When Dr. Terri Jett agreed to host a series of short PBS videos explaining American democracy, she thought she was simply trying something new. She never imagined it would lead to an Emmy Award.

"I had never done anything like this before," she said. "I decided to give it a try."

That decision has since produced more than 80 educational videos, reached audiences nationwide, and earned Jett a Regional Emmy Award for her work as host of Simple Civics, the PBS series produced through Indianapolis public television station WFYI.

The opportunity began in 2019 when a former colleague introduced her to the producers, who were searching for a political scientist to serve as the on-camera host. At the time, Jett was a Political Science professor at Butler University, where she became the first Black woman to earn tenure in political science, chair the department, and achieve the rank of full professor.

What started as a new experience quickly became a passion. Today, Simple Civics is distributed through PBS.org, bringing clear, engaging explanations of American government and history to viewers across the country.

For Jett, the Emmy represents much more than personal recognition.

"When I heard I won the Emmy, I was overjoyed," she said. "After three previous nominations, winning after the fourth nomination signaled to me that our hard work had finally paid off."

She is equally quick to recognize the team behind the series, including producer Kyle Travers, graphic artist and producer Sam Oliver, and the staff at WFYI.

The Emmy-winning collection of episodes was supported through a grant connected to Ken Burns' documentary The American Revolution, a seven-part series exploring the nation's founding. Jett hopes the recognition will encourage even more people to discover Simple Civics and become more engaged in understanding the country's history and institutions.

"My hope is that some of their questions regarding our U.S. political system are answered and that people understand the significance of participation in reaching and upholding many of the values underlying our institutions," she said.

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, she believes civic education remains as important as ever.

Despite receiving one of television's highest honors, some of her favorite moments are still the most unexpected.

"I get a big kick out of when a student tells me they've seen one of my videos on YouTube or TikTok," she said.

For Jett, that's what matters most. If an Emmy inspires more people to watch Simple Civics, ask questions, and better understand the principles that continue to shape American democracy, then the award has accomplished far more than recognizing excellent television.