WHYY Community

A "beary" special evening is one of the month's community events
Edited by Mary Eileen O'Connor

Berenstain Bears Books with the Berenstains
On Thursday, March 13, WHYY presents a special evening designed to help parents, caregivers and educators learn how to share the joy of reading with children.

Jan and Stan Berenstain, authors of the beloved Berenstain Bears series, and their son Michael will discuss how they have drawn on personal family experiences to create their best-selling stories and how they use illustrations to reinforce children's reading experiences. The Berenstains will also examine how books fit into today's high-tech world and teach participants "how to raise a reader."

Prior to this lively presentation, Sally Anderson, Executive Director of the Vermont Center for the Book, will explore how adults can make reading fun and interactive for children, using the Berenstain Bears books as examples.

The event begins at 7 p.m. at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street in Philadelphia, and is sponsored by the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC). Admission is $10. To purchase tickets in advance, call DVAEYC at (215) 963-0094 or visit www.dvaeyc.org. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door.

Lessons in Leadership
This month, WHYY Advantage offers professionals the chance to become more effective leaders by learning important lessons directly from two of the country's foremost authorities on leadership.

On Wednesday, March 19 at 10 a.m., WHYY, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce (GPCC) and Sovereign Bank present "Leading in Difficult Times," a live, interactive satellite seminar featuring former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Heralded for his determined leadership after the tragic events of September 11, Giuliani will share the principles that have guided his experiences as a corporate lawyer, U.S. Attorney and as mayor of one of the world's most complicated and diverse cities.

Participants will be able to interact with Giuliani via phone, fax or e-mail.

The cost is $50 for WHYY members and for members of the GPCC and $70 for non-members. For more information and to register, call (215) 790-3637 or visit www.whyy.org/advantage.

On Thursday, March 27 at 1 p.m., WHYY is inviting professionals to be a part of the live studio audience for "The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell with Oren Harari, Ph.D." Oren Harari, management professor at the University of San Francisco, has distilled Secretary of State Colin Powell's speeches and ideas into 18 no-nonsense leadership principles that enable anyone to further his or her quest for success.

Participants will learn how the principles that motivate Colin Powell -- nobility in purpose, credibility of leadership, integrity in organization and victory in performance -- can guide them through virtually any situation. The cost is $75 per person, and additional group, nonprofit and government discounts are available. To register, call Norm Green at (215) 351-2053.

Both events take place at the WHYY Technology Center, 150 N. 6th Street in Philadelphia. For more information about WHYY Advantage, call (215) 351-2053 or visit www.whyy.org/ventures/advantage.html.

Preview Forum screening and discussion
Across the country, communities are growing and changing with the arrival of new ethnic groups, yet people rarely talk about some of the issues associated with a new America: the promises and problems, the new creativity and the nagging concerns.

As part of the Preview Forum, a national initiative created to foster a meaningful dialogue between journalists and the people in the diverse communities they serve, WHYY is bringing together community members, local media professionals and African-American, Asian-American and Hispanic leaders on Saturday, March 29 to discuss the theme "Ethnicity and Race in a Changing America" and to examine the issues raised in four new television documentaries airing on WHYY TV12 in 2003.

This event begins at 9 a.m. at the WHYY Technology Center, 150 N. 6th Street in Philadelphia, and includes a screening of clips from the documentaries, a conversation with one or more of the films' producers and small group discussions led by experienced facilitators. Seating is limited. For more information and to register for the Preview Forum, call WHYY's Member & Audience Services at (215) 351-0511.