((PKG)) Educational Toys 
((Banner)) 
Teaching and Inspiring through Play 
((Reporter: Faiza Elmasry)) 
((Camera: Adam Greenbaum)) 
((Map: Ashburn, VA))    
((Main characters: 1 female 
((Sub characters: 1 female )) 
 
 ((Tiffney Laing-Bevy& Dave Founder)) 
It’s all about changing the narrative of black history, building leaders through the story of 
my ancestors. 

 ((Tiffney Laing-Bevy& Dave Founder)) 
We produce educational toys where children can learn black history in a very fun and 
creative way. The focus really is to kind of see black history through a different lens 
instead of focusing on oppression and slavery. I don’t want that to be their first thought 
anymore. I want their first thought when people think of black history is to be resiliency 
and leadership. 

((Tiffney Laing-Bevy& Dave Founder)) 
Bevy & Dave, I named Bevy after my daughter, Beverly, and I named Dave after my 
brother, David. 

((Tiffney Laing-Bevy& Dave Founder)) 
The first toy I created is the History Makers Puzzle Block Set.  It was launched in 2016. 
 
((NATS – Tiffney to Beverly: “We’re going to put the alphabet together and not 
repeat the same letters”)) 
It starts for age 3+. And so, with that one I didn’t want to continue the story of “A” is for 
Apple. On this History Makers Puzzle Block Set, it’s “A” for appreciation. 
  
((NATS – Tiffney to Beverly: “Appre---ciation…Appreciation that’s right”)) 
And then when you turn the block, they’ll learn that it means to be thankful. So, it would 
be a word like leadership, strategy or it would be a historic figure or historic fact. “W” is 
for Maggi Walker where they get a chance to learn about her being the first female bank 
president. So, they get the opportunity to now experience the alphabet in a different 
way. 
  
((Tiffney Laing-Bevy& Dave Founder) 
The second toy, I wanted to focus on inventors. I put their faces on there purposely   
because I wanted people and children to see who created these remarkable things that 
we're all experiencing every day. 

((Tiffney Laing-Bevy& Dave Founder)) 
Frederick Jones, he invented mobile refrigeration, because before him we didn’t have a 
way to safely transport food that was perishable. Norbert Rillieux, he invented 
automated sugar refining.   
  
((NATS – Dad: “Where does this one go? Does it go here?”)) 
  
((Tiffney Laing-Bevy& Dave Founder)) 
I want children of other ethnic groups to also learn through the lens of that story which 
I’m trying to share. 
  
((NATS – Dad: “Can you put the refrigerated cold truck there?”)) 
  
((Carroll Martin- Child and Family Therapist)) 
For a child to play with different toys that represent their own culture, but other cultures 
is really important especially at an early age. That really creates more openness. It 
creates understanding. It creates more conversations for parents to have with their 
children about race and ethnicity. 

((Tiffney Laing-Bevy& Dave Founder)) 
Currently, my educational toys are used in different preschools and elementary schools 
in different states. 
  
((NATS – Brittany Simmons: “So what we need to do, we need to look around on 
each side and find. Can you guys find the letter on each side of these cubes”)) 
  
((Brittany Simmons-English Teacher)) 
My name is Brittany Simmons. I teach pre k-4 English at Sela public Charter School. 
  
((NATS – Brittany Simmons: “So can you guys find the letter C?”)) 
  
((Brittany Simmons-English Teacher)) 
One of the games that we play is we use the multi-functional blocks. 

((Brittany Simmons-English Teacher)) 
The more they see while they are putting them together, they see the different sides. 
And it provokes a lot of questions. So, we have a lot of discussions around what they 
see. 
  
((NATS – Simmons: “Frederick M. Jones, let’s finish putting it together that 
means he invented something. He’s on this puzzle. That means he invented 
something”)) 
 They hear about different inventions that were made, people in history, why they are so 
relevant. They learn different vocabulary words. It’s definitely a conversation piece. 
  
((NATS – Simmons: “So these men created all of the things you see here”)) 
  
((Tiffney Laing-Bevy& Dave Founder)) 
We just have to learn to appreciate to enjoy every part of the story that everybody 
brings. And that to me is how we make the world better. And I hope Bevy & Dave will be 
a part of that. I really do.