The making of the Green Compass

http://neighborhoodvoices.org/the-green-compass-season-3

Twenty-six students about to enter their first year of college (and two older college students) created these radio features as Summer Interns at The Heinz Endowments. Because the Summer 2011 internship program focused on issues of sustainability, the resulting features cover a range of community and environmental issues. While SLB provided training and coaching, the features presented here were conceived and created entirely by the students in a single week.

Social Networking

Ainslei Payne-Reid, Brenna Smit, Seth Diggs and Willa Seybolt speak with Olga George (KDKA-TV), Jennifer Snyder-Duch, Ph. D. (Carlow University), and teens and young adults about the effects of social networking on today’s society.

Solar Roadways

Cara Kennedy and Themba Searles profile Scott Brusaw (Solar Roadways) about his vision
for sustainable highways.

Voices of Homelessness

Colton Sankey and Michael Richards speak with Charles Walker (homeless veteran), Debra (formerly
homeless), Diane McMahon (Community Human Services) and Vishwajit L. Nimgaonkar, M.D., Ph.D.
(University of Pittsburgh) about misconceptions of homelessness.

Social Impacts of Marcellus Shale Gas Production

Hanna Trivilino, Robert Poling and Sakina Blackman speak with Billie Jo Weyant (Citizens Against Physical, Sexual and Emotional Abuse), Stephanie Hamel, Ph D. (Environmental Scientist) and Terry McLaughlin (Trax Farms) about how rural communities and families have been impacted by Marcellus shale gas production with respect to crime, community life, domestic harmony and other social issues.

State Budget Cuts Impact on K-12 Education

Aleisha Starkey and Autumn Vogel speak with Majestic Lane (Sr. Executive Assistant to State Sen. Jim Ferlo)
and Michelle Figlar (Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children) about the impact of state
budget cuts on students in Grades K-12.

Employment of Youth Exiting Foster Care

Gabriel Beru and Jamara Mosby speak with Keith Johnson (YouthWorks) and youth raised in foster homes
about difficulties in finding employment after aging out of foster care.

Clean Air: A Work In Progress

Alicia McAllister and Lindsay Bell talk with Sister Mary Damian (Benedictine Sisters of Pittsburgh), Leonard
McAllister (former steelworker), Rachel Filippini (GASP) and Wayne P. Gdovic (South Allegheny School
District) about our region’s ongoing air quality challenges.

Arts Education: Worth Fighting For!

Agness Fanny Nyama, Kayla Starta and Tyler Churchel speak with Marilyn Egan (Pittsburgh Opera), Sarah
Tambucci, Ph. D. (Arts Education Collaborative), Tyler Jetter (musical theater major at Point Park University)
and middle school students at Pittsburgh Public Schools about the importance of arts education.

A Plus Side to Higher Gasoline Prices

Ben Vockley and Che’Vaughnne Bronaugh speak with Michael Griffin, Ph. D. (Carnegie Mellon University)
and Colleen Lehman (Howard Hanna) about impact of rising gas prices on human behavior
and the environment. Intern Kayla Johnson-Harris also served in this group.

Mass Transit in “America’s Most Livable City”

Tori Hirata and Tristan Freeman speak with Heather Pharo (Port Authority of Allegheny County), Bob Firth
(Informing Design) and recent high school graduate Devontay Eberhardt about the state of mass transit
in our region.

State Budget Cuts: Impact on Higher Education

Daniel Law speaks with Paul Supowitz (University of Pittsburgh), Sen. Daylin Leach
(D-Delaware/Montgomery), Rep. Dan B. Frankel (D-Allegheny) and Rep. H. Scott Conklin (D-Centre) about
budget cuts to higher education.

Dreams for the Future: The Importance of Public Education

Abbie Ferry hears from children about their dreams for the future and provides a sobering reminder of the
impact state funding cuts could have on their coming true.

Look for six new SLB StoryBoxes featuring the voices of sixty children expressing their hopes for 2011 at First Night Pittsburgh.

Created in conjunction with The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and the Hear Me project, these StoryBoxes will be installed at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Arts Education Center, 805/807 Liberty Avenue, Downtown from New Year’s Eve through late January.

Girl Scouts Troop #50375

Recorded December 4

Mon Valley School

Recorded  December 7

Pittsburgh Linden K-5

Recorded on December 8

Pittsburgh Allegheny K-5

Recorded December 21

University Prep at Pittsburgh Milliones 6-12

Recorded December 21

In July 2010, twenty students about to enter their first year of college created these nine radio documentaries as part of their position as Summer Interns at The Heinz Endowments. Because the internship program focused on environmental issues, students developed radio features covering a range of environmental issues. While SLB provided training and coaching, the documentaries presented here were entirely conceived and created by the students in just one week.

SLB’s tent was open Saturdays and Sundays (noon to 5 p.m.) in the Creativity Zone in Point State Park and collected thoughts from children and youth on the role the arts play in their lives.

The responses were featured on SLB StoryBox units on exhibition at The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Arts Education Center, 805/807 Liberty Avenue until June 16, 2010.

June 05-06:

Avalon, 12, Louisville, KY: Photograph

Claire, 8, Pittsburgh, PA: Book Cover Art

Holly, 8, Thornburg, PA: Poetry

Mira, 8, Cranberry, PA: Golden Tablet Sculpture

Tara,10, Cranberry, PA: Popcorn Painting

Taylor,10, Mt. Washington, PA: Monster Truck Drawing

Tori, 16, South Fayette, PA: Watched Someone Paint

Kelsey, 10, Shaler, PA: Cartoon News

June 12:

Akea, 10, Carnegie, PA: Song

Alex, 14, Murraysville, PA: Book

Alyssa, 9, FoxChapel, PA: Play

Brianna, 9, Pittsburgh, PA: Viola

Cheyenne, 8, Pittsburgh, PA: Honk Honk Song

Dana, 11, Cranberry, PA: Wrote a Song

Elaina, 9, Castle Shannon, PA: Watched a Play

Gabby, 8, Castle Shannon, PA: Paint

Gabriella, 9, Upper St. Clair, PA: Drew a Cartoon

Gidion, 7, Morgantown, WV: Sang a Song

Henry, 5, Morgantown, WV: Paint

Kaley, 8, Cannonsburg, PA: Watched a Play

Mario, 10, Mt. Washington, PA: Piano, Cartooning, Painting

Narissa, 7, Jacksonville, FL: Earth Day Poem

Nick, 13, Charleroi, PA: Bionical

Nicole, 14, Mc Kees Rocks, PA: Lean On Me

Olivia, 9, Lancaster, PA: Lion King

Renee, 13, Cranberry, PA: Camera

Sarah, 9, Upper St. Clair, PA: Dog Painting

Stan, 10, Cranberry, PA: 3D Horse

Stephanie, 14, Murraysville, PA: Short Story Book

Tylea, 9, Pittsburgh, PA: Made a Mask

June 13:

Ben, 4, Pittsburgh, PA: Fingerpaint

Chase, 5, Pittsburgh, PA: Snowflake

Dayjonna, 9, Elizabeth PA: Made a Necklace

Franklin, 10, Squirrel Hill, PA: Built a Model Village

Haley, 10, Pittsburgh, PA: Anime

Joza, 5, Gibsonia, PA: Model Airplaes & Pictures

Karen, 18, Bethel Park, PA: Censored Sculpture

Madison, 11, Pittsburgh, PA: Nutcracker

Meg, 10, Pittsburgh, PA: Flower Picture

Northern, 7, Oil City, PA: Dance

Ryan, 7, Irwin, PA: Yarn Picture

Ryan, 8, Pittsburgh PA: Model

Sally, 3, Sing, Dance Draw

Sean, 9, Pittsburgh PA: Modern Art

Tessa, 13, Pittsburgh, PA: Dance

Victor, 13, Pittsburgh, PA: Political Cartoon

Zach, 13, Fox Chapel, PA: Shades of Two

What’s your favorite animal?  What animal would you be if you could?  Children from Pittsburgh Allegheny PreK learned digital recording and photography as they shared thoughts and stories about animals in The Saturday Light Brigade broadcast studios.  Think about your answers as you listen to the ideas of these children.  This project is supported in part by Spark, a program of The Sprout Fund, with support from The Buhl Foundation.  Spark is an initiative of The Sprout Fun, catalyzing projects and programs that engage children ages birth to 8 through the creative use of technology and media.

Songs:

The resulting Storybox was made possible by The Buhl Foundation.

What’s your favorite animal?  What animal would you be if you could?  Children from Pittsburgh Allegheny PreK learned digital recording and photography as they shared thoughts and stories about animals in The Saturday Light Brigade broadcast studios.  Think about your answers as you listen to the ideas of these children.  This project is supported in part by Spark, a program of The Sprout Fund, with support from The Buhl Foundation.  Spark is an initiative of The Sprout Fun, catalyzing projects and programs that engage children ages birth to 8 through the creative use of technology and media.

Songs!