Telenovelas bring Diversity Award to Karen Hudson
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008
Karen Hudson, Extension Family Nutrition Program coordinator in Human Nutrition, has received the annual diversity award for K-State Research and Extension.
The award recognizes, in part, her work on a short Spanish-language television series called ”Elisa’s Quinceañera”, the story of family preparing for the teenage girl’s “coming of age” party. In the process, the whole family becomes involved healthier life styles.
Hudson was principle investigator for the funding grant from United Methodist Health Ministry Innovation Fund and the USDA Food Stamp Program, choosing the nutrition messages and helping write and edit the script.
She resists claiming credit for the innovative project. “I’ve never seen such a team effort,” she said.
The native Spanish-speaking actors brought the script to life, Hudson said. “They knew what is culturally important to the Spanish speaking immigrant population.”
The producer was Ron Frank, communications specialist. Skip Mancini, retired from Garden City Community College Drama Department, served as drama director. Debra Bolton, Southwest Area Family and Consumer Science specialist, cast the project and provided Spanish translations. The production was set in her home. Kathy Walsten helped write the script.
The pilot airs in Garden City beginning Oct. 1 after which it will be put on YouTube, Hudson said.
The goal of the series, developed in Spanish with English subtitles, is to promote good nutrition. “Because they are patterned after a soap opera, each of the eight episodes entices the viewer to watch the next in the series,” Hudson said. “We will air two episodes a week every hour on Univision and Telemundo, two favorite Spanish language channels.”
The telenovelas future website will link to the Kids a Cookin’ web site. It will be used in Food Stamp Outreach, FNP and Family Consumer Science classes across the state, according to Hudson. The USDA is considering it to reach the Spanish speaking population nationally.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 and is filed under Dean's Blog.