Mode of Program Participation
Community Organizing and Educational Programming
Participation Type
Roundtable
Session Title
Extreme Community: Floyd County, Virginia Elders and Youth Keeping Stories in a Digital Age
Session Abstract or Summary
Join us for a discussion of a unique ten-year partnership in Floyd County, Virginia. The community non-profit Floyd Story Center, Radford University, and Floyd County High School connect elders and youth in ROOTS WITH WINGS: Floyd County Place-based Education Oral History Project. The Project plants the roots of the “web of meaningful relationships” (found to be a factor in community resilience), as well as affixing state-of-the-art technology wings. An intergenerational team of university students and adult mentors teaches high school students how to conduct ethical, methodologically sound interviews; record state-of-the-art audio and video; transcribe full hour-long interviews; create searchable tables of content; research historical background; archive cultural materials; discover stories and themes in interviews; and create original short movies. A unique aspect of the project is that the work of the students has a life beyond the classroom. It is rendered into professional quality products and archived at the Floyd Story Center. The ultimate goal is community access via Internet, likely in partnership with the regional library system. Our panel includes university student mentors and faculty, high school teachers, and a local historian and archivist to consider the current challenges of pedagogy, professionalism, and keeping the archives of a long-term project digitally viable. Viewing sample video products will give the audience a glimpse of community strength.
Presentation #1 Title
Extreme Community: Floyd County, Virginia Elders and Youth Keeping Stories in a Digital Age
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Join us for a discussion of a unique ten-year partnership in Floyd County, Virginia. The community non-profit Floyd Story Center, Radford University, and Floyd County High School connect elders and youth in ROOTS WITH WINGS: Floyd County Place-based Education Oral History Project. The Project plants the roots of the “web of meaningful relationships” (found to be a factor in community resilience), as well as affixing state-of-the-art technology wings. An intergenerational team of university students and adult mentors teaches high school students how to conduct ethical, methodologically sound interviews; record state-of-the-art audio and video; transcribe full hour-long interviews; create searchable tables of content; research historical background; archive cultural materials; discover stories and themes in interviews; and create original short movies. A unique aspect of the project is that the work of the students has a life beyond the classroom. It is rendered into professional quality products and archived at the Floyd Story Center. The ultimate goal is community access via Internet, likely in partnership with the regional library system. Our panel includes university student mentors and faculty, high school teachers, and a local historian and archivist to consider the current challenges of pedagogy, professionalism, and keeping the archives of a long-term project digitally viable. Viewing sample video products will give the audience a glimpse of community strength.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Melinda Bollar Wagner received her Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Michigan. She is professor emerita of anthropology and Appalachian Studies at Radford University in Radford, Virginia, and past president of the Appalachian Studies Association. Her research has included work on religion in America and sense of place in Appalachia. Melinda has received awards in recognition of innovative undergraduate teaching, having led groups of students in collaborative projects with communities since 1983.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Bianca Dickerson is a recent graduate of Radford University in Radford, Virginia where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She has been a research associate at Radford’s Center for Social and Cultural Research Center, and a mentor and super mentor for the ROOTS WITH WINGS Project.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3
Mary Dickerson received her Masters of Science degree in Education from Radford University. She is a sixth grade math and history teacher at Check Elementary School in Floyd County, Virginia. She works with students in a multitude of ways in and out of the classroom and community. While receiving her Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Radford University, Mary was a mentor and community liaison in the ROOTS WITH WINGS Project.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #4
Meghan Moore-Hubbard received her Bachelor’s degree from University of Virginia at Wise and her Master’s degree from Radford University. She teaches World History, Advanced Placement European History, and Sociology at Floyd County High School where she also coaches the Mountain Academic Competition Conference team and sponsors the Diversity Club and Young Democrats.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #5
Kathleen Ingoldsby, a graduate of Massachusetts College of Art, Hollins University, and the Modern Archives Institute, oversees the archives at the Floyd Story Center at the Old Church Gallery in Floyd, Virginia. She has documented local soapstone, completed an architectural survey of the Town of Floyd, archived historic images for the Floyd County Historical Society, recorded county life in video and audio, and presented at TEDx Floyd: “Patterns in Place, Evidencing Ingenuity.”
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #6
Casey Worley received his degree in Theatre from King College in Bristol, Tennessee. He teaches Video and Media Technology and Theatre at Floyd County High School. Before joining the high school faculty, Casey worked in video production for several years. He is a member of the boards of many of Floyd County’s arts, theatre, and tourism organizations.
Extreme Community: Floyd County, Virginia Elders and Youth Keeping Stories in a Digital Age
Join us for a discussion of a unique ten-year partnership in Floyd County, Virginia. The community non-profit Floyd Story Center, Radford University, and Floyd County High School connect elders and youth in ROOTS WITH WINGS: Floyd County Place-based Education Oral History Project. The Project plants the roots of the “web of meaningful relationships” (found to be a factor in community resilience), as well as affixing state-of-the-art technology wings. An intergenerational team of university students and adult mentors teaches high school students how to conduct ethical, methodologically sound interviews; record state-of-the-art audio and video; transcribe full hour-long interviews; create searchable tables of content; research historical background; archive cultural materials; discover stories and themes in interviews; and create original short movies. A unique aspect of the project is that the work of the students has a life beyond the classroom. It is rendered into professional quality products and archived at the Floyd Story Center. The ultimate goal is community access via Internet, likely in partnership with the regional library system. Our panel includes university student mentors and faculty, high school teachers, and a local historian and archivist to consider the current challenges of pedagogy, professionalism, and keeping the archives of a long-term project digitally viable. Viewing sample video products will give the audience a glimpse of community strength.
