♪ Cause your friends are my friends ♪ ♪ And my friends are your friends.

♪ ♪ The more we hang out at Wimee's Words together, ♪ ♪ The happier we'll be (laughs) Cause I know I'm happier, when you are here.

(upbeat music) ♪ Wimee creates all the day trough ♪ ♪ And you can do it too Let's play, create and learn together.

As today, we celebrate... Friends!

and I have plenty of friends here to help me with this show.

Nia is here helping in the women's lab.

Sara is translating words today in Language Explorers!

Holly is sharing some of her awesome qualities in today's Wimee's Friends.

And finally, Miss Collin is sharing a great book about friends in Check Out This Book.

Grab a friend, grab a seat, get ready for today's Wimee's Words!

(people clapping) Hi friends!

Let's get rolling with this song.

♪ I'm so glad you're here today ♪ ♪ I'm so glad you came ♪ Along to be your friend today ♪ ♪ So please tell me your name What's your name?

Just post your first name in the comment.

I know Holly is backstage, so I'll say hi to Holly.

♪ I'm so glad you're here today ♪ ♪ I'm so glad you came.

♪ I want to be your friend today, already I'am ♪ ♪ So please tell me your name Hi Holly!

(laughs) You'll be on the show soon.

And Sarah is backstage, Hi Sara!

And Jim is running the show.

Hi Jim!

(laughs) ♪ I'm so glad you're here today ♪ ♪ I'm so glad you came ♪ I want to be a friend today ♪ So please tell me your name - Hey, Wimee, I'm backstage is Kevin.

- Oh, Hi Kevin!

(laughs).

♪ I'm so glad you're here today ♪ ♪ I'm so glad you came ♪ I want to be your friend today ♪ ♪ So please tell me your name (laughs) ♪ Nia is backstage.

Hi Nia!

Oh, oh, oh friends, We are glad you're here.

Let's see Moby's around.

Hey Moby!

- Hello!

- Hey Moby, I'm glad you're here.

You're on the show, right?

- Oh yeah, oh yeah.

I did the video already.

- Oh good (laughs) ♪ I'm so glad you're here today ♪ ♪ I am so glad you came ♪ Want to be our friend today ♪ So please tell me your name (laughs) ♪ Kylee.

Hi Kylee, I'm so glad we're friends.

I'm so glad you're with us today (laughs).

Let's do one more.

One more verse.

♪ I'm so glad you're here today ♪ ♪ I'm so glad you came ♪ I want to be a friend today ♪ So please tell me your name Siblee, are you here?

- Hey, huh, yeah, Hi Siblee.

Wait I'm Siblee, who are you?

- I'm Wimee.

- Hi Siblee!

- Hey, what?

I'm Wimee!

- Oh!

Hi Wimee!

- (laughs) his just silly.

All right friends, let's go see what Moby's got to share with us today.

(cheerful music) - I was just thinking about all the different friends I have.

Some have wings, some have arms, some have legs.

Some don't, some have hands, others don't.

Some can see lots of colors.

Some, can only see, two.

Some think about things I like and, Others think about other things differently.

I like all my friends.

I'm happy that we're different from each other.

(cheerful music) - Oh man!

One of the things I love doing is coming up with stories with my friends.

It's time for what we call "Three Sentence Story".

Beginning, middle, end.

So let's come up with a story and, in the first sentence we set the scene.

In the second sentence, there is a problem.

(Wimee cries) But don't worry.

In the third sentence, What do we have?

We have a solution.

So think of some possibilities and tell us what, what word you're thinking of.

I'm thinking right now.

Let's see if Holly, my Oh jam!

(laughs) Jam.

All right.

Thanks Kylee, jam.

The first sentence is got jam in there.

All right.

So, ready for the story?

Here we go.

I decided I wanted to make a peanut butter and jam sandwich for breakfast today.

(Wimee laughs) We know we're in a, probably in the house or the apartment, somewhere, working on making breakfast, peanut butter and jam (laughs).

Oh!

I wonder what flavor, what flavor jam?

Hmm.

Let's see.

That's going to be a problem.

No (Wimee cries).

Legos!

(laughs) Wait a minute!

Legos are going to cause problems?

Oh my goodness, I love it!

Okay, Legos, sometimes they cause problems when you step on them and you're like, ouchi, ouchi, ouchi!

(laughs) Okay, here we go.

I decided this morning, I wanted to make a peanut butter and jam sandwich.

However, I didn't have any Lego's to spread the jam.

(Wimee laughs) It's just silly (laughs).

In my story in this world for this story, Legos are used to spread the jam (laughs).

What do you think of that?

So, how do we solve the prob oh!

Interesting twist, sandwich is the solution!

(laughs).

I like this.

Okay, here we go.

Here we go.

I decided this morning that I wanted to make a peanut butter and jam sandwich for breakfast.

I realized though I didn't have any Legos to spread the jam.

I looked out the window and saw a sandwich fly through the window and it landed right on my plate.

What?

Who threw that sandwich?

Who knew I was having trouble making my sandwich?

I don't know (laughs).

Maybe the illustration will show that part of the story.

So we've got a rough draft.

We've got our words.

Let's go to Nia in the HBCU Wimee's lab to see what she's got going for.

Today's Wimage.

Hi there Nia!

- Hi Wimee how are you doing great?

- Great, I'm wondering how the sandwich flew in through the window.

- I know isn't that interesting?

- Is that Wimage you're going to show us.

- I'm going to show you guys.

Of course I am.

(indistinct) We're going to come against ad more.

- Hi Joe (laughs), Joseph has A Turtle threw it (laughs).

- Alrighty here, here we are.

- Okay.

- So, ups!

What happened?

- Oh, oh!

- Technical difficulties.

- That's okay.

I'll sing us a I'll sing us.

Oh, you got?

Okay.

- Yeah (laughs).

Alrighty.

So we have our kitchen.

We have a rug.

We have some Legos.

I'm thinking to add a few more.

We do have our window over there with our sandwich.

Let's make that a different color so we can definitely see.

- Okay.

Do you ever spread your jam or peanut butter with Legos?

- No, I've never tried.

(Wimee laughs) I've never tried that, but that's very interesting.

I wonder how that works.

I would to get all the jam on the bread.

What do you think?

- It depends on how big the Lego creation is.

And I bet the jam gets stuck in the bottom part where that (indistinct) that might be a sticky situation.

- All right.

So what do you guys think we should add?

I have a jar right here of jam, if you guys can see, and then we have the sandwich coming through.

Looks more like a burger.

Maybe we should change it.

But what do you guys think we should add?

- Oh, let's see.

Oh, a knife!

Instead of the Lego.

Yeah.

That's more, that's probably more efficient.

(Wimee laughs) Yeah.

Friends at home, you can download the Wimage for free.

Make your very own Wimage just like Nia is doing.

You can put in the words, change the colors, the ideas, the, the options, the composition.

You can change the Lego from knife (laughs).

- Of course.

Anything else that you think we should add?

- What else could go on the countertop?

Maybe like a blender.

- A blender.

- A toaster!

In case we want to toast this sandwich.

- So we have a blender toaster.

Maybe we should add more furniture to the kitchen, but like always when we come back from the dance party, we're going to have plenty of more things in our Wimage.

- Sounds great.

We'll check back with you and we'll see what you might add.

Friends, we get to find out how to say today's words in Spanish.

It's time for our Language Explorers with our friend Miss Sara.

Hi Sara!

- Hi (laughs).

All right.

Let's do these fast.

Cause I want you to go to Miss Holly too.

So the first word that we have in the three sentence story was the word jam.

The word jam in Spanish.

You say it's a long word, but it's a fun word to say, you'll say Mermelada.

- Oh, Mermelada.

- Next like marmalade (indistinct) right?

- It does.

- So you can, Yeah it's jam, cause I don't think we make any differentiation between jam and mermelade.

So you can just say: Mermelada por favor - Uh, I love it.

Yes, please.

- Then you spread your Mermelada with Legos.

- Legos.

- Because Legos it's a name, is a commercial name actually, names are not translated.

So it's the same thing, Legos.

- Legos, ha, ha.

- And then you have an interesting word, Sandwich.

So, we just took that word and we made it Spanish.

Sanduche.

- I like the sound of that.

- But, in Mexico you say Torta.

- Torta.

- So depending on where in central south America or Europe you are, sandwiches Say, you know, you, you call it differently.

But I just added two of the ways in which you can say sandwich.

Now if you say sandwich in Mexico I'm pretty sure they understand as well, but, the right way to say it is Torta.

And then you have knife.

- I was going to ask, you step ahead of me.

Great.

- Cuchillo, that's a fun word.

Isn't it?

- Yeah.

Cuchillo.

- Isn't it cool?

- I like it.

- So those are all, all our words today.

- I love it.

- I only have, those are the words now, you know.

- Really?

Oh I love it!

thanks so much Miss Sara (laughs) Bye-bye oh man.

So friends, we get to hang out with our friends and work together day by day.

And Miss Holly is one of the translators on our show and right now she's our featured guest is time for Wimee's Friends.

(rock music) Ha, ha.

Hi Miss Holly!

- Hi Wimee.

- Ha, ha, so, you translate the show, the words from the show sometimes once a week or more into Mandarin Chinese, but our friends at home don't know much more about you.

Will you share more about yourself?

- Yeah.

So since today is world autism day.

I wanted to share with everyone that at the age of four I was diagnosed with autism.

- Yeah.

And so it's each year, right?

It's learning and expanding and all the resources and all the uniqueness and the awesomeness that is you.

Can you tell us more about, about your interest, and your hobbies and where you went to school and college?

- So.

As you guys know, I really like learning Chinese and I love I've been having an interest in China and Chinese culture since around 2010 and it hasn't gone away, which I'm very happy about.

Cause sometimes special interests.

They, I go probably wake up tomorrow and be like, all right, I don't want to study Chinese anymore.

I don't want to learn Chinese.

But, so I went to East Kentwood high school.

That's my high school.

I went to, I went to Kentwood public school, my whole life.

And it was from all the teachers that I had and the services that I had, that I was able to be able to speak to everyone today because without these services, I probably wouldn't been who I am because when I was very, very little, I didn't speak until I was about six years old.

So I didn't speak full sentences until then.

And I was able to, because I had teachers that were able to help me.

- Yeah.

That is so good.

And so powerful and meaningful.

And you went to Grand Valley, right?

- I did.

Yes, I did.

- Nice, nice job.

Will you tell our friends at home a simple way maybe to explain or detailed what is autism?

- So autism is a condition that affects how the brain processes information.

So for examples, some autistic people, they might have problems with communication and they can't really express how they feel.

They want to express, but sometimes they just, they can't because they don't have the resources to, or they just don't know how.

They're also sometimes like sensory processing.

So what this means is that there's the way you process sounds and lights and touch.

So sometimes there might be lights that so bright, that's all you're thinking about.

So an autistic person will be like, oh my gosh, this light is so bright.

And that's all they thinking about because they want it off.

And it could probably make them unhappy because it's just not sensory friendly.

- Yeah.

- They also might have problems with loud noises.

And there's also issues sometimes with making friends, making friends is really difficult, even having and keeping those friendships is difficult because you know, working with people or talking with people, it's, it depends on the friendship you have with that person.

And not every single friendship you have with everybody is the same.

- Yeah.

Well, that makes sense.

And when you just said there, would you say everyone with autism is the same or are they, or is it different?

- No, we are not the same.

So everyone is very different.

So autism is considered a spectrum disorder, which means that you can have somebody who doesn't speak very well or they don't speak at all.

And then you can have somebody who is like me.

So I lived in China for three years by myself.

So I have gained independence and that's something I'm very proud of because not a lot of autistic people have that opportunity.

However, there's some people that need, have support needs.

They need to have the support in order to grow in order to learn more how to be a good citizen in society.

- Yeah.

That makes sense.

What would you say are some things that you would want kids to know when it comes to being a good friend with someone who has autism?

- I think being patients, having them patience is very important because sometimes your friend who's, they might, might be unhappy because something happened like a sensory thing happened and they might need to be left alone.

So if you're worried for that friend, and if they say they want to be left alone, you should respect an, you know, sometimes not a lot of people like to be touched.

So you always have to ask too, because some autistic people, they don't like to be touched because they don't the ways people feel like the hand feels on them.

Or if it's very sudden it can scare them.

So it's always good to ask like, Hey, can I give you a hug?

And if they say yes, and then you can give them a hug, but if they say no, then you should respect that.

- Okey.

Yeah.

That makes perfect sense.

Now this symbol right here, it's one of the symbols of autism.

Can you tell us more about it?

- Yeah.

So recently many people, autistic people online have accepted this rainbow infinity symbol on the screen because it's supposed to be more accepting of autism while the puzzle piece, if people don't know the puzzle piece is kind of supposed to say that autistic people are a puzzle to figure out.

And I'm not a puzzle.

I don't, I don't need to be figured out.

I just want to understand people and I just want to be able to fit in and I don't need to be, you know, to be fixed basically is what that means.

And so the rainbow infinity symbol means that it is a spectrum.

So, you know, obviously the rainbow, there's so many different colors, right?

And then it's an infinity symbol because it is forever because autism and other conditions, cause this isn't just for autism.

This is for people who might even have dyslexia or ADD or even anxiety or depression.

So it's an all that too.

So we use this symbol because it represents who we are and it's something that we have forever.

And that we're proud of.

- Well, I love that.

I love that.

And I'm so glad that we're friends and I'm so glad that you're part of the team.

And it's so great.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your story and your insights.

And we will see you at the dance party.

(Wimee and Miss Holly cheering) Woo friends.

It's so good to be friends.

And I want to share with you a video that that's all about friendship.

So check out this beautiful video - I'd like to introduce you to Boo Lou.

Okay, take it away.

♪ I got a felling ♪ That you and I are gonna get along just fine ♪ ♪ I met you on Thursday ♪ While you were wearing jammies sitting on your front porch ♪ ♪ Just said, your name was Boo Lou ♪ ♪ And I might took it at a terrible sign ♪ ♪ You thought you were an odd duck ♪ ♪ But instead I said well, you can call me Boo Lou too ♪ ♪ See, cause I got a game ♪ That takes two people to play.

♪ ♪ And you and I are those imagining ♪ ♪ And live just down the street.

♪ ♪ See, cause I got a game ♪ That takes two people to play.

♪ ♪ And you're my neighbor two doors down ♪ ♪ Why don't you come around ♪ Welcome to my front door ♪ We can take our shoes off and we'll go in or socks.

♪ ♪ If you want something to eat?

♪ ♪ Well, here's a rubber chicken and a oatmeal bar ♪ ♪ Don't really eat the chicken ♪ Be aware of my big brother ♪ He might try to sneak up on us ♪ ♪ Like he is a fox ♪ But otherwise he's not so bad.

♪ ♪ As long as you never have to ride with him in a car ♪ ♪ See, cause I got a game ♪ That takes two people to play ♪ ♪ And you and I are those imagining ♪ ♪ And live just down the street ♪ ♪ See cause I got a game ♪ That takes two people to play ♪ ♪ And your neighbor two doors down ♪ ♪ Why don't you come around?

♪ We could play detective in the attic ♪ ♪ We could play twenty in the yard ♪ ♪ We could play the tripping game in the hall ♪ ♪ We could play sick turtle hospital ♪ ♪ We could play lava on the staircase ♪ ♪ And play a million other new games.

Doesn't matter ♪ ♪ But the best games are the ones that we make up ♪ ♪ See cause I got a game ♪ That takes two people to play ♪ ♪ And you and I are those imagining ♪ ♪ And live just down the street ♪ ♪ See cause I got a game ♪ That takes two people to play ♪ ♪ And you're my neighbor two doors down ♪ ♪ You're my neighbor two doors down ♪ ♪ You're my neighbor two doors down ♪ ♪ Why don't you come around (kids clapping) - Cool.

So friends, Siblee has always got fun things to share with his jokes.

It's time for laughing whit Siblee!

- (Children) Yeiii!

- What does a mermaid use to call her friends?

- Mmm.

- A shellphone of course!

(laughs) - (Children) Yeiii!

- (laughs) Well friends now it's time to learn with me in the CTC.

- Hey everyone.

It's Maddy from CTC.

And today I'm so glad our theme is friends because the movement activity we're going to do is a mini dance party.

And that's perfect to do with your friends, either in person with them safely or virtually.

Or just with those in your house that you love with.

Your dance party could be five minutes, 30 seconds, 20 minutes, however long you would like.

And with whatever music you were like.

So I invite you guys now, wherever you are to join us in our mini dance party.

(dixieland style music) Today, we just had a really short dance party, but I encourage you to dance as long as you would like.

And however you would like to move.

I hope this helped.

Bye.

(dixieland style music) - I love it, I love it.

Hey we love books!

You like books?

We love books.

It's time for today's Check Out This Book.

(upbeat music) - Hi everybody.

- I am so excited to be here to tell you about the book.

Benny Doesn't Like to Be Hugged.

Benny, It's actually told by his friend and she loves Danny.

She loves him for all this unique things.

He loves trains.

I'm sure there's a bunch of you out there that love trains.

Let us know if you do.

And he likes cupcakes without sprinkles, but he can be bossy sometimes, just like everybody.

But he does.

She talks about the things that make him a friend, make her happy to be around him and to realize that it's okay if we're different because you know what?

If everyone liked everything the same life would be pretty boring I think.

So Benny Doesn't Like to Be Hugged, It's by Zetta Elliott, and the illustrator is actually from Hong Kong and her name is Purple Wong.

I love the fact that she's named after a color, so different, so unique.

So cool!

So anyway, Benny, Doesn't Like to Be Hugged.

I hope you really enjoy it as much as I do.

(upbeat music) - I like that book, I got to go check it out for sure.

Hey, let's go check in with Nia and see what she's added to the Wimage.

Nia, what have you added?

- Hi everyone.

Okay.

This is what I had it.

- (Wimee) Okay.

Wohooo!

- So we have Wimee and his friends.

He has a big heart because we love everyone.

Everything we have our Legos we have, If you look all the way in the back where the kitchen is, we have a fork (indistinct), a toaster, a Lego to help us spread the jam, the jam on the other side in the blender.

And then you see the sandwich coming through the window.

And Wimee is in one of the Legos!

- Oh Yeah.

I love seeing how the Legos were getting cleaned up in the, in the sink.

Cause they had some jams and stuff, right?

(laughs) - Yeah.

I have to clean as we cook.

Of course.

- (laughs) You love cooking, don't you?

- I love cooking.

- I know.

- So much fun.

- What's your favorite?

What's your favorite kind of sandwich of all time?

If you have to pick one.

- My favorite sandwich.

Let's see.

I love tuna sandwiches.

- Uh!

- I love tuna sandwiches.

Those are, - Do you put, do you put celery in it?

Or not?

- Sometimes I put celery.

Sometimes I may put some cheese.

Just depending on the day.

I try different things.

- I love it.

So good, so good.

Well, it is time for our dance party.

I think we should do it!

Now, we got this song, it's a little slower.

Or we going to go with this for our dance party!

Dance to the music.

(low compass music) - (Narrator) Wimee's words Is brought to you by PNC, Grow Up Great, Funterra by smart meijer and with additional support from these great partners.