As part of our ongoing American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen initiative, we've examined the myriad of issues depressing graduation rates and talked with the educators and administrators who are fighting to take their students to graduation day. Today on HearSay, we'll turn our attention from the people raising graduation rates to the places where they have to make it happen. Journalist Ron Berler joins host Cathy Lewis for an examination of America's public school system as he shares the story of a year spent in one of America's 45,000 failing schools.

The Daily Press and Christopher Newport University's Wason Center for Public Policy are hosting a "Transportation Town Hall" meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, March 4 at the CNU campus. The goal of the meeting and panel discussion is to help bring attention to our region's transportation funding issues and discuss possible solutions. HearSay host Cathy Lewis is joined today by a selection of the meeting's panelists to continue the conversation and discuss key points from the previous evening's Transportation Town hall.

On a Monday edition of HearSay from the Headlines, we'll examine what gridlock in Washington and the unaverted sequestration cuts mean for our region's civilian and military populations. Plus, we'll get an update from Richmond as the 2013 Virginia General Assembly session draws to a close. As always our lines are open, and we invite you to share your thoughts and questions by calling in live at 440-2665 or 1-800-940-2240. You can also e-mail the program at [email protected] or join us on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/hearsaywithcathylewis.

Throughout the past year, as part of our ongoing American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen initiative, we've spoken with educators, administrators and innovators who are manning the front lines of the fight to see every student make it to graduation day. Today we bring you a selection of those 2012 conversations, featuring discussions about the importance of ongoing science and math education, the role of "graduation coaches" in local schools and an examination of the factors most responsible for rising dropout rates.

Segment A: Steward of the Amazon

Imagine an Indiana Jones-esq figure exploring the Amazonian jungles -- communing with shamans - in an attempt to unlock the medicinal secrets of traditional plant use. It's not a movie script, it's just another day in the life of ethnobotanist Dr. Mark Plotkin. In advance of his Thursday evening lecture at ODU, he joins host Cathy Lewis to share his experiences mapping and preserving the great Amazonian jungle and discovering the untold secrets of its indigenous people.

Segment B: Buy Shoes on a Wednesday

Are you planning to host a yard sale, buy plane tickets, discipline a child, or whip yourself into shape? There's a perfect time of day to do all of it, and Mark DiVincenzo's new book, "Buy Shoes on a Wednesday and Tweet at 4:00," provides a foolproof guide for every major (or minor) life decision you might be planning to make. He joins Cathy Lewis in studio to discuss the sources for some of these uncanny tips that will make you healthier and wealthier.

Virginia isn't just going green, it's the greenest! The Commonwealth saw the construction of more green buildings per capita in 2012 than any other state in the nation. One of the largest sources of local green-construction is government and military instillations. Today HearSay host Cathy Lewis speaks with members of the green building community and sustainability experts from across Virginia, and the nation, about the importance of incorporating green technologies into the construction and renovation of our region's government and civilian structures.

Tomorrow night on WHRO-TV 15, PBS and AOL present Makers: Women Who Make America, an unprecedented digital video and broadcast initiative created to highlight the indelible contributions that women have made for the betterment of American society. In partnership with tomorrow night's broadcast, join HearSay host Cathy Lewis for a roundtable discussion with a "who's who" of area women. From the Harvard Business School, to one of the world's largest accounting firms, these women serve as eminent voices in their fields and are leveraging that success to change the way women are viewed in and business and society.

It's a wild edition of our monthly pet health broadcast as we address the tempting, but almost always unwise, urge to domesticate wild and exotic animals as pets. Our resident veterinarian, Phyllis Newmann, join us in studio to discuss the risks of inviting a wild animal into your home. We'll also speak with Ceiridwen Terrill about her journey with her wolfdog, Inyo.

Segment A: Flavor Profiles

First up in our monthly cooking program, HearSay host Cathy Lewis talks with our favorite foodie Patrick Evans-Hylton and gets the latest dish on local restaurants and eateries with our popular "Flavor Profiles" segment.

Segment B: Delicious International Dish

It's international cuisine, literally on an international scale! We'll talk with the author/editor of Saveur's new book, "The Way We Cook: Portraits of Home Cooks Around the World." This collection of lush culinary images conveys the inspiring ways that people feed themselves each day in countries all over the globe. From a chef doling out Charleston, South Carolina's finest fried pork chop to a family making fresh cheese in Zacatecas, Mexico and a mother and daughter preparing an elaborate meal in Riga, Latvia, these stories and visuals are a stunning look at cuisine on a global scale. You'll also find out how you can get a copy of this book as a gift with your support to WHRV-FM during our current fundraising campaign.

Segment C: Delicious Dish Etiquette

From taking your hat off at the table to tipping for great service, how's your dining etiquette? In any case, we'll take a look at why the point of etiquette rules is to make you feel comfortable, not uncomfortable. Our guests will help you discern the do's and don'ts when dining out or in or hosting a private dinner party. Elizabeth "Lizzie" Post, etiquette maven Emily Post's great-great-granddaughter, joins HearSay host Cathy Lewis along with two culinary experts to answer your questions live.

On today's edition of HearSay from the Headlines, we'll consider the tragic story of Richard Fee, a local aspiring medical student who tragically took his own life while in the grips of an addiction to Adderall. This local story made national news in THIS New York Times article that highlights growing concern surrounding how Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is diagnosed and treated. As always, our phone lines are open and we invite you to share your thoughts by calling in live at 757-440-2665 or 1-800-940-2240. You can also e-mail the program at [email protected] or join us on our Facebook page facebook.com/hearsaywithcathylewis.