LATROBE, PA – On Tuesday, July 19, and Wednesday, July 20, the Fred Rogers Institute will host a virtual symposium designed to help educators apply the life and work of Fred Rogers into practice with children, families and fellow educators.

The two-day learning experience will feature speakers whose work in service of children and families is informed by the life and work of Fred Rogers. It is open to all educators (formal and informal), educational leaders, care providers and others who work in the service of children, families and educators.

“We are thrilled to be offering the Educators’ Symposium for a second year. The Fred Rogers Institute is committed to supporting the integration of Fred Rogers’ philosophy and values into today’s educator practice. This Symposium is one of the ways we hope to support those who work with children and families every day,” said Dr. Dana Winters, executive director of the Fred Rogers Institute. “This year’s Educators’ Symposium builds upon the success of our inaugural Symposium last year, offering new contexts to engage around the teachings of Fred Rogers in direct application with children, families, and their helpers.”

The cost is $143 to attend both days and $75 to attend one day. Registrants will receive access to session recordings and a certificate of attendance. Registration is available online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/educators-symposium-2022-tickets-327442367937.

The symposium will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 19, with an opening keynote address by Dr. Aisha White, Program Director of the P.R.I.D.E. (Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education) program at the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development. Dr. White will talk about the importance of helping children to understand race and equity. At 11:45 a.m., Dr. Winters, Executive Director of the Fred Rogers Institute, will discuss the Institute’s newest initiative on Play. At 1:30 p.m., Kristin DiQuollo, Supervising Producer of “Donkey Hodie” for Fred Rogers Productions, will speak to the ways in which Fred Rogers’ legacy has informed not only the core messages of the series, but the silliness that allows for the joy that serves as a tentpole in “Donkey Hodie.” The symposium’s first day will wrap up with a 3:15 p.m. session by Cory Hills, Grammy Award–winning percussionist and Gretsch Fellow in Children’s Music, where he will present parts of his program, “Percussive Storytelling.”

At 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 20, Emily Uhrin, Archivist at Fred Rogers Institute will lead our panel of Inquiry Educators to share their year-end individual projects of study. Inquiry Educators and their topics include: ”Making Space for Play” with Renata Capozzoli, Pittsburgh Public Schools kindergarten teacher; “The Psychology of Inner Childhood's Influence on the Making of ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ ” with Sierra Dinges, Pre-K Teacher and Doctor of Education Candidate; “The Puppet Project” with Erin Dolan, Early Childhood Educator, Teaching Artist, Actor, Director, Playwright in Cleveland, OH; “Give it a Listen: A Third Grader's Take on the Music of Fred Rogers” with Molly Kankiewicz, third-grade teacher in Mountaintop, PA; and “Curiosity and Love of Self and Others” with LeeAnne Kreuger, Pittsburgh Public Schools, kindergarten teacher. At 12:30 p.m., Dr. Becky Zill, clinical neuropsychologist and Fred Rogers Institute Fellow in Mental Health and Wellbeing, will present about concerns and strategies to help children with mental and behavioral health needs. The two-day symposium will wrap up with a 2:15 p.m. closing keynote address by Brad Montague, New York Times bestselling author-illustrator and creator of the hit web series “Kid President.”

Complete information on the scheduled programming for the Fred Rogers Institute’s Educators’ Symposium can be found online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/educators-symposium-2022-tickets-327442367937. For more information, contact the Fred Rogers Institute at 724-805-2750 or info@fredrogersinstitute.org.

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