Empowering Education and Supporting Independent Media: A Who Smarted Update

In a recent broadcast, the team behind the popular educational podcast Who Smarted shared key updates regarding their mission, their partnership with IXL, and an urgent call to action for their upcoming project, the Modern Family Encyclopedia.

IXL: A Seamless Learning Solution for Homeschooling

Trusty, the host, emphasized the ongoing partnership with IXL, an award-winning online learning platform. As families navigate the end of the school year and transition into summer routines, IXL offers a flexible solution for academic continuity.

Key features highlighted include:

• Comprehensive Curriculum: The platform provides interactive practice across math, language arts, science, and social studies, catering to students from pre-K through 12th grade.
• Ease of Use: Everything is organized by grade and subject, allowing parents to find exactly what their children need quickly.
• Actionable Insights: Students receive instant explanations, while parents benefit from clear progress reports.

With over 15 million students currently utilizing the platform, IXL is proven to improve achievement across all 50 states, making it a reliable tool for parents looking to make a lasting impact on your child's learning.

The Reality of Independent Production

Trusty provided a candid "reality check" regarding the operations of Who Smarted. Describing the team as a "tiny team, really tiny," the host noted that he and co-creator Adam Tex Davis left their careers in television to pursue this project full-time. The sustainability of the show—keeping the content available in cars, kitchens, and classrooms—relies heavily on community support, whether through advertisements, subscriptions, or product purchases. This support is what "keeps the lights on" for the production.

The Modern Family Encyclopedia: A Kickstarter Call to Action

Looking toward the future, the team is launching the Modern Family Encyclopedia on Kickstarter this Sunday. This project consists of three "big, beautiful hardcover books":

1. Volume 1: Explosions
2. Volume 2: Dinosaurs
3. Volume 3: Food

Trusty issued an urgent plea for community engagement, noting that the "first 48 hours decide everything" on Kickstarter. The success of the project relies on high visibility during the launch phase.

How Listeners Can Help

Trusty explicitly stated that he is not asking for an immediate purchase. Instead, he is requesting that supporters perform a simple, cost-free action to boost the project's algorithmic visibility:

• Visit the Website: Go to whosmarted.com and click the "books" button.
• Sign Up for Notifications: Register to be notified on Kickstarter when the project goes live.

Despite acknowledging that setting up a Kickstarter account can be a "hassle" and that the process involves significant "administration and logistics," Trusty framed this request as a vital step in allowing the team to continue providing their educational content.

He concluded with a lighthearted appeal to the younger listeners, the "Smarty pants," encouraging them to remind their parents to complete this task, noting, "I know you're good at reminding your parents to do stuff that they might forget otherwise." By participating in this sign-up process, the community can ensure the successful launch of these new educational resources while supporting the continued growth of the Who Smarted mission.