Welcome to
Wimee’s World
湖人队是PBS节目的幕后主使，该节目鼓励孩子们用科技来学习和创造
Welcome to
Wimee’s World
湖人队是PBS节目的幕后主使，该节目鼓励孩子们用科技来学习和创造
STORY BY ALEX PRIEBE
PHOTOS BY AMANDA PITTS
VIDEO BY TONY PACKER
In the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, 一个由四名大峡谷校友组成的团队正在制作他们希望成为下一个“芝麻街”的节目.”
“Wimee’s Words“ is a live, 互动电视节目，启发新一代的孩子学习和创造. 该节目使用创新技术，让观众实时贡献自己的想法.
“我们正在彻底改变孩子们参与和观看内容的方式，允许他们共同制作节目,” said Michael Hyacinthe ’13, U.S. Navy Seabee veteran, CEO 也是制作该节目的媒体公司Wimage的创始人.
这部剧的主角是Wimee，一个有趣、顽皮的机器人木偶，喜欢探索和创造. 1998年的首席木偶师凯文·卡默拉德(Kevin Kammeraad)说，维梅的性格充满了好奇心、欢乐和同情心.
他说:“我喜欢孩子们在与Wimee互动时所看到和感受到的敬畏。.
Stephanie Kammeraad ’01, author, educational consultant and tech director, described Wimee as a big kid. “他总是和孩子们一起学习，”凯文的妻子斯蒂芬妮说. “He doesn’t know all the answers.”
Creating Wimee 1.0
2016年，hyacins开发了一款应用程序，帮助退伍军人通过艺术讲述他们的故事. 这款应用名为Wimage，因其能将文字即时转换为图像而得名. Hyacinthe said he discovered it was a perfect match for kids.
“我们鼓励孩子们成为视觉故事讲述者、作家和插画家，”他说.
To make the app more kid-friendly, Hyacinthe asked his friend Kevin Kammeraad, a master puppeteer, artist and performer, to help create a character to be the face of Wimage. 这两个朋友和一个木偶制造者一起制作了这个角色的第一个版本，Wimee 1.0, using repurposed objects found in their houses, including a fruitcake can and wheels from a model airplane.
From classrooms to live TV
Over the next few years, hyacins和Kammeraad将这个木偶和应用程序带到大急流城的数百个教室里, 视觉讲故事工作坊，让学龄前和小学生分享他们的想法，然后将这些想法融入歌曲中, stories and illustrations.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to go remote in 2020, Wimage团队将工作坊改编为在线节目，木偶被重新设计为Wimee 2.0, a more TV-friendly version of the character.
疫情期间的每个工作日，Wimage团队都会在Kammeraad的阁楼上记录一段情节. Partnering with Kent District Library, the show was live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube, 观众可以通过评论视频继续为节目添加想法. Hyacinthe estimated they created close to 250 episodes.
Creating Wimee 1.0
2016年，hyacins开发了一款应用程序，帮助退伍军人通过艺术讲述他们的故事. 这款应用名为Wimage，因其能将文字即时转换为图像而得名. Hyacinthe said he discovered it was a perfect match for kids.
“我们鼓励孩子们成为视觉故事讲述者、作家和插画家，”他说.
To make the app more kid-friendly, Hyacinthe asked his friend Kevin Kammeraad, a master puppeteer, artist and performer, to help create a character to be the face of Wimage. 这两个朋友和一个木偶制造者一起制作了这个角色的第一个版本，Wimee 1.0, using repurposed objects found in their houses, including a fruitcake can and wheels from a model airplane.
From classrooms to live TV
Over the next few years, hyacins和Kammeraad将这个木偶和应用程序带到大急流城的数百个教室里, 视觉讲故事工作坊，让学龄前和小学生分享他们的想法，然后将这些想法融入歌曲中, stories and illustrations.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to go remote in 2020, Wimage团队将工作坊改编为在线节目，木偶被重新设计为Wimee 2.0, a more TV-friendly version of the character.
疫情期间的每个工作日，Wimage团队都会在Kammeraad的阁楼上记录一段情节. Partnering with Kent District Library, the show was live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube, 观众可以通过评论视频继续为节目添加想法. Hyacinthe estimated they created close to 250 episodes.
Behind the scenes at "Wimee’s Words"
Behind the scenes at "Wimee’s Words"
In 2021, the team expanded to include Jim Dague, a.k.a ScribbleMonster, who became the new showrunner and co-writer, as well as colleagues at Kent District Library. A year later, Wimage团队搬到了他们现在位于大急流城市中心的工作室，Wimee也发展成了他现在的3.0版本，使用3D打印构建，并具有灯和齿轮.
Today, 《博天堂官方》由WGVU公共媒体联合制作，在全国20多个PBS电视台播出, reaching 60 million homes.
22岁的联合制片人兼导演格温·特劳特曼(Gwen Trautman)说，她最喜欢的部分是与他们的湖人队和合作者合作. “I get to be surrounded by thoughtful, 富有同情心的创意人，他们和我有着同样的使命:为孩子们提供教育资源,” she said.
Kevin Kammeraad, with a small microphone taped to his head, 在录制完一集《博天堂官方网页》后，他在演播室里和威米一起微笑.'
Kevin Kammeraad, with a small microphone taped to his head, 在录制完一集《博天堂官方网页》后，他在演播室里和威米一起微笑.'
Co-producer and director Gwen Trautman
Co-producer and director Gwen Trautman
Behind the scenes at "Wimee’s Words"
Behind the scenes at "Wimee’s Words"
In 2021, the team expanded to include Jim Dague, a.k.a ScribbleMonster, who became the new showrunner and co-writer, as well as colleagues at Kent District Library. A year later, Wimage团队搬到了他们现在位于大急流城市中心的工作室，Wimee也发展成了他现在的3.0版本，使用3D打印构建，并具有灯和齿轮.
Today, 《博天堂官方》由WGVU公共媒体联合制作，在全国20多个PBS电视台播出, reaching 60 million homes.
22岁的联合制片人兼导演格温·特劳特曼(Gwen Trautman)说，她最喜欢的部分是与他们的湖人队和合作者合作. “I get to be surrounded by thoughtful, 富有同情心的创意人，他们和我有着同样的使命:为孩子们提供教育资源,” she said.
Kevin Kammeraad, with a small microphone taped to his head, 在录制完一集《博天堂官方网页》后，他在演播室里和威米一起微笑.'
Kevin Kammeraad, with a small microphone taped to his head, 在录制完一集《博天堂官方网页》后，他在演播室里和威米一起微笑.'
Co-producer and director Gwen Trautman
Co-producer and director Gwen Trautman
迈克尔·海辛特(Michael hyacins)拿着维米从年轻粉丝那里收到的许多卡片中的一张.
迈克尔·海辛特(Michael hyacins)拿着维米从年轻粉丝那里收到的许多卡片中的一张.
Inspiring young creators
在Wimee工作室的砖墙上，有一组由“超级粉丝”手绘的彩色图画,这些孩子与维梅有着深刻的联系，并分享了他们的插图. 在最近的一期节目中，其中一位粉丝Liam得到了Wimee的特别喊话. 当利亚姆听到维米提到他的名字时，他的父母说他喊道:“我简直不敢相信!” That afternoon, 他的父亲开车送利亚姆去工作室见维米，并给了他一封感谢信和一张利亚姆和维米在一起的画.
Kevin Kammeraad说:“知道这个角色能产生这样的影响真是太棒了。.
Trautman说:“没有什么比看到这些孩子们和Wimee产生共鸣更令人惊讶的了，就像我年轻时和我最喜欢的角色产生共鸣一样. It truly shows me that the work that we do matters.”
Where you can find Wimee
The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum has an exhibit, Wimee’s Dreams, 孩子们可以用绿屏制作自己的视频. Wimee is also featured in two children’s books, “Wimee用车辆和颜色创作”和“Wimee学习金钱”,“ written by Stephanie Kammeraad and published by Zonderkidz.
Earlier this month, Wimage launched a new app, Wimee’s World在那里，孩子们可以创建一个人工智能版的Wimee并与之互动. Wimee团队继续在密歇根州和全国各地的教室里举办讲习班.
斯蒂芬妮说:“所有这些东西不可能来自我们的一个大脑。. “我喜欢我们一群人，我们创造了一些非常特别的东西.”
Find past episodes of Wimee’s Words at PBS.org and on WGVU and PBS stations. 粉丝和公众被邀请参观Wimee的工作室和大急流城的商店，看看这部剧是如何创作的，并购买Wimee的书籍, shirts, and keepsakes. Learn more at wimee.tv and subscribe to Wimee on YouTube.
Meet the Lakers behind Wimee
Daniel M. Hyacinthe (Michael) ’13
CEO and Founder of Wimage
Kevin Kammeraad ’98
Lead Puppeteer and Co-Producer
Stephanie Kammeraad ’01
Author, Educational Consultant, and Tech Director
Gwen Trautman
’22
Assistant Producer and Director
