User blog:StoryMaker the Echidna/Looking Back

I just realized that I've been editing this Wiki in earnest for about a year. Technically, I've been here since way back in 2011, but back then I didn't do much. It wasn't out of lack of desire, exactly; I've been researching the series almost obsessively since I was a child, and I'd long wanted to spew the knowledge I'd gained of the series onto the internet! It was because, frankly (or should I say Franklie? HA HA!!!!), it was all too daunting. As a knowledgeable fan of the series, I knew there was a lot to cover. And there weren't really any other active editors. It seemed hopeless. I was also frustrated by the fact that the creator of the Wiki had abandoned it; not that I'm saying he did something wrong, but I just really didn't want to expend a bunch of effort on a Wiki that didn't have any active administrators - with no one in charge, no one to provide guidelines or direction.

But in the summer of 2015, something amazing happened to the JumpStart Wiki. And that amazing thing was Bluecake, a mind-blowingly dedicated editor who added massive swathes of content - and who, in fact, became an official administrator through a Wikia process I was unaware of! I never imagined that anyone cared about JumpStart as much as I did, that anyone else in the world would be willing to pour time into making a thorough database on it, but clearly I was wrong! And, well, that changed everything. I knew I wasn't alone. I knew I didn't have to do it all. I knew there was a chance this could work.

Honestly, this Wiki still has a long way to go, but I can't help but be proud of the immense progress all us contributors have made together. Over 650 articles about an educational software series with almost no online fanbase - not bad! We've come a long way, and, well, JumpStart deserves it. It's certainly overlooked by the general public, but if you ask me, it deserves attention just as any other video game series does. It may not be flashy, but the series succeeds very well at what it's trying to do - making learning fun. To me, the JumpStart Wiki is sort of a statement - a way of saying, "Hey, edutainment isn't a joke. It's not some lame, throwaway thing. It has as much value as any other quality form of entertainment for kids. A lot of effort and care went into it, a lot of people have enjoyed it, and it deserves a bit of attention!"

I can't say I've always been working with super-dedication day after day since I "rejoined" last year. But I do care about this Wiki and I plan on keeping it a part of my life for a while, and I'd like to thank everyone who's contributed to its success over the years.