As I got older, June now means concerts, vacations, visits from family, and taking advantage of all the amazing activities that our region offers to locals and visitors alike. And of course, WHRO has a wealth of offerings throughout the month.
I am excited to tell you about all we have coming up as we kick off the summer at WHRO. As you know, public media has always been a champion of the arts. We enjoy discovering local artists and sharing their stories. On June 18, we will introduce you to a phenomenal group of high school students with the premiere of our new documentary #YoungSingersProject. The show follows a group of chorale students and explores the role that social media plays in their world. You can learn more about these talented folks and the film on the next page.
We have also discovered amazing talent from among the 357 entries we received this year to our PBS Kids Writers Contest. Students in Kindergarten through fifth grade entered original stories and artwork, and their work was so incredible it was difficult for our panel of judges to choose the winners. You can find a list of the winners on page 10.
Another fun initiative for kids that kicks off this month is a summer reading contest. As children read books this summer, they can visit whrokids.org to log their books and be entered to win prizes. The more they read, the more chances they have to win!
We are also gearing up for our Summer TV pledge drive that begins June 2. I’m looking forward to a week of great programming that includes some dynamic music performances. We kick things off with Fleetwood Mac: The Dance on Saturday, June 2, at 8 p.m. Throughout the week you will also see concerts and tribute shows featuring the music of Buddy Holly, Brit Floyd (the popular Pink Floyd tribute band), Leonard Cohen, and Perry Como. Music fans will especially enjoy The Wrecking Crew, a documentary about a group of studio musicians in Los Angeles in the 1960s who played on hits for the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Sonny and Cher, The Monkees, and many other well-known artists. We also have a great lineup of Cinema 15 movies this month, including High Society (June 16), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (June 23), and The Thin Man (June 30). You can catch them on Saturdays at 8 p.m.
It is because of your support that we can continue to bring you these exciting educational and arts programs. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far this year. I hope to hear from many more of you this month! Enjoy the start of your summer!