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Two significant outcomes have been partnerships and audience reach. Through Arthur's many seasons, WGBH has successfully expanded the scope and content of its work with partners and kept Arthur fresh, fun, and useful to its many audiences.
Partnerships
American Library Association (ALA)
A strong, longtime partner of Arthur, the ALA had been interested in finding a "new take" on the popular children's book series by Marc Brown. By partnering with WGBH, it was able to connect libraries with local PBS stations to develop innovative outreach efforts to bring new patrons to the libraries. ALA was critical to the development and implementation of this project, in which 10 model sites created replicable program models.
The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC)
Along with Children's Hospital Boston, BPHC is a key partner in the development of an asthma campaign in Boston. The BPHC, as well as other public health commissions across the country, is particularly interested in projects that change the public's behavior and attitude regarding health issues. The BPHC has encouraged WGBH to focus on helping low-income families recognize that they deserve a better quality of life and that they have the right to advocate for that, especially when health and housing are at issue. Arthur's asthma campaign will now include an advocacy component for families designed to give them the information and coaching they need to make informed choices and work toward a better quality of life.
Children's Hospital Boston
When WGBH and Children's Hospital first began discussing partnering opportunities, neither expected that the relationship would evolve to the point where Children's Hospital would provide $150,000 to support workshops on asthma in children and a Boston-based media campaign on asthma. The model that grows out of these efforts will eventually be disseminated to PBS stations nationally.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA awarded Arthur the National Environmental Asthma Educator Award in 2002 for its "Buster's Breathless" episode. Arthur's popularity has helped educators and children learn about asthma. The accompanying All About Asthma booklet was so successful that EPA plans to reprint 100,000 to 200,000 copies to distribute across the country.
National Education Association (NEA)
The NEA and WGBH collaboration has brought fresh, new teacher-tested resources to NEA's membership of 2.7 million educators. NEA's State Directors helped to distribute tens of thousands of Arthur resources, and Arthur materials have also been featured in several of NEA's Read Across America electronic and print publications and at the Read Across America booth at its national conference. This relationship has expanded across Arthur seasons and to other WGBH programs and educational outreach efforts.
National Pediculosis Association (NPA)
NPA was interested in reaching a broader audience with its message about lice as a health issue. Arthur's Hooray for Health! guide was an important vehicle for achieving this. The collaboration expanded as NPA helped shape workshops for school nurses that were piloted in the greater Boston area; these will soon be distributed to PBS stations nationwide. In addition, NPA provided print resources, LiceMeister® kits, and guest speakers.
Ready To Learn (RTL) Coordinators
These public television station staff members provide resources and support to local community partners to help them promote emergent and media literacy, social, and academic skill development in young children. They are key partners in Arthur outreach efforts. Ready To Learn coordinators receive the full range of Arthur resources and outreach support for local efforts. Arthur is a popular locally funded grant program for many Ready To Learn stations.
U.S. Peace Corps
The World Wise Schools division of Peace Corps was instrumental in helping to shape the Arthur's Neighborhood outreach campaign and resources. WGBH hopes to draw on Peace Corps' long and distinguished history of training in cross-cultural understanding to develop an elementary version of its very popular middle and high school guide, Building Bridges.
Audience Reach
Arthur materials virtually fly off the shelf, as demonstrated by the quantities of publications distributed, many of which have gone through more than one printing (see Educational Outreach Elements). The Arthur series and the outreach are indeed reaching their intended audiences. Each year, more educators are using Arthur resources in the classroom. Arthur outreach materials allow teachers to use the Arthur show, activities, and trade books together or as stand-alone teaching resources. Teachers have rated the resources very high in increasing interest in reading Arthur books and general interest in reading. Parents appreciate the friendly, informative, easy-to-use formats and information in the Arthur family activity books, and librarians report that Arthur has helped to bring kids to the library.
Below are some voices from Arthur's target audiences:
"It was a great topic. The kids this age are just starting to deal with these issues."
"It stimulates conversation on issues that you may not bother with, but that are important to your child."
-- Parents commenting on the Ups and Downs of Friendship family activity book
"We felt that it was very age-appropriate.... We can easily divide classes if some activities are more appropriate for 3- or 5-year-olds."
"The activities had really good, creative, child-centered ideas."
-- Preschool teachers who used Play and Learn with Arthur
"What a great tool for teaching Arthur stories. Keep me informed of other teaching materials."
-- Second-grade teacher who used Story Writing with Arthur
"Largest attendance some of our rural libraries have ever had. [Arthur's Library Adventure has] been a tremendous experience for all of us."
"The program really opened doors for us with our community partners and has led us to the decision to hire an outreach coordinator. Arthur allowed us to assess the enormous need for outreach in our community."
-- Librarians from Arthur's Library Adventure model site
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