Saturday, May 30, 2009

DVR Watch: Great Performances: In The Heights- Chasing Broadway Dreams

Are you one of those who is always setting your DVR to record show to watch later? Or are you like many others who are watching more and more TV online?

Just last night, I caught up with Great Performances' "In The Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams." This is a moving tale of what it takes to bring a Tony Award Winning production from concept, all the way to opening night on Broadway. The production follows the compelling story of the producers and cast members as you learn about the physical and family sacrifices some of them make -- just to follow their dream.

Many of the musical numbers from the show are contrasted with the performer's own life story as a first generation immigrant, a Latina who is ashamed because she doesn't speak Spanish, and a young dad raising a son with autism.

Speaking of recording a show to watch later, you can catch an encore broadcast of "In The Height's: Chasing Broadway Dreams" on KLRN 9 (9.1) Tuesday morning (late Monday night), June 2 at 2:30 AM. You can also learn more about the show and see clips on the Great Performances web site.

[Trivia: The New Electric Company (airs on Fridays at 5PM) taps the creative minds behind "In the Heights" to bring their urban hip music style to literacy!]

Friday, May 29, 2009

Healthy Habits for Life - making an impact one family at a time!


KLRN recently received funding from the Baptist Health Foundation to implement and study the impact of the HEALTHY HABITS FOR LIFE curriculum, developed by Sesame Workshop to reach 200 children. The program is conducted in two separate phases. Each phase studying 100 youth, their families and caregivers.

The HEALTHY HABITS FOR LIFE project will teach children: 1) how to make healthy food choices, and 2) how to be physically active so that they can begin to establish healthy habits for the rest of their lives. The project also includes several other components which include training, modeling, strategizing and engaging the youth as they learn all techniques and practices for their well being.

As we are reaching our final post assessment phase, to show our appreciation for the time and amazing energy given to this study. We gave the children, parents and the caregivers a very Healthy dinner! A special guest flew in from New York to attend this dinner and meet the participants. None other than COOKIE MONSTER !!

We had a spectacular evening and I truly believe that we have made a difference, not only in the children... but the parents, siblings and the caregivers. We look forward to beginning Phase II and seeing where this study will lead us in the future.

Until then...remember to eat your colors!

Submitted by:
Marissa Tejeda Ximenes
Special Projects Manager, KLRN
Healthy Habits for Life

Learn more about KLRN educational resources at klrn.org.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Does anyone have "change"...

It is a nail-biting day for 14 local high school students. Tonight Fresh Cut 2009 will air (at 8pm) and the finalists will finally find out whether their film has been "crowned" as the Directors Cut winner or the Viewers Choice winner.

The word "change," which was the theme for this years contest, was taken all across the spectrum and these entries show how one simple word can be construed so differently. The finalists, their parents, their teachers and their schools should be extremely proud of this work.

Our hope is that this contest has opened the door or the mind of the students and helped them explore a possible future---as a hobby or as a profession.

Congratulations to all.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The KLRN B&B


Yesterday KLRN received a call from a researcher with the Falcon Research Group (FRC) in Washington State who supports field research, public education, and the conservation of raptors. FRC traveled to Chile earlier this year to satellite tag four northern adult peregrine falcons. One of those falcons, a female named Elizabetha, spent the night of May 21 on the KLRN transmitter near Calaveras Lake. Visit Elzabetha’s tracking map at the project’s website: http://frg.org/track_pefa11.htm.