Today on Education Counts Michiana.

The Great Lakes Angler Diary.

South Bend.

Community School Corporation.

Broadcast Media and Film Production.

Premier Arts.

Youth Education Series.

Girls Rock IT Education Counts Michiana is underwritten by Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Investing in Education and Economic Development for centuries, supporting the past, current and future development of the Michiana region community foundation of Elkhart County, inspire good.

Kosciusko County Community Foundation Where Donor Dreams Shine.

The Deko Foundation Community Foundation of Saint Joseph County Crossroads United Way serving Elkhart, Lagrange and Noble Counties United Way of Saint Joseph County Marshall County Community Foundation.

Ready to Grow.

Saint Joe Early Childhood Coalition.

And a Gift by Elmer and Dolores Tepe.

Thank you.

Welcome to Education Counts Michiana I'm your host, Sam Centellas.

Education Counts highlights programs and initiatives that are impacting how we teach, how we learn, and how we embrace education.

This program explores ideas in all education sectors.

Preschool through lifelong learning, K-12, post-high school and job advancement.

Training with the philosophy that we should never stop seeking knowledge.

Find additional resources at WNIT.org and on the Education Counts Facebook page.

First up, citizen science.

The Great Lakes Angler Diary, a citizen science project funded through the Michigan Sea Grant, encourages anglers around Michigan to track the fish they catch and input data into the app.

This project allows everyday anglers to contribute to science.

It also encourages them to learn about the health of the fish and the river ecosystems around them and why it's important to promote the sustainability of rivers.

Segment Producer Shanthini Ode.

Growing up round here.

I found the Dowagiac River as a kid and grew to love it and appreciate it as a resource.

Not just for catching fish, but as a great example of what a wild fishery can be when it's properly stewarded.

Rivers like this here, the Dowagiac, are cranking out more of these wild steelhead as habitat improves.

Right here we had a dam removal project and and some re meandering of the stream and it's it's really jumpstarted that natural reproduction.

So we're asking for anglers to help us out just to show what they're catching.

And we can better understand the natural reproduction is going on as a result, conservation minded anglers generally because of the delicate nature of a cold water fishery, we're more engaged with the conservation side, so are more likely most of the time to engage with stream restoration or projects such as the dam removal and things like that.

And that also you're building that you know, that group of people that you need to be activated and engaged with these things.

And the more engaged, the more people you have engaged, the easier it is to undertake these incredible projects.

Our program is called the Michigan River Steelhead Program, and we're collecting data from Steelhead caught all over the state in rivers, streams and some Great Lakes as well.

But really the focus is to get data from anglers route fishing in all these waters that, you know, biologists just can't cover every single stream, every single mile of stream that we have in this state.

So it is really helpful if people sign up and then use the Great Lakes Angler Diary app to record that data.

This particular program is really focused on Steelhead in Michigan.

Rivers, me and my immediate group of friends, we use the Sea Grant, the Angler Diary app, quite a bit.

Every single fish that we catch is documented in the app, and that data goes towards better management of this resource that we all love so much.

What we ask you to do is to take data on every single trip that targets Steelhead over the course of the year.

And that's really important because even if you go out and you catch zero fish, we're looking at catch rates, too.

So those those are really important.

We ask you to record every trip, the target steelhead and we ask you to record data on every steelhead you catch.

And most important, there is the length of the fish to the nearest quarter inch and whether or not that fish has any fin clips just by paying attention to what you're catching, you might find some surprises.

For the last several years, since 2018, the vast majority of steelhead stocked in Michigan waters have had an adipose fin clip.

And this means that you can pretty much readily tell whether or not a fish was stocked by looking for that fin clip.

And we're taking data because a lot of steelhead now don't have a thin clip, which means they were wild, reproduced.

It's just been reams of data coming in.

And now with the app, we're really zeroing in on the best type of management for really this entire watershed.

I'm talking the Lake Michigan watershed move along really.

And then this is the most critical part here.

You got to make sure you choose the right fin clip.

And we have an ad for the adipose fin clip.

If it had no fins, you do know.

And if you missed collecting the fin clip information, you'd say not assessed.

But we're going to select A.D. for adipose and your fish is entered there.

You head back to the main menu.

You can see it entered one fish measure on the Dowagiac River.

We log the fish and it's shown trends almost instantly started to show trends.

And so that's all been quantified.

Now citizen science projects in general are a neat way to kind of crowdsource data collection because we have so much information technology at our fingertips now, especially that we can really use the power of all the people who are out daily on the river to help us better understand what's going on.

So we've learned a lot and it's really hard to kind of synthesize it and say, here's a blanket conclusion for the whole state because it really is site specific and then season specific and year specific.

There's a delicate thing, you know, these cold water fisheries, you know, there's there's runoff issues, there's there's ag runoff, which is generally dirt.

There's, you know, there can be disastrous things like like chemical spills at plants.

And so when you live in a relatively populated area with a cold water fishery such as this, there's a lot of things that can cause problems.

And because this river has this gorgeous riparian corridor through much of it, where you have vegetation and it's a buffer from all that.

So it works.

If you use the resource, then it's important that you're taking care of it.

Learn more about citizen science at WNIT.org.

CTE Success.

The South Bend Community School Corporation's Broadcast Media and Film Production Won News Broadcasting School of the Year through the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters.

Among the accolades are first place for school newscast and video magazine, plus ten additional awards.

Videographer Kristen Franklin editor Greg Banks.

Set!

Quiet on Set!

3 2 1.

Coming up on today's Buzz in the Bend the long awaited song in this broadcast media and film production class, also known as TV Radio.

We're with the Career and Technical Education Department.

And so we teach students how to do podcasting radio shows on our station, WITF, 91.7 FM, the mics.

We do have lots of video projects.

Of course we do news shows, music videos, short films and also client work in the course we're given many opportunities to let our minds go free, where we can direct the creative process and we are taught in the class how to perfect all of the techniques and aspects of composition.

Certain audio things that we have to learn.

And it really just allows us to make the absolute best product of what we come up with and being able to put it on screen.

South Bend students recently had the opportunity to take part in the world premiere.

I do love like writing the script.

Sometimes and more of getting out there in the field.

It's really exciting because you get to learn a lot of new things and I learn so many things and get to be a part of my community in so many different ways.

It's like a new experience, honestly, and I don't think it's something I would be able to have if I wasn't a news anchor.

They really get an opportunity to go out in the community.

They also earn dual credit through Vincennes University, so they're getting free college credit while they're in here.

They also have a great chance to work with other people, to go out in the community, to do stories and other projects.

And it's very unique.

It's also a half a half a day class.

So students spend a lot of time together and have a lot of time to work on projects utilizing our various studios that we have here that we're very blessed to have here based at Riley High School, everything in this business is a lot like running the cameras, but honestly, it's more than just a pretty face.

Reading some stories off of paper.

Like when I'm out and about, I have to plan my stories.

I have to come up with questions when I'm interviewing.

I have to come up with what story I should air and what story I shouldn't.

I have to keep up with the newest because I can't air a show.

And then I'm telling you about something that happened a month ago.

You don't care about that.

So then you have to keep up because things change like that.

So Fernando, Virginia, you're looking at your close up.

So during the recording process of our newscasts, our show's sports center, I am in the control room using the tri caster, which is a very large board with a lot of buttons.

I can start recording from that station.

We switch cameras from that station, we monitor all the audio levels from that station as well as the individual frames of each camera.

A number of students come into this class because they obviously have an interest in video of some kind.

Maybe they're into film, maybe they want to be an anchor, maybe they want to be a music producer or something.

But very quickly, they they come to realize, too, the expectations we have in this class that they're going to get a wide variety of experiences.

They're going to do a lot of projects, and not all of them are going to be ones that they feel are in their area of interest.

But I've had students who come in because they want to do radio and they're really interested in that, and then they find out about video and they really get a love for that or vice versa.

Last year I was doing a lot of stuff on the political side of things and Mr. Richardson had approached me and he was like, Well, we have we don't have anyone to cover sports.

You got to do that.

At first I was really hesitant.

I was like, Well, I don't know, maybe, maybe.

So it's like, sure, you know, it's something new.

I got to give it a try and I'm in this class to experience things and I'm really thankful he gave that opportunity to try because I've really found my passion and in broadcasting sports, because there are so many different outlets, you can cover with it, so many different opportunities that are presented through sports, not just on the playing field, but also in the broadcast booth where I enjoy my time.

I was just exclusively interested in camera work.

I had dabbled in editing at home with whatever software I could get my hands on.

But upon joining the program, and once we got into some projects that allowed me to start editing my own projects, I really started to find a joy in shooting what I had in mind and then finalizing that look that I could get from my brain directly onto screen.

Some of the broadcasting projects we do in addition to radio shows and that side of the broadcasting, we primarily do a Buzz and the Bend Show and it's a more of a informal tainment kind of show.

We have news, we have a little bit of sports.

And so it's sort of our signature show that we've been doing for a while now.

We also do a show called The Break, which is a short newscast of stories going on in the community and national.

And then we also do like a big newscast show, like a 6:00 newscast show, SABC, TV news.

So I think to say, how does it feel to be the number one news magazine in news magazine in the thing?

It feels really great becoming the first place news school of the Year for the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters.

We got first place for school newscast as well as video magazine and several other categories.

So it's really a triumph for our students seeing all their hard work pay off, especially since we do a lot of broadcasting projects and taking this class has shown me something that I'm passionate about, but unfortunately I don't think I'll be continuing further in college.

But it has given me a lot of skills that I need for possibly a different career as anyone.

One can tell you that the news or other media, that flexibility is key, that the more you can do and the more flexible and easy you are to work with and good at working groups, all those things are critical no matter what kind of career path you decide to take in journalism.

It's yes, it's about who you know, but it's how it's about how you use what you know once you get there.

So you got to keep you want to keep on those connections so that once I get to that level, I can prove what I know and prove that this is where I'm supposed to be.

Good job, everyone.

Good job.

Find out more about CTE programs at WNIT.org.

Music Theater, the premiere Arts Youth Education series in Elkhart provides kids a chance to see their peers perform a musical.

Teachers integrate themes from the musical into lesson plans in the classroom for the performers, premiere arts creates a supportive environment which allows for growth and the community as they explore their thespian side.

This event is part of our Yes programing, which stands for Youth Education Series.

Basically what it is is a addition to our regular programing that allows local area organizations and school programs to come visit and see a show here at the Learner with Premiere Arts for a discounted price as a field trip.

So it gives kiddos the opportunity to experience live theater and see their peers on stage that sometimes they otherwise may not have the opportunity to.

I feel very comfortable here.

It's like a big, like family here.

No one will make fun of you.

And I love everyone that's here.

I think there's nothing better or more important than children to experience live art and whatever capacity, whether that be performing arts or visual arts.

It teaches them how to be part of something that's greater than themselves.

It also teaches them, you know, patience, not only with team members and classmates, but patients with themselves.

When they're maybe learning a new skill or experiencing something that might be hard for them or may feel like a challenge, but they push through and they're supported by those that love them and they get to be up here.

And it's such a culmination at the end.

It's a little nerve wracking at the beginning, but once you're done, then it's like a piece of cake.

Getting to see kids find that confidence in themselves through the support of others, and then just believing in themselves, seeing that they can do whatever they set their minds to.

And then the more they do it, not only showing themselves, but my favorite thing to watch is watching them encourage the next round of those that were just like them, you know, a year or even a few months prior.

I love getting the chance to perform on stage.

I like after I perform, when somebody claps for you, it just feels so good.

You can, you know that you're rocking it and you're doing really good out there.

So we start out with vocal rehearsals, the company manager or someone calls the certain groups or people that need to that need to come to rehearsal.

And then after they get all the vocals taught, then we learn our dances.

And then once we get to the week of the show that is called tech week because then we move up to the stage from our rehearsal hall and we get all of our mikes, we get our props, we get our dressing rooms, and then the show comes together and then we perform.

They always practice 24 seven because I want to be perfect, but they always encouraging me to do better and encouraging me to even know when I messed up.

They always encouraging me and they're like, You do it, okay, it's okay.

You always have another chance and they're always there for me when I need it.

It's like the most vulnerable thing you can do, right?

To put your art, your self on a stage in front of all of these people and then hope that they love you.

And they always do.

And I think it's such a beautiful full circle moment to have them be supported not only here but there as well.

And oftentimes kids that come to your show end up wanting to be up here.

And so they talk about the first show they ever saw, and now they're here and it just makes my heart really warm.

I want to just become a better performer and I want to hopefully do this and get in some more mainstage performances.

I have been in Little House on the Prairie in ELF Main Stage, and I'm just hoping maybe one day I'll get the lead role of a show everybody is looking for love from their peers, right?

Everybody wants to be loved and accepted.

And I think being able to show your special skill, you know, when people play a sport or they do something academic, like if they excel at it, they want their peers to see like, hey, this is my thing.

And so I think there's something so special that not only do they get to perform oftentimes for their own peers, you know, classes will come and they know their teacher or their friends in the audience, but then they get to perform for people who don't know who they are yet.

And then they get to shine so brightly in a way that it's like they get to showcase what they're able to do.

Find out more about the benefits of theater education at WNIT.org STEM opportunities.

Just a third of the workforce in science, technology, engineering and math are women, and men outnumber women studying many STEM fields in college.

The Whirlpool Foundation partnered with the Michigan Council on Women and Technologies to present girls rock it for girls in grades four through eight.

The objective is to spark the technology interest in young girls to demonstrate how advantageous a career in technology would be.

Good morning.

Good morning.

We're so glad and excited to have you girls here today.

We're going to try to make this fun so there will be less talking and more with your hands on the keyboard and being able to create some great programing.

Today we are here conducting our girls rock i t program and cw t. The Michigan Council of Women and Technology Foundation is partnering with Whirlpool and Lake Michigan College to deliver this program to girls that are in grades four through eight high school and teaching them coding skills and mobile app development so that they can earn some Girl Scout badges and build their confidence and their abilities in these two different disciplines.

Do I think you've seen that impact of technology that's happened for the last couple of years?

I think any time that we can provide an opportunity to share our resources to support initiatives like Girls Rock IT to help young people realize things that they didn't really know that were capable of.

And so any time that we can do that and participate with Whirlpool and other supporters and sponsors, I think is very important.

So using our resources, accessing to the computers or whatever we need to do, we can always look, at best, be mentors and helpful in the community.

My favorite thing about working in it is I get to learn so much every single day all new tools, new skills, and so I'm excited to kind of share some of those today.

Coding is when if you think about your any app that you may have online in that app, the way that it functions is through different we call it lines of code.

So it's to say generate this number or add this number or what is the total of that number or show this particular picture or graphic.

All of those things happen via programing language.

And when you're putting in that programing language, you are actually coding.

And so a lot of times that's what we the language we use with young women or in general, as we say, you're learning coding and it's different procedures that creates the app and ensures that it does what you intended to do.

It is so important for every child male and female, but in particular for the females to be able to see that these are careers that they can aspire to.

What we find is that girls who start off in their younger years who have an aptitude and an interest in STEM activities, tech in particular, that will wane during their middle school years.

And so what we're trying to do through programs like this is to help them build a community and relationships and confidence so that when they get to those middle school years and they're faced with those situations, that they have to choose between, do I want to try and be popular or do I want to pursue my dreams that they are equipped with the a feeling of competence and confidence that they can continue to pursue their dreams?

I'm Holly Porter.

I'm a senior network engineer with Whirlpool.

We solve problems.

That's what that's what we like about it.

We solve puzzles.

So do you guys like that?

Because like, nowadays, it is very, very easy.

The language that they're learning today is through MIT and it's able to help them just fit the code together as if it's puzzle pieces.

And so it's to say, add this piece, add this number, and then it's going to equal this value.

And they're able to see that they're creating that screen on a mobile app.

So it's really show them.

That's how easy it is to learn.

And then through your creativity, you can do anything that you want and create all different types of apps.

The bottom right section is where you find your program and they're called sprites.

In the tech space, women currently represent under 30% of the workforce, which is a problem when you're coming to the designing and developing solutions that are intended to impact the entire community.

If we only have people with one perspective, one experience that are sitting at the table, then the solutions that are defined and built will not work for all of the different genders, all of the different ethnic communities and so forth.

So we need to have diverse opinions and diverse experiences at the table in doing it.

Computers for almost, almost 15 years now does starting in the nineties.

It's that I've never lacked being able to find a job right in.

So typically I went from company to company and never once I got into the field did not lack finding gainful employment.

Women in tech are in high demand.

And so if you are a female in a tech field, you are most certainly guaranteed a job.

And these are high paying jobs.

These are jobs that can allow a female or any person financial independence.

And so we think that that's super important, and particularly when you're dealing in communities that are struggling with either generational poverty or things like that, to build these skills that allow them to attain that financial independence.

Great guys and got it.

Check out WNIT.org for more information on all these stories.

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The success of every student matters Education Counts Michiana is underwritten by Pokagon Band of Pottawatomi by investing in education and economic development for centuries, supporting the past, current and future development of the Michiana region community foundation of Elkhart County inspire good.

Kosciusko County Community Foundation where donor dreams shine.

The Deko Foundation Community Foundation of Saint Joseph County, Crossroads United Way serving Elkhart, Lagrange and Noble Counties United Way of Saint Joseph County Marshall County Community Foundation Ready to Grow Saint Joe Early Childhood Coalition and a Gift by Elmer and Dolores Tepe.

Thank you.

This WNIT local production has been made possible in part by viewers like you.

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