Seeing Stars

Editor’s Note: The inaugural Suncoast Remake Learning Days festival was a huge success, and we want you celebrate with us!

Gregg Behr, founder and co-chair of Remake Learning and co-author of When You Wonder, You’re Learning: Mister Rogers’ Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids will be present at two events.

1. Thursday, June 9 @ 4:00p–5:30p —Gregg Behr book signing & author talk. 
2. Friday, June 10 @ 8:00a–9:30a — Suncoast Remake Learning Days Appreciation Breakfast for those who participated this year or may participate next year.

Suncoast Remake Learning Days, a 10-day free regional learning festival, concluded on Saturday, May 7th, with the culminating event, Seeing Stars with The Bishop, at Robinson Preserve in Manatee County. This event, with representatives from The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature celebrating Astronomy Day with dozens of families, had us gazing at the Waxing Crescent Moon and looking for stars that are light-years from earth in a slightly overcast sky.

Over the 10-day festival, we didn’t have to look very far to see stars. One hundred sixty-five organizations came together to offer more than 140 free, fun, and engaging events for families in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. Each of these organizations is a star in our learning ecosystem.

[1.] The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in partnership with Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources had families gazing at the Waxing Crescent Moon at Robinson Preserve.

[2.] Visible Men Academy hosted STREAM Embraces Solar.

[3.] Solmart Media held La Voz de la Juventud at St. Jude Catholic Church.

[4.] Soar in 4 hosted and partnered on events throughout Manatee County, including BLOCKfest, Cinco De Mayo Fiesta with Partners in Play, Career Exploration with Manatee Technical College, Soar in 4 and the Teen Aircraft Factory Aviation Adventure, Soar in 4 Nature and Outdoor Learning Night, Soar in 4 Cardboard Challenge, BEE Aware: Discover the Wonder of Bees, and Technology & Tinkering.

[5.] Ric Romanoff talks to an aspiring pilot during Soar in 4 and the Teen Aircraft Factory Aviation Adventure.

[6.] Partners from Sunshine Community Compost taught families all about the wild world beneath our feet during SOIL.

Event hosts and partners were not the only stars on display during the week, our region’s families shone bright with the sparks of learning evident at each event.

Families experienced events associated with six different learning themes:

The Arts

• Sarasota Contemporary Dance explored creative movement and afro-modern dance during Metamorphosis: Exploring, Growing, and Creating with Sarasota Contemporary Dance.
• Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe guided families through The Creative Crafts of Theatre.

Maker Spaces

• Families created magnificent cardboard structures at Maker Spaces throughout the four-county region.
• At Viernes de CreAtividad en familia sponsored by CreArte Latino and UnidosNow, families created a mural.
• Suncoast Science Center/Faulhaber Fab Lab held a Breaker Space, with families taking apart computer printers.

Outdoor Learning

• Families learned about growing things at Plant your own Herbs! via Casa San Juan Bosco in partnership with 4-H.
• Soar in Four held a Nature and Outdoor Learning Night, and fort building was one of the popular events.
• Families got up close to flamingos and other birds at the Girl Scout sponsored Jungle Adventure at Jungle Gardens.

Science

• North Port Public Library guided families in messy science.
• Mote Marine Laboratory was present at several events sharing marine science with families all over the Suncoast.

Technology

• FUNducation introduced augmented reality and virtual reality to families during three different events on the Suncoast.
• Families at St. Joseph Catholic School experienced robotics in many different ways at several stations.
• Wilkinson Elementary School hosted many events during Suncoast Remake Learning Days including this one with a Da Vinci Robot families could experiment with.

Youth Voice

• 26 West Center, DL Randall Foundation, the 13^th Ave. Dream Center, Solmart Media, and Newtown Nation all presented events to lift up the voices and ideas of youth.

Thanks to the generosity of The Patterson Foundation and the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading’s dedicated Engagement Team, the inaugural year of Suncoast Remake Learning Days allowed all the event hosts, partners, and participating families countless moments to shine.