Category results for: Season 12

America250 PA

Category: Season 12

Tags: history

Cassandra Coleman, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial

Cassandra Coleman was appointed Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial (America250PA) in September 2019. She previously served as Special Advisor to Governor Tom Wolf and Director of his Northeast & Central Offices, overseeing intergovernmental and constituency services across 28 counties. A lifelong public servant, Cassandra began her career at age 20 when she was appointed Mayor of Exeter Borough to fill her late grandfather’s term and was subsequently re-elected twice, becoming one of the youngest female mayors in U.S. history. She later founded Coleman & Associates, a firm specializing in fundraising networks and community and political event planning. Cassandra has been recognized by Oprah Magazine, NBC, The Times Leader, the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal, and City & State PA for her leadership and community impact. She serves as the inaugural President of the Wyoming Area Foundation and on the boards of King’s College and several regional organizations. A graduate of King’s College, Cassandra resides in Exeter, Luzerne County, and is the proud mother of her son, Jimmy IV.

Discover how Pennsylvania is taking center stage for America’s 250th anniversary. America250PA Executive Director Cassandra Coleman highlights ongoing programs like the Keystone Classroom Initiative, a storytelling and outreach program bringing Pennsylvania history to elementary schools across the Commonwealth, and Bells Across Pennsylvania, a public art project installing artist-designed bell sculptures in every county. She also previews the kickoff celebrations beginning January 16 in Philadelphia and continuing through all 67 counties, along with the Commonwealth Concert Series and the Countdown to the 250th Mobile Experience. Through celebration, education, and innovation, America250PA is inviting every community to help make history during this once-in-a-generation commemoration.

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Gardening in Small and Shared Spaces with Native Plants

Category: Season 12

Tags: gardening, hobbies

Adam Barkafski, Penn State Extension Master Gardener, Lancaster County

Adam has been a Penn State Extension Master Gardener since 2018. He is a home gardener by hobby. His interest in gardening began with perennials and later focused on native plants. He now gardens to preserve and create pollinator and wildlife habitats. Observing pollinators interact with plants is one of his favorite things.

Gardening with native plants has many benefits, especially for pollinators and other wildlife. However, gardeners who live where there is smaller space to garden, such as in townhouses, urban areas, or retirement communities, may be curious how to maximize those benefits in minimal space. Learn how to choose plants for shared spaces, maintain small gardens, and consider the power of many small gardens together creating a “pollinator patchwork.”

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The Pawpaw: Remembering America’s “Forgotten” Fruit

Category: Season 12

Tags: agroforestry, environment, food, stewardship

Andrew Leahy, Education & Outreach Specialist, Horn Farm Center, York County

Growing up in a rural town called Sweet Valley, just south of Ricketts Glen, Andrew spent his life fostering a love for the PA wilds. He attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown and majored in English Literature and Music Composition, exploring regional ecology, slow food, composting, gardening, permaculture, foraging, and wildcrafting in the spaces between. After graduating college and moving to the Lower Susquehanna region, Andrew spent a year working with the Dickinson College Center for Civic Learning and Action. Soon after, he joined the staff at the Horn Farm Center, affirming his intention to make environmental stewardship a professional path and lifetime passion project. As Education & Outreach Specialist, Andrew is responsible for developing programs, coordinating volunteers, managing social media, crafting educational content, and supporting marketing and development projects.

Take a look at the pawpaw (Asimina triloba), North America’s largest native fruit. Viewers learn about the pawpaw’s unique growth habits, pollination, wildlife relationships, and tropical flavor profile, as well as its deep connections to Indigenous stewardship and American history. The talk traces how the pawpaw shifted from a widely used and cultivated fruit to a largely forgotten one, and why it is now experiencing renewed interest. Emphasizing sustainability, agroforestry, and climate resilience, this presentation highlights the pawpaw’s growing importance in local food systems and its promise for the future.

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The DCNR Outdoor Toolkit

Category: Season 12

Nicole Faraguna, Director of Policy and Planning with DCNR

Nicole Faraguna has served as director of policy and planning at the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) since August 2019. Prior to taking this position, Nicole worked for 14.5 years with the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association (renamed WeConservePA) in various roles.

Brandon Hoover, Conservation & Recreation Specialist with DCNR

Brandon Hoover has proven success in sustainability leadership and organizational development with a keen understanding of environmental planning in government, business, and education. Recognized for inspiring team members to excel in creative work environments as indicated by supervisees winning institutional, state, and national awards.

This presentation from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources highlights the many physical, mental, and social benefits of spending time outdoors—especially for older adults. It explores how nature can reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and support overall well-being. The speakers also discuss common barriers such as weather, accessibility, transportation, and lack of information, while offering practical solutions and resources. Viewers are introduced to activities like scenic drives, nature walks, gardening, and wildlife viewing, along with programs and guides designed to help older adults reconnect with nature and enjoy Pennsylvania’s parks, forests, and outdoor spaces.

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The “Keystone Markers” of Pennsylvania

Category: Season 12

John T. (Jack) Graham, The Keystone Marker Trust

John T. (Jack) Graham was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received a B.S. degree in Forest Management from The Pennsylvania State University, graduating in 1965. Following several years as an Army Engineer Officer supporting U.S. Air Force operations in Thailand and Vietnam, he was employed by the then PA Dept. of Forests and Waters as a State Park Manager. He retired from the Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources in that capacity in 2005, having served as site manager at Yellow Creek State Park (Indiana County), Ridley Creek State Park (Delaware County), and Nockamixon State Park (Bucks County). Mr. Graham also served several years in administrative roles, specifically in Budgeting, Personnel, and Labor Relations. Since retirement, he and his wife live in Perry County, and have become seasonal lighthouse keepers at sites around the U.S. He is also a lighthouse researcher and author. He is a member of the board, and historical researcher, for the Pennsylvania Forest Fire Museum. His hobbies, in addition to documenting and preserving the Cast Iron Town Name Signs of Pennsylvania, include wood carving, flat-water kayaking, hiking, squirrel hunting, and performing as story-teller “Pennsylvania Jack”.

Beginning in the 1920s, the Department of Highways of Pennsylvania began making and placing cast iron TOWN NAME signs at the entrances to cities, towns, and villages across the Commonwealth. Painted in the rich blue and gold colors associated with our state, and in the shape of an elongated Keystone (thus the reference to them) they were a welcome to residents and visitors alike, they also gave a brief bit of information about the town’s name. Once there were thousands; surprisingly many still stand, but they need the care and attention of town fathers and residents if these survivors too do not, like old soldiers, just fade away.

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Lighthouses in America

Category: Season 12

John T. (Jack) Graham, The Keystone Marker Trust

John T. (Jack) Graham was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received a B.S. degree in Forest Management from The Pennsylvania State University, graduating in 1965. Following several years as an Army Engineer Officer supporting U.S. Air Force operations in Thailand and Vietnam, he was employed by the then PA Dept. of Forests and Waters as a State Park Manager. He retired from the Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources in that capacity in 2005, having served as site manager at Yellow Creek State Park (Indiana County), Ridley Creek State Park (Delaware County), and Nockamixon State Park (Bucks County). Mr. Graham also served several years in administrative roles, specifically in Budgeting, Personnel, and Labor Relations. Since retirement, he and his wife live in Perry County, and have become seasonal lighthouse keepers at sites around the U.S. He is also a lighthouse researcher and author. He is a member of the board, and historical researcher, for the Pennsylvania Forest Fire Museum. His hobbies, in addition to documenting and preserving the Cast Iron Town Name Signs of Pennsylvania, include wood carving, flat-water kayaking, hiking, squirrel hunting, and performing as story-teller “Pennsylvania Jack”.

For thousands of years—long before airplanes and modern trucking—global commerce and travel depended on ships crossing the seven seas. Just as today’s travelers rely on road signs, mariners needed guidance to navigate safely. Lighthouses were, and remain, the road signs of the oceans.

From the historic Lighthouse Service to today’s United States Coast Guard, the federal government has owned and operated these beacons. Hundreds of lighthouses still stand along America’s coastlines, continuing to guide ships safely on their course.

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The Lasting Legacy of Fred Rogers

Category: Season 12

Tags: Mr. Rogers

Dr. Ed Arke, EdD, Professor of Communication, Messiah University

Dr. Ed Arke teaches a variety of courses in the Communication Department. In addition to classroom teaching, he also is the primary advisor to The Pulse Media Hub, which houses much of our on campus student media. He remains active as a news and sports broadcaster for various outlets in Central Pa. Dr. Arke is an Inquiry Educator for the Fred Rogers Institute, and has authored several articles and book chapters on Media Literacy. He co-authored “Sports Media: Reporting, Producing and Planning” and is also an on-air host for WITF in Harrisburg.

Mister Rogers Neighborhood was first aired for a national audience in 1968. 895 episodes were produced over more than 30 years. Although Rogers passed away in 2003, his legacy lives on. In this Mind Matters, we look back at the origins of the program and lasting place Fred Rogers holds in our culture today.

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