WPBT2's 'KidVision VPK' Receives National Award

 The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced that public television station WPBT2 has been awarded a My Source Education Innovation Award. The My Source Education Innovation Awards are designed to recognize and showcase examples of how local public media organizations are using innovative approaches and emerging digital technologies to serve the educational needs of their communities. Patricia Harrison, Corporation for Public Broadcasting President and Chief Executive Officer presented the award to Jack Kelly, WPBT2 Vice President Production.

 

WPBT2 received the award for its innovative approach to education through the KidVision Virtual Pre-Kindergarten project. KidVision VPKis a free, on-line professional development resource for teachers and parents to help them understand and teach Florida’s VPK Education Standards.

 

“South Floridiansshould be very proud of the national recognition that WPBT2 has received for their KidVision VPK program,” said Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20) “Educating our children is vital to our success as a nation.  As a mother raising three children in South Florida, it doesn’t surprise me one bit that WPBT2 is at the forefront of innovation of educational resources in America.”

 

Launched in 2008 KidVision VPK (kidvisionvpk.org) offers 10 learning modules that cover 40 VPK education standards. Each module includes a 5-7 minute virtual field trip taking Pre-K children to different places in the community. Each unit comes with lesson plans and assessment forms. Teachers who complete the units receive CEUs. Additionally, each module provides a 2-3 minute video to help teachers understand the standards that are presented in the virtual field trips.

 

Penny Bernath,KidVision VPK Education Content Producer, says, “Early childhood teachers at every   level can benefit from the experiences offered on KidVision VPK and use the program to enhance their classroom curriculum. The overriding goal of the project is student learning. We are accomplishing that goal by educating teachers and giving them tools to make learning fun for both of them.”

With nearly 5,000 registered users from all 67 Florida counties,

KidVision VPK is touching almost 45,000 children. “We are very

honored”, says Jack Kelly, Vice President of Production for WPBT2, “to receive this recognition from CPB. Our KidVision VPK team has done an outstanding job in developing this project.”

 

KidVisionVPK.org   watch, learn, play & integrate the Florida VPK Education Standards