Ep. 074: Out of the Paw Paw Patch and into the Mountains
Forgotten America
Tiffany Hoben is the Director of Education Partnerships & Strategy for the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy. She joins the Forgotten America Podcast to share her motivations for moving from the Sunshine State to the Mountain State, her passion for civics education, and her belief in the importance of feeling rooted in a local community. The Outpost: Florida Civics Standards: Comments from the Civics Alliance on the 2024 Proposed West Virginia Social Studies Standards: New River Gorge: Parrish, Florida: Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - ...
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Ep. 073: Homer Hickam: From McDowell County to Rocket Boy
Forgotten America
Homer Hickam is a true West Virginia hero. Raised in Coalwood, a mining town in southern West Virginia, he went on to fight in the Vietnam War, work for NASA, and become a best-selling author. His book, Rocket Boys, was made into the popular movie October Sky. In this episode, he shares with Garrett stories from his life that reveal how his upbringing in West Virginia contributed to his success. Homer tells about the inspiration behind his books, expresses his love for the Appalachian mountains, and gives his thoughts about education, the importance of community, and so much more. He even...
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Ep. 072: Hitchhiker’s Guide to Rural America
Forgotten America
This episode of Forgotten America opens with a brief walk down memory lane. Garrett shares how he first met Dr. Thompson at his Moral Foundations of Capitalism seminar at Clemson University. Dr. Thompson’s lecture was a catalyst moment for Garrett that led him down a career path that brought him home to run the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, a free market think tank. Dr. Bradley Thompson was born in Canada, but he considered himself an American born in the wrong country from a young age. He tells the story of how hitchhiking through the United States was a formative experience...
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Ep. 071: Into the Wild: Life in the Mat-Su Valley of Alaska
Forgotten America
Sarah Montalbano is the Policy Manager for the Alaska Policy Forum and a senior fellow with the Independent Women’s Forum. She was born and raised in Wasilla, AK, and her family has roots in the state from the era before Alaskan statehood. Sarah joins the Forgotten America podcast to share about the culture, natural beauty, and economic growth of the state. Garrett & Sarah discuss public policy challenges Alaska faces, art and culture, and the history of the native population as well as how Alaskans handle issues of conservation and responsible land development. Follow...
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Ep. 070: Do The Best You Can With What You’ve Got: An Agricultural Ethic for Life
Forgotten America
Jerry Apps is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the author of more than 35 books. He is a storyteller and historian, joining the Forgotten America podcast to share about his life growing up on a dairy farm in rural, central Wisconsin. Born during the Great Depression, his youth inspired much of his subsequent work and his love for rural America. He joins Garrett to discuss his upcoming book, Farms & Rural Communities: An Agricultural Ethic for the Future. If you’ve ever enjoyed listening to a beloved grandparent tell stories of their childhood, you’ll...
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Ep. 069: Pulling Appalachia Back from the Precipice
Forgotten America
Nick Deiuliis is a chemical engineer, attorney, and business executive. During a career spanning 30 years, he served as the CEO or Chairman of the Board of five public energy companies. During that time, Nick has been on the front lines of the war being waged by elites against working men and women of Appalachia, the “doers” of the American economy, and the free-thinking individual. Nick is a lifelong Pittsburgher and considers himself a proud capitalist and free enterprise advocate. He joins Garrett today to discuss the city of Pittsburgh and its place among...
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Ep. 068: Don’t Be Afraid To Try Something New - The Supply Side of School Choice
Forgotten America
Elyse Marcellino is the Director of Embark in Mississippi. Embark is a new schools accelerator that works with school founders to help them move from idea to doors open. They guide school founders through early planning and preparing to launch so they can successfully open new schools to serve students throughout the state. Elyse and Garrett start this episode by celebrating what West Virginia and Mississippi have in common and commiserating as residents of states that are often ridiculed by coastal elites. Elyse shares about her experience with several types of education environments...
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Ep. 067: Can Junior Colleges Save the Future of American Higher Education?
Forgotten America
Fred Fransen is the President of Huntington Junior College and Co-Founder of Certell, Inc. He also previously served as Executive Director at the Center for Excellence in Higher Education and as Senior Fellow for Liberty Fund. He has been working to make breakthroughs in how to improve education at both the K-12 and higher education levels. Garrett & Fred talk about the role of junior colleges in the reformation of education in the United States, particularly about the changes Fred is making at Huntington Junior College to incorporate civics and Great Books education into...
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Ep. 066: Gratitude - A Light in Dark Times
Forgotten America
Join us for a Thanksgiving-themed episode before we pause for the holidays! On Thanksgiving Eve, Garrett recorded another solo episode. He shared ten things he is grateful for this Thanksgiving. He observes how the practice of gratitude can break up the monotony of life and cut through the polarization of our day. For Garrett, remembering the good things in his life has helped him get through dark times. Gratitude is a catalyst for both joy and togetherness when both might otherwise be absent. Also, to give our team a break during this holiday season, we are going to take a pause from...
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Ep. 065: The Role of the Rural College
Forgotten America
Monica Moses is a policy fellow for the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy and a PhD candidate at West Virginia University. She joins Garrett today to discuss the role colleges and universities play in rural communities. She discusses how growing up in a small town near St. Bonaventure University influenced her interest in researching the role universities and colleges play in rural areas. Garrett & Monica explore the symbiotic relationship that these higher education institutions have with the communities around them and how they can help prevent brain drain. Learn...
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