As we look forward to Earth Day this month, I’m excited to announce a big development in our environmental education services. For the last two years, WHRO Public Media has been incorporating environmental education into the services we provide to schools and to our local community through the Batten Environmental Education Initiative. This all-encompassing initiative supports the development of a wide range of educational products including new digital courses, a student-oriented video series, an animated series for grades 3-5, and new environmental categories in several of our annual student competitions— placing WHRO at the forefront of environmental education in Hampton Roads and throughout the Commonwealth.
This year we’ve added a new Environmental Van to our lineup of outreach services! As you may know, we’ve had a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Van and a Literacy Van for several years. Prior to the pandemic, our educators were out in the community on a regular basis, visiting schools, libraries and community centers using the vans to provide educational programs and activities that encouraged literacy, science and math skills. You can read about the new Environmental Van and the curriculum our educators have created for it on page 10. Though in-person learning events are still restricted due to the pandemic, we are very excited for the day when we can get this van out to visit students throughout the region! We are also working on a new Environmental Science online course and a separate video course. Both of these resources will be made available to all high school students and educators across the Commonwealth for free.
Speaking of exciting activities for students, I am looking forward to this year’s Great Computer Challenge. This year’s competition is going virtual! This annual competition is an opportunity for young scholars to demonstrate their knowledge of various computer applications and programming skills. On May 15, students in grades 3–12 will compete via Zoom to show off their technology skills. Good luck to all the contestants!
And in other exciting news, congratulations to Martha Razor and our marketing team for winning a Public Media Award for the new digital series Martha Reads. The weekly program won in the category of “COVID-19 Marketing/Communications,” and has been steadily growing in popularity since it launched shortly after the start of the pandemic. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out on the WHRO Public Media Facebook page every Friday at 10 a.m.
Another program you may want to watch online is Downton Abbey. That’s right, it’s back! Thanks to support from our members, the program is returning to PBS! If you are a WHRO Passport member, you can stream all six seasons. Whether you are watching it for the first time, or just want to relive the magic, I hope you will tune in. If you are not yet a Passport member, you can learn about this exciting member benefit at whro.org/passport
Lastly, thank you to everyone who donated to our spring radio and television membership drives last month! Without you, none of the work we do would be possible. Thank you for your generosity!
Enjoy the spring!
Bert Schmidt President & Chief Executive Officer