Tobacco Research Roundtable:  Sex Differences and Factors that Reinforce Cigarette Smoking

The Girls Coalition of Southwestern Pennsylvania will be a supporting organization for an upcoming research presentation on Sex Differences and Factors that Reinforce Cigarette Smoking.
 
Join the Reduce Smoking and Exposure to Tobacco (ReSET) Center on Tuesday, August 26 for the fourth Tobacco Research Roundtable discussion. Kenneth Perkins, PhD, Professor Psychiatry, Epidemiology, and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh will lead the presentation on Sex Differences and Factors that Reinforce Cigarette Smoking.  This is an opportunity for anyone interested in this topic to learn about ongoing research in this field. Dr. Perkins will provide an overview of laboratory-based research that focuses on the differences between men and women who maintain smoking habits. This in turn may have an impact regarding the onset of smoking in teens.
 
The presentation takes place at 3:30 p.m. in Parran Hall, Room 109. Parran Hall, home of the Graduate School of Public Health, is located at 130 DeSoto Street, near Fifth Avenue on the University of Pittsburgh's Oakland Campus. Pre-registration is suggested for this free event. For more information or registration, go to the events section of http://www.publichealth.pitt.edu/reset.



2008 Pennsylvania Governor's Conference for Women Keynote Speakers Announced

The Girls Coalition of Southwestern Pennsylvania is a supporting organization of the Pennsylvania Governor's Conference for Women. The conference will be held on October 2, 2008 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

Hosted by Governor Edward G. Rendell and the Pennsylvania Commission for Women, the Pennsylvania Governor's Conference for Women is a non-profit, non-partisan, one-day annual conference that features more than 75 renowned speakers sharing inspirational stories and leading seminars on the issues that matter most to women, including health, personal finance, business and entrepreneurship, career resources, work-life balance, media, and more.

This year's keynote speakers are Elizabeth Edwards, Nontombi Naomi Tutu, and wowOwow.com contributors Mary Wells, Liz Smith, and Julia Reed.

For registration, conference information, and speaker updates, visit the Pennsylvania Governor's Conference for Women's web site. The Conference draws a sell-out crowd, so REGISTER NOW!
You'll be sure to make a new connection, hear an inspiring speaker, or find a new opportunity, and we hope to see you there!

Member Announcement: Coro Center for Civic Leadership

• Host

• Leaders in Learning II - Applications due July 25

• Women in Leadership XII - January 2009

Member Announcement: Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania

Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania Alumnae Association
Camp Redwing Afternoon Retreat for Grown-up Girl Scouts
Saturday, August 16, 2008 - 1 to 5 p.m.
 
Calling all grown-up Girl Scouts -- come relive the fun of Girl Scouts at the Girl Scout Alumnae Association's Camp Redwing Afternoon Retreat! Enjoy classic camp activities like swimming, hiking, canoeing and archery or take part in fun indoor workshops on topics like time management, personal finances and DIY Spa Treatments. Camp Redwing is conveniently located near Butler, just minutes from I-79 and Route 8. 
 
All adult Girl Scout Alumnae and friends are welcome! Cost is $5 per person or FREE for first-time Alumnae Association event attendees. Opt to stay overnight on Saturday for just $15 per person (prior to August 1) and enjoy a wine & cheese reception, dinner, campfire and more.  
 
For more information or reservations, call 412-594-2201 or email alumnae@gswpa.org. Learn more about this event or sign up to receive future event announcements at www.gswpa.org/alumnae.
 
Please note that Girl Scout Alumnae Association events & activities are created and reserved for women, age 18 and over. Must be 21 or older for the optional overnight. 

Member Announcement: The POWER Collection

• Raise the profile of your organization through a detailed profile in the Annual Resource Directory of Girl-serving organizations
• Post and promote your events on the Girls Coalition website
• Reach Girls Coalition members with eblasts about your organization's monthly events and special opportunities
• Learn about the latest information, resources, and trends about girls
• Receive advanced notice for all Girls Coalition professional development and educational events
• Connect and collaborate with a network of like-minded agencies and individuals on projects and amplify the regional profile of girls and girls' issues

• Center for Victims of Violence and Crime
• Community Foundation for the Alleghenies
  
• Coro Center for Civic Leadership
  
• Every Child, Inc.
• Gina M. Fitzmartin, M.Ed., CAL, LPC
  
• Girls on the Run of Magee-Womens Hospital
• McAuley Ministries
  
• National Council of Jewish Women

Call for Amazing Girl Nominations

The Girls Coalition of SWPA is accepting nominations for "Amazing Girls" to be featured in our newsletter. We have established broad criteria to consider when submitting an "Amazing Girl." We are interested in showcasing girls who demonstrate the following characteristics: leadership; commitment and willingness to work hard; perseverance; the drive to excel despite challenge; and creativity. The purpose of this feature is to hear about girls that may be "truly amazing" but have not yet been recognized. Please share your recommendations, and we can all see how she shines!

Click here to nominate your Amazing Girl.

• 20% of children ages 13-14 say their friends are victims of dating violence and nearly 50% of all tweens in relationships say they know friends who are verbally abused.

• 40% of the youngest tweens, those between the ages of 11 and 12, report that their friends are victims of verbal abuse in relationships and nearly 1 in 10 (9%) say their friends have had sex.

• 62% of tweens who have been in a relationship say they know friends who have been verbally abused (called stupid, worthless, ugly, etc.) by a boyfriend/girlfriend.

• Two in five (41%) tweens who have been in a relationship know friends who have been called names, put down, or insulted via cellphone, IM, social networking sites (such as MySpace and Facebook), etc.

• One in five 13-14 year olds in relationships (20%) say they know friends and peers who have been struck in anger (kicked, hit, slapped, or punched) by a boyfriend or girlfriend.

• Only half of all tweens (51%) claim to know the warning signs of a bad/hurtful relationship.

For more information see: www.loveisnotabuse.com/pressreleases.htm



NEARLY HALF OF COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATES REPORT HAVING EXPERIENCED SOME TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE
 
A new study, "Relationship Violence Among Female and Male College Undergraduate Students," published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that about 45 percent of undergraduates report having experienced some sort of relationship violence before and/or during college, with emotional abuse being most common.
 
Researchers anonymously surveyed 910 undergraduates at three urban campuses about three types of relationship violence: Physical, emotional, and sexual. For all three types of violence, students report higher rates of both victimization and perpetration before college than during. Of the 910 respondents, 35 percent report experiencing relationship violence before college, compared to 24.9 percent during. While reported victimization rates are higher for women (at 53 percent), a significant number of men - 27.2 percent - also report being victimized.
 
In the study, the authors suggest that future research focus on male victims and their needs. Furthermore, the authors write, "Emotional abuse was the most frequently reported form of violence experienced by male and female students before and during college. While emotional abuse frequently is not a focus of violence prevention, it can cause poor outcomes and may predispose victims to other forms of violence. Therefore, educational efforts focusing on healthy relationships should begin during childhood."
 
For more information see: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/07/08/violence

• Go to the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database and search the toxicity levels of your makeup and personal care products.
  

• Because of the number of toxic chemicals found in newborns, safe cosmetics and cleaning products are not just issues affecting women. As men use more cosmetics, the number of chemicals they're exposed to also increases. This is a family issue.
  

• Talk to the girls in your program about makeup, personal care products, cleaning products and a safer, greener environment.

Jewish Women's Foundation Call for Proposals

Opportunities for Girls

Nestle Very Best in Youth Program

Do you know a teen leader age 13-18 who is positively impacting the lives of others through a committment to public service and who has strong academic achievement? If so, she may be eligible for the Nestle Best in Youth 2009 Program. The program "honors young people who have excelled in school and who are making their community and the world a better place."

Winners will have $1,000 donated in their name to the charity of their choice. Each winner will also receive an all-expense paid trip for her and a parent/legal guardian where she will be honored at the Nestle Very Best in Youth awards ceremony.

2009 applications are due by November 20, 2008. To learn more, visit http://www.nestle-verybestinyouth.com/AboutVBINY.aspx.



Scholarships

FastWeb is a website targeted at students (high school, college and graduate), parents and educators. It aims to connect youth and adults to information about colleges and available scholarships. The website offers personalized scholarship searches, college comparisons, tips for financial aid and access to job and internship searches. To get started create a profile for yourself, or youth you are working with. You are ready to begin your search!