WQPT Quad Cities PBS has hired Melissa Gravert to fill its vital educational outreach position.
As education director, she will oversee the public TV station’s outreach initiative and activities, Summer of Possibilities library visits, First Book Club, Ambassador program and community outreach.
Gravert brings a wealth of experience to WQPT, including a Master of Science Education in Elementary Education degree from Marshall University in West Virginia. She also has degrees from Western Illinois University and Scott Community College. Most recently, she was a teacher and librarian at Washington Elementary in Moline.
In 2012, Gravert served as a WQPT PBS Ambassador, a program she will now oversee. Ambassadors are a more highly trained extension of the WQPT volunteer force representing the station at fairs, community and fundraising events and on television. It is also a way for college students to fulfill their schools’ volunteerism requirements while making a difference in the community.
During Gravert’s teaching career, she implemented several special events, including Read Across America (National Education Association), and Family Reading Night and Literacy on the Lawn.
“I am incredibly excited to serve as the new WQPT PBS Education Director. I intend to apply the skills and expertise gaining during my 10 years of public education experience to serve families throughout the station’s viewing area in this new role,” Gravert said in a station release. “We will link PBS Kids’ exceptional programming with high-quality inclusive children’s literature during our events, in addition to fun, hands-on activities.”
For a list of locations that WQPT will be visiting this summer, visit . WQPT is a public media service of Western Illinois University.
