Recognizing a Community Partner
The Division of Children's Environmental Health within the Health Department would like to salute a special community partner, Kara Savio who recently won an Emmy award. Savio currently works as a news anchor and reporter for HEC-TV and STL TV, but she holds job titles as a freelance producer, writer, reporter, as well as a television and radio host. She has done documentaries for two City of St Louis Department of Health programs: Asthma Friendly St. Louis (found at AsthmaFriendlyStLouis.org and at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30dU1v-lAWc) and Lead Safe St. Louis (found at LeadSafeStLouis.org and at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tgS3maw88o). Savio's documentaries highlight the importance, increased awareness, and results these programs have provided to residents of St Louis City. The videos also recognize the agencies and people in the City of St Louis who work as a team to make our City healthier. Savio's documentaries help to inform people in the community and those who visit the Department of Health website about the programs available and the accessibility and importance of them.
Recently however, she won her Emmy award for producing a story focused on troubled youth and a man determined to change those kids' futures. Judge Jimmie Edwards and the Innovative Concept Academy he created was the focus of her Emmy award-winning story. Edwards, who was just named as one of People Magazine's "People of the Year," is credited with noticing the needs of troubled kids and implementing those necessities into his academy for these youth who have been arrested, abused, and no longer accepted in the public school system. (Link to video:http://www.hectv.org/programs/series/behind-the-minds/1503/february-2012/%23play428%22/#play428)
Savio first met Edwards while doing a quick interview with him for STL TV. Once she learned about Judge Edward's efforts to help troubled kids she had to meet him. Once she met him she remarked, "I knew I had to tell his story!" She described him as such "an incredible man, doing something that can literally change the lives of thousands of kids across the United States if it catches on!" Savio further noted that upon meeting the kids Edwards has helped, one cannot help but notice the difference attending the Innovative Academy personally made to each of them.
Savio's desire is for those who see the story of Judge Edwards to be inspired to implement his idea in other places worldwide. Here in St. Louis and around the country, the challenges of troubled youth and youth violence are being recognized as public health challenges. She hopes other jurisdictions will implement this same policy and that kids with these unfortunate life beginnings can realize they can become anything they want to be, even the President of the United States.
Savio, a native of Indiana, attended broadcast school at Columbia College in Chicago and lived there six years before moving to Missouri. She began hosting and producing for a live local magazine/news show, See Hear on Charter Cable, for which she received one silver and three bronze Telly Awards for her work. She joined the STL TV team in 1995 where she worked as a host and producer for numerous shows. Recently she has been working as a news anchor/ reporter for STL TV, and is also working in radio and on-air talent/ traffic reporter for several area stations including KSLZ, K-HITS, KYKY, KSD, WSSM and 106.5 The Arch.
Health Department
City of St. Louis
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