About Chester is Cool

Chester is Cool teaches leadership and effective communications through media production. Since 2005, we’ve helped over 500 students develop self-confidence and a love for education through our Russell’s Roving Reporters program. Our goal is to reach over 100,000 elementary and middle school students by 2024. 

Chester is Cool is the brainchild of former Broward County Public School employee, Sean Russell. It started as a website for his Technology Class at Silver Ridge Elementary and quickly spread to multiple schools throughout the District. The website features videos, links to educational pages and fun content showcasing a puppet named Chester D. Doogle. 

It also serves as the home of the Russell’s Roving Reporters program. This program teaches students how to create news stories and work together in teams to report on events and topics important to the school. Students become effective communicators by learning firsthand the hard skills of digital media production through this program. 

Student reporters also learn valuable life skills of decision-making, problem-solving, creative thinking, critical thinking, communication, interpersonal skills, self-awareness, empathy, assertiveness, equanimity, and resilience. This is all facilitated through the curriculum, prompts, and various exercises.

Our plan is to partner with local and national organizations that believe in our mission. We will provide our curriculum, workshops, and online resources to schools and organizations interested in helping students learn valuable hard and soft skills.