Come on and Zoom!

Everyday after school, I would rush upstairs to set up camp in front of the tv. I’d spill out the contents of my backpack to start my homework as Maya and Miguel was wrapping up its storyline. Finally, the familiar tune of “Come on and Zoom, Zoom, Zoom-a, Zoom” would blare out and my eyes were glued to the screen.

Zoom was a live-action children’s entertainment series on PBS Kids that aired between 1999 and the spring of 2005. The Zoom that I had watched was a reboot of the 1972 version. It involved a cast of 7 “Zoomers”, a diverse group of kids ranging from 10-13 years old that all held their own. It was a program for kids, by kids. The show consisted of multiple segments where they did science experiments, brain teasers, challenges, skits, easy recipes, and more. They wanted the viewers involved and often asked kids to send in their recreations, personal observations, or fun facts. These were real kids sending in letters (remember mail?) and typing up emails for the first time.

I’m no scientist now, but Zoom got me interested in science as a kid. I remember experiments of water filtration, Rube Goldberg machines, and more. I even made my own recycled paper once because I saw it on the show. #Sustainable. I never submitted anything to Zoom, but I loved that the cast was relatable and that other kids like me were also watching. I remember having crushes on cast members, and shipping Zoomers with others before I even knew what shipping was (Caroline & Kenny 4ever). Zoom was something else. I was only 9 years old when one day afterschool I ran upstairs and Zoom never came on again. I was devastated. The show was cancelled.

Prior to the pandemic, I thought this would have been a great group costume (and it still is), but it was time to adapt. In honor of the creative endeavors that Zoom promoted and the Zoom platform that took the virtual world by storm, here’s my Halloween mashup of the two. Happy Halloween and remember, “We’re all plugged into one world now, so let’s talk. We want to hear from you.”