PASC News Inside This Issue News & Notes.........................2 NASC Student Liaison to be Named...................................2 Alumni Partners to Play Role in State Conference............3 Pennridge Prepares to Welcome 1,100 Delegates........3 Leadership Workshops Leave Lasting Memories................4 Act Now on Scholarship Opportunities.......................6 Reflections on the 2009 U.S. Senate Youth Program........7 Middle Level Rep Report NASC Conference 2009....8 Athens School District Holds Seventh Grade Summer Leadership Institute............8 Board of Education Student Reps Report.........................9 NASC Conference Pre-trip Plans for 2010......................9 Keep It Campaign Inaugural Project....................................10 State Conference Workshops Selected.................................11 Fall Is a Great Time to Raise Funds for the PASC State Charity...................................11
Volume 34 Issue 1 September 2009
Kathy Coll Named NASC Advisor of the Year PASC Assistant Executive Director and recently retired North Allegheny Intermediate HS advisor Kathy Coll was recognized as the Warren E. Shull Student Council Advisor of the Year at the NASC Conference in Denver, Colorado. Kathy was advisor at NAIHS for 25 years. She remains active in every program sponsored by PASC and co-directs the PASC Advanced Gold Summer Leadership Workshop each July at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. Kathy was recognized in 2008 as the District 3 Advisor of the Year, the PASC Advisor of the Year, and in February 2009 as the Middle Atlantic States Advisor of the Year. Kathy has been instrumental in the North Allegheny School District promoting the teaching of leadership as an important part of the curriculum. Her council had more than 200 members and 11 officers and consistently was one of the most active in Pennsylvania. Under her tutelage, the council has built an impressive record in key areas such as service,
PASC Assistant Executive Director Kathy Coll accepts the national Warren E. Shull Advisor of the Year award at the NASC Conference.
student voice, and leadership development. Specific projects include a principal advisory committee that meets twice monthly; a grant presentation in 2004 to secure a $50,000 grant for leadership training; and an annual dance marathon that raised more than $125,000 for selected charities in each of the last eight years. “One of the coolest things is that I met Warren Shull back in 1988, so [receiving the award] meant so much more,” says Kathy. As a high school student in Oklahoma, the late Warren Shull created the National Association of Student Councils in 1931. The award in his name recognizes student council advisers of exemplary character, leadership, and commitment to young people and their development as student leaders. Kathy continues to promote student involvement. She recently returned from a trip to South Africa where she and Bob Tryanski, 2008 PAL presenter, are working with
students from the PASC Advanced Gold workshop to build a library at Ivory Park in South Africa. (See article on page 10.) Look for ways that your school might help support this program as you read about it in future issues of PASC NEWS. In a recent article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette Kathy said, “we need to get young advisors involved with the students and get advisors to stay in it for more than one or two years. There are a lot of resources through PASC and it is a great network. I would plead with them to stick with it. These students are wonderful. I found that when you empower them, amazing things will happen.” Congratulations to Kathy, an outstanding Pennsylvania advisor. PASC is proud that Kathy is the third PASC advisor presented with the Warren E. Shull Award since its inception in 1989. Previous winners were Jim Finnemeyer at North Penn HS in 2001 and Andy Costanzo from Interboro HS in 2003.
News & Notes News in Brief from August Executive Board Meeting n Executive Director Jim Finnemeyer was selected to returned for a twelfth three-year term, which ends December 31, 2012 n Treasurer Tim Leonard has left his position to pursue graduate studies. Bill Sebastian was appointed to complete Tim’s term, ending in 2011. n Miriam Amoud, Altoona HS sophomore, was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Region C Rep position until January, 2010. n Altoona HS was named as the site for the 75th PASC State Conference to be held in November 2011. Altoona held the first PASC Conference in 1934 and the 50th conference in 1986. They were also the site of conferences in 1948 and 1992. Altoona advisor David Aboud will again serve as a host advisor for the third time. n Summer workshop delegate numbers increased with significant gains at the Gold programs. Working with workshop staff members and Alumni Partners, a recruitment plan has been developed for the Blue workshops in 2010. Workshop brochures and applications will be available by January 1, 2010. n One of the top agenda items for January should be a re-evaluation of the website, and students’ involvement with the website. n The PAL Conference scheduled for the fall of 2010 was postponed to 2011 because of the October 2010 state conference in Scranton. n Changes made to PASC Mission Statement are highlighted in red below: The mission of the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils is to offer year-round opportunities to develop and apply leadership, life skills, and civic engagement for middle level and high school students and their advisors throughout Pennsylvania. The process by which the association will accomplish their mission will be by disseminating information for building effecting organizations, recognizing individual and school achievements, promoting community service, providing positive enthusiastic forums for networking and sharing ideas, and partnering with state organizations that perpetuate civic engagement.
2
PASC News • September 2009 • www.pasc.net
NASC Student Liaison to Be Named The State Student Council organizations of the Middle Atlantic States have created a new student position called the NASC Region 2 Student Liaison. In the past, NASC has had one student representative from each of its eight regions in the country. In a cost-saving effort, NASC begins in 2010 to narrow its NASC Advisory Council membership to four students and four advisors down from a total of 16. The state organizations of Region 2 (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) feel that when the representative term of Stephen DeSalvo of New York comes to an end in June 2010, that one student should still serve the region. This student will: 1. Serve from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2012. 2. Foster communication between the state presidents and Executive Directors of the Middle Atlantic states. 3. Communicate student ideas and concerns from the states of Region 2 to the student representatives serving on the NASC Advisory Committee. 4. Assist with the planning of the annual spring meeting of NASC Region 2 state officers and Executive Directors. 5. Foster the sharing of ideas and projects among the state organizations of Region 2. PASC now seeks to begin the process of naming a Pennsylvania nominee for this position. Current freshman and sophomores may apply. The following is the PASC application process: 1. An application can be obtained from PASC at PASCInfo@aol. com or by downloading information at www.pasc.net. 2. The application is due to the PASC Office by the postmark deadline of October 15, 2009. 3. The PASC Committee on NASC Relations will review student applications and select three finalists. Students will be notified by November 18, 2009. 4. The three finalists will be interviewed by the NASC Relations Committee on Friday, January 15, 2010, in Altoona, PA. 5. The PASC nominee will be interviewed at the NASC Region 2 State Officers meeting in New Jersey on Saturday, April 24, 2010, along with other nominees from NASC Region 2 states.
Share Your Successful Ideas with PASC!
Does your council have a project or activity that was particularly successful last year? Write up a short description and send it with photos to PASCInfo@aol.com and you could find yourself featured in an upcoming issue of PASC News!
PASC Alumni Association News
Alumni Partners to Play Role in State Conference PASC Alumni Partners are planning a major event on Saturday, November 14, 2009, to coincide with the state conference at Pennridge HS. The Alumni Partners will be hosting a continental breakfast for all PASC alum beginning at 8:30 a.m. This social gathering will bring together past PASC program participants in a relaxed atmosphere as old acquaintances are renewed and new connections are made. Under the leadership of Nate Wambold, the Alumni Partners will create seven panels of alumni to share the value of networking with present PASC
conference delegates. The alumni panels will be held as a 45-minute activity in each of the regional caucuses on Saturday morning, November 14. Alumni will have the opportunity to share their experience since they graduated from high school and reflect on the skills they learned through PASC that have benefited them in their post-high school lives. State President Abby Case and the Pennridge student conference team are looking forward to recognizing our alumni as we “Celebrate PASC” in the closing general session of the conference.
Following the general session, Alumni Partners in attendance will have an opportunity to meet with Alumni Partners Liaison Allyssa Rommel for their first business meeting. Allyssa’s goal for this one-hour meeting will be to solicit additional alumni to recruit PASC delegates to summer workshops in 2010, to plan future alumni events, and to plan for quarterly electronic Alumni Newsletters. On September 1, Alyssa and Nate are planning an electronic communication to be sent to all Alumni Partners who have completed the Alumni Survey at www.pasc.net. This
communication will announce details of the November 14th events. Allyssa can be contacted at allyssarommel@yahoo. com and Nate can be contacted at alumn@celebrate2009.org.
PASC advisors and student leaders, you can help our Alumni Partners by sharing this information with PASC alumni that you know. Remember our alumni are not just from the 21st century, but can go back all the way to 1932. What a great time for PASC to reconnect with active members from the past! Please help us do that.
It’s time to register for states!
Pennridge HS Prepares to Welcome 1,100 Delegates By Zach Costa and Dylan Van Arsdale, Conference Co-Chairs We’re rolling out the red carpet this November at Pennridge HS. Will you join the celebration? Continuing PASC’s tradition of delivering incredible student leadership building opportunities, and one of the most enjoyable conferences, this year will be no different. Pennridge is excited to share with advisors and student leaders the highlights that no one would want to miss. n General Sessions will be jaw dropping, with wonderful visual spectacles and speakers Scott Greenberg and Josh Sundquist, will inspire to the utmost level. n Performances and highlights of student leadership will define the conference as
we celebrate our schools, our councils, and PASC. n Alumni Participation: This year’s conference is host to the first ever Alumni Partners meeting on Saturday morning. PASC Alumni will participate in the program by connecting with current students and sharing their experiences as leaders. n Advisor Program: This unique learning experience will be matched by a special new and enhanced Advisor University. For the first time in PASC history, the Advisor University will take place at the State Conference. Advisors will participate in a jam-packed schedule of incredible workshops, seminars, round table discussions, and much more. n Mini-Thon: Thursday night is sure to be a celebration worth remembering, as students participate in a Mini-Thon at
Pennridge. This threehour event will bring together everyone in PASC to celebrate the schools that raised funds “For The Kids” and to provide new ideas to other schools. n Workshops are sure to be a favorite this year. The best and finest workshops have been selected, and we can personally say that delegates will have an engaging experience on Friday learning with these talented students. With much to look forward to and fewer than 75 days until the conference, a conference information packet was sent to all PASC member schools on August 27. This mailing contains everything you need to know to register your delegates, including each school’s user name and password needed
for registration. Passwords are activated for all schools that paid their 2009–2010 dues by August 15. Passwords will be activated for schools that have not paid their dues as soon as dues are received by Carole Kustafik, PASC Membership Coordinator. There is nothing holding your school back from attending an incredible PASC State Conference. For conference schedules, details on speakers, student housing, and advisor hotel accommodations go to www.pasc. net or to celebrate2009.org.
PASC News • September 2009 • www.pasc.net
3
Leadership Workshops Leave Lasting Memories
C
raziness, excitement, and intellectual stimulation, said Jonathan Bucci about his experience at the PASC Gold Leadership Workshop at Grove City in 2008. Year after year, students attend Leadership Workshops designed to build relationships and enhance leadership skills while helping them realize the positive influence they can have on the world. “PASC summer workshops are a fun way to meet new people, sharpen your leadership, find your own voice, and learn how to make your world a better place,” said Wallace Weaver, a Susquehanna Gold Workshop participant. The week-long experience is “hard to explain because of all of the great emotions and memories I had there,” said 4
PASC News • September 2009 • www.pasc.net
Melinda Massella, an attendee of the Leadership Workshop at Grove City. “A PASC summer workshop is the greatest collection of delegates and staff in the state.” Attendees participate in workshops, competitions, and dances and listen to motivational speakers. Each of these is designed to implement positive group work for a common goal, while maintaining a positive attitude in challenging situations. “They are camps where you grow as a leader and a person,” said Erin Oberg, an attendee of the 2008 PASC Leadership Workshop at Grove City. “You get the opportunity to become a better person. I loved every moment.” “During Gold I learned a lot about working with groups of people to reach a common goal. Advanced Gold not
only helped me learn about resolving conflict, ethics, and leadership, but it helped me learn a lot about myself,” said Massella. Attendees said they value the relationships made during the week. “I greatly enjoyed the friendships and bonds I made with the other delegates and staff that also attended the workshops,” said Jennifer Hentzen, an attendee at the 2006 Lebanon Valley College workshop. Sydney Palmer, an attendee of the 2008 Leadership Workshop at Susquehanna valued “all the new ideas and friendships you leave with.” Leadership workshops are places of personal growth, new challenges, and the chance to “learn even more about myself and how my role in student council can be improved,” Massella said.
“
You come out of this crazy week with friends and stories to last the entire car ride home.I wouldn’t trade my workshop experience for anything!
”
-Melissa Massella
“
You become a family in a way that is almost impossible to discribe in human words. Saying how much you love each other is honestly not weird or awkward. It is simply the truth!
”
—Jonathan Bucci
“
PASC summer workshops are a fun way to meet new people,find your own voice, and learn how to make your world a better place.
”
—Wallace Weaver
Photos provided by Kyle Kauffman & Dorothy Noll Article & graphic design by Sondra Rodriguez PASC News • September 2009 • www.pasc.net
5
PASC NEWS
Act Now on Scholarship Opportunities
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.
Two student delegates from each state will be chosen to receive $5,000 college scholarships and the opportunity to spend a week in Washington, D.C. (all expenses paid) with delegates from across the nation.
Executive Director Jim Finnemeyer North Penn HS 1340 Valley Forge Road Lansdale, PA 19446 215-368-6196 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 Abby Case Pennridge HS 1400 N. Fifth Street Perkasie, PA 18944 PASC President-Elect Cheyenne Santoriello Mountain View HS RR 1, Box 339 Kingsley, PA PASC News Editor Lyn Fiscus Leadership Logistics PASC Email: PASCInfo@aol.com PASC Website: www.pasc.net
United States Senate Youth Scholarship Program
Every Pennsylvania high school principal received the Senate Youth nomination packet in late August. Applications are also available on the Pennsylvania Department of Education website. Each school may nominate one outstanding student leader to be considered for the scholarship. Please encourage your high school principal to help honor your own top student leader by participating in the Senate Youth Scholarship program. To be eligible for the Senate Youth scholarship, a student must be a high school junior or senior and must hold an elected position in student council, class government, or regional or state officer position in a statewide organization. After being nominated by the building principal, the student must complete an application packet and submit it by October 15, 2009 (postmark). Go to page 7 to read “Reflections on the 2009 U.S. Senate Youth Program,” the experience of Brendan Marasco, one of the two scholarship recipients from this past year. Horatio Alger Scholarships The Horatio Alger Association is accepting applications
6
PASC News • September 2009 • www.pasc.net
for the Class of 2010 due no later than October 30, 2009. Please share the following information with your Guidance Department and with students that you know who fit the following criteria: The Horatio Alger Association seeks to assist students who have demonstrated integrity, perseverance in overcoming adversity, strength of character, financial need (under $50,000 adjusted gross family income), a good academic record, commitment to pursue a college education, and a desire to contribute to society. Within the Horatio Alger Scholarships there are four special programs of interest to PASC members: n National Scholars Program: Three Pennsylvania students will be selected to each receive a $20,000 scholarship and will be invited to the National Awards program in Washington, D.C., with 105 other students and the Association’s ten 2010 Distinguished American Award Winners in April 2010. n Pennsylvania Scholars Program: Funded through the generosity of Joseph and Jeanette Neubauer, the Pennsylvania Scholarship Program annually awards $2,500 scholarships to 50 deserving students from Pennsylvania n Franklin Scholarship Program (only for Pennsylvania seniors): Funded through a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Franklin Scholars Program annually awards $10,000 to 25 students in the state of Pennsylvania. The
program is designed to increase student understanding and appreciation of the contributions of Ben Franklin and Horatio Alger, Jr. Scholarship criteria are the same for other Horatio Alger Scholarships. An additional essay on Ben Franklin is required. For an application and detailed information on this new scholarship contact horatioalger.com/scholarships/ programs_franklin.cfm. n New NASC Scholarship: A Horatio Alger Scholarship for a student council member in an NASC member school. Go to www.nasc.us for details. These scholarships can only be applied for online: www. horatioalger.com/scholarships/ index.cfm Prudential Spirit of Community Awards The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program will award scholarships to students recognized for their dedication and selfless commitment to volunteerism. Eligible students must currently be in grades 5–12 and must be engaged in an act of volunteerism that has occurred, at least in part, during the 12 months prior to the application date. Programs could be done in or out of school. All middle level and high school throughout Pennsylvania will receive program information and applications in early September. Applications and information are also available at www.prudential.com/ community/spirit. Please do not miss this opportunity to give outstanding young volunteers the recognition they so richly deserve. Deadline is October 30, 2009.
Reflections on the 2009 U.S. Senate Youth Program By Brendan Marasco, Washington High School (District 4) Words can not adequately describe the unparalleled opportunity provided by The William Randolph Hearst Foundation through the United States Senate Youth Program. Representing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was humbling. By fully funding and supporting this indescribable experience, the Hearst Foundation broadened the horizons on the impact I can make on others. Washington Week 2009 not only directly launched me to view and be a part of democracy and America at its finest, but it equipped me with the critical tools to become a more educated servant leader. Leaders who lead are truly servers who serve. This timeless principle was echoed by each individual who made time to address me personally. A passionate sense of pride developed as I witnessed firsthand how America works. Taking part in all aspects of my government will always be a cherished moment in my life. It is easily understood why peoples and nations worldwide envy the American system. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsburg said that all courts and judges covet the Supreme Court. Why? When a decision is made, it is accepted, and the nation proceeds forward. The court, along with the other branches of government, has a special tradition of reason and a sacred trust to serve the Constitution of the United States. Wow!
Another common theme expressed, most notably by the Assistant Chairman to the Joint Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Selva, was that the best leaders surround themselves with smarter people and learn that the most effective leaders credit the team for successes and accept responsibilities for problems. Desiring to someday be a part of the intelligence community, I greatly enjoyed this wise man’s presentation and the Q&A session. Michael Leiter, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, was also one of my favorite speakers; I loved his point that it is offensive for workers in his field to hear that it is lucky America has not been attacked. He emphasized that there are countless men and women who serve 24/7 to ensure that Americans and others are safe around the globe. I specifically remember Lieutenant General Selva asking our highly esteemed military mentors what they learned throughout the week. A simple and poignant response was, “I learned America is in good hands.” This describes the quality of individuals I encountered. Meeting the President of the United States, countless Senators, government officials, and Hearst Foundation staff, and touring national monuments and museums were major highlights of my week. The Foundation opened doors for me to rub elbows with the elite of Washington and to glean from their years of experi-
Alex Sproveri from Corry HS (left) and Brendan Marasco (right) from Washington HS, pose with U.S. Senator Bob Casey during the 2009 U.S. Senate Youth Program.
ence and expertise. However, gathering 104 strangers from each state and from other parts of the world to recognize common purposes was significant beyond measure. Each delegate had a love of country, an appreciation for those who came before them, and a servant’s heart. I simply was blessed to spend a week with the most remarkable young men and women in the world who I am now honored to count as friends. No description of Washington Week can aptly do justice short of living the experience. I would like to send a heartfelt thanks to the Hearst Foundation, Senate Co-Chairs, members of the United States Senate, magnificent speakers,
delegates, and all others who made the priceless week possible. I want to especially thank the diligent, dedicated military mentors who provided wisdom and guidance to me; they also deserve the utmost respect for their selfless service to America. The United States Senate Youth Program propelled me into an atmosphere that lit a flame where only time will determine the results. Corporately, we learned that there will never be a convenient time to serve; we must go out, take a stand, and solve problems we are facing today. Thanks to Washington Week, the 2009 delegates are ready to accept this challenge.
PASC to Sponsor a Student Town Meeting with First Lady Marjorie Rendell A Student Town Meeting with First Lady Marjorie Rendell will be held on Monday, September 21, 2009, at North Penn HS in Montgomery County. The focus of this event will be improving the Teaching of Civics in our Schools, Encouraging Civic Engagement in our Schools and Communities, and Promoting Service and Service Learning. A special PASC News bulletin was sent last week with details about this event. To download the application, schedule, and background materials, visit www.pasc.net. Registrations must be completed by September 14. PASC News • September 2009 • www.pasc.net
7
Middle Level Rep Report NASC Conference 2009 By Janae Short, Union MS My trip to Colorado for the 2009 NASC Conference was amazing, touching, and educational. I met a lot of new people and was really surprised that you could become such good friends with people you didn’t know a week before by sharing such an awesome experience. Pretrip During the Pennsylvania delegation pre-trip, we got to visit the U.S. Air Force Academy, make the 19-mile journey to Pike’s Peak, see the incredible rock formations at Garden of the Gods, cross the world’s highest suspension bridge at the Royal Gorge, and go white water rafting on the Colorado River. Amazing! Conference Activities When we arrived at Highlands Ranch HS for the conference we were met with enthusiasm that I hope all delegates brought back to their schools. We had several educational experiences in student-led workshops, general sessions, and showcase speakers. The presentation that was the most touching to me was Alvin Law’s keynote speech. If you don’t know about him, he was born without arms but his disability hasn’t stopped him from tasks such as playing musical instruments or driving a car. He was a great example of how you should not take things for granted and that you should never give up just because you might not succeed the first time. You might have to try and try and try again before 8
you achieve your goal. This is a lesson that middle level students can apply to school work, sports, or getting a new student council activity off the ground. New Ideas I got a lot of new ideas to bring back to my school. I’d like to share one with you that you may also want to try. I attended a session on using children’s literature to teach leadership lessons. For instance, in the book The Three Little Pigs, the first two pigs’ houses were blown down but the third pig’s house was saved from the big, bad wolf because it was made of brick. The leadership lesson you could illustrate from that is that building with a strong foundation and supportive structure will help keep a school, council, or project running well. Any children’s book will work because most of them have some type of leadership style or role that can be taught. You can use this in a middle school or take it to an elementary school to teach leadership to younger kids. As a seventh grader, I had the opportunity to attend the PASC state conference at South Western HS, the NASC LEAD Conference in Harrisburg, the NASC Conference in Colorado, and the PASC Grove City Blue Summer Leadership Workshop. These have all been amazing and educational experiences that I would recommend to any middle level student. I can’t wait to take advantage of even more opportunities as an eighth grader this year.
PASC News • September 2009 • www.pasc.net
Participants in the Athens Summer Leadership Institute work on painting local park benches as part of their community service during the program.
Athens School District Holds Seventh Grade Summer Leadership Institute By Reagan Martin , S.R.U. Middle School This summer I attended a leadership camp for the students in my school district located near the Pennsylvania-New York border. The Athens Summer Leadership Institute was made up of eighth through twelfth graders who were mentors to students in seventh grade. Three teachers helped make the camp a whole lot of fun. The camp ran for two weeks, Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. In the first week we did a general group icebreaker in the morning and then small group sessions. Each of the sessions was on different topics that will help me in school. One session was on effective communication, another on conflict resolution, and we had one session where we created our own personal mission statement. During the afternoon we played a game with the whole group together to promote teambuilding. For the second week we did community service like painting benches and gardening for the local library, or helped digging in a local archeological site. It was a good way to help the community and I got to meet kids from different grades. The friendships I made will help me start this school year with much more support. The Summer Leadership Institute was so much fun and I know it helped everybody learn tons of leadership skills. We now have the tools to communicate, help, and work with other people to get things done. Now I can use those skills in my council to plan some fun activities when I get back to school. For more information on this unique middle level project contact my advisor, Tressa Bishop, at tbishop@mail.athensasd.k12.pa.us
Pennsylvania Board of Education Student Reps Take Part in Keystone Exams Debate at August Board Meeting By: Gardiner Kreglow, SBE Student Member The State Board of Education held its 289th meeting August 12–13. Originally scheduled to be held in July at the University of Pittsburgh, the meeting was rescheduled to August in Harrisburg because of the State Budget impasse. This meeting was the first official meeting for me as the Board’s Student Member, and Travis Gilbert’s first as Member Elect. The meeting began with brief discussions on the Board’s progress in studying school safety and student health and wellness. To this date the effort
has included seeking partnerships with advocacy groups and looking for best practices in other states in the hopes of developing regulations to improve the safety and wellness of students across the Commonwealth in school. The Board hopes to develop some form of regulation in both matters within the next year. The most significant item on the Board’s agenda was a new regulation on academic standards that would change the state’s requirements for high school graduation. Thus regulation would have 10 assessments designed as end of
Tentative Plans for Pre-Trip to NASC Conference 2010 The 2010 NASC Conference will be held at Cedar Grove HS in suburban Indianapolis, Indiana. PASC has made tentative plans for a delegation from Pennsylvania to go on a pre-conference trip. Tuesday, June 22–Friday, June 25: Plans for two coaches meeting in West Virginia and some white water rafting adventures. Then on to Kentucky for a visit to World Heritage Site of Mammoth Cave for an experience like no other. We will then head over to Land Between the Lakes for some team-building activities like canoeing, swimming, night hiking, and campfire time. Saturday, June 26–Tuesday, June 29: Conference in Cedar Grove, Indiana.
NASC
Tuesday, June 29: Head home to Pittsburgh with eastern bus staying overnight and heading home on Wednesday, June 30. More details will be available in October PASC NEWS. The cost will be $1,200, which includes all hotel stays for pre-trip and conference, transportation costs, all meals except lunches, conference registration, all entry fees for activities, conference T-shirts, and buttons. A $500 deposit will be due on February 1, 2010. For questions, please e-mail PASC Trip coordinator, Kathy Coll at kcoll1@comcast.net.
course exams referred to as the Keystone Exams. These exams would essentially be final exams for common high school courses such as chemistry, geometry, and world history. These exams would be administered upon a student’s completion of the course and would count for a third of a student’s grade in that class. The current Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams given in 11th grade, the PSSA’s, would be phased out, and Keystone Exams in Algebra I, Literature, and Biology would be used to satisfy the testing requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, pending approval from the Federal Department of Education. Accompanying these exams would be diagnostic tools and model curriculum to complement the assessment goals of the exams. Under the regulation, school districts could develop their own comparable assessments and administer them if validated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The Keystone Exam Regulation followed years of debate over Pennsylvania’s graduation requirements, and it was a compromise between the Board, legislators, various educational advocacy organizations, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The proposal was discussed in detail by the board and approved in a 14–2 vote. The Keystone Exam proposal will move on to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission and Pennsylvania State Senate and
Gardiner Kreglow, student member of the Pennsylvania Board of Education House of Representatives for final approval. The Board’s August meeting turned out to be quite monumental, and it was a great opportunity for Travis and myself to share student input. Many Board members remarked to us that our input was greatly valued and all members felt that incorporating student representation on the Board was an excellent decision and has brought invaluable information to them in their deliberations. The Board will holds its next meeting September 16–17. A major part of this meeting will be devoted to a discussion of the National No Child Left Behind Act’s adequate yearly progress results for Pennsylvania. Travis and I both look forward to sharing in the discussions regarding these results. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail at GKreglowSBE@gmail.com or Travis at travisgilbrt@yahoo.com.
PASC News • September 2009 • www.pasc.net
9
“Keep It Campaign” Inaugural Project This summer 53 delegates from Advanced Gold Workshop embraced the idea of supporting the inaugural project for the “Keep It Campaign.” This concept was one shared by PASC’s own Bob Tryanski of Bob Tryanski Presents to mobilize student leaders to apply their leadership skills as social entrepreneurs. This was a perfect match for the delegates as they learned the details of the campaign whose background goes all the way back to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Benjamin Franklin was asked what kind of government had just been created. The old sage turned to the man and replied, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” Franklin’s point was that democracy works only when people participate. Why should young people have to wait until they are old enough to vote or pay taxes to embrace the idea of civic engagement? “Keep It” is designed to help young people to develop a spirit of public service, a commitment to the common good, and the willingness to take a stand by challenging them to do four things: • Commit 26 hours of service to an established organization or cause. • Focus their commitment by dedicating all 26 hours to one project and following the sponsoring organization’s template for involvement. • Reflect on what they have done and share the experience by documenting their efforts online. • “Keep It Going” by recruiting two more volunteers to duplicate their efforts after 10
they have completed their commitment.
Inaugural Project Beginning in the school year of 2009–2010, PASC is launching the first of what will be a series of projects designed to mobilize students throughout the US to work collaboratively to solve global challenges: The Campaign for Ivory Park, South Africa. We Will Act Locally and Reach Globally! Ivory Park is a township of over one million people located between Pretoria and Johannesburg created during the apartheid period when non-whites were forced to live in specific areas designated by the government. Most “homes” have no electricity, water, or sanitation and with a jobless rate of almost 80%, this project is designed to improve the quality of life in one of the poorest townships in South Africa. The project has several components: n Renovate the community center: South African officials have given a complex of buildings for a community center with the understanding that necessary renovations and improvements (plumbing, electricity, kitchen installation, bathroom facilities, etc.) will be made. The new community center will be a hub of day care, health and nutrition services, after school activities, and
PASC News • September 2009 • www.pasc.net
senior services for the township. It will house a Day Care Center, an eye clinic, the Soup Kitchen, a library, a place for orphans to study and receive help and a micro-business center for women to manufacture handicrafts from the region. The estimated cost of this is $50,000. n Supply books and computers for the library: It is too expensive to ship all the books that would be needed to Ivory Park, so alternative ideas have been created to accomplish this task. Approximately 10 computers are needed for this community that has little contact with the global world. n Support on-going needs of the community center: $500 will provide 60 senior citizens with two meals a week for an entire month $300 will pay 5 cooks for a month $100 will cover gas for cooking, transportation, and other material costs.
So how do I get involved? • “The Keep It Campaign” website will go live on Monday, September 7 (LABOR DAY) Check it out! • The delegates of Advanced Gold will be leading the campaign and contacting schools for involvement of all types. • There will be a meeting on Saturday, September 26, (location to be determined) for training and ways to get involved. Justin Lechner, a delegate of Advanced Gold from North Penn HS had this to say about the project. “The project goes above and beyond the majority of civic engagement projects as it allows students to get involved in an extremely large world issue. Although we cannot completely modernize and help all of Africa, we do have the power to give a town the utilities, resources, and care necessary to live a more successful and healthy life. Knowing that we (students) have the power to make such a large difference in the lives of the people who need it most is an opportunity that we can not let go of now.”
State Conference Workshops for Students and Advisors Have Been Chosen The celebrities of Celebrity Councils have arrived...and the celebrities are you! That’s right, the workshop presenters at this year’s state conference have been chosen, and more than 60 of you have been selected to join the celebration at the conference. Over the summer, we received a multitude of applications for potential workshops—more than 80 in all. Last week, your dedicated workshops chairs, Megan Hahn and Taylor Kendra, and their workshop committee staff and advisors worked hard to sift through the pile, and find the very best. All the workshops we received were fantastic, however, there was only enough room for the highest graded ones. Thank you so much for everyone who obviously put in a lot of time and work into those applications. What does that mean for you as a regular delegate? It means that you will be exposed to the cream of the crop of Pennsylvania’s student leaders. You will be learning from your peers, and they will be learning from you as well. The list of workshops will be sent to your schools upon registration, and will be posted online at www.celebrate2009.org when registration starts. From personally grading each one, we can say how excited we are to invite them to the conference, and have everyone learn more about becoming great leaders. But what about the adults? Well, don’t worry advisors. While the delegates are in workshops, we have constructed a special “Advisor University,” because we can all learn something new. Headed by PASC’s very own Andy Costanzo, the Advisor University is sure to be a hit. There will be guest appearances, advisor roundtables, and much more. Be sure to stay tuned for more information on this exciting event. The countdown is about 75 days until the 2009 State Conference! We hope you are excited as we are about improving our leadership.
We can’t wait to see you at Pennridge this fall!
Fall Is a Great Time to Raise Funds for the PASC State Charity:
The Four Diamonds Fund As the school year begins, many student councils across the state commence their annual activities: homecoming, dances, and many fulfilling fundraisers. At Pennridge, we are shifting our fall-scheduled activities, and we encourage all PASC schools to join us. What could possibly be a good enough reason to put aside other, well-made plans? The Four Diamonds Fund was our inspiration, and we believe it will be yours, too. Last spring, many member schools hosted their very first MiniThons, resulting in very successful experiences. Since the Four Diamonds Fund is the State Service Project for this year’s State Conference, this means that the Fund has a chance of making a bigger impact than ever before among the communities of PASC schools. Our mission, therefore, is to spread the initiative all across the state this fall. We want to get all PASC schools dancing For the Kids. The Four Diamonds Fund is a wonderful project. The Fund and its partner Penn State University raise monies for families suffering with pediatric cancer, having donated more than 59 million dollars since 1977. Last spring alone, schools across the state raised more than $788,703 For The Kids. We hope that PASC will keep this success rolling, enabling a truly amazing contribution to the Four Diamonds Fund. The families touched by this effort visited Mini-Thons across the state to tell students how deeply appreciated their efforts are. As the fall begins, and an exciting new school year takes off, introduce your school to an exciting, original initiative. Start by visiting our website, Celebrate2009.org, and see how your school can help change a child’s life. Navigate to our State Service section and you will find links to the Four Diamonds website, information about the foundation, and materials to help you get started. It’s never been easier than now to join in. Don’t let this opportunity pass by. Hosting a Mini-Thon is a great endeavor, but it isn’t the only sponsored event. The Four Diamonds Fund and PASC encourage schools to get creative with their own ideas. If your school wants a little spark to get you going, look in our Fundraising Manual on Celebrate2009.org. If you’re feeling a little nervous about all of these ideas, don’t hesitate to use one of your existing plans for the fall, and re-brand it with the Four Diamonds Fund! Many PASC schools have done this already, and it is a proven method! PASC invites your school to join many others in a wonderful cause to raise funds for treating pediatric cancer. For more information about this effort, feel free to contact us at info@ celebrate2009.org!
PASC News • September 2009 • www.pasc.net
11