Create West Virginia

Fighting Hate, Building Inclusiveness in Charleston

In addition to creative cultural, entrepreneurial and technical initiatives going on in our capitol city, we are excited about an emphasis being placed on building a community that values diversity and commits to inclusion. Two upcoming events are cause for hope after the difficult (and embarrassing) events around the Megan Williams incident.

First, Communities United Against Hate is holding a community forum at the Marriott Hotel on Tuesday, August 5, at 6pm featuring Tom "TJ" Heydon, a former neo-Nazi white supremacist who now works to make people aware of what creates a culture of hate and counteract it. It promises to be both a stimulating and insightful learning experiencing and an opportunity to "talk back" with ideas of how the Charleston community can build inclusiveness and address issues of intolerance. The event is sponsored by the YWCA of Charleston, the WV Hate Crime Task Force, Covenant House and other key organizations.

Second, several organizations in Charleston, including the Charleston Area Alliance, Jackson Kelly PLLC, Kanawha County and the City of Charleston, are sponsoring the Diversity Leadership Academy held by the American Institute for Managing Diversity. The AIMD is one of the nation's first and leading think tanks dedicated to the advancement of diversity management.

The Charleston DLA group convened for the first time Thursday, July 31, and brought together several key leaders in non-profit, education, government, religion and business. The DLA is a series of five intensive full-day training sessions held over five months that builds the skills of those in the best position to influence real progress in local institutions and the community. The group will be asked to develop a handful of "capstone" projects that lead to real long-term change in the community.

Congratulations to Charleston and the Kanawha Valley region for addressing issues that have caused great concern locally and nationally. We look forward to seeing the impact of these two great efforts.

Charleston Sparking Creative Class Growth

Have you visited the East End of Charleston, WV lately?  If not, you should head in that direction and take your laptop with you.  Enjoy the nice outdoor seating at Delish Express or view the artwork at Bluegrass Kitchen (http://www.eastendmainstreet.com/pages/restaurants.htm), while emailing your monthly report to co-workers or researching on the internet and enjoying a refreshing drink!  The East End of Main Street in Charleston now has free Wi-Fi access for the public.

Charleston, WV is spurring with progress, activity and opportunity for all types of people.  Communities, organizations and people are recognizing that there are all different types that constitute their entities.  These types include creative workers, which has become a focal point for the post-industrial development of West Virginia.  The Charleston Area Alliance August newsletter highlighted some of the specific improvements Charleston has made in the area of creative class growth.  Are you a creative class worker?  Do you add knowledge to your organization or community through intellectual development or innovation?  Do you make or create something? 

If you are a creative worker or would like to assist in the post-industrial economic development of WV by sparking and sustaining creative class growth, you can help.  There are many opportunities available to develop WV's economic progress and the following are just a small glimpse:

East End Main Street
Generation Charleston
Gus R. Douglass Institute
Creative Capitalism Blog

Help Charleston keep the spark going for creative class growth! 

~ Josie

Coal-to-Liquid, Greenhouse Gases...Discuss

Yesterday, many were celebrating the announcement of plans for a new coal-to-liquid plant to be built by CONSOL Energy in Marshall County. Ironically, on the same day, the West Virginia Environmental Council told the WV State Legislature that coal-to-gas conversion is an inefficient way to produce fuel, requiring 2 million BTUs of energy to produce 1 million BTUs of gasoline.

So should we be happy or sad today?

It's clearly a welcome sign for the coal industry and its longtime advocacy of coal-to-liquid as a path towards energy independence. Construction on the plant could start in about a year if the needed permits are acquired. The project would then take about two years to complete.

Industry officials stated, "This is not a science experiment. We can clearly convert West Virginia's resources into fuel for transportation. We know how to do it cleanly and efficiently."

Others aren't so sure. In a Charleston Gazette article: "Even under the best conditions - let's say they could capture all of their carbon emissions - it would still exceed the emissions of today's gasoline," said Patricia Monahan, deputy director for clean vehicles at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

It's sort of difficult to decide how to feel about this one. One thing is for sure, if the coal industry could convince more environmentalists of just how "clean" they can make coal-based energy, and if the coal could be extracted in less violent ways that aren't as disruptive to mountains, forests and communities, it would be a much clearer win for the region.

For now, we point to a quote by George Lois that we cling to at Create WV: ""Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything." Here's hoping both energy independence and earth-friendly technologies can be achieved so that West Virginia can truly become an energy leader for the future while continuing to build our "quality of place".   

Should State Governments Invest in Start-Ups?

How do small states or states not traditionally strong in vibrant high-tech industry sectors catch up? In some cases, they focus the resources of the state to provide an investment spark. Is this a good idea?

West Virginia entered into an experiment in venture capital investment a few years ago by divvying up $25 million into seven VC funds, including one public entity, the Jobs Investment Trust, or JIT. Some investments seem promising (see the individual fund web sites to view their portfolio of investments), but some believe the number of new high-growth start-ups fueled by this effort is underwhelming. In some cases, investments went to out-of-state companies because not enough high-potential start-up firms could be identified in the state. So a new effort (not funded by the state) to develop "angel", or early stage, investment from the private sector has begun.

Wisconsin has taken a middle approach. Rather that strictly leave the development of an angel investment network up to a relatively risk-averse, conservative private sector, they have aggressively developed the Wisconsin Angel Network, or WAN. Within two years of its launch, angel investing in the state more than doubled from $67 million to $146 million in 2007. The number of organized angel networks in Wisconsin tripped from six in 2005 to 18 in 2007.

But Wisconsin is serving more as the organizer and trainer of networks, not an investor. Instead, they target wealth individuals and help them become more comfortable with the concept of riskier early-stage investing. Other states such as North Dakota (which recently shot up from 44th to 31st in new economy state rankings in just four years), Georgia and Oklahoma have similar programs.

Wisconsin's program is one of the most successful. The state has added a 25% tax break so investors can write off their investments on state income tax.

Oklahoma has gone a step further and started a $7 million seed fund, but will only invest if other private sector investors are secured first. The practice of using taxpayer money for risky early stage efforts remains controversial, even with such caveats.

What role would you like to see West Virginia state government take in this arena? What is the proper balance between acting as a spark for much-needed high-growth startups (and hopefully stirring private sector investors to join in) and potentially losing taxpayer dollars on risky investments?

Growing From Within

Many folks have highlighted West Virginia's historic reliance on two forces for "economic development": 1) outside companies willing to locate facilities here, and 2) state government. Seeking the first leads to an intense focus on comparing our relative competitiveness on tax structure and incentives, seeking the second leads to an intense focus on central planning and tax-payer fueled investments (and the inherent political nature of those investments).

Both approaches have a heavy reliance on government to lead the way. Much pressure is put on state and local development organizations to recruit newsworthy wins, such as the hugely successful Toyota plan in Putnam County and the Hino Motors facility in Wood County (also looking like a good win for our state). In fact, West Virginia has won awards for its centralized development and business recruiting efforts. Why then are we still at the bottom of the heap in economic growth and income?

  What can often get lost with the centralized approach is the lack of a vibrant, entrepreneurial small business sector. And after all, this is where the majority of new jobs are created and where future big companies get their start. We should be very concerned that West Virginia has the lowest rate of entrepeneurship in the nation, and that we only had seven companies on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing small companies (that's 0.14%, far below the 0.6% WV represents of the U.S. population). 

Some point to an historic reliance on the government and outside corporations for jobs for our predicament in the entrepeneurial realm. How can we balance our economic future with a more vibrant private-sector, entrepreneurial community of risk-tolerant investors, inventors and innovators?

We're attempting many of the right things, according to agreed upon best practices. Some organizations like the YES Network and the Entrepreneurship Alliance are focusing on matching much-needed mentors with budding entrepreneurs. Some are focusing on reaching young people with business plan contests and education. Some are focusing on intensive training programs. Others on the commercialization of technical research from our universities.

What else will it take? Time, perhaps. More investors, for sure, especially those with a higher risk tolerance and a willingness to invest in industries they may not be familiar with (much of our local wealth is from the energy sector; how can we help these investors feel comfortable evaluating and investing in an Internet startup?).

Disrupting Class = Chapter 5

The System For Student-Centric Learning

This is a complicated chapter to read and understand. 

Education, like a private business, is a "commercial system".  "A commercial system is the context within which a firm establishes its cost structure and operating processes and works with suppliers and channel partners to respond profitably to customers common needs.  The reason the whole commercial system must be replaced for a disruption to occur is that, in each stage, the actors's business models, economic incentives, and rhythms of innovation and technological paradigms are consistent and mutually reinforcing.  Companies with disruptive economies simply are not plug-compatible in the old commercial system.  What this means is that the entire system for creating education materials, making the decisions about which materials to adopt, and delivering the content to students must and will change."

The Innovators Dilemma that Mr. Christensen wrote about in 1997. 

The book describes public education's current commercial system as being a value chain model (think manufacturing, retail, food service).  The disruption that will occur will displace this system with a facilitated user network model (telecommunications, insurance, banking).   In this system, "the network is a supporting infrastructure" in which "participation in the network typically isn't the primary profit engine for participants." 

The ramifications on teaching, curriculum, content delivery, and investment in education will change the way the world learns.

Create Huntington Web Site Live

The folks in Huntington have really been an inspiration to watch during the past year. Numerous volunteers have rallied around over 20 specific projects to re-create Huntington for a prosperous future. From Mayor Felinton, to Dr. Stephen Kopp at Marshall, to volunteer leaders such as Phoebe Patton Randolph and Anne Durham (among many others!), the momentum is really building.

Their approach, while a lot of hard work, epitomizes the concepts of building creative communities for the new economy.

The Create Huntington team has launched their official web site to keep community members engaged and up to speed. Stop by their site, cheer them on, and maybe borrow some of their best practices. We look forward to featuring their story at the October 20-22 Create WV Conference.

Go Create Huntington!

Educational Attainment Rankings

The U.S. Department of Education produces a report on educational attainment by state. Here you can view in detail what % of adults 18 years and over have attained high school, two-year, four-year and graduate degrees.

Changing the trajectory of a region in this critical arena of life is difficult. Most of the lower-ranking states are poor and southern, demonstrating how long-term politics and economics shape the future of regions. There is such a tight correlation between the level of academic achievement, the economic prosperity of individuals and their long-term health that it's a wonder that states lacking in these rankings haven't risen up and demanded signficant change.

It's often been the case that desperate times call for desperate measures. But the willingness in West Virginia to embrace new educational paradigms and pilot projects has not matched the urgency that our results would indicate. While the WV State Department of Education has received positive feedback nationally for its 21st Century Education plans, it is difficult to infuse these new concepts and ensure teacher readiness at a local level.

We are very excited about the "Disrupting the Classroom" theme of this year's Education Track at the Create WV Conference. We encourage everyone across the state to personally invite their superintendent of schools and school board members to attend. Watch this blog site for ongoing updates on the topics covered in this track.

Turning Learning Right Side Up

Must be the time of year when books about innovation and education are on everybody's summer reading list.  Here is a write up about the latest from Russell L. Ackoff, Anheuser Busch Professor Emeritus of management science at The Wharton School.  (I want a title like this someday, Yeungling Professor Embarrasus)

http://www.changethis.com/47.02.TurningLearning

From the Back Cover of his new book, Turning Learning Right Side Up

In the age of the Internet, we educate people much as we did during the Industrial Revolution. We educate them for a world that no longer exists, instilling values antithetical to those of a free, 21st century democracy. Worst of all, too many schools extinguish the very creativity and joy they ought to nourish.

In Turning Learning Right Side Up, legendary systems scientist Dr. Russell Ackoff and “in-the-trenches” education innovator Daniel Greenberg offer a radically new path forward. In the year’s most provocative conversation, they take on the very deepest questions about education: What should be its true purpose? Do classrooms make sense anymore? What should individuals contribute to their own education? Are yesterday’s distinctions between subjects--and between the arts and sciences--still meaningful? What would the ideal lifelong education look like--at K-12, in universities, in the workplace, and beyond?

Ackoff and Greenberg each have experience making radical change work--successfully. Here, they combine deep idealism with a relentless focus on the real world--and arrive at solutions that are profoundly sensible and powerfully compelling.

Why today’s educational system fails--and why superficial reforms won’t help
The questions politicians won’t ask--and the answers they don’t want to hear

How do people learn--and why do they choose to learn?
Creating schools that reflect what we know about learning

In a 21st century democracy, what values must we nurture?
...and why aren’t we nurturing them?

How can tomorrow’s “ideal schools” be operated and funded?
A plan that cuts through political gridlock and can actually work

Beyond schools: building a society of passionate lifelong learners
Learning from childhood to college to workplace through retirement

Reinventing Learning for the Next Century: How We Can, and Why We Must

An extraordinary conversation about the very deepest questions...

Today, what is education for?

Where should it take place? How? When?

What is the ideal school?

The ideal lifelong learning experience?

Who should be in charge of education?

And who pays for it all?

Over the past 150 years, virtually everything has changed...except education. Schools were designed as factories, to train factory workers. The factories are gone, but the schools haven’t changed. It’s time for us to return to first principles...or formulate new first principles...and reimagine education from the ground up.

In Turning Learning Right Side Up, two of this generation’s most provocative thinkers--and practical doers--have done just that. They draw on the latest scientific research, the most enduring human wisdom, and their unique lifelong personal experiences transforming institutions that resist change. And, along the way, they offer a powerful blueprint for a thriving society of passionate lifelong learners.

I just bought the book.  Stay tuned...

Under the category of who knew - another great piece of news from West Virginia's new Creative Economy

Laurie A Helgoe, Ph.D. of Charleston is the author of five mass market books, including Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life is Your Hidden Strength (July 2008) and is contributing columnist for Wealth Manager Magazine. She consults and operates a design consultation service, Introvert Style.

The book has been honored with a starred Publisher's Weekly review. "Most Americans, whether introverted or extroverted, have learned to look like extroverts," writes Psychologist (and introvert) Helgoe in this well written and well-reasoned analysis that challenges the perception of introverts as a silent, problematic minority.  The author reveals that 57% of the U.S. population identify themselves as introverts and are so commonly misunderstood because many of them have become adept at mimicking extroversion (becoming a "Socially Accessible Introvert") to get by.  Helgoe encourages introverts to see themselves as perfectly functional and to fulfill their need for solitude with regular retreats and creating a private space in their homes.  Helgoe's book is wide-ranging and cross cultural, invoking how other societies (particularly in Japan and Scandinavia) are more compatible with and accepting of introversion.  Helpful sections are details why introverts need extroverts in their lives and how extroverts depend on introverts for their artistic contributions and inner "richness". From the July Publisher's Weekly review "The author's voice is vivid and engaging, and she skillfully draws real-life examples of awkward scenarios introverts find themselves in when forced to play a role in society or the workplace.  Readers will find much insight, as well as a comforting sense of being understood and validated."

For almost 20 years, Psychologist Laurie Helgoe has been helping clients pursue their desires through therapy.  She also follows her own advice and allows her desires to expand her.

In addition to her therapy practice at Family Psychiatric Services in Charleston, WV. Laurie is writing, acting, speaking and consulting, and has been in a number of commercial and print ads.

Laurie is interested in how we can view our lives artistically and appreciate the amazing stories we are living.  She resides in Charleston, with her husband, two boys, and golden retriever, where she faithfully indulges in movie therapy, is slowly learning Arabic, and continues to add to the four-wall collage in her home office.

She has scheduled "Got a Book? Get it Published!" seminar Saturday, September 13, 2008  from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the Arnold Agency, 117 Summers Street, Charleston.  Visit her website, www.wakingdesire.com for details.

Her publishers include Penguin and Sourcebooks, as well as foreign rights publishers in Spanish and Portuguese. In addition to her assignment with Wealth Management she is an expert consultant for Seventeen magazine.