A larger-than-life statue of Fred Rogers, perhaps as large as his magnetic personality, stands watch over the confluence of our three rivers from its North Shore location. Pittsburgh is, and always will be, Mister Rogers’ neighborhood. Most Pittsburghers, along with children across the nation, were raised on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and his influence  is evident in every corner of the city still today. Local institutions such as the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and the Heinz History Center continue to curate collections that celebrate the life and work of Fred Rogers, from cardigans and puppets to the original television sets. Fred Rogers Productions is still based in Pittsburgh and continues to create educational content based on his philosophies, while the Fred Rogers Institute provides resources for those with a love of early childhood education in his hometown of Latrobe. Even during Rogers’ lifetime, his influence spread beyond our city. Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood was a staple in homes across the country and changed the way children learned at home. Not only did Rogers pique the natural curiosity of kids through imaginative play and heartfelt conversations, he also broke down societal barriers and advocated for public education throughout his entire career — all inspired by his belief that many issues can be solved by simply being a good neighbor. When accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmys in 1997, Rogers said, “All of us have special ones who have loved us into being.”  For a new crop of educators and content creators, Rogers himself is one of those special ones who loved them into being. Rachel Accurso, known to her young fans as Ms. Rachel, hosts a wildly popular early childhood show on YouTube and Netflix and was recently named Woman of the Year by Glamour. Accurso has a solid background in education, with graduate degrees in both music education and early childhood development from New York University and the American College of Education, respectively.  As her star has risen, the Maine native has repeatedly cited her relationship with Fred Rogers via her childhood television set as formative. In a recent Washington Post article, Accurso said, “I revere him as a saint,” and notes that the comparison humbles her at every turn.  “I loved Mister Rogers. I still love him. He’s been a big guide and hero of mine,” Accurso told Glamour in an interview for her Woman of the Year award. “PBS meant so much to me as a kid. I watched a lot of TV. I mean, having a single mom who’s working a lot, we turned on the TV a lot, and I learned a ton from PBS, and I turned out okay.”  Accurso has been in the spotlight recently due to her advocacy for the children of Gaza, which she does not see as political but as moral. She references times Fred Rogers broke down barriers and stereotypes, such as the infamous episode where he soaks his feet in a baby pool with Black police officer François Clemmons. The quiet act was, at the time, a revolutionary stand against racism and division. Rogers framed it as simply being neighborly.  “Fred Rogers led by example,” Danielle Lenzer, Senior Director of Education, Learning, and Research at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, tells Pittsburgh City Paper.”When he shares that soak in a pool with the police officer, it has a kind of intimacy. That moment of kindness and closeness with somebody who is visibly different than him modeled, for us, kindness and acceptance.”  Jane Werner, the long-serving Executive Director of the Children’s Museum, had a close personal relationship with Rogers and his wife, Joanne. Lenzer says that collaboration and mentorship helped to shape the museum into what it is today. “Fred Rogers remains a real touchstone for us in our approach and our values, and you can see evidence of our relationship with Mister Rogers throughout the museum.” Lenzer says many visitors have an emotional response to the original puppets the museum has on display. “People walk in and see these familiar characters from their own childhood; it’s often grandparents and parents, and they remember something of what it was like to be a child learning new things and becoming who they are, growing daily.”  Inside the Mister Rogers exhibit at the Heinz History Center Credit: Courtesy of the Heinz History Center At the Heinz History Center, home to the original sets and other artifacts from the PBS show, guests have a similar emotional encounter with their childhood memories. Since the museum first received the artifacts in 2013, thousands of guests have traveled down memory lane — specifically, to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.  “His legacy and influence on generations of children were known to me, but I have learned a lot about how much work and research he put into every show and his close working relationship with people like Margaret McFarland, who was a leading expert on childhood development,” Emily Ruby, senior curator, tells City Paper. Ruby says that planned expansions to the Heinz History Center will allow her team to display more of the artifacts from his career — right now, only part of the set is displayed due to space constraints. “We will have more of the set on display, but also more space to explore who Fred the man was, and to talk about his impact, as well as have a space for children and caregivers to interact and play together — something Fred thought was essential for healthy development.”  Rogers was famous for saying that “play was the work of childhood, so the new expansion will honor that belief.   “The show really brought together all of his passions and talents,” adds Ruby. “He was a trained musician, theologian, and expert on childhood development, and these were all brought into the show. He was a real pioneer in the field of children’s television as well, and he wanted to make sure this medium was used responsibly and for the benefit of children.”  In addition to Ms. Rachel, other notable early childhood creators regularly cite Rogers as an inspiration. Mychal Threets, the new host of a Reading Rainbow reboot co-produced by Buffalo Toronto Public Media, also credits Fred Rogers as inspiration for his career. Threets recently told the New York Times, “I’m the biggest fan of [original Reading Rainbow host] LeVar Burton, of Mr. Rogers, of Steve Irwin, of Bob Ross — all the wholesome people in the world.” Four new episodes of Reading Rainbow are now available on the YouTube channel Kidzuko for a new generation of young readers.  Other notable public educators, such as Arielle Fodor (also of Latrobe and known as Ms. Frazzled to her followers) and musician Raffi Cavoukian continue to be inspired by Rogers and his approach to learning. Cavoukian was honored with the Fred Rogers Integrity Award in 2006.  And of course, Fred Rogers Productions continues to innovate and create in honor of Rogers, right here in Pittsburgh’s South Side. Producing popular shows including Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Alma’s Way, and Peg + Cat, all draw on the well-researched and evidence-based work of Rogers to teach empathy, kindness, and how to be a good neighbor.  “Through the songs and scripts he created, the intentional format of his show, and his calm and sincere performance, Fred Rogers was able to translate complicated child development theories into easy-to-understand and affirming messages — life lessons that resonate with all of us, young and old,”  Paul Siefken, President and CEO of Fred Rogers Productions, tells CP.  Siefkin says Rogers recognized the power of television to inspire people, which is why Fred Rogers Productions continues the work it does today — both on-air and in the local Pittsburgh community through partnerships and regular events. “He was committed to using this powerful medium to, as he said, ‘give an expression of care, each day, to every child,’ ‘to make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable,’ and ‘to show and tell what the good in life is all about.’”As to those current early childhood educators being credited with stepping into Rogers’ famous Converse or Sperry tennis shoes, they are largely humbled and honored. “I can’t accept the comparison because it’s just too much pressure,” Accurso told Glamour, “But I am so honored to be in the same sentence as him because I really love him. I think a lot about his kind of prayerful life.” The post Via Ms. Rachel, Reading Rainbow, and more, Mister Rogers is still guiding young learners appeared first on Pittsburgh City Paper | News, Dining, Music, Best Of, Arts, Film. ...read more read less