THIS SPECIAL PRESENTATION
WAS PRODUCED IN HIGH
DEFINITION BY WEDU -- TAMPA,
ST. PETERSBURG, SARASOTA.
HELIOS EDUCATION
FOUNDATION, CELEBRATING TEN
YEARS OF CHANGING LIVES
THROUGH EDUCATION IN ARIZONA
AND FLORIDA, IS PROUD TO
SUPPORT "WEDU QUEST."
YOU CAN LEARN MORE AT
HELIOS.ORG.
ON THIS EPISODE OF
"WEDU QUEST,"
A PARACHUTE FOR PEOPLE
WITH CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE.
WHEN I FOUND OUT I HAD
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND I
FOUND OUT JUST HOW BAD THE
HEART ATTACK REALLY WAS, I
LOST A LOT OF HOPE.
SENIORS TAKE CHARGE OF
TECHNOLOGY.
WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO
DO IS CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE
AGE.
AND SO WE ADOPTED THIS SLOGAN
CALLED "AGING WITH ATTITUDE."
A SWIM WITH SALAMANDERS.
BIG IMPACT RIGHT HERE AT HOME.
AND HOW YOUNG CHILDREN
LEARN BEST.
TO HAVE FULL LEARNING, YOU
MUST BE ABLE TO INTERACT, AND
INTERACTION REQUIRES SOCIAL
AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE.
♪
WELCOME TO "WEDU QUEST."
I'M DR. SHANNON McQUAIG.
A UNIQUE DEVICE THAT IS
CURRENTLY UNDER CLINICAL
TRIALS HAS SHOWN GREAT PROMISE
TO HELP SOME PEOPLE WITH
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE.
ONE OF THE TRIAL'S
PARTICIPANTS IS RICHARD
MURPHY.
AS A YOUNG MAN, HE SERVED HIS
COUNTRY AS A PARATROOPER.
BY AGE 40, HE FOUND HIMSELF IN
CIRCUMSTANCES WITH LITTLE
HOPE.
JUST OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL I
JOINED THE ARMY.
I WAS A PARATROOPER, AND I
SERVED IN THE GULF WAR.
EVERY TIME A PARATROOPER JUMPS
OUT OF AN AIRPLANE, THEY ARE
COUNTING ON THEIR PARACHUTE TO
OPEN, SAVE THEIR LIFE.
AND IT DID ON NUMEROUS
OCCASIONS, AND I'M QUITE PROUD
OF THAT.
AT AGE 40, RICHARD'S LIFE
WAS GREAT.
NO LONGER SERVING IN THE ARMY,
HE WAS RUNNING A NEW BUSINESS
AND RECENTLY HAD BECOME
ENGAGED.
IT WAS EARLY OCTOBER.
IT WAS BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE.
THE LEAVES WERE CHANGING.
WE WERE IN LOVE.
HAD JUST GOTTEN ENGAGED.
HE WAS ABOUT A YEAR INTO HIS
NEW BUSINESS, AND THINGS WERE
VERY EXCITING.
AND THEN --
[ OMINOUS MUSIC ]
I STARTED TO SWEAT.
I HAD REALLY TIGHT CHEST
PAINS.
HIS HEART BLOCKED UP 100%,
HIS LAD, WHICH IS THE MAIN
ARTERY IN THE LEFT VENTRICLE.
THE NEXT THING THAT I
REMEMBER IS WAKING UP IN THE
HOSPITAL WITH A DOCTOR
YELLING, "MR. MURPHY,
MR. MURPHY, DO YOU
KNOW WHERE YOU ARE?"
WHEN I FOUND OUT I HAD
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND I
FOUND OUT JUST HOW BAD THE
HEART ATTACK REALLY WAS, I
LOST A LOT OF HOPE.
I SPENT NIGHT AND DAY FOR
ALMOST A YEAR, I THINK,
RESEARCHING, SENDING E-MAILS
TO DIFFERENT CLINICAL TRIALS.
AND THEN FINALLY FOUND THE
PARACHUTE TRIAL AT FLORIDA
HOSPITAL PEPIN.
HE WAS EVALUATED BY
DR. CHARLES LAMBERT, THE
MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT THE PEPIN
HEART INSTITUTE AT FLORIDA
HOSPITAL IN TAMPA.
RICHARD WAS A PERFECT
CANDIDATE FOR THIS TYPE OF
THERAPY.
VERY, VERY POOR VENTRICULAR
FUNCTION AND VERY LIMITED IN
WHAT HE COULD DO.
DR. LAMBERT DETERMINED THAT
RICHARD COULD BENEFIT FROM THE
PARACHUTE IMPLANT, A NEW
DEVICE FROM CARDIOKINETIX,
THAT IS CURRENTLY GOING
THROUGH CLINICAL TRIALS.
THE PARACHUTE TRIAL
INVOLVES AN IMPLANTABLE
DEVICE.
IT'S VERY UNIQUE.
THE PROCEDURE WAS DONE IN
THE CARDIAC CATH LAB AT PEPIN.
DR. LAMBERT EXPLAINS HOW THEY
USE THE LATEST IMAGING
TECHNIQUES TO GUIDE THEM
THROUGHOUT THE PROCEDURE.
SO THESE IMAGES ARE
TRANSTHORACIC
ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC IMAGES.
ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN
IS PRE-PROCEDURE.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE
SCREEN IS POST-PROCEDURE.
THERE IS A TRANSDUCER UP AT
THIS PART OF THE IMAGE.
THIS CAVITY HERE IS THE LEFT
VENTRICLE.
THIS IS THE RIGHT VENTRICLE.
THIS IS THE MITRAL VALVE.
THIS IS THE TRICUSPID VALVE.
YOU CAN SEE IN THE
PRE-PROCEDURE IMAGE, THIS
PARTICULAR PATIENT'S HEART IS
NOT REALLY CONTRACTING WELL AT
ALL.
AFTER EVALUATING THE
HEART'S EFFICIENCY, THEY USE
THE CINEANGIOGRAM, OR X-RAY
MOVIES, TO GUIDE THEM TO
IMPLANT THE DEVICE IN THE LEFT
VENTRICLE.
THESE ARE WIRES FROM THE
PATIENT'S DEFIBRILLATOR
PACEMAKER.
THIS IS THE AORTA, OR THE
BLOOD VESSEL THAT LEADS OUT OF
THE HEART, AND THIS IS A
CATHETER SHAPED LIKE A LITTLE
PIGTAIL.
IT'S INJECTING DYE SO WE CAN
SEE THE CHAMBER.
AND THEN THROUGH THE LEG, A
VERY LARGE DELIVERY SYSTEM, A
CATHETER SYSTEM, IS BROUGHT UP
OVER THE ARCH OF THE AORTA,
DOWN THROUGH THE AORTIC VALVE
INTO THE VERY END OF THE LEFT
VENTRICLE.
ANIMATION PROVIDED BY
CARDIOKINETIX SHOWS A CATHETER
SYSTEM WHERE THE END OF THE
DEVICE IS PLACED AT THE APEX,
OR BOTTOM, OF THE LEFT
VENTRICLE.
AND ONCE WE'RE SURE THAT
WE'RE IN EXACTLY THE RIGHT
SPOT DOWN HERE, WE START TO
WITHDRAW THE SHEATH, THE BIG
CATHETER, A LITTLE BIT AT A
TIME UNTIL THE DEVICE IS
RELEASED.
YOU CAN SEE HERE, AND THERE IS
A BALLOON THAT'S INSIDE OF
THAT DEVICE, AND WHEN IT'S
UNSHEATHED AND THE TINES CAN
GO OUT, THE BALLOON IS
INFLATED VERY, VERY QUICKLY TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE TINES
ACTUALLY SEAT IN THE INTERIOR
OF THE LEFT VENTRICLE.
THIS IS ALL DONE VERY QUICKLY
BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS
HOLDING THE VALVE OPEN, AND WE
WANT TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF
STROKE OR OTHER COMPLICATIONS.
THE BALLOON IS THEN DEFLATED.
REMEMBER, THERE WAS A BALLOON
PICTURE IN HERE.
IT'S BROUGHT BACK INTO THE
PUT BACK DOWN OVER ITS
ATTACHMENT SITE.
WE TAKE A PICTURE TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE PARACHUTE IS IN THE
APPROPRIATE DEVICE.
IF YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS A
SPACE BETWEEN THE EDGE OF THE
PARACHUTE, AND IF YOU LOOK
RIGHT HERE WHERE THERE'S DYE,
WHERE THE LEFT VENTRICLE IS, A
LITTLE BIT OF DYE CREEPS IN
THERE AND OVER TIME THAT GOES
AWAY.
IT FILLS UP WITH CLOT AND A
FORMATION.
THAT'S REALLY THE VOLUME OF
THE LEFT VENTRICLE WHICH IS
EXCLUDED BY THE DEVICE.
AT THE END OF THE PROCEDURE,
WE TAKE A PICTURE OF THE
ARTERY THAT WAS USED TO
INTRODUCE THE WHOLE SYSTEM UP,
AND WE CLOSE THAT OFF, AND
PROCEDURE.
AFTER THE PROCEDURE,
DR. LAMBERT TAKES ANOTHER LOOK
USING THE ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC
IMAGES TO EVALUATE THE HEART'S
FUNCTION WITH THE NEW DEVICE.
NOW, THE BASIC FUNCTION OF
THE HEART HASN'T CHANGED, BUT
WHAT THE DEVICE HAS DONE
FUNCTIONALLY IS EXCLUDED THIS
WHOLE PORTION OF THE LEFT
VENTRICULAR APEX, SO THAT IS A
DEAD VOLUME WHICH NOW BLOOD IS
ACTUALLY NOT GETTING TO IT
ANYMORE.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE
PROCEDURE, I WAS SITTING IN MY
HOSPITAL ROOM.
FUSS, AND I COULD TAKE A DEEP
BREATH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
TWO YEARS.
SO I NOTICED THE RESULTS
IMMEDIATELY.
HE REALLY FELT BETTER.
GOT UP, JUST ABOUT RAN OUT OF
THE HOSPITAL.
SO PERFECT PATIENT, PERFECT
OUTCOME.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF EVERYBODY
WAS THAT PERFECT.
WE WENT FROM NOT KNOWING
WHAT THE FUTURE HELD TO BEING
PRETTY GRIM, AND NOW OUR
FUTURE IS SO EXCITING.
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IS
THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH
IN THE UNITED STATES.
IF THERE ARE FIVE TO SIX
HUNDRED THOUSAND NEW HEART
ATTACKS EVERY YEAR, IT'S A BIG
PROBLEM.
BUT A LOT OF PATIENTS, THERE
IS NO OPTION FOR.
SO IT'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL
PATIENTS WITH POTENTIALLY A
GREAT BENEFIT FOR THEM.
AND THE BENEFITS FOR
RICHARD AND ALLISON JUST
INCREASED BY ONE.
WELL, AFTER ALL THE
MIRACLES THAT WE'VE ALREADY
BEEN PROVIDED, WE'RE HAVING
ANOTHER MIRACLE.
MY WIFE IS PREGNANT.
WE'RE EXPECTING A LITTLE GIRL.
WE'VE BEEN GETTING HER
FURNITURE PUT TOGETHER.
WE HAVE A CLOSET FULL OF
CLOTHES THAT HONESTLY WE JUST
GO IN AND PLAY WITH AND LOOK
AT ALL OF IT.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT HER.
YEAH, IT'S PRETTY AMAZING
THAT 20 YEARS AFTER BEING A
PARATROOPER THAT I WOULD NEED
ANOTHER PARACHUTE INSIDE OF MY
HEART TO SAVE MY LIFE.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
PARACHUTE TRIAL, VISIT
CardioKinetix.com.
> WHO SAYS SENIORS CAN'T
CROSS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE?
ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY,
59% OF AMERICANS OVER 65 USE A
SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE EVERY
DAY.
NOW ONE PROGRAM, THE FIRST OF
ITS KIND IN THE NATION, IS
MAKING TECHNOLOGY EVEN MORE
ACCESSIBLE BY PUTTING GADGETS
IN THE HANDS OF SENIORS.
HERE'S A LOOK.
YOU MIGHT CALL IT AN
AGE-OLD BATTLE.
WHILE SOME CROWDS ARE QUEUING
UP TO BUY THE LATEST iPAD,
HERE AT THE SENIOR PLANET
EXPLORATION CENTER IN CHELSEA,
OTHERS ARE WAITING IN LINE TO
LEARN HOW TO USE THEM.
THERE IS A BUTTON ON THE
TOP RIGHT HERE.
IT'S A LITTLE PIECE OF
PLASTIC.
I'LL COME AROUND AND SHOW YOU.
WE'RE IN THE TECHNOLOGY
AGE, SO I'M GOING FORWARD.
SENIOR PLANET IS THE
NATION'S FIRST
TECHNOLOGY-THEMED COMMUNITY
CENTER FOR PEOPLE OVER 60.
SINCE OPENING IN MARCH,
HUNDREDS OF SENIORS HAVE
FLOCKED HERE TO MEET THE
DIGITAL AGE HEAD ON.
YOU REALLY DO WANT TO GIVE
YOURSELF A LITTLE MORE TIME
THAN WE HAVE IN THE ACTUAL
CLASS TO WORK ON THESE SKILLS.
WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO
DO IS CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE
AGE.
SO WE ADOPTED THIS SLOGAN
CALLED "AGING WITH ATTITUDE."
TOM KAMBER IS THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK-BASED
NONPROFIT, OLDER ADULTS
TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, OR
O.A.T.S.
IN MARCH 2013, KAMBER LAUNCHED
SENIOR PLANET AS A
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN O.A.T.S., THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, AND THE CITY OF
NEW YORK.
WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY IS
THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF OLDER
ADULTS WHO ARE MORE
CHRONICALLY DISLOCATED FROM
THE WORKFORCE ARE SLOWLY
TRYING TO GET BACK IN.
AND AS THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
ARE FALLING, THEY ARE BECOMING
MORE ATTRACTIVE TO EMPLOYERS
WHO REALIZE THEY SHOW UP ON
TIME.
THEY ARE LITERATE.
THEY CAN WRITE.
THEY HAVE CONTACTS IN THE
INDUSTRIES.
THEY'VE GOT SPECIALIZED
TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE.
67-YEAR-OLD BARBARA NATHAN
HAS RETURNED TO THE WORKFORCE
AS A FREELANCE WRITER AFTER
MORE THAN A DECADE OF
UNEMPLOYMENT.
I WAS TIRED OF GOING TO
SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS AND
ASKING FOR HELP.
I WANTED TO FEEL THAT I COULD
STILL DO SOMETHING USEFUL.
BUT NATHAN QUICKLY FOUND
OUT THAT TIMES HAVE CHANGED.
I APPLIED FOR MANY JOBS ON
MY OWN.
I WAS TURNED DOWN EVERYWHERE,
AND IT WAS EXTREMELY
FRUSTRATING.
KAMBER SAYS THAT BETWEEN A
QUARTER TO A HALF OF SENIOR
PLANET STUDENTS ARE SEEKING
WORKFORCE-RELATED SKILLS.
SO THE CENTER OFFERS A RANGE
OF PROGRAMS, FROM LEARNING TO
USE A MOUSE AND SEND E-MAILS,
TO CREATING PDFs OF RESUMES
AND SEARCHING AND APPLYING FOR
JOBS ONLINE.
AFTER A FIVE-WEEK SENIOR
PLANET COURSE CALLED "JOB
SEARCHING IN THE DIGITAL AGE,"
BARBARA NATHAN SECURED WORK ON
THE WEB SITE ELANCE.
I GO THROUGH, LET'S SAY,
ABOUT FIVE TO TEN PAGES' WORTH
OF JOBS AND SEE WHAT HAS BEEN
POSTED THAT MIGHT BE OF
INTEREST TO ME.
I HAVE TO SUBMIT A BID ON WHAT
I WOULD LIKE TO BE PAID FOR
THE JOB WITHIN THE BUDGET
THAT'S OFFERED.
STILL, THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE
FOR SENIORS ON THE JOB ISN'T
TECHNICAL PROWESS.
IT'S THE PREVALENT PERCEPTION
OF OLDER ADULTS IN THE
WORKPLACE.
WHEN YOU PUT YOUR COLLEGE
GRADUATION DATE ON YOUR RESUMÉ
AND PEOPLE LOOK AND REALIZE
YOU GRADUATED 1955, IT REALLY
CHANGES THE WAY PEOPLE
PERCEIVE YOU.
THE PERCEPTIONS THAT WE HAVE
THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO LEARN,
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE
TECHNOLOGY, THEY ARE
FORGETFUL.
KAMBER SAYS ONE WAY TO
BATTLE PERCEPTIONS IN AGEISM
IN THE WORKPLACE IS TO
INCREASE CONFIDENCE.
HERE AT SENIOR PLANET,
COMMUNITY BUILDING, BOTH IN
PERSON AND ONLINE, IS ONE PART
OF BOOSTING CONFIDENCE AND
MAKING TECHNOLOGY FUN.
SOME SENIORS EVEN COME BACK TO
VOLUNTEER, SHARING THEIR
KNOWLEDGE AND CONTRIBUTING TO
THAT COMMUNITY.
IT'S LIKE LEARNING A DANCE
MOVE.
I'M AN EX-DANCER, SO IT'S LIKE
LEARNING A NEW STEP, AND THEN
ALL OF A SUDDEN IT CLICKS.
AHH, I GOT IT.
WE CAN ASK PEOPLE, WHAT DO
WHAT ARE WE CAPABLE OF?
SO THE COMMUNITY ASPECTS OF IT
HAVE LED TO A BOOK CLUB.
THERE IS A PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP
THAT'S DOING CLASSES AND GOING
OUT AND TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS AND
SHARING THEM NOW ONLINE.
THERE IS A VIDEO GAMING GROUP
THAT'S COMING TOGETHER.
PEOPLE ARE STARTING
MICROENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS
ONLINE AND SELLING THINGS ON
ETSY.
SO THIS NOTION OF WHAT WE'RE
ABLE TO DO TOGETHER AS OLDER
ADULTS, IT'S NOT ABOUT
COMPUTERS.
IT'S ABOUT AGING.
IT'S ABOUT HOW WE AGE BETTER.
I DID IT.
I DID IT.
HOLD ON TO IT.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE BEING BACK
IN GRADE SCHOOL AGAIN, BUT
IT'S A WONDERFUL FEELING
GETTING THIS KIND OF POSITIVE
REINFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, BEING
TOLD HOW MUCH THE CLIENT LIKED
MY WORK, AND IT TELLS ME, YES,
I CAN DO THIS AND KEEP DOING
THIS.
THERE WILL BE LULLS, YOU KNOW,
WHEN YOU DON'T GET HIRED AND
PLATEAUS, AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP
GOING.
AND THEN WHEN YOU MIGHT LEAST
EXPECT IT, THINGS START
HAPPENING AGAIN.
BY THE END OF 2015, IT'S
FORECAST THAT THERE WILL BE
MORE THAN 26 MILLION SENIORS
USING THE INTERNET IN THE U.S.
ALONE.
> THE HELLBENDER SALAMANDER,
WHICH IS NATIVE TO EASTERN
STATES FROM NEW YORK TO
ARKANSAS, IS THE LARGEST
AQUATIC SALAMANDER IN THE
UNITED STATES.
BUT SINCE 2011, THE SALAMANDER
HAS BEEN ON THE ENDANGERED
SPECIES LIST.
NOW ONE ZOO IN ST. LOUIS,
MISSOURI, HAS BEEN TRYING TO
COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO
SAVE THE SPECIES.
WHAT WE CAME TO SEE AT THE
ST. LOUIS ZOO IS NOT ON
DISPLAY.
IT'S ACTUALLY BEHIND THE
HERPETARIUM WHERE THEY KEEP
THE SNAKES AND OTHER ASSORTED
REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS.
AND IF YOU COME BACK HERE ON
THE RIGHT DAY, YOU MIGHT GET
TO MEET IRENE.
NOT THE WOMAN IN THE WET SUIT.
THAT'S CHAWNA.
IRENE IS THE BIG SALAMANDER
SHE HAS JUST FISHED OUT OF ITS
NEST.
IT'S ONE OF OUR FEMALE
HELLBENDERS.
HOW OLD?
WE DON'T KNOW HER AGE
BECAUSE SHE WAS A WILD
COLLECTED ADULT.
SHE COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 10
TO 35.
WHO KNOWS.
SHE IS ONE OF THE
HELLBENDERS LIVING AND, MORE
IMPORTANTLY AND AMAZINGLY,
REPRODUCING IN WHAT IS NO MERE
TROUGH.
THIS IS ABOUT YOUR TYPICAL
SIZE OF OUR ADULT.
THESE ARE MINIATURE STREAMS
OF THE CURRENT, THE
TEMPERATURE, THE MINERALS, ALL
CAREFULLY CONTROLLED TO MATCH
THE HELLBENDER'S NATIVE
HABITAT -- THE SPRING-FED
WATERWAYS OF THE OZARKS.
THERE WERE ONCE MAYBE 10,000
OR MORE OF THESE GUYS IN
MISSOURI AND NORTHERN
ARKANSAS.
BUT OVER TIME, FOR SOME OR
MANY REASONS, THEY DECLINED
INTO THE HUNDREDS.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE
SURVIVORS SHOWED A HIGH RATE
OF SEVERE INJURIES THAT HADN'T
HEALED PROPERLY, WHICH COULD
BE DUE TO A COMBINATION OF
MANY FACTORS.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT SHE'S
BACK RIGHT LEG.
ABOUT 70 TO 80 PERCENT OF THE
ANIMALS THAT WE FIND ON THE
OZARK RIVERS HAVE GOT SOME
SORT OF ANOMALY.
A BIG PART OF THIS IS
SIMPLY PRESERVING THE SPECIES,
BIODIVERSITY, THE BALANCE IN
THE OZARK RIVER ECOSYSTEM.
BUT THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN
THAT.
HELLBENDERS MAY NOT BE AS
MAJESTIC OR CUDDLY AS SOME
OTHER ENDANGERED ANIMALS.
AFTER ALL, ONE OF THEIR
NICKNAMES IS "SNOT OTTER." BUT
FRESHWATER SPECIES ARE
DISAPPEARING JUST AS FAST OR
FASTER, AND AMPHIBIANS ARE AT
THE GREATEST RISK.
THE HELLBENDER HAS LUNGS, BUT
UNDERWATER, IT ABSORBS OXYGEN
ALONG THOSE RIPPLING FOLDS OF
SKIN.
AND WHATEVER IS IN THE WATER,
IT ABSORBS THAT, TOO.
THINK CANARY IN THE COAL MINE.
WE DEPEND ON WATER JUST AS
MUCH AS THESE ANIMALS DO.
SO IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS THAT
ARE INHERENT IN THE WATER THAT
ARE IMPACTING HELLBENDERS AND
OTHER FORMS OF WILDLIFE, IT'S
GOING TO IMPACT US EVENTUALLY,
TOO.
SO THE ST. LOUIS ZOO, THE
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF
CONSERVATION, AND OTHER
PARTNERS SET OUT NOT JUST TO
STUDY THE HELLBENDER BUT TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO BREED THEM
IN CAPTIVITY, RAISE THE
OFFSPRING, AND PUT THEM BACK
IN THE STREAMS.
NOW, CATCHING A HELLBENDER IS
ACTUALLY PRETTY EASY.
DURING THE DAY, YOU FIND THEM
LOLLING ABOUT IN THEIR NESTS
UNDER ROCKS.
BUT GETTING THEM TO REPRODUCE
IN CAPTIVITY, THAT WOULD TAKE
TEN YEARS.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO
GET RIGHT, SO MANY THINGS THAT
COULD AND DID GO WRONG.
THE ZOO STARTED WITH AN INDOOR
STREAM.
THE MALES AND FEMALES WERE
DOING THEIR JOBS BUT THE EGGS
JUST WEREN'T GETTING
FERTILIZED.
EVERY YEAR THE ZOOKEEPERS
WOULD ADJUST THIS OR THAT, BUT
STILL NO BABIES.
SO A FEW YEARS AGO, THEY TRIED
SOMETHING ELSE.
THEY THOUGHT MAYBE AN OUTSIDE
ENVIRONMENT WOULD HELP, AND
THEY BUILT THE OUTDOOR
STREAMS.
ROOMIER, LIDDED NESTING BOXES
HALF BURIED, COMFORTABLY
SPACED, MIMICKING THE ROCK
NESTS OF THE TERRITORIAL
HELLBENDER, BUT STILL NO
SUCCESS.
SO THEY WENT BACK TO THE WATER
ITSELF LOOKING AT THE ION AND
MINERAL CONCENTRATIONS, MADE A
MINOR ADJUSTMENT, AND THEN
WAITED TO SEE IF IT WOULD MAKE
A DIFFERENCE.
IT WAS -- I REMEMBER THE
DATE.
IT WAS OCTOBER 18th, 2011.
WE OPENED UP ONE OF THE NEST
BOXES OUT BACK, AND THERE WERE
ALL THESE FERTILE EGGS.
THEY DIDN'T JUST HATCH 63
BABY HELLBENDERS.
THEY MADE HISTORY.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME ANYBODY
HAD BRED THEM IN CAPTIVITY.
NOW, EVERY FALL, THE KEEPERS,
ALL CERTIFIED DIVERS, REACH
INTO THE NEST AND REMOVE A
LONG STRING OF EGGS, WHICH ARE
THEN PLACED IN THESE TRAYS.
WE ALSO SHAKE THE EGGS OR
ROCK THE EGGS THREE TIMES A
DAY PHYSICALLY.
THAT'S TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
WHAT THE MALE IS DOING IN THE
BOTTOM OF THE RIVER.
THESE ARE OUR NEWEST
BABIES.
THERE ARE NOW THOUSANDS OF
HELLBENDERS IN THESE TANKS.
TWO SUBSPECIES FROM TWO
DIFFERENT OZARK RIVER SYSTEMS
ARE BRED SEPARATELY AND WILL
BE PLACED BACK INTO THE
STREAMS WHERE THEIR PARENTS
WERE CAUGHT.
AND THERE THEY WILL FEAST ON,
AMONG OTHER THINGS, CRAYFISH,
BUT THEY GENERALLY DON'T
BOTHER PEOPLE.
THEY ARE NOT POISONOUS, NOT
AGGRESSIVE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY MORE INTERESTED
IN THEM THAN THEY ARE IN US.
SO FOR US, BEING ABLE TO
HELP CONSERVE A SPECIES THAT'S
RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD, BECAUSE
LESS THAN TWO HOURS FROM HERE,
YOU CAN BE IN THE HABITAT OF
THESE GUYS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO
MADAGASCAR FOR THIS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO
MADAGASCAR, YOU KNOW, AND
IMPACT RIGHT HERE AT HOME.
THE HELLBENDER PROJECT IN
MISSOURI IS A SUCCESS SO FAR
BUT ONLY UP TO A POINT.
THE POPULATION IS BEING
INCREASED, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE
FACTORS THAT CAUSED THEM TO
DECLINE SO DRAMATICALLY IN THE
FIRST PLACE?
WAS IT DISEASE, CLIMATE
CHANGE, POLLUTION, PEOPLE
COLLECTING THEM FOR PETS?
WERE THEIR NESTS BEING FILLED
UP WITH SILT BECAUSE OF
CHANGING RIVERBANK VEGETATION?
THE ZOO-RAISED HELLBENDERS ARE
BEING PUT BACK AT VARIOUS AGES
TO SEE AT WHAT POINT IN THEIR
DEVELOPMENT THEY ARE MOST
VULNERABLE.
THAT MEANS TRACKING, COUNTING,
MEASURING AT LEAST FOR THE
NEXT 15 YEARS.
WE NEED TO BE PAYING
ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON
IN THESE WILD SITUATIONS, JUST
US.
FOSSIL RECORDS INDICATE THE
HELLBENDER SALAMANDER EXISTED
MORE THAN 160 MILLION YEARS
AGO.
> YOUNG CHILDREN IN
CHILD-CARE HOMES AND EARLY
LEARNING CENTERS ARE EXPECTED
TO BE PREPARED WHEN THEY ENTER
PRE AND REGULAR KINDERGARTEN
PROGRAMS.
BUT WHAT SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
DO THEY NEED?
HERE ARE TWO PLACES THAT ARE
TAKING A NONTRADITIONAL
APPROACH TO HOW CHILDREN LEARN
BEST.
THE LEARNING CENTER AT
ST. JOHN'S PROVIDES CHILD CARE
AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR
99 YOUNG CHILDREN.
THE TEACHERS THERE FOCUS ON
PREPARING THEM FOR
KINDERGARTEN.
HERE AT THE LEARNING
CENTER, WE ARE PART OF A PILOT
PROGRAM THIS YEAR FOR THE
CREATIVE CURRICULUM GOAL
CURRICULUM.
IT IS A PROJECT-BASED
CURRICULUM THAT'S BASED ON
DIMENSIONS OF MATH, SCIENCE,
LANGUAGE, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT.
THE CENTER NOW EMPHASIZES
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY.
WHEN A CHILD VISITS A
CENTER AND DOES A PARTICULAR
ACTIVITY, A TEACHER WILL BE
THERE TO HELP FACILITATE OR
HELP GUIDE THEM IN THE
DIRECTION THAT THEY WANT THEM
TO DO, TO DO THEIR
OBSERVATIONS AND ANECDOTALS.
SO THE TEACHER IS A BIG PART
WITHIN THOSE CENTER-BASED PLAY
SETUPS.
PART OF THEIR SOCIAL AND
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES
TEAMWORK.
THOSE THINGS START TO
DEVELOP NATURALLY BECAUSE
THEY'RE WORKING ON A
PARTICULAR PROJECT TOGETHER.
THEY'RE HAVING THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILD THAT
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL
COMPETENCY WITHIN EACH OTHER.
AND THEY ARE GETTING ABLE TO
LEARN TO TAKE TURNS, TO SHARE,
GIVE IDEAS, AND SUGGESTIONS ON
WHAT'S HAPPENING NEXT.
THE CHILDREN ALSO HAVE
PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR
SELF-DIRECTED ACTIVITIES.
WHEN THINGS ARE BASED ON
THEIR INTERESTS WITHIN A
CLASSROOM, THEY FEEL MORE
EMPOWERED AND EAGER TO LEARN.
IT'S NOT ABOUT FILLING THE
BUCKET.
IT'S ABOUT LIGHTING THE FIRE
WITH CHILDREN.
PROFESSOR MARY HARPER OF
ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE TEACHES
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
AND CONSULTS WITH NUMEROUS
CHILD-CARE AGENCIES.
IN EARLY CHILDHOOD, IT'S
LANGUAGE, LANGUAGE, LANGUAGE.
SO ANYTHING CHILDREN ARE
INTERACTING WITH OR BEING A
PART OF OR EXPERIMENTING WITH,
THERE SHOULD BE LOTS OF
LANGUAGE GOING ON AROUND THAT.
YOU SHOULD BE ASKING
QUESTIONS.
THEY SHOULD BE RESPONDING.
TO HAVE FULL LEARNING, YOU
MUST BE ABLE TO INTERACT, AND
INTERACTION REQUIRES SOCIAL
AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE.
MAKING MORE BUBBLES OR DO YOU
THINK IT'S THE SAME?
THE SAME.
FOR YOUNG LEARNERS, SOCIAL
SKILLS ARE THE BASIS FOR ALL
LEARNING.
YOU CAN'T HAVE COGNITION OR
THIS KIND OF GROWING APTITUDE
IN ACADEMIA WITHOUT SOCIAL
SKILLS.
AND SOCIAL SKILLS IS THE
UNDERPINNING OF ALL KINDS OF
LEARNING THAT TAKES PLACE, AND
IT IS THE NUMBER ONE
CORRELATIVE FACTOR IN ALL
ACADEMIC LEARNING.
WE KNOW THAT COGNITION IS
BASED ON INTERACTIONS WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT, WITH LANGUAGE AND
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING.
SO WITHOUT THE UNDERGIRDINGS
OF SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL
COMPETENCE, YOU DON'T GET THE
SAME RICHNESS IN COGNITION AS
YOU WOULD UNLESS THEY WERE
PARTNERED.
THEY ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED.
THE TEACHERS AT THE
LEARNING CENTER ARE NOW
IMPLEMENTING INDIVIDUALIZED
INSTRUCTION PLANS.
THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY BE
ABLE TO READ THE CHILD'S
DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES AND
SAY, WOW, THIS CHILD IS HERE.
I NEED TO TAKE THEM HERE.
THIS IS HOW I'LL DO IT, BY
QUESTIONING THIS WAY,
PROVIDING THESE ACTIVITIES,
GIVING THEM A WAY TO LOOK AT
THE WORLD IN A DIFFERENT WAY
AND THEN HAVE THE CHILD
RESPOND BACK.
IT REQUIRES A LOT MORE COMPLEX
ASSESSMENTS AS WELL.
BY FOCUSING ON SOCIAL AND
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH
PLAY, THE TEACHERS HERE HAD TO
CHANGE EVERYTHING.
SO IT WAS A LITTLE BIT HARD
FOR A TEACHER TO LET GO OF
THAT PART OF THE BOOK AND THEN
LETTING THE CHILDREN DRIVE THE
CURRICULUM.
THE TEACHER IS THE
FACILITATOR.
THE CHILDREN ACTUALLY DRIVE
THE CURRICULUM.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHRASES
THAT I SAY IS, WHAT DID THE
CHILDREN HAVE YOU DO TODAY?
DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE
CURRICULUM HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN
UNDERGIRDING OF EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
AND WHAT THE LEARNING CENTER
IS DOING IS THEY ARE USING AN
APPROACH THAT RELIES ON THE
TEACHER TO BE AN EXPERT IN
CHILD DEVELOPMENT.
THE ENVIRONMENT IS DESIGNED
WITH A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
THAT'S ENRICHED AND ENHANCED,
WHERE CHILDREN CAN BEGIN AT
THIS LEVEL OR MAYBE THIS LEVEL
OR MAYBE THIS LEVEL.
THE TEACHER'S JOB IS TO
SCAFFOLD THAT LEARNING.
♪ YOU HAVE A HEART ♪
♪ I HAVE A HEART ♪
♪ WE HAVE TWO HEARTS TOGETHER ♪
TAMI SPIDLE RUNS A
CHILD-CARE HOME IN
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
SHE'S BEEN DOING THIS TYPE OF
WORK FOR 20 YEARS.
I STARTED OUT WITH A
PROGRAM THAT WAS VERY
ACADEMIC, EVERYBODY IS SITTING
DOWN AT CIRCLE TIME BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TAUGHT WAS
NECESSARY FOR KIDS.
I STARTED SEEING THAT I DIDN'T
BELIEVE THAT, AND I STARTED
SEEING THAT THEY DID JUST FINE
WITHOUT BEING DIRECTED.
AND SO I STARTED CREATING THIS
ACTIVE LEARNING PROGRAM.
AS A CHILD-CARE PROVIDER,
TAMI GETS SUPPORT FROM THE
EARLY LEARNING COALITION AND
TAKES CLASSES FROM PROFESSOR
HARPER IN ORDER TO KEEP UP
WITH AGE-APPROPRIATE LEARNING.
THERE'S A LOT OF TALK IN
HOW TO KEEP A CHILD ENGAGED
AND NOT HAVE THEM BE
DISRUPTIVE.
WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS IF I
DON'T TRY TO TELL THEM WHAT TO
THINK OR WHAT TO DO, IF I
ALLOW THEM TO DO WHAT THEY
WANT TO DO AT THE TIME, THEN
THERE ARE A LOT LESS
INTERRUPTIONS.
AND THEN WHAT I DO IS I FOLLOW
THEM AROUND, AND I TRY TO ADD
TO WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
SOMETIMES HER CHILD-CARE
HOME MAY LOOK CHAOTIC, BUT HER
GOAL IS TO HELP THE CHILDREN
MANAGE THEMSELVES.
I GIVE THEM A LOT OF
FREEDOM, BUT I ALSO HAVE
BUILT-IN RULES ESTABLISHED
THAT THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW.
BY THE TIME THEY GET INTO BBK,
I WANT THEM TO BE VERY GOOD AT
SELF-REGULATING.
THAT'S MY NUMBER ONE CONCERN,
WHICH IS TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT
THE ANSWER NO AND MANAGE
THEMSELVES WELL, TO BE ABLE TO
DEFER TO SOMEBODY ELSE, TO BE
ABLE TO SHARE SPACE, TO CHANGE
THEIR MIND, TO CHANGE THEIR
INTENT ON SOMETHING BECAUSE IT
WON'T WORK.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET DOWN?
I'M GOING TO PUT YOU DOWN.
I CAN SIT DOWN.
YOU CAN SIT ON MY LAP RIGHT
HERE.
THE HIGHEST CORRELATION OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE ATTAINED GREAT
THINGS IN THEIR CAREERS AND IN
THEIR LIVES AND IN BUSINESS
AND IN INDUSTRY ARE HIGHLY
SELF-REGULATED LEARNERS.
BY GIVING CHILDREN AUTONOMY
EARLY ON TO SAY WHAT I'M GOING
TO WORK ON, WHAT I'M GOING TO
LEARN, HOW I'M GOING TO DO IT,
WE ARE BEGINNING TO BUILD
SELF-REGULATED LEARNERS.
SCIENTISTS HAVE LEARNED
THAT OUR BRAIN GOES THROUGH
DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENT EARLY IN
LIFE.
THOSE SYNAPTICAL
CONNECTIONS IN THE BRAIN,
THOSE NEURAL PATHWAYS, BETWEEN
THE AGES OF 0 TO 4 ARE BEING
STRENGTHENED AND HARDWIRED.
AND WITHOUT THESE KINDS OF
RICH INTERACTIONS THAT ARE
DIVERSE, YOU WON'T FIND THAT
THOSE PATHWAYS GET VERY
STRONG.
SO WE REALLY WANT RICH
INTERACTIONS FOR CHILDREN SO
THAT THOSE NEURAL PATHWAYS
REMAIN STRONG SO THAT WHEN
THEY ENTER SCHOOL, THEY ARE
PRE-WIRED TO ENGAGE IN SOME
RIGOROUS ACTIVITY.
THE FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS
IN SCHOOL STARTS HERE BEFORE
THEY EVEN REACH KINDERGARTEN.
THE FACTS AND THE ABCs AND
NUMBERS AND ALL THOSE THINGS
THAT THEY ARE GOING TO NEED
THEY WILL GET IN FIRST,
SECOND, THIRD GRADE.
BUT THIS EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL,
WHO THEY ARE, HOW TO MANAGE
THEMSELVES, SELF-REGULATION,
LET'S GIVE THEM FIVE YEARS TO
FORMULATE THAT WITHIN
THEMSELVES.
THE REST OF THE STUFF WILL
JUST ALL STICK.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN
FLORIDA, VISIT
flchildrenscouncil.org.
AND THAT WRAPS UP THIS EPISODE
OF "WEDU QUEST."
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,
AND EDUCATION, AND
TO VIEW THIS SERIES ONLINE,
VISIT US AT WEDU.ORG/QUEST.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.
I'M DR. SHANNON McQUAIG.
♪
HELIOS EDUCATION
FOUNDATION, CELEBRATING TEN
YEARS OF CHANGING LIVES
THROUGH EDUCATION IN ARIZONA,
AND FLORIDA, IS PROUD TO
SUPPORT "WEDU QUEST."
YOU CAN LEARN MORE AT
HELIOS.ORG.