Tobacco Free Allegheny invites you to participate in its Tobacco Free Allegheny Service Coalition. The coalition is made up of individuals from a wide array of organizations that meet quarterly to encourage and inspire thought on various topics related to tobacco and tobacco use. The quarterly programs include presentations by recognized experts in tobacco treatment, prevention or policy formation as well as opportunities for networking and discussion. When a tobacco related issue of common interest is identified, working groups are formed to develop strategies and tactics to address the issue. The next meeting will address the issue of tobacco related health disparities. Guest speakers are Tinesha Peterson and Marlin Williams from Be A Bridge, a statewide program designed to address tobacco related health disparities.  The meeting will also include a report from the Working Group on Women and Tobacco and an update on the status of clean indoor air legislation.

Tobacco Free Allegheny Service Coalition Meeting
            Tobacco Related Health Disparities
            June 5, 2008
            1:30 - 3:30 PM
            Allegheny Intermediate Unit

For additional information or to RSVP for the meeting, please email mlong@tobaccofreeallegheny.org.

Tobacco Free Allegheny's Working Group on Women and Tobacco will meet May 21, 2008 from 2 - 3:30 in the TFA office. Join with representatives from various institutions and organizations who have an interest in issues related to women and tobacco use. Agenda formation is just beginning, so this is a great time to get involved.  

            Tobacco Free Allegheny
            One Allegheny Square, Ste. 101
            Pittsburgh 15212
            (parking available)

For more information or to RSVP your attendance, contact Alix Armstrong (aarmstrong@tobaccofreeallegheny.org) or call 412.322.8321 x 305.

Member Announcement: FISA Call for Proposals

Funding Available

If your nonprofit is engaged in innovative programming for girls, FISA Foundation wants to know about it!  The Foundation is particularly interested in programs focused on empowerment, mentoring, issues related to teen pregnancy, health and wellness, prevention of and intervention in sexual assault and domestic violence, and programs that intentionally welcome and include girls with disabilities. All funding is restricted to the ten county area of southwestern Pennsylvania.

FISA's website (www.fisafoundation.org) contains more information about guidelines and the grant application process.  If you have any questions after reviewing the website, call Kristy Trautmann, Program Officer at 412.456.5550.  Letters of inquiry are accepted every month!

• 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

• Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania
  
• Auberle
• Tobacco Free Allegheny
• FISA Foundation
• Girls Hope of Pittsburgh
• Strong Women, Strong Girls
  
• Adagio Health
  
• Women's Law Project
• Dewey and Kaye
• Young Men and Women's African Heritage Association
• Crisis Center North
• Chatham University
• Women and Girls Foundation
• Circle C Youth and Family Services
• UPMC Department of Family Medicine
• Women Against Abusive Relationships (WAAR)
  
• YWCA, Greensburg
• Eden Hall Foundation
• The Grable Foundation
  
• Staunton Farm Foundation
• Jewish Women's Foundation of Greater Pittsburgh

When you hear the word "entrepreneur" do you think of Bill Gates or the guys from Google? Here at the Girls Coalition, we think of Lani Lazzari, a 13-year-old entrepreneur who recently won second place honors and $5,000 in the national Girls Going Places^® Entrepreneurship Award Program. Lani got started making all natural body scrubs as Christmas gifts for friends and family members in 2005.  People loved the vanilla and almond varieties, and the scrubs turned out to be really great for clearing up sensitive skin.Lani enjoyed her hobby for a while, filling orders for family members and experimenting with different oils and scents.Then last year she started to think more seriously about turning this passion into a business opportunity. With the support of her parents, she built relationships with potential customers, sold them great products, followed up, and earned their trust.A contact at UPMC bought a few, then 100, then 200 more.When she placed an order for 2,400 peppermint foot scrubs to use in gift bags for the Walk for the Whisper, Simple Sugars Scrub really took off.  The cash she earned from that large order went right back into the business - funding a new professional website (www.simplesugarsscrub.com) and upgraded supplies.In addition to growing her own business, Lani is committed to sharing what she has learned with other girls.Her best advice is "Have confidence in yourself and your ideas.Don't be afraid to just go for it!"

If you know an Amazing Girl, we would love to hear her story and possibly feature her in our June 2008 issue. Click here to nominate your Amazing Girl.

Member Profile: Girls Scouts Western Pennsylvania
MOVING AT THE SPEED OF GIRL

On April 1, 2008, five neighboring Girl Scout councils merged to form Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania. As part of a national strategy being driven by Girl Scouts of the USA, this effort was designed to create a higher-capacity council whose presence and purpose is strengthened regionally and nationally.

With nearly 40,000 girl members and 15,000 adult volunteers in a 27-county area, Girl Scouting in this region is building upon a long tradition of growing female leaders - one girl at a time. While leadership continues to be Girl Scouting's signature program, our ever more complex and uncertain world clearly requires a new kind of leader - one who values diversity, inclusion, and collaboration; and is committed to improving neighborhoods, communities and the world.

In response, Girl Scouts has designed The New Girl Scout Leadership Experience to engage girls to discover themselves, connect to others, and take action to make the world a better place. New activities and program resources such as, It's Your World - Change It, have also been designed to be girl led, involve learning-by-doing and cooperative learning -- in an inclusive and empowering approach.

Discover activities help girls to develop a strong sense of self, positive values, practical life skills, critical thinking, and to seek challenges in the world.

Connect activities encourage girls to develop healthy relationships, promote cooperation and team building, resolve conflicts effectively, advance diversity in a multicultural world, and feel connected to their communities - locally and globally.

When girls Take Action, they identify community needs, become resourceful problem solvers, advocate for themselves and others, educate and inspire others to act, and feel empowered to make a difference in the world.

Today's Girl Scout can participate in a troop that meets year-round, or she can choose to attend special Girl Scout events during the year. She may only experience Girl Scouting while at summer camp, or she may be part of an interest group for a few sessions each year. There are exciting travel opportunities to attract teens in Girl Scouting, as well as Virtual Troops. Today's Girl Scout and volunteer mentors have the flexibility to participate in one or all of these program pathways.

What else is new? This year, new grade levels will also be introduced for Girl Scouts:

• Girl Scout Daisy (K-1)
• Girl Scout Brownie (2-3)
• Girl Scout Junior (4-5)
• Girl Scout Cadette (6-8)
• Girl Scout Senior (9-10)
• Girl Scout Ambassador (11-12)

• Developing a flexible, state-of-the-art volunteer management system
• Establishing a thriving culture of philanthropy
• Reestablishing the Girl Scout brand as compelling and contemporary
  

To get involved, call 1-800-248-3355 or visit www.gswpa.org.

Seeking a dynamic leader to serve in a new position as Director of Female Services.  This person will assist the Chief Program Officer in enhancing and expanding female programming at Auberle. This is a great opportunity for the right person to grow professionally in an award-winning agency that is always advancing in quality.

Responsibilities:

Auberle currently serves 16 females ages 13-18. The program focuses on assessment and individual service planning that addresses family issues, skill development and preparation for family reunification or move to less restrictive environment with permanency planning as a major focus.

Research states gender-specific programs should be comprehensive, providing services across a continuum of care that encourages resiliency factors and life skills that help girls make a positive transition to womanhood and prevent future delinquency. The Director will provide the vision, leadership and direction for this to occur.

The Director will build on existing relationships with a number of partners and establish new relationships and strategic partnerships.

The Director will be responsible for developing an outcome measurement system that measures the impact of female services and work to increase positive outcomes. This person will also oversee the budget for female services.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

Masters degree and supervisory experience is preferred. Effective leader while inclined to coach and teach in order to improve knowledge and ability of others will also hold people accountable for results. Innovator is capable of creating or seizing opportunities to improve effectiveness and outcomes. Business "literate," understands financial reports, and applies data to assess effectiveness and efficiency and acts in a fiscally responsible manner.

POSITION:               Research Associate
                             100% time (40 hours per week)

LOCATION:              Central Office
                             Pittsburgh, PA  15222

SALARY:                 $31,800.00 (annually)

REPORTS TO:           Vice President for Applied Research

RESPONSIBILITIES:   

1. Designs or assists in designing evaluation and needs assessment protocols, instruments and data bases.
2. Manages selected research projects being carried out by Adagio Health.
   
3. Supervises and/or conducts development of information through data analysis, electronic databases, or other sources.
4. Collaborates in writing of research reports, professional papers and proposals.
5. Supervises junior staff as appropriate.
6. Performs other duties as required.
   

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

For further information, contact the Human Resources Dept., 960 Penn Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.
 

BrainCake Administrative Manager for
Girls, Math & Science Partnership

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Creative, professional, organized and results-oriented? Join us. The Girls, Math & Science Partnership at Carnegie Science Center seeks multitasker to handle web updates, major marketing & communication efforts, and outreach to girls. 25 hours per week.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS: Degree + minimum 2 years experience or equivalent combination with strong writing, people and organizational skills, experience in marketing and/or sales; strong editing/web skills; knowledge of Adobe Illustrator; ability to communicate science-related topics and a passion for girls' issues.

For information on how to apply, please contact Jen Stancil at StancilJ@CarnegieScienceCenter.org.

Girls Summer Happenings

Click!

Are you a Click! girl? Click! is an urban science adventure program designed specifically for middle school girls. Using specialized tablet computer interface, location-aware mobile devices, Click! girls earn their secret agent credentials solving mysteries on Pittsburgh's North Shore. Click! is the only program of its kind in the nation-part Charlie's Angels, part real-world science, and totally cool. To register call 412-237-1637 or go online to www.CarnegieScienceCenter.org/camp.

Click! Level One -a biomedical mystery on the North Shore

Ages: 10-12

Dates: June 23-28, Monday through Saturday

                  July 14-19, Monday through Saturday       

         Cost:  $225 members / $250 non-members

Click! Level Two-an environmental mystery on the Three Rivers

          Ages: 12-14 or Click! Level One graduate

          Dates: August 4-9, Monday through Saturday

          Cost: $275 members/ $300 non-members*

*Includes two off-site field trips with RiverQuest and Kayak Pittsburgh 

Need-based scholarships are available for this and all Girls, Math & Science Partnership programs. Call 412-237-1682.

Also, check out the Happening section on the Girls, Math & Science Partnership's BrainCake website for lots of cool events for girls!

Scholarship Opportunities