On Board Online • April 6, 2026
By Sara Foss
Special Correspondent
State initiatives tied to the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution include the Tapestry of New York, a digital quilt to be created by schoolchildren across New York. Students will be invited to create quilt squares in a variety of media - painting, collage, photography, video, etc.
New York City-based public television station WNET will lead the digital quilt project. Students will be invited to write statements about the images they contribute, explaining why they created those particular images. The digital quilt is open to submissions from students in grades K-12, but there will be a particular focus on students in grades 4, 7 and 11, when the American Revolution is taught in New York schools.
The quilt will showcase creativity, promote civic engagement and "help students from across the state see themselves in our history as we commemorate the 250th," said Sandy Goldberg, education director at WNET. "We want the tapestry to truly represent our state and to celebrate the creativity of students in our communities."
WNET will also collaborate with art and social studies teachers to develop a toolkit for teachers to support them as they assist students with their submissions. The station will also conduct a series of webinars in partnership with other local public TV stations, museums, libraries and BOCES to provide a "deep dive" into the Tapestry project, Goldberg said.
"We want to work closely with partners across the state to get students and teachers excited to participate," Goldberg said.
The online platform for the digital quilt and the complementary toolkit will launch in early June and remain open for submissions through December. Officials at the State Education Department say they expect most schools to submit their quilt squares in the fall, when the Revolution is typically taught. For a preview of the platform, which is under construction, visit Tapestryofny.org. WNET will pilot the digital quilt project in April and May; on the website, teachers can sign up to participate. "Your students' work will serve as models for classrooms across New York," the website states.