Wilder School District 133

Celebrating the Wilder School District in Wilder, Idaho as the #1 Student Run Animation Studio in the USA!

On Tuesday, May 23rd the students of the Wilder School District, the visionary leadership of the board of trustees and Dr. Jeff Dillon will be honored as the #1 Student Run Animation Studio in the United States.

Immediately following the award ceremony the Wilder School District is excited to announce the World Premiere of its second animated feature film, “The Return to Oz.” 

The movie will premiere for one night only on Tuesday, May 23rd at 7:00 PM, at the historic Egyptian Theater in Boise Idaho. Tickets are free and can be reserved at eventbrite.com. 

In 2019 the Wilder students produced “The WonderGrove Wizard of Oz.” It was the first feature length animated movie produced by kids. The movie can be viewed on YouTube where it has generated one hundred thousand views in a town with a population of 1700!

“The Return to Oz” and “The WonderGrove Wizard of Oz” were both produced with Wonder Media’s Story Maker®.

The making of “The Return to Oz” gave students the unique opportunity to take creative control over the story and production process. From writing scripts and casting voices to creating original backgrounds, positioning cameras and lights, writing music, and editing animation sequences, students had the chance to engage with every aspect of a Hollywood animation production.

Along with being the #1 Student Run Animation Studio in the US:

• Wilder is in the Top 25 Most Innovative School Districts in the nation

• Wilder is a 2023 AASA Learning 2025 Lighthouse District

• Wilder is a 2022 AASA/SPN Demonstration System to Watch

• Wilder is a Apple ConnectEd District

• Wilder is a National Title 1 Distinguished School

About The Wilder School District 

Wilder School District resides in a rural, agriculturally rich community in southern Idaho. The town of 1,700 serves about 700 students, including over 200 virtual students. Wilder consists of a high minority population with over 70% Spanish-speaking families. 100% of Wilder students qualify for free and reduced lunch due to low socioeconomic status.  

The district focuses on a personalized, mastery-based approach to learning and was recently identified as a top innovative school district in the nation by AASA and Successful Practices Network. Wilder is proud that they are above the state average for students who enroll in postsecondary education.