KQED Education Network Celebrates Children of the Bay Area With Dragon Tales

Business Wire, July 26, 2001

Television Editors

KQED Ready To Learn Welcomes Walkaround Zak and Wheezie from Dragon

Tales to Children's Fairyland in Oakland Sponsored by Providian

Financial

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 26, 2001

KQED Ready To Learn is pleased to announce the appearance of Walkaround Zak and Wheezie from Dragon Tales on Saturday and Sunday, August 4th and 5th at Children's Fairyland in Oakland.

Walkaround Zak and Wheezie, the beloved two-headed dragon from PBS' Dragon Tales, will be on hand Saturday and Sunday to greet children and their parents. Additional Fairyland festivities include storytelling, live performances, puppet shows and hands-on activities. The first 200 families to arrive each day will receive a free children's book as part of Ready To Learn's First Book program.

Dragon Tales, the award-winning PBS television program, takes children on a journey of self-discovery where they face challenges and overcome fears, while enveloped in a magical, supportive environment. The series gently inspires children to persist when faced with obstacles, to try different approaches to resolving a problem, and to understand that to try and not succeed fully is a natural and valuable part of learning. Zak and Wheezie have two heads with opposite personalities together in one body. They are siblings who love each other, but disagree about almost everything. Zak is neat and orderly. Wheezie is wild and free-spirited. Since they share a body, the most challenging task for these two is getting along, something parents and children can relate to. The program airs on KQED Public Television 9 Monday through Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The event will also highlight the new television special, Parent Tales, which will air on KQED Public Television 9 on Sunday, September 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Parent Tales helps parents apply the messages from Dragon Tales at home as they are given suggestions and solutions to help them manage their day to day lives with their kids. The special provides real-life examples of the process parents go through to better understand their children as well as the opportunity to watch parenting experts help families resolve everyday issues together.

Additionally, Sunday August 5th is PBS Kids Day. This day is dedicated to parents spending quality time with their children. PBS and member stations, nationally and locally, serve as the official television sponsors of America's first National Kids Day. Parents are encouraged to explore super fun, super safe and super cool activities for adults and children. Zak and Wheezie Day at Fairyland is one in a number of events that will occur across the nation to help adults and children celebrate National Kids Day.

Visit KQED Education Network's Web site at www.kqed.org/ednet to learn more about the event at Fairyland.

This event is sponsored by Providian Financial, supporting child care providers through its Providian Cares About Kids program.

KQED Ready To Learn, part of KQED Education Network, teaches parents and child care professionals how to turn PBS programming into an interactive, educational tool. Ready to Learn utilizes award-winning PBS programming, hands-on workshops, special projects and events to help parents and caregivers meet the national education goal that all children begin school ready to learn. Ready To Learn's First Book program enhances family literacy by bringing books, resources and parent education to low-income families. The Wells Fargo Foundation provides major ongoing funding for First Book.

KQED operates KQED Public Television 9, the nation's most-watched public television station, and Digital Television 30, Northern California's only public television digital signal; KQED Public Radio 88.5 FM, the most-listened-to public radio station in the nation; the KQED Education Network, which uses KQED media to inspire thousands of teachers, students, parents and media professionals through workshops, seminars and resources; and www.kqed.org, which harnesses the power of the Internet to bring KQED to communities across the Web.