PASC News Inside This Issue News & Notes...................... 2 • Job Posting for PASC Executive Director • Resource Development Coordinator Position Created 4th Quarter Project Ideas........................................ 2 Mark Your Calendar for the 76th PASC Conference....... 3 State Conference Workshop Presenters Needed.............. 3 PASC to Host Activity Advisor Seminar in June.............. 4 Let X Equal Student Activities................................ 4 2012 NASC Region 2 Conference Planned.................... 5 Nominee for NASC Region 2 Rep Selected.......................... 5 Student Finalists for State Board of Ed Announced...... 6 Plan to Attend PASC Summer Camp....................................... 6 New Advisor Roundtable Topics Sought........................ 7 Response to Cinderella Project Article.............................. 7
Act Globally with PASC State Charity By Sarah Blinn and Bob Tryanski Act Locally—Support Pennsylvania schools and communities still affected by the September floods, and Reach Globally— Raise the funds to fill the library in Ivory Park, South Africa! That is the goal for the 2012 PASC State Conference Charity, to raise $50,000 to help two very important causes. This amount will then be split equally among the September floods areas of PASC districts 7,8, and 9 and the library of Ivory Park, resulting in $25,000 for each part of our state charity. As of April 1, a little more than $600 has been sent to each charity to begin needed work. The last state charity article in March described our part in raising money for the September flood victims. This month we offer a description of the second part of the state charity, to fill the shelves of the library in Ivory Park, South Africa. Please keep in mind that we are NOT collecting books, due to the huge expense of shipping.
Volume 36 Issue 8 April 2012
The Ivory Park library promotes literacy with such programs as a class to help students moving on to high school pass their exams.
First, here is an update on the progress made in Ivory Park. Since January of 2009, PASC member schools, PASC alumni, and other state student council organizations have contributed more than $50,000 toward the development of a community center in Ivory Park. The funds have been used to implement several life-changing projects in a poverty stricken community of 1,000,000 people. A day care center, two kitchens, and feeding programs are some of the most recent developments. For complete results, check out the Keep It Campaign update on PASC.net Now the focus is shifting to the library, which serves as a gathering place for students and adults, a tutoring center, and literacy resource to promote reading advocacy. This past fall, the library offered a regular class to 75 of the older students who were about to move on to high school. At the end of the semester, 98% of these students passed their final exams, while before only
45% of the students passed. That is a mark of real success! So, let’s finish the library in 2012! The goal is to have a collection of 6,000 books available in 11 different official languages of South Africa, available in different interests and reading levels. The library currently has about 125 empty shelves. The average cost of a book is $10. Each shelf can hold about 60 books. Thus the cost of a shelf of books is $600. The main fundraising idea associated with Ivory Park is to host a dodgeball tournament. A complete book is available of all the planning stages including sample forms, timelines, and publicity posters. Link directly to http://www.bobtryanski. com/keepitcampaign/dodgeball/ for informative details to host a tournament. What a great way to end this school year with a tournament between staff and students in the name of literacy! Sarah Blinn serves as PASC State Charity chairperson and Bob Tryanski is the founder of Keep It Campaign for Ivory Park.
News & Notes Job Posting for PASC Executive Director According to the PASC Constitution the term of office of Executive Director is three years. The present term ends on December 31, 2012. Anyone may apply for PASC leadership positions. Candidates interested in this position can obtain a complete job description from PASC Assistant Executive Director Kathy Coll at 174 Link Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15237 (412-366-5744) or by emailing kcoll1@comcast.net. The Executive Director will serve on the PASC Executive Board from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015. Interested applicants must submit a cover letter and resume to Kathy no later than July 1, 2012. The PASC Executive Board will conduct interviews of applicants at the August board meeting (August 3–4, 2012) in Hanover, PA.
Resource Development Coordinator Position Created In an effort to widen the search for leadership development scholarships for students and for grants that will benefit PASC’s program outreach, the PASC Executive Board created a position of Resource Development Coordinator. This volunteer position will be filled on an interim basis by PASC District 12 Director Chris Seifert of Bishop McDevitt High School-Wyncote. The goal will be to fill the position, which has a three-year term, through interviews of interested advisors or other adults during the PASC Executive Board meeting to be held in Hanover, PA, August 3–4, 2012. The job description is posted at www.pasc.net and can also be obtained by emailing PASCInfo@aol.com. Several key aspects of the position include: • Researching foundation, government, and corporate grant opportunities, product donations, and fundraising activities • Preparing applications for all grant opportunities according to the individual organization guidelines but consistent with PASC mission and principles; including the collection of all supporting grant application materials such as but not limited to letters of support, audited financial statements, summer workshop and conference promotional materials and curriculum, media coverage, and resumes of Board members • Tracking the outcomes of all grant funded programs and initiatives for grant reporting purposes and future grant applications • Monitoring the appropriate media exposure of all funding agents in line with all memorandums of understanding and/ or grant agreements • Maintaining appropriate communication with funding agents with timely updates and accomplishments. 2
PASC News • April 2012 • www.pasc.net
4th Quarter Project Ideas Looking for a new project to sponsor this spring? Check out some of these ideas: n Earth Day. Reward students who ride the bus, walk, ride their bikes, or find other ways of getting to school besides driving a car on Earth Day, April 22. Estimate how much fuel was saved and how much less pollution was generated. n Snack Break. Provide a juice, oatmeal and raisin cookie, or fruit
snack for all students during standardized testing breaks. n Twister Tournament. Gather as many Twister games as you can
and hold a giant Twister tournament to help students de-stress during spring testing. Hand out informational fliers on how to recognize stress and ways to relieve it. n Shoebox Drive. Collect personal care items—toothbrush,
toothpaste, brush, soap, shampoo, etc.—and put them in decorated shoeboxes to donate to homeless shelters or abused women facilities. n Teacher Appreciation Week. Celebrate teacher appreciation
week, May 7–11, by having each student write a note of appreciation to one or more teachers who have made an impact on their life. Deliver the notes with a mint and the thought that “When it comes to kids, you’re worth a mint!” n Trash It Day. Pick a day near the end of
the school year for students to clean out their lockers and throw all their trash on the hallway floors. Have student council members go through the halls to pick up the trash, recycling usable supplies for the needy.
n Lost and Found Fashion Show. Hold a lunchtime fashion
show with the items that have accumulated in the school’s lost and found. n Cutest Pet Photo Contest. Sponsor a cutest pet photo contest
in honor of Be Kind to Animals Week, May 6–12. Students cast their vote with coins and the photo with the most votes wins a pet grooming session or gift certificate to a veterinarian. Donate the money collected to a local animal shelter. n Mother Goose on the Loose. In honor of
Mother Goose Day, May 1, arrange for studnet leaders to read nursery rhymes to children at a nearby kindergarten or day care center.
n Empty Bowls. Work with art students or local artists to create
ceramic bowls that will be used for a soup and bread dinner to raise money for a food shelter. Participants pay for the dinner—or donate a designated amount of nonperishable food—and get to keep the handmade bowl.
Mark Your Calendar for November 1–3, 2012
The 76th PASC State Conference IGNITE Yourself, Your School, and Your Community to Serve Others at the 2012 PASC State Conference hosted by Laurel and Union High Schools. The students, faculty, and administration of our host schools and the New Castle community are very excited to welcome you this fall. The Scottish Rite Cathedral, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is the central location of this year’s conference. First used in 1926, the Cathedral is one of the most beautiful buildings in New Castle. It was original built by the Masonic Order of New Castle and is now operated by a private foundation. It is used for many local events such as weddings, banquets, and con-
certs as well as performances by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The PASC state conference will use the main floor of the Cathedral’s 2,800seat auditorium for general sessions and will use the ballroom as the site of Friday night’s conference banquet and dances. Registration will be held on Thursday in the lobby of the Cathedral’s grand hall. Meeting rooms will be used for regional caucus meetings and advisor roundtable sessions. The general sessions will highlight three wonderful, entertaining, and motivational speakers. On Thursday, Matt Emerzian, co-founder and co-author of Every Monday Matters (EMM), will share his message. EMM promotes the
idea that people have power in many different areas. Many people are inspired by EMM and have formed clubs and groups on social networking sites to share their stories. Friday’s speaker is Heather Schultz, a keynote speaker since 1989 from Atlanta, Georgia. Her messages have focused on leadership, personal power, anti-bullying, drug and alcohol prevention, positive choices, and achieving greatness. Then on Saturday, we present Ian Tyson, from Ontario, Canada. Ian brings entertainment and humor to the stage with his relatable stories about overcoming obstacles and making a difference in the lives of others. We are very excited to showcase these speakers and know you will enjoy them.
Our conference hosts are already anticipating your arrival! Please check the conference website, www.pasc2012.org for more information on our state charity, registration, attractions near New Castle, and more information on the keynote speakers. Look for a conference informational mailing in late April. Start planning, we know you won’t want to miss this conference—it’s going to be a BLAST!
The Scottish Rite Cathedral, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is the central location of this year’s PASC conference. Its auditorium, ballroom, grand hall, and meeting rooms will provide luxurious settings for conference activities.
State Conference Workshop Presenters Needed Students who wish to apply to present workshops at the November 2012 PASC state conference should go to www.pasc2012.org to download information. On the site, an application is included along with a copy of the rubric which will be used to select the workshops to be presented. Copies of these materials and suggestions for creative and excellent workshops for states are also posted at www.pasc2012.org and at www.pasc.net. Workshops will be needed for both high school and middle school delegates. Each workshop will be present-
ed two times and will last for 40 minutes each time. Plan now to share an effective project or leadership lesson that you have learned as a “veteran” student leader. Deadline for submission of applications to present workshops is August 10, 2012. Workshop presenters will be notified of their acceptance by August 20, 2012.
Show what you know! Present a workshop at states. PASC News • April 2012 • www.pasc.net
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PASC to Host Activity Advisor Seminar in June Under the leadership of PASC Workshop Directors Andy Costanzo and Kathy Coll, PASC will sponsor a workshop that will reach out to student council advisors, class advisors, NHS advisors, and club advisors. An Activity Advisors’ Seminar Info sheet will be included with the invoice for PASC dues, which PASC member advisors will receive in mid-April. Registration will be completed by going to www. pasc.net. Registration deadline: June 1, 2012. Dates • Beginning Wednesday, June 27 at approximately 11:00 am • Ending Thursday, June 28 at approximately 4:00 pm Site • Susquehanna University, located 50 miles north of Harrisburg. • Air-conditioned classroom and accommodations Registration Cost: $75 Meals: $33 Lodging Packages • $18 per person double occupancy • $27 single occupancy Act 48 Credit will be granted Resources: PASC resources will be provided at each session, including Leadership Standards for the 21st Century Leader and Lyn Fiscus’ excellent Adviser’s Guide to Student Activities. Program: The program will be appropriate for both new and experienced activity advisors and will feature large group and breakout sessions. 4
Featured program elements will include: n David Trevaskis, expert on the legal aspects of activity advising n Effective use of technology for advisors n Principles of situational advising n Working effectively with the administration
n Parliamentary procedure/
meeting skills n Stress management for busy advisors n Icebreakers and activities to increase student involvement n The Value of Co-Curricular Activities in the Educational Process n Idea exchange session n Organizational and time
management tips n Creating/developing a lead-
ership class. Invite other advisors or coaches to be part of the 2012 activity advisors’ seminar and plan now to join PASC June 27–28 at Susquehanna University!
The Alliance for Student Activities has created an engaging presentation that pulls together the most current research, dialogue and thinking about the impact of participating in co-curricular activities on student performance. Whatever the desired educational, social, or emotional outcome, student activities—like student council—are the common denominator that drives student performance. Participation in student activities increases students’ standardized test scores, GPAs, graduation rates, college acceptance rates, and college success rates. It practically eliminates the likelihood that a student will choose to drop out of high school. Student activities also develop core social and emotional skills while reducing high-risk behavioral problems and long term public assistance needs. Where’s the proof? Check out a compelling video produced by the Alliance at www.letxequalsa.com, then sign up to receive ongoing articles and reports detailing the research and statistics behind the video. The Alliance invites you to become a champion for student activities by helping to spread the word about the incredible benefits to students of participating in activities like student council. The evidence is overwhelming and quite compelling. Student activities are the missing variable in too many educational reform equations.
PASC News • April 2012 • www.pasc.net
2012 NASC Region 2 Conference Planned By Sarah Rudasill, Region 2 Student Liaison It’s that time of year again… time for the annual Region 2 Conference! On April 20–22, PASC student leaders and advisors will be traveling to the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center in Maryland to participate in a three-day conference with leaders from Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland. These states together with Pennsylvania make up NASC Region 2, a collaborative organization dedicated to bringing together student leaders to exchange ideas and to build leadership skills. Your PASC Regional Representatives and student leaders from around the Commonwealth will be tasked with making new friends and gaining innovative ideas to bring back to schools in Pennsylvania. Each year the conference features numerous opportunities for delegates to network, share leadership experiences, and exchange project ideas. Each state’s leaders will present a workshop on a topic that reflects their state organization’s strengths and facilitate two roundtables to discuss various issues in student leadership. Delegates will participate in team-building activities to get to know their fellow leaders
and practice the art of communication. Energizers throughout the day allow students to show their enthusiasm for leadership and display their best motivational tactics. All of these activities provide delegates with new ideas and tools to take back to their schools, regions, and PASC as a whole. While there is an educational component to the conference, it is clear that bringing together dozens of passionate student leaders results in a lot of fun and lifelong friendships. One of the most important business tasks of the region is the selection of the next NASC Region 2 Representative. This year, a student will be selected to serve a two-year term on the NASC Advisory Council. The representative will be in charge of voicing student concerns to NASC while facilitating communication between the states of Region 2 and strengthening our state ties. A committee consisting of both students and adults from all states will be selecting the next representative during the conference from among the nominees of each state. As the outgoing Region 2 Student Representative, I will be pass-
ing on the torch to the next student who will guide our region forward in the coming years. Another crucial business topic is our region’s vision for the future. As Region 2 explores the possibility of a Northeastern Association of Student Councils, we are looking to formalize the region’s affairs to prepare for the organization’s growth in the future. Student leaders and advisors from each state will participate in a session designed to contemplate the future of our region and to identify potential outlets for growth. Delegates will provide feedback on a draft constitution and will help determine the course of the Region’s future. It is clear that PASC student leaders and advisors will be very busy during their time in Arlington Echo. They will gain new ideas, share PASC points of pride, and develop friendships with the leaders of Region 2. More importantly, they will play a pivotal role in deciding the future of our region for the next generation of student leaders. If you have any questions about Region 2 or how to get involved, please email me at rudasill2013@ comcast.net.
PASC NEWS is published monthly during the school year. To submit announcements, articles, or corrections for newsletters, please email the Executive Director or Assistant Executive Director. Articles or information from PASC NEWS may be reproduced for use, with appropriate credit. Executive Director Jim Finnemeyer North Penn HS 1340 Valley Forge Road Lansdale, PA 19446 215-280-9299 215-855-0632 (Fax) Finnemeyer@aol.com PASCInfo@aol.com Assistant Executive Director Kathy Ann Coll 174 Link Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15237 412-366-5744 Kcoll1@comcast.net PASC President Kristina Riggans Union MSHS 2106 Camden Avenue New Castle, PA 16101 PASC President-Elect Danielle Croner Boyertown High School 120 N. Monroe Street Boyertown, PA 19512 PASC News Editor Lyn Fiscus Leadership Logistics
Jarrod Cingel of Bethel Park HS To Be PASC’s Nominee for NASC Region 2 Representative Jarrod Cingel of Bethel Park HS (District 3) was selected on March 2 to be PASC’s nominee for the NASC Region 2 Representative position. As Technology Coordinator, Jarrod is one of two sophomores on the BPHS Student Council Executive Board. He will be interviewed with other Region 2 state nominees in late April by the state presidents and executive directors of the Middle Atlantic States at a regional meeting in Maryland on April 20–22. The student selected at that meeting will become a member of the NASC Advisory Council and serve a two-year term beginning July 1, 2012. Congratulations and good luck, Jarrod.
PASC Email: PASCInfo@aol.com PASC Website: www.pasc.net
PASC News • April 2012 • www.pasc.net
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Student Finalists for State Board of Education Announced The Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils is pleased to announce that the following students have been selected as finalists for the State Board of Education Junior Member position. These finalists will be interviewed in Harrisburg on Saturday, April 28, 2012. One sophomore will be selected for this position.
9–10, 2012 meeting in Harrisburg. Best wishes to the following finalists as they move forward in the selection process to be named as a student non-voting member of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.
The SBE Selection Committee appreciated the submission of application packets (which included resumes, essays, and recommendations) from each of the excellent candidates from across the Commonwealth. The selected student will join Erin Agnew of Springfield Township HS on the State Board. Erin has served this past year as the Junior Student Member and will become the Senior Student Member at the conclusion of the board’s May
Emily Clark
Seneca Valley Intermediate HS
Alicia Dawdani
Ridley HS
Himali Ranade
Chartiers Valley HS
Jiana Saigh
East Stroudsburg HS North
George Stern
Conestoga HS
Underclassmen: Include a PASC Summer Camp In Your Plans The 2012 Summer Leadership Workshop Brochure and Application were mailed in early March to all student council advisors. The Blue and Gold brochures are posted at www.pasc.net. Also found at the PASC website are:
• Summer Leadership Workshop Application •Summer Leadership Workshop Frequently Asked Questions
Many of the PASC District Associations have scholarships available to attend a Blue or Gold PASC Summer Leadership Workshop. Now is the time to contact YOUR District Director to see what is available in your area or go to www.pasc. 6
Please note the following dates and locations and begin planning now for students to attend a PASC Summer
• Sample One-Day Schedules for Blue-Gold-Advanced Gold Workshops
Costs & Deadlines Blue (Grades 7–9) Grove City College July 8–12 Lebanon Valley College July 29–Aug 2 Gold (Grades 9–12) Grove City College July 15–20 Susquehanna University July 29–Aug 3 Advanced Gold (Grades 11–12) University of Pittsburgh/Johnstown July 15–21 Workshop Scholarships Available
• Curriculum Benchmarks for Blue-GoldAdvanced Gold Workshops
Early Bird (May 11th)
Regular ( June 8th)
$340 $340
$365 $365
$365 $365
$390 $390
$450
$475
net and check out scholarship information on your District Association’s page. Don’t delay, deadlines are fast approaching in many districts. Visit the PASC Summer Workshops video which can be found on our website by clicking on summer workshops. This video can also be seen on
PASC News • April 2012 • www.pasc.net
You Tube by going to http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AkX8vGGoU. Please share this video at an upcoming Student Council meeting, or provide it to your student leaders and parents to give them a sense of what our leadership workshops programs offer.
Leadership Workshop in July:
PASC SUMMER WORKSHOPS The Best Part of the Summer Begins with You!
New Advisor Roundtable Topics Sought Advisors planning to attend the state conference in New Castle are invited to present a 10-minute roundtable to other advisors. Each high school and middle school has favorite projects, school and community service ideas, ways of organizing their council, training officers and representatives, fundraisers that work, and many other ideas to share. Advisors, if you have never presented a state conference roundtable, WE NEED YOU in 2012. This is an easy way for advisors to be involved at the PASC state conference. Roundtables will be presented three or four times on Friday, November 2. Presenters are asked to duplicate 75 copies of a one-page handout to be distributed to those who come to each 10-minute presentation. As a thank-you, advisors who present a roundtable idea are given a complete set of all the handouts from all the presenters. Advisors, please indicate your interest in volunteering to present a topic by sending an email to Kathy Coll at kcoll1@comcast.net by June 15. In the email, indicate a topic title and a one or two sentence summary of the topic.
Letter to PASC News:
Response to Cinderella Project Article By Kristine Smith, Advisor Elk Lake HS kristine.smith@elklakeschools.org I read the “Cinderella” article in the March PASC NEWS and thought I’d share our story with you. About eight years ago, a civic group in Scranton opened a “Cinderella’s Closet” where they got donations of used and new prom gowns. The closet was open for one day in April. I shared the information with the students at our school and saw how much interest there was and the obvious need for it. The dresses at their event were $10-$20 if I remember correctly. I began our own “Cinderella’s Closet” about six years ago. I send emails throughout the school to faculty, staff, and students, hang ads and make announcements for donations. I ask for dresses (both short and long for formal and semi-formal events), shoes, purses, jewelry, ties, dress shirts and dress pants. Then, I send an email to all students in the high school about a month before the event, whether it’s prom, homecoming or another semi-formal. I let them know that if they want to attend the event, they will. Not being able to afford tickets or clothing will not prevent them from attending. All they have to do is contact me through email or stop in my classroom to arrange a time for us to meet. I don’t charge anything. It’s not a fundraiser at all. I let students know that their communication with me will be kept strictly confidential. I also ask any students who donate to remember that this is a random act of kindness. The student who is receiving their donation does not know who donated it, so if they see someone wearing their dress, they should not say anything to anyone about it. I’ve never had a problem with it. Actually, I’ve had several occasions where students came to me after events and said how great it felt to see someone wearing what they gave us. It’s just a great experience for everyone involved. I meet with the students who need something
and let them look through what I have. Sometimes they take a few items home to get Mom’s approval and then return all but one. There have been occasions where I didn’t have what we needed in our closet, like the right size or shoes to match a dress. We’ve used student council funds to purchase items from a thrift shop (Salvation Army, Good Will) or shopped around at clearances. You’d be surprised what you can find! If there are students who also cannot afford the tickets, we absorb the cost in the overall budget for the event. We are fortunate to be connected to the Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center where one of the courses offered is Cosmetology. When I started the closet, the teachers in that program contacted me and said they would open their shop and do hair and nails for free for students who were receiving items from me. By building this program, students go to the prom and pay absolutely nothing, but no one else there knows. I cannot put into words how incredible it is to provide this to our students. It’s incredible to share the excitement, the smiles, and the tears. I encourage all schools to develop a program like this that will work for them. I would happy to answer any questions about what we do. Please feel free to share our information and my email with whomever.
Share Your Successful Ideas Does your council have a project that is particularly successful? Write up a short description of the activity and send it with photos to PASCInfo@aol.com. You could find yourself featured in an upcoming issue of PASC News! PASC News • April 2012 • www.pasc.net
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