BY NIKI DE WITT
With the help of ProjectExplorer.org, children are able to experience new cultures from the comfort of their homes and classrooms. This non-profit organization promotes cross cultural understanding by producing educational travel videos and lesson plans that cover religion, culture, cuisine, and even global issues.
Jenny Buccos, founder of ProjectExplorer.org, was surprised when she learned that approximately 75 percent of Americans do not have a passport. Traveling is often considered a luxury, however, thanks to the Internet, information about new cultures is easily accessible. These videos serve as a virtual adventure for students who might not have the opportunity to travel. Since the series debut in 2006, the site’s growing catalog of more than 400 videos has been seen by almost 6 million viewers around the world.
The videos are labors of love. Behind each five-minute video is nearly 40 hours of work from start to finish. After the location has been determined, it takes about six months to a year before the team begins to film. This is because, like most trips, travel requires planning. And in the case of the ProjectExplorer team, the to-do list might be a bit longer than the average traveler, adding “extensive research” and “writing scripts for each mini episode” to their list.
Aside from keen organizational efforts, creating nearly 80 videos a year would be impossible to produce without fundraising. “Fundraising is always the biggest challenge and runs from day one until we get the materials in classrooms across the country,” says Buccos. Currently they are in the process of raising funds for a full-time educator to help other educators successfully incorporate ProjectExplorer into their school’s curriculum. If you’d like to help support ProjectExplorer.org bring the world to classrooms, feel free to donate here.
The Giraffe from ProjectExplorer.org in Zambia from ProjectExplorer.org on Vimeo.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
Niki is currently exploring Asia while working on a children’s book series about travel. As a child, she traveled and moved often for her parents’ jobs. As a result of this, she has always felt most at home when she’s off and away. She is interested in international films, working on building an impressive tea collection, and can often be found with her camera in hand. You can have a look-see at her blog and follow her on Twitter @nikidding.
Photos courtesy of ProjectExplorer
