2012 LOCAL CONTENT AND SERVICE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

LOCAL VALUE

“In East Tennessee there are several obstacles that people can face when trying to achieve their high school diploma. East Tennessee PBS, through the American Graduate program, has helped create a culture of achievement for area students.” - Nichole Tillman

LOCAL IMPACT

2012 KEY SERVICES

East Tennessee PBS is committed to being an active community partner that affects positive change. We believe that together with our award-winning programming, our community partners and our dedicated staff we can achieve anything. While we invest our resources in initiatives that improve the lives of those living in this great community, we dedicate most of our time and energy to educational projects that make learning available to all.

In 2012, East Tennessee PBS

provided these key local

services:

• General Education Literacy

Program - East Tennessee PBS broadcasts weekly programs aimed at helping adults prepare for their GED exam. The station also provides participants with a set of companion study books at no cost to the individual. • American Graduate – East Tennessee PBS is working to improve 21st century learning and increase high school graduation rates to prepare more students for college and successful careers.• East Tennessee Stories –

Examining the past, present and promise of East Tennessee. • Supporting Our Community -

Last year alone, East Tennessee

As a nonprofit viewer-supported television station and the local PBS affiliate, we provide lifelong learning opportunities to approximately one million homes in East Tennessee, southern Kentucky and western North Carolina. We achieve this by broadcasting non-violent, commercial-free children’s series; instructional programs to K-12 classrooms and home schooled students; basic skill and adult education series; and primetime shows that educate, entertain, inform and inspire.

East Tennessee PBS exists to serve the needs of our region as a community partner affecting positive change by educating, entertaining and challenging minds.

2012 LOCAL CONTENT AND SERVICE REPORT

IN THE COMMUNITY <Station

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East Tennessee PBS Since 1967, East Tennessee PBS has been community driven. We are proud to provide quality programming that serves our members with arts and culture, early childhood education, current events, and local content. Education: Moving into it's 30th anniversary, East Tennessee PBS’ Scholars' Bowl engages high school students in a competitive academic quiz show. Over 45 schools participate and the program is broadcast on our primary channel. The East Tennessee PBS GED Connection helps over 250 people continue their education and obtain their General Equivalency Diploma . East Tennessee PBS broadcasts weekly 30-minute shows aimed at helping adults prepare for the exam to receive their GED and in relationships with community partners all workbooks are offered free of charge. Health and Wellness: Fit and Fun with Missy Kane is a half-hour fitness show hosted by Olympic Gold Medalist Missy Kane. Airing weekdays at 7:00 a.m., this East Tennessee PBS produced show is geared to meet the fitness needs of all ages. On The Dr. Bob Show, Dr. Bob Overholt and his guests help us learn how to live a healthier happier life! Each 30-minute program covers a single health topic such as advances in the treatment of such issues as allergies, back pain, diabetes and many other medical subjects. Viewers are also able to have their questions answered in the shows final segment, where Dr. Bob answers their questions. Local Engagement: Marshal Andy and The Riders of the Silver Screen relives the glory days of the B-Western with host Marshal Andy and his sidekick Deadwood Don. This series has been a staple to our community for over 20 years. Up Close launched in 2012 and features interviews with local celebrities as well as national figures that are passing through the area. Featured interviews for the inaugural season of Up Close include Martin Luther King, III and Celtic Women. The 2012 Be More Awards recognized 12 non-profits and individuals engaged in helping the East Tennessee Community. These recipients were featured in interstitials that aired throughout 2012. November/December 2012, East Tennessee PBS initiated Seussapalooza Knit-a-thon and Book Drive! Over 40 red and white striped scarves were knitted and over 70 books were donated. Dogwood Elementary School received these items to enhance their library and Dr. Seuss activities. Community partners included Loopville Yarn and Union Avenue Booksellers.

2012 LOCAL CONTENT AND SERVICE REPORT

STORIES OF IMPACT

Karns Elementary School Read-In More than 1200 students of Karns Elementary School joined First Lady Crissy Haslam and special guests from the community, in the school gymnasium, on October 2, 2012 to help break a record for the largest audience in attendance at a children’s storybook reading. East Tennessee PBS joined in with WATE 6 and the Children’s Reading Foundation in presenting the event.

Good Design: A Half Century of the Community Design Center in East Tennessee Produced by East Tennessee PBS, this documentary talks with the founding members of the Community Design Center to get a first hand account of how the organization was formed, how its work has changed them and the East Tennessee landscape and the future of the Design Center in our community.

Knoxville Opera Goes to Church: A Celebration of Talent In partnership with the Knoxville Opera, East Tennessee PBS broadcast the 4th Annual Knoxville Opera Goes to Church. This event features the Knoxville Opera Gospel Choir and local soloists together with Knoxville Opera artists in a unique presentation of gospel, spirituals, opera and Broadway highlights. All taking place in the heart of East Knoxville at the Greater Warner Tabernacle A.M.E. Zion Church. The contest encourages children in grades K-3 in East Tennessee to celebrate their own power of

2012 LOCAL CONTENT AND SERVICE REPORT

IN THE COMMUNITY

East Tennessee PBS American Graduate East Tennessee PBS hosted digital storytelling workshops for local youth in their Magnolia Avenue studio. The stories focused on the theme of achievement in the lives of the participants Reach in the Community: The resulting stories were broadcast on-air and online by East Tennessee PBS and were accompanied by an in studio forum exploring the needs for an educated workforce. Partnerships: This event was a partnership between East Tennessee PBS, the Knoxville Area Urban League, Tribe One and PlanET. Impact and Community Feedback: • On American Graduate Day, East Tennessee PBS featured the Great Schools Partnership, Tribe One, The Knoxville Area Urban League, and the United Way of Lenoir City to our viewership during 7 hours of dedicated programming. • We worked with Carpetbag Theatre to produce digital stories from ten middle school age students from Tribe One and The Knoxville Area Urban League, which are now featured on our website. • Sixty members of the community attended the American Graduate forum including members of Knoxville City Council, Project Grad, Tribe One, The Knoxville Area Urban League, Carpetbag Theatre, board members of East Tennessee PBS and community members. This was our first community forum and 100% of participants said they would return for future community events.

“Digital storytelling workshops give people an opportunity to visualize their personal stories. I think some student have an expectation that stories exist outside of them, that stories belong to other people. But what they learn is that each of them has an opinion, a story and a history and they have the right to tell that.” ~ Kelle Jolly “The first day of the project was really exciting. What I found was that just through regular conversation the young people’s stories began to unfold. It was a great experience listening to the students and hearing their minds” ~ Nichole Tillman "When they came home, all the kids could talk about was their stories and how the had realized they were able to overcome obstacles in their life." ~ Ezralitza Robinson

2012 LOCAL CONTENT AND SERVICE REPORT

Evaluating Outcomes, Measuring Impact

“Because of East Tennessee PBS’ GED program, I could still maintain my work and family responsibilities while working toward my diploma. It made it a lot easier to be able to get ready for the test from home.”

– Marietta Johnson

“Before I got my GED a lot of doors were closed to me. You can only go to a certain level without an education… I wanted to know what success felt like, what it felt like to accomplish something and the GED program on East Tennessee PBS allowed me to do that.” - Antwa Cates

As part of our mission to provide lifelong learning opportunities to our community, East Tennessee PBS is proud to offer the GED Connection Program. This adult education initiative helps participants earn their GED, a certificate universally accepted as an equivalent to a high school diploma, at their own pace and in the comfort of their own home.

• 24.43 % of the population in the East Tennessee Viewing Area does not have a high school degree/GED. • East Tennessee PBS airs (39) 30-minute programs each year as part of GED Connection. • Over 300 people enrolled in GED Connection during 2012. • Students in the program receive workbooks free of charge. These cover mathematics, social studies, science, reading, writing and language arts. • It is estimated that over 75% of those that enroll in GED Connection go on to receive their Diploma