( Chicago, Illinois ) May 8, 2019 — From May 16 - 19, Chicago's neighborhoods, particularly those on the South and West sides, will turn into a learning laboratory through Remake Learning Days Chi ( RLD Chi ), offering more than 100 engaging, hands-on learning experiences for learners of all ages.
The Chicago Learning Exchange ( CLX )—a Chicago nonprofit that supports remaking learning for the digital age—in collaboration with WTTW Kids, Project Exploration, Chicago City of Learning, and EvanSTEM are creating our region's first festival for hands-on, innovative learning geared toward youth, families, educators, and caregivers.
"Chicago is rich with opportunities for youth to explore and discover their interests," said Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot. "Remake Learning Days Chi highlights these opportunities and organizations across the city working with youth to express their creativity and talents. I commend the Chicago Learning Exchange and Project Exploration for presenting and
organizing Remake Learning Days Chi. Also, this is a great example of working better together, and I'm grateful to additional founding partners Chicago City of Learning, WTTW Kids, and EvanSTEM. I am excited to kick-off the weekend in Austin, a community that is focused on expanding opportunities for young people to engage in science, technology, the arts, making and more!"
Some 100 organizations will host events. Participating organizations include well-known institutions like the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum to more grassroots organizations such as Chicago Youth Centers.
RLD Chi is inspired by Pittsburgh-based Remake Learning's network and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood's dedication to nurturing children. CLX and event hosts have made the festival their own with a specific focus on advancing racial equity.
More than 100 activities will take place over the four-day future-ready celebration, including hands-on learning by tinkering with 3D printers, creating indoor vertical gardens from recycled 2-liter bottles, and broadcasting community solutions through podcasts. The Chicago Public Library will host 20 events, from the science of punk rock to how to make "bath bombz".
The festival embraces all types of learning spaces, including museums, schools, libraries, parks, community-based organizations, and more. Youth, families, and caregivers can experience digital making, art workshops, and science experiments.
"The growing use of technology in all facets of 21st Century life means that young people absorb and use information differently. It also means they learn anytime and anywhere," explains CLX Executive Director Maria Hibbs. "We recognize that hands-on, relevant learning experiences must reach beyond the classroom. So it's up to us—educators, nonprofit leaders, public agencies and the private sector working together—to encourage learning that instills
innovation and confidence in our youth, preparing them for life and careers in a rapidly changing world."
RLD Chi is designed to connect parents, families, and caregivers with students' interests in learning and raise awareness about learning assets in their neighborhoods.
Throughout the year, CLX works with a network of over 200 youth-serving organizations, schools, libraries, museums, universities, and companies who share its urgency to advance racial equity in remaking learning.
"From digital badging to STEAM-based activities, CLX and our partners are already working both in and out of schools to connect children with the future of learning," said Sana Jafri, program officer for CLX. "Remake Learning Days Chi is a way for us to showcase these innovations and reach more children and families with connected learning opportunities that weave together students' interests with career, academic, and civic relevance. We're thrilled to
create Remake Learning Days Chi as we work to close Chicago's opportunity gap for digital-age learners."
Pittsburgh's Remake Learning network launched Remake Learning Days in 2016 in response to the need to provide opportunities for parents to connect with the new, innovative learning happening in kids' classrooms. In addition, the network wanted to bring these opportunities to a broader socioeconomic demographic of audiences. These learning events nurture curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration skills in youth and prepare them for the future.
In 2019, Remake Learning, PBS Kids, and Digital Promise launched Remake Learning Days Across America, which will expand to nine regions across America this spring, including Chicago and neighboring Evanston.
All Chicago events can be found at the RLD Chi website here. While many have unlimited capacity, some have registration limits, so parents, students, and caregivers are encouraged to sign up now. RLD Chi is sponsored locally by founding supporters The Chicago Community Trust, ArcelorMittal, the Hibbs Family Charitable Fund, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.
The Remake Learning Days national effort, Remake Learning Days Across America, is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Grable Foundation, and Schmidt Futures.
"This support across the country is in response to demand from other regions hoping to deepen work in parent and family engagement across many institutions, based on a model which began in Pittsburgh," said Sunanna Chand, Executive Director of Remake Learning. "With so many organizations, parents, and communities participating, we hope to ignite a national conversation around the future of learning and increase the demand for engaging and equitable hands-on experiences across all the spaces kids learn."
Remake Learning Days Chi - Notable Events Remake Learning Days Chi Kick-Off Breakfast Thursday, May 16, 8:30 am - 10:00 am
Hosted by: Chicago Learning Exchange and WTTW Chicago
By the Hand Club for Kids
Education and network leaders will gather for remarks and breakfast before the Early Learners' Innovation Fair featuring PBS Kids' Nature Cat
May 16 - Citywide 6th grade S.T.E.A.M. Project Showcase Hosted by: EvanSTEM
Join Evanston sixth graders as they present their design solutions to address the city's climate action and resilience priorities. Mayor Steve Hagerty will join in on the celebration of student ingenuity and activism.
May 18 - D�a del Niño Family Festival
Hosted by: National Museum of Mexican Art
The National Museum of Mexican Art invites you to the 23rd Annual D�a del Niño Family Festival, a celebration of our community's children and the effort to keep them healthy and happy. D�a del Niño is an annual celebration that was created in Mexico in 1925 as a day to honor children. In Mexico, D�a del Niño is celebrated on April 30th when children spend the day playing games, having fun, and eating their favorite foods. A special guest appearance by PBS Kids' Nature Cat from 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
May 19 - Seeding Change in Austin
Hosted by: Project Exploration and Chicago Botanic Garden
Learn with your hands, get dirty, and have fun planting a new community garden with Chicago Botanical Garden and Project Exploration. Learn also about the wonder of the outdoors and take a picture with Nature Cat.
May 19 - Legacy of Malcolm X in the Beloved Community Ceramic Studio Hosted by: Inner-City Muslim Action Network ( IMAN )
Growing out of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision for a "Beloved Community," the Beloved Community Ceramics Studio is an arts space for neighbors to create, build, and heal together. This studio is the first of its kind on Chicago's South Side — an artisan workshop that convenes local artists and community members to craft unique ceramic works that can inspire both creativity and entrepreneurship. On what would be the 94th birthday of Malcolm X, reflect on his legacy with community members and create ceramic pieces for you to take home in his memory with IMAN's Ceramic Studio.
Chicago Learning Exchange ( CLX )
Chicago Learning Exchange ( CLX ) is a nonprofit organization that works to inspire and support innovation that equips digital-age learners and leaders to close Chicago's opportunity gaps. CLX is creating and presenting Remake Learning Days Chi from May 16 - 19, 2019. Throughout the year, CLX cultivates a growing community of more than 200 organizations to remake learning so that it is enhanced by technology, driven by learners' interests, and connected to opportunities. For more information specifically on the Chicago Learning Exchange, visit
www.chicagolx.org or follow CLX on Twitter, F acebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Remake Learning Days Chi ( RLD Chi ) #RemakeDaysChi via @CLXchange
From May 16 - 19, the Chicago Learning Exchange ( CLX ), founding partners—WTTW Kids, Project Exploration, Chicago City of Learning, and EvanSTEM—and Event Hosts from schools, museums, libraries, parks, and community centers across Chicago and Evanston will unite to remake learning. Remake Learning Days Chi events will provide youth, families, and caregivers, opportunities to tinker with 3D printers, cultivate creativity with art workshops, develop curiosity through science experiments, share youth and community action stories, explore outdoor learning, and more!
Remake Learning Days Chi is perfectly suited to not only plan a brighter future for our youth and families, but also tell a different story and showcase how our region is advancing racial equity so that all youth have the opportunity and awareness to participate, engage, and prepare for this changing world. Please join us!
PARTNERS:
Project Exploration
Project Exploration is a nonprofit science education organization that works to ensure communities traditionally overlooked by science—particularly minority youth and girls—have access to personalized experiences with science and scientists. Project Exploration has been at the forefront of impacting under-served communities for 20 years. For more information, please visit projectexploration.org .
WTTW Chicago
WTTW Chicago produces and presents a wide array of engaging content for the national public media system, with series and specials on education, politics, public affairs, science, business, arts and entertainment, history, travel, how-to, and religion. For more information, please visit
wttw.com/national .
Remake Learning Network
Remake Learning is a network that ignites engaging, relevant, and equitable learning practices in support of young people navigating rapid social and technological change. Visit RemakeLearning.org for more information or follow RL on T witter, Facebook and Instagram.
PBS KIDS
PBS Kids is the number one educational media brand for kids, offers children ages 2-8 the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, digital media and community-based programs. PBS KIDS and local stations across the country support the entire ecosystem in which children learn, including their teachers, parents and community. For information on PBS KIDS content and initiatives supporting school readiness and more, visit
pbs.org/pressroom , or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Digital Promise
Digital Promise is a nonprofit organization that builds powerful networks and takes on grand challenges by working at the intersection of researchers, entrepreneurs, and educators. Our vision is that all people, at every stage of their lives, have access to learning experiences that help them acquire the knowledge and skills they need to thrive and continuously learn in an ever-changing world. Visit www.digitalpromise.org for more information or follow us on Twitter.
—From a press release
