The Spark

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The YWCA Greater Harrisburg is pleased to announce the honorees for their 37th Annual Tribute to Women of Excellence, all of whom will be celebrated at an event on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center. Over the last 37 years, the YWCA has honored more than 800 extraordinary women for their contributions to our region, both professionally and philanthropically. This year, they honor 28 women who dedicate time and talent to making a difference in Central Pennsylvania. 

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On this month's Braver Angels segment, we’ve all seen the growing division in our country, and we are at a pivotal point in time where we can choose to add to the division (using polarizing language, sharing highly politicized memes, etc), or we can be courageous and work to close that divide. Braver Angel's workshops and events are not about changing minds or compromising. They are meant to change how we view each other. People do not have to indicate their political leaning when they attend a skill building workshop. 

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M28 Ministry has acquired a four‑unit apartment complex that will become Esther’s House, a new affordable, recovery‑focused housing resource for men and women rebuilding their lives after addiction. The purchase was finalized on February 13 and made possible through $416,098 in Cumberland County HOME funding, a critical investment that allowed the project to move forward.

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The 2026 Pennsylvania Home + Garden Show brings more than 200 home and garden professionals, expansive spring‑themed displays, celebrity guests, hands‑on activities, and special ticket promotions to the PA Farm Show Complex from March 5–8. It’s positioned as the region’s largest, most comprehensive destination for remodeling ideas, design inspiration, outdoor living trends, and local artisan shopping.

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First, Penny Lenig‑Zerby, director of the UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing in Harrisburg, and Joye Gingrich, UPMC in Central Pa.’s Chief Nursing Officer, share their personal journeys into nursing and what drives them to train the next generation. They discuss the realities of today’s nursing workforce, the many career paths available to new graduates, and how UPMC supports nurses as they enter the field and continue their education. They also outline practical steps for listeners interested in applying to nursing school at a time when demand for skilled nurses has never been higher.

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Then, the conversation shifts to Pennsylvania’s hemp and cannabis landscape through the story of Lazy Moon Ranch and its founder, Ron Boyles. After a debilitating back injury and years of opioid dependence, Ron turned to medical cannabis—an experience that helped him reclaim his health and sparked his advocacy for patient access. Today he leads the Green Bridge Society, connecting patients with certifying doctors across multiple states, and cultivates CBD hemp at Lazy Moon Ranch following the 2018 Hemp Farm Bill. Ron shares what distinguishes hemp from cannabis, how the industry works, and what recent legislation means for growers, consumers, and curious newcomers.

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We look back at Ephraim Slaughter: Freedom’s Witness, the one-act production created for the Annual Dauphin County Black History Celebration by Sankofa African American Theatre Company and Gamut Theatre, in partnership with the National Civil War Museum. Actors Marcus McGhee and Melinda Anderson help us revisit the life of Ephraim Slaughter—a man born enslaved who became a Union Army veteran, community leader, and witness to a century of American change. Through their performances, the play brings audiences into a Harrisburg room in 1943, where memory, resilience, and long-silenced truths finally speak.

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Then we turn to a new Pennsylvania law requiring cursive handwriting instruction in schools. Dr. Kerry Hasler-Brooks and Dr. Sarah Fischer explore why cursive still matters—from reading historical documents to strengthening cognitive development, deepening literacy skills, and slowing down enough to think critically in a fast-paced digital world. Together, they make the case that preserving history isn’t just about the stories we tell—it’s about ensuring future generations can read them.

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Sydney and Emily report on how immigration enforcement is unfolding across Pennsylvania — from a State College man taken into ICE custody immediately after his decades‑old conviction was vacated, to the rapid spread of ICE 287(g) agreements that let local police perform federal immigration functions. Their coverage looks at why these agreements are expanding, why they’re controversial, and how they’re driving community backlash and political fallout.

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The episode then turns to the future of public broadcasting. Steven Bass of Oregon Public Media and Matias Vernegno of the Bucknell Institute for Public Policy discuss the pressures facing public media, the shift toward more locally focused models, and why the distinction between public and commercial news still matters.

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First, we head into the classroom at Harrisburg Academy, where IB English students—guided by teacher Peter Frengel—are analyzing how media bias, algorithms, and online communities shape our understanding of current events.

The episode then turns to the future of public broadcasting. Steven Bass of Oregon Public Media and Matias Vernegno of the Bucknell Institute for Public Policy discuss the pressures facing public media, the shift toward more locally focused models, and why the distinction between public and commercial news still matters.

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We start with Penn State Extension Master Gardeners Heather Freeland and Shirley Halk, who share practical, research‑backed tips for spring planting.

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Then we head into the classroom at Harrisburg Academy, where IB English students—guided by teacher Peter Frengel—are analyzing how media bias, algorithms, and online communities shape our understanding of current events.

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Clinical Nutrition Manager Angelina Sickora and Clinical Operations Manager and registered dietitian Janelle Barnett from Penn State Health break down the booming world of protein—what it actually does in the body, how much we really need, whether “protein‑packed” products are worth the hype, and how to read labels beyond the marketing.

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Then, as Heart Month continues, Devon Sprenkle, Executive Director for the American Heart Association in South Central Pennsylvania, joins us to discuss building a world of longer, healthier lives and why heart health advocacy remains urgent for families across the Commonwealth.

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We close with Cathy Hirko, Director of Marketing and Communications, who introduces Girl Scouts Amplified Voices—a podcast celebrating the courage, creativity, and leadership of Girl Scouts and the volunteers who support them as they shape the future they want to see.

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This episode explores two stories of protection—one for Pennsylvania’s landscapes, and one for women’s health. Conservation leaders Karen Lutz and Cameron Weiser break down the Scott Farm–Peters Mountain land swap, a partnership that preserves trail access, safeguards the Kittatinny Ridge, and strengthens stewardship of the Appalachian Trail. 

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In our second segment, Dr. Sharon Fitzgerald sheds light on fallopian tube cancer, why awareness is low, and how prevention strategies like opportunistic salpingectomy and genetic counseling can save lives.

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Encore! Home School Productions—along with its Theatre Academy—provides homeschooled and cyber‑schooled students across Central Pennsylvania with rich, hands‑on theatre education through fall plays, spring musicals, camps, and workshops. This season, the team is preparing for their upcoming production of Seussical, guided by a powerhouse group of educators and artists.

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