Young Viewers Will Profit From Tuning in to Biz Kids on Western Reserve PBS

New TV series teaches children about money and entrepreneurship

KENT, Ohio — Jan. 18, 2008 — From the creators of the Emmy award-winning series Bill Nye the Science Guy comes a fun, fast-paced new series that teaches children how to manage their own money. Produced in high definition by Biz Kids LLP, Biz Kids will air on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. beginning Feb. 3 on Western Reserve PBS.

The broadcast of Biz Kids on Western Reserve PBS is being underwritten locally by the Associated School Employees Credit Union, Community One Credit Union and the Towpath Credit Union.

Geared toward children ages 6 to 12, every episode of the half-hour weekly series introduces several young entrepreneurs and philanthropists who share their success stories. From a skateboard designer to a candy store owner, they are children who young viewers can relate to and be inspired by.

At a time when only 10 percent of youth in America are graduating from high school with any kind of instruction in personal finance, Biz Kids helps children understand the importance of saving and starting good financial habits early on. In fact, of the many young people who now drop out of college, more than half leave because of bankruptcy — not bad grades.

“This series wants children to be successful in life,” said Don Freeman, Western Reserve Public Media chief operating officer. “Watching Biz Kids will show them how to handle their money, how to make smart decisions and how to grow into successful adults. I truly believe the series will be a hit with parents and with our young viewers, too.”

With a clear mission to educate young people about finances and help reverse this trend, the producers worked in partnership with JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement) to create a strong curriculum for the series. The show teaches the fundamentals of saving, budgeting, investing and giving back to the community, and it does so through clever skits and educational segments. Spoofs on old TV shows and comedy sketches performed by a humorous cast of characters make the series a hit with both kids and parents alike. A cheesy lounge singer named the King of Ka-Ching and a world traveler named Francine Fairtrade are two of the characters who add to the fun.

Each episode of the show is supported with companion materials developed by JA Worldwide to be used in classrooms and homes nationwide. These materials and other resources for teachers and parents are available at no cost on the show’s Web site, www.bizkids.com. The site also features clips from the series and invites children to apply to be on the show.

Web site visitors can sign up for the show’s monthly newsletter, The Vault, which offers ideas on how children can start their own businesses, plus hints on earning money and tips on making money grow.

Local funding for Biz Kids provided by…
Promotional support for Biz Kids is provided locally by Junior Achievement of Akron Area, Junior Achievement of East Central Ohio and Junior Achievement of Mahoning Valley.

 

About Western Reserve Public Media
Western Reserve Public Media is owned and operated by Northeastern Educational Television of Ohio, Inc., a private, nonprofit corporation and consortium of Kent State University, The University of Akron and Youngstown State University. A trusted community resource, Western Reserve Public Media uses the power of commercial-free television and related services to enrich the lives of people through high-quality programming and educational services that teach, illuminate and inspire. The only broadcast television service that reaches all of northeast Ohio, Western Reserve Public Media is available to 1.8 million households and 4.6 million people in the Cleveland and Youngstown designated market areas. In an average week, over 500,000 households tune in. Through funding from eTech Ohio, the organization provides K-12 educational technology training and instructional television programming to 21,500 educators and 257,400 students in eight Ohio counties. For more information about Western Reserve Public Media, visit www.WesternReservePublicMedia.org or call 1-800-554-4549.

About Biz Kids LLP
The talented Biz Kids team is best known for creating and producing Bill Nye the Science Guy. The series received multiple awards, 26 national Emmys (including two for Outstanding Children’s Television Series), and in 1999 received the National Science Board Public Service Award, among others. Over the past decade, the producers have also created over 275 episodes for PBS in the areas of how-to and natural history.