I can’t believe it is already February, and Valentine’s Day is only a few weeks away. So, since this is my space, I’ll take up a little of it to tell my favorite Valentine, my wife Missy, how much I love her. We met 17 years ago when I first moved to Virginia, and I was able to convince her to join me in my move to Hampton Roads almost 13 years ago. It’s been a wild and wonderful ride, and you make my life better every day! I love you. XOXO (And so do the cats!)
February is also Black History Month, and PBS is featuring a great lineup including Cooked: Survival by Zip Code from Independent Lens (February 10, 10 p.m.), Finding Your Roots: Slave Trade (February 11, 8 p.m.), Always in Season from Independent Lens (February 24, 10 p.m.), and Miles Davis: American Masters (February 25, 9 p.m.).
Also this month, don’t miss our annual broadcast of The Virginia Media Spelling Bee on Saturday, February 29, at 5 p.m. on WHRO TV 15. This is always an exciting event in which middle school students from across the area compete for the regional title. The winner will advance to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
Speaking of educational activities in our region, I would like to congratulate our WHRO Education team. Their online World Geography course was recently QM Certified. This designation from Quality Matters means learners and parents can be confident that the quality of this course meets nationally and internationally recognized standards. To obtain certification, courses are evaluated through a rigorous review process. Thank you to everyone who worked on this course!
Each month, I enjoy the opportunities we have to meet those of you who tune in to our programs. This month, we have several events where you can join us! On February 13, our Classical Open Mic returns to Williamsburg! We’re delighted to partner with Aromas again to bring you another fun, casual evening celebrating the vibrancy of our local classical music community. Whether you perform, or just enjoy listening to the music, I hope you will join us! Learn more at whro.org/events
On Thursdays this month, you can join Paul Shugrue, host of Out of the Box, for the 7th annual Sandler Center’s “Out of the Box” emerging artist series. Enjoy concerts from local artists on February 6, 13, and 27. The concerts are free and feature live music from the region’s best acts. Check out whro.org/events for the artist lineup.
Lastly, I want to thank you for your support of the work we do. It is your generosity that makes it possible for us to offer these educational and inspiring programs and events each month! Thank you for your continued support!