Children's Books Have Messages For Adults, too

Inside Appalachia recently featured several children's authors, including Cynthia Rylant, who wrote When I Was Young in the Mountains; David Perri, author of Messy Larry, Bil Lepp, who wrote The Princess And the Pickup Truck, and Lyn Ford, a professional storyteller and children's educator, who wrote The Old Woman and Death.

Host Mason Adams interviewed Rylant. “Cynthia Rylant has written everything from picture books and easy readers to chapter books and novels. She's won both Caldecott and Newbery awards," Adams said. Rylant grew up in West Virginia and it shaped her earliest work. She was raised by her grandparents in Raleigh County, West Virginia, during a key part of childhood and later lived with her single mom in the small town of Beaver. She went to college in Charleston and Huntington, where she worked at the local library and first discovered children's books.

Inside Appalachia Producer Roxy Todd said, “Most of these stories are appropriate for young children, but the author interviews explore how children's books can have messages for all of us, including grown-ups.”

Adams also explains, “There's so much here that's relatable for people in Appalachia, and everywhere really. This show is great for parents and kids, but I really believe there’s something essential to children’s authors that makes them crucial for everyone. We all were children ourselves at one time, and during this crazy pandemic it’s been really grounding and refreshing to revisit these timely, timeless tales.” LISTEN.

WEBINAR
Current Events in Context: Connecting Asian American History
And Anti-Asian Racism
April 8, 2021 • 5 p.m.

_{Looking for support in
addressing the recent rise in anti-Asian violence with your students? Mission US will be part of a webinar about using media to support student discussion and contextualize current events through a broader understanding of Asian American history. Cathlin Goulding and Freda Lin of Yuri Education Project (developers of the curriculum for Prisoner in My Homeland) will share strategies and approaches for framing conversations, using writing prompts and encouraging civil discourse and critical thinking about anti-Asian racism. Register now for this free webinar.}

The West Virginia Senate has passed a bill that requires county school boards and county superintendents to comply with instructions given by the West Virginia Board of Education.
Already in state law, the state Board of Education may take over a county board if it refuses to comply with a ruling given by the state BOE.

According to supporters, SB 588 seeks to avoid a full takeover and instead help county boards of education get back into compliance by giving them options on how to do so while still maintaining their authority. Opponents of the bill argue that it is “a takeover by a different name” and infringes on local autonomy.

The bill would permit the state superintendent to approve county board agendas as well as any expenditures by county board members — if that board is not compliant with a ruling given by the state BOE. LEARN MORE.

Eyes on the Prize tells the definitive story of the civil rights era from the point of view of the ordinary men and women whose extraordinary actions launched a movement that changed the fabric of American life and embodied a struggle whose reverberations continue to be felt today.

This landmark series, which first premiered in 1987, documents the history of the civil rights movement in America. Produced by Blackside, segments include the Montgomery bus boycott of 1954, school desegregation in 1957 Arkansas, the right-to-vote battle within Mississippi, the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Starting on April 4, Eyes on the Prize will be available on-demand on all WVPB-branded PBS platforms, including WORLDChannel.org, PBS.org and the PBS Video app.

Every Monday, students in grades 6-12, can watch Eyes on the Prize as part of the PBS At-Home Learning schedule. PBS LearningMedia will offer a host of educational offerings related to the series. The Civil Rights: Then and Now collection includes video clips, activities, discussion questions and lesson plans.

Hero Elementary is a school for budding superheroes, where kids learn to master their innate powers, like flying and teleportation, while exploring science along the way. Lucita Sky, AJ Gadgets, Sara Snap and Benny Bubbles, led by their quirky and enthusiastic teacher, Mr. Sparks, work together to help people, solve problems and try to make the world a better place. When their imperfect powers aren’t up to the task, they look to their other powers — the superpowers of science — to help them investigate, observe, make predictions and figure out a solution. Watch April 2, 3, 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. LEARN MORE!

Poetry In America
Grades 6-12 • Video Collection • English/Language Arts/Literacy
Poetry in America gathers distinguished interpreters from all walks of life to explore and debate 12 unforgettable American poems. Athletes, poets, politicians, musicians, architects, scientists, actors, entrepreneurs and citizens of all ages join together with host and Harvard professor Elisa New to experience and share the power of poetry. Support materials include pre- and post-viewing discussion questions and transcripts of poems used in the videos. LEARN MORE.