ABC30/KFSN-TV Fresno Special ‘Children First: Distance Learning’ Airs Sunday, Sept. 27 (6:30 P.M. PDT)

Viewers Can Stream Live on ABC30’s Connected TV Apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku

ABC30/KFSN-TV Fresno, the No.1 source for local news in central California, will air “Children First: Distance Learning” on SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 (6:30 p.m. PDT). It will also stream live on ABC30’s connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple T, and Roku. Hosted by ABC30 anchors Landon Burke and Amanda Venegas, the half-hour special will examine how parents, students and educators are navigating remote learning.

From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers were tasked with implementing distance learning with many challenges. The sudden shift to homeschooling has many students and families feeling disconnected as they attempt to transition teaching through digital devices, navigate schedules, unfamiliar technology, and a digital divide in some communities, where many families don’t have computers or Wi-Fi access. Families and teachers alike are juggling a global pandemic combined with quite possibly, the largest disruption of education.

While there are drawbacks, ABC30 offers solutions. Burke and Venegas take a closer look at how students, parents and educators are navigating remote learning. The special shares how individuals and communities face these hardships and highlights inspiring stories. Featured stories include the following:

One rural school district in Tulare County is helping families stay connected with hotspots, electronic devices and becoming its own internet provider. Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District is in a farm working community where 97% of its students are socio-economically disadvantaged. ABC30 visits a school that’s providing translators for all teachers and gets details on Tulare County Office of Education’s plan to provide coverage to all 100,000 students in Tulare County.
Viewers will meet Carlanda Williams, known as the magical teacher who loves all things Disney. She shares her love for magic and Disney in her teaching of students at King Elementary in Southwest Fresno.
South valley volunteers are creating garden kits to help students with hands-on science lessons.

As ABC30 also looks at mental health, Dr. Jennifer Johnson from Valley Children’s Hospital shares valuable tips on how families can cope during the pandemic. The special will examine electronic screen time and provide guidelines of how much time children should be spending on electronics.

ABC30 has long been dedicated to covering the important challenges and opportunities among the youth in Central California. Children First is a year-round effort by KFSN. The program shows how the average person can make a difference in a child’s life and highlights local organizations working with children. The Children First campaign includes half-hour programs like “Distance Learning,” 30-second public service announcements and special stories that air on Action News. ABC30 thanks its partners Educational Employees Credit Union, Tulare County Office of Education, Valley Children’s Healthcare for putting Children First in the Central Valley.

About KFSN
KFSN-TV ABC30 is the No. 1 source for local news in central California, both online and on the air. The station has dominated the local news ratings in the San Joaquin Valley for decades as a leader in multiplatform audience engagement. KFSN-TV is an ABC owned television station based in Fresno, serving Fresno, Madera, Merced, Mariposa, Tulare and Kings counties.

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Media Contact:
Elita Fielder Adjei
(424) 247-3517
elita.adjei@disney.com