WQPT is your community partner for a variety of Educational Outreach Activities For more information on the following, please contact: Ana Kehoe, WQPT Outreach Director, at 309/764-2400 or e-mail: kehoea@bhc.edu.

Ready To Learn Workshops
WQPT has hosted more than 1,000 free workshops for parents, providers, teachers and kids over the past decade. Our workshops are the core of the Ready To Learn Initiative and provide “basic training” on child development, age appropriate programming, limited television viewing, reading strategies and hands-on activities. Ana Kehoe, WQPT Outreach Director, or Alvina (Al) Hansen, WQPT Outreach Assistant, can create a workshop for your group or classroom. Funding for Ready To Learn workshops, books and events is supported in part by: Anonymous, The Amy Helpenstell Foundation and the Mumford Family Foundation.

Library Workshops

During the year, WQPT offers special workshops for kids based on a PBS program such as WordGirl or Curious George. WQPT also hosts workshops for young writers with guidance to parents and kids on how to brainstorm, select vocabulary and edit copy.

Community Workshops
The Family Museum in Bettendorf offers classes to young children based on PBS programs, such as Bob the Builder, Curious George and Sid the Science Kid. For more information, please visit the Family Museum website. The Child Abuse Council and Red Cross of the Quad Cities are offering workshops and activity boxes called Play Safe, Stay Safe. Based on PBS programs and materials, the curriculum includes fun activities on fire, wheel and poison safety for preschool and early elementary children. For more information, contact the Child Abuse Council.

First Book
Since 1995, WQPT has provided over 100,000 free books to children whose families cannot afford them through the support of the First Book Program, a national initiative. The station works with selected schools and literacy programs to distribute these books to children who are from low literate, low income, English as second language, rural or special needs families.

Ready To Learn Conference
Each year WQPT and its partners sponsor an early childhood conference on a host of child development topics. Attendance is limited to 250 early childhood professionals. Details will be posted as the information becomes available.

Reading Rainbow Young Writer's & Illustrator's Contest
We're calling all kindergarten, first, second and third graders to participate in the 15th annual Reading Rainbow Story Contest for Young Writers and Illustrators! Each year WQPT and its partners, Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House, the Family Museum, and the Figge Art Museum invite area kids and classrooms to send us an original story. We select 16 winners (4 from each grade) to win local prizes, and first place winners will compete at the national level. In 2008, Jayda B. from Ed White Elementary in Eldridge, Iowa won third place in the national contest.

WQPT at the Ballpark

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Reading Adventures
WQPT participates in Reading Adventures, a community event hosted by the Quad City Times and supported by ALCOA, at the Scott County Fairgrounds in Davenport, Iowa. With the assistance of numerous volunteers, we have given away thousands of new books to all kids 12 and under.

Blossoms at Butterworth

Every June WQPT hosts the Children's Make ‘n Take Activity Tent on the beautiful grounds of Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House in Moline, Illinois. The event focuses on life during the Victorian Era with tours of the homes and gardens. For more information, visit the Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House.

Music on the Lawn

Each summer several thousand preschool and early elementary children gather for two live concerts on the lawn of the Deere-Wiman House in Moline, Illinois. WQPT participates by passing out activity sheets for these young music lovers.
For more information, visit the Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House.

Red Cross Family Safety Day

This community event that informs families on how to stay healthy and safe.
For more information, please visit the Red Cross of the Quad Cities.