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PODCAST

The Spark

When people come together and talk about really interesting topics, great questions spark better understanding and opportunities for new ideas to form. On The Spark from WITF, host Asia Tabb starts conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at https://witf.org/programs/the-spark.

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All Episodes

22:58

National Teacher of the Year Ashlie Crosson

The Spark ·

2025/05/14

Ashlie Crossan, an English and journalism teacher at Mifflin County High School in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, has just been named the 2025 National Teacher of the Year — and while the spotlight may be on her, she’s making it clear her mission is still focused on the students she serves.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

23:13

Harrisburg's Group Violence Intervention Program

The Spark ·

2025/05/14

In Harrisburg, a small team is taking a new approach to curb gun violence—one that places empathy, community engagement, and early intervention at its core. Group Violence Intervention (GVI), led by Angelo Bailey and Gina Vasquez, aims to interrupt cycles of violence by connecting high-risk individuals with resources, not just repercussions. The program, supported by law enforcement but driven by community partnership, is actively shifting the narrative around crime prevention.Support WITF:

en-US

43:05

The Spark Weekly 5.11.2025: Pa. College Leaders...

The Spark ·

2025/05/11

Coming up on this week's edition of The Spark Weekly. This week,Dickinson CollegePresident John Jones andSusquehanna University President Jonathan Green joined more than 300 higher-education leaders in publicly condemning what they described as “unprecedented government overreach and political interference endangering American education and public research funding." also, on the program, Acclaimed award-winning author Dan E. Hendrickson shines a powerful light on female empowerment through his

en-US

22:06

Journalist Roundtable: Shortages in the Justice System

The Spark ·

2025/05/10

This week’s journalist roundtable dove into the growing staffing shortages impacting all corners of the justice system—from sheriff’s deputies to public defenders. Joining the conversation were Dan Nephin, reporter for LNP/LancasterOnline, and Kara Jeffers, multimedia journalist at Lilly Broadcasting. Both shared insights from their reporting and on-the-ground observations, highlighting how vacancies in law enforcement and legal defense are straining local justice systems across

en-US

22:32

Fierce and Fearless: Author Dan E. Hendrickson...

The Spark ·

2025/05/09

Listen to the podcast for the full conversation. With Mother’s Day just around the corner, author Dan E. Hendrickson joins The Spark to share a story rooted in love, legacy, and liberation. His latest novel, Brandy, Dame of the Caribbean, continues the saga of a woman pirate turned abolitionist, capturing both swashbuckling adventure and heartfelt family moments.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

22:15

Grow Your Own Veggies—and Keep Blooms Fresh—With...

The Spark ·

2025/05/09

This spring, as we look forward to harvesting homegrown produce and gifting fresh flowers for Mother’s Day, horticulturalist Erica Jo Schaffer joined The Spark to share her expert advice on everything from planning your first vegetable patch to reviving cut blooms.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

21:43

Doug Peiffer on Big Blue: A Parable of Modern-Day...

The Spark ·

2025/05/08

Paralegal-by-day and debut novelist by night Doug Peiffer joined us on The Spark to discuss his six-year labor of love, Big Blue, “a parable of modern-day migration” that explores the fraught relationship between the United States and Mexico through the eyes of ordinary—and extraordinary—individuals.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

22:17

New Exhibit at Cumberland County Historical Society...

The Spark ·

2025/05/08

Listen to the podcast for the full conversation. This spring, the Cumberland County Historical Society (CCHS) unveiled Contrasting Photos: Behind and in Front of the Camera at the Carlisle Indian School, a groundbreaking exhibition featuring over 300 rarely seen images that reveal how students reclaimed their own representation at the controversial boarding school. Many of these photographs are on public display for the first time, offering visitors a richer, more nuanced understanding of life at

en-US

23:13

Pa College Leaders Challenge Federal Overreach,...

The Spark ·

2025/05/07

Listen to the podcast to hear the full conversation. This week, Dickinson College President John Jones and Susquehanna University President Jonathan Green joined more than 300 higher-education leaders in publicly condemning what they described as “unprecedented government overreach and political interference endangering American education and public research funding.” In a statement circulated nationally, the signers affirmed their commitment to campuses as “centers of open inquiry

en-US

17:07

ENIAC’s Legacy, the world's first general-purpose...

The Spark ·

2025/05/07

On The Spark, Asia Tabb sat down with Paul Schaeffer—longtime spokesperson for ENIAC, the world’s first general-purpose electronic computer—to explore how a 1940s Army weapons project gave birth to the digital age and why its lessons still matter. ENIAC, unveiled in February 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania’s Moore School of Engineering, was originally built “to solve a problem the Army was having,”Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See

en-US

22:30

Exploring LancasterHistory with CEO Robin Sarratt

The Spark ·

2025/05/06

LancasterHistory is a nonprofit museum preserving the county’s heritage since 1886. We dove into Lancaster’s rich past with Robin Surratt, President and CEO of LancasterHistory.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

25:07

Woodward PA Camp: Where Action Sports and Community...

The Spark ·

2025/05/06

For the past three years, Woodward PA’s 90-mile-from-Harrisburg action-sports summer camp has been forging a unique blend of elite coaching and genuine camaraderie. Camp Program Director Eric Brown and Olympic gold-medalist Charlotte Worthington joined The Spark to explain what makes Woodward’s “wheeled sports” experience unlike any other—and why campers keep coming back for more.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

en-US

24:45

What the White House’s Funding Cut Means for WITF and...

The Spark ·

2025/05/05

Last Thursday, President Trump issued an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to halt federal funding for NPR and PBS. For WITF and hundreds of other public media stations nationwide, that order—and a pending congressional budget vote—could have serious implications. WITF’s Chief Impact Officer Cassie Farrelly and Vice President of Media and Production Fred Vigeant joined The Spark to break down what this all means for local journalism.Support

en-US

41:10

The Spark Weekly 5.4.2025: Braver Angels Faith and...

The Spark ·

2025/05/04

With Pennsylvania’s primary election just weeks away, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt joined WITF’s The Spark to walk voters through the critical deadlines and options for casting their ballots. “The primary in Pennsylvania is May 20th,” Secretary Schmidt reminded listeners, noting that “the last day to register to vote is May 5th” and “the last day to apply to vote by mail … is May 13th.” For people of faith, civil discourse often

en-US

22:22

Journalist Roundtable - Dueling Downtowns: How...

The Spark ·

2025/05/03

John Lucieu and Sue Gleiter of PennLive joined our journalist roundtable to dissect their compelling feature on “Dueling Downtowns: How Lancaster Thrives as Harrisburg Struggles to Reinvent Itself.” Drawing on extensive reporting, John and Sue explored why Lancaster’s revitalized riverfront development, bustling arts scene, and strategic public–private partnerships have sparked a renaissance, while Harrisburg wrestled with vacant office towers, a sluggish retail core, and the

en-US

21:59

Braver Angels and Faith Communities

The Spark ·

2025/05/02

On May 2, Braver Angels’ own Red Co-Chair of Braver Faith, Lenny Greenberg, and Reverend Chad Butz joined The Spark to explore how faith communities can heal our fractured political landscape. Lenny, a retired high-tech executive, explained that “we must learn to talk to each other about our disagreements in a civil way again,” while Pastor Chad reflected on the shared mission of church and Braver Angels: “Relationship is at the heart of what it means to be Christian…

en-US

22:25

How Role-Playing Games Are Becoming Powerful...

The Spark ·

2025/05/02

When the juvenile treatment facility where Jack Berkenstock Jr., MHS Executive Director of the Bodhana Group —and several colleagues—worked closed its doors, he and his friends faced an unexpected question: “What’s next?” As Jack recalls, “we decided to start a nonprofit to help other organizations know about unique and innovative treatment opportunities.” Their answer was unconventional—and inspired by an activity Jack knew well from childhood:

en-US

21:33

Pennsylvania’s May 20th Primary: Key Dates and What...

The Spark ·

2025/05/01

With Pennsylvania’s primary election just weeks away, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt joined WITF’s The Spark to walk voters through the critical deadlines and options for casting their ballots. “The primary in Pennsylvania is May 20th,” Secretary Schmidt reminded listeners, noting that “the last day to register to vote is May 5th” and “the last day to apply to vote by mail … is May 13th.”Support WITF:

en-US

22:24

Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum Marks 100 Years

The Spark ·

2025/05/01

This year, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum celebrates its centennial, honoring a vision born nearly a century ago when brothers Henry and George Landis “started collecting as boys” to “protect and collect all Pennsylvania German history that [they] were seeing disappear from the area,” explains longtime curator Jennifer Royer. Their early passion has blossomed into a sprawling living-history campus of more than 30 historic buildings, over 200,000 artifacts, and

en-US

20:49

Containment numbers rise as crews make progress on...

The Spark ·

2025/04/30

This interview was recorded on Monday, April 28. Two wildfires that tore through the Michaux State Forest last week are now largely under control, even as foresters warn that dry conditions could fan new blazes.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

1,108 results

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