Tag: University of Tennessee

Moving Picture Books teams with Sesame Street to help create and inspire young readers

Posted by Rick Laney – March 9, 2010

Knoxville, Tenn. –  Moving Picture Books is featuring a new series of Sesame Street digital books as part of its dynamic animated book library available at www.movingpicturebooks.com.  Six Sesame Street titles are available for download to computers and mobile devices. Each story includes bonus educational material featuring long-time cast member Bob McGrath who plays “Bob” on the award-winning children’s show.

These animated books can be viewed with or without the read-along English text displayed on the screen. Each title is eight to 10 minutes in length and closes with interactive questions and activities for viewers that pertain to the story.  Titles including “Elmo Loves You,” “Rise And Shine,” “The ABCs of Cookies,” “Grover’s 10 Terrific Ways To Help Our Wonderful World,” “What Makes You Giggle?” and “Elmo Visits The Dentist” are available for $1.99 each.

Bob McGrath

“Moving Picture Books brings a new dimension to some of Sesame Street’s best-selling traditional books as they spring to life on the screen,” said Sesame Workshop’s Jennifer A. Perry, Assistant Vice President & Editorial Director, Worldwide Publishing.  “We are always looking for new and relevant ways to extend the learning and fun of Sesame Street, and these Moving Picture Books provide a new media platform for parents and children to enjoy reading together.”

“Digital media offers a new technique for engaging children to read at an earlier stage of life,” said Dr. Robert Rider, Dean and Professor at the University of Tennessee’s College of Education.  “Using digital media and animated picture books helps to attract the attention of kids and helps them focus on fluency, literacy and vocabulary in a way that advances them to a much higher level of literacy.”

Meg Lonon, the Vice President and Development Director for Moving Picture Books and mother of two young children, said, “Parents can read along with their kids or download a story for them to enjoy while they navigate through their busy days.  Accessing these stories is easy and moms can take them along on car trips, to waiting rooms, grocery stores, sports practices or anywhere else they need to go.  Sesame Street stories from Moving Picture Books are perfect for those who are just learning to read, those who read well and for those who are struggling.”

Moving Picture Books Sesame Street titles will also be available for download through iTunes starting April 5.

Moving Picture Books are designed to engage and inspire young readers.  The read-along text versions of the books have been hailed by education professionals and parents as a great early reading tool.  In addition, all of the books feature age-appropriate lessons that all parents can appreciate like caring, sharing, honesty and self-reliance.  Lonon says, “Because they can be viewed on iPods and cell phones, they are a hit with children and parents everywhere you go.”

Bringing children’s books to life is Moving Picture Book’s business. By combining high quality animation, rich narration, sound effects and music, Moving Picture Books provide a fun and educational digital reading experience for children.  Moving Picture Books are also intended to support busy parents in the digital age. The company’s digital downloads allow children to easily engage in learning wherever they are – on the school bus, at the doctor’s office, the airport or waiting in line at a store.

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that revolutionized children’s television programming with the landmark Sesame Street. The Workshop produces local Sesame Street programs, seen in over 140 countries, and other acclaimed shows to help bridge the literacy gap including The Electric Company and Pinky Dinky Doo.  Beyond television, the Workshop produces content for multiple media platforms on a wide range of issues including literacy, health and military deployment. Initiatives meet specific needs to help young children and families develop critical skills, acquire healthy habits and build emotional strength to prepare them for lifelong learning.  Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.

For more information or to download titles, visit www.MovingPictureBooks.com.

Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

2010 UT Alumni Awards Nominations Sought

Posted by Lisa Hood Skinner – February 10, 2010

UT Logo

KNOXVILLE – Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2010 University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Alumni Awards. Nominations are due Feb. 19. The awards are sponsored by the UT Alumni Board of Directors.

This is the second year alumni will be honored for their service and professional or personal promise. A distinguished alumnus award also will be given. The three categories are:

  • The Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna Award pays tribute to outstanding leadership, service and philanthropy. Last year’s winners were Jim and Natalie Haslam, and Howard H. Baker Jr.
  • The Alumni Service Award acknowledges exceptional service or leadership to UT over a generous period of time.
  • The Alumni Promise Award recognizes alumni no older than 40 who are making an early mark in their career, civic involvement or both, showing bright promise for the future.

“UT’s graduates have achieved incredible milestones…building success in our society, educational system, business world and international policies,” said Lisa Hood Skinner, UT Alumni Board awards committee chair and senior vice president of Ackermann Public Relations. “It’s fitting that we recognize these distinguished alumni who provide exceptional support to their alma mater, give back to the community, demonstrate a promising future and overall encompass the Volunteer spirit.”

For online nomination forms and award criteria and descriptions, visit http://alumni.utk.edu/programs/awards/alumni.shtml.

The UT Alumni Board of Directors, established in 2009, incorporates alumni from various walks of life who provide insight and leadership to alumni operations and are active advocates for the university and its programs. Alan Wilson, chairman, president and CEO of McCormick & Company (commonly known as McCormick Spices), is chairman of the board of directors.

A recognition dinner on behalf of all recipients will be held Sept. 10, 2010, in Knoxville.

For further information and off-line nomination forms, contact Jane Kramer at (865) 974-3011.

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C O N T A C T :

Beth Gladden (865-974-9008 or bgladden@utk.edu)
Lisa Hood Skinner (865-584-0550 or lskinner@ackermannpr.com)

Leading pet safety company and veterinary college partner to improve lives of pets

Posted by Sarah Malak – February 2, 2010

imagesKnoxville, Tenn. – The more we know about how domestic animals  behave, the better we can care for them. That’s one of the reasons that PetSafe, the industry leader in pet safety and behavior products, will fund one of the few veterinary school behaviorist positions in the country. The newest Chair in Veterinary Behavior will work in the Small Animal Clinical Sciences department of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tennessee (UT), Knoxville.

The position was formed to research and gain understanding of animal behaviors that may jeopardize a pet remaining in a home environment. The ultimate goal of an animal behaviorist is to help protect the bond between a human and companion animal.

Responsibilities of the behavioral position include providing high quality instruction in domestic animal behavior to private veterinary practitioners, veterinary students and graduate students/residents and develop an outpatient companion animal behavior service and an independent, externally-funded research program. Teaching activities include a core introductory course in animal behavior for veterinary students, elective course(s) in the veterinary curriculum and assistance with a clinical rotation for senior veterinary students.

The Chair will represent the College on animal behavior issues at the local, state, national and international levels. Interaction with veterinarians and other constituents will be an integral part of the position.

Nationwide, there are fewer than 50 board-certified veterinary behaviorists, not enough to meet the need in even the country’s largest cities. Dr. Claudia Kirk, department head of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at the College, says the new faculty position puts the College on par with an elite group. “Very few colleges have a veterinary behaviorist on board,” says Kirk. “Since behavior issues are the number one reason why animals are surrendered to shelters, we will help fill an important gap in clinical service and in teaching veterinary students.  I look forward to the new discoveries that will help enrich the human-animal bond, improve the quality of life for pets and enhance the training of future veterinarians.”

Randy Boyd, founder and CEO of Radio Systems Corporation (makers of the PetSafe brand), recently launched an effort to make Knoxville and the surrounding area the Pet Friendliest Community in America. So, the PetSafe Chair is an opportunity to discover practical, science-based methods for responsible pet owners to be able to create and sustain a lasting bond. Boyd says, “This will be a win for UT, a win for our community and a win for animal welfare. UT will recruit a professor/researcher to lead this field of study and build clinical and research services around it.”

Boyd says there is a vacuum nationally in veterinary behavior, and the university, along with the community, will have the possibility of being the national leader in the area through this effort. “We hope to improve understanding of pets and thus improve their welfare. Some of the research initiatives will include but not be limited to: excessive vocalization in dogs; problem elimination; aggression; fears, anxieties and phobias; how behavior problems develop in pets; and investigation of the genetic basis of behavior and behavior problems.”

Funding for the PetSafe Chair is available to hire at the assistant or associate professor level. There will be additional funding for partial technical and research support. Both UT and PetSafe locations will serve as research/consultation sites. Salary for the position will depend on experience and qualifications.

Applicants should submit a letter of intent, current curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching goals and contact information for three references (mailing and e-mail addresses and phone number) to Dr. William Thomas, Chair, Search Committee, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, 2407 River Drive, Rm. C247, Knoxville, TN 37996. Review of applications will begin on March 1, 2010 and continue until the position is filled.

About PetSafe®

Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, PetSafe® is the industry leader in the management of pet behavior, offering pet training, containment, safety and lifestyle product solutions. PetSafe® introduced the first do-it-yourself electronic fence to the pet market in 1991 and the first wireless fence in 1998. PetSafe’s product line up includes: kennels and electronic underground fences; bark control systems; a selection of remote training products; pet doors; pet identification collars; heated wellness products; pet feeders and a growing line of lifestyle products. For more information about PetSafe®, visit: http://www.petsafe.net.

For more information:
Mike Cohen, Ackermann PR
865-584-0550
MCohen@AckermannPR.com

Radio Systems Corporation partners with University of Tennessee to promote study of clinical animal behavior

Posted by Shane Rhyne – January 4, 2010

DorrieKnoxville, TN (January 4, 2010) – The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine has announced a partnership with Radio Systems Corporation to create the PetSafe Chair in Clinical Animal Behavior.

The new faculty position, funded through support from Radio Systems, will help future veterinarians be better equipped through their training to understand companion animal behaviors.

Full details are available on the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine’s web site.

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Media Contact
Mike Cohen
(865) 584-0550
mcohen@ackermannpr.com

Moving Picture Books help create and inspire young readers

Posted by Rick Laney – November 10, 2009

MPBlogoKnoxville, Tenn.  – These aren’t the children’s books you grew up with.  A new line of “books” engage young readers by combining classic children’s stories with viewing options that meet the demanding needs of today’s digital families.  Instead of pure entertainment and games, Moving Picture Books make reading fun for children.  The company’s new line of high-quality digital stories can be purchased as DVDs or downloaded directly to iPods, cell phones, computers and most mobile devices.  This feature is a hit with parents and grandparents who are always on the move.

Children spend an excessive amount of time in front of televisions, computers and video games.  A recent Nielsen Company study showed that children aged 2 -11 are watching more television than they have in years, with children 2-5 years of age spending more than 32 hours per week in front of a screen.  With Moving Picture Books, that time can be entertaining as well as a learning experience.

“Digital media offers a new technique for engaging children to read at an earlier stage of life,” said Dr. Robert Rider, Dean and Professor at the University of Tennessee’s College of Education.  “Using digital media and animated picture books helps to attract the attention of kids and helps them focus on fluency, literacy and vocabulary in a way that advances them to a much higher level of literacy.”

With educators and parents focused on the benefits of digital learning, the University of Tennessee has initiated a research study to examine the way children process information learned in the digital age.  As part of the study, children will be using Moving Picture Books as their learning is evaluated by education experts.  

Sesame StreetEach of the 44 stories offered by Moving Picture Books – including eight new Sesame Street titles – can be viewed with English or Spanish voiceover, and with or without the read-along English text displayed on the screen.  The pacing of the storytelling is, according to Dr. Rider, perfect for children to follow along with the text.  The available stories include classics that have been passed down from generation to generation, new favorites written specifically for Moving Picture Books, Bible stories and holiday classics. 

Meg Lonon, the Vice President and Development Director for Moving Picture Books and mother of two young children, said, “Parents can read along with their kids or download a story for them to enjoy while they navigate through their busy days. 

Accessing these stories is easy and moms can take them along on car trips, to waiting rooms, grocery stores, sports practices or anywhere else they need to go.  Moving Picture Books are perfect for those who are just learning to read, those who read well and those who are struggling.”

Moving Picture Books are designed to engage and inspire young readers.  The read-along text versions of the books have been hailed by education professionals and parents as a great early reading tool.  In addition, all of the books feature age-appropriate lessons that all parents can appreciate like caring, sharing, honesty and self-reliance.  Lonon says, “Because they can be viewed on iPods and cell phones, they are a hit with children and parents everywhere you go.”

Moving Picture Books are available at Wal-Mart stores throughout the country, online at www.MovingPictureBooks.com and at online retailers including iTunes.

Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Watch any NCAA or NFL football game in the “Wilderness”

Posted by Rick Laney – September 21, 2009

Wilderness017Sevierville, Tenn. – Wilderness at the Smokies resort in Sevierville, Tenn. now has ESPN “Game Plan” and “NFL Sunday Ticket” with coverage of every NCAA and NFL football game on Saturday and Sunday in the Hidden Trail Restaurant at Stonehill Lodge.  The restaurant, which is open to the public, is next to the Sevierville Events Center at Bridgemont.

While enjoying their favorite games on the restaurant’s eight flat-screen, high-definition televisions, football fans also have access to an all-you-can-eat pizza and wings buffet for just $10.  “There are very few places you can go in this area to watch any game from any part of the country,” said David Hayes, director of food and beverage for Wilderness at the Smokies resort.  “People love it.  Some of our guests come and stay for one game – others come and stay all afternoon and into the evening.”

Wilderness at the Smokies, located minutes from Interstate 40 and situated in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is establishing a new standard for family vacations to East Tennessee.  With two outdoor waterparks, a 60,000 square-foot indoor waterpark with a wave pool and surf rider, hot tubs, and countless waterslides and attractions, Wilderness at the Smokies has something for all age groups.  For more information, visit www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com.

Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com