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TFIM Annual Student Leadership Conference brought hands-on learning opportunities at workplaces across the region
Students attending this year's TFIM Student Leadership Conference huddle together during a breakout session.
This year’s Annual Student Leadership Conference brought participants in The Consortium for Public Education’s career exploration program, The Future Is Mine (TFIM), plenty of chances to get their hands dirty, or at least keep them busy. Keep reading...
More than 40 schools bring creativity and enthusiasm to Reading Rocks!
Kindergarteners take a moment to get to know Captain Book during a school-wide assembly as part of the Centennial Elementary’s kick off to Reading Week – a pirate themed literacy week May 11 through 15.
Door décor, story hours and a visit from Captain Book were among the creative ways some 40 schools in 17 districts joined The Consortium for Public Education in reminding students and their communities that Reading Rocks! Continued...
Great Idea Grants helped bring new learning techniques and tools to classrooms across the region
A Logan Middle School student uses an electronic keypad to respond during quick quiz on a BrainPop lesson
Teachers at East Allegheny School District’s Logan Middle School are using the web platform BrainPop as a teaching tool and students at Laurel Highlands High School are producing their own television news programs, thanks to Great Idea Grants awarded during the past school year. Read on...
South Allegheny’s kindergarten registration follows up on Consortium’s ‘Challenge’ to promote Early Literacy
About 50 parents were shown the ropes of sending their kids off to kindergarten earlier this month during a registration event offered at South Allegheny School District’s Elementary Education Center. Over the next several weeks, they’ll go through three orientation sessions with their children. Click here for full story.
MHS Alumni Assn. announces 2009 scholarship winners
Winners of the 2009 scholarships and awards presented through the MHS Alumni & Friends Association gathered in the high school’s inner courtyard with Alumni Association president, Dr. Linda L. Croushore, at left in the front row, and high school principal, Dr. Tim Gabauer, first row right. Others in the front row, left to right, are Mary Alma Wright, Nina Beech, Amanda Slivka, Breanna Holmes, Jessica Dandar and Dante DiBeradin. In the second row, left to right, are Ian Moore, Daniel Pudlowski, Taylor Dowden, Cassandra McBride, Megan McFadden, Christina Hann, Rachel Popovich and Mitch Nielsen. Third row, left to right, includes Donald Shrott, Markus Bradley. Parris Perdue, Eric Hanna, Jessi Miller, Michael Milko and Erik Duffy.
The McKeesport High School Alumni & Friends Association once again has awarded nearly $45,000 in financial aid to McKeesport Area High School graduates in 2009, including two new scholarship awards established over the past year. Twenty-three current seniors and 13 former graduates benefited. Click here for full story and photos.
Four-time participant wins Jefferson Award at Greater Pittsburgh Civics Fair
A Trinity High School senior won first place in the Community Project category at the Greater Pittsburgh Civics Fair last week for an array of initiatives to engage peers and the community in the political process, particularly the November presidential election. Her project was titled “Beyond the Ballot.” Click here for full story. This link also contains a story on awards won by participants in Steel Valley's chapter of The Future Is Mine.
Expanding 'Food for the Mind' drive to bring in one million books
The Consortium is kicking off the eighth year of its decade-long campaign to collect and distribute 1-million books for needy children throughout the region.
Having surpassed the 610,000 mark in 2007, the campaign is well along the way, but the Consortium is hoping to step up collections this year because a depressed economy is expected to mean even more families facing hardship.
 Distribution of the new and gently used books through the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s 340 regional food pantries, ensures that all kids have access to The Fifth Food Group: Food for the Mind, the campaign’s banner since it began in 2000.
As in the past, the campaign will be conducted through small book drives undertaken by community partners at times of their choosing over the course of the year. More than 60 businesses, schools, youth groups and community organizations have contributed to the campaign’s success to date.
“We need all of them and more this year,” said the Consortium’s Executive Director, Linda Croushore, Ed.D. “As the holidays approach, the availability of books in the food pantries becomes all the more important.”
The Consortium supplies partners with electronic files for printing posters, tips for holding their book drives and other support to make their individual efforts successful. The Consortium also arranges drop-off dates and times and oversees sorting and storage of books at the Food Bank.
Organizations that would like to hold book drives should call the Consortium’s Literacy for Life Coordinator, David Pribish, at 412-678-9215.
New Consortium grant opportunity
The Consortium is announcing a new student-led, student-driven grant opportunity called The Power of Peers. It’s available through the Skills for Life initiative; grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded to groups in Grades 3-6 and 6-12 to design activities that focus on topics that impact school culture and behavior (alcohol, tobacco or drug resistance; healthy relationships; bullying and more). Click here for full details.
Consortium board member
wins Jefferson Award
Cheryl Kubitz a longtime member of The Consortium for Public Education’s board, has won a Jefferson Award for community service. Click here for full story.
In Memoriam
The Consortium for Public Education is saddened by the death of Stephen T. Tomko, a former member of the board of its founding organization, the McKeesport Education Consortium. Read on.
Linda Croushore appointed to PEN Board
Linda L. Croushore, Ed.D., Executive Director of the Consortium for Public Education (PEN), has been appointed to a three-year term on the board of the Public Education Network, a Washington-based national association of more than 80 Local Education Funds (LEFs), effective Jan. 9, 2009. Click here for full story.
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