This is the fourth consecutive year that WHRO has won multiple NETA Awards, showcasing the talent and hard work of our staff members.

WHRO won in two different categories: Community Engagement and Instructional Media, thanks to the Vietnam War Community Initiative and Guardians of Jamestown 1619.

Guardians of Jamestown 1619
This series teaches students about the seminal events that are the focal point of the Virginia Commonwealth's 2019 commemoration -- the first representative legislative assembly in the New World; the first recorded arrival of Africans to English North America; the recruitment of English women in significant numbers; the first official English North America Thanksgiving, and the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of the Virginia Colony.The Guardians of Jamestown 1619 series consists of a short introduction, six longer topical videos, and an epilogue targeted to fourth and fifth grade classrooms. Teachers and parents can access the video series online.

What Did the Judges Say?
The videos were fun and engaging. I loved the use of music and the goofy paper animation. I imagine the kids would like that, too. The story-lines and introduction of archaeological science were engaging for this age group and the father-daughter relations were touching.

The lesson plans are full of great resources and classroom activities to make this attractive to teachers. I especially loved the primary source collections and their connection to archaeological and social studies concepts.

The results reported were impressive, and Guardians deserved its Emmy nomination. This is a well-produced series of learning objects and extremely comprehensive lesson plans with other resources for teachers. This is typical of the fine work I have seen from WHRO over the years. I hope it turns up in PBS LearningMedia. I can see that students across the US could benefit from this resource.

 

The Vietnam War: Honor Their Service, Honor Their Memory
Hampton Roads is home to the world’s largest military naval base as well as all five branches of the military and NATO’s Allied Command Transformation, U.S. Joint Forces Command. WHRO employs veterans and has many retired veterans in volunteer roles, including board members. We felt it was essential to continue WHRO’s work around veterans’ issues and create distinctive and meaningful opportunities for engagement. As the years move us further and further away from the realities of the Vietnam war, it is important to keep alive the memories of those who sacrificed for us, and to honor those who returned home to an unwelcoming nation. See more photos and videos from this initiative at vietnam.whro.org.

What did the Judges Say?
I am overwhelmed at the complexity and multi-dimensional approaches taken to support three screenings of the The Vietnam War. Increasing the community's knowledge about the war through individual perspectives, presenting them as real people as well as members of the military, and encouraging the community at large to become engaged is truly exemplary.

This was an excellent combination of events, outreach, and education activities. Utilizing unique venues and specific programs to weave these stories is exceptional. From the Buddhist temple gathering to the graffiti project , the live readings, to the Telling Project along with the Traveling Wall exhibit with collection of Stories From the Wall -- all were Norfolk-unique. 

This was a fantastic project. Every detail in this community engagement was executed according to the goals set forth. This project goes to the core of the mission of pubmedia at its best. Convening the entire station with the veterans community and their families and including the Vietnamese community in creating a community dialogue was a feat that WHRO executed in grand style. Bravo!

 

• 
•