Sesame Workshop Expands Sesame Street in Communities Initiative to Rural Communities with CPB Support
COLUMBUS, OHIO, FEBRUARY 24, 2021 – Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, is partnering with WOSU Classroom as part of a new initiative to enhance the early childhood education programs of local PBS stations serving rural communities through the Sesame Street in Communities program. Made possible with generous support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the station engagement initiative includes training for local providers who serve preschool children and provide virtual events for families, all using the Sesame Street in Communities resources.
Through the initiative, WOSU Classroom is working with the Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development (COAD), Ross Pike Educational Service District, Hope Partnership Project, and the Tri State Family Childcare Cohort to train 100+ caregivers in the rural counties of the region with valuable support resources.
The “Building Resilience Through Difficult Times & Tough Talks” free virtual courses are being held:
Tuesday, March 2 from 6:30–8:30pm
Saturday, March 13 from 9–11am
Tuesday, March 16 from 6:30–8:30pm
Saturday, March 27 from 9–11am
Tuesday, April 6 from 6:30–8:30pm
Participants can attend by registering at wosu.org/sesame.
“WOSU Classroom is excited to offer these courses and resources for adults to help the children in their care navigate some of life’s most traumatic experiences,” said Amy Palermo, chief content director, WOSU Classroom. “With simple strategies and access to the free resources on the Sesame Street In Communities Resource Hub, these courses help caregivers address parental addiction, health emergencies and exploring children’s emotions. Adults work directly with early childhood experts to learn playful ways to stay healthy, comfortable and engaged during these challenging times.”
Sesame Street in Communities provides easy-to-use tools for community providers and caregivers on the toughest issues children face, particularly on topics where there are few resources for young children.
“Sesame Workshop is so proud to partner again with CPB to support stations serving rural communities across the country, especially as families continue to face the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president of US social impact, Sesame Workshop. “In partnership with PBS stations, which have long been trusted ambassadors of Sesame Street, we are thrilled that Sesame Street in Communities resources can support stations’ efforts to help children with the early learning basics and school readiness skills that they need to get through the challenges of today and thrive into the future.”
“The Sesame Street in Communities initiative is key to providing some of our nation’s most vulnerable young learners with a strong foundation,” said Debra Sanchez, CPB senior vice president, education and children’s content.
Since launching in 2015, Sesame Street in Communities has supported families on topics ranging from parental addiction to family homelessness – giving children the tools they need to build resilience and grow smarter, stronger and kinder. The resources, which include videos, storybooks, digital interactives, games and professional development resources are available for free in English and Spanish at sesamestreetincommunities.org.
About WOSU Classroom
WOSU Classroom, a part of WOSU Public Media, offers a wide variety of in-person and online professional learning opportunities suitable for educators of all grade levels and subject areas. Courses are offered for educators wishing to extend their knowledge and experience with technology integration. Learn more at wosu.org/classroom.
About WOSU Public Media
The mission of WOSU Public Media is to engage, inform and inspire our diverse community. An NPR and PBS affiliate, WOSU is a noncommercial multimedia organization serving over two million citizens in Central Ohio through broadcast, digital, programming, events and education experiences. A licensee of The Ohio State University, member-supported WOSU Public Media moves its headquarters and studios to the new 15+HIGH District on campus in 2021. Learn more at wosu.org.
About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, the pioneering television show that has been reaching and teaching children since 1969. Today, Sesame Workshop is an innovative force for change, with a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. We’re active in more than 150 countries, serving vulnerable children through a wide range of media, formal education, and philanthropically funded social impact programs, each grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and cultures of the communities we serve. For more information, please visit sesameworkshop.org.
About CPB
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit cpb.org, follow us on Twitter @CPBmedia, Facebook and LinkedIn and subscribe for other updates.
Press Contacts:
Hallie Ruvin
hallie.ruvin@sesame.org
Amy Tillinghast
amy.tillinghast@wosu.org