2008 Teaching & Learning Celebration to Draw National Audience

2008 Teaching & Learning Celebration to Draw National Audience

Thirteen/WNET and WLIW21 to Highlight Science and Global Awareness at Third Annual Conference; Dr. Jane Goodall, Jean-Michel Cousteau and Ann Curry Headline Growing List of Presenters

NEW YORK, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Thirteen/WNET and WLIW21, the public television stations of the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut tri-state area, announced today the third annual Teaching & Learning Celebration. A national audience is expected for this professional development conference, which will focus on science, math, global awareness, and instructional technology. The Celebration will be held on March 7-8, 2008 at the Hilton New York hotel, located on Avenue of the Americas at 53rd Street in New York City.

The 2008 Celebration will emphasize best practices for using technology in teaching and learning. The two-day event offers educators access to nationally renowned speakers, 90 hands-on workshops and over 100 vendors distributing information and samples. Speakers and panels are designed specifically for elementary, middle, and high school teachers, administrators, and policy makers.

This year's Celebration will feature the legendary primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall. Other confirmed speakers include Jean-Michel Cousteau, host of "Ocean Adventures" on PBS; Ann Curry, News Anchor/Correspondent, NBC News; Milton Chen, president of the George Lucas Educational Foundation; polar explorer Will Steger and Sudanese supermodel Alek Wek.

At the Celebration Web site, http://www.thirteencelebration.org/, educators can register for the conference, learn more about featured speakers and exhibitors, see a schedule of events, sign up to receive e-mail updates, and find answers to frequently asked questions. In addition, the Web site features a wealth of videos and transcripts from last year's conference. After the 2008 Celebration, educators can return to the site for videos of their favorite sessions or ones they missed, as well as access to other educational resources from Thirteen and WLIW throughout the year. Early bird registration rates are available at http://www.thirteencelebration.org/ through December 15, 2007.

"Since 1962, Thirteen has continually sought new ways for television to be a positive force in society," said Dr. William F. Baker, CEO of Educational Broadcasting Corporation, licensee of Thirteen/WNET and WLIW. "We've combined the power of television production with the possibilities of the internet; we've pioneered educational projects and have engaged the community with numerous outreach initiatives. The Teaching and Learning Celebration has combined all of these activities into an event that also honors the contributions of educators nationwide."

"For the past two years, the Celebration has drawn participation from leading educational organizations, companies committed to teaching and learning, and prestigious speakers such as former Vice President Al Gore and NBC's Tim Russert," said Neal Shapiro, president of Educational Broadcasting Corporation. "The Celebration is an important part of Educational Broadcasting Corporation's commitment to education and personal growth. We're honored to have the continued support of so many people and organizations that care so deeply about improving education in this country."

"The Teaching and Learning Celebration is an opportunity for Thirteen and WLIW to pay tribute to educators from across the country and their students by bringing together, under one roof, a showcase of imagination and inspiration," said Ronald Thorpe, vice president and director of education at Thirteen/WNET. "It's incredible to see that, in such a short time, what began as a regional conference has become a major national event serving thousands of educators and millions of K-12 students."

Thirteen and WLIW21 gratefully acknowledge sponsorship support from Founding Sponsor: Chase; Premier Sponsors: New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), SMART Technologies, United Federation of Teachers (UFT); Major Sponsors: Apple Inc., Council of School Supervisors & Administrators (CSA), Executive Leadership Institute (ELI), Fordham University Graduate School of Education, Long Island University, NJEA; Presenting Sponsors: Adelphi University, Borders; Event Sponsor: NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development; and Media Sponsor: Edutopia.

Thirteen/WNET New York is one of the key program providers for public television, bringing such acclaimed series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, Wide Angle, Secrets of the Dead, NOW With David Brancaccio, and Cyberchase -- as well as the work of Bill Moyers -- to audiences nationwide. As the flagship public broadcaster in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut metro area, Thirteen reaches millions of viewers each week, airing the best of American public television along with its own local productions such as The Ethnic Heritage Specials, The Thirteen Walking Tours, New York Voices, and Reel New York. Thirteen extends the impact of its television productions through educational and community outreach projects -- including the Teaching and Learning Celebration -- as well as Web sites and other digital media platforms. More information can be found at: http://www.thirteen.org/.

WLIW New York is an innovator in broadcasting, production and distribution for public television. A leading producer of fundraising programming for PBS, WLIW brings US audiences the popular Visions aerial series, cultural performance specials like The Music & Dance of Poland: Mazowsze, and a 15-part series of ethnic heritage specials that includes profiles of Asian Indian, Mexican and Polish American communities. WLIW's groundbreaking independent distribution model brings US audiences live daily broadcasts of BBC World News, Consuelo Mack WealthTrack and Wild Chronicles. WLIW is also presenting station for the Emmy award-winning PBS KIDS series Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks. In the tri-state area, WLIW's diverse programming schedule earns the distinction of third most-watched in the country, a destination for viewers of all ages, featuring public television favorites from PBS KIDS to celebrity chefs in the kitchen, enhanced by a rich local public affairs lineup. More information about WLIW can be found at http://www.wliw.org/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Thirteen/WNET New York

CONTACT: Jessica Love of Widmeyer Communications for Thirteen/WNET New
York, +1-202-667-0901, office, Jessica.Love@widmeyer.com; or Kellie C. Specter
of Thirteen/WNET New York, +1-212-560-3009, office, Specter@thirteen.org

Web site: http://www.thirteen.org/
http://www.wliw.org/
http://www.thirteencelebration.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment