(upbeat music) - WKAR has been educating mid-Michigan for over 100 years, which is just incredible.

- That was an initial part of their mission, and continues to be that even today.

(children cheering) - [Rob] WKAR TV started in 1954, and they started targeting specifically youngsters.

There was Classroom 10, which educated local public school kids.

There was Culver's Clubhouse where local kids could get a club membership.

- That's Right.

That's exactly what's happened here.

- So even by 1969, when Sesame Street went on the air, WKAR had already been producing dozens of wonderful local programs.

- WKAR's history is rooted in educational, television, and radio.

But in 1996, there was federal funding that came to public broadcasters for leveraging their educational programming.

Beany Tomber raised her hand and said, "this is something I wanna do."

- When I moved here and became a young mom, Beany was always on there talking about Ready to Learn.

- [Susi] We now have a really wonderful education department.

I think it's what Beany and I always hoped would happen.

She challenged us to create Curious Crew to put kids front and center around their own learning.

Rob, of course, drives the curriculum and brings the kids together.

But they're really the ones that are inspiring other kids around the country to explore science.

(all gasping) - Isn't that awesome?

We want all youngsters to see representations of themselves when they're viewing any sort of programming.

- [Robin] I always felt like the programming was very reflective of our community.

It brought a sense of creativity and cultivated a love for learning.

(upbeat music) (paper tearing) - Are you curious about careers in science?

- When I think about the original material that's coming out of WKAR, it's incredibly exciting.

- [Robin] There really is a bright, bright future for WKAR, the sky is the limit.