SMART START KIDS

“Smart Start Kids” is an award-winning WRAL-TV children’s program designed for 3-to-5 year olds and their families. The program was produced in cooperation with the NC Partnership for Children/Smart Start, North Carolina’s nationally-recognized initiative to ensure that every child reaches his or her potential and is prepared to succeed in a global community.

In each of the program’s 74 episodes, local children share their “news,” explore their world and talk about their experiences. Each week “Willa,” host of Smart Start Kids, and the children engage in fun activities that promote healthy child development and serve as positive examples for viewers.

Produced in a magazine-style format, the children interact with “Willa” and travel to fun, educational places across the state. Together they experience trips to new geographical locations, learn from hands-on activities, and create their own memorable stories and music.

Young viewers were also able to participate from home or a childcare center by calling the Smart Start toll-free phone number to share their own exciting, personal stories such as a first trip to the beach or the arrival of a new puppy. This toll-free phone number provided access for all North Carolina children.

WRAL produced the program from 2002-2011. It won the prestigious Mid-South Regional Emmy Award in the Children’s Educational Program category in 2004 and 2009.

The Smart Start Kids program is still broadcast in syndication each week on WRAL-TV and WILM-TV in Wilmington. It’s also made available to UNC-TV for statewide distribution.