The WNET Group Gala 2021 Press Release FINAL
Press Contact: Lindsey Horvitz, The WNET Group, 212.560.6609, horvitzl@wnet.org
The WNET Group to Celebrate Education Heroes at its Education Is Everything Virtual Gala
John B. King, Jr., New 42 and Russell Granet, Laura Bilodeau Overdeck, Tri- State Area Frontline Educators and Verizon to be honored
(NEW YORK, NY – April 14, 2021) The WNET Group, home to PBS stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21, the network NJ PBS, and Long Island’s only NPR station WLIW-FM, announced the honorees for its Education is Everything Virtual Gala celebration on Thursday, April 22.
The WNET Group will recognize John B. King, Jr., former U.S. Secretary of Education and President and CEO of The Education Trust; New 42 and its President & CEO, Russell Granet for New Victory Education programs; Laura Bilodeau Overdeck, founder and president of Bedtime Math; tri-state area frontline educators; and Verizon. The event will honor the commitment and contributions of these individuals and organizations to education in the tri-state region and beyond.
The Education is Everything Gala will feature tributes to the honorees, music performances by ALL ARTS artist-in residence Matthew Whitaker, and appearances by special guests including Hoda Kotb, Rita Moreno, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Cookie Monster and students from the Frank Sinatra School of Art.
Education is central to The WNET Group’s mission. As part of The WNET Group’s ongoing efforts to support learning at home, the organization presented acclaimed instructional programming including Let’s Learn NYC!, NJTV Learning Live and Camp TV featuring dynamic lessons taught by educators and teaching artists. Partnerships with organizations like New 42 and Bedtime Math contributed to efforts to bring those projects to life and helped The WNET Group execute on its mission to educate and entertain young people at home during the pandemic. Tips on making TV time learning time,
activities and more for educators and families, including PBS LearningMedia resources, are available at wnet.org/education.
###
About The WNET Group The WNET Group creates inspiring media content and meaningful experiences for diverse audiences nationwide. It is the nonprofit parent company of New York’s THIRTEEN – America’s flagship PBS station – WLIW21, THIRTEEN PBSKids, WLIW World and Create; Long Island’s only NPR station WLIW-FM; and ALL ARTS, the arts and culture media provider. The WNET Group also operates NJ PBS, New Jersey’s statewide public television network, and newsroom NJ Spotlight News. Through these channels and streaming platforms, The WNET Group brings arts, culture, education, news, documentary, entertainment and DIY programming to more than five million viewers each month. The WNET Group’s award-winning productions include signature PBS series Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend and Amanpour and Company and trusted local news programs MetroFocus and NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi. Inspiring curiosity and nurturing dreams, The WNET Group’s award- winning Kids’ Media and Education team produces the PBS KIDS series Cyberchase, interactive Mission US history games, and resources for families, teachers and caregivers. A leading public media producer for nearly 60 years, The WNET Group presents and distributes content that fosters lifelong learning, including multi-platform initiatives addressing poverty, jobs, economic opportunity, social justice, understanding and the environment. Through Passport, station members can stream new and archival programming anytime, anywhere. Community-supported, The WNET Group represents the best in public media. Join us.