>> TONIGHT ON RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY -- >> IN A WORLD WHERE ALTERNATIVE FACTS CAN TAKE OVER THE NARRATIVE, LIBRARIES OFFER A FACT FILLED HAVEN, BUT NOT EVERYBODY HAS BEEN IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THOSE OPEN.

>> AS A SOCIETY, WE CARE ABOUT BEING BETTER HUMAN BEINGS AND GETTING THE KNOWLEDGE TO MOVE FORWARD, AND IF WE CLOSE THE RIVALRIES -- LIBRARIES, WE ARE HYPOCRITES.

PHILANTHROPIST ALAN SHAWN FEINSTEIN HAS BEEN A TEACHER AND WRITER.

HE HAD A UNIQUE IDEA THAT NUNNALLY CHANGED HIS LIFE BUT THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN.

HIS PITCH WENT LIKE THIS.

>> DO NOT SEND ME ANY MONEY.

IF YOU DECIDE TO BUY ANYTHING, YOU HAVE A YEAR'S MONEY BACK GUARANTEE.

THIS WAS NOVEL AT THE TIME.

♪ >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

I AM PAMELA WATTS.

MICHELLE: I AM MICHELLE SAN MIGUEL.

>> WHEN YOU THINK OF LIBRARIES, YOU MAY THICK OF A QUIET, REFLECTIVE PLACED -- PLACE WHERE NO TALKING IS ALLOWED.

THINK AGAIN.

WITH THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF FAKE NEWS FOLDING WEBSITES DAILY, THE ROLE LIBRARIANS PLAY COUNTERING THIS MISINFORMATION HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT.

MICHELLE: A GROUP OF TALENTED DOCUMENTARIANS HERE IN RHODE ISLAND DECIDED TO TACKLE THE SUBJECT HAD ON.

RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY PARTNERED WITH THEM TO BRING YOU THIS LONG OVERDUE DOCUMENTARY.

♪ >> A STEREOTYPE IS VERY 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY AND IT WORKED FOR THE 20TH CENTURY.

>> MY GOAL IS TO MAKE THE LIBRARY AS COOL AS GYM AND RECESS.

THAT'S THE GOAL.

>> GO TO THE CARD CATALOG, TEDIOUS.

>> YOU JUST WANT A BOOK AND THAT'S THE END OF IT.

>> THERE'S THE STEREOTYPE THAT, OF THE GLASSES, WHICH I HAVE, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE STEREOTYPE THAT LIBRARIANS WANT QUIET AND GO SHHH.

>> IT IS A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE SHUSHED.

>> THEY ALWAYS PLAY THE LIBRARY AS THIS SUPER TIGHT, QUIET, STOIC, RIGID KIND OF CHARACTER BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN EVERYONE GREW UP WITH.

THAT WAS ALMOST EVERYONE'S LIBRARIAN.

♪ >> I WILL SEE YOU.

>> GOODBYE, GUYS.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

>> LAST YEAR WAS MY FIRST YEAR AS A LIBRARIAN.

IT IS DEFINITELY WHERE I AM SUPPOSED TO BE.

WE HAVE THIS RARE AND BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITY TO EMPOWER THE STUDENTS SO WE GET TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE AND ALSO THE SMALLER PARTS.

♪ >> RIGHT OVER THERE.

THESE GUYS ARE WORKING ON A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT RIGHT NOW SO THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT PROJECTS -- TOPICS FOR THEM.

WHENEVER I START MY RESEARCH PROJECTS WITH THEM, WE TALK ABOUT THE WORD RESEARCH.

IT MEANS O SEARCH, TO LOOK FOR THINGS.

IN LIFE, YOU HAVE TO RESEARCH.

THESE ARE LIFE SKILLS.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION FOR WHATEVER IT IS?

>> MY BRACES, AT ALL THIS OTHER BULLYING.

WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND CYBER BULLYING BECAUSE IT IS THIS ONE TOPIC.

>> YOU HAVE TO SHARE WITH DIFFERENT -- WITH MS. WHITE SO SHE CAN APPROVE IT AND THEN YOU CAN SHARE IT ON THE WHITEBOARD.

>> I DO NOT GET THIS.

I'M CONFUSED.

I NEED HELP.

OK -- >> KIDS NEED TO DO RESEARCH FROM KINDERGARTEN.

THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO A GOOGLE SEARCH.

THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS AND HOW IT IS BEING BROUGHT TO THEM, WHAT KINDS OF INFORMATION GOOGLE IS GOOD FOR AND WHAT KINDS OF RESEARCH GOOGLE IS TERRIBLE FOR.

ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT INFORMATION IS PRESENTED TO OUR STUDENTS.

>> ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF RECENT FAKE NEWS, WHAT SOME ADULTS AND STUDENTS ALIKE VIEW AS NEWS OR ACCURACY, IT HELPS STUDENTS TO NAVIGATE THAT INFORMATION THAT CAN OFTENTIMES BE OVERWHELMING.

>> SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE THE WRONG INFORMATION.

THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION.

JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SMARTPHONE DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED.

>> EVERY LIBRARIAN HAS BEEN MEANT TOWARD, EDUCATION, GUIDED IN SOME SORT OF A WAY TO BE AN EXPERT IN THEIR INFORMATION FIELDS.

>> I SAW THE WORD REVEAL, AND THAT WAS KIND OF, LIKE --, SO I WENT AND READ THIS.

>> THESE KIDS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO NAVIGATE A DIFFERENT SORT OF SYSTEM.

FOR ME, IT WAS THE DISCOVERY PROCESS THAT MADE ME KEEP GOING.

FOR THEM, IT IS GOING TO BE THE DISCERNING THROUGH THE BOOK THAT INFORMATION.

THERE WAS, LIKE, THIS SURPRISING GAP IN THE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF WHAT A LIBRARIAN DOES.

I MEET FACE-TO-FACE WITH HALF OF MY STUDENT POPULATION, FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE.

THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE, THEY ONLY COME IN WHEN THEY NEED TO.

>> LET ME KNOW WHAT IT IS WHEN YOU NEED -- WHAT YOU NEED AND I CAN HELP YOU FIND WHATEVER RESOURCES YOU NEED.

THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE SAME EDUCATION THAT THE FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADERS, AND BY THE TIME THEY GET TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, THERE'S A NOTED LAPSE IN THEIR RESEARCH SKILLS THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIAN HAS TO ADDRESS NOW.

SO YOU TAKE THEM TO A POINT AND THEN WE JUST DROP THEM RIGHT OFF AND SAY "FIGURE IT OUT WHEN YOU GET TO HIGH SCHOOL AND START DOING REAL RESEARCH, LIKE REALLY DIGGING DEEP INTO YOUR PROJECTS."

>> WHEN WE CREATED A SPACE WHERE KIDS CAN INNOVATE, IMAGINE, THINK, CREATE, DESIGN, THEN THE SPACE IS READY THAT THE STUDENTS CAN DO THE WORK AND I CAN COLLABORATE WITH THEM, THEN THAT'S WHERE THE WORK CAN REALLY BEGIN.

THE WORLD IS CHANGING.

THE WORLD THAT THEY WILL WALK INTO WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM SCHOOL IS CHANGING, SO WE NEED TO REFLECT THOSE CHANGES HERE.

AVERAGE ORDINARY HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY SPACE IS SOMEWHAT OBSOLETE.

I THINK WE NEED TO THINK BIGGER, CHANGE IT UP, ELICIT THAT FEEDBACK FROM THE STUDENTS, SEE HOW THEY WANT TO USE IT, CONSIDER WHERE THEY ARE GOING AND WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE DOING IN A FEW SHORT YEARS.

THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW TO USE THOSE SPACES BEFORE THEY GET THERE AND WE CAN DO THAT.

WE CAN DO THAT HERE.

THE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS REALLY AT THE CORE OF WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.

WHEN WE ARE REDESIGNING A SPACE, IT IS WITH THE STUDENT USERS IN MIND.

>> OK. ANY FOUR PEOPLE AT EACH TABLE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN THE LIBRARY NOW IS DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP, DIGITAL LITERACY.

WE TALK ABOUT MULTIPLE MODALITIES, MULTIMEDIA.

THIS YEAR, WE ARE DOING COMPUTER CODING, AND I AM KIND OF NEW TO COMPUTER CODING.

I AM SHARING WHAT I HAVE LEARNED WITH THE STUDENTS, AND SOME OF THE STUDENTS ARE PICKING IT UP SO QUICKLY THAT I AM LEARNING FROM THEM AS WELL.

>> WE HAVE TIME WHERE THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT STUFF THAT YOU CAN DO THAT THEY SET UP ON THE TABLE.

THE WHOLE DAY, YOU WOULD GO TO THAT TABLE AND DO WHATEVER ACTIVITY IS SET UP.

>> OUR TINKER TIME GIVES THE KIDS A CHANCE TO DO SOME HANDS-ON STEAM, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS AND MATH ACTIVITIES.

THEY GET TO BE MORE CREATIVE.

IT IS MORE HANDS-ON, SO IT GETS THEM THINKING IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

THEY ARE STILL LEARNING, BUT THEY CAN MOVE MORE AND TALK MORE.

>> AS A SOCIETY, WE CARE ABOUT BEING BETTER HUMAN BEINGS AND GETTING THE KNOWLEDGE TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE CLOSE THE LIBRARIES, THEN WE ARE HYPOCRITES, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.

>> WE NEED TO BETTER MARKET THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE ARE DOING BECAUSE THERE ARE LIBRARIANS ACROSS THE NATION AND CERTAINLY RHODE ISLAND WHO ARE DOING THIS WORK ALREADY.

IT IS HAPPENING.

WE JUST NEED TO MARKET IT BETTER.

>> THERE ARE MANY STUDENTS, AT LEAST 20, I WOULD SAY, WAITING FOR ME TO ARRIVE, TO OPEN UP THE LIBRARY.

A LOT OF TIMES, WHEN I AM HERE, "SHE IS HERE!

SHE IS HERE!"

THEY ARE SO EXCITED TO COME IN AND START THE DAY.

I THINK WHEN PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO SOMETHING, WHEN THEY CAN KIND OF SHARE A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH A STORY OR WITH SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING, THEN THAT MAKES AN IMPACT.

>> WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BOOKS FOR ESL STUDENTS.

WE DIDN'T AT ONE POINT.

HEIDI SAW THE NEED FOR THAT AND SHE BEGAN A COLLECTION OF BOOKS THAT COULD BE FOR ESL STUDENTS.

>> I LOVE WHEN THE ESL CLASSES COME TO THE LIBRARY.

I THINK IT IS JUST SO AMAZING HOW MUCH THESE KIDS LEARN.

THE STUDENTS RESEARCH THEIR OWN COUNTRY AND THEN COMPARE IT TO RHODE ISLAND, AND SO WE ALL GET TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EACH STUDENT'S COUNTRY AND THE STUDENTS DEVELOP SOME CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AS THEY COMPARE AND THEY CONTRAST.

>> HERE IN THIS LIBRARY WITH HEIDI AND THESE PROJECTS, THESE STUDENTS CAN FEEL SUCCESSFUL.

>> IN MY COUNTRY, WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO USE TECHNOLOGY, SO WHEN I CAME, I WAS ABLE -- I WASN'T ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS.

SHE TOLD ME HOW TO USE A COMPUTER.

SOMETIMES, I WANTED TO GIVE UP BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, BUT SHE WAS THERE FOR ME.

SHE ALSO TRANSLATED IT FOR ME.

I REALLY TRUST MS. PLACE.

SHE WAS A GREA INFLUENCE FOR ME.

BECAUSE OF HER, I WANT TO BE A STATISTICIAN.

>> I AM AT TWO SCHOOLS NEW -- TWO SCHOOLS 2.5 DAYS A WEEK.

I HAVE 32 CLASSES A WEEK.

WE ARE LOOKED AT MORE AS JUST AN ITINERANT, A BREAK.

>> STUDENTS NEED TO HAVE ACCESS, BUT AGAIN, IT DOESN'T SPECIFY HOW THEY NEED TO HAVE ACCESS.

THEY REALLY CAN ONLY COME TALK TO US DURING THEIR LIBRARY CLASSES.

>> WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE THERE IS THIS EVER-GROWING SEA OF INFORMATION AND THEN SOMEBODY IN A POSITION TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT EDUCATION COMES TO THE DECISION THAT A LIBRARIAN IS A LUXURY.

I DON'T KNOW -- THAT DOESN'T ADD UP FOR ME.

HOW COULD THAT BE IN A TIME WHERE THERE IS FAR MORE INFORMATION THEN WE HAVE EVER HAD -- INFORMATION THAN WE HAVE EVER ADDED OUR FINGERTIPS -- EVER HAD AT OUR FINGERTIPS?

THAT DOESN'T ADD UP.

>> IT IS NOT JUST THE LIBRARY.

THEY ARE NOT GOING TO CHECK OUT BOOKS AND BE QUIET ONLY.

THEY ARE GOING TO LEARN SKILLS.

>> IF WE DO NOT PAY ATTENTION, WE ARE GOING TO BE SORRY, BECAUSE, THROUGH NEGLECT, THROUGH ATTRITION, WE ARE GOING TO LOSE WHAT WE MOST NEED.

>> THAT POSITION IS VALUED AND HELD ON A HIGH LEVEL AND THAT PERSON FEELS VALUED IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL COMMUNITY, THEN THAT PERSON IS GOING TO WALK AROUND PROUD AND THEY WILL REACH OUT TO STAFF, FAMILIES, STUDENTS, AND NOW YOUR CULTURE HAS RAISED UP, SO YOU ARE LOOKING UP ALL THE WAY TO YOUR SCHOOL'S CULTURE AND CLIMATE WITH THAT POSITION.

>> IT BECOMES A LEARNING COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

SHE WILL TAKE WHAT SHE HAS, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE.

JUST LAST WEEK, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE DELIVERED FOR US WAS A GOOGLE PRESENTATION, AND IT WAS HOW MUCH SHE KNEW ABOUT GOOGLE AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN WITH GOOGLE, AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GOOGLE DOCS, GOOGLE SLIDES, GOOGLE CLASSROOM, >> GOOGLE FORMS.

>> SIMPLE AS THAT, BUT WE HAVE A BECAUSE OF HER, THE LIBRARIAN, IT WHEN -- LIBRARIAN, WHO IN FACT HELPED ME A BETTER HELP MY STUDENTS, BECAUSE IF I KNOW SOMETHING IN TURN, I CAN BRING THAT RESOURCE TO MY STUDENTS.

>> AND ADMINISTRATION, A LEADERSHIP TEAM WHO NEVER QUESTIONED THAT I WOULD ALSO BE PART OF THE EDUCATIONAL STAFF, AND REALLY, ONCE I HAD THAT COME IN WHAT DIRECTION I WAS GOING IN AND I KNEW THAT I COULD ADVOCATE FOR MYSELF.

SO WHEN ALL THESE OTHER THINGS ARE CRACKING AND FALLING APART AT THE SEAMS BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL THESE DEMANDS ON US, HERE IS THE PLACE TO OFFER SUPPORT TO ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE CRUMBLING AND BRING IT UP TO A BETTER LEVEL.

>> THERE'S SO MUCH NEED.

SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE COMING INTO OUR SCHOOLS SO BEHIND AND THERE IS SO MUCH NEED FOR INTENSIVE SUPPORT.

>> WE KNEW WHAT WE THOUGHT WE KNEW ABOUT LIBRARIES.

NOW WE KNOW BETTER AND WE CAN DO BETTER FOR OUR CHILDREN.

♪ >> GETTING A DOCUMENTARY MADE CAN BE A DAUNTING, FRUSTRATING AND EVEN NAILBITING EXPERIENCE.

FROM THE FIRST FRAME TO THE FINAL EDIT, "OVERDUE" DELIVERS A CLEAR, THOUGHTFUL AND OFTEN UNEXPECTED STORY.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHY THE DOCUMENTARIANS HIT THE BOOKS ON THIS SUBJECT AND TO SEE THE FULL DOCUMENTARY, GO TO THEIR WEBSITE RILIBRARIES.ORG/OVERDUE.

OUR NEXT STORY IS ABOUT A MAN WHO HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO IMPROVING SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION.

AS WE FIRST REPORTED LAST DECEMBER, IT BEGAN FOUR DECADES AGO WHEN RHODE ISLAND PHILANTHROPIST ALAN SEAN FEINSTEIN MET THE KING OF THAILAND AND WAS INTRODUCED TO A WORLD OF WEALTH COULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED.

THAT MEETING SENT HIM TO HIS -- SENT HIM ON HIS OWN DYNASTY BUILDING PATH.

WE SAT DOWN WITH HIM AT HIS OFFICE IN CRANSTON.

HE HAS LIVED IN THE AREA FOR DECADES, A MODEST LIFE FOR A MAN WHO HAS BEEN MAKING MONEY, A LOT OF MONEY, FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

ON A SPECIAL NOTE, OUR DEAR FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, THE LATE BILL MANICALLY, ORIGINALLY REPORTED THIS STORY.

♪ >> IF YOU LOOK AT MY CAR OUTSIDE, YOU WILL SEE IT IS CERTAINLY NOT WHAT I MAN WHO WOULD HAVE A LOT OF MONEY WOULD WRITE AROUND IN -- WOULD RIDE AROUND IN, BUT I DON'T WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON A NEW CAR.

>> ALAN SHAWN FEINSTEIN SPENT MONEY -- SHAWN FEINSTEIN GREW UP AND TAUGHT IN RHODE ISLAND.

IN 1963, HE MET HIS WIFE.

THEY TRAVELED TO HER HOME COUNTRY OF THAILAND, WHERE HE CONTINUED TEACHING AND BEGAN WRITING CHILDREN'S BOOKS.

HIS WORK CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF SOMEONE WHO WOULD HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON HIS LIFE.

>> I HAD A PRIVATE AUDIENCE AT THE PALACE WITH THE KING OF THAILAND.

AT THAT TIME, HE WAS PROBABLY THE RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD.

IT WAS AN EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE ONTO THE WORLD OF WEALTH AND PRIVILEGE AND, REALLY, I HAD NEVER COME CLOSE TO IT BEFORE.

>>>> FEINSTEIN SAYS THE KING OF THAILAND'S INTEREST IN HIS WORK WITH CHILDREN MADE HIM BEGIN TO REALIZE THE IMPACT HE COULD HAVE ON CHILDREN'S LIVES, SO WHEN HIS WIFE WAS OFFERED A POSITION AS A CHILD PSYCHIATRIST IN, RHODE ISLAND, THEY CAME BACK TO THE U.S.

HE CONTINUED TEACHING AND WRITING BUT NOW HE ALSO WROTE A FINANCIAL GUIDE THAT BECAME VERY POPULAR.

>> SO I STARTED A NEWSLETTER, AND THIS INDIAN DOCTOR TOOK A SHINE TO MY NEWSLETTER AND HE INTRODUCED IT TO NEWSPAPERS ALL OVER THE WORLD AND MY COLUMN WAS APPEARING IN RUSSIA AND FINLAND AND JAPAN.

I GUESS THAT GAVE ME A LOT OF SEEMINGLY CLOUT BECAUSE, WITH THAT KIND OF A FOLLOWING, IT WAS APPEALING TO OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> WITH A SUBSCRIPTION BASE QUICKLY BUILDING INTO THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, FEINSTEIN BEGAN BRANCHING OUT.

>> WENT INTO THE SELLING OF VARIOUS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, EXOTIC PRODUCTS, CURRENCY FROM OVERSEAS, OFTEN TO MONETIZED CURRENCY, MEANING -- OFTEN DEMONETIZED CURRENCY, MEANING IT WAS NO LONGER LEGAL TENDER BUT HAD COLLECTIBILITY.

>> WITH THE POSSIBILITY THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE MANY SALES OF THESE SPECULATIVE ITEMS, FEINSTEIN CAME UP WITH A GUARANTEE THAT PROVED IRRESISTIBLE.

HE WOULD DELIVER HIS CUSTOMERS THEIR STAMPS AND PAPER BILLS BEFORE TAKING THEIR MONEY.

>> I WILL SEND YOU YOUR ORDER.

I WILL HOLD YOUR CHECK OR IT IF FOR ANY REASON -- YOUR CHECK.

IF FOR ANY REASON YOU ARE UNHAPPY WITH YOUR ORDER, I WILL SEND YOU BACK YOUR CHECK.

THAT WILL BRING IN MILLIONS.

>> THERE WERE A FEW RETURNS OVER THE YEARS.

HIS GROWING FORTUNE ALLOWED HIM TO START HIS FOUNDATION, INITIALLY AIMED AT COMBATING HUNGER.

>> FOR 15 YEARS, I WOULD OFFER $1 MILLION EACH YEAR TO ANTIHUNGER AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, WHO USED MY MONEY AS A SPUR FOR THEIR FUNDRAISING.

THAT WORKED VERY WELL AS AN INCENTIVE FOR A WHILE, UNTIL IT GREW SO BIG, THAT'S WHEN WE DECIDED TO TURN ALL THOSE FUNDS IN THE FUTURE OVER TO OUR SCHOOLS AND EXPAND -- AND USE IT TO EXPAND OUR SCHOOL PROGRAM.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A FEINSTEIN JUNIOR SCHOLAR?

IT MEANS THAT YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO HELPS PEOPLE.

IT MEANS THAT YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO MAKES THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

AND YOU GET A VALUABLE JUNIOR SCHOLAR CARD THAT TELLS THAT ABOUT YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SEES IT.

>> I WANTED THE SCHOOLS TO ENCOURAGE YOUNGSTERS TO REACH OUT AND DO GOOD TO PEOPLE, NOT ONLY FOR THE PEOPLE THEY DID IT FOR, BUT FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR VALUES, TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS.

I HAD BEEN GOING INTO MOST OF THESE SCHOOLS EACH YEAR TO ENCOURAGE THE YOUNGSTERS TO DO GOOD DEEDS.

>> FEINSTEIN'S CONCERN FOR THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN IS NO MORE OBVIOUS THAN WITH HIS OWN FAMILY, AS WE FOUND OUT WHEN THE PHONE RANG IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR INTERVIEW.

>> HELLO?

IS THIS MY GRANDSON?

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE TELEVISION IS HERE AND THEY ARE DOING A SHOW ON ME SO I WILL LET YOU SEE IT WHEN YOU COME HERE.

OK?

DO YOU KNOW YOUR PAPA LOVES YOU?

YOU ARE SUCH A GOOD BOY.

I AM PROUD OF YOU.

>> ALAN SHAWN FEINSTEIN, AT THE AGE OF 90, HAS INFLUENCED THE LIVES OF CHILDREN ALL OVER THE WORLD AND HOPES HIS GOOD WORK WILL CARRY ON.

>> I HAD NO IDEA.

I HAD NO IDEA OF THIS.

WHO HAD EVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO IMPACT POSITIVELY IN THE LIVES OF 250,000 PEOPLE?

I HOPE THAT THE CHILDREN, I MAY HAVE MADE AN IMPRESSION ON -- CHILDREN I MAY HAVE MADE AN IMPRESSION ON WILL TURN AROUND AND MAKE THAT IMPRESSION ON THEIR OWN CHILDREN SOMEDAY.

I THINK A LOT WILL.

>> FINALLY TONIGHT IN OUR CONTINUING SERIES KIDS WANT TO KNOW, SENIORS FROM JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL ASK THE PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND ABOUT THE PANDEMIC AND WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT WHEN THEY ENTER THEIR FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE.

>> I AM A SENIOR YEAR AT JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL.

MY QUESTION IS WILL THERE BE MORE IN PERSON CLASSES OR EVENTS IN THE FALL SEMESTER AT URI AND HOW DO YOU PLAN TO PREPARE?

>> WE WILL BE PRETTY MUCH BACK TO NORMAL.

WE HAVE STRONGLY URGED, EVEN REQUIRED, THAT OUR STUDENTS BE FULLY VACCINATED AND CERTAINLY OUR STAFF AND FACULTY ARE ALREADY MOVING DOWN THAT ROAD, SO WE EXPECT THERE TO BE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES ON CAMPUS AND MANY IN PERSON CLASSES.

A BIG PART OF THAT PREPARATION IS REALLY ADVERTISING AND MARKETING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE VACCINE SO THAT EVERYONE IS SAFE AND CAN COEXIST IN A VERY PRODUCTIVE AND HEALTHY WAY, SO YEAH.

ANOTHER PART OF THAT PREPARATION IS WE WANT STUDENTS TO BE OPEN TO MULTIPLE FORMS OF LEARNING.

WE HAVE CERTAINLY -- WILL BE GOING BACK TO IN PERSON CLASSES.

BUT OUR FACULTY HAVE LEARNED A TON OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF ABOUT HOW TO ENHANCE THEIR TEACHING USING TECHNOLOGY AND I THINK STUDENTS NEED TO OPEN THEIR MINDS TO THAT FORM OF LEARNING AS WELL AND TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT AS WELL AS THE IN PERSON SUPPORT THAT I THINK WILL ENRICH THE LEARNING ATMOSPHERE ON OUR CAMPUS AND I EXPECT ON THE CAMPUSES THAT YOU ALL ATTEND AS WELL.

>> MY NAME IS NICK.

I AM A SENIOR.

MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, AS A UNIVERSITY LEADER, HOW HAS COVID-19 IMPACTED YOUR ABILITY TO LEAD OTHERS, COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY AND MANAGER TIME?

>> ONE THING ALL OF US LEARNED IS VERY DETAILED, THOUGHTFUL AND TIMELY COMMUNICATION IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT, BUT PARTICULARLY SO DURING A TIME OF CRISIS, DURING A VERY DYNAMIC TIME WHEN CONDITIONS WERE CHANGING ON A DAILY AND A WEEKLY BASIS, SO MY SENSE WAS WE COULD NOT COMMUNICATE ENOUGH.

IF WE THOUGHT WE WERE COMMUNICATING SUFFICIENTLY, WE ONLY FOUND OUT THERE WERE MANY QUESTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE ONCE AGAIN AND MORE THOROUGHLY AND MORE CLEARLY.

WE HAD TO REMIND OURSELVES DURING THIS TIME OF 24/7 DECISION-MAKING THAT WE NEEDED TO TAKE SOME TIME, ALL OF US NEED TO TAKE SOME TIME, FOR SELF-CARE, TO GET A BALANCE BETWEEN BEING TOTALLY CONSUMED BY THE WORK THAT WE ENCOUNTERED AND THE ISSUES THAT EMERGED AND MAKING SURE THAT WE REMAIN HEALTHY AS WELL SO THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO SERVE THE BEST NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

>> I AM A SENIOR AT JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL.

HOW HAS COVID-19 IMPACTED THE LIVES OF STUDENTS LIVING ON CAMPUS AND WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE ON STEPPING INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR IN LIGHT OF RESTRICTIONS?

>> OUR STUDENTS ARE CONSTANTLY BEING REMINDED BY US ABOUT WEARING THEIR MASKS AND PHYSICALLY DISTANCING.

THERE WAS, CERTAINLY OVER THE LAST YEAR, A REDUCTION IN LARGE EVENTS AND SOME SPORTING EVENTS ON CAMPUS THAT STUDENTS NORMALLY WOULD ATTEND.

AT URI, ABOUT HALF OF OUR CLASSES WERE IN PERSON, BUT MANY CLASSES WERE DELIVERED VIRTUALLY TO OUR STUDENTS.

MY ADVICE TO YOU WOULD BE TAKE IT ALL IN, CONTINUE TO BE CAREFUL.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

PLEASE GET VACCINATED IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO.

BUT TAKEN THE FULL EXPERIENCE OF THE UNIVERSITY -- TAKE IN THE FULL EXPERIENCE OF THE UNIVERSITY.

ATTEND CLASSES, STUDY HARD BUT ALSO ENJOY THE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, MAKING NEW FRIENDS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET EXPOSED TO IDEAS THAT WILL BE NEW TO YOU.

>> OUR THANKS TO THE SENIORS FROM JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL AND URI PROVOST DONALD HAYS.

I AM PAMELA WATTS.

>> I AM MICHELLE SAN MIGUEL.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

♪