From a Minnesota Winter to an Ohio Spring
A few years ago, I attended a conference held by the Search Institute near my home in Minneapolis, MN. It was a cold Minnesota day in November, and sessions were convened in different buildings. On my way to a meeting I ran into an energetic school superintendent named Rusty Clifford from West Carrollton, Ohio. It turned out, after quickly comparing notes, that Rusty and I were headed to the same place. Rather than leave him to navigate the cold alone, I offered to show him the way and we quickly shared a bit of our backgrounds. Before we knew it, we were chatting away like old friends and exchanged cards before we parted ways. Who knew then that two and a half years later I would be flying to West Carrollton to meet again with Rusty Clifford and conduct a day -long MediaWise Training for professionals throughout the Greater Dayton, Ohio area. What began as a quick conversation on a cold Minneapolis day has turned into an exciting collaboration between Miamisburg/West Carrollton, Ohio and the Institute to create a MediaWise Community.

Creating a Miamisburg/West Carrollton MediaWise Community (MWC-Squared)
The goal of a MediaWise® Community partnership is to support deep and sustained changes by working with leadership groups over time to raise awareness and integrate MediaWise information and materials into the fabric that supports children and families. This training was our first step - giving teachers, counselors, youth workers, administrators, and community leaders of the Greater Dayton Area enough information and resources that they would feel comfortable bringing MediaWise to families and children where they work, learn and play. Walking into the training facility, I could feel the energy and enthusiasm in the air. Most of the 38 participants already knew each other from previous community collaborations and events. We spent almost 8 hours together and participants left with great ideas and solid plans – from training colleagues using the MediaWise Education Kit to putting my monthly column in the Early Childhood parent newsletter. We brainstormed ways that MediaWise could strengthen the work that they were already doing with kids and families. Together with the Institute, these MediaWise trainers will continue to plan ways to set benchmarks and integrate MediaWise into their work, culminating in a community-wide kickoff this coming October. One thing was certain – this group was knowledgeable, excited, and ready to plant MediaWise seeds throughout their community.

Just the beginning
The night before the full-day MediaWise Training, I met with a special group of people belonging to the school district’s Communication Advisory Board. It was a chance for all of us to connect in a less formal setting, eat great pizza, and talk more about what being a MediaWise Community means. Toward the end of the gathering, I commented that I hoped we would be sharing pizza again three years later reflecting on the positive changes we had helped create. Later that night, Rusty sent out an email to all of us who attended the meeting with a formal invitation to our MediaWise reunion scheduled exactly three years from that night. I, and the rest of the staff at the Institute, are looking forward to it and the many opportunities to share ideas and resources in between.

MediaWise gives communities and adults the resources, power and connections that are good for their kids. MediaWise grows when people's gifts and energy come together. I ask you to invest in MediaWise today – your gift will support our nation's kids on their road to a stronger, healthier future. Now that's a journey to invest in."

That’s the news from the road,

Dr. David Walsh, president and founder
National Institute on Media and the Family