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IU Kokomo student Echo Shappell to host The Friday Zone
April 1, 2003 | |||||
 Story and photos courtesy of WTIU, Bloomington, Ind.
Echo Shappell grew up watching Mister Rogers, Reading Rainbow and Sesame Street, but never imagined she would one day be the grown-up inside the TV helping kids learn and have fun. As the new host of the weekly children’s program The Friday Zone, produced at WTIU in Bloomington, that’s exactly what she’ll be doing. The 19-year-old Indiana University Kokomo student has joined the Zone to replace Holly Gregory, the show’s creator and original host. In the April 4 episode, Holly introduced Echo to The Friday Zone viewers as her replacement. Echo’s first solo hosting effort is April 11. The goal of The Friday Zone is to excite children about their community and the world around them. The program features performances and appearances by guests of all ages from Indiana. It also provides activities, crafts, games and a community calendar with kid-friendly events. “We are delighted to have Echo Shappell join us as the new host of The Friday Zone. Echo’s natural talent combined with her kid-friendly appeal will make her a favorite among our viewers,” said producer Nina Shelton. “Being a young student herself, Echo has an eagerness to explore and experience the world around her. It’s definitely contagious. We look forward to bringing that adventurous spirit into the Zone.” The guests, and the quality of the show, are what impressed Echo the most about The Friday Zone. “The guests and subjects are interesting to me even as a college student,” she said. Echo began her television career in high school when she was selected to anchor the Channel One student-produced news program for two weeks. After a national talent search, Echo and two other students were flown to Los Angeles to work as anchors on the project. From there, she produced and anchored a local high school news program in Kokomo, where she grew up. Echo also participated as an actress in children’s civic theater productions and took part in an educational film in Indianapolis while living in Kokomo. “On The Friday Zone, I’m most looking forward to working with children and being able to expand my horizons at the same time that I help them expand theirs,” she said. With a reach of 1.2 million households, The Friday Zone airs on WTIU in more than 20 counties in west and south-central Indiana, as well as on WFYI in the Indianapolis market. The Friday Zone has been on the air since October 1999. In 2001, The Friday Zone received two regional Emmy Awards.
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