News

September 22, 2025

Annual Lights On Afterschool Celebration To Be Held in October

Lights On Afterschool will hold its 26th annual nationwide event celebrating after school programs and their role in the lives of children, families, and communities in October.

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Lights On Afterschool has become a hallmark of the afterschool movement since its launch in October 2000.

The Afterschool Alliance organizes Lights On Afterschool events to draw attention to the numerous ways that afterschool programs support students by offering them opportunities to learn new things and discover new skills.

Subjects and activities about which students learn through Lights On Afterschool include science, community service, robotics, poetry, and Tae Kwon Do, among others.

The annual Lights On Afterschool events send a message that more children need quality afterschool programs around the nation.

2025 Event

This year’s event will be held on Oct. 23. For more information, visit Lights On Afterschool’s website.

More than 8,000 programs across the country are expected to take part in Lights On events in October. Those interested in hosting a Lights On event can register their event online.

News

September 17, 2025

Trying Together Presents at State of Black Learning Conference in Pittsburgh

Trying Together presented at the Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh’s State of Black Learning Conference on Aug. 8, helping to drive conversations and strategies to dismantle systemic inequities in education.

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Our partnership contributed to actionable initiatives that strengthen Black students’ learning experiences.

Representing Trying Together, Policy and Practice Manager Hailee B. Roye presented “Cultivating Advocacy in Early Childhood Education: Building ECE Champions.” Presented to a full house, the session sparked a powerful discussion on the role of advocacy, how it empowers educators and families, and how collective action can drive positive change for young learners.

Through hands-on activities such as power mapping, role playing, and a 30-second legislator pitch, participants practiced real advocacy tools. These interactive strategies not only showcased the importance of elevating early learning, but also offered models participants could adapt in their own communities.

Together, we highlighted the stories of providers, researchers, parents, and everyday advocates, continuing to uplift and advance the early childhood education field.

The conference featured more than 70 speakers from such organizations as When Brown Girls Lead, Valiant Cross Academy, National Association of Black Male Educators, The Freedom Center for Arts and Education, and Baltimore and Washington D.C.’s public school systems.

For more information on the conference, visit its website.

News

Webinar to Focus on Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Children

The Pennsylvania Department of Health and The Pennsylvania Key will hold a webinar focusing on healthy eating and physical activity for children in October.

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The Pennsylvania Out-of-School Time (OST) Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) Program Webinar will provide information to attendees about the HEPA program. It will include discussion of web-based asynchronous professional development events, resources, and strategies through the Out-of-School Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative (OSNAP).

The HEPA program supports out-of-school programs to improve policies and practices to help children eat healthier snacks and move more. The webinar is recommended for anyone who currently runs an out-of-school time program for kindergarten through eighth grade students – including administrators and program staff, DHS-certified child care, 21 CCLC grantees, libraries, recreation programs, Boys and Girls Club administrators, and tutoring support.

The event will run from 11 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Oct. 22 on Zoom. The program is free to attend and will award up to $750 in innovation awards.

Registration is open. If you cannot attend on this date and time, register and the recording will be available. Any further questions should be directed to Betsy O. Saatman at betsaa@pakeys.org or 484-955-5909.

News

September 16, 2025

OCDEL’s Latest Confluence Podcast Tackles Market Rate Survey

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released a new Confluence podcast that focuses on the Market Rate Survey.

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In the podcast, Phil Sirinides, Penn State’s director of the Institute of State and Regional Affairs, and Luisa Oliva-Wolf, director of OCDEL’s Bureau of Policy and Professional Development, discuss the importance of the survey and how its data benefits child care providers across the state.

Results from the state’s Child Care Market Rate Survey are used by OCDEL to evaluate future child care programming and policy decisions. All licensed child care providers in Pennsylvania that charge private pay tuition rates are encouraged to participate in the survey by Dec. 8.

More information about the survey is available on The Pennsylvania Key website. For assistance with the survey, email ChildCareResearch@psu.edu or call 814-865-1775.

To listen to the episode, visit the Confluence podcast’s website.

News

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Newsletters Promote Healthy Eating Habits for Children

Children’s Health Month doesn’t begin until October, but any time is a good time to start thinking about healthier eating habits for young people.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nibbles for Health: Nutrition Newsletters for Parents of Young Children has a wealth of material on how to promote healthy eating habits for children. The newsletters are intended to be shared by child care food program providers for discussion on popular nutrition topics.

Some of the topics in the newsletters include:

Most of the newsletters are broken down into sections that combine facts with tips and activities. For example, the Encouraging Vegetables newsletter includes information on how vegetables can help children to get important nutrients, provide dietary fiber, and reduce the risk of certain diseases.

The newsletter then provides ways to encourage children to eat vegetables – such as eating and preparing food together, choosing different colors of vegetables, and shopping together for vegetables. The newsletter culminates in an activity for children and caregivers that involves coloring in vegetables that the child has sampled.

Each of the newsletters are available for download in the Nibbles for Health archive.

News

RAD Pass Expanding Year-Round for Free and Discounted Tickets to Pittsburgh Attractions

The RAD Pass is expanding year-round for free and discounted tickets for Allegheny County library cardholders to attend regional attractions.

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The RAD Pass is an online ticket lending system that allows county library cardholders to take part in cultural activities – including museums, the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, the National Aviary, and other attractions – at discounted rates.

Now, discounted tickets are available beyond the summer’s limited RAD Days, enabling Pittsburgh residents to take advantage of the region’s attractions year-round. Additional upcoming RAD Pass activities include live theater, ballet, opera, musical performances, art-making classes, and crafting activities.

Those interested in utilizing the RAD Pass will need to have an active Allegheny County library card. It is possible to sign up online or at a county library location.

A complete list of participating organizations is available online.

News

September 15, 2025

Strong Minds, Bright Futures to Host Community Listening Sessions on Children’s Mental Health

A new statewide coalition supporting children’s mental health in schools, communities, and care systems – to which Trying Together recently signed on as a partner organization – will host community listening sessions this fall.

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Strong Minds, Bright Futures will host the sessions throughout the fall, including two in the region. The events will focus on solutions-focused conversations between families, youth, educators, health providers, and community leaders on the topic of strengthening children’s mental health in the state.

The free, family-friendly events will be held on:

Monday, Sept. 29: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Kovalchick Complex, 711 Pratt Drive in Indiana
Tuesday, Sept. 30: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Jewish Healthcare Foundation, 625 Liberty Avenue, #2500, in Pittsburgh

For more information on the events, call 267-361-7945, email info@strongmindspa.org, or visit the Strong Minds, Bright Futures website.

News

Trying Together Article on EIM Directors Series Featured on Simple Interactions Website

An article by Trying Together on Everyday Interaction Matter (EIM) and its directors series is featured on the Simple Interactions website.

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The article, “Trying Together’s EIM Directors Series Supports Directors and Educators Participating in Everyday Interactions Matter,” discusses how Trying Together’s experience with EIM began and how it helped to develop a series of professional development sessions for providers.

The article, written by Karian Wise, an interactions design strategist for Trying Together, delves into how Trying Together works directly with educators to build skills and improve program quality.

“Through our work with programs, we realized that interactions between adults within programs are as important as the interactions between adults and children,” the article reads.

Trying Together’s EIM Directors Series teaches professionals to recognize meaningful daily interactions and share practices with peers. Its aim is to provide directors with a method to think about interactions with caregivers and staff that aligns with the Everyday Interactions Matter approach and to support relationship building.

To learn more about the components and sessions in Trying Together’s EIM Directors Series, read the article on the Simple Interactions website.

Simple Interactions is a practice-based, strengths-focused, and community-driven approach to support helpers who serve children, youth, and families.

News

Safety Tips for Children Who Ride the School Bus

Now that class is back in session for the 2025-26 school year, it’s time to review some important safety tips for children who ride the school bus. Ready PA has provided some tips on what to do or not to do when boarding, riding, or getting off the bus.

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Students, caregivers, teachers, administrators, drivers, and transportation personnel all play important roles in keeping children safe when they ride a school bus.

While preparing to ride the bus, children should:

Get to the bus stop five minutes early so they don’t have to run across the road to catch the bus
Stay away from traffic while waiting for the bus and line up at least five large steps away from the curb
Never run after the bus if it has already left the stop
Always walk at least 10 feet in front of the bus when crossing, so the driver can see them
Cross with care – wait until the bus has stopped all traffic before stepping onto the road

While on the bus, children should:

Never push when getting on or off the bus
Stay in their seat while the bus is moving and never put their head, arms, or hands out of the window
Talk quietly so as not to distract the driver
Be calm and quiet when the bus is crossing railroad tracks, so the driver can listen for a train
Obey the bus driver’s instructions, so they can make safe decisions
Never play with the emergency exits
Make sure that backpacks, band instruments, or sports equipment is not blocking the aisle or emergency exits
Listen to the driver and follow instructions in case of an emergency

While getting off the bus, children should:

Make sure all drawstrings and other loose objects are secure, so they don’t get caught on the handrail or door
Never cross the street behind the bus
Never go back for an item left on the bus or dropped outside of it; the driver might not see you and begin moving the bus
Never speak to strangers at the bus stop or getting into a car with a stranger

For more information, take a look at the tips from Ready PA, a website dedicated to public safety that is operated by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

News

September 12, 2025

Providers Should Apply for PA NAPSACC’s 2025-26 Wellness Grant By Oct. 3

Pennsylvania Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (PA NAPSACC) is seeking 40 licensed child care providers for its 2025-26 wellness grant. The deadline to apply is Friday, Oct. 3.

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Providers who are chosen will help to make a difference in children’s lives by helping them to form positive nutrition and physical activity habits.

To be eligible, one must be a licensed child care provider in Pennsylvania, serving a minimum of four children, from birth to age 5. Past participants are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to programs that have participated no more than once since 2019.

Following the application process, eligible applicants will be invited to participate in an informational webinar on Thursday, Oct. 23 from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. The webinar will be recorded and shared with eligible applicants.

Starting on Monday, Oct. 27, program enrollment will be based on the first 40 programs to complete enrollment tasks outlined in the webinar.

About the Grant

The grant provides an opportunity to engage in a continuous quality improvement process focused on obesity-prevention practices and policies within an early care and education setting. The program utilizes Go NAPSACC, an online, evidence-based tool, to guide self-assessment, action planning, implementation, policy development, re-self-assessment, and reflection.

Programs will be linked with a child care health consultant at no cost to the site. The consultant will review current nutrition and physical activity practices and policies, assist with sustainable policies, and offer guidance for continuous quality improvement.

More Details

Those who participate and complete grant requirements will receive up to $500 in grant funding to support staff time or materials and resources needed. For STAR 3 and 4 programs, participation in all components of the wellness grant satisfies Keystone STARS performance standards LM.3.4.10 as well as bonus points area Partnerships with Families and Communities.

Providers interested in participating should complete and submit the online application. For questions or additional information, email Cindy Wilson at Tuscarora Intermediate Unit at cjwilson@tiu11.org or call 717-248-4942, ext. 143.