Melissa Rayworth
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Pittsburgh
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Writer, editor, global traveler and frequent maker of essays, industrial furniture and, occasionally, children.
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Articles by Melissa Rayworth
Nominate your favorite school principal for the Penguins’ Most Valuable Principal (MVP) award
MVP season is here: The nomination period has begun for the Penguins’ Most Valuable Principal (MVP) program. Now through Nov. 20, local families, school personnel, students and community members are welcome to nominate an outstanding principal for this award. The Penguins are seeking 15 outstanding educators to honor this year.
No matter what career your child chooses, literacy is the core skill they need
Many people are struggling to find jobs that effectively pay their bills these days. It’s not that the jobs don’t exist: According to the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, for every 100 open jobs in our state, there are only 77 qualified workers are available to fill them. So what holds people back from qualifying for those jobs and getting hired? In many cases, it’s a lack of strong literacy skills.
NurturePA launches free, searchable 2026 Holiday Help Guide for Pittsburgh-area families
Families in Allegheny, Butler, Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette, Greene, and Lawrence counties have a new resource to make the holiday season easier. NurturePA, a Pittsburgh nonprofit that offers free text-based peer support to mothers (details here) has launched their free, searchable 2026 Holiday Help Guide. Find it at www.nurturepa.org/holiday-resources.
The Children’s Museum’s new exhibit brings the kindness of Mister Rogers, Daniel Tiger & Donkey Hodie to local families
Our region’s award-winning Children’s Museum has a new hands-on exhibit designed to help children explore what it means to be kind, curious, persistent, creative, collaborative and brave. Through play and discovery, little visitors to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh can begin to understand how they can build character through not only words, but by doing, sharing and reflecting.
At a recent Community Conversation, Northsiders explored ways to build better schools together
There’s a phrase that educators often use in the Pittsburgh area: Learning happens everywhere. In southwestern PA, our learning ecosystem brings together K-12 schools, youth-serving nonprofits, museums, cultural institutions and many more organizations, along with families — all of whom want the kids of this region to truly thrive. On Sept.
Remake Learning’s 2026 Assembly captured a powerful year of asking… “What If?”
Hundreds of Pittsburgh-area educators have been fueled by an extra dose of inspiration and energy, thanks to the Remake Learning Assembly. This annual gathering, held this year on Friday, September 25th, filled the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s campus with dozens of hands-on experiences and thought-provoking presentations from members of the region’s ever-growing learning ecosystem.
Unlocking the final frontier: This Moonshot project shows young learners the inspiring possibilities of STEM careers in space science
How did you kick off your summer? For families who attended a Remake Learning Days event hosted by STEMNetX, the answer was pretty awesome: They drove a miniature rover across the surface of Mars during an immersive VR/AR experience, while learning all about engineering, robotics and space science careers. The rovers at this May 29 event, created through a project called “Unlocking the Final Frontier,” were designed in Pittsburgh with funding from a 2025 Moonshot Grant awarded by Remake Learning.
Maker Monday: Kids can make an orange peel bird feeder
This week’s Maker Monday project gives new life to the peel of an orange while also helping feed our feathred friends. In this easy design, bamboo skewers give small birds a place to perch while eating birdseed. You’ll find the step-by-step instructions below. As with all Maker Monday projects, kids can do this with items you may have around the house or can pick up at a dollar store or grocery store. Just follow the step-by-step instructions below.
This weekend’s Slow Tech Festival could be exactly what your family needs
What if your family had more time, more connection and more of a chance to really pay attention to each other? The organizers of this weekend’s Slow Tech Festival know it’s possible, and they have suggestions that can help you make it happen. PA Unplugged, a statewide coalition working to restore real-world connection by helping everyone prioritize people over technology, is collaborating with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh to host this day-long, interactive event, happening Sunday, Sept.
Good readers make great employees. Here’s why.
As artificial intelligence reshapes the region’s business and employment landscapes with increasing speed, employees and employers alike are wondering: What skills, mindsets, and credentials will be most important tomorrow? Future-proofing Western Pennsylvania's workforce is no easy task. But in the age of AI, there’s one sure bet — and it’s as essential to business as it is to life.
Which family-friendly movies will you want to catch this fall? Kidsburgh has the details.
This summer went so fast that many families may not have had a chance to catch this summer’s hit movies. And with some fun family movies ahead this fall and winter, we decided to get some advice from our friends at The Lindsay. Here’s our latest chat with Josh Axelrod, a founding member of the Pittsburgh Film Critics Association and director of communications at the Lindsay Theater & Cultural Center in Sewickley, Kidsburgh: Plenty of families definitely went to the movies this summer.
Assemble’s Unicorn Palooza is coming and you’re invited
Have you ever been to Assemble? It’s a place where hands-on STEM learning is all about joy, creativity and connection. For 15 years, Assemble has been serving thousands of youth and their families through programs that blend science, technology, engineering, arts and math into learning experiences that give kids a chance to express themselves.
You can bring this Pittsburgh-connected wisdom to the global stage at SXSW EDU. Here’s how.
How can we give all kids the best possible teaching and learning experience, so that they can grow and thrive in our complicated world? In the Pittsburgh region, we’re lucky: We have a great many people who care about this question. And they don’t just think about it. They innovate, collaborate and test creative ideas, and they build meaningful answers.
5 things to know if you’re seeing developmental delays or your child has an autism diagnosis
What are the best steps to take if you are noticing developmental delays or your child has been diagnosed with autism? Sometimes, parents may be unsure where to begin or how to proceed. To learn more, Kidsburgh spoke recently with The Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh President and CEO Dr. Johanna Vidal-Phelan, who is both a pediatrician and the mother of a neurodivergent young adult.
The Carnegie Library’s Summer Reading Extravaganza is happening Aug. 9! We’ve got details.
How many books did Pittsburgh families read during this year’s Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) Summer Reading Challenge? You can find out on Sunday, Aug. 9, while celebrating the joy of reading during CLP’s annual Summer Reading Extravaganza. This year’s Extravaganza will run from noon to 5 p.m. indoors and outdoors at CLP’s main branch in Oakland (4400 Forbes Avenue), and as always it’s free to attend. The O’Connor family joined in the celebration at this year’s Pittsburgh Bookfest.
17 parks and playgrounds in the Pittsburgh region that families love (2026 edition)
Our Kidsburgh team loves gathering expert advice about all things kid-related. And we know that often, the very best experts are other parents. Earlier this summer, we posted in the popular Facebook group Pittsburgh Moms Connect to ask local mothers for their thoughts on the very best parks and playgrounds in the Pittsburgh area.
Do you or your kids want to create a zine? CMP and Public Source are here to help.
Is there a subject, place or idea that you and/or your kids would love to explore? And would you be interested in sharing what you find with others? The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh (CMP) and PublicSource have partnered in a new project that invites Pittsburgh-region folks of all ages (kids included!) to create “zines” — small, self-made booklets about any people, places or experiences that interest you.
Waste to Wealth: This school is creating its own eco-economy, and helping the community in the process
May planting photo at PHCSE courtesy of Remake Learning. Last summer, community members gathered at Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship (PHCSE) to meet a new addition to the school community: an artfully decorated, multitasking shipping container named Zeus.
Maker Monday: Kids can create their own Paper Puppets
This week’s Maker Monday project uses the art of origami to let kids design and create puppets from colorful paper. Some parents (or grandparents) may remember folding paper in this same way to make “fortune tellers” or “cootie catchers.” You’ll find all the instructions below to turn folded paper squares into puppets that resemble all kinds of creatures. Below you’ll see a green iguana (with sharp teeth!), but kids can dream up any creatures they wish. Maybe add a fin to make a shark.
Meet Your Neighbors event brought local educators together at Bella Terra Stables
Photo at Bella Terra Stables by Jade Hambrick for Remake Learning. Bella Terra Stables was born out of a deep understanding of community — how much we need real connection with others and how much is lost when we step away from it. Amber Power saw how horses were changing people’s lives in Washington, D.C., through her work at Rock Creek Park Horse Center.
Something in Common: Reimagining Civic Life, Together
How can Americans strengthen the fabric of our democracy? The Henry Luce Foundation actively grapples with this important question, most recently by launching a year-long “listening tour” that included a stop in Pittsburgh for an event called “Something in Common: Reimagine Civic Life, Together.” The foundation is committed to the renewal of the “civic square,” where citizens actively participate in their own governance and communicate directly and civilly with one another.
Tackling chronic absenteeism: At this year’s Pittsburgh Learning Collaborative Summit, collaboration was the key
As the school year was ending in May, the team at A+ Schools hosted their fourth-annual Pittsburgh Learning Collaborative Summit. A group of elected officials, school community members and many other folks from the 130+ member Pittsburgh Learning Collaborative convened that day with a shared priority: Continuing the work of making sure every student in Pittsburgh gets to school every day.
Women for a Healthy Environment marks a decade of progress toward cleaner water for Pittsburgh families
Ten years ago this summer, 81,000 Pittsburgh households received a worrisome letter about their tap water. High levels of lead had been found in 17% of samples. The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA, now called Pittsburgh Water) had exceeded the U.S. EPA Lead and Copper Rule (action level of 22 parts per billion), triggering widespread alarm and drawing comparisons to the lead crisis in Flint, Michigan.
These 4 Moonshot projects are building and supporting emerging learning ecosystems across the nation
Photo via Lancaster County STEM Alliance. Last year, researchers from the nonprofit Education Reimagined invited folks around the country to think back to their childhoods: Try to remember a person who was genuinely interested in helping you learn and grow, they said: “Tell us about someone who encouraged you and perhaps even helped you take the first, fledgling steps toward your future.” Who was it? Sometimes, the answer was a beloved classroom teacher.
Christmas is 6 months away, but PBT has news that will get you excited for holiday fun — even in the heat of summer
Watching the gorgeous spectacle of “The Nutcracker” at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) has been a tradition for many Pittsburgh-area families for generations. Kids and grownups look forward to the timeless story, the beautiful music, the skill of PBT’s principal dancers and the joyful energy of the student dancers who light up the stage each year.
3 crafty Pittsburgh-area kids are sharing their art (and learning entrepreneurship) at Bella’s Wishes Creative Arts Center in Ambridge
This week, on Wednesday, June 24, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m, three Beaver County-based artists will host a public art exhibit and meet-and-greet gallery event to showcase their latest creations and talk with potential buyers about their work. Surprisingly, the oldest of these artists, Connor , is just turning 13. His brother Oliver is 8, and the youngest artist showcasing her creativity — Andrea, known as Andie — is just 6 years old.
Just in time for Father’s Day, the Sperry x Todd Snyder x ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ collection celebrates Fred Rogers’ style
Know someone who embodies Fred Rogers’ kindness and neighborliness? This might just be the moment to give that person an iconic red zip-up sweater or a classic pair of Sperry sneakers. The menswear brand Todd Snyder and the footwear brand Sperry have collaborated with the folks at Fred Rogers Productions to offer a ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’-inspired collection of clothing available at ToddSnyder.com, Sperry.com, and at all Todd Snyder retail locations.
CLP’s Summer Reading campaign has begun. Here’s how your family can get involved.
Last summer, Pittsburgh-area families read a total of 145,774 books during the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) Summer Reading event. CLP has officially kicked-off its Grow: Summer Reading program for 2026 and the challenge is even bigger: The Library is encouraging the community to collectively read 160,000 books this year. “Reading helps us grow in so many ways,” said Andrew Medlar, President & Director, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
Remake Learning Days Youth Ambassadors loved this year’s learning experiences — and were glad to share them with you
Photo courtesy of Remake Learning Days. Joe Spak is wrapping up his sophomore year of high school at PPS Science and Tech Academy, where he works on his media creation skills. At school, he has access to Adobe Suite to create videos. At home, he has music production equipment.
Your guide to Pride Month events for kids and families
This story was originally published by Kidsburgh.org, a media partner of Pittsburgh’s Public Source. Kidsburgh is an online resource for families that highlights stories about the people, organizations and events making Pittsburgh a better place to raise all kids. Sign up for Kidsburgh’s free e-newsletter. Looking for Pride events in Pittsburgh that are great for families? There are tons of family-friendly events happening throughout June to celebrate Pride Month in our region.
The Women’s Center & Shelter’s Celebrating Survivors event spread awareness while honoring survivors and supporters
The recent Celebrating Survivors event hosted by the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh put a welcome spotlight on the many people in our community who lift up local women and support them as they cope with and survive domestic abuse. It was a moment “to publicly say to survivors, ‘We know that you are brave. We know you are on a journey. We believe you, support you. We want to be here with you.
A sense of belonging is growing within Southwestern PA schools, one House at a time
The Consortium for Public Education (CPE) has supported Pittsburgh’s educational ecosystem for more than three decades. In recent years, that support had a particular priority: fostering belonging among students and educators. Belonging is a vital foundation that helps people of all ages learn and grow. But nationwide, the picture isn’t pretty: Research released in 2022 found that nearly two-thirds of American adults didn’t feel that they belong at their workplace.
Your guide to Pride Month events for kids and families
Looking for Pride events in Pittsburgh that are great for families? There are tons of family-friendly events happening throughout June to celebrate Pride Month in our region. From a pop art-inspired prom to outdoor community parties and crafting fun, there’s a whole lot happening.
Pgh Book Fest is happening this weekend at CLP Oakland: Here’s your guide
Registration is now open for the 2026 Pgh Book Fest (formerly known as the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books), happening on Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This free, citywide event run by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is celebrating its fifth year. This year’s festival has even more space and programming that’s been designed through reader feedback and incorporates today’s most popular reading trends.
Your 2026 guide to free outdoor summer movies in the Pittsburgh area
After a cold, snowy winter, summer is finally arriving. Pittsburgh families can spend summer nights getting fresh air and bonding with kids at free movies in the parks throughout the region. Pack a few snacks and unwind in the evening with a couple of hours of movie viewing under the stars. Free movies run all summer long as part of Allegheny County Summer Movies in the Parks program and Citiparks’ Dollar Bank Cinema in the Park, as well as other programs.
Turning Pittsburgh into a Learning Lab
In southwestern Pennsylvania, learning really does happen everywhere. You can find a middle school tucked inside a museum. Universities collaborate with K-12 schools. And each spring, the world’s largest festival of hands-on learning invites kids and parents to learn side-by-side in parks, libraries, historical societies, theaters — even on farms and in laundromats.
You’re invited to join the Jerome Bettis Summer Reading Challenge!
The Pittsburgh region’s new “Won’t You Be a Reader?” campaign is bringing all kinds of fun and inspiration to local families. And one of the very best parts of this yearlong celebration is the Jerome Bettis Summer Reading Challenge. It’s a wonderful way to get your entire family excited about reading this summer… and you might just win four tickets to the first Steelers home game in September! Here’s how it works: To participate, your family must commit to reading 36 books between May 12 and Aug.
The new ‘Won’t You Be a Reader?’ regional literacy campaign brings free books, fun events and much more
Throughout this summer and fall, many Pittsburgh-region families will be answering “yes” to a very important question: Won’t you be a reader? A new regional literacy campaign called “Won’t You Be a Reader?” is launching on May 12 with the goal of inspiring a love of reading among Pittsburgh-area young people — and celebrating the champions who support them.
Best Books for Babies 2026: Check out the Carnegie Library’s expert recommendations and more
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) has announced its 2026 Best Books for Babies (BB4B) list, a carefully curated guide that helps caregivers bring early literacy to babies (newborns to 18 months) through the year’s top book picks. Each year since 1999, a group of local child development practitioners and librarians have gathered to review books published in the previous year and choose their top picks, based on a carefully developed set of 25 criteria.
Local educators met their neighbors and learned about workforce readiness at Junior Achievement
On a recent Tuesday morning, about a dozen educators peered through a doorway to watch a flurry of activity inside a UPMC medical office. Just steps away, they watched employees inside a tiny Giant Eagle outpost managing inventory, then listened as a team at a Cochran car dealership discussed sales. Meanwhile, a group of FedEx employees hurried by, delivering packages to a dozen other local businesses — or, well, “businesses” — all being run by kids.
Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank celebrates a decade of healthier babies and a new home in Bellevue
The Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank is marking its 10th birthday with a community celebration at its future home in Bellevue on May 2. (You’re invited: Here are the details.) Amid all the live music, face painting and birthday cake, and the groundbreaking on their expanded workspace, the Milk Bank team will be celebrating some incredible milestones for the Pittsburgh community.
Remake Learning Days 2026: Your guide to 270+ local hands-on learning events, nearly all of them free!
It’s here! The Remake Learning Days (RLD) festival returns to the Pittsburgh area with three full weeks of hands-on learning events where kids and grownups can make discoveries, experiment and create cool things together. There are more than 270 events happening in our area, and nearly all of them are free.
Kidsburgh’s family guide to NFL Draft Week: What’s happening, what’s closed and much more
It’s finally here: You’ve probably heard that this year’s NFL Draft, which brings the best college players into the NFL, is happening in Pittsburgh this week. The Draft Theater and Main Stage are set up on the North Shore outside Acrisure Stadium. The free fan festival — called the NFL Draft Experience — is happening Downtown at Point State Park, Thursday through Saturday. Along with the official NFL events, there are also additional events planned by local organizations.
Continuing the Mission: Two Moonshot projects reimagine life after high school
Traditionally, many students spend their final year of high school taking a handful of required classes while waiting to leave for college, enter a trade or begin their job hunt. They hover in a holding pattern between their past and their future. For those unsure about what’s ahead, the first year after graduation can be a time of even more confusion — especially if they’re only familiar with the jobs they see in their own neighborhood.
NurturePA expands Mom-to-Mom texting service sharing support and encouragement
Free, real-time judgment-free parenting support is now available to mothers throughout Pennsylvania. NurturePA 's free texting service connects mothers with trained volunteer peers who have experience raising their own kids through the early years. These women offer encouragement, information about local resources and a kind, listening ear. With the convenience of texting, this support is available to moms of young kids whenever and wherever they need it.
The Kidsburgh Podcast is up for another Best of the 'Burgh award! Hear all 36 episodes right here.
Parents are busy, and often multitasking. When the Kidsburgh team decided to launch a podcast in 2024 (with serious tech support from our talented partners at SLB Radio), our goal was to create inspiring, informative and fun episodes that parents and kids could listen to together.
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy's new Trackchair program lets everyone enjoy local trails
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has plenty to celebrate this year: The organization has reached its 30th anniversary, and is also marking 10 years of the Frick Environmental Center and 20 years of Schenley Plaza. Among the new resources that families will discover at the Parks Conservancy's free Decade of Discovery event at the Frick Environmental Center on April 18 is the Trackchair program, which was created to expand outdoor access for people with mobility challenges.
These 3 Moonshot projects are equipping Pittsburgh youth with tools to create their own future
What kinds of programs can give students the tools they need to lead? What kinds of real-world learning experiences will boost student agency in meaningful ways? Last year, Remake Learning awarded Moonshot Grants to three programs thinking boldly about these questions. In creative ways, each one helps students to deconstruct and make use of aspects of the world around them.
3 Moonshot projects connect underrepresented students with career learning
Students were busy concentrating during the Unified eSports Invitational at Fox Chapel School District last May, hoping to earn victories for their teams. Dr. Megan Collett was equally busy, ensuring that the multiple school districts that had gathered for this competitive event had everything they needed.
Great ideas for keeping kids busy when school is out
After a long and icy winter, spring break finally arrives for many school districts next week. No matter the weather on a given day, spring is finally here and summer isn't far behind. If you're staying in town, there are plenty of options for keeping kids busy (and maybe sneaking in a bit of learning, too). Workshops and Drop-in Fun: Check out Kidsburgh's calendar for cool things happening throughout next week. Among the fun you'll find: Explore the full calendar for many more options.
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