"A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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"A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Get Involved
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August 28, 2008 | |||||||
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 GoodThings on Public Radio June 6, 2002 We want to hear from you. What's the best public radio story or show you heard this past week? Share. If you want to listen, you'll need RealPlayer on your computer. (If you don't already have it, it's a FREE download.) Visit Real Networks. FRIDAY, May 31 | Native American Hero When SuAnne Big Crow died in a car accident ten years ago, the hopes of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation's Oglala Sioux children were nearly dashed, as well. Big Crow was a huge high school basketball star, leading her team to the South Dakota state championship in 1989. She was also a willing role model, eager to talk to younger children about her plans to go to college and break the cycle of poverty that had a way of paralyzing many from her same circumstances. Since her death, many of those children have found solace in visits to her grave. And now, they'll be able to take big leaps forward in her memory with the opening of the SuAnne Big Crow Boys and Girls Club, the first such club on a Native American reservation. [Morning Edition] Listen (3:40). :: Learn more about the new SuAnne Big Crow Boys and Girls Club on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. [more] SATURDAY, June 1 | What Dreams Are Made Of In this piece from Youth Radio, we learn about a new non-profit venture in San Francisco called the Princess Project. Have an old bridesmaid dress or formal gown that's taking up space in your own closet? It could be what dreams are made of for a teenage girl who otherwise wouldn't be able to attend the high school prom because she might not be able to afford a new one of her own. The Princess Project was actually spearheaded by teenage girls who participate in an area youth leadership training program. Their idea started small, in the form of a simple e-mail this spring to a few friends. They've since collected over 500 dresses, many from designers like Oscar de la Renta and Nicole Miller. The best part? Qualifying teenagers get the dresses for free. [Weekend Edition Saturday] Listen (4:00). :: Learn more about The Princess Project. [more related pieces from Youth Radio] SUNDAY, June 2 | Global Education Like many US public school districts, the Cleveland, Ohio schools have had a difficult time filling teaching vacancies, particularly in math and science. So instead of waiting around for qualified applicants that might never come, the district looked far and wide and recruited 50 teachers from India who were eager to accept the challenges of Cleveland's declining public schools. Equipped with excellent English language skills and extensive training, the teaching corps arrived in Cleveland last August, many of them having left their own families behind in India. Today, 48 of the original 50 remain. They've weathered discipline problems, the likes of which they rarely experienced in India, and the financial realities of living in the US, but most consider the experience positively transformative. The school district is thrilled with their accomplishments -- and the improving accomplishments of their students -- as well. [Weekend All Things Considered] Listen (5:07). MONDAY, June 3 | Helping Children Learn The US Department of Health and Human Services' Early Head Start program was established in 1994 as an extension of Head Start, specifically geared toward low-income children under the age of three. How's Early Head Start working? A new independent assessment of the program suggest that not only does it improve the learning abilities of young children but it also engages their parents more substantively in the teaching process. Further, it benefits literacy and has helped inspire parents become more invested in their own career and vocational development. It may also curb aggressive behavior over the long-term. [Morning Edition] Listen (3:59). :: Learn more about Early Head Start. [more] TUESDAY, June 4 | Refugee Songs With 22 million refugees throughout the world and 6 million in Africa alone, it's a human rights crisis of mammoth proportions. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees has long addressed the issue by citing disturbing facts and figures. But with the release of a CD of music from some of Africa's best-known musicians -- many of them who have been refugees themselves -- they're letting the victims of political oppression use their own talents to tell their stories. Featuring the music of performers from the Sudan, Liberia, Senegal, and Rwanda, among others, Building Bridges makes the plight of refugees uniquely human. [The World] Listen (5:32). :: Buy your copy of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees musical project, Building Bridges. [more] WEDNESDAY, June 5 | "Fly Me to the Moon" One of commentator Mike Harkins' greatest memories as a child was the evenings when his parents and their friends would gather to sing together. They were all immigrants who had become US citizens, and life, though difficult, was something worth celebrating. But cigarettes were a huge part of their get-togethers, and years of smoking -- and the emphysema that followed -- finally took their toll on Mike's mother, Lily, who died last year. He feared his fond recollections of his mother's beautiful voice would forever simply be memories until, that is, he discovered a box of low-quality cassette tapes. [All Things Considered] Listen (3:57). THURSDAY, June 6 | Secret of Life Commentator Andrew Chaikin, a science writer, has relished an extraordinary occurrence over the past couple of months: five of the planets of the solar system -- Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn -- have been aligned in the night sky. It has happened in decades and won't happen again until 2040. It's just the thing to make Chaikin ponder the cycles of life -- helping his mother find eldercare for his father, vacationing with his wife, teaching his niece about the sun, the moon, and the stars. As Chaikin suggests, life goes by fast, so you have to pay attention. [Morning Edition] Listen (2:42). [ : previous week : ] WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. Did we miss a good public radio story this week? Want to recommend one for next week? Share it with us! 
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