“Sesame Street” exec to give ECU’s Batten Lecture

An executive for the long-running children’s television show “Sesame Street” will be the featured speaker at East Carolina University’s annual James W. Batten Distinguished Educator Lecture and Awards Ceremony on Tuesday Feb. 6.

Dr. Valeria O. Lovelace, the assistant vice president and director of research for the acclaimed PBS program will speak at 7:30 p.m. in Wright Auditorium. Her address is titled “Teaching Tips From Sesame Street.” The lecture is free and open to the public. Earlier in the day, in a program set for 3 p.m. at the Willis (Regional Development Institute) Building, Lovelace will also participate in a discussion about “What Our Children Learn and Don’t Learn: The Interplay of Censorship with Law, Policy and Politics.” Her remarks will be included with those of Dr. Gene Lanier, an ECU Library Studies professor and national consultant on issues involving censorship.

The presentations are part of ECU’s annual series of lecture and awards programs named in honor of James W. Batten of Greenville. Dr. Batten is a professor emeritus in the ECU School of Education. As part of the program, ECU will also recognize eight individuals for their contributions to education. The awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday evening.
Lovelace joined the Children’s Television Workshop in 1982. She coordinates materials for segments of the “Sesame Street” show that teach reading, writing, math, science, music, geography and computers. She has also compiled the research for the show’s segements that address such issues as love, pregnancy, death and race relations.

She holds five Emmy Awards for her work with the program. She is also the recipient of an Outstanding Alumni Award from East Carolina University and current member of ECU’s Board of Trustees. The lecture and awards program is co-sponsored by the ECU School of Education and the honor societies of Phi Delta Kappa and Kappa Delta Pi Chapters at ECU.