April is national Volunteer Appreciation Month, and national Volunteer Week is April 18-24.
All of us at Idaho Public Television miss seeing our loyal volunteers during these difficult times. In fact, we usually welcome nearly 1,000 volunteers to our station in Boise each year, most of those during our annual fundraising drives, Festival and DecemberFest.
Though we haven’t been able to see our volunteers in person for the past year, we sincerely appreciate their many years of service and support. We’re hopeful we’ll be able to work together again soon!
Our volunteers help make the world a better place with their generous gifts of time and talent. If YOU would like to volunteer at Idaho Public Television, please contact Jacob Sodeman at (208) 373-7220 or jacob.sodeman@idahoptv.org.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Friends of Idaho Public Television — a 501(c)(3) organization that assists Idaho Public Television in fulfilling its mission — has been recognized with the highest ratings from two organizations that provide information about the fiscal integrity of nonprofit organizations.
The Friends of IdahoPTV’s strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a four-star (highest) rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. Since 2002, using objective analysis, Charity Navigator has awarded only the most fiscally responsible organizations a four-star rating. In 2011, Charity Navigator added 17 metrics, focused on governance and ethical practices as well as measures of openness, to its ratings methodology. These Accountability & Transparency metrics, which account for 50 percent of a charity’s overall rating, reveal which charities adhere to good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities and consistently execute their mission in a fiscally responsible way.
“Attaining a four-star rating verifies that Friends of Idaho Public Television exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in your area of work,” says Michael Thatcher, president and CEO of Charity Navigator. “Only 21 percent of the charities we evaluate have received at least four consecutive four-star evaluations, indicating that Friends of Idaho Public Television outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets Friends of Idaho Public Television apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.”
The Friends of Idaho Public Television has also earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information about nonprofit organizations, for the fourth consecutive year. GuideStar lists 9,507 nonprofits in Idaho. Only 67 of those are ranked at the Platinum level.
GuideStar encourages every nonprofit to update its profile at no cost to the organization. Updating allows nonprofits to share a wealth of up-to-date information with the more than 7 million people who visit GuideStar to learn more about nonprofit organizations each year. To reach the Platinum level, the Friends of Idaho Public Television added extensive information to its Nonprofit Profile on GuideStar: organizational information; in-depth financial information; qualitative information about goals, strategies and capabilities; and quantitative information about results and progress toward fulfilling the mission of Idaho Public Television. By providing this information, the Friends of Idaho Public Television has demonstrated its commitment to transparency and to giving donors and funders meaningful data with which to evaluate Idaho Public Television’s performance.
“We know that individuals and organizations have many worthwhile nonprofits to choose from when making charitable contributions,” says Jenifer Johnson, director of strategic fundraising at Idaho Public Television. “Our fundraising and philanthropy team is committed to operating professionally, with full transparency and integrity. We are proud of our work to help steward private support for the quality programming and important educational outreach that Idaho Public Television produces. The trust placed in us by individuals, companies and foundations is valued beyond measure.”
Today, the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS Northwest) announced their 2020 Emmy Award nominations, and Idaho Public Television was nominated for 14 awards. Here are the honors for which our producers, filmmakers and station were nominated. Winners will be announced in a virtual ceremony hosted on Saturday, June 5, by NATAS Northwest.
Overall Excellence – Idaho Public Television
Environment/Science – Long Form Content – Outdoor Idaho: Urban Wildlife – Idaho Public Television – Lauren Melink, Producer; Aaron Kunz, Producer
Sports Program – Post-Produced or Edited – Outdoor Idaho: The 12ers – Idaho Public Television – Bill Manny, Producer; Jay Krajic, Director
Documentary – Cultural/Historical – Idaho Experience: Ahead of Her Time – Idaho Public Television – Jenny Sue Weltner, Producer; Andy Lawless, Producer; Marcia Franklin, Producer; Madeleine Pisaneschi, Graphic Artist
Informational/Instructional – Long Form Content – Outdoor Idaho: Sawtooths on My Mind – Idaho Public Television – Bill Manny, Producer; Lauren Melink, Producer; Jay Krajic, Director; Bruce Reichert, Producer
As part of our efforts with the Idaho Resilience Project and Optum Idaho to raise community awareness about child abuse prevention, Idaho Public Television is hosting an online event that will include a presentation of the documentary Resilient Idaho: Hope Lives Here.
Following the film, there will be a live discussion on child abuse awareness and prevention. The evening will be hosted by Nicole Sanchez, writer, narrator and one of the producers of Resilient Idaho: Hope Lives Here. She will be joined by special guests Roger Sherman, executive director for Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, and Holly Whitworth, program manager for Eastern Idaho Public Health.
The event is free and open to the public.
DATE: Tuesday, April 6
TIME: 6:00 PM Mountain time / 5:00 PM Pacific time
Roger Sherman is the Executive Director of the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, which is also the state affiliate of Prevent Child Abuse America. Under Roger’s leadership, the Trust has greatly expanded its efforts to prevent child sexual abuse, introduced new ways of preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome, and engaged educators and others around trauma informed care and strengthening families. He has worked with schools and other organizations statewide in his current role and previously as a community organizer from 1979-2007 when he started at the Children’s Trust.
Holly Whitworth has worked with families and young children for 25 years. She is a program manager at Eastern Idaho Public Health where she works to provide evidence based home visiting services to families with children 0-5 years of age. Her work focuses on helping families receive support and build healthy relationships through parent education, family support, preventative health care, infant mental health and preventing child abuse and neglect. Holly currently sits on the AIM Early Idaho Board of Directors and is active across the state facilitating home visiting and programs that strengthen families.
Nicole Sanchez is a television host, reporter and producer in the Boise and Seattle markets. She is passionate about telling stories that help to improve people’s lives. Nicole is one of the producers and is the writer/narrator for Resilient Idaho: Hope Lives Here on Idaho Public Television. She is also the host of the Idaho News 6 award segment “Shine a Light” and is a host/reporter for the news magazine show CityStream, which airs on the Seattle Channel. Nicole is honored to serve as the President of the NW Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which produces the regional Emmys in Seattle.
From all of the staff here at Idaho Public Television, we’d like to extend an enthusiastic “Thank you!” to each of the businesses, organizations, philanthropists, donors and others whose generosity made our annual fundraising drive Festival a success!
Idaho Public Television needs your help identifying a tech-savvy, innovative and collaborative teacher to honor as our next Digital Innovator.
The IdahoPTV Digital Innovator program recognizes Idaho teachers who enhance learning by integrating technology or digital media into their classrooms. Each spring IdahoPTV selects one Idaho K-12 educator to serve as Digital Innovator for the following school year.
Whether you’re a fellow teacher, a school administrator, a parent or a student, YOU can nominate your favorite classroom changemaker to be the 2021-2022 IdahoPTV Digital Innovator. Do you know an educator who pushes the boundaries of teaching to better engage their students, and who enhances learning by integrating technology or digital media into their classroom? A teacher who is passionate, bold and innovative? A classroom collaborator who is excited to share new resources and skills with fellow educators?
We are accepting your nominations from March 15 through April 16, 2021. Nominees must be K-12 educators holding a current teaching certificate and currently teaching in an Idaho classroom or working in an Idaho school.
You can nominate them online and include a one-page letter with the following details:
• How long have you known the educator? • Why do you think this educator deserves to be the IdahoPTV Digital Innovator? • What is something innovative this educator is currently doing in their classroom?
The winning Digital Innovator will be announced in May. This teacher will have opportunities to explore new teaching strategies and share their knowledge with other Idaho teachers. Throughout the 2021-2022 school year, the Digital Innovator will partner with IdahoPTV education staff on professional development trainings for teachers around Idaho. They will also receive an expenses-paid trip to the Northwest Council for Computer Education (NCCE) 2022 conference in Seattle as well as a classroom innovation kit from IdahoPTV.
Read more about the IdahoPTV Digital Innovator program and watch videos from past Digital Innovators here.
Two new productions from Idaho Public Television will illuminate the years writer Ernest Hemingway spent in the Gem State and explore some of the state’s hidden landscapes.
“Idaho’s Hemingway” on Idaho Experience
Many Idahoans are familiar with the basics of Ernest Hemingway’s Idaho story: the celebrities, the promotion for the new Sun Valley resort, the love for hunting — and that he died by suicide at his home along the Big Wood River. For a lot of people, that’s about it — until now. An upcoming Ken Burns documentary about Hemingway offered Idaho Public Television’s original series Idaho Experience an opportunity to tell a companion story about Hemingway’s life in Idaho.
“Idaho’s Hemingway” (airing March 4 at 7 PM and repeating March 14 at 6 PM) explores how the time he spent in Idaho from 1939 to 1961 influenced the author’s life, his work, his friends and his wife Mary. By looking for the traces of Hemingway that remain in Ketchum, the film explores what the Hemingway story tells us about our state’s cultural landscape, in Hemingway’s time and ours.
“The Community Library staff helped us examine the most important Hemingway materials in his Ketchum home and in its history center’s collection,” says producer Bill Manny. “The art, the books, the tools of his trade, they all give us a glimpse into the life of this complicated man who redefined writing and celebrity in the 20th century.”
Local broadcast of “Idaho’s Hemingway” is made possible with support from Idaho Central Credit Union. Major funding for Idaho Experience is provided by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation. Additional funding is provided by Anne Voillequé and Louise Nelson, Judy and Steve Meyer, the Richard K. and Shirley S. Hemingway Foundation, the Friends of Idaho Public Television, the Idaho Public Television Endowment, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
“Off the Beaten Path” on Outdoor Idaho
There’s something special about being in a place where not many people go — and Idaho has plenty of places like that. For that reason, Idaho Public Television’s original series Outdoor Idaho spent 2020 exploring some lesser-known spots in preparation for a new production, “Off the Beaten Path.”
From whitewater on the Bruneau River to alpine lakes in the Sawtooth Mountains, from towering treetops in the Hobo Cedar Grove to an angler’s sanctuary on the Snake River, viewers will be dazzled by the special spots that dot our wondrous state.
Producer Lauren Melink describes the show as having something for everyone. “This show was a collaborative effort and I think viewers will feel that when they watch it,” she says.
Born from a brainstorming session, “Off the Beaten Path” tells the story of 11 distinct landscapes in Idaho through the voices of the people who’ve taken the time and energy to get there. The show will evoke both excitement and contemplation. “There’s a lot of beauty and serenity in this show that’s really appealing after such a tumultuous year,” Melink says.
“Off the Beaten Path” airs March 4 at 8 PM and repeats March 14 at 7 PM.
Outdoor Idaho is made possible through funding from the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation.
Two upcoming documentaries — one national and one produced in Idaho — examine the life and works of writer Ernest Hemingway. Two companion online discussions will give viewers the opportunity to hear from the filmmakers behind these documentaries along with special guests. Look for the registration links in the event descriptions below.
Documentary: ‘Idaho’s Hemingway’ on Idaho Experience
Many Idahoans are familiar with the basics of Ernest Hemingway’s Idaho story: the celebrities, the promotion for the new Sun Valley resort, the love for hunting — and that he died by suicide at his home along the Big Wood River. For a lot of people, that’s about it — until now. The upcoming Ken Burns documentary about Hemingway offered Idaho Public Television’s original series Idaho Experience an opportunity to tell a companion story about Hemingway’s life in Idaho.
Idaho’s Hemingway (airing Thursday,March 4, at 7 p.m. and Sunday,March 14, at 6 p.m.) explores how the time he spent in Idaho from 1939 to 1961 influenced the writer’s life, his work, his friends and his wife, Mary. By looking for the traces of Hemingway that remain in Ketchum, the film explores what the Hemingway story tells us about our state’s cultural landscape, in Hemingway’s time and ours. “The Community Library staff helped us examine the most important Hemingway materials in his Ketchum home and in its history center’s collection,” says producer Bill Manny. “The art, the books, the tools of his trade, they all give us a glimpse into the life of this complicated man who redefined writing and celebrity in the 20th century.”
Local broadcast of Idaho’s Hemingway is made possible with support from Idaho Central Credit Union.
Documentary: ‘Hemingway’
Ernest Hemingway, the iconic literary figure considered one of the greatest American writers and among the first to live and work at the treacherous nexus of art and celebrity, is the subject of this three-part, six-hour documentary series directed by filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Hemingway airs Monday-Wednesday, April 5-7, at 7 p.m.and again at 9 p.m.) on Idaho Public Television.
The film paints an intimate picture of the writer — who captured on paper the complexities of the human condition in spare and profound prose, and whose work remains deeply influential around the world — while also penetrating the myth of Hemingway the man’s man, to reveal a deeply troubled and ultimately tragic figure. The film also explores Hemingway’s limitations and biases as an artist. It interweaves a close study of the biographical events of the author’s life with excerpts from his fiction, nonfiction and short stories, informed by interviews with celebrated writers, scholars and Hemingway’s son, Patrick.
Local broadcast of Hemingway is made possible with support from Delta Dental of Idaho and the Idaho Humanities Council.
Online Event: ‘Hemingway and the Natural World’
PBS is hosting a series of eight free online discussions to illuminate topics discussed in the Burns/Novick documentary. Conversations on Hemingway: A Virtual Event Series will take place via Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Feb. 23 and continuing through March 18, with a final event on March 24.
On March 2 at 5/4 p.m. Mountain/Pacific, Idaho Public Television and The Community Library in Ketchum will present one of these discussions, “Hemingway and the Natural World.” The conversation will include Ken Burns, producer Sarah Botstein, and writer Terry Tempest Williams, who was The Community Library’s 2019 Hemingway Distinguished Lecturer. The discussion about Hemingway’s connection to the natural world will be moderated by The Community Library’s executive director, Jenny Emery Davidson, and will feature clips from the Burns/Novick documentary. Register for this free event here.
Online Event: ‘Idaho’s Hemingway: A Free Virtual Discussion’
On Thursday, March 25, at 6/5 p.m. Mountain/Pacific, Idaho Public Television will host a free discussion as a companion to the Idaho Experience documentary Idaho’s Hemingway. The film’s producer, Bill Manny, will lead a conversation from the Hemingway House in Ketchum with special guests Jenny Emery Davidson, executive director of The Community Library in Ketchum; poet Richard Blanco; and Hemingway scholar Stacey Guill. Manny will discuss the making of the documentary and discuss the impact of Hemingway’s years in Idaho on his life, works and personal relationships. Register for this free event here.
In early-1900s Idaho, timber was king. The supply of coveted western white pine seemed endless. To the newly arrived Weyerhaeuser family, it was as if money grew on trees. Although Idaho forests promised jobs, the work of cutting timber and transporting it to the mill in Lewiston across rugged, roadless mountains would take innovation and hard work. North Idaho’s Clearwater River would serve as a channel to transport the valuable timber in annual log drives that would span a half century.
Idaho Public Television’s original series Idaho Experience takes viewers along for The Last Log Drive on the Clearwater River to chronicle the 100-mile journey to Lewiston, life on the river, and the company that ran it all—plus, what caused the log drive to come to an abrupt end in 1971.
The film airs Thursday, Feb. 18, at 8:30 PM and repeats Sunday, Feb. 21, at 7:30 PM. It will be available for early streaming beginning Feb. 11 on the PBS Video app or online at video.idahoptv.org.
“These drives were hard,” says producer Aaron Kunz. “It took young, strong, agile men working all day in 37-degree water. We interviewed some of the men who worked those log drives. Their stories take viewers back to a different time in Idaho.”
Major funding for Idaho Experience is provided by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation. Additional funding is provided by Anne Voillequé and Louise Nelson, Judy and Steve Meyer, the Futura Corporation, the Richard K. and Shirley S. Hemingway Foundation, the Friends of Idaho Public Television, the Idaho Public Television Endowment, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Child abuse, neglect and growing up in a seriously dysfunctional household are all Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs for short. Left unresolved or untreated, these experiences can create childhood trauma and toxic stress that can last a lifetime.
Research shows that at least five of the ten leading causes of death, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, can be rooted in ACEs. They can even shorten a person’s lifespan by up to 20 years.
The new documentary Resilient Idaho: Hope Lives Here looks into the ACEs research and how ACES affect people here in Idaho. Most importantly, the film explores resilience, which could be considered an antidote to ACEs.
Community health experts uncover what makes people resilient and share powerful stories of how people have overcome tragedies. Data clearly show that ACEs don’t have to be predictive, and resilience can help people bounce forward after trauma and tragedy.
The film airs on Idaho Public Television on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m. and repeats Monday, Feb. 22, at 9 p.m. It will also be available for free streaming beginning Feb. 16 on the PBS Video app and online at video.idahoptv.org.
“Idaho is not immune to the impact of childhood trauma and, in fact, we experience higher rates than much of the broader United States,” says Jean Mutchie, Community Health Manager at St. Luke’s Health System. “The stories shared in Resilient Idaho: Hope Lives Here are profound and powerful, yet they are not unique. It is imperative that we link arms to address trauma and work collaboratively to foster resilient communities where children and families thrive.”
Roger Sherman, Executive Director of Idaho Children’s Trust Fund/Prevent Child Abuse Idaho, says, “The pandemic has shown us what we too often take for granted: We need each other. Resilient Idaho: Hope Lives Here is not just a study on the impacts of childhood trauma; it is much more about how family and community support makes us resilient, makes us stronger, even in the face of adversity.”
Resilient Idaho: Hope Lives Here is made possible through funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leaders, Optum Idaho, the Friends of Idaho Public Television, the Idaho Public Television Endowment, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. “We are proud to produce this project for the citizens of Idaho,” says Jeff Tucker, Director of Content at Idaho Public Television. “It’s what we do best, telling the stories that have an impact and to help educate our viewers.”
Participants in the Film
Tracey Karst, Sandpoint – Tracey Karst is a teacher and adoptive parent of four special needs children. She sees the effects of ACEs on a daily basis both in her classroom and in her home. Meet her family and hear their encouraging story of overcoming trauma.
Sean Blackwell, Boise – Sean Blackwell is a criminology professor, but he can’t remember much of his childhood — a telling sign of trauma. Hear what helped him become resilient and how he is getting involved in the community to promote healing and change.
Keith Orchard, Coeur d’Alene – Keith Orchard is the Mental Health Specialist for the Coeur d’Alene School District.For the past several years, he has presented trauma informed training in the district with the goal to shift how adults see and respond to children who are struggling by understanding root causes and working to meet the need behind the behavior.Keith’s training equips teachers and administrators with understanding and tools to support, respond and teach self-regulation skills to children who are acting out. This has completely transformed their approach.
Luis Granados, Nampa – Luis Granados grew up in the gang culture and found himself in jail as a young person. He was able to turn the negative experiences he faced growing up and use them as a skill to help him reach young people in a unique and meaningful way. He is the Executive Director of Breaking Chains Academy of Development. The nonprofit in Canyon County works with gang-involved youth to attain their education and develop life skills.
Shannon McGuire, Boise – Shannon McGuire is a community-minded entrepreneur and leader in Idaho. Her life today is a stark contrast to where she grew up: South Central Los Angeles. She lost her brother in a traumatic and tragic accident at the age of nine. Even worse, people blamed her for his death. Learn how she is able to choose joy and positivity even after such a rough start to life.
Dr. Bryan Taylor, PhD, JD, Caldwell – Dr. Bryan Taylor is the Prosecuting Attorney for Canyon County. His office is very familiar with the ACEs study and takes a proactive approach in looking for ways to identify trauma and better support victims. His team works hard to reduce crime while pursuing justice. Bryan is very involved in the community and believes that civic engagement is key to building a safer and healthier community.
Becky Johnson, Meridian – Becky Johnson is a therapist and former youth pastor with two masters degrees. Growing up, she experienced massive trauma and has a 10 out of 10 ACE score. Abuse and neglect could have determined her life, but instead she overcame unthinkable tragedy and now lives a successful and meaningful life where she helps others heal.
Holly Whitworth, Idaho Falls – Holly Whitworth is the Program Manager of the Parents as Teachers Program through Eastern Idaho Public Health. This free service helps to support families by building their child’s intellectual, language, social and physical development from birth to age three. Holly has personally seen the power of this mentorship program break the cycle of trauma in families.
