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education front and centerFROM POLICY MAKERS TO SCHOOL LEADERS,TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES, AMERICANSARE ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR TRANSFOR-MATIONAL EDUCATION REFORM. THE STAKESARE HIGH FOR THE FUTURE OF THE NEXTGENERATION, AND PUBLIC MEDIA IS COMMITTEDTO DOING MORE. WGBH IS DEPLOYING ITSKNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES ON TWOCRITICAL FRONTS: AS LEADERS IN CHILDREN’SEDUCATIONAL MEDIA, WE ARE WORKINGELBOW-TO-ELBOW WITH EDUCATORS TOCREATE INNOVATIVE CURRICULA. AND ASJOURNALISTS, WE ARE HEIGHTENING AWARE-NESS AND HELPING INFORM SOLUTIONS.Tackling the Dropout CrisisOne in four US high school students fails to graduate—with a ripple effectthat weakens our economy, national security, and social fabric. WGBH’sFrontline has trained its powerful lens on the dropout crisis, helping launcha national conversation about this all-important issue. Our efforts are part of anational, multi-year campaign—American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen—supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.Dropout Nation, Frontline’s 2012 two-hour chronicle of life at Houston’sSharpstown High School, galvanized public interest through real-life stories ofwhat it takes to keep at-risk kids in high school until graduation. Frontline’sshort film Middle School Moment took viewers through the corridors of MiddleSchool 244 in the Bronx, where the early identification of dropout-prone studentsis making a real difference. Both documentaries demonstrate the need forcomprehensive, personalized support from teachers and staff.To broaden the impact of these films, WGBH put its muscle behind asignificant outreach effort. We collaborated with an American Graduate networkof 75 public broadcasting stations in 30 states and developed educational materialsfor community screenings. In partnership with City Year, we hosted an interactivevirtual screening of Middle School Moment for the organization’s national affiliates.We also raised awareness locally, with a seven-hour television broadcast that helpedviewers connect with community resources, and an 89.7 WGBH special report ona dropout intervention program at Brockton High School.smart and smarterHigh School Quiz Show, WGBH’s high-octane academicchallenge program for teams from across Massachusetts,is back and bigger for Season 4. The Bay State winnerwill face off against the victor of New Hampshire PublicTelevision’s Granite State Challenge. And the learningopportunities don’t stop there: a pilot video productionapprenticeship gives Boston Public School students andCity Year corps members the skills to create short videosthat build excitement around the show.42%OF HOUSEHOLDSTHAT WATCH WGBH’SCHILDREN’S SERIES AREAFRICAN AMERICAN ORHISPANIC—AN IMPORTANT,UNDERSERVED AUDIENCE1MILLIONFANSHAVE JOINED ARTHUR’SFACEBOOK PAGE, GIVINGTHE WGBH LITERACY SERIESTHE LARGEST FAN BASEAMONG PBS KIDS’ SHOWS86%OF PARENTSWHOSE CHILDREN WATCHWGBH’S CURIOUS GEORGE,AMERICA’S TOP-RATEDTV SERIES FOR KIDS 2 TO 5,ARE MORE COMFORTABLEHELPING THEIR CHILDREN LEARNSCIENCE/MATH CONCEPTS“I KNOW I’M ABETTER TEACHER. . .”California high school science teacherSCOTT KUTZ says his teaching careerchanged course when he attended aconference showcasing Design Squad,WGBH’s award-winning engineeringseries for tweens and teens. Kutz creditsthe series with giving him the media toolshe needed to engage his students inhands-on problem solving. It even ledhim to introduce a new course at hisschool, with impressive results.One of his students was so excited aboutKutz’s Design Squad-inspired approach thatshe designed and built a self-compostingharvest bin that took top honors in astatewide competition. “I know I’m a betterteacher now that we have Design Squadin our curriculum,” he says. “It’s openedstudents’ minds to a new world of learning.”Now Design Squad Nation, WGBH’s Webspin-off from the TV series, is invitingkids to connect with engineering via theirindividual passions—from fashion to sportsto cars—and to advance from “Newbie”to “Phenom” status by contributing theirideas and creations to the Design SquadNation website. In 2012, the Web seriespicked up an Emmy® Award for itsinnovative approach.2 WGBH ANNUAL REPORT 2012 | 2013 3