September 2021
WVIA & WQLN: Serving Communities

"As I packed bags of food that day, I thought about how thankful and blessed I am to have food, and I also realized in an instant that could be me on the receiving end. You never know what life may bring. It's good to know these resources are available, and Second Harvest Food Bank deserves lots of praise for the work they do.
-Kathy Woodard, Education Outreach Manager at WQLN
Serving communities is nothing new for the seven Pennsylvania PBS stations - that is the foundation of public media. This month, we highlight two stations from the Pennsylvania PBS community that added another dimension of service by volunteering at local food banks.

WQLN and WVIA extended a helping hand when many have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, these stations packed thousands of boxes for community members in need. Visit the websites below to learn how you can get involved!
Libraries: Your Community Connectors

Libraries offer a variety of programs and events to engage learners of all ages - just like your local Pennsylvania PBS station!

September is Library Card Sign-up Month - the perfect time to renew your connection with your local library!

Check out these suggestions for "How to Make the Most of Your Local Library" from PBS KIDS for Parents and learn what makes libraries across Pennsylvania special in our series of video interviews with librarians.
WPSU's Treasure Trek
 “Found with my 2 nieces. The girls loved the hike and loved looking for wildlife and fungus…This is the second WPSU cache we found…Thanks for the fun."
-WPSU community resident
WPSU created a fun way to explore outside with Treasure Trek!

There are 10 caches with sticker prizes in Centre, Blair, and Huntingdon counties in places accessible for beginner geocachers (ages 14 years and younger) to find while learning about maps, coordinates, and exploring nature.

Geocaching encourages children to explore their surroundings and use observational skills and critical and creative thinking skills to find a geocache. Your children can try out their treasure hunting skills until October 1.
Your Learning Neighborhood
Your local Pennsylvania PBS stations are proud to be a part of Your Learning Neighborhood!
The October Learning at Home schedule includes programs for children from pre-K through 3rd grade and are featured on the PBS KIDS channel!

Children can watch and learn Monday through Friday from 8:30 am-12 pm. Programs include "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood", "Sesame Street", and "Clifford the Big Red Dog". Look for the Halloween specials this month!

The weekly activity guides connect the programs to Pennsylvania education standards and include lessons for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), the Arts, and more! 
Recognition for Pennsylvania PBS stations
Congratulations to the Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Award recipients!
Collectively, the Pennsylvania PBS stations received 10 Emmy® awards from the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Television Academy during the virtual ceremony on September 25.

WQED received six awards including the award for Overall Excellence - their 6th year of being honored with this prestigious award.They also won an award for "Amusement Parks - Grades 5 & 6", part of their Support Our Schools (SOS) series. WHYY and WLVT programs and staff also received multiple awards.

As part of the September 25 program, these television professionals were inducted into the Silver Circle and Gold Circle Societies, recognizing their contributions to the television industry:
  • Jessica Lee - Director of Multimedia Design at WLVT, inducted into the Silver Circle Society for 25 years in the television industry
  • Paul Byers - Engineer for WQED, inducted into the Gold Circle Society for 50 years in the television industry
WHYY is a finalist in the Local That Works contest for their News & Information Exchange (N.I.C.E.) project.

The goal of N.I.C.E. is to organize, support, and develop grassroot news and information content creators who serve their communities.

The Local That Works competition highlights media organizations that excel in creating local content and increasing community engagment.
Pennsylvania PBS - Who We Are

Pennsylvania PBS (PA PBS) is the collective name for seven public media organizations located throughout the Commonwealth.


Our Vision

Inspired and empowered by its partners, Pennsylvania PBS will be a keystone in the civic, educational and cultural fabric of the Commonwealth.

Our Mission

To leverage, unify and amplify the education mission and collective impact of the 7 Pennsylvania PBS stations in the lives of all Pennsylvanians.

Pennsylvania PBS reaches over 12.4 million Pennsylvanians in large, diverse, rural and under-served communities.

Our Partners

PBS | NPR | APTS | 50 State