Diane Downs was recognized for creating the Louisville Leopard Percussionists, a non-profit community organization for students aged 7-12. This community-building program helps students develop music appreciation, performance skills and proficiency on a variety of percussion instruments. In her podcast (MP3, 24MB), Downs discusses the success of the Leopards—the group has traveled nationally, performing jazz, Latin, pop and original work. The children rotate playing a full range of percussion instruments, which Downs says has given participants creative skills and confidence. The group has recorded six CDs.

Diane Downs, Louisville Leopard Percussionists, Kentucky

The Cable's Leaders in Learning Awards is Cable in the Classroom's annual awards program to recognize administrators, educators, community leaders and policymakers who demonstrate vision, innovation, action and transformation in education. The objective of the awards is to promote and encourage innovative learning practices by honoring individuals who have transformed an aspect of education on a large or small scale.

Education

Training

Language Courses

Higher Education

K-12

Educational Technology

Lynda Bergsma was recognized for her 17-year body of work, in which she uses media literacy education as a health promotion strategy for children, youth and families. Through Bergsma’s projects, teaching, research, writing, speaking and leadership, thousands of people across the United States and worldwide have learned to make healthy decisions in a media-saturated culture. In this podcast (MP3, 13 MB), Bergsma discusses the importance of implementing media literacy education into curriculum. She notes that students today are bombarded with various types of media and they must be taught how to properly analyze and understand what they are consuming.

Lynda Bergsma, Professor,  University of Arizona

Craig Lindvahl and Joe Fatheree were recognized for their creation of the Aha Film Festival, an annual event they designed to showcase the work of students in multimedia classes from Teutopolis and Effingham high schools in Illinois. The festival sells out a 1,600-seat theater and includes industry seminars on the day of the festival. In this podcast (MP3, 15 MB), the duo talk about the importance of hands-on learning and what the popular film festival means to their small Midwestern town.

Craig Lindvahl and Joe Fatheree, Teachres, Effingham and Teutopolis high schools, Illinois

Jay Hoffman was recognized for his work with a student-led news network composed of 12 students who deliver the news on a weekly basis. They work extensively with other students in the school as well as community members to produce, edit and broadcast their stories. In this podcast (MP3, 13.5 MB), Hoffman talks about what goes on behind the scenes at the South Burlington News Network. We learn that participants make a habit of reaching out to the community and that several students were recently honored by C-SPAN in a yearly film contest.

Jay Hoffman, Teacher, Tuttle Middle School, Vermont

Gary Olsen was recognized for his creation of “The Garden Organic.” The cable television reality show teaches young students how to grow and prepare their own food, in partnerships with Hy-Vee Foods, Steve’s Ace Home & Garden Center and the Iowa State University Extension Office. The program combines science, math, culture and the history of food along with basic food how-to’s: growing, harvesting, preparing and preserving. Students are taped as they set out on their challenge to grow an organic garden with no artificial or non-organic pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides. The series, now in its fourth year, is broadcast on a Dubuque Community School’s own full-time 24/7 cable channel provided by Mediacom Cable. In his podcast (MP3, 12 MB), Olsen recounts humorous events that have occurred during filming of "The Garden Organic," and what the kids and community have taken away from this educational reality show. He also talks about how significant business and community partnerships have been to the show.

Gary Olsen, District Adminstrator, Dubuque Community School District, Iowa

Ray Lund was recognized for his creation and implementation of Thornton Academy TV (TATV), a student-run television station. Lund’s students have developed long-running shows and have made their TV station an important thread in the community. In his podcast (MP3, 9.6 MB), Lund discusses the enthusiasm his students demonstrate as they work to develop shows for the station and the media-related careers they pursue after graduation.

Diane Downs, Louisville Leopard Percussionists, Kentucky

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