Education

Find WXXI & PBS KIDS in the Community!

Our WXXI Education Early Learning Team’s calendar is filled with community events, activities, and fun things happening in our region. We’ll be out and about in lots of places and spaces where families spend time (or want to!). Check out our calendar of community events below and stop by to see us!

Town of Irondequoit’s Abilities in Action Event – Saturday, May 16
Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: McAvoy Park – Corner of Winton Rd/Empire Blvd, Irondequoit, NY
More details: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1E5P1EZS8o/

RPO OrKIDstra: Mother Goose with Rochester City Ballet – Sunday, May 17
Time: 2 to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Hochstein Performance Hall – 50 N Plymouth Ave, Rochester, NY 14614
This is a ticketed event. Information on tickets can be found at the link below.
More details: https://rpo.org/events/orkidstra/

Action for a Better Community’s Community Action Day Resource Celebration – Saturday, May 23
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Parcel 5, Downtown Rochester
More details: https://www.abcinfo.org/events/2026-community-action-month-celebration

19th Ward’s Square Fair – Saturday, June 6
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Aberdeen Square Park – 373 Aberdeen Street, Rochester, NY 14619
More details: https://19wca.org/2019/11/30/june-square-fair/

Rochester Hearing & Speech’s Super Hear-O 5K & Family Fun Day – Sunday, June 7
Time: 8 to 11:00 a.m.
Location: Seneca Park – 2222 St Paul St, Rochester, NY 14621
Sign up for the fun run and family day at the link below.
More details: https://www.rhsc.org/superhearo-5k

27th Annual Outdoor Expo – Saturday, June 13
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Mendon Ponds Park
The event is free and open to the public; presented by Genesee Valley Chapter
Adirondack Mountain Club and Monroe County Parks.
More details: https://adk-gvc.org/play/outdoor-expo-before/

Parent Connection Presents: Summer Spectacular – Sunday, June 14
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Webster Miracle Field – 1008 Ridge Rd, Webster, NY 14580
This event is free and open to the public.
More details: https://www.parentshelpingparentsmonroe.com/events

Genesee Land Trust’s Bridging Communities Event – Saturday, July 25
Time: 12 to 4 p.m.
Location: Pont de Rennes Bridge and High Falls Terrace Park – Mill Street, Rochester, NY
This event is free and open to the public.
More details soon.

Want WXXI’s Early Learning team to attend your family-focused community event with a PBS KIDS resource or activity table? Please send your request to Cara Rager at CRager@wxxi.org.

Protect PBS KIDS & Public Media — Your Voice Still Matters

Earlier this month, I reached out about the growing pressures facing public media. Since then, the situation in Washington has only intensified, and the challenges we face are becoming even clearer.

At WXXI, we know that for families, PBS and PBS KIDS are more than just television channels—they are a trusted source of education, inspiration, and learning. Whether it’s Sesame Street helping young children build early literacy skills, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood teaching social-emotional learning, or Carl the Collector celebrating our differences and commonalities, these programs play a vital role in your child’s development.

But here’s something many people don’t realize: PBS and PBS KIDS programs are made available to your family through local public media stations like WXXI. We are the bridge that brings these award-winning programs into local families’ lives – on televisions or tablets, in classrooms and care settings, and in our community.

Now, the future of public media is being debated in Washington, and decisions made in the coming weeks could threaten funding for these essential services. Cuts to federal funding don’t just affect WXXI—they impact your family’s access to high-quality, free educational programming and resources.

That’s why we need you to speak up. If PBS, PBS KIDS, and public media matter to your family, now is the time to act.

📢 Take Action Now: bit.ly/ProtectWXXI

Every message sent, every story shared, and every show of support makes a difference. Decisions made in the coming weeks could impact public media for years to come. Let’s make sure our community’s voice is heard loud and clear.

A message from you—can make a difference – whether it’s sharing your family’s experience, telling your representatives why PBS KIDS matters, or spreading the word on social media. Public media has been a trusted resource for generations, and with your support, we can ensure it remains strong for the next generation.

Thank you for being part of the WXXI family. Your voice, your advocacy, and your support mean everything.

Warm Regards

Chris Hastings
President & CEO
WXXI Public Media

Educator Webinar On-Demand: Revolutionary Voices: Student Media-Making and THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Bring The American Revolution Youth Media Challenge to your classroom. Discover how your students can connect the foundational principles of the American Revolution to their lives today by amplifying their knowledge through media-making. Intended for Educators & Professionals working with students in grades 6-12.

When: Tuesday, January 13, 2026 7:00-9:00 PM EST

Watch The Archive

Description
In this interactive workshop for middle and high school teachers, we’ll explore the extensive, curriculum-aligned, multimedia resources from The American Revolution classroom collection on PBS LearningMedia, created with educators and drawing on content from the film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt. Workshop participants will learn how to use the resources in the collection to inspire students to create a media project for The American Revolution Youth Media Challenge, focusing specifically on audio production, a media format that can be made accessible to all learners. Participants will learn how to create a podcast in the classroom setting — no special studio or equipment required – and they will leave with a pathway to empower and share student voice beyond the classroom.

What you’ll do:

Learn about PBS LearningMedia’s free, curriculum-aligned resources from The American Revolution classroom collection and The American Revolution Youth Media Challenge
Get hands-on experience with the basics of audio production and start your own short podcast
Discover how to guide the creation of audio projects in your classroom setting

What you’ll get:

A pathway to empower and share student voice beyond the classroom
Modifiable resources in English and Spanish
No-cost access to web-based audio tools
A copy of the presentation deck to modify and use when implementing the project in your classroom
A PDF letter of attendance–verifying two hours of attendance–to submit to your district or administration for approval towards professional development credit. (Requirements for professional development credits vary, so check with your district and/or state.)
Ongoing facilitator support for technical and classroom implementation questions, as needed

Designed by educators for educators, KQED’s well-paced workshops provide ready-to-use resources, instructional strategies, and genuine interaction with experienced and dynamic facilitators.

Speakers

PBS LearningMedia
KQED Education

KQED is a nonprofit, public media station and NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco. As a leader in media innovation, KQED provides free standards-aligned classroom content and professional development that educators can trust. Our workshops and courses help educators in all roles, subjects and grades strengthen their media literacy skills, empower youth voices, and encourage civil discourse.

PBS LearningMedia, a partnership of PBS and GBH, is an online destination that offers free access to thousands of resources from PBS stations and partners. These digital tools are designed to complement classroom instruction — from videos, images, and interactives to lesson plans, articles, and primary sources. Available for free to all educators PreK through 12th grade, PBS LearningMedia offers classroom-ready content aligned to state and national standards, compatible with the tools teachers use most, such as Google Classroom, and contextualized with supporting materials. Learn more at pbslearningmedia.org.

Questions about the event? Email education@kqed.org