menuSince 1961 WETA has been a trusted partner in the DC community — a local touchstone for free, quality educational programming and activities. With deep roots in public education, WETA was founded to enrich the lives of the people of Greater Washington, and over the years we have developed educational resources that serve all local residents, including some of the most vulnerable and underserved. Learn more below about what we are doing and the impact we are having in our community.
WETA's Community Impact
WETA's Director of Community Engagement, Ferne Barrow, with the Cat in the Hat at Discover Engineering Day.
A teacher instructs a student at a Reading Rockets workshop sponsored by WETA Learning Media.
A student and caregiver complete a learning exercise at a WETA Ready To Learn workshop held at Lynbrook Elementary School in Springfield, Virginia.
WETA volunteers play games with young students at a WETA Kids event held at the D.C. Public Library.
Students from Campbell Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia give a big thumbs up during a visit from WETA Kids and the ever popular Clifford the Big Red Dog.
The Classical WETA Players entertain audiences at the Folger Shakespeare Library's Paster Reading Room at the Folger's annual open house.
PBS NewsHour staff instruct Student Reporting Labs participants in how to record interviews at a 2017 workshop at WETA.
Television & Radio Focused on Our Community
WETA TV 26 and Classical WETA 90.9 FM produce an impressive portfolio of television and radio programs especially for Washington-area audiences. From documentaries to performance specials, these programs explore the people, places and culture of our region, and highlight the best of the national capital region.
Learn more about WETA TV 26 local television productions →
Learn more about Classical WETA's productions →
Washington in the '80s
It was the decade of Reagan and Barry, the Wall and the Quilt, Go-Go and DC punk, the Air Florida crash and crack, a golden age for local media and sports.
Learn more →Educational Programs and Workshops
WETA is more than a television and radio station. We are also out in the community conducting educational workshops and programs for local students, parents, teachers and childcare providers of low-income children. Some of our current initiatives include:
Ready To Learn
WETA Kids' Ready To Learn program offers free literacy workshops, conducted in English and Spanish, throughout the national capital area.
Learn more →
Student Reporting Labs
Through PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, WETA partners with schools and after-school programs to train the journalists of tomorrow. Students build critical thinking, problem-solving, news literacy, media production and communication skills.
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Where Literacy Begins
WETA Kids' Where Literacy Begins project provides workshops for parents and other caregivers of children from birth to three. Each workshop is based on the milestones of early learning, and focuses on how to best nurture young children's development.
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Start with a Book
WETA Learning Media's Start with a Book initiative features free resources designed to build literacy skills and ward off summer learning loss. As a companion to the project, WETA conducts trainings with caregivers of at-risk youth in Alexandria and Arlington.
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WETA Kids Young Writers' Contest
Each spring, WETA Kids puts on a contest for K-3rd grade children in D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia to write and illustrate their own “books.” The top entries are recognized by the station online and through in-person events.
Learn more →
WETA Learning Media: Local Education Stories
WETA Learning Media's Reading Rockets, AdLit, Colorín Colorado, and Brainline initiatives frequently highlight the work of Washington, D.C., area students, educators, and caregivers.
Watch videos →Events
Year round, WETA and our partners bring people together to enjoy performances, screenings, discussions and other programs. These events offer opportunities to connect with others and learn.
Online Projects
WETA's online projects highlight the Washington area community and offer valuable educational resources to its residents.
Boundary Stones
WETA's local history blog uncovers the people and events of the past that have helped to shape our community.
Learn more →
BrainLine.org
WETA Learning Media's BrainLine.org multimedia project provides information and resources to Washington's military community and others across the nation who are living with traumatic brain injury.
Learn more →
ColorinColorado.org
ColorinColorado.org is WETA Learning Media's award-winning bilingual website that provides English language learning resources for parents and educators in Washington and across the nation.
Learn more →"WETA has saved my sanity and allowed me to feel like I have a connection with our world."
—Sara from Beltsville, Maryland
Our Impact
From helping to shrink the literacy gap for some of the youngest readers, to providing transformational education experiences for middle and high school students, and providing free, accessible bilingual learning resources, lesson plans and summer reading solutions, WETA is a true community partner in lifelong learning for the entire D.C. region. For more information on how we are making a difference, read our most recent WETA Report to the Community.
We Need Your Help
WETA can only do what we do with the help of local funding from individuals, foundations and corporations... and we need your support, too! Please help us continue to provide our local community with the best that public media has to offer – on TV, on the radio, online and on the ground. There are many opportunities to get involved and support WETA and we look forward to seeing you at one of our community events soon.
