FableVision, an award-winning educational media and storytelling studio, to partner with AlphaBEST Education, the leading provider of after school and summer enrichment-based programming, to develop a story-themed summer camp program featuring best-selling author/illustrator duo Paul and Peter H. Reynolds’ book Going Places about creativity and invention.

 

AlphaBEST Education, a leading provider of after school and summer programs, and FableVision, an award-winning, educational media and storytelling company, have announced the development of the “Going Places” Summer Camp  featuring the award-winning book by FableVision’s founders and twin brothers Paul and Peter H. Reynolds. The program will offer engaging, immersive activities and challenges based on the book’s themes, which illustrate the critical life skills advocated by the Partnership for 21st Century Learning – known as the “4Cs” – communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity.

 

Paul Reynolds shares, “We’re thrilled that the themes of our book Going Places will be brought to life for AlphaBEST’s campers. Using storytelling to cultivate creative problem-solving at a young age help them navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead of them.”

 

Heralded by Kirkus Reviews as “an ode to creativity and individuality,” “Going Places” (Simon & Schuster’s Atheneum Books) is the story-catalyst for AlphaBEST’s new program. The book features two elementary school students who participate in a school-wide go-kart building and

racing contest. Each student grabs an identical kit, including Rafael who sets out to follow the instructions provided to build his vehicle. But Maya is inspired by things in motion and nature. She decides to invent an entirely different kind of vehicle.

 

Winner of the Library of Congress MassBook Award for Best Picture Book of the Year, “Going Places” is based on an original, animated film called “Above and Beyond,” which was produced by FableVision Studios with Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21). P21 worked with over 180 organizations including with input from teachers, education experts, and business leaders – to create the Framework for 21st Century Learning – which mapped out 18 critical skills students need to succeed in work, life and citizenship in the 21st century. The four most important skills from the framework are known as the “4Cs” – communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.

 

Encouraging out-of-the-box engineering and a strong focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math), the “Going Places” camp will cultivate the 4Cs, as students soar on new adventures with Maya and Rafael over the course of about 10 to 12 weeks.

Dawn Hosni, Chief Strategy Officer AlphaBEST Education, Inc., said. “We’ve worked with FableVision for many years and are delighted about our deepening partnership as we further the message of ‘Going Places’ through our programming.”

 

AlphaBEST Education CEO Judy Nee points out, “AlphaBEST is doggedly committed to addressing summer learning loss. Without ongoing, quality learning experiences during the summer, many students actually lose about two months of grade-level of learning achievement – and it’s even worse among low-income students. We’re excited about partnering with best-in-class educational partners like FableVision to raise the bar on more nourishing summer camp programs.”

 

As a leading provider of after school and summer programs, AlphaBEST collaborates closely with school districts across the country. Its focus is to expand learning beyond the school day, providing students with experiences that include coding and robotics, digital animation, engineering, maker spaces, world languages and culture, dramatic and visual arts, and fitness and wellness.

 

The new Going Places Summer Camp program is already in development and will be rolled out during the summer of 2019. The program reach will expand in the coming years and will likely be supplemented with other story themes from the team at FableVision.

 

More information about the Going Places Summer Camp program can be found at www.AlphaBEST.org/GoingPlaces or by contacting us.

 

About FableVision

Founded in 1996, by New York Times best-selling author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds (“The Dot,” “Judy Moody,” “The Word Collector”) FableVision is dedicated to helping all learners reach their full potential and telling “stories that matter, stories that move.” Based high atop the Boston Children’s Museum, the studio has earned national and global recognition for its award-winning websites, games, animated films, museum kiosks, and apps. Its roster of clients includes educational publishers, broadcasters, nonprofits, museums, researchers, and institutions such as PBS KIDS, Smithsonian Institution, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Nick Jr., and National Geographic Society.

 

About Peter H. Reynolds

Peter is a New York Times best-selling children’s book author illustrator ( Word Collector, Judy Moody, The Dot, Ish, Sky Color, Someday ), selling over 20 million books in over 25 languages around the globe. In 1996, he founded FableVision as a social change agency to help move the world to a better place by creating “stories that matter, stories that move.” FableVision’s signature blend of positive media, storytelling and interactive technologies is sought after by a host of best-in-class organizations, such as PBS KIDS, Reading Is Fundamental, the Jim Henson Company, and National Wildlife Federation. Peter also founded FableVision Learning, a K-12 educational publishing company, as well as the nonprofit Reynolds Center for Teaching, Learning, and Creativity, and independent book and creativity shop called The Blue Bunny Bookstore in historic Dedham Square, Massachusetts.

 

About Paul A. Reynolds

Paul is the CEO and Co-Founder of Boston-based FableVision, which partners with other mission-based organizations to create and distribute original educational media, mobile games and apps designed to move the world to a better place. He also oversees Reynolds Center for Teaching, Learning & Creativity – Reynolds TLC – a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering purposeful, creative human potential around the globe.

 

Paul is also an award-winning children’s book author – creating stories about creativity and innovation. His book “Going Places,” which is illustrated by his twin brother Peter Reynolds, recently won the Library of Congress MassBook Award for Best Picture Book of the Year.

The creative duo also created the STEAM-powered Adventures of Sydney & Simon for early readers, which features twin mice who love creative problem solving. Paul has also been teaching creative media production and digital storytelling at Boston College for over 20 years.

 

About AlphaBEST

A leading provider of after school and summer programs, in close partnership with school districts, AlphaBEST Education expands learning beyond the school day, providing students with experiences that include coding & robotics, digital animation, engineering, makerspaces, world languages & culture, dramatic & visual arts, and fitness & wellness. AlphaBEST enjoys exclusive partnerships with content area experts, providing access to the most cutting edge, research based curricula available, all of which are founded in the 4 C’s of 21st Century Learning; Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Creativity. AlphaBEST believes that the before and after school hours provide students with the opportunity to explore new ideas, talents, and friendships, and we provide all of that in a well-supervised, nurturing environment.