The Award-Winning Close-UpSept./Oct. 2015 Vol 30 #5 wcte.org Your Upper Cumberland PBS Station plus Bright Lights, Little City Stations of Imagination 50th Anniversary of the 2015 Family Fun Schedule Cumberland County Playhouse 〉 Contents Staff & Management PUBLIC TELEVISION FROM THE UPPER CUMBERLAND (931) 528-2222 or (800) 282-9283 Becky Magura Avery Owens Director of Advancement Growing Education: The Middle President & CEO 4 Mary Boring Jodi Pitts ~Auction & Special Years The fourth in a documentary series Engineering & Tech. Liaison Events Coordinator from our American Graduate: Let’s Make It Reggie Brown Cindy Putman ~ Ready to Education & Community Learn Tools Facilitator Happen public media initiative. Engagement Associate Hannah Rawiszer Desirée Duncan Asst. to the CEO 5 Stations of Imagination The Director of Content Nathaniel Rich schedule of fun taking place at WCTE’s Celeste Flatt Programming and Master Account Manager Control Associate signature family event at Cookeville’s Allison Fox ~ Grant Manager/De- Seth Stanger Fall FunFest. velopment Assistant Sales & Development Assistant Shannon Terry Craig Gray ~ Business Develop- Membership Coordinator Discover the Upper Cumberland ment Producer 8 Ralph Welch Jenna Hillis ~ Special Events A look at the current stories being Director of Engineering/ Support Technology covered in WCTE’s newest show. Craig LeFevre Rick Wells Master Control Op Manager Senior Producer/Director Samantha McCowan ~ Special 9 Mathline East Tennessee PBS brings Lee Wray ~ American Gradu- Events Assistant us a live call-in show that helps stu- ate Program Manager dents with their math problems. Upper Cumberland Broadcast Council Jere Hargrove, Chair Dr. Katherine Bertram On our cover Tom Janney, Vice Chair Marc L. Burnett Andrea Burckhard, Secretary Mona Copeland PBS ARTS FALL FESTival Joe Albrecht, Treasurer Dr. Wali R. Kharif “The fifth annual PBS Arts Fall Festival is a Lillian Hartgrove, Past Chair Nina Lunn Becky Magura, Jack Stites celebration of performing arts and music from WCTE Pres. & CEO Kelly Swallows the stage and screen, from the pop charts, and Mike Galligan Dr. Alan Tatum more. Gloria Estefan serving as this year’s host and a Latin tribute to the music of Michael Community Jackson are among the many highlights of this Advisory Board year’s festival programming,” remarked PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger. Story on p. 22. Dr. Steve Copeland, DVM Jack Barton Diana Baranowski Lissa Parks Dr. Carl Owens Ben Newman Program guides 9 Daytime Programming Hal L. Harder - Managing Editor Ready To Learn and weekend guide [email protected] For on-air, print and website advertising and 10 Primetime Programming promotion information, contact Avery Owens at Quality PBS evening programs 931.528.2222, ext 220 or [email protected] p.13 WCTE Close-Up is published bi-monthly. It is mailed to individuals, WCTE-HD Ch. 22.1, WCTE-WORLD SD Ch. 22.2 corporations and foundations who contribute $35 or more to WCTE annually. Third class postage at Cookeville, Tennessee. Phone: & WCTE-Create SD Ch. 22.3 931.528.2222. Schedule is subject to change without notice. Send address changes to WCTE, P.O. Box 2040, Cookeville, Tennessee 38502. Check out the schedule on the website at wcte.org. January/February 2014 | 3 WCTE’s Cindy Putman & Lee Wray by Allison Fox ecently, Cindy Putman and Lee Wray, WCTE’s education with school systems and other organizations nationwide. and community engagement managers, were invited to In a post-session evaluation, attendees shared the following speak about “Education and Community Partnerships” to a R comments: “I learned some valuable information that I can use national audience at the American Federation of School Adminis- effectively in my community and church,” and “Cynthia and Lee trators 14th Triennial Convention in New Orleans. spoke with real passion for what they do. You can tell they enjoy Cindy is the WCTE’s Facilitator for Ready To Learn, a national their work and making a difference.” initiative focused on early learning and school readiness. Lee is “We enjoyed the opportunity to engage with educators from WCTE’s Project Manager of the American Graduate Program, an other regions of the country,” said Lee. “They told us that they of- initiative focused on ‘cradle to career’ education, with the ultimate ten find it challenging to bring community partners to the table. “ goal of alleviating the national dropout crisis. “Hearing their stories made Cindy and I realize how fortunate Since WCTE has been part of the Ready To Learn and American we are to live and work in such a connected region. Community Graduate initiatives, both funded by the Corporation of Public support makes WCTE’s education efforts possible.” Broadcasting, Cindy and Lee have excelled at developing impor- tant new education and community partnerships. At the confer- For more information about WCTE’s education initiatives, visit ence, they shared ways that public media can work hand-in-hand wcte.org/education. GROWING EDUCATION: The Middle Years Premiering Thursday, Sept. 17 The Middle Years, the fourth episode in WCTE’s origi- nal documentary series titled Growing Education, is part of American Graduate: Let’s Make it Happen, a public media initiative supported by the Corporation for Pub- lic Broadcasting to address the national dropout crisis. The Middle Years focuses on 1st through 7th grade, vital school years that are imperative to a child’s success Deauna Mitchell (“Cupcake”) in the classroom and beyond. This period can hold 5th Grade Student, Avery Trace Middle School in Cookeville many challenges for students and parents, including issues of poverty, mental and emotional health prob- “We hope parents and caregivers are learning from this Growing lems, quality after-school care, parents finding time to Education series,” said Lee Wray. “We’re so thankful to the Putnam County visit their child’s school, and bullying. In this episode, School System and other partners and community members who con- WCTE talks to local educators and community partners tinue to contribute to this effort.” who address these issues. 4 | WCTE Close-Up at Cookeville’s Fall FunFest on the Square Friday, September 11 - 5pm - 9pm 5-6pm - TTU Drum Line & Sid the Science Kid 7-8pm - Movie - Sesame Street: The Cookie Thief 6-9pm - Silent Disco 9am - 3pm on the Fall FunFest Main Stage 9:30am - UHS Percussion & ART Prowl Bikers 10am - Johnston Family 10:30am - Capshaw Chorus 11am - Stage One Dancers 11:30am - Leisure Services Dancers 12pm - Cookeville Children’s Theater “Wizard of Oz” 1pm - Monterey High School presents “Grease” 1:15pm - Monterey High School Cheer 1:30pm - Centre School for Dance 2-3pm - Jimmy Bonilla Orchestra 6-9pm - Silent Disco PBS WALKAROUND CHARACTERS 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 3:30pm 2:00pm 4:30pm 3:00pm PBS Walkaround Characters are sponsored by the Johnston Family and by Cumberland Auto Center Funding is provided by the Upper Cumberland Development District through the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Arts Build Communities program. Sept/Oct 2015 | 5 Bright Lights, LITTLE CITY by Kate Spears You may have heard the news that Sesame income children than any other kids TV net- Street is adding HBO asa distrbuting partner. work. Last season we were watched by 80% This decision was one that came after careful of all children ages 2-5, on television alone. thought and consideration on the part of Ses- As of June 2015, viewership among this age ame Workshop. However, that new partner- group increased 16% year over year. PBS KIDS ship does not change the fundamental role is also the leader in streaming video, with PBS and WCTE plays in the lives of families. pbskids.org placing first in the kids’ category Sesame Street will continue to air on PBS sta- for total video views and minutes. tions, including WCTE, as part of the PBS KIDS service, building on a 45-year history. “WCTE has a great relationship with Sesame Workshop and will continue airing the series PBS KIDS is comprised of more than a dozen for all children in the Upper Cumberland,” series that have been developed with the commented Becky Magura, President & CEO needs of today’s children in mind and focuses of WCTE. “In addition, we are happy that on fundamental academic areas – such as this partnership has allowed us to feature a literacy, science, technology, engineering and Sesame Street character each year at WCTE’s math (STEM) – as well as collaboration, com- Stations of Imagination at Fall FunFest and munication, critical thinking and creativity, this year Walkaround Elmo will be here to which research has shown are increasingly mark our 20th anniversary of this free important skills in the 21st-century classroom family event”. and workplace. If you are passionate about public media and According to Nielsen, PBS stations like WCTE the programming we offer that is unlike what reach more kids aged 2-5, more moms with you find anywhere else, please consider voicing children under 6 years old and more low- your support at: protectmypublicmedia.org 6 | WCTE Close-Up 6 | WCTE Close-Up Bright Lights, LITTLE CITY by Becky Magura, President & CEO of WCTE ongratulations to the City of Crossville, Cumberland County and all involved on the C50th anniversary of the Cumberland County Playhouse. I’m grateful for all who have made a commitment to keep a professional, regional theatre thriving in the Upper Cumberland, with special thanks to the late Paul and Mary Crabtree, as well as Jim and Ann Crabtree, and the entire Crabtree family. I was a young girl when my parents took me to my first play at The Playhouse - probably their first musical theatre experience too. We saw the original production of Tennessee U.S.A., which starred, Bob Gunton as Johnny Timberlake.