WEDU PBS Partners with CPB to Support Early Literacy and Critical Thinking Skills

Tampa, FL-

WEDU has been awarded a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and PBS to extend the reach and impact of PBS KIDS early learning resources to local communities. Over the next two years, contingent on congressional funding, WEDU will receive $150,000 for the opportunity to collaborate with local partners to create a “Learning Neighborhood” that fosters a community-wide culture of learning at home, in the neighborhood, and within local systems and spaces. The program is part of the CPB-PBS Ready To Learn Initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

"WEDU is excited to be part of the Ready To Learn community of PBS stations for this valuable opportunity. We eagerly anticipate advancing our efforts in the community, empowering children on their path to explore new opportunities,” said Joan Freese, Director of Education.

We are excited to use this grant to grow our educational resources, community reach, and programming. As West Central Florida's PBS station, we are committed to providing quality multimedia content to educate, explore, and engage with our audience.

Thank you to our local partners, the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, King’s Kids Christian Academy, CodeMasters, The Tampa Bay Chamber, Community Stepping Stones, and the Parents as Teachers program at Champions for Children, Inc.

The contents of this release were developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. The project is funded by a Ready To Learn grant (PR/AWARD No. S295A200004, CFDA No. 84.295A) provided by the Department of Education to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.