Thursday, February 9, 2012
Educational Achievement Gap explored
Click here for a shortened clip of the Kettering Foundation's film on the educational achievement gap in the United States, and how communities are stepping up to make a positive difference. What are we doing right in Sewickley? What more do we need to do, or what can we do better?
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
An announcement from Union Aid Society
UNION AID SOCIETY
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE
The Union Aid Society will award a $4,000 need based college scholarship to a high school senior who resides within the Quaker Valley School District area.
The scholarship is for the first year of college, $2,000 per semester. Consideration will be given to students with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA. Application materials include financial information, references, high school transcript and an essay; interviews will be scheduled with finalists. The application deadline is April 10, 2012.
For more information contact the Union Aid Society at 412-741-9240 or info@unionaidsociety.org.
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE
The Union Aid Society will award a $4,000 need based college scholarship to a high school senior who resides within the Quaker Valley School District area.
The scholarship is for the first year of college, $2,000 per semester. Consideration will be given to students with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA. Application materials include financial information, references, high school transcript and an essay; interviews will be scheduled with finalists. The application deadline is April 10, 2012.
For more information contact the Union Aid Society at 412-741-9240 or info@unionaidsociety.org.
Monday, February 6, 2012
From our colleagues at Sewickley Academy
20 SEXTING ACRONYMS EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW
Research shows that sexting is on the rise among teens and tweens. Could your kids be doing it right under your nose without you even knowing?
By Allison Takeda, Senior Editor
MONDAY, Dec. 5, 2011 — Some 10 percent of tweens and teens have exchanged sexually suggestive photos via phone, the Internet, or other electronic media, according to a new study just published in the journal Pediatrics. But even more — up to 39 percent, according to a survey by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy — have sent or received sexually suggestive messages, such as texts, e-mails, or IMs.
Sexting, the transmission of such messages and images, primarily between cell phones, is an increasing concern among parents — and though the study released today indicates it’s not as widespread a problem as we’d previously feared, such behavior can have serious consequences, not just for your child’s emotional well-being and privacy, but from a legal standpoint as well. If you have teens, you’re likely already on the lookout for red flags. But do you know what those flags are? Many sexually explicit messages aren’t actually that explicit — to parents, anyway. A lot of sexting is done in code, using acronyms and decoy words.
Here are just a few of the many (many!) examples of shorthand that teens and tweens use to sext:
53X = sex
8 = oral sex
Banana = penis
CD9 = code 9, parents are around
P911 = parent alert
CU46 = see you for sex
GNOC = get naked on cam
GYPO = get your pants off
IMEZYRU = I'm easy, are you?
IPN = I'm posting naked
ITS = intense text sex
IWSN = I want sex now
J/O = jerking off
Kitty = vagina
LH6 = let's have sex
LHU = let's hook up
NFS = need for sex
PRON = porn
TDTM = talk dirty to me
RUH = are you horny?
If you spot any of these messages on your child’s phone, don’t just get angry and take away his or her text privileges. Talk with your teen about why and with whom they’re exchanging such messages, and discuss the potential consequences of their actions. Then make a plan to check in with your child about his or her text habits in the future. You may also want to consider monitoring cell phone and computer use for further inappropriate behavior, and contacting the parents of the other child involved.
Read on about the dangers of sexting from Everyday Health’s medical director, Mallika Marshall, MD.
Research shows that sexting is on the rise among teens and tweens. Could your kids be doing it right under your nose without you even knowing?
By Allison Takeda, Senior Editor
MONDAY, Dec. 5, 2011 — Some 10 percent of tweens and teens have exchanged sexually suggestive photos via phone, the Internet, or other electronic media, according to a new study just published in the journal Pediatrics. But even more — up to 39 percent, according to a survey by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy — have sent or received sexually suggestive messages, such as texts, e-mails, or IMs.
Sexting, the transmission of such messages and images, primarily between cell phones, is an increasing concern among parents — and though the study released today indicates it’s not as widespread a problem as we’d previously feared, such behavior can have serious consequences, not just for your child’s emotional well-being and privacy, but from a legal standpoint as well. If you have teens, you’re likely already on the lookout for red flags. But do you know what those flags are? Many sexually explicit messages aren’t actually that explicit — to parents, anyway. A lot of sexting is done in code, using acronyms and decoy words.
Here are just a few of the many (many!) examples of shorthand that teens and tweens use to sext:
53X = sex
8 = oral sex
Banana = penis
CD9 = code 9, parents are around
P911 = parent alert
CU46 = see you for sex
GNOC = get naked on cam
GYPO = get your pants off
IMEZYRU = I'm easy, are you?
IPN = I'm posting naked
ITS = intense text sex
IWSN = I want sex now
J/O = jerking off
Kitty = vagina
LH6 = let's have sex
LHU = let's hook up
NFS = need for sex
PRON = porn
TDTM = talk dirty to me
RUH = are you horny?
If you spot any of these messages on your child’s phone, don’t just get angry and take away his or her text privileges. Talk with your teen about why and with whom they’re exchanging such messages, and discuss the potential consequences of their actions. Then make a plan to check in with your child about his or her text habits in the future. You may also want to consider monitoring cell phone and computer use for further inappropriate behavior, and contacting the parents of the other child involved.
Read on about the dangers of sexting from Everyday Health’s medical director, Mallika Marshall, MD.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Summer opportunities for kids, from our colleagues in Coraopolis!
Click on the image for a full sized version.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
A note from Hank Ford, Sewickley Y's Youth Director
I know this may be short notice, but if at all possible, I’d like to get the word out to those in the Cornell district about our upcoming bowling event. On Saturday, February 4th, I’ll be driving a group of 6th-8th graders from the Y to Paradise Island Bowl. We will depart the Y at 12:30pm and return around 3:30pm. The price of $12.00 (for both Y members and non-members alike) includes: 2 hours of bowling (1:00pm-3:00pm), shoe rental, two slices of pizza, and one soft drink. On our shuttle bus, we have room for myself, one other adult chaperone, and 13 fun-loving kids. Of course, if interest spikes enough in the next several days, we may be able to use a school bus from QV to accommodate a greater number of kids. To this e-mail, I have attached a flyer for the event. 
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Two recent articles highlight ramifications of teen drug and alcohol usage
Two recent Post-Gazette articles once again focused the spotlight on the tragic ramifications of drug and alcohol usage among teens. The first, found at http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12022/1205272-455.stm, follows a young woman in her battle against heroin. The second, included below in its entirety, illustrates what can go wrong when teens and alchohol mix.
Woman who gave teens alcohol before deadly crash pleads guilty
Monday, January 23, 2012
By Torsten Ove,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A Westmoreland County woman this morning pleaded guilty to supplying the alcohol at her teenage son's graduation party before a crash that killed three of the partygoers about a mile from the house.
Susan Sanders-Watt, 60, of Salem, pleaded to corruption of minors, reckless endangerment and 17 citations of serving alcohol to minors.
She admitted that she furnished a half-keg of beer for 16 teens who attended her 17-year-old son's party on June 26. Three teens -- driver Michael Simpson and two passengers, Jordon Cobb and Carly Kudray -- later died in a crash. A fourth passenger, Chad Vandergrift, was thrown from the car but survived.
All four were graduates of Greensburg-Salem High School.
No sentencing date was set.
Torsten Ove: tove@post-gazette.com or
412-263-1510.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12023/1205485-100.stm?cmpid=IPHONEAPP#ixzz1kO1GrpCz
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Sewickley Police Department sponsors drug awareness event
Special Agent from Attorney General’s office to Speak on Drug Awareness and Teens
Youth Connect is pleased to support the Sewickley Police Department’s upcoming presentation on drug awareness, slated for Tuesday, Feb 28th at 6 pm. Richard Shaheen, Senior Supervisory Special Agent from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Investigative Services, will lead the event, which will be held at Osborne Elementary School, 1414 Beaver Street.
According to Shaheen, the evening is appropriate for students in 7th grade through high school, as well as their parents and other interested community members. The event, which is being sponsored by the Sewickley Police Department, will last 45 min to 1 hour. Special Agent Shaheen has presented at Quaker Valley School District functions in the past. Youth Connect joins with the Sewickley Police Department in welcoming Agent Shaheen back to the community, to speak on this important topic.
This program is open to all community members. For more information on Youth Connect and the upcoming presentation, email youthconnect@hotmail.com.
Youth Connect is pleased to support the Sewickley Police Department’s upcoming presentation on drug awareness, slated for Tuesday, Feb 28th at 6 pm. Richard Shaheen, Senior Supervisory Special Agent from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Investigative Services, will lead the event, which will be held at Osborne Elementary School, 1414 Beaver Street.
According to Shaheen, the evening is appropriate for students in 7th grade through high school, as well as their parents and other interested community members. The event, which is being sponsored by the Sewickley Police Department, will last 45 min to 1 hour. Special Agent Shaheen has presented at Quaker Valley School District functions in the past. Youth Connect joins with the Sewickley Police Department in welcoming Agent Shaheen back to the community, to speak on this important topic.
This program is open to all community members. For more information on Youth Connect and the upcoming presentation, email youthconnect@hotmail.com.
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