Shenandoah Valley Ever Green
College of Education
SUMMARY: "Shenandoah Valley Ever Green" is a seasonal radio program that seeks to illuminate the natural systems at work in the world around us, and to tell about the people who support these systems.
"Shenandoah Valley Ever Green" is a seasonal radio program that seeks to illuminate the natural systems at work in the world around us, and to tell about the people who support these systems. During each episode, listeners will hear ideas about getting outside and connecting to Nature. Episodes will also describe actions that individuals can take to help sustain the health of the local environment.
The premiere episode (Summer 2022) was broadcast on August 24 at 8 PM on WMRA. Listen here.
Funding for the Summer 2022 episode was provided by a Faculty Engagement Grant from the JMU Faculty Senate. Education professor Tim Thomas and SMAD Journalism professor Ryan Alessi collaborated to recruit student reporters and regional experts to tell stories about the Shenandoah Valley. For Thomas, "Shenandoah Valley Ever Green" is a tool for social learning. Bos et al. (2013, p. 399) define social learning as a process in which "actors develop shared meanings, values, and understandings through interaction which provides the basis for joint future action." The premiere episode describes shared actions and understandings that are essential to support life in the Valley.
Listeners will hear several features related to summertime in the Shenandoah Valley. To begin, archaeologist Dr. Carole Nash discusses Indigenous populations who spent time in Valley. U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine explains proposed legislation to designate Shenandoah Mountain as a national scenic area. Astronomy professor Dr. Anca Constantin offers tips for summer stargazing, and Dr. Amy Goodall discusses migratory species. In addition, one of the program's reporters discovers how a farm in Mt. Clinton seeks to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the soil, while another covers the health benefits of a thriving tree canopy.
THE CREDITS
Reporters
- Jacqui Himmel
- Annie McGowan
- Sidney Roth
- Alexandra Spina
Executive Producers / Editors
- Ryan Alessi
- Tim Thomas
Sound Consulting & Recording
- Gene Bowlen at Cross Keys Studios
- Dan Easley
- Andrew Strack at JMU Libraries Media Production Services
Music
- Many Nights Ahead
Graphic Artist
- Annie McGowan
Funding for the Summer 2022 episode was provided by a Faculty Engagement Grant from the Faculty Senate of James Madison University.
All music on the program comes from local musicians Many Nights Ahead which features COE grad Ross Gulliver on bass.
References
Bos, J. J., Brown, R. R., & Farrelly, M. A. (2013). A design framework for creating social learning situations. Global Environmental Change, 23(2), 398-412. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2012.12.003
