CLARION, Pa. – Remake Learning Days launched its 2022 festival programming on May 10 with a massive statewide event designed to make a huge splash: 10,000 students in first, second and third grade classrooms across Pennsylvania participated in a record-breaking boat design challenge, in partnership with discoverED.

(PHOTO: Mrs. Amanda Phillips’ First Grade Classroom at Keystone Elementary participating in the “Float Your Boat” Challenge. Pictured: Liam Davis, Josiah Barnett, Carson McCoy.)

Participants were partnered virtually with students from schools in other parts of the state on April 18th. Over the course of the next three weeks, classrooms across the Commonwealth were paired as digital pen pals. They virtually met each other. Then, through online and in-person resources, students planned and drafted their boats. Finally, on May 10th, classrooms virtually met, built their boats and exchanged ideas. This STEAM design challenge marks the official launch of the 2022 Remake Learning Days across PA.

This year’s RLDAA kickoff event builds on the pedagogical lessons learned during last year’s discoverED opening event, in which second graders across Pennsylvania virtually swapped schools and worked together to plan, create, and iterate their own marble maze designs.

“Boatbuilding is a collaborative act that involves many different areas of STEAM expertise, including design, geometry, and physics. Students will also learn valuable lessons about collaboration, teamwork, and virtual communication, all of which are vital employability skills for any of the career paths they may eventually choose to pursue,” said Dorie Taylor, Producer for Remake Learning Days Across America.

2022 is the biggest year yet for the annual Remake Learning Days Across America (RLDAA), which has become the nation’s largest family-friendly learning festival, having hosted a total of 2,350+ events and reaching 175,000 families. This year, the 2022 festival has exploded into more than 120 hands-on learning events in the northwestern PA region, 365 across the state, and 1,400 in 17 different regions all across the U.S. Events for learners aged pre-K through high school are held nationwide, virtually and in-person, at libraries, schools, tech centers, museums, play spaces, community centers, and more.

(PHOTO: Mrs. Jessica Carbaugh’s First Grade Class at Clarion Area Elementary participating in the “Float Your Boat” Challenge. Pictured: Gannon Dotten, Luke Gulnac, Baylor Beck, and Aria Sommer.)

With its founding roots in Pittsburgh, Remake Learning has ignited a national conversation about intergenerational learning and the importance of parents and caregivers learning alongside students, as well as celebrating educators through meaningful partnership. Each event brings students, teachers, and families together to explore curiosity-driven ways of learning, with a focus on introducing learners of all ages to new experiences.

RLDAA events are organized by different learning themes such as Arts, Maker, Outdoor Learning, Science, Technology, and Youth Voice. In addition, there are Professional Development sessions for school, out-of-school, child care and non-traditional educators. Families and youth can search events by date/time, location, learning theme, age group (pre-K through high school), and more.

RLDAA is presented by Remake Learning and local sponsors include Lead Sponsor The Grable Foundation, Presenting Sponsor Richard King Mellon Foundation, Good Neighbor Sponsor PNC Foundation, and Regional Sponsors Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, Carnegie Mellon University, The University of Pittsburgh, American Eagle Foundation, UPMC Health Plan, The Buhl Foundation, and Schell Games.

For more information, visit https://remakelearningdays.org/northwesternpa/ or email [email protected]

Remake Learning Days Across America (RLDAA) is powered by Remake Learning, a peer network for educators and innovators in southwestern Pennsylvania. RLDAA celebrates the spirit of Remake Learning with families and youth throughout the country and is supported by RLDAA national partners PBS Kids, Digital Promise, Common Sense Media and Learning Heroes. RLDAA is generously supported by The Grable Foundation. For more information on Remake Learning, including its 15th anniversary celebration, visit remakelearning.org. For more information on RLDAA, visit remakelearningdays.org or follow RLDAA on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and #RemakeDays and #discoverED.

(PHOTO: Mrs. Amanda Phillips’ First Grade Classroom at Keystone Elementary participating in the “Float Your Boat” Challenge. Pictured: Emma Colwell and Sophia Hirsch.)