CISPA's Advocacy Day registration site has officially launched! Click the Advocacy Day image to be re-directed to the site to register. We look forward to seeing you!

Communities in Schools of Pittsburgh - Allegheny County was a leading partner in the Girls Going Places® Entrepreneurship Conference at Chatham University in Pittsburgh on March 9, 2010.  This is the fourth year that the conference has been held in Pittsburgh and CISPAC is excited to not only spearhead student recruitment, but also to have students from CIS Academies and our CIS school partner sites participate in this event each year. 
 
The one day conference was for girls who are between the ages of 12 and 18.  The objective of the event was to raise awareness about entrepreneurship (and "intrepreneurship") and to stress the importance of women being able to take care of themselves financially.  The girls participated in a variety of exercises - some as individuals and some as a team.  Through the exercises, the girls learned what it takes to own a business, build a career and balance a personal budget.  The program also helps to build self esteem and to encourage girls to have dreams and work in the direction of those dreams.  Additionally, the girls have an opportunity to interact with women business owners/executives who are our mentors for the day.
 
This year, we had a full house with 119 girls in attendance and 32 schools represented.  There were 25 mentors and approximately 20 adult observers from the schools.  CISPAC is proud to take an active role in the planning of the conference alongside Hurley Associates and Guardian Life Insurance (conference sponsors), the Center for Women's Entrepreneurship at Chatham University, the National Association of Women Business Owners, and Women's Independent Press. 
 
One of the highlights of the day was when Amber Liggett was recognized as a Girls Going Places® Entrepreneurship Award finalist.  This is a national award, also for girls ages 12 to18, that honors girls who either own a business or who are doing something significant in their communities.  Amber, who is a 13 year old from Beaver, Pennsylvania, started her business, Amber's Amazing Animal Balloons, four years ago.  She is an entrepreneur, a community volunteer and a model student.  Amber gave a short talk about herself and her experience with the Girls Going Places® Entrepreneurship Award application process.  She brought down the house with her poise and the maturity with which she spoke.  We think she is amazing!

For the first time ever, the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra (PYSO) will perform a benefit concert entitled "Celebrate Spring" on Sunday April 18th at 4 p.m. at the State Theatre in Uniontown.  This event will offer an exciting opportunity for adults and students to see and hear a performance from 90 talented youth of today who aspire to become the world-class musicians of tomorrow.
 
The Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra is currently celebrating its 64th year of providing educational opportunities and the finest orchestral training for young musicians in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.  To date, many PYSO alumni have gone on to prominent careers in orchestras all over the world. The organization has enjoyed an affiliation with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) since 1962. The PSO supplies music coaches and also provides a conductor for the youth orchestra.  The school age youth who comprise the orchestra are ages 13-21 and are accepted for membership through a highly competitive audition. 
 
The quality of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra is among the best in the world and has frequently been invited to participate in international youth orchestra festivals in Canada, Scotland and Switzerland, frequently winning first place awards for outstanding performances. PYSO completed a very successful European Concert Tour in 2005 and most recently undertook a two-week concert tour of China in 2008.
 
The conductor for the Uniontown April 18th concert, Lawrence Loh, is quite familiar with Fayette County. In the past he has conducted the highly anticipated and well attended Communities In Schools' "Summer's Night Concert" which was held annually for the last fifteen years. In addition to being the Music Director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Loh is also a champion of early childhood exposure to music and is very active as an arts leader and music advocate. As Resident Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Loh conducts a wide range of concerts including classical, educational and pops.
 
All concert proceeds will benefit Communities In Schools and its many services for Fayette County youth and can be purchased at the State Theatre box office located at 27 East Main Street, Uniontown, PA.  Reserved seating prices are $20 for Adults in the Orchestra & Mezzanine Loge and $12 in the Mezzanine.  Senior and Student reserved seating prices are $10 for the Orchestra & Mezzanine Loge and $6 for the Mezzanine.  For ticket availability and reservations, please call the State Theatre box office at (724) 439-1360.  

 

 National Youth Sports Safety Month

Joining a sport is a wonderful way for children to make friends, learn and exercise at the same time. While playing a sport is great fun, it's important to take proper precautions to prevent accidents or injury. The National Youth Sports Safety Campaign has a website with resources pertaining to everything from emotional injury to coaching tips and good sportsmanship events. You can visit the website here.

 

Since 1983 April has been designated as the National Child Abuse Prevention month. Childwelfare.gov has various ways you can get parents, students, and colleagues involved including a "30 Ways to Strengthen Families" Calendar that you can find here. Prevent Child Abuse America also has a website with some extremely helpful resources which you can access here.

What if Communities In Schools of Pennsylvania earned a donation every time you searched the internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause? Well, now it can!

 

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo!, and watch the donations add up!

 

GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 30 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, eBay, Macy's and Barnes and Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting our cause.

 

And if you download the GoodSearch-CISPA toolbar, our cause will earn money every time you shop and search online - even if you forget to go to GoodShop or GoodSearch first! Add the toolbar here!

 

Special Offer for Signing Up Between April 6th and April 9th!

 April 16th

 

 Communities In Schools of Southwest Pennsylvania's PYSO Benefit Concert

 CISPA Advocacy Day