Local Teachers Praise
PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom Workshops
Teachers are encouraged to schedule a free workshop at education@pbsreno.org
RENO, NV (May 23, 2024) — PBS Reno is humbled to receive accolades from elementary school teachers regarding PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom Workshops that were received by nearly 110,000 students in northern Nevada and northeastern California.
“As a former classroom teacher and school administrator, I know our PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom Workshops are an added value and terrific resource for PreK through 4th grade teachers,” said Nancy Maldonado, PBS Reno Vice President of Education. “When I hear compliments about the Curiosity Classroom Workshops directly from teachers, it warms my heart! Their praise motivates me to continue to reach out to new classrooms and to create more workshops.”
To date, PBS Reno delivered 5,680 Curiosity Classroom Workshops in eight school districts in northern Nevada and one school district in northeastern California from October 1, 2023, through April 30, 2024. Activities and lessons based in Robotics were featured in 726 of those workshops, while 590 workshops featured activities and lessons based in Financial Literacy. PBS Reno began delivering workshops to students in South Lake Tahoe in El Dorado County, marking the expansion of workshops to El Dorado County, California. During these seven months, facilitators interacted with 109,720 students!
“PBS Reno makes learning super fun and engaging,” said Yamilet Lopez, 2024 recipient of the National Milken Education Award and kindergarten teacher at Alice Maxwell Elementary School in Sparks, NV. “Two PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom Workshops that really caught my attention are Robotics and Rainbow Fish. One education quote I have always loved is, ‘If we succeed in giving the love of learning, the learning itself is sure to follow.’ I look forward to welcoming PBS Reno into my classroom during the next school year.”
“My third graders look forward to visits from our PBS Reno facilitator and the workshops she brings to our classroom,” said Pam Ertel, 2017 Nevada State Teacher of the Year and third grade teacher at Minden Elementary School in Minden, NV. “Each lesson has a book and an online component plus hands-on activities. The lessons are engaging and complement what we are working on in class. Mrs. Chappelle is an amazing educator who shares these lessons with us. Thank you for making the Curiosity Classroom Workshops available to our school.”
PBS Reno delivers workshops to communities large and small, and are managed by Joy Foremaster, PBS Reno Director of Education. Thousands of students live in rural areas in Nevada, and smaller communities don’t always receive the attention that relatively larger cities like Reno, Sparks, and Carson City enjoy. Foremaster provides workshops to Gerlach K-12 School, which is the northernmost school located in Washoe County that serves the tight-knit communities of Gerlach and Empire.
“We have had the absolute honor of being a part of the PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom Workshops during the 2023-2024 school year,” said Kathleen McNamara, a 2nd/3rd grade teacher from Gerlach K-12 School. “Living up to her name, Ms. Joy has brought knowledge, curiosity, and of course, joy, to our rural K-12 school. Gerlach often seems too far to go the distance, but Ms. Joy and PBS Reno went above and beyond to make sure our students got to have the same experiences as “regular” schools within the Reno area. The lessons were the perfect blend of hands-on fun and education. The students got to learn about architecture (building a “house” from cards), buoyancy (building boats that actually float!), and unique mammals (koalas are in fact, NOT bears). The best way to ensure lasting learning is to make it fun, and Ms. Joy hits the mark.”
Curiosity Classroom Workshops are free of charge and available October through June. Learn more at pbsreno.org/education/curiosityclassroom.
About PBS Reno
As of February 2024, PBS Reno is enjoyed by more than 288,000 monthly viewers in northern and central Nevada and northeastern California across several platforms including three broadcast channels (PBS Reno 5.1, Reno Create 5.2, and PBS KIDS on PBS Reno 5.3), a YouTube channel, YouTube TV, online, livestreams, and digital platforms. PBS Reno provides PBS national programming and award-earning, locally-produced content, with many local segments posted weekly to PBS Reno’s YouTube Channel. PBSReno.org provides engaging interactive content, including the video portal at watch.PBSReno.org that streams all locally-produced content and most PBS national content. PBS Reno serves students, teachers, parents and caregivers through immersive educational services including Curiosity Classroom Workshops that bring classroom lessons to life with standards-based lessons and activities. Through the support of local corporations and foundations, as well as thousands of individual members, PBS Reno has been delivering public television and educational services to the communities it serves since September 29, 1983.
About the Milken Educator Awards
The first Milken Educator Awards were presented by the Milken Family Foundation in 1987. Created by philanthropist and education visionary Lowell Milken, the Awards provide public recognition and individual financial rewards of $25,000 to elementary and secondary school teachers, principals, and specialists from around the country who are furthering excellence in education. Recipients are heralded in early to mid-career for what they have achieved and for the promise of what they will accomplish. The Milken Family Foundation celebrates more than 40 years of elevating education in America and around the world. Learn more at here.
About Nevada Teacher of the Year
The opportunity to become the Nevada Teacher of the Year begins with the individual teacher and school. Any classroom teacher holding a valid, continuing license for pre-kindergarten through grade twelve is eligible to participate. This prestigious program focuses public attention on excellence in teaching. The National Teacher of the Year Program was initiated in 1952 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in order to bring recognition to the importance of teachers as nurturers of the "American Dream." His intention was to honor all teachers by the selection of a representative teacher from each state who would compete in the yearly choice of the National Teacher of the Year. The program is facilitated nationally by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Along with its sponsors, CCSSO brings together State Teachers of the Year from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Washington, DC, and the Department of Defense Education Activity. Nevada has participated since 1956. Learn more here
Contact us:
Membership Questions: membership@pbsreno.org
Programming Hotline: programming@pbsreno.org
Phone: 775.600.0555
Address: 1670 N. Virginia St. • Reno NV 89503