Local Students Sending Support to Afghanistan

Sewickley Academy student Jack Matten and Moon student John Bal are teaming up to collect items that will make up care packages that will be sent to local military personnel who are currently deployed in Afghanistan.  The 303rd Army Reserve Unit that is based at McGarity Reserve Center will be picking up donations at St. James Parish in Sewickley, The Moon Township Library on Beaver Grade Road, and The Moon Township Volunteer Firemen Fish Fry at the Public Safety Building.  

Basic comforts and toiletries that are suggested for donation include:

Hard Candy 

White Athletic Socks 

Beef Jerky 

Drink Mixes 

Breath Mints 

Playing Cards 

Books-paperbacks 

Magazines 

Puzzle Books 

Lip Balm 

Lotion 

Vaseline 

Greeting Cards 

Shoe insoles 

Chewing Gum 

Individual packaged Oreos, crackers, chips (nothing that will melt in hot temperatures) 

Cash Donations (to help with the cost of mailing).

The two hope to raise an additional $1,000 to offset the cost of shipping overseas.  Contributing a few of these simple items will show our local troops that they are remembered and appreciated!  

QV Elementary Spelling Bee Winners!

The Western PA Spelling Bee hosted by Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh & UPMC will have two local QV elementary contestants who will try to spell their way to a win. Fifth grader Scarlett Hudson from Edgeworth Elementary and fourth grader Logan Eger from Osborne Elementary won their spots to represent Quaker Valley in the recent Scripps National Spelling Bee School-Wide Championship.  Each student versed their classmates first and advanced to the school-wide round last week.  

The two will compete in the 63rd Annual Western Pennsylvania Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 23rd.  This winner will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee from May 26 - June 1 in Washington DC.  Congratulations and best of luck to our savvy spellers!

QV Voice Advocates for Drug Free Community

Student group QV Voice is taking the lead to promote Quaker Valley High School's 2013 theme, "KNOW ... When to step in. Where to step out. How to step up." In particular, this peer advocacy team is making the annual theme known through its connection with The Alliance for Safe and Drug Free Children's Student Alliance program.  

A poster contest sponsored by Alliance, open to 7th grade students across the region, is in full swing and accepting applications.  QV Voice will help select the winner and participate in the awards reception at the end of the year.  School Counselor Amy Keller can be contacted for more information: kellera@qvsd.org.  

QV Voice is a student organization focused on Teens helping Teens.The group's mission is to promote and support healthy lifestyle choices using the 40 Developmental Assets framework.  QV Voice Peer Advocates will focus on the following topics: Managing Stress, Conflict Resolution, Communication Skills, Relationships, Anti-Harassment, Decision-Making Skills, and Drug & Alcohol Prevention.  Peer advocates will encourage other students to express their opinions and provide resources and strategies through engagement in lunch discussion groups and school-wide presentations and activities.  Peer advocates also strive to reach out to new, incoming students through events like New Student Orientation and Move Up Day.  QV Voice collaborates with Youth Connect in order to develop stronger relationships with adults in the community.  

The Dominating QV Wrestling Team

Even though the team is largely made up of new and inexperienced athletes, the Quaker Valley Youth Wrestling program has had quite a successful year.  The team of over 40 young wrestlers is coached by Jason Richey, who says of his team, "Our Sewickley kids are tough, committed, able to learn moves and love their sport."  This is the team's first year of existence and already it has seen an unbelievable amount of tournament wins, conference meet victories, and personal athletic improvement.  

A successful program like this is truly a positive community asset for Sewickley's children.   The Quakers currently have the potential to qualify for the upcoming state championship.The wrestling team's season stats can be found on their website.  The team practices weekly at the Sewickley Community Center and hopes to grow to 60 wrestlers next year.  For more information, visit their website at www.quakervalleywrestling.com. 

Final Parent Workshop with Dr. Sheffield

Dr. Sheffield's third and final parent workshop will be held at Osborne Elementary School on Thursday, March 7, 2013 from 6 - 7:30pm!  Dinner and childcare will be included.  

The evening will be co-facilitated by Dr. Don Sheffield, author and educator, as well as Ms. Terry Bradford, community liason.  This session will give parents insight on how to develop success behaviors, academic strategies, and habits of excellence for their children at home.  

You can obtain more information on the workshop by contacting Ms. Bradford at 412-414-1335, TBradford321@yahoo.com.  

Interested attendees are asked to RSVP to Stefanie McKissic at 412-749-3616, McKissics@qvsd.org.  

You won't want to miss the final installment to this valuable discussion!

New Voices of Youth

Do you know any middle school or high school students who are passionate about keeping the great city of Pittsburgh clean and beautiful? The Pittsburgh Foundation is excited to announce an online competition for innovative, young minds to strategize and get behind environmental solutions for the Pittsburgh region!
The prize? Up to $2500 in project funding as well as giving the next generation an opportunity to dream big about making lasting, impacting change in their city!

The Pittsburgh Foundation is teaming up with The Breathe Project to create New Voices of Youth: a program dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region by evaluating and addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy, and connecting donors to the critical needs of the community.
Participants will work alongside adult mentors to strategize plans that raise awareness about air quality challenges in the Pittsburgh area, as well as methods to clean up the city's air.

April 8th marks the closing date for first round of students to submit their ideas that center around innovative solutions to community issues to benefit Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Ideas can be submitted at the New Voices of Youth website: http://new-voices-of-youth.org/. More information can be found here as well.

Spread the word to any student that you may know who is passionate about improving the great city of Pittsburgh! This opportunity is one they won't want to miss!