“I never looked back.”

My name is Ed Kilcullen, and I am the State Director for Maryland CASA Association, a network of 15 Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs serving children in Baltimore City and 16 counties throughout the state. CASA recruits, trains and supervises adult volunteers who are appointed by the court to serve as advocates for abused and neglected children. CASA volunteers thoroughly research their assigned child's life, interview all relevant parties, and make recommendations to the court based on the child's best interest. In the last year, more than 1,000 volunteers advocated for 1,400 children but, with approximately 11,000 children under the protection of the courts in Maryland as a result of abuse and neglect, CASA must recruit many more volunteers to reach all the children.

Please consider volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for an abused or neglected child. It takes only a few hours a month to make a huge difference in a child's life. Some of our CASA volunteers recently took some time to talk about their experiences with our organization. Read on!

“As a CASA volunteer I am able to help children navigate through the court process and the multiple agencies that they often come into contact with when they are in foster care. Often this process is difficult for the children because of the disruption to their home lives that impacts all aspects of their lives. You can provide them with a stable relationship that they can count on in times when little else may remain consistent in their lives. I can tell you this work will bring joys as well as frustrations, sharing good times as well as bad and one of the most satisfying relationships you can have with children who need it most. It also provides me with a sense of accomplishment when I can advocate for a child that can’t speak up for themselves. If you are looking for a volunteer experience that will change lives I urge you to become a CASA. There are so many children who have a need that you are uniquely qualified to fill – all it will take is a few hours a month.”

Allison Butlien
CASA volunteer since 2001
CASA of Baltimore

“Throughout my years as a teacher, I began to realize that I had many students who were living in unhealthy and abusive environments. Though they usually kept their home problems to themselves, sometimes it was apparent and could not be missed or ignored. One of my students reported to class with a completely shaven head (before it was in style). When I asked him what happened, he told me his father did it to punish him. He also had bruises on his arms, neck and other areas which he could not hide. He had difficulty looking at me. My heart broke for him, as he was very polite and never a problem in class and may have been a "shining" student under healthier circumstances. Aside from notifying the nurse and administrators, I could do nothing more to help him. It was frustrating and depressing knowing that some children have to endure the most hideous and painful situations on a daily basis. Now that I am a CASA, I am in a position to do more. CASA volunteers make every effort to see that children get what they need and what they deserve. It is a wonderfully gratifying feeling knowing you may actually have made a significant difference in improving a child’s life. Believe me, you get way more than you give when you advocate for a child.”

Adele Hammerman
CASA volunteer since 2007
CASA of Baltimore County

“I had been retired for seven years when I decided to train to be a CASA volunteer. A few months later my CASA supervisor asked me to take my first case – a 14 year old girl. I never looked back. She just turned 18 and, after 3½ years of representing her best interests, I can truly say that this was the most meaningful volunteer experience that I have ever had. I think I may have made a difference in her life and in so doing made many new friends.”

Phyllis Hoyer CASA volunteer since 2005
CASA of Frederick County

“It was not until I began teaching 17 years ago I that I realized just how many children were being abused and/or neglected every year. It broke my heart to hear of these children being treated in such a manner. When I learned of CASA eight years ago, I had just had a newborn baby. The love and joy I felt for my new baby was so strong that I felt compelled to help other children in crisis. CASA was the perfect match for me. As an educator, I know firsthand what is involved in making sure children's needs are met in the educational environment. As a mother of two wonderful children, I know what children need to feel safe and secure. Additionally, one of the many benefits of being a volunteer is knowing that I made a difference in the life of a child. I am the voice for a child in need. CASA is a part of who I am and what I believe.”

Jennette Mears
CASA volunteer since 2001
CASA of the Lower Shore

Tune into to MPT tonight at 9:30 p.m. for Foster Care Stories: A Place to Be (lauded today by Baltimore Sun critic David Zurawik) with a companion live phone bank so you, too, can learn how to help Maryland’s foster care system.

"It's time for us to find hope."

Shalita O'Neale, former foster youth and founder of the Maryland Foster Youth Resource Center.

My name is Shalita O'Neale,and I'm a former foster youth. I aged out of the foster care system at the age of 21. As a result of my foster care experience, I decided to start a resource center for foster youth, the Maryland Foster Youth Resource Center (http://www.mfyrc.org/).

Growing up in foster care, my peers and I experienced a lot of stereotyping (and still do). There is this belief that all foster youth are troublemakers, thieves and problem children. This is not true. I am a prime example of a youth that is succeeding, and I know many other youth that prove these stereotypes wrong. I did not think I had a voice growing up in care and was seldom asked about how I felt about living in foster care. I did not have the confidence or the knowledge about how to speak up. This is what needs to be changed in the system. Our voice needs to be heard and we need to know that we have one. We need to be around the table when decisions about us and our well being are being made because who better knows of what may work best for us then us? There should be nothing about us without us.

This shouldn't be viewed as threatening either. We are resources that have not been effectively tapped into. We can bring energy and grounding to the programs that are being designed to help us. We can help avoid the failure of child welfare systems by incorporating a perspective that will create programs and policies that make sense for the very youth it is being designed to service: foster youth, US!

I am very happy that MPT is having a foster care phone bank (tomorrow, November 20 at 9:30 p.m.) and hope people tune in and call for information on how to help or just for more information on foster care. So many people have a lot to say about foster care and adoption, and give their opinions about foster youth, social workers or foster parents (much of which is inaccurate), but don't take advantage of an opportunity to educate themselves on the facts. Hopefully people will call in and get accurate information. That will be the first step to breaking down the myths and stereotypes of foster youth. Then we can begin building a foundation of support for them so they can have the same chance at success as those youth with loving families.

It's time for change. It’s time for us to be heard. It's time for us to find hope, and I believe that once the community, foster youth and child welfare join together as a team, all of these things will come to fruition.

Tune in on the 20th! This is National Adoption Month. There are foster youth out there who want a loving and stable home. If you can't commit to that, try mentoring a few hours a month or fostering. Call in to see how you can help. Every bit of contact from positive people makes a difference. I am where I am today because people have taken the time out to make a difference in my life.

"Where will I go?"

I commend MPT for recognizing the importance of bringing issues of foster care in Maryland to its viewers in the program Foster Care Stories: A Place to Be airing Thursday, November 20 at 9:30 p.m. To tie in a phone bank to show how anyone can help a foster child will do much to engage our community with this important population.

My wife and I were foster parents to teenage girls for ten years and adopted two of the teens we fostered. Many people have questioned our sanity for fostering teens! While it can be challenging, it also brought us tremendous rewards. Teens in foster care have many times given up on finding an adoptive family and resign themselves to aging out of the foster care system. This is a tragedy! Even though they will tell you they don’t want to be adopted, they silently hope that someone can reach out to them and accept them as their own.

Many people ask me how I’ve become so involved in foster care, and I tell them the about moment that has changed my life in this regard. I received a call from one of my daughters who was finishing up her first semester at Salisbury University, and she informed me that the university required students to move everything out of their dorm room during winter break. Anyone who has ever moved a daughter into a college dorm knows what this involves! The thought of hauling everything back home only to move it back in four weeks didn’t leave me in a good mood. After the call I noticed our 14-year-old foster daughter wanted to say something to me but seemed hesitant. When I finally asked her if she was okay she said, “Mr. Duane, when I go to college and have to leave for my breaks where will I go?” I realized that for someone growing up in foster care, moving furniture out might not be the biggest problem.

That question from our foster daughter kept running through my mind for the next couple of weeks. I started to research programs on the Internet that provided permanent homes for youth in foster care and identified a program in Illinois. I sent out to form a non-profit organization to replicate the program in Baltimore. After six years of work and a few million dollars, Clare Court was opened in Baltimore to provide housing to families adopting children, grandparents raising their grandchildren and senior citizens. On the day Clare Court was dedicated, I couldn’t help but think about how a question from a teenager in foster care changed my life.

Duane St. Clair
St. Clair Associates

Frontline: The Choice

The upcoming presidential election is one of the most memorable in decades. It's a race that pits the iconoclast John McCain against newcomer Barack Obama; the heroic former prisoner of war against the first African American major party nominee. For two hours tonight, the 20th anniversary broadcast of The Choice examines the rich personal and political biographies of these men and goes behind the headlines to discover how they arrived at this moment and what their very different candidacies say about America.

Baltimore Sun TV critic David Zurawik gave the program, which airs tonight on MPT at 9 p.m., a glowing review. Here's a little of what he had to say:

The producers weave the political histories of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama into a nearly seamless two-hour film that moves with such focus and force that it feels more like 30 minutes. Narrative, or to use an older fashioned term, storytelling, is what drives this documentary with such velocity.

Whet your political appetites with the clips below, and be sure to tune in tonight.

A new home for an old lodge

Bert Rankin (left) of MPT and Meg Schumacher, the Howard County Conservancy director, work on the Hodgepodge Lodge. (Baltimore Sun photo by Doug Kapustin / September 26, 2008

The Hodgepodge Lodge officially has a new home. This weekend I had the pleasure of witnessing closure on a project (read all about it in this Balitmore Sun article) that started when I coordinated the first annual MPT Vision Honors Banquet. In the spring 2007, MPT actively started looking for a perfect partner for moving and refurbishing the lodge. Although this idea originated many years earlier, it was at the 2007 Vision Honors Banquet—where we inaugurated the “Miss Jean” Award for Service to Children and Families—when it really started to pick up speed.

Upon hearing about our search, I was contacted by Meg Schumacher, Executive Director of the Howard County Conservancy. She expressed interest in the lodge because they had an existing relationship with Miss Jean and would be honored to help relocate it to continue her legacy. A great partnership was born. Over the past two years, many staff here and at the conservancy worked hard to move, rebuild and restore the lodge to its 1970s technicolor luster.

On Saturday, I watched as parents shuffled their children in and out of the newly restored structure as Miss Jean sat out front – just as she did during the show back in the 1970s – it was heartwarming. I don’t know if it was my pregnancy hormones or what, but I fought back the tears as MPT’s VP of Technology George Beneman, close friend and former colleague of Jean’s, spoke about the original “Queen of Green” that would walk to work and the influence she had on so many.

People sat down next to her to tell tales of how she made a difference in their lives, children’s lives, the list goes on. I was proud to be there to support her and her family, and celebrate with them.

Old friends George Beneman of MPT and Miss Jean share a laugh in front of the restored lodge.

One of my favorite parts of the event was a one girl scout’s project to help encourage learning within the lodge. I forget her name (blame it on the “pregnesia”), but the young lady was sitting inside the lodge offering tours of her many activities that were scattered on the walls and tables within. She was eight but had the maturity of a college student explaining their thesis. I thought to myself, if Miss Jean had envisioned what was going to happen to her Hodgepodge Lodge after the show went off the air this probably would have been pretty close to a perfect second life!

I am so excited to know that MPT and PBS continue to provide quality children’s programming (like Hodgepodge Lodge was back in the day) so I have a safe place to let my daughter go when she wants to watch a little something on TV. Thanks, MPT!


Desirée Edwards
Assistant Manager, Major and Planned Giving

Thanks, Thinkport

Because you are written and edited by education professionals, there was nothing I could not use when I needed help.

My dear, creative daughter was having trouble staying focused and organized in second grade. “No problem,” I thought. I’m an educated person and a whiz at research. I was clueless at first at helping my daughter get more organized in her schoolwork. I tried web sites and articles and was overwhelmed with information and links to scary places. Medications and expensive tutors were not going to be our first choice. The lists and raised voices were not helping either. Finally, I looked to MPT’s Thinkport.

Thinkport is a dream for teachers, and many use it frequently. But in addition to Maryland-based curriculum and virtual field trips and snazzy math games, there is a wealth of basic information on the educational site for families and caregivers. I found an article about helping kids manage their time. There were links to even more sensible, helpful information.

My daughter would still rather spend time organizing her rocks and shells instead of doing math homework, but we’ve found some strategies for her to take responsibility for her time and keep the peace.

For time-managing tactics for your little ones, check out http://www.thinkport.org/familycommunity/interstitials/manage_time.tp


Susan Meoni
Assistant Attorney General

Born to rumor

It’s easy to believe what we see and hear on our television these days, especially when what we hear comes from the mouths of those we have come to respect in the world of journalism. So, with that in mind, consider the following: a retraction recently posted by Bob Costas of NBC Sports:

“…A few days ago in Beijing, Brian Williams and I had separate interviews with Michael Phelps. Just prior to those interviews, I had been told that the previous Friday night in Jacksonville, Bruce Springsteen had informed his audience that Phelps had won his seventh gold medal and that he then dedicated ‘Born in the USA’ to Michael....I had every reason to believe this information was accurate, and its source was reliable. In fact, I had intended to use it in my own interview with Phelps, but when time didn’t allow for it, I passed the story on to Brian, who did use it. As you may have seen, Phelps lit up at the story, which rang true for the additional reason that it’s the sort of thing Bruce might very well have done. Except that in this case, he didn’t. I had been misinformed. Still, the blame rests with me. So, I just wanted to set the record straight – and apologize to my friend Brian Williams, one of the best newsmen and biggest Springsteen fans I know…”

Now admittedly, mistakes happen, even to highly respected news journalists such as Costas and Williams. But it made me wonder how something so completely false ends up on the air—and what else gets repeated as fact.

Take for example a recent New Yorker cover that unflatteringly depicts Barack Obama in Middle Eastern/Islamic attire in the Oval Office, with wife Michelle carrying a machine gun. It’s easy to see how irresponsible and controversial journalism designed to sensationalize the issues helps to foster a misinformed American people. Perhaps this is the reason a measurable percentage of Americans falsely believe that Obama is Muslim.

It is our mission at MPT to educate our viewers and bring them the one-of-a-kind depth and insight they’ve come to expect from public television without compromising the integrity and forthrightness that have become our hallmarks. That is why we are proud to bring you this fall’s PBS Vote 2008 election lineup including coverage from both the local and state level as well as reports from the Democratic and Republican National Conventions via the News Hour with Jim Lehrer.

With the general election looming less than 70 (yes, it’s that close) days away, it is absolutely critical, perhaps now more than ever, to be vigilant as American citizens. It is our responsibility as Americans to look beyond the headlines, the campaign smears, the negative ads, to find out for ourselves just who we are casting our vote for on November 4th.

So please, between now and November, don’t just take Bill O’Reilly’s word for it; don’t assume Anderson Cooper is giving you all 360 degrees. Don’t be forced to rely on a media outlet that has to sensationalize every story to boost ratings enough to cover their advertising budget and turn a profit for CNN or FOX or any of the other major networks.

The time has come to roll up our sleeves as Americans, educate ourselves, question the answers and hold our leaders’ feet to the fire. It won’t be easy, but here at MPT we can help you get started.

P.S. Brian, Bob, if you’re reading this, from one Boss fan to another, all is forgiven.


Matt Rains
Member Services Representative

Sizzlin'!

Since interning for MPT this summer, I’ve found new love for its programs. I love to eat, and I’m a huge fan of cooking shows. Cooking is a passion of mine, and if you’re anything like me, one of the reasons you love summer is because it’s the perfect time to fire up the grill. So you can imagine how excited I am about a new cooking show on MPT. Steven Raichlen (creator of Barbecue University and author of Barbecue Bible and How to Grill) is back with a new series, Primal Grill with Steven Raichlen. Anybody who loves to cook is sure to love this show.

To celebrate the new series, MPT is having a cool event this weekend. Last month, MPT viewers were asked to submit their favorite grilling recipe by mail to MPT. The grillmaster himself has judged and selected a winning recipe (and will announce the winner’s name on air!). The recipe will be featured in a live grilling demonstration at MPT’s Summer Sizzle event this Saturday. The first-place winner will receive a Weber Spirit E-310 gas grill!

So whether you thrill for the grill, or are just looking to have some fun, join us this Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Rams Head Tavern Courtyard located in Historic Savage Mill in Savage, Maryland. Guests will enjoy live music, beverages and a demonstration and taste of the winning recipe!


Julia Goldwasser
Intern, Corporate Support

T-minus 6 and counting!

Hello DTV blog readers!

We are at the six-month point and counting down to the shutoff of analog television on February 17, 2009. Are YOU ready?

Only those viewers who watch us over-the-air (OTA) on an analog TV have to do something. You’ll need a DTV Converter Box, which is what all those announcements on TV and radio are about.

A new survey from the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) reveals a mixed bag when it comes to the public’s involvement with the February 2009 digital television transition. On one hand, awareness of the impending transition is at an all-time high. According to the study, you’ve watched the announcements. On the other hand, many OTA households are slow to take the necessary steps to continue receiving terrestrial television after the plug is pulled on analog transmitters, the survey found.

Don’t wait – do it now – avoid the rush … get your discount coupons from the federal government at http://www.dtv2009.gov/. Then get your box, hook it up to your antenna and TV, turn the box on, follow the prompts and see the wonders of digital TV.

If you can’t receive us with your existing indoor antenna, you may need an outside antenna. Reception of our analog signal is no guarantee you’ll receive our digital signal. I’ve talked with viewers who could never receive our analog signal, and now are watching all three of our digital channels, as well as those who have a great analog signal and cannot receive our digital signal.

For more information, visit http://digitaltelevisionnow.org/mpt/

So don’t delay, become a digital TV viewer today.


George Beneman
VP Technology

He's still "The Gangster of Love"

I recently had the pleasure of a day filled with amazing music at Merriweather Post Pavilion performed by Joe Cocker and The Steve Miller Band. I saw these legendary performers on MPT during its June pledge drive, and when noticed on MPT’s local events calendar that tickets were available, I knew I had to get them.

It began late afternoon with a glimpse into the inner-workings of a big-name band at sound check. We heard the familiar sounds of The Steve Miller Band as we walked to the concert arena. The only other folks around were diligently working to prepare for the evening concert. As we took our seats and tried not to appear overly zealous, we saw that Steve Miller was not yet on stage—but the riffs being played got our blood pumping. Quickly and without fanfare, Steve Miller appeared on stage, picked up his guitar and began to play. To see him this way—as a regular guy preparing for his “job”—was impressive. He tweaked the sound coming from his guitar over and over, he spoke to the sound man with authority but without condescension. He knew what he wanted and expected, but did it with respect for the others involved. It was refreshing to see in a world dominated by divas.

As quickly as he appeared, he disappeared. Our private concert was over. We departed for dinner and twittered about what we saw, reliving the “good old days” and feeling as if we had taken a walk back to our youth. We were eager to return for the concert.

As concert time drew near, we were psyched to hear The Steve Miller Band but knew that Joe Cocker was the opening act. We anticipated enjoying his music, but deep down wanted to hear more of what we heard in the afternoon. We couldn’t have been more wrong! Joe Cocker brought the house down. From “With a Little Help From My Friends” to “Feelin’ Alright” to “Cry Me a River,” he did them all and never missed a note or his signature big voice. He had everyone’s attention. When he sang “You Are So Beautiful,” the house was on its feet and screaming. He’s still got it and The Steve Miller Band needed to step up to the plate so they wouldn't be outdone.

And they did not disappoint. They began with “Swingtown” and kept going. It seemed as if each song required a different guitar, including a bright red Flying V that Steve proudly told the crowd he won at a poker game just a few nights earlier.

Those of us there had the joy of hearing two hours of music that included “Space Cowboy,” “Jungle Love,” “Dance, Dance, Dance” and so many more. “Mercury Blues,” an oldie but goody, was well received. “Rock ‘n Me” was played for quite a stretch and the guitars were wailing.

Sonny Charles, formerly of the Checkmates, has joined the band and added a fine voice and fine dancing. He sang a Bo Diddley song, “Pretty Thing,” with accompaniment from Miller that was a true get-out-of-your-seat-and-dance moment.

The harmonica playing was amazing; the guitar playing knocked your socks off; the keyboard playing was more than lively; and the drumming held it all together. These guys are GOOD!

After all was said and done, the evening ended with three encores – the third with Steve Miller taking requests. When was the last time you saw that?

In the end, Steve reminded us to live in peace and love. The years have passed but some things never change. And for that I am grateful.


Sue Vanskiver
Senior Administrative Assistant