The creators of Six Pixels Studios want to awaken the creative genius inside every child, and in doing so, inspire a new generation of storytellers and digital gurus. Education coupled with classes in movie-making, stop motion, YouTube, animation art, coding and photography give students the tools to explore and create just about anything they can imagine. By Elice Morgenson
The creators of Six Pixels Studios want to awaken the creative genius inside every child, and in doing so, inspire a new generation of storytellers and digital gurus. Education coupled with classes in movie-making, stop motion, YouTube, animation art, coding and photography give students the tools to explore and create just about anything they can imagine.
Based on STEAM learning – science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics – the classes are for students ages 3 to 15, as enriching afterschool programs, summer camps and events.
“At the time, we were producing a series of documentaries for National Geographic and that brought myself and David Haynes, one of the other co-founders, to Florida,” said Kay Hill, co-founder and executive vice president of programming and franchise operations.
“A local school asked us if we would mentor some of the kids in filmmaking, creativity and storytelling,” she said. “We realized something was missing: Kids were not getting access to the creativity to express themselves through storytelling.”
The program quickly gained traction, and the concept was increasingly requested by parents all over the country. The team decided to franchise and give others the opportunity to take the concept into their communities.
Founders Hill, Haynes and Stefanie Robinson, executive vice president of operations, all share a background in education and curriculum development, and when they created the program for franchising, they made sure it would be adaptable to the needs of each community.
“It really is very flexible, and we deliberately designed it that way,” Hill said. “We are a creative company and do not just have one block that fits in one hole. So we are open to different business models. We work with our franchisees to create what is right for them.”
Caring about people, children and the community are the three main ingredients needed for a successful franchisee and what makes the program work so well.
Whether you are a teacher who desires to offer a captivating summer program for students or a business owner who believes in the power of education to strengthen the community, Six Pixels Studios has a fit for everyone.
Elice Morgenson