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The Connection
The e-newsletter of the Girls Coalition of Southwestern Pennsylvania
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Dear ,
Welcome to our newest Girls Coalition members! The Girls Coalition now has 75 members! Click here for a full listing of our members and here to join the Girls Coalition!
And thank you to those who have recently renewed their Girls Coalition membership:
Membership to the Girls Coalition is for one year. You will receive a call from our Membership Committee and reminder email when your membership renewal is due. If you have questions about renewal, please contact Stephanie at sfedrobyrom@girlscoalitionswpa.org. In this issue... |
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Monthly Poll
June Poll Results Summary
In the latest
Girls Coalition poll that ran through June, we asked readers about school drop
out rates in our region. An overwhelming majority of poll respondents (80
percent) stated that drop out is a problem for girls in our region. When asked
about factors that contribute to girls dropping out school, readers indicated
that lack of commitment to schooling and lagging attendance (80 percent) as
well as parenting and family responsibilities are the chief factors responsible
for girls' drop out rate.
The June 2009 poll
was the ninth poll included in the monthly Girls Coalition newsletter. As
we strategize for the Girls Coalition's successful future and review our
communications and outreach strategies, we have recently decided to suspend the
monthly poll to re-evaluate its effectiveness. We would like to thank our
readers and poll respondents for their thoughts and insights shared through the
monthly poll. If you have any comments you would like to share with the Girls
Coalition, please email info@girlscoalitionswpa.org. |
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Member Events and Announcements
 Girls on the Run at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC Opens Fall Registration
Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC is now registering girls in
grades 3-8 for the fall session of Girls on the Run (GOT  R). Programs begin the
week of September 14 and run through December 11 at fourteen locations.
To register for GOTR or for more information, please call
Meredith Colaizzi at 412.641.1596 or visit www.gotrmagee.org.
Because program space is limited,
openings are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Program fees vary based on family income and
financial assistance is available.
Girls on the Run is a non-profit prevention program that
encourages preteen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through
running.
Exciting Research Studies
for Mothers and Daughters
For mothers of girls ages 9-12,
15-16 & daughters ages 15-16, the study, entitled PDAC: Protecting Daughters Against Cancer, explores
knowledge and attitudes regarding the HPV vaccine. Mothers and daughters will receive $10 for
participating in one 2-hour focus group, and mothers can receive $25 for
participating in a 90-minute informational session.
A study for girls ages 12-18 of
their views on teen dating violence. Each participant will be paid $10 and receive a Mary Kay gift.
For more information on either study, contact Dr. Willa Doswell,
Associate Professor at University of Pittsburgh School
of Nursing at
412.624.8977.
Girl Scouts Design Dance Squad Program!
Come and discover your creative potential. Connect to the concepts of technology through visits to the Carnegie Science Center and Heinz History Center. Take Action in building your own Dance Dance Revolution mat and choreographing your dance moves!
Who: For girls in grades 6-8
Date: Monday, August 3- Friday, August 7
Time: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: Chatham University
Cost: $40.00 (Financial Assistance is Available)
Visit www.gswpa.org for a registration form, or contact Heather at 412.594.2225 with questions.
16th Annual Golf Event to End Domestic Violence
Friday,
August 28th @ Youghiogheny Country Club
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Lunch
- 18 holes of golf on a beautiful private course
- Gourmet dinner
- Auction and games
- Chance to win $10,000!!!
Together
We Can End Domestic Violence!!!!
 North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center 18th Annual Golf Classic and
Silent Auction at Diamond Run Golf Club---
September 14, 2009
Please join us for a day of golf,
fun, food and fellowship as we work together to positively impact and heal
individuals and families and strengthen our community. This golf outing
is a major fund raiser for NHYMCC. Proceeds from the sales will directly
benefit children and families who come to us in need of low-cost or free
professional counseling and/or tutoring. Please help us continue the
healing!
Join us for this extra-special
event! Call to reserve a spot--spaces are limited! Individual
Golfer pays $240.
Diamond Run Golf Club.
132 Laurel Oak Dr.
Sewickley,
PA 15143
Phone: 412.741.2020 / Fax:
412.741.8133
Web Address: http://www.Diamond-Run.comPlates with Purpose
POWER is the latest non-profit partner of Plates with
Purpose, a project of Riverside Design Group in Lawrenceville. To celebrate the launch of the new line of
recycled glass plates, POWER and Plates with Purpose will be co-hosting a
launch party on Wednesday, September 16. Location, time and pric  e are TBA.
Plates with Purpose is the newest addition to The POWER Collection, a
cause-marketing project that links POWER with artists and retailers who donate
a portion of proceeds from specially selected items to POWER. For more details, please visit www.power-recovery.com and www.plateswithpurpose.com or
contact Emily Stimmel at
412.243.7535, ext. 223.
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Profiles
Call for Amazing Girl Nominations
The Girls Coalition of Southwestern Pennsylvania is always accepting nominations for "Amazing Girls" to be featured in our newsletter. The purpose of this feature is to hear about
girls who may be "truly amazing" but have not yet been recognized. Please share your recommendations, and we can all see how she shines! Send us an email about an Amazing Girl you think we should profile.
Member Profile: 
Our
mission is to connect women of color and our allies to the Reproductive
Justice Movement and develop new voices of leadership in Pittsburgh.
Our vision is Reproductive Justice predicated on the human rights of
women to decide if and wh en we will have children, not have children
and to decide how we will parent the children we do have in the context
of our lived experiences. Our work focuses on the complete physical,
emotional, spiritual, political, economic, environmental and social
well-being of women and girls, our families and our communities.
NVP created Women of Color HERStory Month and the LGBTQ Women of Color Reproductive Justice Series, developed the SistahSpeak! Youth and Voice Your Vote!
Projects and helped to recently win Comprehensive Sex Education in
Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Human Relations and
Non-Discrimination Ordinance for Allegheny County.
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Organizational and Professional Opportunities
VOLUNTEER with New Voices Pittsburgh!
Reproductive Justice affects all of us - especially women and girls. Join us at our monthly New Voices Pittsburgh Volunteer Training Session. Learn about Reproductive Justice, the achievements, projects and activities of NVP and how you can help change our city!
Dates: August 4, September 1 and October 6
Time: 6:00-7:30PM
Location: NVP Office, Liberty Bank Building, 6101 Penn Avenue, Suite 302
Whether
you're a veteran or new to Reproductive Justice, New Voices Pittsburgh
has exciting opportunities for you! All are welcome. Refreshments will
be served.
For more information, contact Ashley Birt at vyvproject.nvp@gmail.com or 412.362.7927, press #1.
North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center Volunteer and Job Opportunities
North
Hills Youth
Ministry Counseling
Center is seeking
volunteer tutors ages 16 years and older. No experience necessary! This dynamic program enables students in grades K-12 to learn critical study
skills and life-long organizational habits. Work one-on-one with students
in grades K-12 in primary subject areas. You'll have a wonderful opportunity
to mentor and encourage students in need. Sessions are held
Monday-Thursday, 4-8 pm. Volunteers may serve one or more hours a
week. Training is provided.
North
Hills Youth
Ministry Counseling
Center is also seeking a
part-time Assistant Office Manager to work approximately 24 hours a week at $10-$12
per hour. Candidates must have MS Office and QuickBooks experience. Raiser's
Edge database experience is helpful. This position requires strong
communication skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Send
resume to: North
Hills Youth
Ministry Counseling
Center,
802 McKnight Park Drive, Pittsburgh, PA
15237 or FAX to 412.366.1333 or email
to nhym@nhymcc.org.
Funding Opportunities
Funds Available to Engage Youth in Environmental Projects!
The participants in
The Heinz Endowments summer youth philanthropy internship program released
their requests for proposals on July 1. The program seeks to award funds to local non-profit
organizations that connect young people with environmental issues.
This year, the program features seven teams, with each team
awarding $25,000 in grants. Click here for more detailed information and grant applications. Applications are due July 31, 2009. You may also contact Wayne Jones at the
Endowments for more information, 412.338.2637 or wjones@heinz.org.
Jewish Women's Foundation Call for Proposals 
The Jewish Women's Foundation of Greater Pittsburgh is pleased to
announce its 2009 grantmaking cycle. The JWF is interested in funding
innovative projects that address critical issues impacting adolescent
girls. Examples of the types of projects that have been funded by the
foundation include those that focus on education, gender equity,
leadership development, dating and intimate partner violence and girls'
health. Other areas of funding interest are projects focusing on
behavioral health including mental health and substance abuse.
Additional information about guidelines and the grant application process may be found on the JWF website, or call/email Judy Greenwald Cohen, Executive Director, at 412.727.1108 or jcohen@jwfpgh.org. Proposals are due on September 15, 2009.
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Resources
The June 2009 edition of the Pennsylvania Child and Adolescent Service System Program (PA CASSP) Newsletter is dedicated to girls. Read the newsletter entitled Female-Responsive Programs: Meeting the Unique Needs of Girls here.
Using Teamwork to Bring Girls into the Game
New York Times, June 14, 2009
This article explores closing the gender gap in urban areas for girls' participation in sports.
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"Cool" Stuff and Opportunities for Girls
Click here to find a large listing of underutilized scholarships for minority students. |
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If you have any suggestions or comments about
the newsletter and how we can make it more readable and useful, please send them to info@girlscoalitionswpa.org. We would love to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Girls Coalition Southwestern Pennsylvania
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