It looks quite different this year with the whole event being held online, but we are thrilled that we can still offer middle school students from across the area an opportunity to compete for the regional title. The winner will advance to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. In this month’s cover story you can meet three of the many dedicated people who are involved in making this event a success each year. I hope that next year we can return to our usual in-person, televised competition, but for this year—good luck to everyone competing online!
Speaking of television, we have some exciting programs lined up for you this month. The seventh season of Finding Your Roots has already featured several well-known figures including Glenn Close, John Waters and Andy Cohen exploring the history of their family trees. One of their episodes this month features someone with a history in our area. Pharrell Williams will join Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. to explore his roots. The renowned musician is from Virginia Beach and is very philanthrophic in our region. Watch the episode on February 16 at 8 p.m.
Also starting February 16, and featuring Dr. Gates, is a two-part documentary series The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song. Gates takes viewers on a journey through the rich and complex history of the Black church to reveal how this uniquely American institution has influenced nearly every chapter of the African American story. The series airs on Tuesdays, February 16 and 23 at 9 p.m. In other exciting news, we continue to make updates to our WHRO Public Media App. This free app is a one-stop destination for all your public TV and radio content. For WHRV and WHRO FM listeners, it provides access to our live radio streams and locally—produced radio shows. It also offers the latest NPR news articles and audio segments, lets you pause and rewind live audio and view the program schedule. For WHRO TV viewers, the app gives access to a large selection of the WHRO and PBS programs you love, including hundreds of hours of your favorite programs on demand through WHRO Passport. Learn more and download it at whro.org/apps
Lastly, thank you for your continued support of the work we do. I am excited about all the programs and services we will be able to provide this year because of your generous contributions. Without you, none of it would be possible. Thank you for being a part of public media in Hampton Roads!
Bert Schmidt President & Chief Executive Officer