Teen’s voice helps kids learn math worldwide

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

Life isn’t ordinary for 14-year-old Donovan Snider. The teen has already acted in his fair share of Rosebud plays, has starred in a few movies, and just returned from a trip to London, England, where he was part of a theatre study trip. Yet it’s his distinctive voice that is being recognized across the world in the math weakness and dyscalculia-screening test and training serious game Meister Cody – Talasia.
A year and a half ago, Snider broke onto the international stage when he provided the voice for Prince Fandales in the American version of Germany’s global multi-award winning math game. The resource aims to help elementary school children improve their math skills, and while Snider enjoys the subject, he has seen a number of his peers struggle.
“I see kids in my class struggling and I do often wish that there was a way I could help them easily,” said Snider. “There’s not a perfect solution to every problem but it does feel good to be a part of a project that works towards a goal of helping kids be able to understand in a way that may be easier in a video format. I know I can often learn things from a video that would be harder to explain just by mouth.”
Although Snider has been involved in voicing projects for five years – since his family created a home-based recording studio called SniderVoices – Meister Cody was the teen’s first solo project which he recorded. It didn’t take him long to figure out Prince Fandales’s character with his fun personality, problem-solving trait, and a bit of an attitude. Above all, Snider loved the idea of acting with a sister, which he lacks in real life.
“Donovan immediately understood how this character works,” said Christina Ziem, Creative Director of Kaasa health. “He embodies the personality of Fandales with very little direction needed. Thanks to his exceptionally professional work, our serious game gains even more depth. It is really a breathtaking performance.”
Over the years, Snider has acted in Rosebud’s Theater productions of the Canadian Badlands Passion Play, Our Town, Jack’s Giant Adventure, and Treasure Island. For the past seven years, he was also a member with the Rosebud Younger Company, and appeared in Movie Maker’s feature films, including Mayflower II, My Grandpa Detective and Remember, as well as a Dell Computers commercial. Having been constantly surrounded by the arts all his life, Snider, who is also a writer, artist, cartoonist, and craft maker, is confident acting will always remain a part of his life.
“For me in my young age I’ve been able to memorize scripts quickly and that feels good but that’s not nearly all there’s to it,” he said. “I really enjoy how much of a learning experience each production I get to be in is. I really do want acting to be a part of my career in the future even though I have a whole lot of ambitions and endeavors. I feel really grateful to live in Rosebud, because it’s such a great opportunity to get these great experiences.”
The English version has already received the 2015 International Serious Play award. For more information on SniderVoices, visit www.snidervoices.com.