MOLINE, IL - WQPT, the Quad Cities Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) station, has announced Michael Carton has joined the station as the new director of education and outreach.
Carton has been a teacher for seven years, most recently as a first grade teacher at Frances Willard Elementary. He is a graduate of Western Illinois University, with a degree in elementary education, and is the recipient of the 2015 Master Teacher Award from the Dispatch Argus Newspaper. He has also been honored by PBS with a Teachers Innovator Award.
Carton began his association with WQPT as a member of the first class of WQPT/PBS Ambassadors in 2004. Since that time, he has remained a committed volunteer, most recently earning the National Friends of Public Television Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award for his work on WQPT's new special event for families, Imagination Station. WQPT chose Carton as its Volunteer of the Year in 2009.
"I am really looking forward to this opportunity to reach more students in my new role with WQPT," said Carton. "I have had the good fortune of teaching 30 first graders, but this job gives me the ability to make a difference to even more people, from pre-school through adults."
"Michael is a seasoned professional who will combine strengths of classroom teaching with the power of PBS programming for the benefit of all children in our region, expanding that vision to include learners of all ages," said Mary Pruess, WQPT general manager. "We are delighted to welcome him to our team."
Carton succeeds Ana Kehoe, who spent 20 years in the WQPT position, retiring last year.
WQPT is a media service of Western Illinois University. For more information, visit http://wqpt.org/.
