Diana Dugina – Fred Rogers Center

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F R E D R O G E R S C E N T E R F O R E A R LY L E A R N I N G A N D C H I L D R E N ’ S M E D I A AT S A I N T V I N C E N T ’ S C O L L E G E

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BUILDING ON THE LEGACY OF FRED ROGERS Established in 2003 under the guidance of Fred Rogers, this Center bearing his name

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has become a national leader in innovation and advocacy for early learning and children’s media. Through its programs and special

Please think of the

children first. If you ever

initiatives, the Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College is at the forefront

have anything to do with

of addressing current and emerging issues their entertainment, their

affecting young children and the adults who care for them.

food, their toys, their custody,

MISSION Staying true to the vision of Fred Rogers, and emulating the guiding principles of his life’s work, the Fred Rogers Center advances

THE WONDER OF FRED ROGERS challenges faced by families and educators. He knew that caring adults make a profound difference in a child’s life. Fred Rogers set the highest possible standards for

media by acting as a catalyst for communica-

his work—standards grounded in research on how children grow and develop, his own

tion, collaboration, and creative change.

years of observing and learning from young children, and the strong universal values he held and embodied. As a pioneer in children’s media and the creator and host of the of millions for decades. He was able to accomplish this

potential of technology and digital media

by always relating to children and adults with the utmost honesty and integrity.

for supporting the healthy social, emotional,

Throughout his career, Fred Rogers understood the power of technology and media,

intellectual, and physical development of

and he had the creative insight to fully develop its potential for nurturing and teaching.

Today, the Fred Rogers Center continues this work by rallying educators, researchers, policymakers, media creators, and families around the promise of today’s—and tomorrow’s—media landscape for young children.

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their education—listen to the children learn about

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them, learn from them.

beloved PBS television series, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, he captivated a mass market

Fred Rogers’ own belief in the positive

young children.

their day or night care,

Fred Rogers understood the sensitivities and needs of young children as well as the

the fields of early learning and children’s

The work of the Center resonates with

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Photograph courtesy of Lynn Johnson

Fred Rogers

INNOVATION IN PLAY A leading voice for quality in children’s media, the Fred Rogers Center promotes awareness, innovation, and developmental appropriateness through its signature programs and special initiatives.

EARLY CAREER FELLOWS Through the Early Career Fellows program, the Rogers Center provides career development opportunities for educators, artists, musicians, researchers, and

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media professionals committed to carrying forward the legacy of Fred Rogers in their own work. Since 2009, Fred Rogers Center Early Career Fellows, selected through a highly competitive process, have created original projects in early

Please think of the

children first. If you ever

literacy, child health and fitness, interactive play, character education, assistive technology, and other areas. These projects have produced mobile apps, robotic and other computer-activated tools for learning, child-created video, original

have anything to do with

music compositions, and early childhood curriculum materials.

their entertainment, their

FRED ROGERS CENTER EARLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT™ Known as Ele for short, the Early Learning EnvironmentTM is an innovative online

food, their toys, their custody,

space where adults can find high quality digital resources that promote early literacy and other learning and development for young children birth through

their day or night care,

age 5. Ele supports all adults in their role as teachers. It provides access to some of the best digital resources from leading national organizations. Materials, which are reviewed by an advisory group of experts, include videos, games, ebooks,

their education—listen to

music, and other interactive tools. As members of the Ele community, teachers, family child care providers, parents, and other caregivers of young children interact

the children learn about

and share knowledge with each other through a web-based networking forum.

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To join the Ele community, visit www.yourele.org.

them, learn from them.

FRED FORWARD CONFERENCE SERIES Fred Rogers

The biennial national conference of the Fred Rogers Center convenes leaders from across the U.S. and beyond and also provides new professionals in these fields with opportunities to showcase their work and to network with established experts.

Prominent speakers such as Milton Chen from The George Lucas Educational

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Foundation, Jerlean Daniel from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Ellen Galinsky from Families and Work Institute, and many others have helped to establish the Fred Forward Conference series as an important event inspiring new thinking and agenda setting to bridge and build the fields of early learning and children’s media.

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LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE FOR THE DIGITAL AGE There is no more respected name and no stronger legacy in educational children’s media than Fred Rogers. The Rogers Center continues this leadership in the digital age. In 2012, the Center’s partnership with the National Association for the Education of Young Children produced a national position statement, “Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8.” Building on this position statement, the Rogers Center is leading a related initiative to promote consensus and action on a national “framework for quality” in digital media for young children.

Partnerships with other national organizations and leading experts are key to

FRED ROGERS CENTER FELLOWS: William J Man, Mark S. Man, Darlene Female, Alexandria Female

the work of the Rogers Center. The Senior Fellows program attracts scholars from higher education institutions and organizations from across the U.S. to conduct

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Please think of the

children first. If you ever

research and collaborate in mission-driven Center programs and projects. Members of the Center’s national Advisory Council are important advocates and ambassa-

have anything to do with

dors. The Rogers Center also is an active participant in the Kids+Creativity network of national and regional organizations based in the Pittsburgh area.

their entertainment, their

PRESERVING THE PAST, SHAPING THE FUTURE food, their toys, their custody, The official Fred Rogers Archive, housed at the Rogers Center, is home to original artifacts from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, including the Neighborhood Trolley, Daniel’s Clock, and many of the puppets from the television program, as well as

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thousands of print and digital materials, music, photographs, and other items

their day or night care,

THE CENTER OF IT ALL

spanning more than 50 years of Fred Rogers’ work in children’s television. The

The Fred Rogers Center is located at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania,

Archive also includes speeches, correspondence, and a variety of publications

Fred Rogers’ childhood “neighborhood.” The Center shares space in the LEED® Gold

representing Fred Rogers’ commitment as a child advocate and a trusted resource

Certified building dedicated to Fred Rogers. As part of the Saint Vincent College

for parents and educators. The searchable Archive catalog is accessible through the

community, the Rogers Center has partnered with Faculty Fellows to create the

Fred Rogers Center website, and materials are available for study by researchers and

online Curriculum Toolkit drawing from materials in the Fred Rogers Archive and

educators. The Fred Rogers Oral History Collection, produced as original research

other sources. Additional partnerships with faculty and students include the Saint

by the Fred Rogers Center, contains more than 60 videos and print transcripts of

Vincent College Fred Rogers Scholars Program, a multidisciplinary undergraduate

interviews with family members, friends, and professional colleagues.

minor in children’s studies, and the Rita M. McGinley Endowed Chair in Early

The general public can learn more about the life and work of Fred Rogers through

Learning and Children’s Media.

the Fred Rogers Exhibit located in the Rogers Center building at Saint Vincent

To learn more about the Fred Rogers Center, please visit our website or follow us

College and also available on the Center’s website. The multimedia exhibit follows

on these social media sites.

Fred Rogers’ path from small-town boy to the iconic “Mister Rogers.”

WEBSITE www.fredrogerscenter.org FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/fredrogerscenter TWITTER twitter.com/fredrogersctr YOU TUBE www.youtube.com/user/rogerscenter

their education—listen to the children learn about

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them, learn from them.

Fred Rogers

300 Fraser Purchase Road l Latrobe, PA 15650-2690 E M A I L l info@fredrogerscenter.org l PHONE 724-805-2750 l FAX 724-805-2761 PUBLICATION No. 5