Remake Learning Days is a hands-on learning festival that takes place each spring throughout the entire commonwealth of Pennsylvania, across the United States, and even internationally in New Zealand, United Kingdom and Uruguay! It celebrates innovative and engaging educational experiences for youth of all ages and their families.
My work as a regional lead for Remake Learning Days Northwestern PA starts several months before the festival itself. We begin late fall connecting with local educators, community organizations, and business and industry partners to identify meaningful learning opportunities for the festival’s event calendar. We try our best to ensure that the events on our calendar are spread throughout the region and fit the needs for youth and families of all ages and interests.
Remake Learning Days helps promote the value of education and provides access to resources. It encourages people in rural spaces to pursue learning opportunities in their own backyard, such as at their local libraries, conservation districts, YMCAs, public media stations, art studios, and more. The festival brings together children, families, educators, and community members from all walks of life, and provides a place for learning, exploration, and collaboration. Families learning alongside their children also enables both children and adults to discover something new, whether it be a new skill or a new community connection.
Remake Learning Days Northwestern PA also fosters community engagement. It brings together members of the community with common interests – highlighting innovation and creativity and creating hands-on learning opportunities for others, all while fostering meaningful partnerships and collaborations locally, while also connecting regional rural event hosts to a larger network of event hosts across the state, the country, and the world.
But, the work (and the impact) doesn’t stop there. Not only do I assist in organizing the festival for the Northwestern PA region, but I also participate as an event host, too. One of the events that we had great success with last year and plan to replicate in 2023 is the RIU#6 Innovation Playground. We host this event at the Clarion YMCA and run it in an open-house style, with 20+ interactive stations. Families can explore with drones, program robots, eat 3-D printed pancakes, and create art using technology. 300+ individuals walked through our doors last year for a night of hands-on learning fun. It was a joyful celebration of learning!
Pockets of innovation and opportunities are all around us. Being able to highlight and elevate these “hidden community gems” using the Remake Learning Days event calendar continues to be a fulfilling and rewarding experience, both personally and professionally. My hope is that these events spark a new interest and start a conversation, which could potentially develop into a lifelong passion and even a possible career path for our youth. I look forward to continuing this important work in the future and building on the success of Remake Learning Days Northwestern PA to create a brighter future for our community.