WVPB Education Story Archives - Page 7 of 8 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Cabell County PE Teacher Earns WVPB's Above And Beyond Award

Matthew Adkins, an elementary school teacher in Cabell County, has earned West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Above and Beyond Award, which recognizes the excellence and creativity of Mountain State teachers.

Adkins, who teaches physical education at Spring Hill Elementary School in Huntington, joins the ranks of West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Above And Beyond winners. He was presented with a monetary award, signature Blenko Above And Beyond blue apple paperweight, and a host of other special gifts made possible through the generous sponsorship of the West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office, presenter of the SMART529 college savings program in the Mountain State.

“I am a teacher because I love kids. I love seeing light bulbs go off. I love to see progress,” Adkins said. “I teach PE because I love to stay active, and I think physical activity is key to living a long, happy, and more valuable life. I try to expose my students to as many things as possible. We do everything from soccer to gaga ball to disc golf and silly games like hungry, hungry hippos.”

He said as kids get to the 4th or 5th grade, they become less active and uninterested in gym class. Many don’t like team sports like football, basketball, soccer or baseball, and they get embarrassed because gaps in skill level are too drastic for those team sports to be enjoyable for everyone.

“So instead of focusing time on the most popular activities, I like to expose them to things that they can do the rest of their lives,” said Adkins, who secured funding through two Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout projects and his connection in regional sports communities to build one of Cabell County’s first GaGa Ball Pits, a disc golf course, and a loop trail in the woods next to his school that can be utilized for exercise and as an outdoor learning space for the natural sciences.

“I just want them to be active. That’s where the idea of the nature trail came from. I want them to fall in love with the smells, the sound of the wind through the trees and all the wonderful things that come with hiking. Being in an urban setting, it’s nice to give not only the school a space to explore, but the community, too,” Adkins said.

Adkins was nominated by Dave Lavender, assistant scoutmaster of Boy Scouts of America Troop 21, after he worked with the teacher on those special projects to take physical education outside for students. He said Adkins is an inspiring teacher who is always ready to play, take time to listen and get his students involved in recreation and wellness on their levels.

“As someone who was on the board of Create Huntington, Adkins is a natural community connector who people want to help because of his passion and hustle for his school and his students,” Lavender said, adding that Adkins is “ahead of the curve and national trends” for dreaming and building out his elementary school as a safe neighborhood play space and urban greenspace, which has become increasingly recognized as necessary for public wellness in the wake of COVID.

“In today’s complex digital world and in West Virginia where we have so many at-risk kids and kids growing up in trauma, Matt truly understands the absolute necessity for kids to unplug from their devices and get out and play. To do so, he is helping create a myriad of ways for them to engage in physical activity, and to be in nature to stimulate learning and to help foster mental well-being.”

Visit wvpublic.org to nominate a deserving teacher today.

Mercer County Science Teacher Is October's Above And Beyond Winner

Teresa Barton, a high school teacher from Mercer County, has earned West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Above and Beyond Award, which recognizes excellence and creativity in Mountain State teachers.

The veteran science teacher from PikeView High School in Princeton, West Virginia, kicks off WVPB’s second cohort of Above And Beyond teachers. In all, 12 teachers will be honored in the coming months, thanks to a new sponsor, the West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office, presenter of the SMART529 college savings program in the Mountain State.

“The SMART529 educational savings program and my office are proud to partner with West Virginia Public Broadcasting to honor teachers who go above and beyond in the classroom,” State Treasurer Riley Moore said. “Education is vital to a successful economy, and West Virginia teachers are the key to inspiring future generations. As an advocate for educational opportunities, I know one of the best places to start is by recognizing and promoting the tremendous work being done by teachers in the classroom.”

Sponsorship funds allowed WVPB to present exceptional teachers like Barton with a monetary award, a signature Blenko Above And Beyond blue apple paperweight, and a host of other special gifts. She said she’s honored to be considered a WVPB Above And Beyond teacher and explained that a love of education is in her DNA. “I come from a very long line of educators — mother, sister, aunts, uncles, great-aunts, great-uncles and many cousins. So, my family values education,” Barton said. “I hope to inspire my students to also value their education — and learning — to help better their futures. I enjoy teaching and sharing my love of science with my students. I am humbled.”

Barton has taught for more than 38 years. She was nominated by her sister and fellow PikeView teacher, Peggy Moore. “Mrs. Barton is my sister, but I am also blessed to teach in the same school with her. This allows me to experience first-hand just how awesome she truly is,” Moore said. “She took on a new course at PikeView High School for which we had nothing but textbooks. She has researched the field of forensics and has come up with original labs, engaging lessons and field trips (pre-COVID) that drew students to sign up for her class.”

As chair of the school’s Science Department, Barton has many roles outside of classroom instruction. She also is treasurer of her Faculty Senate and active on the Leadership Committee and Local School Improvement Council. She is the sponsor for the Health and Career Sciences Club, Academic Bowl, Science Bowl and West Virginia Bridge competitions. She oversees the school’s Project Graduation event and is also a member of the executive committee of the West Virginia Science Teachers Association. In her community, Barton is an active member of the Athens Lions Club and also works with the U.S. Army Junior Officer Training Corps (JROTC) students to do Adopt-A-Highway roadside cleanups near the school.

Barton makes her sister proud. “Over the years, she has developed skill sets to help students perform to the best of their ability … She genuinely cares for her students, as can be witnessed by the number of students who come back to visit her year after year,” Moore said.

Nominate a deserving teacher today.

October’s WVPB Above And Beyond winner Teresa Barton, front center, poses with her award and several students from PikeView High School in Princeton, West Virginia.

Mason County Library's Inquire Within Event Offered Unbe-leaf-able Fun For Kids

West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s PBS Kids show, Elinor Wonders Why, is all about exploring and learning. This week, that came in handy for a special Inquire Within event at the Mason County Library.

Six children and seven adults were on hand for a fun lesson about shapes and colors of leaves right as we head into the season for beautiful Fall foliage in West Virginia.

Program coordinator Cindy Williams felt the content provided by PBS Kids and PBS LearningMedia were helpful with this event. “It was so easy to create a fun, interactive lesson using PBS LearningMedia. For my 3- and 4-year-old little explorers, the Ready to Learn lessons are perfect to discover a topic with characters they are already familiar with,” Williams said. “We had so much fun exploring leaves with the Elinor Wonders Why gang! I am currently changing lesson plans to include more PBS content!”

Children in attendance were met with a video introduction from Elinor followed by a pool of leaves to admire and interact with.

(L-R): Rowsey Vanscoy, Gracy Blain, Ari Mayes, Lexi McConihay, Beyler Bonecutter, Cindy Williams (program coordinator), Jordan Pinson

Megan Bonecutter thought the leaf activity was a great way for her daughter to understand leaves and associated seasonal changes. “My daughter loved the leaf activity taught by Ms. Cindy. She enjoyed the story and really loved the activity of tracing leaves. When we came home, she immediately headed out to the backyard to find as many different types of leaves as she could to sort and trace,” Bonecutter said. “Another special moment of Beyler’s was discovering the library’s ‘magic tree’ that will change colors. We’ve driven by the library quite a few times in the past few days and every time we pass, we notice small changes happening. This activity with leaves falling has helped Beyler understand why the current season is named ‘fall.’

Megan McConihay enjoyed watching her children learn with Elinor. “I love that PBS has characters like Elinor that my kids can enjoy and imitate during their own play, and they don’t even realize how much they’re learning while they do it! They think they’re just playing,” McConihay said.

Amy Pinson emphasized the importance of story time at her local library, stating that it transforms trips to the library into something more. “Story time has helped us to turn a trip to the library into ‘an event’ and Ms. Cindy is always sure to make it exciting! For example, this past week we went ‘exploring’ outside and found all kinds of leaves,” Pinson said. “We discovered leaves come in all different shapes and sizes just like Elinor in our story! My toddler, Jordan, loves going to story time every week and is always so excited to go to the library. My hope is he will always think of reading & learning as an exciting activity.”

Lacy Blain highlights the importance of the PBS Kids content that Inquire Within provides participating libraries. “My child loves to watch PBS and play on the app. I love it because it’s not just entertainment – my child learns so much,” Blain said.

For more on WVPB’s Inquire Within program, click here. If you would like to see Inquire Within in your local community library, please email education specialist Harrison Evans at hevans@wvpublic.org.

Clay County Trio Is Next To Complete The Library Pathfinders Program

A Clay County trio (Trenton Legg, Ryan Dawson, and Reagan Dawson) recently completed WVPB’s Library Pathfinders program.

Since the program launched in June 2021, a total of eight children from Mason, Clay and Randolph counties have completed the program.

Heather Dawson enjoyed watching her children complete the program and felt it was beneficial to them. “My kids loved completing this program,” said Dawson. “[Library Pathfinders] was [a] great [way] to keep them interested in reading throughout the summer!”

WVPB education director Kelly Griffith is hopeful this program will continue to reach families and communities across the state of West Virginia. “We are thrilled to partner with our local libraries and bring this program to life in the Mountain State. Libraries have always been the heartbeat of communities and will be the shining stars of Library Pathfinders,” Griffith said. “As we continue to push forward from COVID-19, this initiative allows students, parents, librarians and teachers to engage in a virtual and safe environment. We are looking forward to seeing all the virtual travel to libraries as students participate and learn.”

For more information on Library Pathfinders, including how to participate, click here. For questions regarding the program, please contact WVPB education specialist Harrison Evans at (304) 556-4922.

WVPB Is Seeking Sponsors For Its Inquire Within Library Program

WVPB offers a unique out-of-school program designed to encourage family engagement and highlight the importance of early literacy in elementary school children; sponsors are needed to make it accessible for West Virginia libraries.

Inquire Within is designed to bring respected PBS Kids educational content to children via their local library. The program, currently offered in 13 libraries, makes learning enjoyable for children throughout the Mountain State. There are 15 libraries — Sutton Public Library, Helvetia Public Library, Lowe Public Library, Southern Area Library, Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library, Morgan County Public Library, Ohio County Public Library, Brooke County Public Library, Shady Spring Branch Library, Vienna Public Library, Putnam County Library, Cowen Public Library, Louis Bennet Public Library, Fort Ashby Public Library, and Mary H. Weir Public Library — poised to offer the program once a sponsor is identified to help with expenses.

Current participating libraries are Doddridge County Public Library, Tyler County Public Library, Clay County Public Library, Burnsville Public Library, Mason County Library, Hundred Public Library, Hamlin Public Library, Boone-Madison Public Library, Webster-Addison Public Library, Eleanor Branch Library, Buffalo Public Library, Cabell County Public Library, and Raleigh County Public Library – Beckley Branch.

“Inquire Within is a great program that brings smiles to children’s faces, and makes learning an experience rather than a chore,” said Harrison Evans, WVPB education specialist. “Library staff who are able to offer this program frequently mention how beneficial it is to their libraries and respective communities.”

Since January 2021, 163 children and 73 adults have been served by this program, and Evans is hopeful those numbers will continue to rise. “Family engagement is a focal point of Inquire Within,” said Evans. “This program is meant to supplement the work libraries are already doing, while engaging parents and children simultaneously with PBS Kids content.”

Do you know someone who would be willing to sponsor a library (or more)? If so, connect with Todd Frymyer, underwriting manager, at (304) 556-4905.

If you would like to have Inquire Within in your library, connect with Harrison Evans at (304) 556-4922.

WVPB Selected For PBS Kids STEAM Kit Initiative

WVPB was selected among thirty stations to participate in the PBS Kids STEAM Kit initiative, with primary focus on bringing families together for an engaging time of learning, building and creativity. WVPB has been assigned 50 kits, meaning 50 families will potentially be served.

The PBS Kids STEAM Kit initiative lasts for six weeks; four of the six weeks will be activity-centered: Science, Technology and Engineering, Arts, and Math respectively. The first week will introduce families to their kits and initiative expectations, while the last week will be a celebration of sorts, highlighting different families’ work throughout the four activity weeks.

Within each STEAM Kit, families will activities, pencils and colored pencils, a notepad, markers, and a PBS Kids app preview sheet.

The WVPB Education Department has strong, existing relationships with community partners, and this initiative has provided an opportunity to reach out to more.

Mason County Library, Burnsville Public Library, Suncrest Early Learning Center, Marshall University Early Education STEAM Center, and the West Virginia Department of Education have assisted in recruiting families that are interested in this unique opportunity.

WVPB education specialist Harrison Evans will lead this initiative, and said he is excited about the potential impact that is sure to result from it. “I think these kits will serve as a means to keep children engaged as we begin the transition from summer break to the first day of school” Evans said. “It’s great when we can offer ways for families to learn together and share educational experiences!”

WVPB education director Kelly Griffith is hopeful for what this initiative will offer for families. “We were thrilled to be 1 of the stations selected to participate in the PBS STEAM Kits initiative. After surviving the disruptions of the past school year, we are excited to offer this free opportunity to our parents, communities, and partners in education,” Griffith said. “This initiative will allow young learners to learn and discover with their family for 4 consecutive weeks focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math-related subjects. Harrison Evans, our education specialist, will host a virtual kick-off and support the families during this learning experience.”

Beth Anderson, Burnsville Public Library director, said she is thankful for how the STEAM Kits will benefit families of her library. “We are so privileged to be a part of this program; our families are very excited about this opportunity,” said Anderson. “Because of our past experience with PBS initiatives, our families know that they will be receiving top notch materials and activities that will benefit their children.”

Mason County Library program coordinator Cindy Williams said that she enjoys the content and opportunities the partnership with WVPB provides her community. “We are so excited to offer this opportunity to our community. The families in the program are going to be able to discover, build, experiment and play together while learning in a fun and safe-at-home manner,” said Williams. “So much learning happens when children are having fun and, as a WVPB community partner, we are always confident that the content we share with our patrons is fun, engaging and educational.”

For more on what the WVPB Education Department does for the Mountain State, please visit wvpublic.org.