Arkansas PBS > Engage > Pressroom > AETN announces Greenbrier teacher selected for 2014 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators Program

AETN announces Greenbrier teacher selected for 2014 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators Program

Posted 11 Apr 2014

The Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) has announced that Sarah Jerry of Greenbrier Eastside Elementary School is one of the 100 educators selected for the 2014 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators program. The program rewards tech-savvy K-12 educators from across the country who are serving as leaders in the education technology space and incorporating digital media in classrooms to promote student engagement and achievement with year-long, hands-on and virtual professional development opportunities.

"AETN is proud to recognize Sarah Jerry for her dedication to truly changing the way students learn through technology and digital media," AETN Director of Education Bryan Fields said. "We are honored to provide educators with one-of-a-kind resources, tools and trainings that will further enhance their skills and enable them to share these skills with other educators in Arkansas."

Jerry is the GT specialist at Greenbrier Eastside Elementary, and next year she will be the Greenbrier Junior High School assistant principal.

"The best part of being in education is definitely inspiring students to find their passion for learning," Jerry said. "I strive to research and utilize strategies that allow students to be enthusiastically engaged daily.

"My goal is to empower my students to go beyond assigned classroom activities in order to take ownership of their own learning."

Jerry's favorite AETN PBS LearningMedia resource is the PBS Math Club. She said she loves how the videos are aligned with Common Core Standards, can be used at home or school, and make learning entertaining for students.

The 2014 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators will receive year-long professional development opportunities that include virtual trainings, access to premium and exclusive resources, and invitations to special events. In addition, the top 16 applicants will serve as leads of the program and will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., to participate in a two-day digital education summit where participants will engage in hands-on learning, collaborate with peers and hear from digital technology thought leaders.

PBS LearningMedia received hundreds of applications from leading teachers throughout the U.S. and its territories. An esteemed group of judges selected the 100 educators based on submissions of videos and written essays that addressed how they are leading innovation in digital teaching in their classrooms and schools.

As America's largest classroom, PBS provides digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life for teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade. PBS LearningMedia, a partnership of PBS and WGBH Educational Foundation, is a free, media-on-demand service offering educators access to the best of public media by delivering research-based, classroom-ready, digital learning experiences to engage students in exploring curriculum concepts that align with National and Common Core State Standards. Nationwide, more than 1.4 million teachers have registered access to more than 35,000 digital resources available through PBS LearningMedia. More information about PBS LearningMedia is available at pbslearningmedia.org.

The Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) is Arkansas's statewide public television network that enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. For more information, visit aetn.org, or follow the AETN blog at aetn.org/engage. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), and KETZ (El Dorado).