Nearly 52,000 children and families attended 380 free, interactive learning events throughout Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties during Suncoast Remake Learning Days’ fifth annual celebration. Presented by the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and The Patterson Foundation, the 15-day festival concluded in May after attracting its largest turnout to date.
Nearly 370 local organizations held Suncoast Remake Learning Days events, including schools, museums, libraries, after-school organizations, early child care centers, churches, universities and media outlets. Events were organized across six learning themes – Arts, Maker, Outdoor Learning, Science, Technology and Youth Voice – tailored to youth from pre-K through high school and their families, caregivers and educators.
Through funding from The Patterson Foundation, all of the learning events were free, designed to spark curiosity and celebrate the joy of adults and children learning side by side. The Patterson Foundation also provided interactive trainings, event stipends, promotional materials and networking opportunities for participating hosts in the months leading up to Suncoast Remake Learning Days to help these organizations bring their events to life.
Participation in Suncoast Remake Learning Days has grown with each new annual iteration. Since its inception in 2022, more than 168,000 people across our region have participated in the festival.
“When children and families experience learning together in joyful, meaningful ways, it creates momentum that extends far beyond a single event,” said Beth Duda, director of the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading for The Patterson Foundation. “Suncoast Remake Learning Days brings our community together to spark curiosity, deepen connections and strengthen a shared commitment to learning. Those moments, when discovery and connection happen side-by-side, help build the foundation for lasting success in their education and in life.”
A regional celebration
The regional celebration was part of the larger Remake Learning Days, a worldwide celebration of innovative experiences and opportunities for youth to develop their sense of creativity, perseverance and curiosity. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Remake Learning Days, with festivals taking place across 14 regions in the U.S. and two regions internationally. The Grable Foundation, a Pittsburgh-based grantmaking foundation dedicated to youth and learning, is the presenting sponsor worldwide.
In recognition of Suncoast Remake Learning Days’ fifth annual festival, the founder of Remake Learning and executive director of The Grable Foundation, Gregg Behr, visited in April and attended multiple events. For more than 15 years, Behr has helped lead Remake Learning — a network of educators, technologists, designers and makers he founded in 2007 — to international renown, championing the importance of curiosity, creativity and community-based learning. His visit reflected those values in action as he engaged with educators, families and community partners who bring learning to life every day for children and families throughout the Suncoast.
For more information about the 15-day festival, visit SuncoastRemakeLearningDays.org.
Submitted by Branan Jacobs
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Record turnout for Suncoast Remake Learning Days
Reporting by Special to the Herald-Tribune, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Special to the Herald-Tribune, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
