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Dream Job: Lego Master Model Builder

The beginning of May is when the new Legoland Discovery Center is set to open at Crown Center. We take a look at the competition for the full-time position of master model builder.

The beginning of May is when the new Legoland Discovery Center is set to open at Crown Center. The company has been hiring for Kansas City’s latest attraction.

They decided to have applicants compete against each other for the full-time job of master model builder. The winner of this golden ticket will be responsible for building cool models on site, doing the upkeep on the Miniland which will involve scale down lego versions of Kansas city landmarks and working with kids.

Around  200 people squared off in what the company called the Brick Factor Competition, but it’s a Kansas City Missouri school teacher and Renaissance Festival Performer who’s going to get the full=time gig and coveted title of king of lego…or perhaps the more professional title “lego master model builder.”

And the winner is…Jeremiah Boehr. We leave you this week with a look at the highly competitive world of lego model building.

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Education Report: Should Judges Be Deciding How Much Money to Spend in Classrooms?

Sam Zeff presents this education report about the contentious fight over education funding in Kansas and its direct connection to how the state picks its judges.

You probably don’t realize how much time is spent trying to figure out how to pay for education in Kansas and Missouri.

Did you know for instance, that in Kansas last year, 62 percent of the entire budget went to fund schools and universities? It’s so important that even the courts have got involved setting up one of the most contentious fights in this legislative session.

But should judges be telling lawmakers how much they should be spending in the classroom? As Sam Zeff reports, its an issue you could soon be deciding at the ballot box as the clash over education funding turns into a battle over how the state picks its judges.

Lead funding of KCPT’S reporting of education issues is funded in part by a generous grant from the Kauffman Foundation and additional civic funders.

Chairs, table and flags in an empty courtroom.

Production support provided by:
Majestic Rhinos, LLC
film & digital moving pictures
www.MajesticRhinos.com

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Energizing Education for At-Risk Kids: MINDDRIVE

Producer Cara Myers provides viewers with a look at local non-profit MINDDRIVE, where at-risk teens are not only building innovative electric cars that have received national and international recognition, but are also being inspired to learn and expand their vision of the future.

At first glance, you might not see much of a connection between the building of electric cars and at-risk, high school-aged kids, but MINDDRIVE, a Kansas City, Missouri-based non-profit, is making one. Producer Cara Myers profiles this local non-profit, where at-risk teens are not only building innovative electric vehicles, but they are also being inspired to learn and expand their vision of the future. When we’re so often told about the problems of young people, here’s a positive story for a change.

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Enthusiasm Is The Electricity of Life: Gordon Parks

We share some highlights from the Gordon Parks Centennial Celebration at the Gem Theater including a musical tribute performed by students from Gordon Parks Elementary School.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Gordon Parks who is recognized as one of the most important photographers of the 20th century.

While the Fort Scott, Kansas native is best known for his iconic images in Life magazine, Parks, the youngest of 15 children was also a novelist, co-founder of Essence Magazine and a successful filmmaker.

When he passed away in 2006, he was eulogized as a true Renaissance man who constantly pushed boundaries and broke stereotypes.

Sign which reads Gordon Parks Elementary

Over the weekend here in Kansas City, Gordon Parks Elementary School threw a centennial celebration to honor the trailblazing artist at the historic Gem Theater. And Parks’ daughter, Toni Parks, flew in from London to join the musical salute to her late father.

At the Gem Theater, students from Gordon Parks Elementary performed the prologue of a new musical honoring the life of the school’s gifted namesake. The world premiere will be next June and the school hopes to perform it every year.

While we remember Parks’ photographs, he was an accomplished novelist and poet, and director of countless films, including the 1969 drama The Learning Tree which recounts his own experiences of racial discrimination growing up in rural Kansas.

Gordon Parks sitting on a couch in a tuxedo

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Etch-A-Sketch Art: John Raux

Artist John Raux shares how he turned a classic toy into his canvas of choice.

At one time or another, many of us fondly remember playing with an Etch a Sketch. It’s a classic holiday toy. Before we leave you this week, we want introduce you to John Raux who’s currently artist in residence at BNIM Architects. Raux, who lives in Kansas City’s Hyde Park neighborhood, just spent two weeks capturing life on the New York City Subway using only an Etch-a-Sketch for his canvas.
Artist John Raux holding up Etch-A-Scetch artwork
Artist John Raux shares how he turned a classic toy into his canvas of choice while sketching our very own Nick Haines.

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Farm to Table: JCCC’s Center for Sustainability

Journalism and film students from Johnson County Community College show how their campus is involved in the “Farm to Table” and urban farming movement with its Center for Sustainability.

The Kansas City Star reported this week that the head of Johnson County Community College is retiring. We’re trying to book Terry Calaway on The Local Show. Along with increased enrollment during his five year tenure, Calaway is credited with bringing a lot of novel programs to JCCC which is consistently ranked as one of the best community colleges in the country.

People no doubt have heard about the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art which was added during his watch, but also, according to the article, they’ve also now got an on-campus farm. It supplies food for the campus cafe and its culinary program. And produce grown there also is sold to the community.

It’s part of the President’s big push to be more environmentally friendly including adding sustainability programs to the curriculum at the college.

As part of a new partnership of our own here at KCPT with broadcast students at JCCC, we get to take you to the farm this week.

This segment is the work of executive producer Amy Follmer and videographers Jordan Renzelman, Matt Lepley, Elizabeth Seidel, and Josh Browning.

If you would like to get your hands dirty, learn from urban farmers or lend a hand to your local farm, there is a community event on Saturday, November 10 from nine until noon. The location is the Gibbs Road Farm at 4223 Gibbs Road in KCK. Contact ami@cultivatekc.org for details.

Student working with a post hole digger in a field Student in a kitchen with fresh vegetables on display

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The Fast & Fanatical: Worlds of Fun Enthusiast Randal Strong-Wallace

We give a tip of the hat to Worlds of Fun as they prepare to celebrate 40 years in Kansas City. We also talk to Randal Strong-Wallace about his fascination with the park, particularly the roller coasters.

It is hard to believe, but this Sunday marks the 40th Anniversary of the opening of Worlds of Fun. In 1973, the admission price was $6.95. Today, it’s twice that just to park your car.

But that doesn’t stop people like Randal Strong-Wallace. This Worlds of Fun superfan heads to the park twice a week and as you’re about to see, his love affair with roller coasters involves more than just riding them.

Oceans of Fun, which is only in its 30s, opens for the season this Saturday. You can check out videos of Randal’s roller coasters at his website, modelcoasters.com.

And for even more information about the park, be sure to check out Around The World: The Ultimate Guide to Worlds of Fun.

Conductor waves from the train at Worlds of Fun

Nick Haines interviews a man and woman near a dinosaur display at Worlds of Fun

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Fifty Years of KCPT: What Does KCPT Mean to You?

What does KCPT mean to you? To celebrate KCPT's 50th Birthday, we have asked viewers to share what KCPT means to them.

You may not be aware of it, but KCPT is 50 years old. The official birthday year began last spring. You could be forgiven for not knowing. Perhaps because of the poor economy and so many other things going on, we haven’t been making a big splash of it. Some of our pledge drives featured a 50th anniversary t-shirt. Certainly we didn’t do any birthday cakes or parties. You may have seen a couple of spots on the air that mentioned our history, but that’s been about it.

At the end of last year here on The Local Show, in the spirit of turning 50, we invited 50 viewers to tell us what KCPT means to them. After all, this station is about you. Starting today and over the next couple of weeks, you’ll see what people had to say and we invite you to join them.

What does KCPT mean to you? Can you tell us in five words or less on a sign or in some other creative way? Send a link to your video or email us a photo to The Local Show website. We’ll show you more of these on next week’s program.

Here is a look back to 1961…

For more glimpses into the past of KCPT, click here.

You can email images and video clips to thelocalshow@kcpt.org or share them with us on Facebook or Twitter.

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Fifty Years of KCPT: What Does KCPT Mean to You? Part Three

To mark KCPT's 50th birthday, we’ve asked 50 viewers to tell us what KCPT means to them. We leave you this week with more of YOUR creative messages.

Throughout Janaury we’ve been celebrating KCPT’s 50th birthday on The Local Show. Did you know, by the way, our station’s original licensee was the Kansas City Missouri School District and the Kansas City, Missouri School Board?

KCPT Public Television is 50 years old. As we mentioned last week, in the spirit of turning 50, we recently invited 50 of our viewers to tell us what KCPT means to them. Our only request was to write it on a sign with a marker in 5 words or less. The only exception to the rule: Figure out a way to show your five words more creatively. Here are some of the responses from your friends and neighbors as we recorded them around the metro.

What does KCPT mean to you? Can you tell us in five words or less on a sign or in some other creative way? Send a link to your video or email a photo to The Local Show. We’ll show you more of these on next week’s program.

Here is a look back to 1983…

For more glimpses into the past of KCPT, click here.

You can email images and video clips to thelocalshow@kcpt.org or share them with us on Facebook or Twitter.

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Fifty Years of KCPT: What Does KCPT Mean to You? Part Two

KCPT public television is 50 years old. As we mentioned last week, in the spirit of turning 50, we recently invited 50 of our viewers to tell us what KCPT means to them.

KCPT Public Television is 50 years old. As we mentioned last week, in the spirit of turning 50, we recently invited 50 of our viewers to tell us what KCPT means to them. Our only request was to write it on a sign with a marker in 5 words or less. The only exception to the rule: Figure out a way to show your five words more creatively. Here are some of the responses from your friends and neighbors as we recorded them around the metro.

What does KCPT mean to you? Can you tell us in five words or less on a sign or in some other creative way? Send a link to your video or email a photo to The Local Show. We’ll show you more of these on next week’s program.

Here is a look back to 1978…

For more glimpses into the past of KCPT, click here.

You can email images and video clips to thelocalshow@kcpt.org or share them with us on Facebook or Twitter.

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