WVPB announced they have received three awards in the 3rd Annual Anthem Awards. This year’s Anthem Award Winners were selected from a pool of over 2,000 submissions from 44 countries by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS).
CHARLESTON, WV: WVPB announced they have received three awards in the 3rd Annual Anthem Awards. This year’s Anthem Award Winners were selected from a pool of over 2,000 submissions from 44 countries by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS).
Congratulations to our staff:
Read for the Record is the Bronze Anthem Winner in Education or Literacy Platform
West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Annual Writers Contest is the Silver Anthem Winner in Education or Literacy Program or Platform
Communities in Schools: Friends with Paws is the Bronze Anthem Winner in Film, Video, Television or Show
WVPB Director of Production Chris Barnhart says the team is honored to be recognized for another national level award. “It’s always special when the award is the product of multiple departments working together,” said Barnhart. “The award-winning shows were collaborations between the education, newsroom, digital and production teams.”
Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, the Anthem Awards honors the purpose and mission-driven work of people, companies, and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, we’re defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to act in their own communities.
The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity; Equity & Inclusion; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate.
Anthem judges are intellectually diverse leaders from across the impact industry with expertise that spans across the Anthem cause areas.
WVPB has won a national award for community engagement from the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA), which honores public media achievements nationwide. The award was presented during its 2021 NETA Conference and CPB (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) Public Media Thought Leader Forum last week.
THANK YOU, OMU! read by the staff of West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The Community Engagement National Project Award was presented to WVPB virtually during The 52nd Annual Public Media Awards (PMAs). The winning initiative was a statewide education outreach program targeting early readers. WVPB employees, friends and volunteers – 200 people total – took one day, November 7, 2019, to read the same book to children in all 55 counties in West Virginia. They read “Thank You, Omu!” by Oge Mora as a part of Jumpstart’s international initiative, Read For The Record. WVPB also produced a companion video of employees reading the book against the colorful backdrop of the author’s illustrations.
Chuck Roberts, WVPB’s executive director, read to students at Mary C. Snow Elementary on the West Side of Charleston, West Virginia, that day. “This project is a great example of the power of community that we talk about all the time at WVPB,” Roberts said. “We are humbled that the folks at NETA recognize how important it is for us to give back to the community, whose support enables us to take part in initiatives like Read For The Record. Whenever we can have a positive impact on our littlest West Virginians, we know we’re on the right track. Congratulations to the entire WVPB team, our volunteers and all of the participants!”
Chris Oxley
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WVPB
WVPB netted a national community engagement award from NETA.
The project was spearheaded by the WVPB’s Education and Production departments. More than 200 books were donated, and readings took place in 54 libraries, 53 schools, Head Start programs, home-school programs, after-school programs and day-care facilities across the Mountain State. In all, 5,181 children were read to that day, and the video was shared across WVPB’s television and social channels and with schools, classrooms and teachers, who shared it widely to promote literacy and further the project’s impact.
Kelly Griffith, WVPB’s Education Director and former teacher of more than 16 years, said children with strong literacy skills are more likely to succeed at every age. Reading to children supports that goal. “A love of reading can fuel a passion for learning that benefits children for years to come. I’m so proud we reached so many children across West Virginia,” Griffith said.
Chris Oxley produced the winning video. He’s a 22-year veteran director/producer at WVPB with a variety of productions under his belt. “As we all know, life can come at you quickly and sometimes with discouraging results. National recognition such as this, however, is an appreciated act of encouragement, which we all can use right now, and a testament to my generous colleagues who gave their talents both on- and off-camera.
“It’s obviously a little more difficult at the moment to go out into the community and read to children or seniors, but the idea with Read for the Record is to celebrate literacy and promote education,” Oxley said. “As this particular video affirms, individuals and organizations can still do that to an extent by way of video communication, television programming and reading to those in our social bubble.”
Larry Dowling, director of WVPB Television Production, said the Read For The Record project is “a bit of a time capsule,” capturing the spirit, essence and personality of our staff. “The award directly reflects the talent we have in the organization as a whole, not just the Production and Education departments. Nothing occurs in a vacuum, and this NETA award should instill a sense of pride in the entire WVPB team.”
The PMAs honor the finest work in education, community engagement, marketing/communications and content. This year saw a record number of entries from stations across the country.
“Congratulations to all of this year’s nominees and awardees,” said NETA president Eric Hyyppa. “Every year, for the past 52 years, these awards have celebrated excellence in public media. This year, that excellence was amplified by your profoundly creative and inspired responses to multiple crises. All across the country, public media stations rose to the moment and served their communities during their time of critical need. Well done!”
NETA also nominated the following WVPB programs:
Content — Cultural Documentary: In Tune: A Community of Musicians, a Regional-Emmy nominated documentary that celebrates old-time music and its history in the Mountain State. Produced by WVPB filmmaker Russ Barbour and narrated by Mountain Stage’s Larry Groce, the film examines old-time music of the hills and valleys of Appalachia, especially in Clay County, home to some of West Virginia’s most distinguished practitioners. VIEW THE FILM.
Content — Use of Digital Media: Edible Mountain, a bite-sized, digital series that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses. Edible Mountain features experts from botanists to conservationists, who provide insight on how to sustainably forage these delicacies. The series is produced by Chuck Kleine. VIEW THE SERIES.
The West Virginia Public Broadcasting team and its many great friends are reading the book “Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away” to children across the Mountain State as part of Jumpstart’s international initiative Read for the Record.
Several members of the WVPB staff were recorded reading this heartfelt story for you to enjoy. West Virginia Public Broadcasting has donated over 200 books for the event. Our staff and friends in all 55 counties have joined in a read-aloud project that will reach over 6,600 children today.
The book “Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away” is a Newberry medalist written by Meg Medina. It is a celebration of lasting friendship, the power of connection, and encountering change.
We thank those who are participating and appreciate your time and effort in supporting early literacy for West Virginia children.
For more information about this year’s event, or to participate next year, contact Education Director Kelly Griffith at kgriffith@wvpublic.org.
The West Virginia Public Broadcasting team, along with many of its great friends, will read the book “Thank You, Omu!” by Oge Mora to children across the Mountain State on Thursday, November 7, as part of Jumpstart’s international initiative, ‘Read for the Record’.
Kelly Griffith, WVPB’s education specialist, says all of West Virginia’s 55 counties are covered by 200 readers taking place at 54 libraries, 53 schools, Head Start programs, home school situations, after-school programs and day care facilities.
“Children with strong literacy skills are more likely to succeed in every grade,” Griffith, a 16-year veteran teacher, said. “A love of reading can fuel a passion for learning that benefits children for years to come. I’m so proud that we will be reading to more than 4,000 children across West Virginia.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to give a little bit back to the communities across the state. It’s also one of my favorite parts of the job, spending time with energetic kids while supporting literacy programs,” said Chuck Roberts, WVPB’s executive director. “We’re taking our mission to educate, inform and inspire straight to little West Virginians and we think they will love this book.”
“Thank You, Omu”, a Caldecott Honor book, is about sharing and giving thanks as told by a generous woman who shares her delicious pot of stew with many of her neighbors until there is none left for herself and the unexpected and wonderful things that happen then.
Jumpstart is a nonprofit early education organization with the core belief that every child has the potential to succeed.
On Thursday, October 27 as part Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, a national campaign launched over a decade ago to address the educational inequities that leave too many children unprepared for kindergarten, WVPB board members, staff and friends spread out around the state, to learn, laugh, and read this year’s campaign book, The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach, as part of the world’s largest shared reading experience.
We had 50 readers reading in 18 counties to over 1070 students from pre-school to second grade. Everyone had fun. From Shepherd University Early Learning Center, board member Cecelia Mason reports “..and the kids really enjoyed it. They especially liked the colorful photos. The day care providers took a vote after I read the book and the majority of the children believe the bear really did eat the sandwich. So, the dog told a compelling and convincing story!” Another board member, Tom Epling read to students at Green Bank Elementary School: “The children were super-attentive and engaged with the story. The story was interesting, in that all of the pre-schoolers live in the woods, in a rural setting, and many come from families who hunt bears.” After the readings, the books were left on site to become part of the schools’ libraries. More pictures here.
The activity was thoroughly enjoyed by students and adults. “It is great when we can take a few minutes out of our day to underscore the importance of reading.” Scott Finn, Executive Director WVPB. Plans are in the making to make next year’s read an even bigger event.
