Create West Virginia

OneWVU - Getting Proactive in the Fight Against Bigotry

With some of the recent concerns over racial discrimination in our state, it is important to identify and celebrate examples of people taking a stand against bigotry. OneWVU was developed after a WVU soccer player, who is black, was harassed with a racial epithet on campus. WVU's soccer coach, Marion LeBlanc, who is also black, approached the university's Office for Social Justice.

"The same guys who yelled at my kid from my team are probably the same guys who are cheering Steve Slaton when he scores a touchdown," LeBlanc said. "We should have that same attitude off the field as well."

The result? A comprehensive, uplifting communications campaign designed to help the WVU community see themselves together on the same team. You can read about the details in Charleston's Daily Mail and view the video on YouTube. 

We can't emphasize enough how much this proactive, positive, aspirational communication is critical to our state's success in today's diverse world. It helps build our internal and external image in ways that benefit us all.

Economic Gardening

Way back in 1987, the City of Littleton, Colorado pioneered an entrepreneurial alternative to the traditional economic development practice of recruiting industries. This demonstration program, developed in conjunction with the Center for the New West, was called "economic gardening."

The belief was that "economic gardening" was a better approach for Littleton (and perhaps many other communities) than "economic hunting." By this, they meant that they intended to grow their own jobs through entrepreneurial activity instead of recruiting them. The idea was based on research by David Birch at MIT that indicated the great majority of all new jobs in any local economy were produced by the small, local businesses of the community. The recruiting coups drew major newspaper headlines but they were a minor part (often less than five percent) of job creation in most local economies.

Here is their story.

"Teach to Test” – not in the 21st Century.

State School Superintendent Steve Paine’s recognition that “we’ve relied too heavily on standardized tests to improve student performance” and that standardized tests like WESTEST are “not good as a tool to improve individual student achievement” (Daily Mail, Jan.2) is a welcome start to making education relevant again for students.

Emphasizing fine arts, wellness, global awareness, critical-thinking, problem-solving, team-building, project-based learning, communication skills and real-world context to language arts, math and sciences is absolutely the right focus.

However, John Taylor Gatto , in his book, A Different Kind of Teacher, describes the current situation this way.  “Schools are intended to produce, through the application of formulas, formulaic human beings whose behavior can be predicted and controlled.  To a very great extent, schools succeed in doing this.  But in a society that is increasingly fragmented, in which the only genuinely successful people are independent, self-reliant, confident and individualistic, the products of school…are irrelevant.”

Today, education must prepare young people for the unknowable which means that “learning to learn” is far more important than “teaching to test.”  But our classrooms rarely work according to that principle.  Teachers are “experts” who “have answers” and want to make sure that students can mimic those answers especially on Test Day.  Richard Paul, director of the Center for Critical Thinking and Moral Critique, states what must happen.  “We need to shift the focus of learning from simply teaching students to have the right answer to teaching them the process by which educated people pursue right answers.”

Education Evolving (www.educationevolving.org), headed by Ted Koldiere, who was instrumental in the design and passage of the nation’s first charter school law in 1991, asserts that:

• 21^st-Century learning requires a search for different and better models of school/ing.  It is not a performance problem; our schools have a design problem.  “To improve learning further we must get beyond the bureau model of school and beyond schooling as teacher-instruction.  The notion has been that sanctions will motivate states, districts, schools, teachers and students to do-better.”  “Excellence through regulation” is suppressing innovation.
• Existing organizations don’t innovate well.  Most different schools will have to be created new. 
• States that have charter laws make it possible now to create new and different schools. “Prudence suggests we run a ‘two-bet’ strategy; creating new schools while improving the existing.  The chartering laws create essentially an R&D sector in public education.  Chartered schools are testing both new forms of organization and new forms of schooling.  To evaluate progress we will need new ways to describe and classify schools as schools.  And different definitions of ‘success’.
• In redesigning schools we should focus on motivating the workers: both students and teachers.
• We can now customize student learning using today’s digital electronics.
• Without new models of school K-12 might not be sustainable economically. 

How do we do this?  What needs to be discussed?  Why is this important?  The first two questions can be answered by reading Mr. Kolderie’s book, “Creating the Capacity for Change: How and Why Governors and Legislatures are Opening a New-Schools Sector in Public Education” (Education Week Press, 2005).  The Table of Contents and introduction are available at http://www.educationevolving.org/pdf/Kolderie_book.pdf.  The answer to the third question is found in a paper recently published by Education Evolving (http://www.educationevolving.org/pdf/Innovatingwithschooling.pdf) entitled “Innovating with School and Schooling”.

 

“Today large numbers of young people are almost certainly ahead of their elders in their desire for different and more challenging forms of school. The country needs their effort and their enthusiasm; their new skills. Teachers are disaffected; looking for a career that is both professionally and financially rewarding. Taxpayers would love an alternative to the endless cycle of tax increases and reductions in school offerings…Policymakers have it within reach to provide what the public and our educators want and need. All it takes is to explain how the obsolescence of the current models creates the need for different forms of school and schooling. And to show that the transition to the new and different system can be successfully and peacefully accomplished if we will arrange for the change to come gradually and voluntarily as organizations and individuals decide they are ready.”

West Virginia is ready

WV State U Extension Site is Fabulous!

Just ran across a new site today after seeing a comment on Bill Gardners's Oncee@Blogger blog.  By the way, if you're into blogging and facebook and in the Charleston area, you ought to check out the Charleston Area Bloggers facebook group.

So in response to the post Bill wrote about Sarah Winn's Gazette article on bloggers in Charleston, someone on behalf of WV State University wrote the following:

WV State University has jumped on board using a new social media outreach website. Through the Gus R. Douglass Land-Grant Institute's new interactive website, including podcasts and blogging, we want to hear from the public.

Calling all West Virginians to Join the Conversation! 

West Virginia State University Gus R. Douglass Institute’s (GRDI) new and completely redesigned web site at http://grdi.wvstateu.edu is now LIVE. Once online you can make posts to the GRDI blog or even join online chats taking place with GRDI staff and administrators. We welcome you to bring your own personal insight and experiences to the table.

We have podcasts available to share with you on current topics from our Extension programs. And if audio is just not enough, you can also click on the Extension Matters logo and watch the monthly television show on live streaming video.

Normally I don't add quotes that long to any blog posts, but it's very well written and doesn't ramble.  Plus, I'm really, really impressed with their site.  Seriously - go check it out.  They're embracing a lot of the newest and best of what the Web has to offer: blogs, podcasts, video, and more. 

And they're asking you, West Virginia, to join the conversation.  So what are you waiting for?

- Justin Seibert
Direct Online Marketing

 

Vote for Berkeley Springs - #1 Small Town Art Destination

From our friend Jeanne Mozier, artistic promoter extraordinaire:

Dear Folks,

It's that time of year again…an appeal to ONCE AGAIN VOTE FOR BERKELEY SPRINGS as the #1 art destination in America among small cities and towns.  Last year we dropped to #12.  It was embarrassing -- or maybe we should feel proud that other towns have seen what Berkeley Springs has done with the PR and decided to shoot for it themselves. 

Whatever -- we need to get Berkeley Springs back up in the ratings -- and YOU CAN HELP!  Vote and make your friends vote too. 

DEADLINE IS JANUARY 31 so you don't need to file this.  Just vote NOW!   

Go to www.americanstyle.com and click on the 25 top cities icon that flashes on the right side of the homepage.  Then vote for Berkeley Springs.  You'll have to scroll down to the third category of small cities to find us, but we're on the list.  Feel free to vote for large and mid-size cities too -- that won't affect our standing.

We need to mobilize.  Look at those other "small towns" on the list Berkeley Springs is on and they are all WAY bigger than we are so we need to be smarter and more determined.

As for why you voted for Berkeley Springs.....feel free to tell them anything you want.  My reasons are: density of art experience; art everywhere in town; high quality art; the Ice House; the studio tours, galleries, concerts, Artwalks, live music.  Do you know that more than 1% of the population of the county is a working artist.   You can name your favorite artist or favorite gallery.  You can brag about our short story books or community theater or quilt group.  You can mention the Star Theatre or simply say that Jeanne made you do it.  You can speak from the heart or lie.

JUST VOTE by January 31.  PLEASE.

Here’s the link to AmericanStyle’s Official Ballot for Top 25 Arts Destinations for 2008.  Or visit www.AmericanStyle.com and click on the Top 25 Arts Destinations link.

Thanks -- and pass it on.

MLK Day Thoughts: How Do We Overcome?

It sometimes seems odd to greet someone with a "Happy Martin Luther King Day" greeting, doesn't it? The seriousness of the topic of equality and justice, and the recency of Dr. King's life and death (Were they really hosing kids in Alabama and segregating people all over this country when I was in elementary school? It seems absurd.) and the challenge of his teachings, make it different than your typical holiday.

I wish that today we could celebrate the great progress West Virginia has made in the area of not just tolerating people of different backgrounds and races, but of embracing them. Let's face it, we still have a long way to go. The latest from the world of sports:

• The experience of Calvin Magee, the African-American offensive coordinator under Rich Rodriquez, is making news nationally on ESPN after an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sunday. This after it was revealed our new football coach, Bill Stewart, has an ugly racial incident in his background...Everyone deserves a second chance, and the African-American football players at WVU seem to be fully behind Stewart, but combined with the Magee story WVU's athletic department (one of our rare shining success stories known around the country) is not looking like a group dedicated to building an inclusive program that embraces minorities. Think other coaches aren't using these articles against WVU in the recruiting process?
• Randy Moss' experience growing up in Rand, WV, is well-documented. Moss is a controversial character for many reasons, but living under the racial harassment freshly documented in The Boston Globe's Sunday paper would certainly seem to impact a person's perspective on life. 

As we mentioned in an earlier post about the Megan Williams torture episode, what is frustrating is how reactive we are to these kinds of stories. There will be many who read the Calvin Magee story and dismiss it in a huff: "Well, if he hadn't have followed that traitor Rodriquez...." Or "Randy Moss is a criminal, he's not worthy of respect."

But c'mon. As they say in AA, the first step is admitting we have a problem. And we have a problem not because the outside media want to pick on West Virginia, but because they are finding too many ongoing incidents to report. We have to aggressively take action to build a truly inclusive, creative community in our state. Why?

1. It's the morally right thing to do - Dr. King and many others established this in our country long ago.
2. It hurts our self-image - To hate, or just look down upon, others damages our own humanity and sense of worth. 
3. It hurts out external image - We're quite aware of our image problems outside the state, not much needs said about this.
4. It hurts our ability to grow economically - In a country that is increasingly diverse and increasingly respectful and supportive of diversity, every article like the ones above makes it more difficult to recruit talented workers who are in minority groups - as well as non-minorities (ie, white) who want to live and work in a tolerant, diverse community. And it certainly doesn't do much to attract start-up companies to locate here, many of which are run by non-white investors and executives.

On this Martin Luther King, Jr., Day 2008, we call on our leaders and ourselves to prioritize equality, justice and diversity as key initiatives to address in this new year. Let's make this a year where we became proactive, not reactive. Here are just a few ideas to consider:

• Encourage your city or town to embrace the Inclusive Communities initiative from the National League of Cities.
• Develop a credible, comprehensive statement of diversity for your organization. Here is a good example from Jackson Kelly, a major law firm based in WV.
• Recruit and hire minority candidates. Yes, it may be a tough sell to encourage a minority candidate from outside (or even inside) the state to take a position here, but you may be surprised if sincere efforts are made.
• Volunteer to lead diversity programs in your local school. K-12 educators have done a much better job embedding black history and other non-dominant cultures into the curriculum, but there is still a lot of mind-opening that can be done in the early years...Especially in WV counties that have very few, if any, minority families.

We'd love to hear your feedback and ideas on this topic.

Measuring Return on New Economy Investment

The recent proposal by Governor Manchin to essentially mimic Kentucky's "Bucks for Brains" program on a smaller scale is an encouraging sign that our state is ready to think beyond traditional economic development boundaries. While it would be great if West Virginia were someday on the leading edge of creative initiatives like Bucks for Brains, we should at least be very encouraged that we're following Kentucky's lead based on tangible results demonstrated from their program.

Kentucky invested $350 million in their original Bucks for Brains program, which takes public money with research universities to create an endowment. The endowment provides seed money used to attract cutting-edge researchers in promising areas of science and technology. The research breakthroughs fuel new startup companies, which produce more jobs, which produce more state and local taxes. Does the formula work? So far the University of Kentucky has tracked 44 startup companies employing 870 people at an average salary of $61,000. Not a bad return on investment.

Marshall University's President Stephen Kopp is wasting no time in planning for how to use their $15 million share of the Governor's proposal. These funds must be matched by the university, so in effect its a $30 million endowment. Marshall will use the funds to establish the Marshall Institute for Interdisciplinary Research (MIIR). The "interdisciplinary" part is important, because many of today's innovations come from researchers across different disciplines working together. 

There may be "soft" benefits beyond the hard benefits as well. Kentucky's program, along with visionary events such as the Idea Festival, helps re-position Kentucky in the minds of the broader global business community. While Kentucky may have been known for racehorses, bluegrass music and, to some extent, coal, it's now known as an innovative 21st Century region of the world. West Virginia's $50 million investment is not enough to change our image, but it is a practical decision which we hope leads to even more aggressive investments.

Measuring the impact of another new economy-relevant program, the Promise Scholarship, is a little more difficult, at least for now. According to university leaders, it has clearly helped increase the number and quality of students entering into West Virginia colleges and universities from within the state. But will West Virginia enjoy the return on investment? In other words, will the educated students stick around West Virginia and re-invest their skills back into the state?

Fears that they won't is fueling a current debate on the nature of the program. If the students leave the state, should the grant become a loan? Should we try and "guarantee" a return on investment by forcing students to stay or else pay back their scholarship? What affect will that have on the willingness of the best students to accept the "scholarship"? What if there aren't any significant jobs for these students to take in WV upon graduation? Is it fair to expect them to stick around?

There are valid questions from those on both sides of the issue. One item that we would like to include into the conversation is this: We hope the ultimate decision isn't based on the notion that it's a bad thing for a West Virginia native student to leave the state. Some of West Virginia's best and brightest leaders in business, government and education are who they are because they left West Virginia, gained significant skills and experiences elsewhere, and brought those skills back to the state. Let's not be afraid that just because a student needs to pursue their chosen field elsewhere right after graduation that it's a lost investment.

But is it a good investment overall for West Virginia? Only time and measurement will tell. If enough of them stay in the state, or return to the state over time, it will pay off. We suggest that the best way for these sharp students to deliver return on investment back to the state is for all of us to make West Virginia an attractive place to create a life and include them in that process instead of a place where they have to be forced to stay.

State of the Creative State

Charleston was abuzz this week as legislators opened their 2008 session and Governor Manchin delivered his State of the State address. As with most political speeches, there were things to be excited about and things that left you wishing for more.

Here are a few things we’re excited about from a Creative Communities/New Economy perspective:

·         $50 million for research at WVU and Marshall – Based on similar “bucks for brains” initiatives at Kentucky and other states, investing some of West Virginia’s budget surplus in building up our R&D muscles is a fantastic step. There is no question, cutting-edge research = new economy job creation. There were rumors that this $50 million number was the result of a reduction from a much higher number originally planned, which is disappointing, but we’re still thrilled that our leaders are aware of how great a return on investment these kinds of initiatives are for 21^st century economies.

·         $30 million “bucks for brains” program – While short on details, this initiative is focused on building two “high tech” training centers. We put this in the category of “good sign” because of its focus on building technical skills, but we’re not sure how much this applies to critical shortages in computer science, web and graphic development, database programming and other new economy industry sectors.

·         A “come home” campaign – Building on a mini-trend of state natives coming back to West Virginia to build businesses (a large number of Creative Community team members fall into this category), the Commerce Department will build a case for the opportunities expatriates can enjoy by coming back.

And here are a few things that we had hoped would be more aggressive or cause a bit of concern:

·         Competitive business tax structure – Everyone agrees West Virginia isn’t competitive in this realm, especially with neighboring Virginia; there is just a difference of opinion on how aggressively to reduce the tax burden on business in our state. One solution could be to target faster cuts in areas of the economy that have high potential for growth, such as intellectual property and professional service related business. However, a heavy tax burden hits capital-intensive firms like manufacturing very hard, so it would be politically difficult to play favorites.

·         Teacher pay – If well-educated, talented workers are the “oxygen” of the new economy, shouldn’t we be setting the bar very high for quality teachers to deliver 21^st century skills and paying them at a level to attract the very best and brightest? West Virginia still ranks among the lowest-paying states for teachers. Shouldn’t we also address market realities and empower regions of our state that must compete directly with high-paying states like Virginia and Maryland to be more flexible in how they compensate their best teachers?

·         Changes to the Promise Scholarship – In theory, expecting recipients of the Promise Scholarship to stick around West Virginia and be a part of its resurgence is not a bad thing. However, the “handcuff” approach – turning the grant into a loan should the student take a job outside of West Virginia - raises some concerns. What might be better? How about an aggressive internship program that places Promise Scholars within West Virginia organizations? The deeper the relationship a student has with a West Virginia company, the higher the likelihood he or she has in staying after graduation. What about an angel investment fund for Promise Scholars who want to start businesses? These proactive, yet voluntarily, additions to the program could achieve the results desired without reducing the flexibility of options a student has if they receive the scholarship. And in some cases, having a student get some work experience outside West Virginia could be an even more positive thing for the state…assuming they bring that experience back home later (as many of us have).

Overall, we are very positive and excited about 2008 in West Virginia. And we commend those in state leadership for their openness in partnering with the private sector to achieve dramatic improvement for West Virginia.

Things are Looking Up in Upshur County

Buckhannon just seems like one of those All-American towns. One of the rare West Virginia towns built on a fairly large swath of flat land in Central WV, Buckhannon is home to the famous Strawberry Festival and West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Like most small towns, the downtown started to empty and deteriorate years ago. But recently, due to a combination of planned initiatives and organic growth spilling over from the overall growth of North Central WV, Buckhannon is showing exciting signs of becoming one of our notable Creative Communities.

During a tour of the town courtesy of Stephen Davis, Executive Director of the Upshur County Development Authority, it was evident that there was significant momentum building. A cool coffee shop with Wi-Fi here (The Daily Grind), an art glass gallery there...a downtown bookstore, a handful of quaint antique galleries, and a commitment to aesthetic quality for downtown development (the Development Authority asked CVS Drugstore to spruce up the plans for their forthcoming downtown store to match the brick facade consistency of the rest of downtown; CVS gladly agreed).

A number of fresh new restaurants are popping up, many of them started by former residents who moved back or WV Wesleyan students who stuck around. Allburghers is a great "third place" to hang out and meet people, and you can pick up some fresh bread at The Sweet Life Bakery on N. Kanawha Street.

As a college town, Buckhannon has a real advantage. WV Wesleyan's president, Pamela Balch, has been focused on improving "town-gown" relationships and being a partner in the community. A new cultural center built by WV Wesleyan is near completion, and it was strategically located on the edge of campus to make it more accessible to the community. It will add greatly to the cultural offerings of the county. A new internship program will help place WV Wesleyan students (many of which are from out-of-state) with local businesses to build relationships that will lead to more of the students sticking around after school.

There are many challenges to overcome of course. There is a real need for new housing. Diversity is lacking, although the issue is on the radar and the presence of WV Wesleyan can help in that area. Like most communities, there is a need for tighter partnering and planning between the city and county. Buckhannon is ramping up their Vision 2015 planning process, and we wish them good luck in this process. We have a lot of confidence that you'll be hearing more about Buckhannon as one of WV's next great Creative Communities!

 

Kudos on Broadband Progress

Several additional communities in West Virginia are enjoying access to DSL broadband thanks for recent efforts by Verizon. And with support from Connected Nation, a DC-based nonprofit technology group, 2008 should be even better. From a Sunday Charleston Gazette-Mail article:

Since August, Verizon, along with other high-speed Internet providers in the state, has helped Connected Nation map the state’s broadband availability. The idea is to develop a comprehensive plan to provide high-speed service to rural areas.

About 70 percent of broadband providers in the state, including small entrepreneurs, have provided information, said Brian Mefford, chief executive officer of Connected Nation.

Connected Nation was launched in Kentucky, where about 95 percent of citizens have access to high-speed Internet service. Brian Mefford of Connected Nation was a featured speaker at November's Create WV Conference. His presentation can be found here.

This is good progress and congratulations should go out to state government, local government, volunteer and commercial sector leaders who have worked together to make this happen. Here's also hoping that we will all stick together and keep the foot on the pedal so that we can achieve the level of coverage that Kentucky has within a very short period!