DCoE and Sesame Street Workshop Collaborate on Interactive Website for Military Families

August 28, 2009

DCoE Director Brig. Gen. Loree K. Sutton joined Patty Shinseki, member of the board of directors of The Military Child Education Coalition; Gary E. Knell, president and CEO of Sesame Workshop; and Sesame Street’s Elmo and his Dad in announcing the “Sesame Street Family Connections” Website and the roll out of 35 “Sesame Rooms” across the United States at a July 16 press conference in Philadelphia.

The latest collaboration between DCoE and Sesame Workshop, the “Family Connections” Website supports the ongoing program to help children cope with deployments, multiple deployments and injured parents. The Website is designed to help keep children and adults connected when distance makes daily communication difficult.

Capt. (sel) Russell Shilling of DCoE has worked with Sesame Workshop since 2007 to develop and distribute more than 800,000 DVD outreach kits and the new Website. The DVD video programs won a prestigious CINE Golden Eagle Award in 2009. The “Family Connections” Website contains all the video in the DVD kit along with two prime-time specials. Family members and friends can compose messages and create, share and collaborate on artwork. The Website also supports uploading videos and photos. A special section of the site offers communication tips and features favorite Sesame Street characters talking about deployment.

“This rewarding opportunity to collaborate in launching such a creative Website provides a vital tool in the recovery, resilience and reintegration toolbox that our military families need and deserve,” said Brig. Gen. Sutton. “Families and warriors will be able to stay connected and share in a safe and nurturing place, joined by their special Sesame Street friends.”

Sesame Workshop has also teamed with New York designer Jonathan Adler to create “Sesame Rooms,” to brighten spaces in which military children can play. The rooms-in-a-box were sent to 35 locations across the U.S. including libraries, military hospitals, child care centers and family support centers.

“Sesame Workshop is committed to providing our military families with the resources they deserve,” said CEO Gary E. Knell. “We hope that Talk, Listen, Connect, which reaches out to all families with young children, will continue to help families discover ways they can be resilient despite experiencing difficult transitions in their lives.”