SDPB’s Education Department Reached Across the State

SDPB’s Education team works diligently to provide programs, resources, and events. SDPB’s Director of Education, Marcy Drew, shared highlights from just a few of their projects from the past year.

Dissection 101

Education Specialist Steven Rokusek expanded SDPB’s online learning resource library with a new show in the Dissection 101 series. “I am excited that we were able to record the dissection of a sheep brain. The video included identifying structures and functions of the brain.” The series of dissection videos has proven to be extremely popular with educators around the state and across the country. It allows educators to access biology lessons they might not otherwise have.

Watch for future projects and visit sdpb.org/learn for more information on the team’s efforts.

Jan Brett Book Tour – Rapid City

SDPB, Black Hills Reads, Rapid City Public Library, and Early Learner SD hosted renowned author and illustrator Jan Brett on her Winter Wonderland Book Tour. Over 400 parents, children, and teachers were excited to attend. The beloved author offered a drawing demonstration and shared stories appreciated by attendees of all ages.   

Lakota Nations Education Conference – Rapid City

SDPB participated in the annual Lakota Nations Education Conference as an exhibitor and featured speaker. SDPB presented the methods of using media and technology with purpose, and how students and young children can use the resources available. 

Buddy’s Early Learning Expedition – Belle Fourche

SDPB transformed the corner in a small business into a cozy reading, relaxation, and learning space. The installation of community early learning spaces began at Belle Laundry, the only laundromat in town. The goal is to provide opportunities for young people to engage in play and learning to reduce screen time.

Playtime with the Wombats – Beresford 

SDPB was selected as one of ten public media stations to participate in a research project called Playtime with the Wombats. Based on the PBS Kids show Work It Out Wombats, the event provided families a chance to “play the show” while measuring children’s computational thinking skills. The show features three marsupial siblings who tackle problem-solving by putting their heads together as they engage in play. 

Children’s Day at the Capitol – Pierre SDPB joined thirteen organizations at Children’s Day at the Capitol, an opportunity to draw attention to issues affecting children and youth in South Dakota. Many attendees, including legislators and staff, talked about their favorite PBS Kids shows.

Focus on Focus

Since 1995, South Dakota Focus has held discussions with people about matters and events involving the state. Jackie Hendry from Roscoe, IL, is the host and producer since 2021. Hendry started her SDPB journey as an intern ten years ago. After graduate school, she returned and has been part of the SDPB family ever since.

While this show had traditionally been about public affairs, the approach has changed. Hendry shares what the process has been like since she joined.  

“We’re trying to be video-rich, hitting the road rather than being studio-based. We’re getting that flavor of how these public policy issues play out across South Dakota and moving beyond talking points.”

Hendry says she’s dedicated to the mission because South Dakota has room to grow. “I truly believe the issues we are facing are solvable, and I know that people are working on them. I want to tell the story of people righting wrongs and working to help.”

For the 2023-2024 season, the program focused on education in South Dakota, from pre-K through high school. They examined the challenges and the triumphs. Hendry says, “The power of storytelling is seeing the problem solvers and thinking, ‘Maybe I can join along in that effort.’ Then maybe growth is possible.” 

Season 29, airing in 2024-2025, is about one of South Dakota’s largest industries, Tourism. In addition to the monthly program, South Dakota Focus is planning town hall-style events, to encourage community conversation. SDPB will utilize our Sioux Falls and Rapid City studios and meet in public places around the state to bring experts and communities together for discussions about how issues affect them.

Members of Friends of SDPB offer a wide range of ages, locations, and circumstances that provide us with a large pool of thoughts and opinions. SDPB finds that because members are engaged and committed to our mission, they are among the most likely to attend these events. We appreciate the spirit possessed by members of Friends, who are working towards a better, more enlightened, and richer South Dakota.

SDPB’s Short Walk

Former South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg was removed from office in June 2022 after he struck and killed pedestrian Joe Boever in September 2020. Ravnsborg is the first statewide elected official to be impeached, removed from office, and barred from holding future office in the state. 

Events like these are not easily forgotten, but many details were lost due to the other big story happening at the time, the COVID-19 pandemic. Lee Strubinger, SDPB’s Politics & Public Policy Reporter, filled in details of this incident with a podcast titled Short Walk. Strubinger’s interest in the story stemmed from the fact that he covered Ravnsborg prior to his election as Attorney General. 

“Part of this podcast is telling the full story of how the attorney general, who critics point out had never tried a jury trial before, became the state’s top law enforcement official,” said Strubinger. 

Along with learning about the story, Strubinger and the SDPB Journalism team discovered much about the legislative and legal processes. 

“Impeachment of a constitutional officer is something we’ve never gone through as a state before. We set a precedent here. Another goal of this podcast was to let listeners know who Joe Boever was, and what his interests were. Details of the victims in stories like this are often overlooked,” said Strubinger.

Short Walk is nine half-hour episodes and is available on podcast platforms everywhere. Listeners’ support provided the opportunity for SDPB to explore this complex story in podcast form.

More of the Regular Programming You Love

When we think about what makes public media and SDPB different from other news and entertainment sources, the answer is always YOU! Our members, listeners, and viewers helped shape SDPB into what it is today. As a way of showing our appreciation for your dedication throughout the years, we have revamped how we have done on-air fundraising over the last year. We wanted to focus more on the programs you already love and connecting to SDPB’s mission, and with that has come more attention during our fundraising drives on things South Dakotans care about – local documentaries and news, high school sports and activities, and in-person and virtual events.

Radio

In FY24, we changed the cadence of our radio drives. Instead of two 5-day drives and one 3 day drive, we now conduct five 2-3 day drives, to include a Saturday or two. This means you get to hear more local, national, and international news throughout the year. We continue to leverage match funds from donors to increase the enthusiasm for supporting SDPB.

TV

While we have not shorted the number of days we are on-air fundraising on TV, you may have noticed a big difference in how those days look and sound. Instead of loading the TV schedule with national pledge programming, we are keeping our normal schedule as much as possible, meaning during the week you can still catch Nature, PBS News Hour, Antiques Roadshow and Dakota Life. We focus our fundraising breaks to be 90 seconds at the top of each hour, and coordinate those breaks with 2-minute screen updates that display our daily goal, donations so far, and special messaging thanking donors. It actually replicates how radio drives function.

Events

With the changes in on-air pledge drives, we have also focused our attention on creating and promoting virtual events to allow all our members, listeners, and viewers across the state to participate. You may have seen or heard promotion for a Bob Ross Paint night that happened on Oct 29^th. We are also expecting to be able to hold another Rick Steves Wine Tasting Night later this winter. We hope you can take join us for one of these great virtual events.

Friends of SDPB Celebrated 50 Years of Triumphs and Support

For the past 50 years, Friends of SDPB has been working diligently to provide funds for the programming and events our supporters and viewers have come to love. Without the support and innovation of the Friends team, SDPB wouldn’t be able to stand proudly where it is today. Through Friends, SDPB receives funding from 13,500 families and 200 corporate sponsors.

Before Friends existed, SDPB was funded and licensed through USD and SDSU. With network expansion statewide, SDPB came under the direction of the state of South Dakota, which continues to fund personnel and infrastructure. Paying for programming became the mission of Friends of SDPB, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Friends was first organized in 1973, and the first television fund drive in April 1974 raised nearly $23,000 from 1,800 people – an average of $17 a gift. Today, 26 of those original members continue to donate and have done so, without fail, for 50 years.  

Julie Overgaard, Executive Director of SDPB, started as a work-study student for SDPB in 1986. She talks about how Friends of SDPB began as primarily a membership organization and has grown to be so much more for the state and those that abide here. 

“Friends’ purpose is to raise private dollars to support the mission and programs produced by SDPB. It’s a hand-in-hand partnership and relationship. Friends successfully raises money because of the programming on SDPB, which appeals to our viewers and listeners. People support things in which they find value and purpose. Friends of SDPB builds relationships between our viewers, our listeners, and SDPB. They share all of the great things we are doing with our members, and the members provide feedback, ideas, and community engagement,” said Overgaard. Friends of SDPB looks forward to seeing what can be accomplished in the future. Thank you for the role you have played in getting Friends here. Friends and SDPB look forward with optimism and confidence to another half-century of partnering with you.