Leadertship Toledo, Media Day, Part B

As I mentioned in part A, the Leadership Toledo Media Day, started at WGTE Public Broadcasting station.

I was amazed at all they do. I just thought they were a TV station.



Not only do they have several TV and radio stations, but they also provide a huge educational component to the community. They do this in several ways.

Of course, their programming is focused on the gathering and producing of local history, especially in relation to larger events. A program that is already produced and ready to broadcast on Feb 28 is about how World War II affected the Toledo population at the local level. Many citizens were interviewed of which a smattering will make it to the screen. Even so, the history has been documented for future citizens to refer to.

Another educational component is how the station supports the professional development of teachers, especially with the use of technology. Not only do teachers gain skills in how to use technology in their classrooms (Smartboards, class websites, digital photography, Internet safety) but they can also access a whole library of topics to use for lessons with their students. There is a 75 page printed media guide that lists just about any topic known to man. Subject headings include everything from African American Studies to Women's Studies with Art, Science, Careers and Health just a few in-between. Some listings are just the video and others are "kits" including student activity books, books and something called manipulatives!

And this is all free!

Another initiative is the reading program that they are working on. They are one of five stations nationwide chosen for this grant. They have produced a children's program called Word World (say that fast five times!) and also have a program for early childhood reading development and the parents of these children. Their statistics show that the children they are reaching in this program have been read to a TOTAL of 24 hours when they begin school. You say, "24 hours, that sounds like a lot?" Think about it. That's over a minimum of five years, probably closer to six for most children. Do the math. That is somewhere between 4 - 4.8 hours PER YEAR. ONLY ONE HOUR EVERY THREE MONTHS. (Advantaged children usually have been read to in the range of 1500 - 1700 hours when they start school.)

Of course, much of the funding for a public broadcasting station comes viewers just like you and me. Little did I know how far those dollars stretch.

My year in Leadership Toledo is certainly helping to know where stuff is in Toledo. What I didn't realize that I'd find out was the depth of what each entity offers.

By the way, Leadership Toledo is having their annual breakfast on March 7. It would be a super opportunity for you to find out more about this wonderful organization. You do need to have a reservation to attend. If you are in the NW Ohio area and would like to attend email me at debby@cnpofohio.com.

Book Report from Paradise

As you all know, my job on vacation is to read up a storm.


Here are this year's results:



Citizen Vince by Jess Walter- I picked this up from the bargain table at Barnes & Noble. Not the type I'd usually read - intrigue and murder, but I was trying to diversify my choices this year. OK, story. Probably a reason it was on the less than $5 table.




Sellevision by Augusten Burroughs - I have now read all his books. Hurry up and write some more Augusten! He is so bad that he's good. I don't mean bad, as in a bad writer, but in all his stories. He makes me laugh out loud, cause he does the things that I wish I had the guts to do. This book is more fiction than his others, which are memoirs, but I'm sure this book came from bits and pieces of his life. This book has no redeeming qualities. But I would read anything Augustine writes.




The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger - I actually listened to this on the plane. It got me through the seven hours of flying so that I wasn't grumpy when I arrived. It was sort of like People Magazine for my ears. I have heard that this is based a real life. H-m-m-m, I would have lasted about two seconds at that job.





Atonement by Ian McEwan - Whew! I almost threw this down more times than not. And I only continued cause I had several more days of vacation and only one more book yet to read after it. Finally after 148 pages it got good. But good grief, Ian likes to string out lots of flowery phrases and repeat himself. Sometimes I wondered if I'd fallen asleep and was reading the same paragraph over again, but no, it was a new paragraph, just rehashing a previous paragraph. I don't usually like reading about war stories, but the writing of the time where the Brits were retreating to Dunkirk (during WWII) was skillfully done. I'm glad I didn't let this book get the best of me, but I must admit that I'm a little hesitant to read anything else by this man.


Sixteen Pleasures by Robert Hellenga - Well, it was okay. I liked the whole premise around the story; antique book conservation with a sub-plot of religious political in-fighting, but the story was too tidy. I kept expecting some twist or turn or surprise to happen, but it was pretty straight and narrow.



What's this all have to do with networking. Well, any good networker shares knowledge with others. But in addition, I thought about how an author through his or her writing can establish a relationship with the reader...or not!

In the case of Augusten Burroughs, I want long term and conversely, Ian McEwan, I am leaning towards no relationship at all.

Who is your favorite author and why does that person engage you?

Awful Stats

I'm back.

Whew! The time flew by, until yesterday, when I traveled for 20 straight hours to get home in one day (well, it actually lapped over into the next day.) That's a story for another post.

As always the other guests were part of the fun.

We first met Nancy and Russ from Chicago on our boat trip down the Sierpe River. They were on the boat for a bird watching trip and then made a detour to pick us up at the small boat dock. The next day, Nancy and Russ spent the day at San Josecito beach with Steve and me. We spent time getting to know each other and we hiked to the next beach (about a twenty minute jaunt and then swam up the Rio Claro River to a special spot that we know about. After a short climb we showed them a very beautiful grotto and waterfall. We don't show this to everyone, just special people!


But what I will remember forever is a conversation that Nancy and I had about her volunteer efforts with her dog in the inner city of Chicago. The dog is a mutt, but a well-trained mutt, because he helps the children in this program to learn to read better by just being a dog. Nancy said that many times a child will jump two grade levels in reading during the eight weeks in the program.

That's great, but here is the part that touched me. She said that those who plan for future prison needs, look at the number of illiterate third graders today (or whenever they are doing the planning) and then interpolate that into the number of prison cells they will need in the future.

Illiterate third graders of today, become prisoners of tomorrow.

Talk about investing in the future and making a long term commitment to our communities.

This conversation with Nancy happened on the very first day of vacation, but I can tell you that it will ring in my heart for many years to come.

Thanks, Nancy, for making a difference.

I have plenty more to share. But tell me, how do you think we can change these statistics?