a Better West Virginia Blog - Culture | Arts | Economy

FrameWorks: Strengthening West Virginia Families

Guest Post — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:04:23 +0000

By Carrie Robey “Even as the cell is the unit of the organic body, so the family is the unit of society.” – Ruth Nanda Ansehn In the lives of children, families are the building blocks, providing a place of encouragement, a place to build dreams and a place to grow. A positive and encouraging family helps children [...]

Invigorating the Creativity of West Virginians

Jason Keeling — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:29:15 +0000

Organizers of the 2009 Create WV Conference are asking the public to jump start the conversations that will take place there by using Twitter, Facebook and blogs to answer this open-ended phrase: “WV, I WILL CREATE…” Because conferences can tend to offer too many ideas and not enough results, people are being asked to not only [...]

West Virginia: Using Social Media for the Mountain State’s Betterment

Jason Keeling — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:09:25 +0000

Today the online community of West Virginia is celebrating the state’s 146th anniversary by offering thoughts on this simple proposition: Identify an obstacle that hinders West Virginia and discuss its solution. Termed the “A Better West Virginia Challenge,” this invitation is extended to bring forth constructive dialogue regarding the Mountain State’s future. The Internet is evolving into a [...]

A Better West Virginia Challenge: Identifying Obstacles and Solutions

Jason Keeling — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:29:13 +0000

Last year a group of people celebrated West Virginia Day by logging-on to their computers. Instead of attending ceremonial events in recognition of statehood, they started typing. Their writings offer a glimpse at the best aspects of West Virginia and counter stereotypical notions of the state. Saturday (June 20) marks the 146th anniversary of West Virginia’s [...]

Advancing Generation West Virginia with Social Media Technologies

Jason Keeling — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:35:13 +0000

Today the Generation West Virginia Young Leadership Conference kicks off in Morgantown, an assembly designed to promote the cultivation of young talent throughout the state. Organizers invite readers to participate by spreading word and offering feedback via social media sites like Facebook, Twitter.com, LinkedIn, and the aBetterWestVirginia blog. Generation West Virginia serves as the figurehead for [...]

Another Battle Over West Virginia’s Blair Mountain

Jason Keeling — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:27:09 +0000

We’re taught from a young age the importance of history. By dissecting the past, we discover a greater understanding of where society has been and where society is going. Every country, state and community chooses to remember events, people, and circumstances that have influenced its identity. In West Virginia, the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain represents [...]

The People Are Best Suited to Change Perceptions of West Virginia, Not Government Officials

Jason Keeling — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:47:17 +0000

Today Newsweek featured an article highlighting the state Department of Commerce’s “Come Home to West Virginia” campaign, an effort to lure former residents back to the state. For years, leaders across the state have been searching for “the answer” to counter our image problem. Sterotypes have plagued Appalachia since the 19th Century, and it seems that more [...]