“E” may stand for elephant, but when it comes to Thursty the elephant, “E” also means education. This entertaining elephant, created by Teach One Entertainment, is dedicated to teaching children through music and laugher and is throwing a premiere party to celebrate a series of Public Service Announcements (PSA) and his debut album.

At the party Thursty also will give out his first Golden Peanut Awards to the “little people” who helped make him a star. Some of the “little people” include students from Galindo Elementary School who appear in Thursty’s PSAs and fourth graders from Campbell Elementary School who helped him write a book called Thursty Goes to the 4th Grade, which will be published by Eakin Press. Other award recipients include the Austin Lyric Opera, where Thursty lives and where his pilot television program will be filmed. Thursty the Elephant Show — which is currently in development with AISD, Head Start and the Austin Lyric Opera — will feature Thursty singing and dancing with children, reading books, counting, exploring, and playing with his friends.

Additional Golden Peanuts will be awarded to St. Edward’s University and Huston-Tillotson College students who collaborated with Thursty’s creators on the production of Thursty’s CD and PSAs.

Founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross, St. Edward's University is a private Catholic, liberal arts university of more than 4,250 students in Austin, Texas.