The Spark

Many kids deal with challenges when starting elementary school like finding new friends, adjusting to new teachers, or understanding new concepts; but some deal with those challenges and additional ones that are presented because of learning disabilities.

According to the world health organization, About 15% of the world’s population lives with a disability, this includes about 93 million children and 720 million adults with significant difficulties in functioning.

Jeremy Mutzabaugh, Dauphin County resident and Author of Jeremy, Interrupted and Jeremy’s Realization, said he dealt with academic challenges and bullying because of his learning disability.

"I had to find a way to deal with those students plus a different personality of teachers," Mutzabaugh said. "It was roughly a lesson in me finding the strength to push myself through my grades to get through school."

According to Learning Disabilities Statistics and Prevalence, kids with learning disabilities are 31 percent more likely to be bullied than their classmates without a learning disability.

Although Mutzabaugh dealt with challenges because of his learning disability throughout his life, he found a way to overcome with faith, a strong support system, and a positive attitude.

"

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the Congressional Committee investigating the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol began hearings earlier this year, there have calls from Democrats and others for the Justice Department to conduct a criminal probe of former President Donald Trump and his allies’ alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 president election.

There were criticisms of Attorney General Merrick Garland for not moving fast enough or even confirming a criminal investigation was underway.

That all changed last week when the FBI executed a search warrant at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate in Florida – not looking for election-related materials but documents he may have removed from the White House when he left.

Back on the election front though, Central Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Scott Perry confirmed the FBI seized his cell phone looking for evidence related to the use of fake electors to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory.

Then PennLive reported that several Republican state lawmakers were subpoenaed as well. The PennLive journalists who broke that story – Jan Murphy and Charles Thompson are on Monday's Smart Talk.

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s August – temperatures have been in the 90s for the past week. Schools haven’t opened yet and the football season and crisp fall weather are a few weeks away. But there’s a local business that wants their customers to start thinking about the holidays and specifically Christmas decorations. It’s called simply enough – Christmas décor of Harrisburg and we’re joined today by the company’s owner – Nikos Phelps.

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As kids go back to school this year the are confronted with challenges like readjusting to in person learning, making new friends, and a new bedtime schedule after the summer. But a major challenge that some will face, due to COVID-19, is catching up academically to perform on their grade level.

According to a study by McKinsey and Company, the impact of the pandemic on K through 12 student learning was significant, leaving students about five months behind in mathematics and four months behind in reading by the end of the school year.

The pandemic widened preexisting opportunity and achievement gaps, hitting historically disadvantaged students hardest.

Laura Overdeck, president and founder of Bedtime Math Foundation is here with us today to provide us with some insight on the issue and solutions to resolve it.

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 300 people have been shot to death in Philadelphia in 2022. 497 were killed in shootings last year. The numbers are rising too. A group of students from Philadelphia descended on the state capitol this week demanding action on gun violence in Pennsylvania. We’re joined by two of them today – Emely Seda and Danay McNeill, along with Hillary Do, Executive Director of the organization, PhillyBOLT.

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ideal Food Basket, a fresh produce grocery store, opened last Tuesday; with the long-anticipated snipping of their red ribbon a neighborhood food desert in Reading was eliminated.

The family-owned grocery store provided the first 100 shoppers with a complimentary grab bag stuffed with free groceries and a $10 coupon for their next visit.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, 10 percent of the approximately 65,000 census tracts in the United States are food deserts; about 13.5 million people within those areas have low access to sources of food.

Jeffery Diaz, Co-owner of Ideal Food Basket, joins us today to discuss the grocery store that has made buying groceries ideal for a neighborhood in Reading.

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last month, some four-thousand beagles – puppies and adults – were rescued from a facility in Cumberland, Virginia where they were being bred to be used in medical research. They are now on their way to being adopted from shelters and partners across the country, including at least seven here in Pennsylvania. The Humane Society of the United States is helping to coordinate the rescues and adoptions. It’s just one of the animal welfare issues we’ll discuss today with Kristen Tullo, Executive Director, of the Humane Society of the United States, Pennsylvania.

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HippoCamp: A Conference for Creative Nonfiction Writers is an annual event produced by independent/volunteer-run Hippocampus Magazine.

It will take place this weekend, August 12-14, in Lancaster.

Storytelling is a big part of writing and today, we’ll learning a little bit about how to tell or write a story.

On Wednesday's Smart Talk Donna Talarico, founder, Hippocampus Magazine & Books and Jamie Beth Cohen, Author and Storyteller (Best Storyteller in Lancaster, 2021).

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When thinking about recess most think about children, but the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s Center for Creative Exploration has given recess a new twist.

Art Recess, which started in 2019 prior to a brief hiatus due to COVID-19, provides adults with two and a half hours to work an art project of their own or an assigned art project while enjoying their packed lunch.

The college of art and design believes this opportunity gives adults something better to do than “doom scrolling at their desk.”

According to a Drexel University professor and researcher in art therapy, the act of creation can reduce stress and anxiety, improve one’s mood, and increase problem solving skills.

Natalie Lascek, Director of Center for Creative Exploration, said Art Recess is important because it provides a way for people to take a moment to pause and connect with others.

"I think so many of us have this idea of productivity meaning that we're just like connected to everything all of the time," said Lascek. "...Giving yourself a break and indulging in creativity it really allows us to bring our best and most productive self to our work everyday."

Adults engage in collage, zine making, drawing, water color, Crayola model magic, sharpie tye dye and other projects when participating in Art Recess.

Lascek said a big part of Art Recess is having a lot of different things that people can try and finding where each person's comfortable entry point.

To increase the reach of Art Recess, the Center for Creative Exploration has been talking to community partners about bringing the program to their spaces. Lascek said she hopes people extend Art Recess's reach by practicing it on their own and with other groups.

"Maybe it's something that they can do for themselves, for their colleagues," said Lascek. "Maybe it's something that they can start in their own communities and make sure that they're all taking care of each other; and taking out a really mindful pause... and start their own Art Recess."

The kickoff of the 2022 - 2023 Art Recess season will be held on Friday, September 30 from 11:30 to 2 p.m. at the Lancaster City Welcome Center, 38 Penn Square.

For additional Art Recess dates and information visit

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How and what kind of media Americans consume has changed a great deal in the last decade.

The time spent watching TV, listening to radio, reading newspapers and magazines are all down while the use of mobile devices is up by 250%.

At the same time, with so many choices for content, a polarized nation often goes to the media where they hear news or opinions that agree with their own – increasing the polarization.

With us today's Smart Talk to discuss these changes and their impact is Alison Dagnes, a professor of political science at Shippensburg University, who has authored three books Super Mad at Everything All the Time: Political Media and Our National Anger, Politics on Demand: The Effects of 24-Hour News On American Politics and A Conservative Walks Into a Bar: The Politics of Political Humor.

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.