 |
|
|
|
|
Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link. |
K is for Keystone
In honor of the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday, America250PA was started in 2018 through the Legislature and governor to help promote and educate Pennsylvanians on the rich history of the Commonwealth and its role in our nation’s founding.
In an effort to educate our youth, America250PA launched its Keystone Classroom Initiative in 2022. The purpose is to engage and educate Pennsylvania students in kindergarten through fourth grade through storytelling and special visitors. The students also enjoy interacting with the keystone mascots and receive commemorative bags filled with Pennsylvania-themed gifts.
R.B. Walter School in Northern Tioga School District was just one of the stops as America 250PA hopes to visit all 67 counties in the Commonwealth. Kathryn Slavinski, principal of R.B Walter, commended her students on their outstanding academic achievements, exceeding the Pennsylvania state average on their PSSA scores. Their dedication to learning has earned them the honor of being the second-highest scoring school in district four based on PSSA scores, increasing from 74% to 82% in a single year.
The students’ enthusiasm for reading and learning was easy to see and evident in the school’s unique book vending machine that rewards students with literary prizes. The students listened attentively as we read "K is for Keystone," exploring Pennsylvania's rich history and culture. There is so much to learn, particularly about the keystone’s significance as a cornerstone of our nation’s founding.
It was a fun day, journeying from A to Z and ending at the Philadelphia Zoo - America’s first zoo – a highlight of our literary Pennsylvania history tour.
Thank you, America250PA, for bringing Pennsylvania history to life, and congratulations to our students for their passion for learning.
|
The Future is Bright!
It’s so exciting to take part in the celebration of our future leaders!
Over the weekend, Tioga County FFA Alumni placed jackets on the next generation of FFA leaders. It’s such a special moment for the students who have worked so hard to earn this recognition and reward. Congratulations to the members of Grand Canyon FFA and Cowanesque Valley High School FFA, and thank you for your commitment to agriculture and our community!
|
January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes in the nation. While many may not realize it, it is happening right here in the Commonwealth, not only in big cities but also in our suburban and rural communities like ours.
In fact, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Pennsylvania consistently ranks among the top states in reported trafficking cases.
In case you missed it, I recently sat down with Clint Gregory of WPEL 96.5 in Montrose to talk about the horrors of human trafficking. Two segments of that conversation have aired so far. You can listen to them here and here.
One of the most persistent myths about human trafficking is the assumption that it exclusively involves abduction or kidnapping. In reality, fewer than 10% of trafficking cases nationwide involve kidnapping. Instead, traffickers often groom their victims over time, exploiting vulnerabilities like age, poverty, substance abuse or unstable housing. Many victims know their trafficker, whether it’s a family member, romantic partner or someone embedded in the local community. These relationships of trust make trafficking more difficult to detect.
Children and adults of all ages and demographics can become victims. Through force, fraud and coercion, traffickers push their victims into demeaning forms of abuse, including domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation.
If you are a victim of human trafficking in need of help, or you suspect someone else is a victim:
| |
• Call 911 if you are in immediate danger.
• Call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
• Text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733) to reach the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. |
Click here to learn more.
|
Applications for 2025 Pennsylvania House Scholarship Available
High school seniors interested in receiving financial assistance to help pay for college can now apply for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ Scholarship.
Each year the program awards a four-year scholarship to two students preparing for post-secondary education. It is open to graduating high school seniors who are Pennsylvania residents with plans to attend a Pennsylvania college, university or career school as a full-time student.
To qualify, students must have attained a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average in high school. Other factors taken into consideration for the awards are a student’s commitment to community, leadership qualities, extracurricular activities and financial need.
The scholarship program is administered through the Foundation for Enhancing Communities. Click here for more information and an application. The deadline to apply is April 15.
The scholarship is privately funded by individual and corporate donors; no tax or other public funds are used. Scholarships are awarded through an independent panel of judges chosen by the foundation.
|
Attention Students: House Fellowship Program Taking Applications
The Pennsylvania House Legislative Fellowship Program is accepting applications for its summer 2025 semester.
The program is based at Pennsylvania’s Capitol Building in Harrisburg where fellows are assigned to work in House standing committees or leadership offices; are compensated for their work (which may also include college credit); and are provided the opportunities to draft and present their own legislation, attend meet-and-greets with various public officials and staff, and tour some of the Commonwealth’s historic public spaces, to name a few.
Qualified applicants must be undergraduate juniors and seniors, graduate students or law school students; enrolled in a Pennsylvania college/university or a Pennsylvania resident enrolled in an out-of-state institution; and students of any major with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
For more information or to apply, visit www.pahousefellowship.us. Applications can be submitted via email to pahousefellowship@pabmc.net. The deadline to apply is March 1.
|
Blood Donation Saves Lives
Did you know that every two seconds in America, someone urgently needs blood? January is National Blood Donor Month, an opportunity to both honor voluntary blood donors and encourage new donors to help save lives. National Blood Donor Month was first designated by proclamation of President Richad Nixon on Dec. 31, 1969.
The start of the new year is one of the most challenging times to collect blood products as the threat of winter weather builds and can often lead to widespread blood drive cancellations. In addition to winter weather, an active cold and flu season may prevent people from keeping donation appointments as they rest and recover from illness.
Only 3% of eligible Americans currently donate blood, despite 65% of the population being eligible to do so. Learn more about blood donation and where to donate here.
|
|
|
