Sep 9, 2024

'Meteor Heroes' TV Series Brings Climate Education Directly to Children in U.S. Schools

It's not just because we live in California that we are concerned about climate change. In fact, according to a University of Bath study released in 2021, 84% of children worldwide are concerned about climate change. And so are many adults.

Such was the case for Luigi Latini, a meteorologist with Meteo Expert, one of Europe's largest private companies for applied meteorological and climatological research and forecasting. He was. [At the time,] we understood that something was changing,” Latini said. But people weren't ready to hear it at the time.” Around 2016, when I started thinking about this program, climate change was getting a lot of media attention and adults and children were asking more and more questions. After talking with Luigi Ballerini, an Italian children's author and psychologist, I decided to go ahead with this [Meteor Heroes] project."

[4 [Working with American executive producer and children's television veteran Ken Wieselman, Latini and his collaborators produced two seasons of Meteor Heroes with Mondo TV Studios, but when the first 52-episode season was hit by the pandemic's The first 52-episode season was hit hard by the pandemic, so it did not go without obstacles. You can call this team extremist or extremely passionate,” Wieselman joked. Despite the circumstances, we never missed a production deadline. For Luigi, it didn't have to be an Italian TV show, and that allowed us to reach an international level in terms of production and content.”

Latini added: “The production of the show was not only a success, but it was also a success. In China, where the blockade was even stronger than in Europe or the U.S., the owner of our animation partner returned to the studio with government permission, took back all the computers, and distributed one to each of his employees so they could continue working remotely. During the production, we created a huge community around the world. I have never met 80% of those people in person, but I am truly grateful that we were able to achieve this internationally. This was not just a cartoon, but a movement. And the kids have been receptive to it from the very beginning.”

Meteor Heroes has already been aired in Italy, France, Spain, and South America, and has been sold to several regions in Asia. In the U.S., however, Viselman and business development consultant Rita Lepicier wanted to try a different approach.

“For us, the show was already more than a show, so we wanted to do it differently,” Viselman explained.

“If we tell stories to children, we may educate them themselves and the generations after them, and we may change the future through the power of storytelling. To educate, we must engage them. And so our Global Climate Education Initiative was born.”

Partnering with education platform Adventure2Learning, San Bernardino County, and local PBS stations, the duo created a publicly funded climate education strategy through entertainment and science-backed content, co-produced with the Kids First. coalition They also provided a related series, Real Heroes Don't Wear Capes.

“Various networks and legislators supported the project, as well as local and state support,” says Lepicier. 'I've been doing this for a long time now, and I've always had to raise public and private funds myself.' I was convinced that this initiative would appeal to the authorities, and it did. At the last minute we found out that our line item had been cut from the state budget”

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Political setbacks stuck the initiative in place, but the spirit of the team remained unshaken, according to Wisselman. 'Two years later, I still don't know why the line disappeared. But my faith in the strategy is unshaken. We know it's bizarre for producers to say, 'Screw TV, we're going to work with schools. But in this context, with this show, it has proven to be incredibly effective and fulfilling. Today, due to the testing we have done with Adventure2Learning in US schools, the international recognition we have built, and the great word of mouth by the kids themselves, we have over 200,000 followers on our social media.

And both teachers and children are eager to do more. In Italy, a test program in several schools has shown that children respond very well to the adventures of a climate-conscious little hero. We always wanted to offer adventure, action, and fun, along with a scientifically accurate message,” said Liz Wolfe, director of the program. That's why there's advice at the end of each episode, and at the end of the series, kids can start a conversation about climate change with their parents or teachers.”

The goal the project hopes to achieve in the U.S. is to provide an age-specific in-school curriculum available to all schools, from ages 4 to 10.

“Our ultimate goal is to make ‘Meteor Heroes’ part of the zeitgeist,” concluded Wieselman. 'The show is cleverly written, matches a wide range of viewers of various ages, and raises climate awareness with little investment from the public.' What we need now is a dedicated group of people willing to fund such an effort. People who believe, as we do, in the imagination of our children, children who, inspired by MeteoHeroes, will use their imaginations to turn off the TV, go out into the world, and build a future.”

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