Early 2000s children were filled with wonders and questions about the world of technology and new forms of entertainment, making movies and TV more popular. In the 1990s, many streaming networks were released to the public and became popular with CHS students as they grew up in the changing world around them. PBS Kids, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network, all being a piece of childhood for these students.
Maggie Beeson grew up with a specific duo who had a heavy influence on how she sees the world. From childhood to her junior year, the Kratt Brothers were there for every moment. But when the popular TV show, “Wild Kratts”, took off on PBS Kids which quickly caught Beeson’s attention.
Wild Kratts is a series based on the creatures of the animal kingdom and the dangers some species face. Beeson quickly connected with the two main characters, Chris and Martin, who face challenges to aid the survival of endangered species.
“They made the information so that kids would learn in a super interesting way,” Beeson said. “It was a fun way to learn about animals. I can still recall a lot of the information that was told in [that show].”
A variety of streaming services have been a popular trend throughout a couple of CHS students, and every one of them has a connection. There are invisible strings that tie people together with the things they love and the things that were meant for them. Sometimes, shows can hold those strings tight or even create new strands leaving people with inspirations or ideas that could influence their life further.
Poppy Mellor holds a string tied to shows on Cartoon Network, shaping a part of her personality and influencing her hobbies.
Mellor loves animated shows, such as “The Amazing World of Gumball”, a popular show throughout the country. She discovered her interest in art through watching the show, inspiring her to create something. Seeing the characters on screen with all sorts of colors and styles, sparked something within her.
“It was the fact that they were animated,” Mellor said. “I like animated shows more than actual [live-action] TV shows. The animation got me into drawing and I liked art and the styles of the animation would inspire me and I felt creative.”
Even now, as Mellor has gotten older, her love for art is still prominent within her life.
As art and nature flourish as kinds of love, Eleanor Farrell shares a kind of familial love that began from watching shows as a child.
Disney Channel is filled with a variety of shows in which Farrell watched and connected to herself and her family, taking after the characters in the shows.
The characters had an array of personality traits sometimes creating conflict, providing the episodes with a plot needing to be resolved. Farrell looks back at those characters, realizing how influential those resolutions were, and seeing how much of a positive impact they can make.
Farrell grew up as the only girl in her family, something similar to the Disney Channel show, “Liv and Maddie”, she felt a similarity with the characters as she watched. There was occasionally conflict within the families, something Farrell noticed, watching how the characters would go about the situation. The girls would stand up for themselves, taking on a mature approach to the dilemma, setting an example that stuck with Farrell as she navigates similar events now.
“It helped me know that just being a strong girl and working out your problems and not giving up when things got hard worked even now,” Farrell said. “There were always episodes about lying and going behind someone’s back and I think those taught me how to not do those things. I think it’s still relevant.”
