Olivia and Max Visit the Channel Islands

A recent upgrade to MSRP’s kiosk exhibits includes the development of two newly revised short videos that appeal to a younger generation. To get ideas for the new kiosk videos, MSRP’s Outreach Coordinator, Gabrielle Dorr, researched educational programs that were geared towards younger kids. One of the programs Dorr discovered was a popular PBS series titled SciGirls.

SciGirls is an educational program targeted to girls ages 8 to 12 years old and designed to encourage more girls to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. Each episode starts off with an animated character that has a science-based problem which needs to be solved. The animated character then introduces real-life middle school girls, called SciGirls, who are working to solve, create, or understand a similar issue themselves. In the episodes, adult women who are in STEM fields work with the SciGirls to help them achieve their goals and act as role models or mentors for the younger girls. In one well-known episode, the SciGirls combine their love of ice cream and biking to create a pedal-powered ice cream maker that attaches to their bike.

For the new kiosk videos, Dorr used animated character hosts, as seen in SciGirls, who introduce the viewers to the real-life restoration work we are doing on the California Channel Islands. The two characters she developed are a girl park ranger named Olivia and her sidekick fox named Max. Olivia does all of the talking while Max follows along as they visit the Channel Islands and teach the viewers about the Bald Eagle and seabird restoration projects. Real footage of on-the-ground restoration is woven between the animated scenes. Both videos end with a message from Olivia about how the viewer can help the Bald Eagles and seabirds by disposing of hazardous waste properly and by cutting down on buying plastic items.

The new videos will launch on MSRP’s website and Youtube channel in April and visitors will be able to watch them on the kiosks by early May.

Visit an MSRP Kiosk near you today!

The SEA Lab-Redondo Beach, California

Point Vicente Interpretive Center-Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Channel Islands Visitors Center-Ventura, California

 

-Gabrielle Dorr