Monday, September 24, 2007

GPB's Irasshai at JapanFest!

GPB's Japanese distance learning program, Irasshai, will be in attendance at the annual JapanFest, a weekend festival that concludes a month-long series of events designed to promote understanding between Japanese and Americans in the Southeast. After 10 wonderful years at Stone Mountain Park, JapanFest is moving indoors to the Gwinnett Center, and will be held on September 29-30 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (see www.japanfest.org for directions, schedules and more).

The cultural aspect highlighted in this year's JapanFest is Japanese cuisine. The Japanese food culture will be explored through lectures by a renowned nutritionist, cooking and tea ceremony demonstrations, a display of the art of Japanese plastic food, workshops, and much more.

Also featured will be performances by taiko drummers, street performers, a candy artist, and a variety of singers. JapanFest has been elected as a Top 20 Event in the region by the Southeast Tourism Society in previous years. Last year, JapanFest Weekend attracted approximately 17,500 visitors.

Please come by the Irasshai booth, where you can sign up to purchase our new DVD media set. This set contains all 138 video lessons, retails at $299.00, and can be purchased at the special discounted price of $149.00! We hope you take advantage of this special offer, and are looking forward to seeing you at the Irasshai booth this year!

Road Trip Continues

The award-winning series Road Trip continues this fall with all new episodes! This engaging series showcases the unique educational opportunities offered by the 34 colleges that make up the Technical College System of Georgia.

Each episode features a story line that follows two career counselors at the fictitious Callaway High School. They show their students the rewards of staying in school by taking them on visits to Georgia's technical colleges and highlighting some of technical education's most popular, ground-breaking programs.

The Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education and Georgia Public Broadcasting partnered to create Road Trip. You can watch the series on GPB's satellite education network channels 420 and 430 and on the GPB website (www.gpb.org/public/education/roadtrip).

Don't miss this popular, award-winning series!

108 "A Thing for NASCAR" SPOTLIGHTING: Motorsports Programs

109 "Grounds for Success" SPOTLIGHTING: Twenty-first Century Agriculture

110 "Give Us Patients" SPOTLIGHTING: Careers in Medicine

111 "All That Matters" SPOTLIGHTING: Modern Career Opportunities

112 "Home Again" SPOTLIGHTING: Digital Video Production

Check out the new Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education's website at www.technicalcollegesystemofgeorgia.org

Literary Festival in the North Georgia Mountains

If you enjoy the writing created by the fine men and women that call Georgia home, then you won't want to miss the annual Georgia Literary Festival on September 28 - 30 in Blue Ridge, Ga. Free and open to the public, this "moveable feast" celebrates Georgia's rich literary heritage with fun activities for all ages. While enjoying the North Georgia mountains, attendees will have the opportunity to listen to award-winning poets and authors, including Bettie Sellers, Philip Lee Williams, Amy Blackmarr, Joe Dabney, Dr. Helen Lewis, Dana Wildsmith, and Ethelene Jones. The late Appalachian poet and novelist Byron Herbert Reece will be the honored writer at this year's festival. Guests will also enjoy a children's character provided by GPB.

For more information, please visit GPB Education's Family Literacy

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Epic Documentary Premieres on GPB

GPB is proud to present the new PBS seven-part documentary series The War, beginning Sunday, September 23 at 8 PM. Directed and produced by renowned filmmaker Ken Burns, the series explores the history and horror of the Second World War from an American perspective by following the fortunes of ordinary men and women who get caught up in an extraordinary time.

Six years in the making, this epic 14-hour film, focuses on the stories of citizens from four geographically distributed American towns - Waterbury, Connecticut; Mobile, Alabama; Sacramento, California; and the tiny farming town of Luverne, Minnesota. These four communities stand in for - and could represent - any town in the United States that went through the war's four devastating years.

Be sure to tune in after the broadcast of The War for specially-produced segments that share the personal experiences of Georgians in WWII. The segments were produced by GPB and include participants from GPB's World War II Veterans Oral History Project.

America Goes To War - Georgians share their stories of Pearl Harbor and its aftermath.

An Unequal War - Georgians reflect on their experiences of segregation and racism during World War II.

D-Day - The events of D-Day are seared in the memories of Georgians who lived through it on the battlefront and the homefront.

Battlefield Memories - Georgia veterans share their stories of peril, courage and survival as they fought on land, in the air and at sea.

For more information about GPB's World War II Veterans Oral History Project, please visit www.WWIIVets.org, call 1-888-685-0304, or e-mail WarVets@gpb.org.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

GPEE Bus Trip Set for September, October Runs

The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education will soon be visiting the 13 schools that make up the 2007 Bus Trip Across Georgia. Approximately 200 education, business, government and community leaders from around the state will participate in the two separate tours set for Sept. 25 - 27 and Oct. 23 - 25.

More than 200 stops have been made since the annual tour began in 1993. Schools selected as stops have a proven track record of academic excellence, educational innovation and sustained performance. This year's tour focuses on math and science achievement.

Traditionally, the tour attempts to provide a wide range of educational programs for riders to experience. This year will be no different as participants will experience primary through high school levels and will see innovative approaches to education.

"The schools we select and visit represent what is right in Georgia's public education system. They have all set high standards and goals and are preparing their students for the next level in their education careers," said Dr. Stephen Dolinger, president of the Partnership.

He added, "Our visits accomplish two things. While we are bringing much deserved recognition to these schools and their school systems, we are also showcasing best practices to influencers who might adopt some of these great ideas for use in their own communities."

Dolinger also explained another objective is to provide decision makers with an opportunity to see how policy impacts the classroom. "Education decisions made at the state level will ultimately reach the grassroots level. It is important for these leaders to see firsthand the results of their actions." He added that the annual trip helps highlight where and how Georgia needs to be focusing its efforts in improving student achievement.

More details, including application information, are available on the Partnership website.