IF YOU GO
What: Fourth annual Kidz Expo, presented by the Chattanooga Times Free Press When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Where: Chattanooga Convention Center, 1100 Carter St. Tickets: $7 for one; $25 for family four-pack, available at timesfreepressevents.com or at the door. Information: timesfreepress events.com/kidzexpo/2015
Gender and sexual equality. Female activism. The male/female wage gap. The value of education for girls. The massacre of Christian students in Kenya.
Doesn't seem like the usual list of tweets on the Twitter feed of a 13-year-old. But Rowan Blanchard doesn't qualify as your normal 13-year-old.
The star of the Disney Channel's "Girl Meets World" and the featured guest Saturday at Kidz Expo, Rowan says she refuses to hang idly by and think about nothing but boys, makeup, selfies and what to do over the weekend.
"I am not the kind of person who sits on the sidelines," she says. "If I see something that I disagree with or I could bring attention to, I am not just going to ignore it. We all live in this world and just sitting there and saying that, because these things don't include you, they don't matter is a very close-minded way of thinking."
As the second season of the Disney Channel's "Girl Meets World" prepares to launch on May 11, Rowan will be narrowing her sights this weekend to meeting folks in Chattanooga. At Kidz Expo, presented by the Times Free Press, Rowan will be having her photo made and talking to guests from 12:30 until 3 p.m. Photos are first-come, first-shot.
Rowan tweets
"Education always speaks louder than ignorance." "Because I should get a dollar, not 78 cents." "Guys! It's time we stop calling people sluts and shaming them because of what they wear. Let's lift each other up, not put each other down." "Absolutely sickening. Thinking of the 147 lives lost and their families and friends. #KenyaAttack." "When thinking about life, remember this: no amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of anxiety can change the future."
Tickets to the expo are $7 each or $25 for a four-pack. Buy them at times freepressevents.com and at the door the day of the expo.
When it comes to world events and issues, Rowan says she feels a responsibility to bring them to attention to her fans, many of whom are tweens and young teens who might be aware of the subjects otherwise.
"Many people like to shut kids out of intelligent conversations because they believe they don't understand them, but if adults talk to them about it and include them in it, they will be able to understand this world a bit better," she says. "I think that kids my age are invested and open to having important conversations.
"I like to let my fans know these things are happening and that their opinion and voice
is welcome. I love seeing how much my fans care about these things when I address them. In my opinion, there shouldn't be an age requirement for intelligence."
Rowan was 5 years old when she was cast in the feature film "The Back-Up Plan" with Jennifer Lopez. From there she appeared on "Dance-A-Lot Robot" on Disney Junior in 2010 and the next year landed roles in the feature film "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World" and the TV movie "Little in Common."
In "Girl Meets World," Rowan plays Riley Matthews, the daughter of Cornelius "Cory" Matthews (Ben Savage) and his wife, Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel). Cory now teaches middle school and Riley is one of his students while her mother is a lawyer who co-owns a bakery. The show is a sequel to "Boy Meets World," which ran from 1993 until 2000 on ABC, following Cory Matthews from an adolescent to a married adult. Rowan wasn't even born when "Boy Meets World" finished its run.
In Season Two of "Girl Meets World," which still has about 11 episodes yet to film in the 20-episode season, Riley "matures big time," Rowan says.
"People like to think of her as being a very innocent, nave girl. While she has those qualities, she's not afraid to take charge of situations and stand up for herself. That especially shows in Season Two."
Rowan also stars in the upcoming Disney Channel movie "Invisible Sister," set to premiere around Halloween. In the film, based on the novel by Beatrice Colin and Sara Pinto, she plays a girl whose science project accidentally turns her sister invisible.
"We just wrapped filming," she says. "I had a great time in New Orleans and a lot of fun with my cast and created a lot of memories."
Along with Rowan's appearance, Kidz Expo has something for a wide range of ages, from families to babies, toddlers, children and tweens. It will feature more than 100 vendor booths, including food and drink, summer camps, schools, dentists, toy stores and clothing shops.
Attendees can play games, have their faces painted and watch magicians, puppets, dance teams, cheerleaders and martial arts demonstrations. There also will be inflatables and the chance to take your photo with "Star Wars" characters and Disney princesses Anna and Elsa and others. Parents can visit booths that offer advice and information on raising happy, healthy kids.
The expo is sponsored by T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital at Erlanger, Dr. Keith Dressler and Trust Federal Credit Union.
As for her future, Rowan says she's "still learning. But through the show I have learned a lot about myself and hope to continue to grow. I'm so excited about my future on and off the show."
Off the show, she understands that he has an impressionable fan base that look up to her, making her the dreaded "role model" to some. The designation has its pluses and minuses, she says.
"I think being a role model can be a great thing, but if someone makes mistakes and then is blamed for it because they're supposed to be a perfect role model, that just isn't fair," Rowan says. "Everyone should be themselves and not try to be someone else. But if I can inspire someone to follow their dreams or do well in school I think that's wonderful."
Contact Shawn Ryan at sryan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6327.