NPR Cross Currents with Scott Widmeyer

Frank Sesno, former CNN DC bureau chief and White House correspondent, sits down with us for an informative chat around the chaos that engulfs the White House and Congress. Sesno, now head of the GW School of Media & Public Affairs, also weighs in on issues impacting a free and independent media and higher ed's ROI.

From the NY Times to CNN to Conde Nast and the Washington Post, two towns--Shepherdstown WV and Nantucket MA--are regularly hailed as summer holiday spots. For the arts, it's Shepherdstown and its acclaimed Contemporary American Theater Festival featuring 6 new American plays in rep. For sailing, the beaches and escaping the heat, it's Nantucket plus its Theatre Workshop of Nantucket featuring musical classics and more. Sit back for 25 minutes and learn a little more on how the performing arts soothes our soul, provokes the thought process and allows us to learn from history as I interview CATF's Ed Herendeen and TWN's Justin Cerne.

Former US Secretary of Ed Arne Duncan talks candidly on how US schools are doing, the wave of crime hitting cities like Chicago and he underscores the importance of education for everyone. Plus he talks about the good days and the bad days during his tenure in the Obama administration. And he scorns the pitfalls of not rewarding teachers.

Writer/historian Elizabeth Catte has her own interpretation of what's going on in Appalachia today and it's far different from the total gloom perspective laid out by J.D. Vance in his book, "Hillbilly Elegy." We interview Catte on her 2018 book on this region that is bigger than Alaska, runs from NY State to Mississippi, and comprises 25 million residents.

Former president Obama led the "Yes, We Can" charge with his candidacy in 2008 in contrast to the current president's "Make America Great Again." We sit down with Gautam Raghavan to talk about the book he has co-authored, "West Wingers," where 18 key Obama staffers write about their WH days as they chased dreams and created hope.

Anne Goodwin and Ella Wall Prichard are two amazing women. Listen to my show and come away relaxed and fulfilled. Anne, in her book, Come to the Lake, teaches us to disconnect and relax. Ella, in her book, Reclaiming Joy, speaks to the one million US women who lose their husbands unexpectedly.

We know IBM for its 100-plus year legacy around data and innovation. That legacy extends deep into American education with the role they play around teaching, P-Tech high schools and trying to close the skills gap. My interview with Grace Suh sheds a lot of light on real social responsibility.

There's been lots of great focus on how women are the prime victims of sexual harassment, but little has been heard about the crisis impacting boys in the US and globally. Our show today opens a window to look at how boys to men are in deep despair. Our guest is Warren Farrell, co-author of top-selling boy, "The Boy Crisis." You will be surprised by what you learn from this growing phenomenon.

We talk with American Student Assistance president Jean Eddy and get her insight on higher ed and student debt. Plus, we look at ASA's new initiative to reach middle school students across the USA to begin the thought process around planning for careers. Whether it's a college degree or a certificate in high-paying skilled fields, there's much to pick from. And more info is available at the new www.asa.org

Our back-to-school/Labor Day show features American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. Wide-ranging discussion on unparalleled support for public school teachers, the Supreme Court, the decline of the middle class and the "extremism" coming from Trump-DeVos administration. Weingarten calls this a "hope in darkness" period.