Hero Elementary
Hero Elementary is an American animated children's television series created by Carol-Lynn Parente and Christine Ferraro, and produced by Twin Cities PBS and Portfolio Entertainment.[1] The series premiered on PBS KIDS on June 1, 2020, concluded on January 4, 2022,[2] and consists of 40 half-hour episodes targeted at children ages 4-7.[1] Set in a school for budding superheroes, it follows a diverse group of students who learn to master their innate superpowers—such as flight, super strength, and teleportation—while using scientific inquiry and problem-solving skills to address everyday challenges in their community.[1] The main characters include Lucita Sky, a girl who can fly and often acts as the team's enthusiastic leader; AJ Gadgets, an inventor on the autism spectrum who builds devices to solve problems;[3] Sara Snap, who possesses super strength, the ability to teleport by snapping her fingers, and a quick temper;[4] Benny Bubbles, a boy with the power to create force fields using bubbles; their teacher Mr. Sparks, a quirky bilingual educator;[1] and Fur Blur, their super speedy hamster class pet.[5] Funded in part by a Ready To Learn grant from the U.S. Department of Education (PR Award No. U295A150012), the show emphasizes educational themes, including STEM concepts like observation and prediction, literacy through storytelling, and social-emotional learning such as teamwork, kindness, and perseverance.[1] Hero Elementary incorporates bilingual elements, with some content available in Spanish, and is designed to promote inclusive representation, including AJ Gadgets on the autism spectrum.[1] Episodes are accessible across PBS KIDS platforms, including streaming on the PBS KIDS app and website, supporting interactive learning experiences for young viewers.[1]Overview and Production
Premise
Hero Elementary is an animated children's television series centered on a school for budding superheroes, where young students learn to harness their innate powers—such as flying and super speed—while applying scientific methods to address everyday community problems in the bustling Citytown.[6] The show emphasizes that heroism involves not just super abilities but also the "Superpowers of Science," including careful observation, forming hypotheses, experimentation, and drawing conclusions based on evidence.[1] At the heart of the series is the Sparks' Crew, a diverse team of four students—Lucita Sky, AJ Gadgets, Sara Snap, and Benny Bubbles—who train under their teacher, Mr. Sparks, at Hero Elementary.[6] Together, they embark on missions that integrate their unique abilities with scientific inquiry to solve challenges, fostering themes of teamwork, empathy, and curiosity-driven problem-solving.[7] Episodes typically run about 22 minutes and feature two interconnected 11-minute stories, each highlighting key science concepts such as forces and motion, properties of matter, or ecosystems, through engaging superhero adventures.[1][8]Development and Production
Hero Elementary was developed as part of the U.S. Department of Education's Ready to Learn initiative, with funding awarded to Twin Cities PBS under the 2015–2020 grant cycle to create a STEM-focused animated series for children ages 4 to 7.[9] The project drew inspiration from the creators' prior work on Sesame Street, leveraging superheroes as a engaging framework to integrate science concepts and promote problem-solving skills through "Superpowers of Science."[10] Co-created by writer Christine Ferraro, who served as head writer, and Carol-Lynn Parente, executive producer at Twin Cities PBS, the series originated from efforts to address early childhood school readiness in science and literacy.[11] Pilot development and initial production phases began in the late 2010s, building on research-informed strategies to embed educational content.[12] The production was a collaboration between Canadian-based Portfolio Entertainment and U.S.-based Twin Cities PBS, with animation handled by Portfolio Animation using 2D techniques to create vibrant, colorful visuals that appeal to young audiences.[1][13] Educational partnerships included organizations like WestEd for research and development, ensuring alignment with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in storylines focused on scientific inquiry and engineering practices.[12][14] The series' music was composed by Steve D'Angelo and Terry Tompkins, featuring the theme song "(You Belong at) Hero Elementary" with lyrics by Christine Ferraro and lead vocals by Divine Brown and Cal Dodd.[1] The project was publicly announced on October 1, 2019, at which point production was underway for 40 half-hour episodes (80 eleven-minute stories total), each containing two 11-minute stories.[11] Full production wrapped in early 2020, allowing the series to premiere on PBS KIDS on June 1, 2020, as part of a multiplatform initiative that extended beyond television to include digital games, interactives, and outreach programs, with no additional episodes produced as of 2025.[1] This timeline reflected the initiative's goal to deliver accessible, research-backed content to support children's early learning in underserved communities.[15]Characters and Cast
Main Characters
The Sparks' Crew, the core group of student heroes at Hero Elementary, consists of four young superheroes-in-training who use their unique powers and teamwork to solve problems in Citytown. Led by their empathetic and bilingual (Spanish/English) natural leader, Lucita Sky, the team emphasizes collaboration and scientific problem-solving in their missions.[1] Lucita Sky, voiced by Veronica Hortiguela, possesses the power of flight, allowing her to soar through the skies despite her personal fear of heights. As the team's confident and caring leader, she often guides her fellow heroes with empathy and a focus on helping others, drawing on her heritage as a Hispanic-American girl. Her role involves scouting from above and coordinating group efforts, complementing the team's ground-based abilities.[1][2] AJ Gadgets, voiced by Jadiel Dowlin, is a brilliant inventor on the autism spectrum who uses thought projection to create super gadgets from everyday materials like scrap. Passionate about all things "super," he brings inventive solutions to challenges, such as building devices for containment or exploration, though he can be sensitive to loud noises. His technopathic approach to gadgetry provides the team with tools that enhance their powers during missions.[1][3][2] Sara Snap, voiced by Stephany Seki, is tiny but mighty, wielding super strength and the ability to teleport by snapping her fingers. Energetic and impulsive, she excels at lifting heavy objects or quickly transporting teammates to key locations, adding speed and power to the group's dynamics. Her powers are particularly useful for rapid response in tight spaces or urgent rescues.[1][2] Benny Bubbles, voiced by Stacey DePass, generates versatile bubbles that serve as force fields, flotation devices, or containment tools for trapping objects or villains. Shy yet kind-hearted and protective, with a love for animals, he acts as the team's emotional anchor, using his bubbles to shield others or create safe pathways. His gentle nature balances the group's more outgoing members.[1][2] Together, the Sparks' Crew's diverse powers—flight for aerial oversight, invention for adaptive tools, strength and teleportation for direct action, and bubbles for defense—complement one another, allowing them to tackle multifaceted problems under the guidance of their teacher, Mr. Sparks. This synergy highlights themes of diversity, including cultural backgrounds implied through names and traits like Lucita's bilingualism, fostering inclusive teamwork in every adventure.[1][16]Supporting Characters
Mr. Sparks is the enthusiastic teacher at Hero Elementary who leads the Sparks' Crew in their superhero training, emphasizing scientific problem-solving and the development of their powers through hands-on lessons.[17] Voiced by Carlos Díaz, he serves as the show's narrator and often provides guidance during missions, drawing on his quirky personality to inspire the students.[18] Fur Blur is the class pet, a curious hamster who frequently joins the Sparks' Crew on adventures, contributing through her inquisitive nature and displaying her thoughts in visible thought clouds.[19] As a super sidekick with a voracious appetite, Fur Blur helps demonstrate concepts like animal needs and behaviors in educational scenarios.[5] No voice actor is credited for the character, whose vocalizations are non-verbal sounds. Mrs. Mangia appears as the school's lunch lady, assisting in episodes involving cafeteria-related challenges and school routines.[20] The series features minor antagonists to create educational conflicts, often personifying everyday problems rather than outright villains. Invisigirl, a former student with invisibility powers voiced by Saara Chaudry, is a recurring figure who uses her abilities for pranks, such as making objects disappear, leading to lessons on observation and natural explanations over assumptions. Other conflicts arise from overzealous helpers or environmental issues, like wandering animals or weather events, resolved through teamwork and science.Episodes
Series Overview
Hero Elementary is an American animated children's television series that premiered on PBS Kids on June 1, 2020.[1] The show consists of one season comprising 40 half-hour episodes, each featuring two 11-minute segments for a total of 80 stories.[2] Production concluded after the first season, with the final new episode airing on January 4, 2022; as of 2025, no second season has been announced, though reruns continue to air on PBS Kids.[21] The series employs an A-B episode format, in which each segment presents a distinct problem that the young heroes solve by applying the scientific method, framed as their "Superpowers of Science."[22] Over the course of the season, the narrative progresses from episodes focusing on basic individual powers and simple observations to more complex applications involving team-based scientific inquiry and problem-solving.[8] This structure allows the main characters, known as Sparks' Crew, to demonstrate gradual growth in their abilities and collaboration skills through scientific exploration.[12] The science curriculum covered in Hero Elementary aligns with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for grades K-2, spanning physical science topics such as motion and properties of matter, life science concepts like animal adaptations and plant structures, and engineering design challenges that encourage prototyping and iteration.[23][24][12] Each episode integrates these elements to promote hands-on learning, emphasizing observation, experimentation, and evidence-based conclusions without delving into exhaustive lists of every topic.[8]Episode Guide
Hero Elementary's first season comprises 40 half-hour episodes, each containing two interconnected 11-minute stories that introduce and explore key science concepts aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for grades K-2, such as forces, matter, life cycles, and sound. Aired from June 1, 2020, to January 4, 2022, on PBS Kids, the episodes are designed for sequential viewing to build conceptual understanding progressively—for instance, early episodes focus on basic forces and properties of matter, while later ones delve into ecosystems and light. Episodes 21-40 continue this progression, covering additional topics like energy transfer, waves, and more complex engineering solutions. This structure supports educational sequencing, allowing young viewers to apply "Superpowers of Science" in problem-solving missions without relying on full plot spoilers.[25][8] The following table lists the first 20 episodes chronologically, including titles, original air dates, and brief non-spoiler summaries emphasizing the primary science concepts and NGSS alignments.| Episode | Title (Segment A / Segment B) | Original Air Date | Science Concepts (NGSS Focus) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hatching a Plan / The Invisible Force | June 1, 2020 | A: Examines bird life cycles and parental care (LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms). B: Investigates magnetism as an unseen force affecting motion (PS2.B: Types of Interactions).[26] |
| 2 | Saved from the Bell / The Right Stuff | June 2, 2020 | A: Explores how sound waves travel and vibrate objects (PS4.A: Wave Properties). B: Tests properties of different materials for strength and suitability (PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter).[27] |
| 3 | Tail of One Kitty / Movie Theater Meltdown | June 3, 2020 | A: Focuses on observing and tracking animal movement patterns (LS2.D: Social Interactions and Group Behavior). B: Demonstrates changes in states of matter, like melting (PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter).[26] |
| 4 | The Lake Mistake / Plant Problem | June 4, 2020 | A: Investigates water displacement and buoyancy in aquatic environments (PS2.A: Forces and Motion). B: Covers plant needs for growth, including sunlight and water (LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms).[25] |
| 5 | Where's Fur Blur? / The Blob | June 8, 2020 | A: Highlights camouflage and adaptation in animal survival (LS4.C: Adaptation). B: Examines viscosity and flow properties of liquids (PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter).[28][26] |
| 6 | Toadal Confusion / Hero Hideaway | June 9, 2020 | A: Explores frog habitats and environmental adaptations (LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems). B: Introduces simple machines like levers for problem-solving (PS3.C: Relationship Between Energy and Forces).[25] |
| 7 | All Over the Map / Lights Go Down In Citytown | June 10, 2020 | A: Teaches map reading and spatial navigation (ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System). B: Covers basic electricity and circuit completion (PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer).[26] |
| 8 | Fair Weather / Home Sweet Home | June 15, 2020 | A: Observes weather patterns and forecasting (ESS2.D: Weather and Climate). B: Discusses animal homes and ecosystem roles (LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems).[25] |
| 9 | The Feed for Speed / An Uphill Task | June 16, 2020 | A: Analyzes factors affecting speed and motion (PS2.A: Forces and Motion). B: Explores gravity and friction on inclines (PS2.B: Types of Interactions).[23][26] |
| 10 | With a Little Push / Track That Pack | June 17, 2020 | A: Demonstrates push and pull forces in everyday scenarios (PS2.A: Forces and Motion). B: Tracks wolf pack behavior and migration patterns (LS1.A: Structure and Function; LS2.D: Social Interactions).[25] |
| 11 | The Butterfly Chasers / Something Shady | June 22, 2020 | A: Follows butterfly metamorphosis and life cycles (LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms). B: Investigates how shadows form and change with light (PS4.B: Electromagnetic Radiation).[26] |
| 12 | Turtle Beach / Shine a Light On Me | June 23, 2020 | A: Examines sea turtle reproduction and beach habitats (LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms). B: Explores light reflection and sources (PS4.A: Wave Properties).[25] |
| 13 | Sound of Ice Cream / The Reflection Connection | June 29, 2020 | A: Explores sound production through vibrations (PS4.A: Wave Properties). B: Demonstrates light reflection in mirrors and surfaces (PS4.B: Electromagnetic Radiation).[26] |
| 14 | Sparks' Unplugged / Camp Catastrophe | June 30, 2020 | A: Investigates electrical energy and power sources (PS3.A: Definitions of Energy). B: Prepares for weather events like storms (ESS3.B: Natural Hazards).[25] |
| 15 | Monster Hunters / A Soapy Situation | July 1, 2020 | A: Applies the scientific method to investigate phenomena (ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems). B: Examines surface tension in bubbles and soap (PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter).[26] |
| 16 | Bugging Out / Eager Beaver | July 6, 2020 | A: Observes insect behaviors and adaptations (LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans). B: Studies beaver dams as natural engineering (ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions).[25] |
| 17 | A Leg Up / Sneezitis Solution | July 13, 2020 | A: Explores human leg structure and movement (LS1.A: Structure and Function). B: Addresses germs, sneezing, and hygiene practices (LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms).[26] |
| 18 | What You Don't See / Super Purple Pop-Up Plants | July 20, 2020 | A: Reveals air pressure as an invisible force (PS2.A: Forces and Motion). B: Investigates plant nutrition and rapid growth (LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms).[25] |
| 19 | Dog in the Fog / Bye, Bye Dragonfly | July 27, 2020 | A: Analyzes fog formation and its effects on visibility (ESS2.D: Weather and Climate). B: Tracks dragonfly life cycles and metamorphosis (LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms).[26] |
| 20 | Rough Sledding / Hungry Hungry Hoppers | August 17, 2020 | A: Tests friction and surface effects on sliding (PS2.B: Types of Interactions). B: Examines grasshopper feeding and food chains (LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems).[25] |