articles

Family + Learning + Fun = Family Night: Engineering

Pennsylvania PBS Stations Prepare Students for Career Readiness

May 4, 2021

Premieres May 13 on WQED with Support from PA Cyber

PITTSBURGH -- Join WQED and PBS stations throughout Pennsylvania for a unique learning experience when it presents Family Night: Engineering on Thursday, May 13 at 7:00 pm.

Family Night: Engineering is one-hour TV special about the field of engineering for kindergarteners through fifth graders and their families.  While spending quality time together, families will learn what skills are needed to be a successful engineer. From math and science to problem-solving and communications, students are already building a base for their future careers, which could include engineering.

“During these challenging times, it is more important than ever that children are equipped with the skills they need to succeed in work and life,” said Gina Masciola, Managing Director of Education. “The Pennsylvania curriculum starts mandated career readiness as early as kindergarten. WQED is here to align with those efforts through programs like Family Night: Engineeringand all our available learning resources.”

Using a watch, explore, experience model, WQED offers discussions guides and support materials to explore Pittsburgh’s changing workforce needs. Targeting an audience of educators, parents, and students as young as middle school, the program showcases trending and in-demand careers while explaining how young people can prepare early to achieve workforce success.

Family Night: Engineering introduces children to the field from practicing engineers, who have solved real problems and who have even used their engineering talents to create amazing attractions like rollercoasters!  During the program, kids will put their engineering skills to the test through fun, hands-on activities. Families won’t need special tools or supplies, as everything can be found right in their own home. 

In addition to the TV broadcast, Family Night: Engineering will be supported by web resources at www.wqed.org/edu for home and school used to extend learning, including templates for school districts to utilize the program for Career Readiness activities and artifacts. Gina Masciola added, “Pennsylvania PBS is the gateway for learning. We encourage educators to spread the word that Family Night: Engineering is available after it's broadcast as an on-demand option for students to view anytime and anywhere on their local PBS station’s website.”

 https://pennsylvaniapbs.org/digital/family-night-engineering/

Family Night: Engineering is the second in a series of family learning events, with the first one, Family Night: Coding premiering last December. It is available for viewing https://video.witf.org/video/family-night-coding-lybtxw

About PA Cyber

Serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade, the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber) is one of the largest, most experienced, and most successful online public schools in the nation. PA Cyber’s online learning environments, personalized instructional methods, and choices of curricula connect Pennsylvania students and their families with state-certified and highly-qualified teachers, and rich academic content that is aligned to state standards. Founded in 2000, PA Cyber is headquartered in Midland (Beaver County) and maintains a network of support offices throughout the state. As a public school, PA Cyber is open for enrollment by any school-age child residing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and does not charge tuition to students or families.

About WQED

WQED was an experiment in educational community-supported television that was the forerunner to PBS. Today, WQED is a multimedia powerhouse that is as much a part of Pittsburgh as the three rivers. WQED is WQED-TV (PBS); WQED World; WQED Create; WQED Showcase; WQED PBS KIDS Channel; Classical WQED-FM 89.3/Pittsburgh; Classical WQEJ-FM 89.7/Johnstown; the Pittsburgh Concert Channel at WQED-HD2 (89.3-2FM) and online at www.wqed.org/fm; local and national television and radio productions; WQED Interactive (www.wqed.org) and WQED Education (www.wqed.org/edu).

About PA PBS

Pennsylvania PBS (PA PBS) is the collective name of the seven PBS stations located throughout the Commonwealth. These include: WHYY/Philadelphia, WITF/Harrisburg, PBS39/WLVT/Bethlehem, WPSU/State College, WQED/Pittsburgh, WQLN/Erie, and WVIA/Scranton. Together, PA PBS provides free, trusted educational programming to 12.4 million Pennsylvanians. Inspired and empowered by our partners, PA PBS is a keystone in the civic, educational, and cultural fabric of the Commonwealth. Our mission is to leverage, unify and amplify the education mission and collective impact of the seven PA PBS stations in the lives of all Pennsylvanians.