APRIL, 2014

Dear Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Colleagues:

By the time you are reading this, we will have wrapped up our own version of March Madness. This month, we have participated in a “tournament” of engagement and capacity-building with Staff, Advisory Councils and Park Friends, as well as with external partners. And while we didn’t start with a field of 64, we still stayed quite busy promoting the department, our community supporters and the outstanding work that is an outcome of our collective efforts.

The month started with a Civic Engagement Forum on March 1st in which approximately eighty individuals, representing our core volunteer groups and Executive Team members, were involved in a discussion around developing a more in-depth understanding and relationship between citizens and the department. Participants provided valuable insight and information with which we are working to develop tangible responses that will enhance our mutually beneficial relationship. A similar event, the Parks Forum, was also held the latter part of this month and provided training and informational support to our Park Friends groups that can be used to further their community efforts.

In addition to this external outreach, we have conducted 12 branding briefings for staff as the next step in the launch of our new “Find Your Path” brand. If you did not have the opportunity to participate in one of the briefing sessions, I encourage you to view the presentation on your own.

And speaking of branding, the official external launch of Find Your Path is scheduled as part of a “Parks & Recreation Showcase” that will be held at The Oval between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30th. This is a great opportunity for all of us to profile our daily work as well as participate in the other brand-related events that will take place that day. The Executive Team has been asked to provide a list of displays and activities that can be incorporated into our Showcase, and I encourage you to be part of the day; please discuss this directly with your Supervisor. Thanks.

Save the Date: PPR Branding Launch

On Wednesday, April 30 Philadelphia Parks & Recreation will host its branding launch announcement and department showcase at The Oval from 3-7 p.m. Stay tuned for more details in the weeks to come.

2014 Trail Permits

Spring is here! Learn more about PPR trails and don’t forget to apply for a trail permit before heading to the upper trails of Wissahickon Valley Park and Pennypack Park.

Art in the Park

A new round of Art in the Park, a free arts and crafts class that travels to six parks in Philadelphia each week, kicks off on March 30. The all-ages program will travel on the following schedule through May 30:

Weekdays, 4-6 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

• Monday at Malcolm X Park
• Tuesday at FDR Park
• Wednesday at Vernon Park
• Thursday at Campbell Square
• Friday at Marconi Plaza
• Saturday at Fisher Park

Healthy Living Block Party

Members of the Philadelphia AmeriCorps Week committee invite you to attend our Healthy Living Block Party event. This event is the kickoff to AmeriCorps Week, which will take place between March 30 – April 5, 2014. The week will serve to raise public awareness of the work done by the thousands of AmeriCorps members throughout the Greater Philadelphia area, as well as acknowledge the enthusiasm and dedication of these corps members. These are people of all ages who have given a year of their lives to serve in schools, non-profits and city agencies throughout Philadelphia, helping our communities to grow and improve.

The Healthy Living Block Party will promote local resources and healthy lifestyles for children, families and community members. The event will include healthy foods, information tables, health and fitness workshops and activities for youth. There will also be games and freebies. This event will take place at Cecil B. Moore Recreation Center: 2551 N 22nd St, Philadelphia, PA, 19132 on March 30, from 2-6 p.m.

For more information, check out http://philaamericorpsweek.wordpress.com or download the Healthy Living Block Party Flyer

Spring Events at The Oval

Come to The Oval on April 4 for the launch of Philly Tech Week and watch competitors play Tetris on the Cira Centre building. In addition, local apps, games and community partners will be highlighted during this outdoor "arcade," and Philly food trucks, a Yards beer garden and live performances will add to the festivities. Learn more about Arcade @ The Oval.

Other confirmed events for The Oval in 2014 include:

• Farm Festival: April 17-19

• PHAIR Open Air/Artisan Market: May 22-24

• Summer Season: mid-July through mid-August

• Fashion Festival: September 18- 21

• Architects of Air – Miracoco: October 9- 13

View a calendar of confirmed spring 2014 events at The Oval thus far.

Welcome Center Exhibit: Alberta Gibson

Recreation professional Alberta Gibson is proud to present:

John Anderson Cultural Center Art Club Gallery Opening at The Welcome Center in LOVE Park

Says Gibson:

"Our art is a combined effort to create a voice for the artists everywhere in the world who are voiceless. We are the people of the city of Philadelphia. We represent the community around us. We represent the neighborhoods. Our art is our expression to others as well as to ourselves. We have used many different mediums. Acrylic paint, colored pencils, lead pencils and many different materials are used to make our art. We are just a small portion of the tapestry of America. We believe that our neighborhood extends far greater than we can ever imagine. Our art is something that we can share with others as a vehicle to reach out to others in a way that nothing else can. Our slogan is, ‘Share the art in your heart!’

The full gallery will be open until April 18, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Citizen Institute for Natural Areas Planning and Management

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation is recruiting participants for a new program to involve citizens in the planning and management of natural areas in the park system. Community partners will participate in a series of classes through the Wagner Free Institute of Science to foster ecological understanding and increase their knowledge of ecology, land management and experimental design. These partners will help to guide the management approaches for the sites, and will assist with long-term monitoring of the sites. This course will provide knowledge, skills and abilities that will be needed for full engagement in this process.

Continue reading about this opportunity

Volunteer Recruitment Workshop

Would you like to learn more about recruiting volunteers for your programs and activities?

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation is sponsoring a FREE workshop focused on recruiting and retaining volunteers. This informative workshop is being offered for two sessions: one that occurred yesterday (March 27) at Dorothy Emanuel Recreation Center and another on Wednesday, April 2 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Houseman Recreation Center (5091 Summerdale Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124).

You will learn how to reach out to universities for volunteers, how to write strong volunteer position descriptions and techniques to keep volunteers interested and engaged. The Parks & Recreation volunteer background check system will be explained as well.

Reserve your spot today! Preregistration is necessary. 20 seats are available at each workshop. If you are interested in attending, please contact Lindsay Deal at Lindsay.deal@phila.gov.

News from the Northeast

• Lawncrest Rec Center will be participating in the Mayor's Citywide Cleanup on Saturday, April 5 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. In addition, Lawncrest will be holding registration for its summer basketball league (ages 4-6, 7-9, 10-12) during the months of April and May. The cost for ages 4-6 is $25, and the cost for ages 7-12 is $35. Please call (215) 685-0597 for more information and to register.




• The Simpson Recreation Center Girl Scout troop will host a Kids Zumba Party on Saturday, April 5, 2014, as well as a cleanup at Northwood Park on Saturday, April 12, 2014.




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TreePhilly Yard Tree Giveaways

The TreePhilly yard tree giveaways are almost here! You can sign up for two trees per property by going to www.treephilly.org now. We are also looking for volunteers to come and help at the giveaways during the first two weekends in April (no tree experience necessary). If you are interested, please contact Erica Smith Fichman (erica.smith@phila.gov, (215) 683-0217).

Yard Tree Giveaway Schedule:

• Saturday, April 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pennypack Environmental Center (8600 Verree Road 19115)

• Sunday, April 6, 12 noon to 2 p.m., West Oak Lane Library (2000 Washington Lane 19138)

• Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Columbus Square Playground (1200 Wharton Street 19147)

• Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Bartram’s Garden (54th and Lindbergh Boulevard 19143)

• Saturday, April 12, 12 noon to 2 p.m., Hunting Park Recreation Center (900 Hunting Park Avenue 19140)

• Sunday, April 13, 12 noon to 2 p.m., Gorgas Park (6300 Ridge Avenue 19128)

Arts & Artists Outdoors: Ziehler Playground

Photo by Steve Weinik for the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program

This spring, Ziehler Playground is hosting the Visual Arts program Arts & Artists Outdoors (A2O). Two very aspiring artists--lead artist Leah Girardo and assistant artist/Olney local Joy Best—are serving as instructors. Leah and Joy are doing a great job engaging the children of the Ziehler community, getting them excited about being outside, showing them all that nature has to offer and how nature can inspire their own art pieces. The A2O program will run out of Ziehler from now until early May.

Ziehler’s A2O group will be concentrating on local waterways and the fish that live in these waters. The group will be portraying their art through Sun Prints. The children will be focusing on and paying special attention to the species, color, size, shape and texture of the fish. From their observations, they will draw the fish and make the sun prints, thus creating their fish prints. These prints will eventually be transposed onto the entrance area walls of Ziehler.

Learn more about youth and community workshops at A2O’s five locations

Sheep Shearing Festival

Spring is sheep shearing time at Fox Chase Farm. Mark your calendars for the annual sheep shearing festival on Saturday, April 26, 12 p.m.-4 p.m. when the wooly flock gets their annual haircuts.

Experience everything sheep at this family-friendly event with wool carding and combing, spinning and wool dyeing demonstrations and sheep-themed crafts for kids. Enjoy live music in front of the hay barn by the popular Philly band, Celtic Connection. Try candle making (take home your own lighting creation), old-fashioned potato sack races and hayrides in the farm fields. Meet the farm’s chickens, goats, cows, pigs and horses. This year will also feature a special agricultural activity area in partnership with the Philadelphia Science Festival.

Event is $3.00 adults & children. Fox Chase Farm is a 112-acre educational farm in our very own Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, located at 8500 Pine Road at Pennypack Creek in Northeast Philadelphia. Call (215) 685-0470 for additional information.

Save the Date: LOVE Your Park Week & Rec Center Open House

The 2014 LOVE Your Park Week kicks off on May 10 with a service day at parks citywide, as well as a ribbon cutting and PumpJam event at the Philly Pumptrack. Special events continue through May 17. LOVE Your Park Week is a citywide celebration of Philadelphia’s diverse parks, featuring eight days of service projects, fun events, educational programs, family activities, tours, and more – at over 100 parks throughout Philadelphia! LOVE Your Park Week is a collaborative initiative between Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, the Fairmount Park Conservancy, and park friends groups throughout the city.

On Saturday, May 17, recreation centers across the city will welcome neighbors to the Spring Open House. A list of participating rec centers will follow in our April 24 issue.

Sign Up for the Rec Center Spring Open House

As mentioned above, this year’s Spring Open House is happening on Saturday, May 17, 2014 at playgrounds and recreation centers across the city. Facilities are encouraged to participate and open their doors to the communities they support. The open houses will be showcasing the programs and resources recreation facilities have to offer. They will also raise awareness of the important role of advisory councils. This open house will help encourage sign-ups for summer and volunteer opportunities. It will also attract new recreation center users, volunteers and stakeholders. This event will provide an opportunity for community feedback. A toolkit providing support materials and ideas will be provided to those participating. If you are a center that would like to get involved, please let your district manager know and contact Lindsay Deal at lindsay.deal@phila.gov by April 17.

Percussion Class at Gambrel Rec. Center

The Settlement Music School, along with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s Performing Arts Office, has provided a percussion instructor to two PPR facilities!

Gambrel Recreation Center, the center selected in District 2, will host instructor Josh Robinson. He, along with Rec. Leader II Art McQuoid, will engage the children in the After School Program.

The children will learn basic drumming, rhythms and beats. They also will be making their own instruments. Plans are for them to perform a concert at the Grand Opening of the new Venice Island Performing Arts Center in June.

The class will meet each Tuesday, from 4 to 5 p.m., and run through June. All of the instruments and supplies for this program have been provided by the Performing Arts Office, under the direction of Bill Powell. Cost for the program is FREE.

Grow Up Green Update

It has been a long, cold winter. And for those of us involved with the Grow Up Green program, Spring couldn't get here fast enough! Although the snow began as a great backdrop to our lessons about snow, the numerous snow days and extreme cold weather quickly made a direct impact on our planning schedules. But from class and trip cancellations to rescheduling of special guests, Grow Up Green still managed to bring nature into the classrooms for these youngsters in this bitter weather.

In addition to snow, topics covered in the Winter session included bears, owls, bees, farm animals and nutrition. Palmer Playground was lucky enough to make it to Fox Chase Farm for the fabulous Maple Sugaring program provided by the fantastic staff at the Pennypack Environmental Center. Houston Playground visited the Wissahickon Environmental Center where the excellent staff there also provided information on maple sugaring. In addition to the farm trips, this year Grow Up Green invited special guests from Silver Lake Nature Center to visit each site and present the "Hibernation Happens" workshop. This adorable program invites the children to crawl through a tunnel to Gary the Groundhog's den where he, along with a variety of other friendly puppet companions decide whether or not it is time for Spring to arrive.

Thank you to all of the staff at Pennypack, the Wissahickon, Silver Lake Nature Center and of course, the Tot Recreation staff at all of our Grow Up Green sites for all of you cooperation and understanding as we stormed our way through lots of rescheduling this season.

Beyond the Dream

In the past 6 months, M.L. King Recreation Center has caught the attention of not only its immediate North Philadelphia neighborhood, but the entire city. Major label rap artist and North Philadelphia native Meek Mill held a turkey drive at the center before Thanksgiving and featured footage of the day in a video set to his music. In addition, the Philadelphia 76ers selected King for their NBA Cares program to hold a fitness clinic in October, and Emmy Award winning television chef Christina Pirello and the Phillies Phanatic paid visits in Fall 2013 as well.

“These guests and events may seem like we are bringing fun to kids for just one day,” explains Assistant REACH Coordinator and Coach Meka Perez, “but they are actually opening their eyes to new horizons. Many of these kids never knew what a turkey dinner was until now.”

Speaking of new horizons, something else has been taking place beyond the media coverage and guests: major revitalization efforts spearheaded from within the center itself.

Continue reading about M.L. King Recreation Center

Young-ish PPR Update

On Friday, March 7, the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Young-ish PPR Committee hosted a full day of professional development training for PPR staff. The trainings were led by Margie Dubrow, PHD., Non-profit Executive Leadership Institute Director at Bryn Mawr College, and Ray Wells, PH.D. Despite the long day, both the instructors and the attendees remained engaged and motivated throughout the day. A cross-section of department staff attended the training.

The training included two sessions. The first session, Leadership Styles and Professional Performance, focused on providing attendees with a deeper understanding of the impact of leadership styles in effective communication and problem solving and in the development of productive teams. The second session, Managerial Leadership: Delegating for Development, focused on providing leaders the ability to assess the developmental competency of their staff and risks associated with work situations, in order to effectively delegate and manage those risks.

The next Young-ish PPR event will be a hike in Pennypack Park on Thursday, April 24 at 10 a.m. Please RSVP to moria.miller@phila.gov if you are interested.

Young-ish PPR is an informal social and professional group for Philadelphia Parks & Recreation staff who are “young-ish” or young at heart. We host career development and social events on an ongoing basis and welcome your input and leadership in building the group and keeping it interesting for all young-ish PPR staff. Past events have included disc golf, happy hours, a conversation with Commissioner Michael DiBerardinis and 9-hole golf. Please invite your co-workers to attend upcoming Young-ish events! If you have a programming idea that you would like the group to implement, please share it with us. We’d love to hear from you.

Winter Fest at Starr Garden

Starr Garden Playground held its Second Annual Winter Fest on Saturday, February 8. The event included pony rides, an ice carving demo by Roger Wing, a craft table supplied by Queen Village Art Center, face painting, balloon animals, activities with Play Works, hot cocoa supplied by Old City Coffee, music provided by a DJ and more! Starr Garden Neighbors & Friends hosted this event with the generosity of a grant received from the Fairmount Park Conservancy (thus via the ACE Foundation, Nova Care, U.S. Facilities, All Seasons Landscaping, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and Bank of America).

On March 22, Starr Garden Playground hosted Spring Fest. Event highlights included flower pot painting, seed packets, planting tips, crafts, games, a bucket drumming demonstration and refreshments.

The Philadelphia Flower Show: A PPR Tradition

Since the 1930s, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (via the former Fairmount Park Commission) has participated in the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s annual Flower Show as an exhibitor. For the 2014 show’s “ARTiculture” theme, PPR decided to build a replica of Matthias Baldwin Park, a unique environmental sculpture park in the Fairmount neighborhood (19th & Hamilton Streets).

The planning process for a PPR exhibit typically begins in November or December. This year, PPR tapped the talent of GIS Technician Vanessa Miller, who is also a fifth-year landscape architecture student at Philadelphia University, for the design and construction of its display. Vanessa worked closely with Assistant Director of Operations Charlie Dougherty, Landscape Project Technicians Danny O’Brien and James Mako and Special Projects Manager John Piller to design and construct the exhibit.

Continue reading about PPR’s Flower Show display

The Magic of Imagination Games

Imagination games were the first seeds which spread throughout the eighty-one sites in Philadelphia’s Parks & Recreation (PPR) afterschool programs. Watching the children interact with one another in a series of three to five-minute games quickly led to laughter, movement and unexpected quirks and twists that could only spring from the spontaneous mindset of youth. Especially in this digital age, these individual and group activities help develop the brain neuron connections that fuel and develop creative skills.

And what fun!

With the aid of the Knights Foundation, PPR has expanded its performing arts program to reach and teach a greater number of afterschool children about the joy and benefits of dance, drama, music and theatre in their lives. Taking these programs into the neighborhood playgrounds where the children live, school and play enables each child a chance to safely explore and push their expressive boundaries as they work in tandem with peers and adults. Watching their emerging self-confidence grow as they practice with fellow actors and dancers for their upcoming performance is just as much fun for the teachers as the students.

Photo: Valentine’s Day at Columbus Square

New “Digs” on Cecil B. Moore Avenue for the M.L. King Older Adult Center

On an unbearably frigid Wednesday morning in January, there sat a beautiful white tent in the middle of the 2100 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue. The temperature was so cold that heaters had to be placed inside the tent in an attempt to provide a warm atmosphere. The air, though cold, was filled with anticipation and curiosity. Inside were representatives from various television stations and rows of chairs for invited guests, dignitaries and the community. There were plenty of hot beverages to keep the spirit warm. On January 29, 2014 the purpose was to announce that Project Home was breaking ground on a brand new 30,000 square foot wellness center – the Stephen Klein Wellness Center. The center is named after its lead funder, who has been a champion of this project for years. It is expected that this center will provide a sorely needed health and wellness center for homeless men, women and children and residents in an area where many of the people live in poverty. It is supported in part by Jefferson University Hospitals, Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia.

Continue reading about the M.L. King Older Adult Center

Carol Piascik "Turns" PaRC Star at Vogt Rec Center

Congratulations to Carol for being honored by the Commission on Parks and Recreation with the PaRC Star award. Carol has been leading a ceramics program at Vogt Rec Center since 1977! The Commission recognized her commitment to "turning" young and old alike into ceramics enthusiasts and being a vital and committed member of the Vogt Rec Center family. She was presented the PaRC Star award at the Commission meeting on March 19th by Commissioner Carol Rice at Vogt Recreation Center.

Do you know a deserving volunteer? Nominate them to be a PaRC Star today!

Video: Flip for Fitness

Staff Changes

New Hires

Shareef Adbus-Salaam, Brick Mason
William G. Butler, HVAC Mechanic 2
Ryan Haney, Assistant Recreation Leader
Thomas Jardel, Tree Maintenance Worker
Briana Cropps-Hawkins, Recreation Leader Trainee
John Kolesnik, Electrician 2

Promotions

Kimberly Abrams, Social Work Services Manager 1
Kenyato Bryant, Accountant
Roy Carter, Grounds Maintenance Worker 1
Charles Christman III, Recreation Leader 2
Stephen Conwell, Recreation Leader 1
David Cupps Sr., Parks Ground Maintenance Supervisor
Elizabeth Henninger, Recreation Leader 1
Keenan Hooker, Labor Crew Chief
Robert Jackson, Recreation Leader 3
Walter Mulholland IV, Recreation Leader 1
Tawanda Starkes, Recreation Leader 1
Jonto T. Swift, Recreation Leader 2
Karen Walls, Special Events Production Coordinator
Carnell Wilder, Heavy Equipment Operator 1

Returning to PPR

Maria M. Bossard, Social Work Services Trainee
Keith S. Czarny, Recreation Leader Trainee
Robert Frazier, Grounds Maintenance Worker 1
Gina Gowans, Recreation Leader Trainee
Wyman Spence, Grounds Maintenance Worker 1
David Wright, Grounds Maintenance Worker 1
Hilary Doe, Assistant Recreation Leader
Bonnie L. Grant, Assistant Recreation Leader
Merisa L. Rudy, Assistant Recreation Leader
Gerard Walsh, Assistant Recreation Leader
Michael Murphy, Assistant Recreation Leader
George Duncan, Grounds Maintenance Worker 1
Richard Gonzalez, Urban Park Ranger 1
Victor Rios, Grounds Maintenance Worker 1
Kareem Townes-Wise, Urban Park Ranger 1

Retirees

Magellan Kingsberry, Tree Maintenance Helper
Lisa Anne Kenny, Parks and Recreation Program Manager
Joseph T. Zemartis, Fleet Maintenance Team Leader
Elva Adorno, Clerk 3
Joseph F. Callan, Special Events Production Coordinator
Edward J. McLaughlin, Recreation Leader 2
George P. Sumner, Recreation Leader 3
Cheryl Gargiulo, Recreation Outreach Worker

“Change Your Clock, Change Your Smoke Alarm Program” at the MANN

On March 7, the Mann Older Adult Center, located at the 3201 North 5th Street, hosted Philadelphia Fire Department Commissioner Lloyd Ayers and Renee Cardwell Hughes, C.E.O. of the American Red Cross Southeastern Chapter, as they promoted the “Change Your Clock, Change Your Smoke Alarm” program, targeting Philadelphia’s most vulnerable neighborhoods. Philadelphia Corporation for Aging’s VP of Operations Louis Colbert and Lynn Spiro, Director of Adult Services, also attended.

Those in attendance were told about the changes in the city’s fire code, which recommends that one and two family dwellings have smoke alarms with a 10-year non-removable battery. They were also reminded of the importance of testing their smoke alarm to prevent fires and save lives.

Following the event, volunteers from the American Red Cross, members of Engine 50 and Ladder 12 joined Commissioner Ayers in a fire safety walkthrough on the 3200 block of 5th Street installing 10-year lithium battery-powered smoke alarms and distributing fire safety literature. Mercedes Tollinchi, a member of the Mann Older Adult Center, was first to receive the smoke alarm.

Energy-saving Field Light Initiative

As a reminder, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation is piloting a field lighting energy conservation initiative. PPR is using field lights only Monday to Friday, dusk to 10:30 p.m., mid-March through December. Field lights will be turned off at all other times, reducing energy usage by lowering the amount of time fields are lit while not in use. If you see field lights on at a PPR facility at non-designated times, please email PPR.EnergySaver@phila.gov.

Energy-saving Tip of the Month

Keep your refrigerator or freezer full, but not overcrowded. Use water containers or bags of ice to fill empty space.

Mid-winter Forum

On March 1, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation hosted "Finding the Path to Success: Building a Robust Partnership between Government and Citizens" at La Salle University. Representatives from Advisory Councils, Park Friends Groups, the Commission on Parks and Recreation, Philadelphia Parks Alliance, Fairmount Park Conservancy, Trust for Public Land and PPR met to discuss how to improve and advance the relationship between PPR and its partners. Event attendees have received the facilitated discussion feedback data, and PPR is developing next steps to advance its relationship with citizens.

Neighborhood Parks Stewardship Forum

On March 22, PPR and the Fairmount Park Conservancy hosted the Neighborhood Parks Stewardship Forum at the University of the Sciences. The theme for the conference was “Making Connections.” PPR and FPC offered workshops to help Friends Groups think about how to connect with people—both locally and digitally—and how to connect with the land. Presentations included “How to Recruit and Keep Volunteers,” “Using Social Media to Promote and Support Your Friends Group,” “Park Garden Design for Sustainable Landscapes and Habitat” and “Global Climate Change on a Local Level.”

Video: Philadelphia Decreases Childhood Obesity: Learning to Eat Healthy

Watch a Robert Wood Johnson video about Philadelphia's fight against childhood obesity, featuring gymnasts from Vare Recreation Center and wrestlers from James Wright Recreation Center.

PPR Staff Basketball Game

The 3rd Annual PPR Staff Basketball Game will take place at the Palestra on Thursday, April 3, at 8:30 p.m. Please let your supervisor know if you are interested in participating. The deadline to be added to the roster is Monday, March 31.

Job Opportunity: EducationWorks

EducationWorks is looking for contractors for its afterschool programs. If you (or someone you know) has a special skill in fashion, music, digital media, gardening or anything else that you think might help, please apply today! More details can be found online or by calling (215) 221-6913.

EducationWorks is non-profit organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of children, youth and families by providing educational programs and services confronting high rates of poverty and other barriers to educational achievement.