Archived City Talk Interviews
City Talk is a weekly radio program hosted by Riley Johnson on WSNW, 94.1 The Lake, on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Caren von Hippel, the founder and President of BabyRead®, appears on the show periodically for 10-15 minutes to provide background on BabyRead & discuss topics of interest. The interviews are available on the Seneca City Hall website at http://www.seneca.sc.us. In 2023, Janice Garcia, Vice President of Public Awareness, took Caren’s spot here and began interviewing volunteers in BabyRead to make the local community aware of the different roles volunteers have in BabyRead.
BabySmart Interviews
BabySmart is a series of BabyRead segments on City Talk in 2019 and early 2020 that resumed in 2022. Caren von Hippel or Janice Garcia and Kathy Whitmire conducted the interviews with experts in their fields. Kathy Whitmore is a BabyRead Advisory Board member and currently heads 4ADHD in Seneca. An expert in brain development, she was the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction for Oconee County Schools, and former Principal of James M. Brown and Orchard Park Elementary Schools in Oconee County. Janice Garcia is BabyRead’s Vice President for Public Affairs. Like other City Talk segments, the interviews are available on the www.seneca.sc.us website. The BabySmart segments are extracted below.
BabySmart 23-6, Mary Ann Suggs, Reflections of a Parent, Educator and BabyRead Volunteer, December 2023. Ms. Suggs was a teacher for 18 years, a principal for 11 years and a substitute teacher. She’s had several roles in BabyRead including reader, New Reader Assignment Coordinator and book assistant.
Ms. Suggs talks about her various roles in BabyRead, and provides hints on prediction and retelling as methods to expand comprehension. She also explains the benefits she gets from volunteering.
BabySmart 23-5, Dr. CC Bates, Reading, Talking and Writing Contribute to Literacy, November , 2023. Dr. Bates is a professor of literacy education and is the Director of the Early Literacy Center for South Carolina at Clemson University. She is a published author of 30+ scholarly articles and developed an oral assessment application.
Dr. Bates talks about the Early Literacy Center, discusses the importance and benefits of reading and conversation very early, and the role of early writing in reading development, especially in the era of heavy electronic use. She suggested ways to continue have reading experiences with children as they enter middle school and high school.
BabyRead Volunteer Interview, Rose Lowe, October 2023. Rose Lowe is a retired Clemson University professor and has held several positions within the BabyRead organization to include reader.
Rose Lowe has been a BabyRead volunteer since 2018. She reflects on the different administrative and coordinator roles she’s had in BabyRead and the joy it brings her.
BabySmart 23-4; Dr. Nancy Jeffrey, A Reader’s Perspective From a Retired Pediatrician, September 8, 2023. Dr. Jeffrey practiced in California for 50 years before retiring to South Carolina about five years ago. She has been a BabyRead reader for several years.
Dr. Jeffrey discusses the benefits of early reading, and provides several hints plus her thoughts on bilingual family approaches to reading.
BabySmart 23-3, Lynell Hecht, Some Strategies for Effective Reading and Emotional Development, July 22, 2023. Ms. Hecht is an Oconee County elementary school teacher with more than 18 years of teaching experience.
Ms. Hecht discusses the “million word gap” in children that have not been read to. Provides strategies for developing a love of reading and provides tips for parents/caregivers that aren’t comfortable reading. Addresses the need for an emotional vocabulary and discussing feelings to help prevent emotional development deficit. Offers suggestions for quality books for very young children. (Run time - 20:40)
BabySmart 23-2, Jennifer Rich, April 8, 2023, Developmental Progression to Reading Proficiency. Ms. Rich is currently the Instruction-Instructional Specialist with the School District of Oconee County (SDOC). Her responsibilities include supervision of all SDOC reading coaches.
Ms. Rich discusses her SDOC role and provides tips on talking and reading to children. She highlights the progression from listening comprehension to reading comprehension by explaining several childhood developmental processes. The group also stressed the need to develop an “emotional vocabulary” to aid in the child’s emotional regulation/self-control. (Run time - 16:30)
Oconee County BabyNet and Child Find Services explained. A short excerpt from the BabySmart 23-1 session concerning early intervention options for children under 3 (BabyNet), and 3 and older (Child Find). Remedial services are provided by Preschool Intervention Program (PIP).
BabySmart 23-1, Ashley Robertson and Ann Douglas, Importance of Reading and Talking in the Important Years of0 - 5., January 31, 2023. Ms. Robertson is the School District of Oconee County’s (SDOC) Director, Center for Early Learning. Ms. Douglas is a former Director of the Center and is a BabyRead Advisory Board member. Both have extensive teaching and supervisory experience in the SDOC system.
Ms. Robertson and Ms. Douglas discuss the importance of reading and talking to children early and often given about 90% of all brain development occurs between birth and 3 YO They provide engagement strategies to encourage responses from children. They also tips to parents/caregivers that don’t feel they are equipped for effective reading. (Run time - 25:21).
BabySmart 22-3, Carolyn Estepa, Importance of a Rich Vocabulary, November 17, 2022. Ms. Estepa is a speech therapist with 40+ years of experience in public schools, Head Head Start and private practice.
Describes the importance of reading from an early age to develop a rich vocabulary and essential pre-literacy skills for school and future success. (Run Time - 20:26)
BabySmart 22-2, Janet Figueroa, September 2022. Janet is a former Oconee County teacher & literacy coach.
Talks about the benefits of reading from birth to school age and beyond. Discusses ways to enhance the reading experience & add value. Recommends “ways to maintain interest. (13:48)
BabySmart 22-1, Ms. Ashley Ellison, July 2022. Ashley is 1st grade teacher at Northside Elementary School.
Discusses strategies for developing routines, reading anywhere, making reading fun and ways to keep the child engaged & interested in reading. Discusses age-appropriate books. (18:36)
Describes the importance of reading from an early age to develop a rich vocabulary and the essential pre-literacy skills for school and future success. (20:26)
BabySmart #1, Ms. Ellen Sanford, Developing Early Literacy Skills & Recovery Reading, November 2, 2019. BabyRead Advisory Board member.
Describes reading recovery interviews with 1st graders that are slightly behind. Explains best way to read to babies. Stresses importance of parents/caregivers in early learning. (11:32)
Dr. Beatriz Gil-Stewart, Oconee Pediatrics, A Physician’s Point of View, December 19, 2019. BabyRead Advisory Board Member.
Provides her experience as a non-English speaker immigrant. Discusses importance of reading & the disadvantages of too much media exposure. Discusses recent brain scan studies. (21:46)
Ms. Shanon Lusk, School District of Oconee County (SDOC), February 15, 2020. SDOC’s Director of Early Learning perspectives.
Provides an overview of the SDOC’s 4K screening process for the approximately 380 annual vacancies. Describes the importance of going to 4K including what they learn. Discusses SDOC’s pre-school intervention program. (11:06)
BabySmart #2, Ms. Lisa Simmons, The Process of Cognitive Development, November 16, 2019. SDOC’s Assistant VP for Instruction.
Discusses the process of cognitive development and the importance in reading & talking, building patience & attention span, the impact on technology on infants/toddlers. (20:34)
Ms. Cathy Sytsma, Parents/Caregivers are First Teachers, January 4, 2020. Former teacher with more than 40 years’ experience.
Describes the challenges of dealing with children that are behind. Reiterates need for parents/ caregivers to see themselves as teachers & importance of language to overall brain development. (14:33)
Dr. Joy Wilson, Sensory Development Between Birth & Age 5, March 7, 2020. Pediatric occupational therapist in Oconee County.
Discusses the positive benefits reading has on sensory & emotional development. Discusses recent brain scan and other research on the impact of screen time on a child’s development. (16:23)