Beverly Dorn-Steele is WTVI’s director of educational
services and community engagement. “Ms.
Beverly” has been the host of WTVI’s Kids Club and the face of WTVI,
Charlotte’s PBS television station, for more than 30 years.
Beverly has impacted the lives of citizens in the 13-county
Charlotte-Mecklenburg metro area by promoting community outreach programs that
bring individuals, civic and youth organizations, business leaders, educators
and health experts together to identify common problems, share resources and promote
community-wide solutions.
In 2010, she retired after 30 years with WTVI, but she has
stayed on part-time, because she says, “There are still far too many things to
do for this community.” Receiving the Order of the Long Leaf Pine plaque from
Governor Beverly Purdue, an award granted to an employee that has contributed
more than 30 years of service to the state of North Carolina, was a true honor,
but it was certainly not a stopping point for Beverly.
There are many worthy organizations doing wonderful things,
but Beverly advises people to consider several principles when choosing
volunteer activities or monetary donations.
Know
your community
Beverly recommends taking the
time to understand the most important needs for your city and your own
neighborhood. For example, in June 2010, United Way of Central Carolinas (UWCC)
commissioned the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute to conduct a comprehensive
community needs assessment for its five-county service area. The primary
purpose of the study was to pinpoint the community’s greatest needs and
identify gaps in the current array of human services.
Based
on an analysis of data and feedback from numerous local service organizations
and experts from the community, the Institute identified the most significant
needs and service gaps in the UWCC region. From these findings, it developed a
set of recommendations on actions UWCC could take to tackle these issues.
The most
significant needs identified in the region can be grouped into three broad
categories – Education, Housing and
Poverty, Health and Mental Health. WTVI is creating programming, partnerships and public service
announcements to increase awareness and offer information and resources in
these areas.
For example,
the first program that fits into the new plan, American Graduate: Let’s Make it Happen: A Carolina Business Review Special,
airs December 23, 2011, at 9 p.m. Special guests including Governor Beverly
Purdue and Charlotte-Mecklenburg police chief Rodney Monroe taped the program in
October at WTVI. Panelists look at the graduation rate in Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Schools, new initiatives and the impact on the local community.
Gifts
of time are just as important as gifts of money
Many organizations provide tutoring for disadvantaged
children, help for the elderly and assistance for the handicapped, among other
needs. Just a few hours of volunteer time will make a difference for you and
for people you work with. Volunteering also helps you get a feel for the agency
to help you decide if you want to donate money to it in the future.
There are many websites to help you research and make wise
decisions. For example, the Charlotte Observer’s Annual Giving Guide (www.charlotteoberver.com/giving)
and MinistryWatch.com
provide details on an organization’s history and give reviews. You should also
check with your employer to see if the company matches donations or offers time
off for volunteer hours.
Investments
in children’s education will make dramatic differences for the future
Almost
40% of kids 3-5 don’t attend preschool or kindergarten. Children who start
school behind often stay behind. Young people who never see the inside of a
pre-K classroom are more likely to be in special education classes, more likely
to drop out of high school and more likely to get into crime.
Due
to Beverly’s efforts, WTVI provides extensive community outreach for children.
WTVI's Raising Readers Literacy program serves over 18,600 children located at
550 sites throughout WTVI's 13-county viewing area. Through the Raising Readers
initiative, WTVI provides free workshops for educators and child care
providers, children's books, curriculum materials and resources for parents.
The workshops are designed to train adults to teach children the basic literacy
skills that will help them enter school ready to learn. Sites include Head
Start, after school programs, child development centers, home day cares and
bi-lingual preschools.
The
Leon Levine Foundation and the Wells Fargo Foundation have both awarded WTVI $25,000
grants to support children’s programming. The grant acknowledges WTVI’s
dedication to helping local citizens improve their lives, providing teachers
with free educational resources and serving area children as the most positive
and trusted use of television.
Beverly recommends volunteering in programs that read to children or tutor them. Ms. Beverly and Seemore Goodstuff, WTVI’s mascot, often visit schools to read stories to the children and discuss the creative costumes the children wear to become their favorite storybook characters. They have also done projects to provide "Cyberchase" math tutoring to children at local recreation centers.
Beverly recommends volunteering in programs that read to children or tutor them. Ms. Beverly and Seemore Goodstuff, WTVI’s mascot, often visit schools to read stories to the children and discuss the creative costumes the children wear to become their favorite storybook characters. They have also done projects to provide "Cyberchase" math tutoring to children at local recreation centers.
Remember
the veterans
With many veterans returning home and others injured or
aging, there are many opportunities to say “thank you for your service” by
providing aid. For example, WTVI recently participated in a veteran job fair as
part of community activities for the “Women, War & Peace” television
documentary premiere.
Equip
our teachers
Look for ways
to help teachers obtain continuing education and to help schools get needed
supplies like books and computers. The PBS Teacher Source Professional
Development Workshops sponsored by WTVI have trained 3,475 teachers and educators in the 13-county
viewing area.
Learn
from our senior citizens
Many nursing homes allow volunteers to participate in
activity times with the residents. You can be a blessing by simply listening to
childhood stories, singing or playing cards.
Help
adults overcome educational hurdles
Beverly has facilitated partnerships with community and
educational organizations, including the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ Parent
University, to help area residents who lack a high school diploma or GED
receive their GED through the use of GED on Television and the GED Workbooks.
As of 2009, Beverly has helped 88 people receive their GED.
WTVI provides the GED Connection program for adults to
obtain their GEDs by watching television programming and completing chapters in
a companion workbook. GED Connection airs weekdays at 5:30 a.m. WTVI also provides
Workplace Essential Skills for adults who are looking for a new job or want to
improve their skills. The program teaches the viewer how to develop career
goals and make plans to attain them and airs weekdays at 5:00 a.m.
Look
for the gaps and make the links
Several years ago, during a costume party for WTVI’s Kid’s
Club, Beverly noticed neighborhood children peering through the fence at all of
the festivities, unable to afford membership in the club.
During her career at WTVI, she had seen tensions mount between the mostly low-income neighborhood residents and the station. A fence between the neighborhood and the station was necessitated by minor acts of aggression such as tires of staff members being slashed. Still, Beverly vowed to put her diverse public television experience to work on the problem. She pursued and obtained a Front Porch grant from the Community Building Initiative (CBI) in 2005. She held the station’s first open house and conducted tours in the summer, when children were out of school. Local residents signed up for the GED program. Beverly purchased videos and workbooks from KET and held quarterly sessions to give residents an opportunity to ask questions. But, she wanted to bring in the children, so she combined the GED program with WTVI’s PBS Ready to Learn initiative and created the WTVI Family Literacy Alliance. As one activity, for example, parents and children alternate reading a book. Started in November 2005, the Family Literacy Alliance has grown to include 57 families. Today, there are no more flat tires in the parking lot and no more children wishing they were part of the fun.
During her career at WTVI, she had seen tensions mount between the mostly low-income neighborhood residents and the station. A fence between the neighborhood and the station was necessitated by minor acts of aggression such as tires of staff members being slashed. Still, Beverly vowed to put her diverse public television experience to work on the problem. She pursued and obtained a Front Porch grant from the Community Building Initiative (CBI) in 2005. She held the station’s first open house and conducted tours in the summer, when children were out of school. Local residents signed up for the GED program. Beverly purchased videos and workbooks from KET and held quarterly sessions to give residents an opportunity to ask questions. But, she wanted to bring in the children, so she combined the GED program with WTVI’s PBS Ready to Learn initiative and created the WTVI Family Literacy Alliance. As one activity, for example, parents and children alternate reading a book. Started in November 2005, the Family Literacy Alliance has grown to include 57 families. Today, there are no more flat tires in the parking lot and no more children wishing they were part of the fun.
The arts are part of overall
intelligence
In late 2010,
the Arts & Science Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg began development of power2give.org, a groundbreaking new website
designed to address changing trends in philanthropic giving. The final product
is a unique website that allows anyone to easily give a gift to the
organizations and projects they are most passionate about.
WTVI is dedicated to helping people improve
their lives, providing teachers with free educational resources, engaging
viewers in civil conversations about issues and serving children as the most
positive and trusted use of television. Ms. Beverly challenges all citizens to get
involved and to truly “Get
Closer to Home.” www.wtvi.org
