the nation share what is special about where they live, their hobbies and passions, and how they are making a positive impact in their local communities.
“AMERICA’S AWESOME KIDS reflects the lives of our young audiences while also introducing them to the wide array of places, cultures, and customs from around the country,” said Dorothea Gillim, executive producer and creative director of GBH Kids.
“Working with other PBS stations on this series has been a great opportunity to leverage the strength of public media to capture a uniquely local story for a national audience, and build empathy and a sense of connection across the country," Gillima said in a statement.
Viewers can watch the short documentaries on the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel, and streaming for free on the PBS KIDS Video App, pbskids.org and on the AMERICA’S AWESOME KIDS YouTube channel.
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AMERICA’S AWESOME KIDS is also part of GBH’s America 250 initiative, a year-long series of multi-platform programs, events, and collaborations to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of America.
Emiliana's journey to the TV screen began last fall when WGBH reached out to stations across the country looking for unique local stories. WLRN put out a call for nominations across social media. Among the submissions, Emiliana's story stood out. She talks about the need to protect tens of thousands of endangered and threatened sea turtles in South Florida.
The WLRN production team shot and produced Emiliana’s segment locally in South Florida before sending the footage to GBH in December for the final finishing touches. The project was shepherded from inception to the finish line by WLRN's TV Storytelling Producer/Editor Odie Redila.
WLRN has connected with Emiliana’s school in Palm Beach County to help spread the word to classmates and neighbors, and the station will launch a dedicated local outreach campaign this week to promote the YouTube premiere. Additionally, the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission will be sharing the project with its extensive network in early June.
