Potsdam, NY, Jul 23, 2010 — SUNY-Potsdam's Performing Arts Summer Camp begins begins next week and invites young people of all experience levels to learn the process of creating and performing theater and dance. This camp incorporates all aspects of theater, from behind-the-scenes set designs to writing plays, as well as acting and performance. Todd Moe spoke with Jay Pecora, assistant professor of theater and dance, who says the innovative program is open to students in grades K-12.  Go to full article

Jul 05, 2010 — July 4th festivities mean summer has finally arrived. And--in addition to sunny, hot days and fresh food from the garden--it's also the season of marching bands. The music and parades are part of North Country tradition.

In some school districts, the music stopped in the mid-1980s. Budgets tightened and marching bands were cut. But in the rural, St Lawrence County district of Lisbon, parents and students missed it.

A few years ago, they raised more than $10,000, found a director and once again struck up the band. Jonathan Brown stopped by on a Saturday early in the practice season.  Go to full article

Lake Placid, NY, May 26, 2010 — Last year, an art project to encourage parents to spend more time with their kids was unveiled in the Lake Placid school district. Students and staff created colorful "Make Time for Kids" banners that were hung downtown.

This year, the program has expanded. The student self-portraits are part of a multimedia campaign. They've been turned into hundreds of posters that have been placed in shop windows, public buildings and schools around Lake Placid and Wilmington. Part of a local youth and community project, this year's effort continues to encourage adults to spend more time with teens and model positive behavior. It's also hoped that creating self-portraits will empower young people to make healthy choices and avoid smoking, drinking and drug abuse. Todd Moe spoke with a group of Lake Placid Middle School students and their teachers to find out more.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Mar 16, 2010 — School gardens are more than a source of local food for the cafeteria. These gardens, planted and tended by students and staff, are being integrated into the educational curriculum to teach children not only about plants, nature and the environment, but other subjects as well. Danielle Pipher, a farm to school educator in Vermont, says gardens can teach kids about history, economics, social studies, math and art. Pipher will lead a workshop on school gardens on March 30th at St. Lawrence University. She spoke with Todd Moe about how to start a school or community garden.  Go to full article

Shaker Heights, OH, Dec 17, 2009 — When we hear about kids and obesity, a lot of people point the finger at schools. Most kids today eat about half their meals at school, and many cafeterias are filled with junk food. In the second half of our school lunch series, Julie Grant reports that some districts are trying to improve what they serve - but there are a lot of challenges.  Go to full article

Dec 16, 2009 — Childhood obesity is one of many thorny issues in the larger debate over health and health care in the U.S. But when it comes to kids' health: doctors, lawmakers, nutritionists and parents increasingly focus on school lunch programs. As every parent knows, kids can be finicky eaters. And convincing them to eat green, leafy things isn't always easy. But schools are helping expand kids' palates.

Sarah Bentley-Garfinkle is the nutrition coordinator at the St. Lawrence Health Initiative. She's worked with 18 school districts across the county. Even as schools try to introduce healthier fare, she tells Jonathan Brown that lunch programs have another hurdle to overcome: tight budgets.  Go to full article

Nov 06, 2009 — Students from two dozen high schools and colleges across the Adirondacks will gather at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake early next week for the first Adirondack Youth Climate Summit. Todd Moe talks with two teens concerned about the environment and the region's future.  Go to full article

Plattsburgh, NY, Oct 26, 2009 — Over the weekend, President Obama declared the swine flu pandemic a national emergency. Administration officials described the declaration as a pre-emptive move that would speed treatment to thousands of people infected by the H1N1 virus. This includes circumventing federal regulations to quickly open over-flow medical centers. And hospitals can change patient rules in order to treat them faster. Across the North Country, health officials are seeing more cases of the flu--especially in schools. Efforts to contain the virus are hampered by a short supply of vaccine. Jonathan Brown reports.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Sep 29, 2009 — Nearly everyone in St. Lawrence County knows Ruth Garner, the former mayor of Potsdam. Turning 94 this year, she is still active in local politics. But few people are familiar with Ruth's experiences growing up through the Great Depression-- and how her travels as a young girl shaped her political career. This story was produced for NCPR by Brenna Rice for the Common Wealth, Common Wisdom Project.  Go to full article

Sep 14, 2009 — Each Monday this month, we're featuring new features from our Common Wealth, Common Wisdom project. North Country teens paired with senior citizens to explore the concept of entrepreneurship during the Great Depression, and today's Great Recession. When Chelsea Ross went across the street to interview her 90-year-old neighbor, Bill Cullen, she expected to hear some stories about working hard as a kid in the Great Depression era. She expected to get a 'how to' guide for surviving today's recession. What she got instead was different. What she got was a weird mirror on her life from 70 years before.  Go to full article