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PBS39 kicked off the PBS KIDS Box program in December, providing ten pre-k educators at the Greater Valley YMCA educational resources that will reach 160 students throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Bethlehem, PA. – January 10, 2020 – Lehigh Valley Public Media’s PBS39 has launched a new PBS KIDS outreach program, which will benefit ten educators and 160 pre-k students through the Greater Valley YMCA. The program, centered around helping young children through hands-on learning, introduces concepts that give children opportunities to practice new skills in different ways.
“We are thrilled to be able to continue supporting local educators by giving them exceptional resources like these,”Tim Fallon, Chief Executive Officer of Lehigh Valley Public Media said. “It’s through PBS KIDS that we have opportunities to see our local educators and their students excel, and for that we are incredibly grateful.”
Every month for four months, each teacher will receive a “PBS KIDS Box,” which includes a tablet and a variety of hands-on materials for early childhood educators. Through grant funding, PBS39 provides curriculum-based lesson plans from PBS LearningMedia, as well as video clips, instructions and resources for the classroom and take-home activities, which help students practice at home with parents and caregivers.
“We are thrilled to partner with PBS39 in this effort,” said Crystal Messer, Vice President of Child Care, Greater Valley YMCA. “We look forward to being able to use these boxes not only this year but also in the future.”
Curriculum areas covered through this program include: literacy, math, science and social-emotional skills. Each box includes a tablet to ensure the teacher has the classroom technology to engage their students, as well as:
- Video clips to introduce the learning topic
- A hands-on activity, including any needed supplies, so children can explore the learning topic
- Teaching tips for you, to help you make the most of the experience
- A take home activity or prompt to help students practice at home with parents or caregivers
PBS39 looks forward to seeing the successes of The Greater YMCA’s students as a result of this initiative.
About Lehigh Valley Public Media™
Lehigh Valley Public Media™, home of PBS39/WLVT, WLVR, and WPPT, acts as the catalyst to promote civic engagement, and to fulfill the regional needs of the Greater Lehigh Valley, through its dynamic communication platforms and resources. The Reporter Corps® creates community-focused content for PBS39 News Tonight, digital platforms, and WLVR. Lehigh Valley Public Media and United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley are partnering to fund and fulfill the regional literacy initiative Lehigh Valley Reads. This campaign is working to ensure all Lehigh Valley students read on grade level by the end of third grade by 2025. Lehigh Valley Public Media is a community-owned public media organization serving eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Lehigh Valley Public Media is licensed in Allentown to the Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation. For more information, visit PBS39.org.
Information provided to TVL by:
Victoria Scialfa
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
Lehigh Valley Public Media
