In a bedazzled lab coat, Converse sneakers and glasses that answer the question “what if a hipster wore safety goggles,” Angelica Peterson had her bespectacled eyes set on creating captivating children’s educational programming.
As she filmed Friday at Colorado State University’s Spur campus in Denver, Peterson’s Taylor-Swift-esque friendship bracelet — dangling with charms that included a silver microscope — spelled out her stage name: Wiz Kid.
For Wiz Kid and the team of CSU employees behind her, all the world’s a stage.
The university this month launched a new YouTube series named after the character and based out of the Spur campus near the National Western Complex. In the series, Wiz Kid explores the free, interactive educational center and questions in-house experts and researchers on kid-friendly topics.
In one episode, Wiz Kid interviewed a CSU horticulturist to learn about plants. In another, she demonstrated at-home chemistry experiments. Yet another highlighted the science behind making bread, butter and cheese.
“What Spur is trying to do at its core is reach out to young people early in their lives and inspire them and show them role models and move past the narrative that maybe college isn’t for them,” CSU Chancellor Tony Frank said. “Wiz Kid is a perfect, little microcosm of that philosophy.”
The goal is to create accessible, educational children’s programming that can reach anyone with an internet connection, whether they’re a kid in a Colorado classroom or a learner across the globe, said Peterson, whose day job is a CSU digital media specialist.
“We have our eyes set for the entire United States — and even the world,” she said.
Channeling Bill Nye the Science Guy but “with Eras Tour energy,” Peterson is proud to have debuted the first six-episode season of the YouTube show and promises plenty more hijinks on video, social media and in person at live events.
“Science doesn’t have to be stuffy,” she said.
“Wiz Kid” host Angelica Peterson, right, and Kevin Samuelson film a video at the CSU Spur campus in Denver on Friday, April 19, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Making science accessible
“Wiz Kid” is about a year in the making, said CSU’s associate vice president of communications Tiana Kennedy, and the program was born out of a desire to personify the elements CSU Spur focuses on: food, water and health.
The Spur campus’s three buildings — Vida, Terra and Hydro — are full of free child activities like a veterinary hospital behind a glass wall that allows families to watch live operations or visit a rooftop greenhouse.
The campus provides an ideal playground for Wiz Kid, whose fun and quirky personality comes to life in front of the camera.
Last week, Peterson skipped through the Spur buildings while filming social media content for Earth Day, swinging around a banana peel as she talked about composting.
The content is aimed at an elementary-to-middle-school-school audience, she said.
The age feels prescient for Peterson, who wrote in a fourth-grade project that she wanted to be an actress and a scientist.
“I’m making young Angelica’s dreams come true,” Peterson said. “The stars aligned, and my career allowed me to use my skills as an editor and videographer, but also be in front of the camera. I love how lucky I got to get to do this as my job.”
When the CSU team was kicking around ideas for children’s programming, they had a willing volunteer in Peterson and the project snowballed from there.
The crew is small: a CSU videographer, graphics editor, social media editor and Peterson, who focuses on the scripts and works with the experts behind the scenes and in front of the camera.
To get in the Wiz Kid headspace, Peterson watches Nye or blasts “Silly Songs with Larry,” a segment of the kids’ show “Veggie Tales” that made her laugh growing up.
Peterson also is inspired by Food Network personality Alton Brown whose show “Good Eats” explored the science behind food in a fun, approachable way.
“One of the other things is we really wanted to get more girls interested in science, so why not have a woman’s face as the host?” Peterson said. “A main driving force is to make science accessible for students, but also to make it inclusive. When it comes to jobs or career exploration, we want our audience to see someone who looks like them.”
“Wiz Kid” host Angelica Peterson, right, and Kevin Samuelson are filming a video at CSU Spur campus in Denver on Friday, April 19, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Wiz Kid’s future
Wiz Kid’s future is bright.
CSU is working on more episodes, but the school also wants to base shows on the needs of students, Kennedy said.
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The university is working to align show topics with Colorado’s educational curriculum and developing worksheets and materials that teachers can pass out to students for corresponding lessons, Kennedy said.
The show’s producers want to ensure episodes have Spanish subtitles to meet the needs of English language learners.
They’re exploring streaming opportunities but want to ensure the content stays accessible and open-access, Kennedy said.
“With ‘Wiz Kid,’ it’s an opportunity for us to get kids to hear from scientists and researchers and start to really question and spark their curiosity,” Kennedy said. “If they’re learning and engaging in that kind of thing at a young age and know about a possibility to be a researcher and they see a researcher who looks like them, that opens up a passion for education and that’s really what we’re all about.”
Wiz Kid is also ramping up live events such as “Wiz Kid Live” from 10:30 a.m. to noon on May 11. Wiz Kid will be at CSU Spur meeting kids, taking pictures and screening the pilot episode with a popcorn and candy bar. Registration is free.
“Being in person with the kids is just my favorite,” Peterson said. “They teach me so much. Wiz Kid is always learning along with them.”
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