About Highlights:
Highlights is a 30 minute weekly TV show featuring organizations, events, grass-roots efforts and people who move our state and community forward in a positive way.
The show is a collaboration with Kanawha County Schools, Optimum Communications and Jim Strawn & Company.
The show airs daily at 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Optimum’s channel 17.
WVU MAC Charleston Scholarship Dinner
The show airing March 24, 2025 – March 31, 2025 features the WVU MAC Charleston Scholarship Dinner. We interviewed Harry Bell, Committee Member.
The Mountaineer Athletic Club’s new development framework strives to be simple and inclusive, catering to the diverse interests of WVU Athletics supporters. By transforming the culture of athletics support, it opens avenues for engagement at every tier, ensuring that all supporters can participate and contribute to the success of the Mountaineers.
Harry discussed the importance of the dinner, which raises much needed funds for student-athletes to receive scholarships to participate in WVU’s athletic teams.
What to Expect
The dinner is set for April 21, 2025 beginning at 5:00 at the Charleston Convention Center.
Harry applauded the dinner committee chair, Andy Richardson for another job well done.
Members of the coaching staffs and the student-athletes will be seating with you at your table.
There will also be a few auction items to bid on.
Tony Caridi will emcee the evening that includes panel discussions with coaches and the student-athletes.
For more information call: (304) 293-2294 (800) 433-2072
Read Aloud WV
We also talked with Dawn Miller, Executive Director of Read Aloud WV. She discussed their purpose and mission.
Read Aloud West Virginia’s mission is to motivate children to WANT to read, because motivation is the critical first step in developing any skill. They work to change the literacy culture of West Virginia by keeping reading material in the hands and on the minds of our state’s children. Their goal is to involve families, the medical community, businesses, civic groups, and the society at large in building a culture that values reading.
Book Distribution
She talked with excitement about their program of book distribution.
Access to books and other reading materials is essential to raising a generation of readers. As Jim Trelease, author of The Read Aloud Handbook, has noted, “it’s tough to get good at rodeo if you’re missing a horse.” Read Aloud puts books and magazines in the hands of students through a variety of programs. If you work at a school or facility that serves kids in need, you can request a Read Aloud book distribution. Books are distributed on a first come, first served basis with a preference given to communities facing the highest barriers. Teachers and administrators can submit an application for a school distribution via the link below. All others, please email stateoffice@readaloudwv.org with your request.
Click here to fil out an application.
Read-A-Palooza 2025
Dawn also discussed their funding and the very special fundraising event Read-A-Palooza.
She encouraged us to join other Read Aloud volunteers and supporters after work on Thursday, April 3, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the University of Charleston! “A Ticket to Anywhere” will be this year’s event theme. West Virginia students are going places thanks to the work of Read Aloud WV volunteers and supporters, who help grow childhood literacy across the state every day.
Featuring:
- Beer, wine, and hors d’oeuvres
- Wine Pull: Buy a ticket for $20, and pull a mystery bottle of wine worth $20 or more.
- Silent Auction
- Pianist Jordan Dyer, local jazz artist
Click Here to Purchase Your Tickets.
Call for more information: 304-345-5212.
If you would like to learn more about the Highlights TV Show, contact Host and Executive Producer Jim Strawn at 304-541-4756.
