Most people have fond memories of watching their favorite show as a kid. Often, they can tie interests or important life lessons back to these beloved shows, and many people can attribute parts of their personalities to these experiences. Personally, I believe multiple cartoons from my childhood have contributed to parts of my personality. 

“Octonauts” is an animated cartoon meant to teach kids about marine life. The eight main characters live in the ocean and strive to explore, rescue and protect the oceanic environments and the organisms that live there. Each episode features a different creature or ecosystem and explores the way they work and interact with one another. This show has had a large impact on my life for many reasons. One of my favorite things to learn about is oceanic life, and I love to tell people animal facts. One of my favorite animals is the cookie cutter shark, which I learned about through “Octonauts.” I believe these interests stemmed from my love of the show as a child. 

“I am a senior and I never really realized how much my love of the environment, conservation, and helping the world ‘Wild Kratts’ has given me,” Quill Yi (’25) said.

“WordGirl” is another show that I believe had an influence on my interests. The purpose of this show is to teach kids vocabulary words in a fun and engaging way, and many hold this cartoon dear to their hearts. The alien WordGirl crash lands on Earth and uses her superpowers to protect the city where she lives from silly villains who attack it. Throughout each episode, vocabulary words are used in the story to help kids learn. I love to embellish my everyday life with large and obscure words. I feel as though this stylistic choice is one that can be traced back to the fondness I have for this show.

“‘The Backyardigans’ had a large impact on me because they made me believe that I truly could do whatever I put my mind to,” Casey Rosenberger (’26) said.

“Franklin” is a kid’s show that teaches important lessons about kindness and friendship. Based on a children’s book, the show combines simple animation with themes of love. In each episode, Franklin learns a new lesson about family, overcoming challenges or companionship. I believe “Franklin” impacted my life by influencing me to be an outgoing person and teaching me my morals.

“[‘Bear in the Big Blue House’] taught me a lot of empathy that I wouldn’t have if I didn’t watch it,” Robert Eachus (’25) said. “I also think it is something we lack in today’s society.”