WNET.ORG Commemorates Five Years of the Celebration of Teaching & Learning During New York City's First 'New York Celebrates Teaching & Learning Week'

NEW YORK, March 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's national leadership has made education a top priority, highlighting the need to prepare America's students to successfully compete in the global economy. THIRTEEN & WLIW21, New York's flagship public television stations, have continued in their five-year tradition of hosting the Celebration of Teaching & Learning, a professional development event where over 8,500 educators from all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico and Canada come together in New York City at the Hilton New York to discuss these pressing issues and to help shape the future of our schools.

Over the course of two days, March 5-6, global experts, activists, academics, artists, thinkers and educators are being inspired by panel discussions, keynote addresses and hands-on workshops in subject areas including English Language Arts, Instructional Technology, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), Social Studies and Whole School Policies.  This year's Celebration was kicked off by the lighting of the Empire State Building Thursday night in the Celebration's trademark colors of yellow, blue and red, and serves as the marquee event of New York City's first annual "New York Celebrates Teaching & Learning Week," as proclaimed by Mayor Bloomberg. 

"Each year, public television hosts the Celebration to create an environment where knowledge meets inspiration.  Educators share experiences, insight and creativity from the frontlines of increasing student achievement with unfortunately decreasing resources," said Ron Thorpe, Vice President and Director of Education of WNET.ORG. "While these continue to be challenging times in our country, current leadership in education and the interaction I have with teachers from across the nation during the Celebration have me extremely optimistic about our future."

The 2010 Celebration is welcoming unprecedented and unique combinations of talent from across the country and the globe including U.S. Secretary of Education ARNE DUNCAN who is addressing educators before being joined by The Honorable RICHARD W. RILEY for a rare and candid conversation; CEO of The Jim Henson Company LISA HENSON; Host of NBC's Meet the Press  DAVID GREGORY; ten-time Grammy Award winning composer, vocalist and conductor BOBBY MCFERRIN; musician and television & film actress QUEEN LATIFAH, who is appearing with an outstanding group of urban high school students; international public servant HER MAJESTY QUEEN NOOR; "the science guy" from the Ellen DeGeneres Show STEVE SPANGLER; acclaimed author and National Ambassador for Young People's Literature KATHERINE PATERSON; former NASA astronaut FRANKLIN CHANG DIAZ; along with education leaders DAVID STEINER, DIANE RAVITCH, JEANNIE OAKES and JIM SIMONS.

"The Celebration affects educators and the teaching profession in a profound way," said Neal Shapiro, President and Chief Executive Officer of WNET.ORG.  "Public television is dedicated to delivering exceptional resources and content to teachers.  The Celebration is a hallmark event in that effort, delivering a world-class conference that meets the needs of our nation's PreK-12 educators, renews their passion for teaching and provides skills and content that can be brought directly into the classroom."

The Celebration also includes an extensive exhibit hall featuring the latest in educational tools as well as the event's first-ever social media room where attendees will gather to utilize their social networks and exchange ideas.

For a complete schedule, please visit, www.thirteencelebration.org.  

Follow the conversation on Twitter: @Celebration2010 and #Celebration2010

Thirteen and WLIW21 gratefully acknowledge sponsorship support from Founding Sponsor: Chase; Premier Sponsors: Adobe Youth Voices, The American Federation of Teachers (AFL-CIO), National Education Association (NEA), New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), SMART Technologies/Tequipment, United Federation of Teachers (UFT), Verizon Thinkfinity, Walden University; Major Sponsors: The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators and Executive Leadership Institute (CSA/ELI), DELL, Inc., Educational Testing Service (ETS), Fordham University Graduate School of Education, Friends of Thirteen, Hilton New York, The McGraw-Hill Companies, New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), Pearson Education; Presenting Sponsors: Adelphi University, Cisco, Hofstra University; Event Sponsors: Barnes & Noble, The College Board, EmblemHealth, New York State School Administrators Consortium (NYSSAC), Teachers College, Columbia University, William Paterson University; and Media Sponsor: Education Week.

About WNET.ORG

New York public media company WNET.ORG is a pioneering provider of television and web content.  The parent of THIRTEEN, WLIW21 and Creative News Group, WNET.ORG brings such acclaimed broadcast series and Web sites as Worldfocus, Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Wide Angle, Secrets of the Dead, Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, Visions, Consuelo Mack WealthTrack, Wild Chronicles, Miffy and Friends, and Cyberchase to national and international audiences.  Through its wide range of channels and platforms, WNET.ORG serves the entire New York City metro area with unique local productions, broadcasts and innovative educational and cultural projects.  In all that it does, WNET.ORG pursues a single, overarching goal - to create media experiences of lasting significance for New York, America and the world.  For more information, visit www.wnet.org.

SOURCE WNET.ORG