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DEONA DAVIS Industrial Engineer STERIS Corporation ////////////////////////////////////////////////////

MELANIE MCGEE Founder and CEO WE Can Code IT

RAMONA LOWERY Commissioner City of Cleveland, Division of Water Pollution Control

Beletu (Belé) Wondwossen Founder / Publisher Shelley M. Shockley Managing Editor Writers Shelley M. Shockley Marsha Walker Eastwood Brittany Garrett Nirvana St. Cyr

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Creative Belé Wondwossen Jason Garrett

Cover Story: Shelley M. Shockley Photo: Jason Garrett Contributing Writers Rhonda Crowder Michelle Phillips Fay Marianna Marron Letitia Nall Stephanie Phelps Kimberly Smith-Woodford

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From the Editor: Shelley M. Shockley

Self-Care During a Pandemic As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise across the country, levels of anxiety and stress increase.

With the challenges of working from home, isolation from friends and family members as well as navigating the work-life flow are taking a toll on families, and women in particular.

Let's face it, women have been the backbone of the American family forever and the added stressors associated with this Pandemic are causing the strongest women to begin to wobble under the pressure. If that is you, take time out for some self-care. This care can take the form of a long bath of shower followed by an hour of time devoted to you, and you alone. Tell your family that you are taking time out for yourself and during this time ask that they only disturb you if someone is bleeding, the house is burning or some other major calamity.

The Mayo Health Clinic offers these tips for self-care in the age of COVID-19: ●

Fuel your body by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet and drinking plenty of water.

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Aim to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

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Exercise every day.

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Take deep breaths and stretch often.

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Avoid risky or destructive behaviors, such as abusing alcohol or drugs, excessive gambling or ignoring public health recommendations.

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Spend time outside, such as going for a walk in the park, but follow social distancing guidelines.

I can attest to the need to change your lifestyle when operating during this health crisis. Seven months ago when the world shifted and we were urged and in many cases mandated to work from home and limit our time in public, I altered my life participating in activities I could never have imagined before the Pandemic.

At the urging of friend and colleague, I began rising between 4-4:30 a.m. in order to have morning devotional time before writing between 5-6 a.m. With my writing session complete, I headed out and took a bike ride, usually lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half. I would then shower and check into my work computer and begin my day. That was a very eye-opening and enjoyable time.

Now that the temperatures have dropped and riding my bicycle is not at the top of my list, I have to find a new way to commune with nature and release any stressors associated with working from home and the worldwide health crisis.

Find what makes you happy and time the time for you because if you're not healthy and mentally focused, you can't keep your family safe and sane.

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Now that you have taken some time away to yourself to read this edition of Phenomenal Woman, relax as I give you an overview of our offering in this issue. If you have been following this publication over the years you're aware that we are particularly interested in erasing the myths associated with women in STEM, and this edition is no different. We introduce you to a young woman making a name for herself in the world of Coding, an industrial engineer and a civil engineer to offer insight to their work as well as how they navigate these male-dominated industries.

While we're on the topic of self-care, we also bring you some tips on maintaining your financial self-care during these troubling times.

Melanie McGee is the founder and CEO of We Can Code IT, a company with the mission of “Championing Social Equity through Technology.” McGee's story is one of following your passion and doing whatever it takes to make your dreams a reality. She has overcome fears and taking the safe route to develop a company and career reflective of her passion.

One might describe Deona Davis as a prime candidate for a career in engineering. She possessed a high acumen for math and science while growing up in Lorain, along with a fetish for putting puzzles together. Despite this engineering was not at the front of her list, as she had never seen an engineer, she says the closest she had come to an engineer was “a train conductor.” Thanks to her tenth grade teacher, Davis was introduced to this possibility and today is an Industrial Engineer with Steris Corporation. Read about her journey in this issue.

Ramona Lowery, Commissioner of the city of Cleveland's Water Pollution Control division had a similar experience growing up in Cleveland. Lowery had never encountered an engineer and was unsure of what career path she would take, but through attending career fairs and a similar suggestion from a teacher she chose the path of civil engineering.

Lowery's story is the subject of our cover story and gives insight into her path, her job and her commitment to erasing the divide that exists in the engineering field as well as other STEM careers.

This column started with the importance of taking care of yourself during this health crisis, and columnist Marsha Walker Eastwood agrees this is paramount, but she notes that safeguarding one's emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual health is directly linked to your financial health. She offers advice on ensuring your financial health, but more importantly empowering you to safeguard that health and maintain it once the crisis has been averted.

I pray that you find the content we have put together for you useful, enjoyable and actionable. I also pray that you and your families remain safe during this unpredictable time. As always, I welcome your feedback and look forward to our next meeting between the pages of Phenomenal Woman Magazine.

Until then, be blessed and be a blessing,

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COVER 04 06 08

RAMONA LOWERY

SELF-CARE DURING A PANDEMIC Shelley M. Shockley

You are equipped with five central senses - sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Of these, sight is the most important when children begin dreaming of that perfect job they want when they grow up.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FINANCIAL SELF-CARE Marsha Walker Eastwood TIPS TO GET THE WHOLE FAMILY MOVING AT HOME

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Unfortunately, this thought process limits the dreams and desires of many. Without seeing someone who looks like you working as an engineer, nurse, doctor or nuclear physicist, your perception of your future likely does not include these careers.

FEATURES DELICIOUS RECIPES

MELANIE MCGEE

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Make Virtual Learning Fun and Easier

McGee put in months of hard work and dedication trying to turn her dreams into reality. As there wasn't much funding, she needed to do it the old-fashioned way. McGee rolled up her sleeves and sat in nearly every role, including as instructor, curriculum developer, decision maker, marketer, student success coach and campus director. She said, “it was exhausting but benefited our students in the long run. I know every aspect of our business from a real working position, not just in theory.”

DEONA DAVIS

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A love of math and science in high school led Deona Davis to a career in engineering. This Lorain native, who enjoyed learning as a child, graduated from Lorain High School in the top 10 percent and as the top ranked African-American student in her class.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF FINANCIAL SELF-CARE Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic the term self-care has By: Marsha Walker Eastwood, B.S.Ed, MSHSV taken on new meaning PWM Contributing Writer and a variety of definitions that include many dimensions and many layers within those dimensions. If you simply googled the term it would include taking care of one's emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual health, The fact is that the first three are directly tied to your financial health as well. According to Jennifer NavarroMarroquin, a licensed financial professional and founder of Claiming Prosperity, "Financial self-care is a practice that needs to be crafted around principles of balance, sustainability and empowerment, the practice you create ultimately needs to move you toward your defined money goals while at the same time cultivating an overall good feeling about your money."

Let us begin with empowerment.

Contrary to popular belief, financial empowerment is not about being rich, but rather more about managing the money you have in the short term and long term. It means being your own money boss and creating priorities on what and what not to spend money on, and the benefit(s) derived from those decisions. In other words, the ROI or return on your investment. Think about it this way. If you invest $1 in a candy bar, the return on your investment is the personal gratification derived from consuming the candy bar. However, if that investment made you $1 short in paying an essential bill such as a utility bill or credit card, your failure to prioritize has now created a situation which could end up costing you far more in late charges, disconnections, or reduced credit availability. You have created a financial hazard that will result in an ongoing game of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

While you may have lost your financial empowerment and your options to turn things around may require a myriad of sacrifices to get things back on track, all is not lost. You will have to return to the drawing board and create an action plan that will not only restore your empowerment, but a plan that is sustainable.

When you think of sustainability you must consider all the steps required to create a sustainable action plan. Two important characteristics are habit and personality. A diet is a great example. You see what appears to be a great diet. There are pictures of people holding pants now 5 sizes larger away from their body and bragging about those lost pounds. On average most diets are doomed to fail because the new rigidity goes against the dieter's norms. A person who is overweight is in the habit of either consistently overeating or eating the wrong foods. Their 6 â–’ SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

logic for failure includes excuses such as too tired, too much work, no time to read through the instructions, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. They lament the loss of the money spent and will often state that the diet took money away from important things. The reality is a few things happened. There was inattention to detail – reviewing what was involved in the diet plan and failure to prioritize financial responsibilities resulting in financial loss and a misplaced investment with no return.

While the way you spend money impacts your financial empowerment and action plan sustainability, how you handle business and personal matters can create perils you never even considered. Here is the story of Jane.

Jane is a notorious procrastinator who is always going to get around to doing things. She usually misses routine health maintenance and doctor appointments which she rarely reschedules because she is too busy. She has always had an issue with opening the mail, both delivered mail and e-mail. This personality trait has caused her hundreds if not thousands of dollars in utility reconnections, increased interest charges, late fees, and a significantly decreased credit score. One day Jane noticed a letter from her insurance company but decided to deal with it later. Unfortunately for Jane later was too late. The letter informed her that it was time to renew her term life insurance policy that had been in place for 30 years. Her inattention to detail resulted in the policy being terminated. Now Jane had to find a new insurance company to deal with.

When Jane took out her Term Life Policy, she was a reasonably healthy 30-year-old who met the test for preferred insured rates. If her premiums were paid on time no further proof of insurability was required during the term of her policy. Before the policy lapsed, Jane had the option of renewing her policy on a year-to-year basis until she was 95-years-old, because most term life policies like hers had a guaranteed renewability feature that allowed her to extend her coverage and the current death benefit without having to go through a new underwriting process and getting another medical exam.

Over the ensuing 30 years Jane developed diabetes, and now she is a subpar applicant who would not be considered insurable by preferred and standard underwriters. The significance of having her lapsed policy was that it would most likely have been her only way to continue having life insurance due to a change in health. If someone has been diagnosed with a terminal or life-shortening illness, they may not qualify for a new policy that offers a substantial death benefit.

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Jane will have to contact a new agent who will have to submit her application to a different type of underwriter who will do a complete risk analysis on her insurability and most likely require results from a recent physical and/or a physician statement. The new premiums will be higher due to her health condition, thereby impacting her allowable dollars for life insurance coverage. Jane will now have to create a new action plan that includes reprioritizing her financial responsibilities and a measure of personal reinvention.

What happened to Jane happens to hundreds of people everyday. Avoiding the tasks, you hate to do can be costly.

Some people have sufficient financial resources to afford new life insurance policies and others will struggle with the change in policy and cost. The purpose of Term Life Insurance is to provide a guaranteed death benefit if the policyholder dies before the term expires. Once the term expires, the policyholder can either renew it for another term or convert the policy to permanent coverage or allow the policy to terminate.

Insurance of any kind is a transference of risk, however, from a psychological standpoint it does much more than that. It removes one more important elephant from an already crowded room of worry. The same is true for timely payments of priority bills, monitoring bank account balances and other important tasks. These should be the goals of your sustainability action plan.

Reinvention can be a difficult but necessary process for anyone because it means creating a new roadmap to getting things done. Jane has an avoidance issue and she will have to come to the realization that it is undermining

her empowerment and her overall happiness and self-care program. Her new action plan must include all the tools and bells and whistles necessary to sustain it. Setting weekly reminders in her cellphone calendar, along with reminder notes in key places in her home and office to read her mail on a daily basis is a start. It may seem silly at first, but those reminders will prevent any interruption in vital services and important relationships, including the one with her insurance agent.

The takeaway for Jane and others is that there is no such thing as minutiae because every detail of a person's life matters. It is these details that allow them to take control of not only their financial empowerment, but empowerment over their lives in general. This is what helps to create the balance, or as Gretchen Pilar put it, “A good method of juggling different tasks is to always balance the short- and long-term tasks.” For Jane, the short-term task is creation of a sustainable empowering action plan that allows her to meet important deadlines that if ignored will create that domino effect of negative and costly outcomes. To determine the effectiveness of the new plan, the rule of thumb is to create a test period of 21 days, at the end of which she can make any necessary adjustments. Her long-term tasks include retraining herself to always be present as opposed to procrastinating.

Jane is not financially wealthy, but now she is rich in the knowledge of how to maintain her plan of financial selfcare. That same knowledge will serve her well in other areas of her life as well. By following the plan, she will have fewer financial worries, and a significantly better understanding of herself. g www.PHENOMENALWOMAN.me ▒ 7

Tips to Get the Whole Family Moving at Home

ith many families stuck at home juggling working remotely, homeschooling and trying to keep everyone happy and healthy, it can be easy to let an otherwise active lifestyle fall by the wayside.

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outside your neighborhood to find new trails or rougher terrain to explore nature while getting active. While your annual family vacation might've been canceled, there are likely hidden trails within a short drive from home.

Regardless of age, being physically active provides numerous health benefits. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity for adults each week, and 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for kids between the ages of 6-17 each day. Finding ways to move daily can help everyone in the family maintain their health – and prevent them from going stir crazy.

Take a virtual class. Many fitness instructors and gyms are sharing free classes online designed for the whole family. Simply connect a streaming device to your television and search for virtual classes that are geared toward getting families moving, regardless of fitness level.

Fitness instructors and studios are also sharing a variety of workouts – from family yoga to dance cardio in various time increments – on social media that you can find by searching various fitness-related hashtags.

Although prioritizing activity in a quarantined environment might be one of the last things on your mind, parents who model healthy behaviors can inspire their kids to do the same.

When you sweat during family activities, don't forget to stay hydrated. An option like Propel Flavored Electrolyte Water can help parents replace electrolytes lost in sweat.

With zero calories, no sugar, and nine fruit flavors, it can help keep you hydrated and moving at home or outdoors.

Consider these tips to keep the whole family motivated and moving – you might be surprised to find that exercise can be fun.

Go for a walk or bike ride. Incorporating walks or bike rides into your family's daily routine can help get everyone moving as well as create quality bonding time. If your family is more on the adventurous side, consider venturing 8 ▒ SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

Play a family game. Playing games together is an oldfashioned way to get the whole family moving and having fun. An activity as simple as tag or racing around the house, or even a game that requires some equipment such as soccer or basketball, can get everyone's heart rate up.

You can even create a fitness deck or activity dice to turn working out into a fun game.

Build your own obstacle course. Set out hoops, pillows, rope, ladders, cardboard boxes and other items you find around the house to create a fun and challenging obstacle course either indoors or out. This can be easily adapted to varying levels of difficulty to meet each family member's level. Don't forget a stopwatch to see who can complete the course the quickest.

Get your family moving and find more hydration tips at propelwater.com.

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MELANIE MCGEE Founder and CEO WE Can Code IT Technology plays a crucial role in every aspect of our lives yet sufficient emphasis has not been given to educate the necessary manpower, in particular women and people of color, to meet the ever growing demand. The tech source, Built In, states that only 26% of computing-related jobs are held by women and just 3% of computing-related jobs are held by African-American women. Against this background, trailblazing women are helping to level the playing field in technology.

Meet Melanie McGee, founder and CEO of We Can Code IT, an organization setting the standard for modern, world-class accelerated software development education with a focus on a new career in tech. With the mission of “Championing Social Equity through Technology,” and the vision of graduating 10,000 by 2030, 70% of whom are considered underrepresented in tech, We Can Code IT is a business with a big heart.

McGee put in months of hard work and dedication trying to turn her dreams into reality. As there wasn't much funding, she needed to do it the old-fashioned way. McGee rolled up her sleeves and sat in nearly every role, including as instructor, curriculum developer, decision maker, marketer, student success coach and campus director. She said, “it was exhausting but benefited our students in the long run. I know every aspect of our business from a real working position, not just in theory.”

At a young age, Melanie was told by her mom that she could do anything she wanted. Her attorney mom sometimes diminished by her colleagues, was faced with different challenges working in a male-dominated industry. She said, “As a kid, I was angry that my extraordinarily intelligent and loving mom was essentially being bullied by these guys.” Adding, “I was saddened then, but as a young adult, it fueled my passion for equity and inclusion.

McGee's parents became business owners when she was in elementary school where her mom sometimes worked from home and had a home office set up in the dining room. This afforded young Melanie the opportunity to play office all the time. She explained, “Bored one evening, I 10 ▒ SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

taught myself to type using my mom's old typing books.

The magic happened when I was about 10 or 11 though.

My parents brought home a Commodore 64, one of the earliest home computers sold on a wide scale, but there was only one piece of software on a big ol' floppy disk. The word processing program entertained me for an hour or so, then I wanted to do more.” She continued, “I opened the book that came with the computer, and followed along, not knowing what I was doing or what it was teaching me but eager to play more. I followed along with the instructions in the hefty book, and moments later clicked “Run.” “Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie Melanie…” scrolled across the screen endlessly. It was at that moment I was hooked.”

McGee credits her huge technophile dad for promoting tech to her. In addition to making the 'Melanie' loop, her early visits to NASA contributed to her deep interest in programming. She initially thought programming was too nerdy and said, “I was still trying to find my identity at that point and focused too much on the social aspects of school.” When she started college, she considered computer science, but when she saw the guys in their Birkenstocks with their long beards, she felt out of place.

She felt very excluded and intimidated, as if they knew something she didn't.

Shying away from such fears, rebelling against her dad's push toward computer science, along with a strong interest in human social interaction, McGee pursued

anthropology and psychology in her undergraduate years. She said, “I certainly learned a great deal at that time, much of which has helped me as a founder and CEO, and I appreciate that I went through those experiences. Funny though, I found myself writing programs for my anthropology and psychology projects, so I still had the bug.”

Following her graduation, McGee worked as a real estate appraiser but didn't like it. Her dad also continued to remind her about computer programming. She heeded his advice, took the plunge and started graduate school during the evenings as she maintained her full-time appraiser job. “Those in night classes were around my age and came from diverse backgrounds. I was one of the few women, for sure, but found my computer science tribe there,” she noted.

During grad school, Melanie continued to work as a real estate appraiser and freelanced as a web developer.

Although web development wasn't taught at colleges at that time, she used books on the topic but importantly started learning on the job. After leaving grad school, she worked in development full-time, where she gained experience working with large companies like Tyco International, Xerox and others. She also began teaching at community colleges, STEM camps, and the like.

In the background, McGee always had a software development pet project she was working on. She created AI chatbots in the late 1990s, early 2000s. She made a wearable computer and found herself featured in books like Smart Mobs, and dabbled in many programs and languages as well.

Despite these achievements, everything changed for her when she had her daughter. McGee didn't have time for additional projects as all of her interest and effort went to her daughter. She also disbanded her company and worked as a freelancer, being very particular about the clients and projects she undertook.

After McGee's daughter started going to preschool, she wanted to gain new business for her dwindled-down development company, ImageNation. She found herself teaching again, as well as giving public speeches whenever the opportunity presented itself. After the presentations, mostly to entrepreneurs, she inevitably had people coming up to her asking if she would teach them how to code, particularly women.

She turned We Can Code IT (WCCI) into a business at the end of 2014. That's when she stopped working on her other entrepreneurial endeavors and focused nose-down, on educating “outsiders” in web and software development. She explained, “our first coding bootcamp cohort was in March 2015. Because it was the first one,

and we were piloting it, I didn't charge anything for it at the time. It was filled with hassles and pitfalls, mostly from the business side, but I had a wonderful mentor, Doris Korda, who supported my efforts. Without her encouragement and experience, I'm not sure WCCI would be what it is today.”

We can code IT offers in-person, remote and hybrid coding bootcamps that teach beginning students how to become software developers in just a few months. It also offers all students career support. All programs use the “Korda Method” of problem or project-based facilitation, a teaching style that has been shown to speed up learning time.

Serving her beloved community has always been at the core of McGee's mission. To offer potential coding bootcamp students the opportunity to try coding out and learn a bit about web development, the program provides a free course called “Pre-bootcamp” that is 25 hours long in the evenings for three weeks. According to McGee, this special program has been crafted to “help our students, especially those who might be intimidated by the thought of starting our program, or students who are uncertain about their abilities, give it a trial run.”

The primary program at We can code IT is the coding bootcamp. The coding bootcamp teaches real-world, in demand, software development languages, along with ancillary skills used by developers daily and career building skills. What makes it a stand out among its' peers is that it promotes an inclusive environment and delivers good, clean coding practices. Students practice TestDriven Development (TDD) from the first weeks through the completion of the program. Schedules are designed to fit students, especially those who are juggling many life responsibilities.

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We Can Code IT has made amazing strides since 2015. It now operates with an inclusive and diverse team of about 20 people, and provides services in both Cleveland and Columbus. As a testament to its services, 94% of its career-seeking graduates start new positions within six months of graduation. The program has also received multiple awards and accolades, a lot of publicity, and for four years in a row has been named as the Best Coding Bootcamp.

In addition, McGee stated, “Many e m p l o ye r s m a i n t a i n t h a t o u r graduates are the most qualified, even if they don't have the theoretical knowledge of a typical computer science graduate. I'm proud of that. I think theory can come over time, but being job-ready with a sustainable work-life balance and good income is of paramount importance to our students.”

We can code IT offers grants and scholarships for those underrepresented in technology as well as a variety of funding options for students. Programs are also available through the coding bootcamp program via Slack channels, Zoom, Google Meets, and weekly tutoring sessions.

“We need to stop associating software development with gender, color and age. We need to understand that this is a way to create, to innovate and to bring ideas to life.”

McGee said, “We need to make education available in ways that are appropriate and stop making computer programming so elitist. It doesn't need to be.”

There is a strong need for women and people of color to join this field of study, to mentor others and to blaze the trail. McGee stressed, “It's certainly a field with a ton of opportunity and very little risk. I wish more people of color and women knew that. I wish they had that person, like I did, prompting them to try it out. We Can Code IT is a great place to start. With our free pre-bootcamps, there's really nothing to lose by trying.”

When McGee is not managing her organization, she relaxes by spending time with loved ones and taking care of herself. She noted, “these habits of waking up early, ensuring I exercise before starting my day, and then ensuring I'm checking off the important work items, has served me so well.” She is also involved in mentoring, public speaking and fulfills her commitment to numerous non-profits.

Closing out, McGee said, “Software and web development has allowed me to use my whole self to not only earn a great living, but make real change in the world. Seeing those young ladies lead and solve challenges while learning about technology and marketing continues to give me hope and helps fuel my fire.” Adding, “I sleep well at night knowing that the end game is one of mission, vision, and our strong values. My hope is that our graduates, in turn, create great programs, help support their families and help the next generation see that software development is a great career.” g For more information, visit: www.wecancodeit.org

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DEONA DAVIS Industrial Engineer, STERIS Corporation

A love of math and science in high school led Deona Davis to a career in engineering. This Lorain native, who enjoyed learning as a child, graduated from Lorain High School in the top 10 percent and as the top ranked African-American student in her class.

Having lost her dad before she turned 2-years-old, Deona was raised by a young mother and partially by her grandmother. A Head Start Teacher, her grandma, instilled in the family the values of a good education and made sure that the family had what it took to make education a priority.

Math, science and solving puzzles were always Deona's favorite activities and that characteristic led her high school guidance counselor, to pose the question, 'what she wanted to be when she grew up.' At the time she was in 10th grade and had no idea. The counselor, after reviewing her excellent grades and noticing that she took honors classes, suggested that Deona consider becoming an engineer.

Of this, Deona said, “The only engineer I knew of at the time was a train conductor. I initially hesitated but when my counselor recommended a book that described the different types of engineering, I selected Industrial Engineering.”

With tireless effort and dedication, Deona earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Cleveland State University. She has further secured Lean Manufacturing and Project Management Certifications.

Today, Deona Davis serves as industrial engineer at STERIS Corporation. In this capacity, she uses her engineering skills to provide innovative healthcare and life science products and service solutions. With a mission to 'help customers create a healthier and safer world by providing innovative healthcare and life science product and service solutions around the globe,' and headquartered in Mentor, Ohio, STERIS is a leading provider of infection prevention and other procedural products and services.

Deona said, “As a woman and moreover as an African American woman in engineering, it is rewarding and 14 ▒ SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

exciting. Although women Engineers are still underrepresented in the workforce and there are few women role models in engineering, I was taught to work hard, be confident in my abilities and trust God.” She continued, “With high self-efficacy, I view difficult tasks as something to be mastered rather than something to be avoided. There are always new challenges. I welcome the times that I can bring my knowledge, experience and diverse perspective to better products/processes being created at every stage of the design process.”

Davis recalls the uncertainties she experienced in college.

She conceded that the engineering curriculum has been very challenging. “There was a time that I explored changing majors to business. With the help of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), INROADS Program and family, I found a great support system and continued.

I'm glad I did because I love engineering.”

Prior to joining STERIS Corporation, Deona worked as a Senior Logistics Engineer at Penske Logistics, a leading supply chain management/logistics company. There, she developed best practices to optimize warehousing operations and distribution systems.

Earlier, Deona served as a Senior Industrial Engineer for twelve years in the automotive industry for two of the “Big Three” U.S. automakers, General Motors and Chrysler LLC. She garnered great experience and successfully designed and evaluated integrated systems for automotive stamping and assembly processes, led business improvement projects, and held supervisory roles.

Furthermore, Deona has extensive experience as an Industrial Engineering Consultant. She applied her expertise and experience to provide solutions to attain operational goals and solve problems innovatively that exceeded clients' expectations.

The successful Industrial Engineer also serves as senior managing partner at DMD Management Group, LLC. a property management company with a wide range of clients including owners, architects, designers, engineers, tenants, brokers, subcontractors, or suppliers. The company whose mission is “to operate with EXCELLENCE… Not by our words, but by our ACTIONS,” has achieved a reputation for excellent customer service, quality work, successful asset management and acquisitions, and comprehensive construction management. It also assists communities with real estate investing, first-time home buyers, financing and real estate analytics seminars.

For Deona, a typical day consists of a busy and full 8-10 hours of work followed by evening conference calls and ends with Mommy, house duties. Her challenge includes unforeseen issues that arise and could impact a project completion date. She emphasized the importance of having back-up plans or effective communication skills to keep the team on task.

The Industrial engineer concedes that while some progress has been made, women and minorities are still disproportionately represented in science and engineering fields. She said, “we still have a long way to go, but I'm hopeful the STEM progression will move towards a more diverse and inclusive workplace.” Adding, “some said that home is one's first school. I feel the interest in STEM must start at childhood by introducing young girls (and boys) to toys and activities that improve engineering skills over the usual toys and activities.”

Deona suggests that the school curriculum needs to be enhanced to promote more STEM subjects and activities.

“We need to add or increase career days and job shadowing in schools to help promote interest in science and engineering. Also, increase role models and roles on TV to help spark interest in STEM. Like it or not but the media plays a powerful role.”

A member of National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Deona assists The National Society of Black Engineers Jr (NSBE JR) Program in Cleveland to bring in AfricanAmerican engineers to speak to high school students

about their careers. The Program also assists local engineering students with mentorships, job placement and advises through “Success School.” Each year high school students from Cleveland attend the NSBE Conference with thousands of students from all over the country. Deona has financially assisted students attending the NSBE Conference because of her own experience. She said, “My visit to the NSBE Conference was a game changer. It exposed me to a bigger network and let me know that if all of them are doing it, then I can do it.”

Mentors and role models have influence and great impact in another person's life. In this regard, Deona is first and foremost grateful to her grandmother, Ida Mae DavisFrancis, who instilled in her the values of education and hard work. “She was a teacher in the day and did commercial janitorial services at night. She taught me that if you want something you have to work for it.” She is also thankful to her high school guidance counselor, Gloria Noland. She saw something in me that I didn't see in myself and helped me discover the field of engineering.”

Her Mom, Carolyn White, taught her the values of helping people through watching her serve many years on city council. Her mom was also the first African-American woman on city council in two communities. Deona continued, “My Aunt, Selina Gaddis, who is also a leader in my hometown was my voice of reason and gave me her strong shoulders to lean on. Selina (and husband, Robert Gaddis) were always there when I needed them. My Aunt, Minister Annette Jackson, is my spiritual advisor and often gives me great advice to understand life.” As these group of people helped her to shape and mold into the person she is today, Deona continues to follow suit and provide support to numerous minority and women groups to achieve their maximum potential.

For this tight scheduled engineer, striking a healthy worklife balance is important. Of this, she said, “It's challenging to balance so many balls in the air but I strike a healthy work-life balance by staying very organized and keeping a good routine. I live by my calendar. It helps to keep things organized. I also try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. I often travel to new places to relax, reflect and recharge. If I find myself overwhelmed, I visit the beach.

We are fortunate to live so close to Lake Erie.

Deona has an excellent track record in project management, continuous improvement, sustaining production requirements and ensuring compliance with FDA, Regulatory and ANSI/AAMI/ISO standards. More importantly, she would like to see young women enter the engineering field. Her advice for women interested in a career in engineering is “to go for it. The world is yours.

Control your destiny.” She continued, “Women are smart and have what it takes to succeed. The internet is full of information on the different types of engineers so explore until you find what interests you. I often direct students to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook website (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/). It contains a wealth of information on engineering and other great careers.” g

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PHOTOS: JASON GARRETT

16 â–’ SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

RAMONA LOWERY Goes Full Circle at Cleveland's Water Pollution Control Division From 1st Black Female Engineer To Commissioner

By Shelley Shockley PWM Managing Editor You are equipped with five central senses - sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Of these, sight is the most important when children begin dreaming of that perfect job they want when they grow up.

Unfortunately, this thought process limits the dreams and desires of many. Without seeing someone who looks like you working as an engineer, nurse, doctor or nuclear physicist, your perception of your future likely does not include these careers.

If life was based strictly on these sensory perceptions, Ramona Lowery, Commissioner of the city of Cleveland's Division of Water Pollution Control (WPC) would not be the first female black engineer to work for WPC, as well as only the second black female to hold that position.

Lowery, recently shared with Phenomenal Woman a glimpse into her history-making journey. As a young girl growing up in Cleveland, thoughts of becoming an engineer were not a part of her vision. Her reality was being raised in a single-family home with a mother who worked up to three jobs at a time. Despite her mother's limited income, college was an option, although it was not stressed. Instead, giving your all in school was an expectation. Lowery said of her early years, “ Although college was not a big push, it was not frowned upon, and when I indicated that I wanted to go to college, my mom fully supported and provided opportunities for me to attend college tours.”

That push toward education was important, and with the ability to attend career days at school, a young Ramona was able to view the many possibilities for a career. That was what she had to do because choosing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) was not based on the norms one hears when speaking to doctors, nurses, engineers or any of the STEM disciplines. Instead a wealth of research led Lowery to her lifelong path.

Engineering she said was not on her radar because, “I did not grow up knowing any engineers. I did not grow up tinkering with things as you hear many engineers say,” but after researching the many disciplines of engineering she settled on Civil Engineering and “has had no regrets.” She credits the career days along with help at home to preparing her for her future, “My mom would always assist me in achieving good grades by drilling me with flashcards or whatever was needed.” The assistance paid off and her academic skills were recognized by teachers. While in high school a teacher noticed her expertise in math and suggested she look into engineering as a possible field of study.

Although she has no regrets, Lowery recalls there were many situations along the way that tested her resilience.

She said, “It is gratifying, being a woman in engineering.

Like anything in life there are always challenges. I am confident that some challenges faced by both male and female counterparts, would not happen, if I was a male in the same capacity. I have witnessed this firsthand in multiple instances. As has been often stated which I believe to be true, as a woman and a minority, I am constantly doing more to prove myself. This career path is not for the weak at heart.”

Statements like these may explain why in more than 30 years, the number of STEM jobs has grown by 79% according to the Pew Research Center, but sadly, the number of minorities in these fields is not keeping pace with that of their white counterparts.

Lowery had a strong will and she was determined to succeed. She also had a mother and others in her corner rooting her on and assisting where they could regardless of their background. As an example of the challenges minorities face when considering careers in STEM, or any other field are the disadvantages many encounter when they attend college.

Lowery knows first-hand about this. When she was a high school student, she found school to come fairly easy, she didn't engage in a lot of studying. When she enrolled in college, the situation was drastically different. She recalled, “Learning to study was one of many challenges. I never had to study much in high school, thus I learned quickly what worked in high school did not work in college.” This one experience exemplifies the importance of developing networks and seeking help. Lowery was a member of LINK (Linking Minority Students to Careers) a program launched in 1988 to fulfill the corporate demand for students of color to participate in co-ops, internships and permanent employment. LINK promotes student retention, academic and career success, and graduation of students of color at Cleveland State University (CSU).

To fulfill this goal, LINK provides a comprehensive program providing students with the tools and foundations they need to transition from high school to college. The services they offer range from personal and professional development, career preparation, internships, individual mentors and assistance from a LINK Program Coordinator.

Lowery applauds the work of LINK and credits the experience for her involvement with nurturing high school students today. She said, “LINK introduced me to two other support systems that would not allow me to give up, National Technical Association (NTA) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). I am confident that there is no way that I would have graduated if I did not have those three support systems in place.” She went on to state, “Because of these various experiences, I am heavily involved with NSBE on a high school level so that those students can learn from challenges that I faced. I just recently reengaged with NTA.” Continued on next page... www.PHENOMENALWOMAN.me ▒ 17

Ramona Lowery discussing with a colleague

Many of the obstacles faced by other women and minorities in engineering, Lowery was able to bypass working for a small division in the City of Cleveland.

Today she sits at the helm of the Division of Water Pollution Control (WPC), which ironically is where she started her professional career as an Associate Engineer.

As part of a small close-knit group of engineers Lowery said of that group and her first engineering project, “they held my hand the entire way to make sure that my project was a success.” Further emphasizing the bond they had she recalls, “one of the three engineers that were very helpful to me when I first graduated taught me all that they knew is still here at WPC and is still helping and sharing his knowledge.”

Despite having a good start as an engineer with a supportive team, she has had her share of encounters with men who were less than pleased to see a woman in her position. The lack of acceptance she believes is at the heart of why many women leave STEM careers at a higher rate than men noting, “I believe that women leave quicker because this field still is not welcoming for women. I have a ton of stories that I could share about terrible experiences dealing with men in the workplace.”

These bumps in the road did not hinder Lowery's determination to continue on her career path. While at WPC she learned to put her education to use with the preparation of maps, construction plans and specifications as well as reviewing sewer inspection videos. She worked on the design of the Edgewater Drive Pump station, E. 123rd St. sewer replacement and the W. 10th St. sewer rerouting.

With this experience under her belt, she transitioned to the Cleveland Water Department, the tenth largest water delivery system in the country, where she worked in geocoding using the geographic information system and 18 ▒ SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

analyzing water quality complaints. She received her introduction to the development of supervisory skills overseeing fieldwork training for the Hydraulic field staff and developing equipment specifications.

Armed with knowledge of both the sewer system and water delivery, Lowery left the city of Cleveland and joined the staff of the city of Shaker Heights as Sewer Superintendent/Project Manager. In this capacity she managed three direct reports and daily rotating staff, worked with a $1.2 million operating budget and $827,000 capital budget. This position honed her skills interacting with the public and other officials as she represented the Public Works Department during community meetings as well as having daily residential contact to coordinate repairs and maintenance.

In her quest for knowledge and skill, Lowery would leave the city of Shaker Heights and delve into the world of wastewater, starting as an Administrative Manager of the Operations and Maintenance Department for the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD). NEORSD is the largest wastewater treatment provider in Ohio, servicing approximately 380 square miles while serving 60 communities and over one million residents.

As an administrative manager, Lowery was responsible for managing contracts in excess of $30 million, which included preparing bid documents for contracts and major purchases, preparing award applications and budgetary documents as well as providing oversight over these contracts and purchases.

With the promotion to Manager of O&M five years later, her duties expanded to oversight of Fleet Services. In this capacity she was responsible for an operating budget in excess of $1 million and a capital budget of nearly a half million dollars.

The reward for these improvements was her appointment in July to the position of Commissioner of WPC. She said at swearing-in that this was “a full-circle moment.” She had traversed the field and after being the first black female engineer, she was now serving as the second black female commissioner, following in the footsteps of one of her mentors.

As the top executive for the Division, Lowery said no two days are the same, “There is no average day, no day is the same which is something that I enjoy the most. I come in each day with a written plan that is always adjusted as situations change daily.” That ability to switch gears she says is important in her role because, “Resilience is an absolute must in this field.”

As the leader of a division, her job is not only to provide for the external customer, but the internal customer - the Director of her department and the Mayor of the city. To that end she said, “Much of my day consists of meetings both internally and externally. Internally, I meet with various teams to ensure that the Mayor's goals are met.

These meetings are imperative to ensure that the various departments in our Division are on the same page since we have internal customers that must be serviced as well.

Additionally, there are multiple meetings with other City departments and private developers. The other part of the day mainly consists of evaluating and tweaking various plans, following up and execution.” The biggest challenge of her job she said is, “simply controlling the communication stream to both internal and external customers.”

As a black woman who has successfully navigated this field where women and minorities are still disproportionately represented, Lowery has ideas on ways to reverse this trend and it begins with work similar to programs currently in place with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Lowery explained the initiative, “starts at an elementary level which is important. I believe that the interest of youth should be peaked early on which is why I have added that element to the high school NSBE JR chapter where I currently serve as the Advisor.” In her program they have elementary students enrolled completing fun STEM projects without being aware the work they are doing involves science, engineering and technology components.

One of the common reasons students give when asked why they don't consider STEM careers is, 'I'm not good in math or science,' Lowery then explains to them that many of their daily tasks involve these skills. To prove her point she said, “I have been doing STEM with my own children since they have been able to walk and talk and I am sure that they do not realize that it is STEM. One example is a

“

As has been often stated which I believe to be true, as a woman and a minority, I am constantly doing more to prove myself. Engineering as a career path is not for the weak at heart.

Resilience is an absolute must in this field.

“

With a well rounded understanding of all things associated with the flow of water, Lowery returned to where it all began - Water Pollution Control. In 2015, her homecoming was no longer as an engineer, but as the Deputy Commissioner. As the second in charge for the city of Cleveland's sanitary sewer and stormwater collection system, she provided executive leadership in planning, organizing, and management of the daily sewer operations for more than 140 employees and an annual budget of $25 million. In a little more than four years, she was instrumental in assisting in the procurement of $35 million in bond funds for capital projects, closing a backlog of work orders and increasing productivity in the division.

family game where we have a contest to see who can add up the numbers on a license tag the quickest, that is nothing but math.” She further said that if other minority groups would make a conscious decision to follow the lead of NSBE nationals, we can close the gap. That goal she explained is, “to work with colleges and universities to graduate 10,000 new Black engineers each year by the year 2025. Each year, we take at least 10 students to the national NSBE conference that has over 10,000 attendees because it is important for the students to interact with like minds. Early exposure, I believe will help reverse the trend.”

When discussing mentors and her experiences Lowery first recalls the assistance she received from CSU's LINK program as her first introduction to mentoring and because of her positive experience she continues to work with the program today. As a professional she said, “When I entered the workforce in 1996, I gained two male mentors, one that is still alive today and still serves as a very honest mentor. I have not made any major career decisions without communicating with my various mentors for their input. I think that it is very important to have mentors that will provide honest feedback even if we do not want to hear it.” She continued, “Upon my return to WPC, I gained a mentor (that has since passed) that would call and quiz me on things that she thought that I should know, at any hour. If I was unable to answer the question, she would let me know that I had better have the answer, the next time she called, and I did. I am confident that I would not have graduated college without LINK, NSBE, NTA and my mentors at that time, I am confident that I would not be where I am in my career today, if I was not blessed to have many mentors, all with different perspectives.

In addition to mentors, I also have advocates and champions which are just as important as having good mentors.”

Lowery doesn't believe there is truly a 'healthy work-life balance,' instead she said, “As a parent, however, I do the best that I can. I am able to maintain some sort of balance due to a supportive husband and mom.

Continued on next page... www.PHENOMENALWOMAN.me ▒ 19

When my children were smaller, since my husband was in law school, working, active in the community and I was working and active in the community, my mom would call every Sunday, with her planner to see what was needed for my children for the upcoming week i.e. pickups, drop offs, shopping, cooking, whatever was needed to help my husband and I out. Additionally, whenever I can incorporate my children and husband into a work, board or STEM program activity that I must volunteer for, my children and husband are by my side. My children have learned to multitask as they are now older and very much involved in their own activities. The car ride to a basketball or tennis game is often the place for homework. My son just loves when I sit and try to do homework during half time or in between his games.”

Many of the doubts about women and STEM careers continue today, but Lowery advises any young woman interested in one of these careers to, “Follow their passion. I encountered multiple professors that tried to push me into what they thought was a field that was more suited for women i.e. social work but I did not listen. Although that was over 20 years ago, when I do career days, I am surprised that some young ladies share with me that they have been told that women are not engineers and that they should pick another career. There are many STEM programs that youth can get involved in, as early as kindergarten thus I would suggest that they do so.” g

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Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering Cleveland State University

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Master of Business Administration/Public Administration, University of Phoenix

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20 ▒ SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

Certifications; Wastewater Collection System Operator Water Distribution System Operator

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First female and first Black Engineer at the City of Cleveland's Sewer Division, Water Pollution Control

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Vice President, National Forum for Black Public Administrators

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Advisor, National Society of Black Engineers, JR Chapter

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Vice Chair, Black Professional Assoc. Charitable Foundation

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Member, Water Environmental Federation

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Member, American Public Works Association

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Professional Mentor, LINK Program, Cleveland State University

www.PHENOMENALWOMAN.me â–’ 21

Phenomenal Woman Magazine congratulates Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew and Dr. Heather Burton on their recent appointments:

Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, a nationally recognized leader in diversity and global health has been appointed as Allegheny Health Network's (AHN) first Chief Clinical Diversity & Inclusion Officer (CCDIO). Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew's experiences as a nurse, a distinguished professor, a Naval officer, a global health strategist and an obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in global health issues bring a unique perspective to the important role she will play at AHN and in the greater Western Pennsylvania region.

Dr. Heather Burton,

has been appointed as Case Western Reserve University's Senior Director for Faculty and Institutional Diversity. Dr. Burton has worked to promote gender equity in academic science and engineering fields at Case Western Reserve University and nine other universities across Ohio and Pennsylvania. Additionally, she managed the CWRUFisk Partnership program, helping coordinate students from CWRU and Fisk University participation in semester exchanges with a goal to increase the number of underrepresented students in graduate programs.

She is also an adjunct faculty in African and African American Studies and social work.

22 â–’ SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

Gladys West being inducted into the Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2018

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Flavorful Family Meal for Fall Warm, delectable dishes go hand-inhand with cool fall evenings when the crisp air sends you to the kitchen for a filling meal. Look no further than easy recipes like meatballs that pack fulfilling flavor to feed your family when the autumn temperatures dip.

These Grass-fed Beef Meatballs with Garlic and Herbs can be the perfect solution anytime you're craving a warm, comforting meal. They're made with New Zealand grass-fed ground beef, which provides an unrivaled taste.

Grass-fed year-round, the animals roam and graze freely over lush green hills and pastures, resulting in lean, flavorful meat that tastes just as nature intended.

Paired with a tomato-based sauce, the meatballs are baked before being topped with Parmesan cheese and parsley then served hot for a dish that warms you from the inside-out. While preparing the meatballs, be sure to wet your hands prior to shaping them as it helps prevent the meat from sticking to your hands.

Find more comforting fall recipes at beefandlambnz.com.

Grass-fed Beef Meatballs with Garlic and Herbs Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 Beef Meatballs: Oil 1 pound New Zealand grass-fed ground beef 1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 egg, lightly beaten 3 tablespoons milk 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs, such as parsley, thyme and oregano salt, to taste pepper, to taste

24 â–’ SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

Tomato Sauce: Oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1 can (14 ounces) chopped tomatoes, in juice 1 1/2-2 cups vegetable stock 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon sugar 1 bay leaf salt, to taste pepper, to taste To Serve: 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley leaves To make beef meatballs: Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly oil deep baking dish or skillet. Mix beef, breadcrumbs, garlic, egg, milk, Worcestershire sauce, mixed herbs and salt and pepper, to taste, then shape into eight meatballs and place in prepared baking dish.

To make tomato sauce: In heavy saucepan over low heat, heat dash of oil and add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, sugar, bay leaf and salt and pepper, to taste.

Simmer 10 minutes to allow flavors to mingle and liquid to reduce. Remove from heat, cool about 5 minutes and remove bay leaf. In food processor, process until sauce is smooth.

Pour sauce over meatballs and bake 25 minutes, turning meatballs after 15 minutes.

Serve hot sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

SIMPLE, SAVORY APPETIZER If you want to impress your guests, try serving this puff pastry as an appetizer at your next gathering.This flaky pastry filled with a combination of spinach, onions and feta cheese can keep them coming back for more.

large bowl.

For more appetizer ideas, visit Culinary.net.

In small bowl, blend cream cheese with one egg, salt and pepper until smooth. Fold cream cheese mixture into spinach mixture to combine. Stir in feta cheese and set aside.

Spanakopita Puffs Recipe adapted from Milk Means More

Line baking pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

1 package puff pastry sheets 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 small onion, diced 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 4 ounces light cream cheese, softened 2 eggs, divided 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup crumbled garlic and herb feta cheese 1 tablespoon cold water

On floured surface, roll one sheet puff pastry out to 10by-12-inch rectangle. Cut sheet in half lengthwise then again widthwise to form four 5-by-6-inch rectangles.

Place rectangles on prepared baking sheets.

Heat oven to 375 F. Thaw folded pastries 15 minutes. Once thawed, unfold sheets to thaw out flat.

In large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and saute 3-5 minutes, or until tender and translucent.

Stir spinach into softened onions. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until water from spinach evaporates and spinach is mostly dry. Transfer spinach mixture to

Place spoonful of filling onto center of each cut pastry.

Whisk remaining egg with cold water to create egg wash. Lightly brush egg wash around perimeter edges of each pastry square.

Pick up short side of pastry and fold over filling toward other short side. Press edges to seal before crimping with fork. Repeat with remaining pastries.

Brush small amount of egg wash over top of each pastry. Cut small slits on top of each pastry to allow filling to vent steam while cooking.

Bake 25-30 minutes, or until pastries are evenly browned on top.

Transfer pastries to wire rack.Cool 8-10 minutes before serving. www.PHENOMENALWOMAN.me â–’ 25

DELECTABLE DESSERTS FOR HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS

26 â–’ SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

www.PHENOMENALWOMAN.me â–’ 27

#SheCanSTEM Meet the women changing the world with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The future will be built by women in STEM.

CHIEF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, VERIZON CEO/Founder, Didero

28 â–’ SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020

Make Virtual Learning Fun and Easier Learning remotely from home is now the norm for many families across the country. Kids and caregivers alike have settled into a routine, though keeping children engaged can still be challenging.

For more ideas to help make virtual learning fun and engaging, visit ABCmouse.com.

5 Homeschool Hacks

While kids have had to be resilient and adapt to learning away from their school buildings, there are ways to make the adjustment easier. These ideas can help infuse more fun and moments of inspiration into school days to keep kids engaged and excited about learning.

Create a reward system. Children typically respond well to positive reinforcement, and a thoughtful reward system can help incentivize them to stay on task. Try to align the rewards with the structure of your day so everyone wins. For example, you can reward the completion of a long assignment with a play break. Giving kids the ability to choose the reward from a set of options can also increase their level of investment in learning.

Seek support from trusted sources. Many familiar kids' programs have expanded their services at no extra charge to help families through the pandemic. One example is My ABCmouse Classroom Live!, a learning experience that features daily classes built around themes such as community, responsibility, change, communication and cooperation. Each class feels like a real classroom experience, is led by real teachers and contains more than an hour of high-quality, engaging learning as part of an expertly designed curriculum.

The classes can be streamed on-demand then kids can complete independent learning activities related to the classes, including interactive games, art and puzzles.

1.

Use familiar toys to add playful elements to schoolwork.

Building blocks and modeling clay can be used as part of lessons on colors, shapes and letters.

2.

Laminate a password cheat sheet and keep it within easy reach so you're always able to log in quickly. Also create a list of bookmarks and desktop shortcuts to save time accessing online learning tools.

3.

Add some cheerful color to dry-erase sheets by using pompoms as erasers. Bonus tip: Slide a page protector over a worksheet so kids can practice with it again and again.

4.

Get creative with household supplies. A dishrack easily doubles as a file sorter or book display. Cookie sheets can be used for working with magnets or as a hard surface for writing or coloring if your child needs a break from his or her desk.

5.

Repurpose old puzzles by putting learning content on the back. Math facts, spelling words and shapes can make for easy puzzles.

Maintain social ties. Connections with friends are hard to establish without in-person interaction. However, with a little creativity, you can find ways to build new kinds of connections with educational value. Coordinate with other parents to start a book club and bring kids together virtually to talk about the stories or start an old-fashioned pen-pal exchange with kids from your school.

Establish a schoolwork zone. For children, doing schoolwork in an area usually associated with toys and free time like a playroom or bedroom can be hard, but in most homes, extra space is at a premium. Get creative with your available space and set some boundaries. Use a room divider, rugs or other visual cues to set aside a space in the house dedicated to doing schoolwork. Get your children on board by having them help design the space or add their own personal touches like artwork. www.PHENOMENALWOMAN.me â–’ 29

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GOING THE DISTANCE

FOR OUR

COMMUNITIES. At Dominion East Ohio, going the distance for our customers means more than just delivering safe, affordable natural gas. It means being a positive force in the communities we serve. Our EnergyShareÂŽ program has raised $6.8 million and helped more than 70,000 people in Ohio alone. These resources, combined with more than 6,300 volunteer hours from our employees, have benefited organizations as diverse as the American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America and the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition.