March 29, 2019 Hello Robo: Early STEM Robotics Robots provide unseen services across industries, including transportation, medical, and manufacturing. Early learners need the foundational STEM skills that allow them to imagine and build the robots of the future. About the Event Join the Carnegie Science Center Teaching Excellence Academy for a professional development workshop where participants will use resources from NAEYC and other STEM experts to examine developmentally appropriate concepts to prepare students for robotics technologies. Educators will discover hands-on, standards-aligned activities they can do right away, even if they don’t have a robot — yet! This professional development opportunity is for pre-K through 2nd-grade teachers. About the Academy Carnegie Science Center’s Teaching Excellence Academy offers opportunities for educators in all grade levels, with specific workshops in STEM, early learner education, and digital fabrication. Act 48 credit is provided upon successful completion of each workshop. In addition to onsite workshops, the Science Center offers multiple opportunities for professional development to be delivered at local sites throughout the academic year. For more information, visit their website. Registration & Questions To register or ask questions, contact Toni Stith at StithT@CarnegieScienceCenter.org or 412.237.1616.
March 28, 2019 Work Together Wednesday’s Join the Carnegie Science Center every Wednesday during the Month of the Young Child (April) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for a series of collaborative building activities inside of their Little Learner Clubhouse. All Little Learner Clubhouse activities are included with the purchase of general admission. Children under the age of 2 receive free admission. About the Little Learner Clubhouse Aspiring scientists age 6 and under and their families are invited to explore this nature-inspired hub for free-play and hands-on activities! Located on the fourth floor of the Science Center, Little Learner Clubhouse is a colorful gallery featuring a variety of interactive exhibits designed to foster scientific curiosity, including: The Clubhouse The Learning Tree The Water Table The Tomato Stand The Book Cove The Baby Garden The Button Wall Buy Tickets and Learn More Individuals interested in purchasing tickets online, learning more about the Little Learner Clubhouse, or viewing available ticket discounts can do so by visiting the Carnegie Science Center website. Discounts are available for Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cardholders, active military members, veterans, and more. Discounts require specific verification. Please see their website for details. Ticket Costs: General Admission Adult: $19.95 General Admission Adult 65+: $14.95 General Admission Child: $11.95 General Admission Child Under 2: Free Carnegie Science Center Membership Holders: Free
March 27, 2019 P.R.I.D.E. Seeks Early Educators & Artists for Upcoming Art Festivals Recently, the Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education program (P.R.I.D.E.) announced a call for submissions to Pittsburgh-based early childhood educators and Africana artists for the P.R.I.D.E. Pop Up Mini Art Festivals. About the Festivals Modeled after children’s activities offered during the popular Harambee || Black Arts Festivals, P.R.I.D.E. Pop Ups are small, half-day, outdoor art festivals hosted in three Pittsburgh communities: East Liberty, Homewood, and the Hill District. At the festivals, artists and educators engage young children (ages 3 to 8) and their families in hands-on activities. The goal is for adults to use art activities to teach children about their race and culture while building their positive racial identity. To see important dates and learn more, visit the P.R.I.D.E. website. Who Can Apply This call for submissions is open to early educators teaching grades Pre-K to 3rd grade and Africana artists working in the following disciplines: Literature, Performing Arts, Visual Arts & Crafts, and/or Multidisciplinary Arts. Applications are open to early childhood educators from all neighborhoods, schools, and child care settings, including public, private, charter, etc. Educators working in East Liberty, Homewood, and Hill District schools/settings are highly encouraged to apply. Participating educators and artists will receive the following compensation: Educator and Artist Cross-Training Compensation: $275 Educator and Artist Festival Participation Compensation: $260 per event ($780 total) End-of-Project Focus Group Participation Compensation: $25 Artist Material Stipend: $400 Application & Deadlines If you’re interested in applying or signing up as a volunteer, please visit the P.R.I.D.E. website. All applications must be submitted by Friday, April 5 at 11:59 p.m. About P.R.I.D.E. As a part of the University of Pittsburgh School of Education’s Office of Child Development, P.R.I.D.E. is a multifaceted program designed to help young African American children (ages 3 to 8) develop a positive racial identity, support teachers and parents by building their racial knowledge, and raise awareness of the impact of race on young children. The program provides a range of services, such as training opportunities for educators and artists, Parent Village sessions for Black children, and art festivals created to immerse young Black children in a space designed to celebrate them. See the P.R.I.D.E. Pop Up Mini Art Festivals flyer. *Information provided by the P.R.I.D.E. Program
March 20, 2019 Northside Pennsylvania One Book Professional Development Workshop About Explore early learning activities that enhance this year’s PA One Book selections: Barnyard Banter, by Denise Fleming (For children birth to 36 months Not a Box, by Antoinette Portis (For children ages three to five years) Each attendee will receive a free copy of Barnyard Banter and Not a Box and a light dinner will be served. This workshop is now full! If you are a Northside provider and still need to register, please contact Rachelle Duffy at 412.421.3889 or rachelle@tryingtogether.org. There is also another workshop the following day on April 10 at Western Allegheny Community Library. Learn how to participate in a ONE Northside art project that highlights child care providers on the Northside! Benefits Attendees will also take away: Ideas for One Book-inspired circle times Fun strategies that support early literacy development Activities that develop early learners’ STEAM skills Family engagement strategies Prizes One Book One Book is a statewide initiative that promotes the importance of early literacy development for children ages birth to five years. Each April, Pennsylvania celebrates a book whose story and illustrations encourage children’s imaginations and love of reading to build a community of readers. Credits In partnership with Trying Together, early childhood educators will receive PQAS credits for their attendance.
March 19, 2019 T.O.T. Club Children’s Festival Join the Community College of Allegheny County’s North Campus for a morning of fun in the Hall of Fun, the Play Pit, Sand Dig Treasure Hunt, Make and Take Activities, and more! This event will feature “Storytelling with Tim Hartman” and “Mrs. Goosefeather’s Magical Tea Party!” Registration To reserve your spot, please call 412.369.4143.
February 15, 2019 Homewood Block Party Young children and their families are invited to join an afternoon of free activities, food, performances, and information from Trying Together and our community partners on Saturday, April 27, 2019, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Kelly Street in front of The Homewood Early Learning Hub. Tablers for the block party include: Pittsburgh Public Schools MAYA Organization Richard’s Imagine Center of Hope, Inc (RICH) Homewood Concerned Citizens Council (HCCC), The Oasis Project The Maker’s Clubhouse Allegheny Land Trust The University of Pittsburgh’s Community Engagement Center (CEC) Homewood-Brushton YWCA Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Trying Together, Buzzword/Pgh Cultural Trust Allegheny County Health Department – Housing and Community Environment ALCOSAN Pittsburgh Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) Kenny’s Homewood Homewood Children’s Village (HCV) C.C. Busy, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh Fund My Future Science Tots Childcare Alliance. Activities include face painting, balloons, free library, Imagination Playground, a science show, and a Zumba presentation! More details coming soon. Share this PDF flyer with your networks.
November 28, 2018 Provider Pajama Party Early child care programs are invited to attend a pajama party at The Homewood Early Learning Hub. Wearing comfortable pajamas and sipping hot cocoa, participants will get the chance to connect with Hub staff, learn about helpful community resources, and meet with organizations that support positive early learning and play. Fun activities for all involved will be available. For more information, contact Rosie Hogan via phone (412.499.2909) or email (rosie@tryingtogether.org). Share this flyer with your network.
November 20, 2018 KaBOOM! Announces Let’s Play Everywhere Challenge Winners KaBOOM! recently announced the winners of the Let’s Play Everywhere Challenge. As part of the Challenge, 10 grantees in Allegheny County were selected to receive a combined total of $200,000 in prize funds. Trying Together is pleased to announce that the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative was awarded one of these grants for The Neighborhood Play Stop Project. Learn more about it and the other grantees below. Challenge Winners The Let’s Play Everywhere Challenge selected nine organizations as winners, with a total of ten ideas: Trying Together (Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative) The Neighborhood Play Stop Project Glassport Community Outreach, Inc. Families Will Go Gaga to Play GaGa Pittsburgh Fulton PTO From Pittsburgh to Paris and Beyond! Garfield Jubilee Association, Inc. James Sensory Park Grounded Strategies MACS Discovery Walk Race Me! Pitcairn Green Playce Community Forge Number Mountain Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Ping Pong in the Plaza UniversalWit Play! to End Blight Focus on Renewal POW! (Place of Wonder) The Neighborhood Play Stop Project The Neighborhood Play Stop Project will reimagine existing spaces within Hazelwood by using play stops to encourage community engagement and playful interaction. These play stops may be featured in public spaces near businesses and civic locations such as grocery stores, green spaces, fire stations, and more. Conversations are underway to identify the finalized play stop locations. Impact By placing play stops in spaces that are not typically associated with play, this project will prompt community members of all ages to rethink their daily routines. For children, it’s an opportunity for imaginative play. For adults, it may be a space where they can take a mental break and play chess or engage in a calming playful activity. Similar to the Little Free Library movement, these play stops will be stewarded by various entities (the businesses where they are located, Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative member organizations, interested community members, etc.). A Closer Look Each stop will be based upon the common concept of play and will have playful interactive parts that relate to the location and the party stewarding the installation. For example, a stop outside a grocery store may include play items such as plastic fruits and vegetables to “purchase,” paper and pencils to create grocery lists, and laminated sheets of information about grocery store products. However, if a stop is located outside of a fire department, their play items may include play items such as firefighter helmets, a mini fire drill tower, and fire safety facts. Each stop will include a chalkboard with permanently affixed prompts for participants to write their thoughts. Prompts may include statement starters such as “When I play outside I like to…” or “At the grocery store I can find these colors…” About the Challenge The Let’s Play Everywhere Challenge is a design competition that took place in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania—presented by Keurig Dr. Pepper and KaBOOM!—to develop innovative ideas for making play easy and available for kids and families. This challenge is about creating opportunities for free, unstructured, unplanned play to ensure that all kids, no matter where they come from or where they live, get the active play they need to thrive. Learn More To learn more about the challenge winners and their ideas, read KaBOOM’s post.
November 7, 2018 The Paulson Recreation Center Reopens in Lincoln-Lemington The City of Pittsburgh announced that the Paulson Recreation Center in Lincoln-Lemington is reopening today, November 7, 2018, after undergoing three months of renovations. While the center is reopened for all residents – including popular afterschool activities for area youth – further improvements will be made to the building through the rest of the year. Improvements completed and underway include: Complete new HVAC/heating & cooling system Two new roofs–flat roof portion of building and pitched roof portion of building Repointing and restoring of the block side of the building: painting and waterproofing Addition of new windows to main teaching room of building New ventilation system added to kitchen Interior repainting New concrete steps and entryway New doors coming in late December and new Rec Center sign coming soon Gym floor stripped, scrubbed and refurbished The budget for the work was $432,986.90. Interested in Visiting? The Paulson Rec Center is located at 1201 Paulson Avenue and is open 12-8 p.m., Monday through Friday. The center can be reached by telephone at 412.665.3627. *Information Provided by The City of Pittsburgh‘s November 7, 2018 Press Release*
