City of Pittsburgh — Disruptor Awards

Pittsburgh is a place that puts kids first. At the confluence of its three rivers sits a memorial honoring hometown hero, Fred Rogers – the pioneer of children’s television in American – whose presence reminds the City to live up to its nickname as Kidsburgh.

Inspired by Fred Rogers, who was simultaneously grounded in child development practices and who also reimagined how to use the technology of his day for good – thousands of Pittsburgh-area educators, technologists, and artists have, since 2007, banded together to reimagine what’s possible in education. Remake Learning is a regional learning network supporting more than 500 schools, museums, libraries, early learning centers, afterschool organizations, and other sites of learning to ignite engaging, relevant, and equitable learning opportunities for young people.

Today, learners have more opportunities than ever to pursue their interests along new learning pathways; educators have more supports to improve their practice; and communities are enriched through more investment in their local learning assets:

•More than 10,000 educators have participated in training about new and innovative teaching methods

•More than 350 learning spaces and classrooms have been transformed

•More than 100,000 parents and caregivers have experienced STEM, STEAM, maker, and technology-enhanced learning

•More than $100 million has been invested to modernize learning

What's happened in Pittsburgh has inspired and influenced regional learning ecosystems and networks elsewhere -- across the United States from California to North Carolina, from Tennessee to Chicago; and also across the world, from New Zealand to Spain.

Pittsburgh really is Kidsburgh.