THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 13, 1995 TAG: 9501110096
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
A NEW PROGRAM premiering on WCTV-23 this Sunday will concern itself with one of Chesapeake's most precious resources: its children.
``Growing Up in Chesapeake,'' a new half-hour show produced by the city's Public Information Department, begins its maiden run this Sunday evening.
Series producer Lizz McIntosh said she hopes to offer new programs about twice a month.
``With this show, we hope to provide information, education and advice to the children and families of Chesapeake,'' McIntosh said. ``We started talking about the program in September, we started the planning in November and we'll premier the first show this Sunday. We want to premier a new program in the middle of each month.''
McIntosh said it was high time the city's cable television channel, WCTV-23, offered such a program.
``We all feel it's important for us to provide this kind of information,'' she said. ``Everyone we've talked to feels this is a great idea. And how often does that happen? There's no greater treat for us than starting a project like this.''
``Growing Up In Chesapeake'' will include segments focusing on aspects of child and family life in Chesapeake. It will discuss education, nutrition, discipline, behavior, health and medicine, entertainment, games, socialization, reading and books, and many other special concerns and problems related to families.
Just looking at the program's premier show will highlight its diversity, McIntosh said.
``Our opening show will include a segment featuring outgoing Chesapeake Public Schools Superintendent C. Fred Bateman, who will talk about his parenting workshops,'' she said. ``He will share with us information one can learn from these workshops.''
The opening show also will include a look at what students at the Chesapeake Center for Science and Technology are doing on the Internet computer network; Jody Treadway, children's librarian at the Chesapeake Central Library will discuss the various Black History Month programs offered by each of the Chesapeake public library branches; Dylan Pritchett, a Williamsburg-based storyteller, will spin an African folk tale; and a calendar of events will highlight activities, meetings and events of interest to the city's children and families.
McIntosh said she will solicit ideas for the program from the city's teachers, school administrators, child experts, health care officials, medical community, parents and students.
``That's the best way to make our program more relevant,'' she said. ``We have so many things we want to do. We're also looking for a student reporter to do special reports about Chesapeake's schools.''
Debbie Hunley-Stukes, principal of Sparrow Road Intermediate School, will be host of the show.
``She's wonderful'' McIntosh said. ``She's very warm and natural and seems very much at ease in front of the cameras. She does a good job and asks the right questions.''
Hunley-Stukes will act as host, do the transitions and introductions to different taped segments/special features and interview the program's guests.
McIntosh said Meyer Davis, station coordinator for WCTV-23, can be credited with ``discovering'' Hunley-Stukes.
``She's done several electronic classroom sessions,'' she said. ``Meyer Davis saw her and thought she'd be perfect for the job. He was impressed with her professionalism and warmth.''
Besides Davis and Hunley-Stukes, McIntosh credits Linda Scott, principal at the Center for Science and Technology, for helping to get the program started.
``She has been an invaluable confidant, adviser and liaison,'' McIntosh said. ``She's been so much help behind the scenes.''
The program also will be enlivened thanks to the work of the show's director, Ralph Garner, who also does animation, graphics and some video taping.
McIntosh, the show's producer, is a Great Bridge resident who has been with the city's Public Information department since September. She came to Chesapeake from ODU, where she did marketing for the school's academic television division. The Windsor native graduated from Virginia Tech and received much of her television experience having worked for eight years at the WHRO studios in Norfolk.
She is also producer of ``Newsbreak'' and the award-winning series ``This Week In the Virginia General Assembly.'' In addition, she works on the monthly ``Chesapeake Magazine'' television series.
``We're all having a ball,'' she said of the new program. ``I hope it shows.'' ILLUSTRATION: PROGRAM FACTS
What: ``Growing Up in Chesapeake.''
When: Premiers this Sunday at 9:30 p.m. and will be repeated noon
on Monday, 9 a.m. on Wednesday and 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every
Friday.
Where: WCTV-23, Chesapeake's cable television channel.
Who: Hosted by Debbie Hunley-Stukes, principal at Sparrow Road
Intermediate School. Lizz McIntosh is producer, Ralph Garner directs
and Mark Cox is executive producer.
Call: For more information about the program or to offer ideas
for future shows, contact McIntosh at 547-6241.
by CNB