July 7, 2023 P.R.I.D.E. Pop Up Mini Art Festivals The P.R.I.D.E. (Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education) Program invites you to celebrate Black children! The P.R.I.D.E. Pop Up Mini Art Festivals are free, fun, creative, and educational events that help young Black children ages birth through eight-years-old, and their families, celebrate their racial and cultural heritage through the arts. There will be interactive art activities, performances, music, free food, and giveaways. When: Saturday, 9/16 | 12 – 4 p.m. Where: Homewood-Brushton YMCA, 7140 Bennett Street, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15208 This year’s theme is “I Love Being Black!” If you’d like to volunteer, email heidi.green@pitt.edu; for more information about the festivals, email mjackson@pitt.edu, and to learn more about The P.R.I.D.E. Program, visit racepride.pitt.edu. For event updates, visit the P.R.I.D.E. Facebook and Instagram pages.
P.R.I.D.E. Pop Up Mini Art Festivals The P.R.I.D.E. (Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education) Program invites you to celebrate Black children! The P.R.I.D.E. Pop Up Mini Art Festivals are free, fun, creative, and educational events that help young Black children ages birth through eight-years-old, and their families, celebrate their racial and cultural heritage through the arts. There will be interactive art activities, performances, music, free food, and giveaways. When: Saturday, 8/19 | 12 – 4 p.m. Where: The Kingsley Association, 6435 Frankstown Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15206 This year’s theme is “I Love Being Black!” If you’d like to volunteer, email heidi.green@pitt.edu; for more information about the festivals, email mjackson@pitt.edu, and to learn more about The P.R.I.D.E. Program, visit racepride.pitt.edu. For event updates, visit the P.R.I.D.E. Facebook and Instagram pages.
2023 Lights On Afterschool Poster Contest Deadline Approaching The 2023 Lights On Afterschool poster contest will close on Monday, July 10 and interested individuals must enter their submissions before the midnight deadline. About the Lights On Afterschool Poster Contest Sponsored by the Afterschool Alliance, the 2023 Lights On Afterschool poster contest is a great opportunity for an afterschool program to gain national recognition for the opportunities it offers. With the winning submission printed on more than 50,000 posters, it will be seen at more than 8,000 Lights On Afterschool events around the world. Additionally, the winning artist will be featured on the Afterschool Alliance website and blog, as well as in a national press release, and their afterschool program receive a grand prize of $500. Closing on July 10, voting will take place July 11-13 on the Afterschool Alliance Facebook and Instagram pages, where followers can vote on the top five submissions. Rules and Guidelines Do: Submit any artwork that represents the spirit of afterschool programs. Submit either new or existing artwork. If your program has pre-made artwork celebrating afterschool, you can submit it. The artwork does not have to be created specifically for the Lights On Afterschool Poster Contest, but it must represent afterschool. Submit any of many kids of art (e.g. murals, paintings, graphics, etc.) Be creative! Think of the many ways your program has opened the doors to new opportunities for children. Also, look for artwork that can represent how afterschool staff has been an inspiration to children. Portray ideas in abstract or realistic renderings. Additionally, encourage students to use bright, bold markers, or paint to bring life to their images. Submit all physical artwork on 11 x 14 size paper. For digital submissions, make sure the artwork is in PDF format and is no larger than a 2 MB file with a DPI of 350. For higher resolution photos, email sgray@afterschoolalliance.org and request a link to our file transfer account. Don’t: Use a specific program name within the submission. If your artists do include the phrase Lights On Afterschool in their designs, make sure “afterschool” is written as one word, consistent with the national branding of the celebration. Submit a Poster To submit a poster, simply: Review the rules and guidelines to verify that you’re submission is eligible for contest entry. Complete the entry form. Either: Mail your completed entry form and physical poster submission to: Afterschool Alliance, Lights On Afterschool Poster Contest 1101 14th Street NW, Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20005 OR Email your completed entry form and digital poster submission to: lightson@afterschoolalliance.org. Please note: Mailed submissions must be postmarked no later than Monday, July 10. Additionally, artwork sent via email must be in PDF format and no larger than 2 MB with a DPI of 350. For higher resolution photos, email sgray@afterschoolalliance.org and request a link to our file transfer account. Learn More To learn more, visit the Afterschool Alliance website. Source Information for this post was taken directly from the Afterschool Alliance website. Some text may have been added, paraphrased, or adapted for readability and comprehension. Related Content & Resources PSAYDN Accepting Applications for Afterschool Ambassadors Program 2023 Summer Reading Programs for Young Readers Allegheny County Family Resource Map Highlights Supports for Locals Updated: Summer Food Programs Offer Free Meals to Children Allegheny Afterschool Bridge to Learn ELRC Region 5
March 3, 2022 Let’s Talk Quality Series: Art Join the Program Quality Assessment (PQA) team for the upcoming Let’s Talk Quality Series. The Let’s Talk Quality Series includes three monthly activities – Let’s Talk Quality Blog, Let’s Talk Quality Webinar, and the newest, Let’s Talk Quality Spotlight. Each month the PQA team will publish a blog article, create a webinar, and offer a spotlight session focused on a particular early education topic. The topic for March is Art. Register to join the one-hour Let’s Talk Quality Webinar: March 10, 2022 | 1:00 p.m. March 10, 2022 | 6:00 p.m. Register to join the one-hour Spotlight session where members of the PQA team will answer your questions and be available for discussion about this month’s topic and other PQA related topics: March 24, 2022 | 1:00 p.m. March 24, 2022 | 6:00 p.m. Additional details, as well as the monthly blog post for this topic, can be found on the PQA website.
October 21, 2020 Connections and Conversations: Intergenerational Learning Are you interested in learning how to build positive relationships between adults and children? Join Trying Together on Wednesday, November 11 for our free virtual workshop, “Connections and Conversations: Intergenerational Learning.” About Connections and Conversations Virtual Check-Ins are interactive sessions that highlight topics of interest to the field of early childhood education. Participants will engage in virtual discussions with child development experts while interacting with early learning practitioners to share questions, experiences, and expertise about Intergenerational Learning. Participants will learn how to build positive relationships between adults and children through the arts. Research has shown that through intergenerational programming young children and older adult participants gain many positive benefits through socialization and building relationships across generations. This workshop will highlight strategies to help establish relationships, communication, and collaboration across generations. Session Details Session Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2020 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Instructors: Jasmine Davis and Sarah Hamilton Core Knowledge Area: Child Growth and Development CDA Content Area: Principles of Child Growth and Development Registration Deadline: Monday, November 9, 2020 Registration To register, visit the course PD Registry page. Space is limited. Participants will receive the course Zoom link via email within 24 hours before the start date for the course. PQAS and Act 48 credit available. If you do not have a PD Registry account, please complete this online form to create one. If you are unable to create an account, please contact pdregistry@pakeys.org for more information. Session Rules and Guidelines These virtual discussions are designed to provide educators the opportunity to grow professionally and share knowledge on early childhood topics. During the meeting, participants should follow the guidelines below to ensure a successful virtual meeting for all participants. Please allow all participants a chance to speak. Listen respectfully and actively. Commit to learning about each other, not to debating the topic. Embrace differences of opinion as healthy and support each person’s authentic self-expression. Participants will be muted for the beginning portion of the session. Participants may use the “Raise Hand” feature in Zoom to request an opportunity to comment or ask a question. Individuals will be temporarily unmuted by the moderator. Participants may type a comment or question in the Chat or may send comments or questions directly to the moderator for them to share. To receive PQAS credit, you must complete an evaluation at the end of the session and include your PD Registry number. Have fun, make connections, and engage in the conversations! More Information For questions or more information, contact Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org.
September 24, 2020 KidSMART Club At Home Program Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Citiparks will offer its KidSMART Club as an at-home program for children in grades three, four, and five. An option for pre-kindergarten children is also available. About KidSMART Club is an afterschool program developed by Citiparks for children in grades three, four, and five. A pre-k option is also available and is best suited for children ages three to five years old. The program features a series of activities that explore science, math, art, reading, technology, and more! This year, the Club will be offered as an at-home program for 11 weeks with each week offering a new theme of learning. Themes and Dates Club members who complete six weeks or more of STEM/STEAM projects will be eligible for a chance to win cool prizes! View the full list of upcoming sessions below. Week 1: Art Explosion, Multimedia Art Studio October 5 – 9, 2020 Week 2: Wide World of Sports October 12 – 16, 2020 Week 3: Urban Adventures October 19 – 23, 2020 Week 4: DIY Maker Lab, “I Made It With Citiparks” October 26 – 30, 2020 Week 5: Comic Central November 2 – 6, 2020 Week 6: X-Treme Science November 9 – 13, 2020 Week 7: Create With The Masters November 16 – 20, 2020 Week 8: Junior Chef – Holiday Kit November 23 – 27, 2020 Week 9: Space Station Pittsburgh November 30 – December 4, 2020 Week 10: Holidays Around The World December 7 – 11, 2020 Week 11: KidSMART – Holiday Kit December 14 – 18, 2020 Registration Registration is required to participate. When registering, you must select a pickup location for your weekly at-home kits. Kit pickup will occur every Monday (beginning October 5) from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at one of the following Citipark Recreation Center locations: Ammon Community Recreation Center Henry Kaufmann Neighborhood House (Arlington) Brookline Recreation Center Jefferson Recreation Center Magee Recreation Center Paulson Recreation Center Phillips Recreation Center Warrington Recreation Center To register, complete the KidSMART Club Registration Form. This registration reserves your kit for an 11-week period through the end of 2020. Space is limited. More Information For more information, visit the KidSMART Club webpage. Share this flyer with your network.
September 11, 2020 Co-Educating with Families Webinar Are you interested in learning how to utilize creative experiences to draw families into learning together? Attend the webinar “Co-Educating with Families” on November 4 to learn about practice strategies that bridge school and home learning. About In this webinar, Cheri Sterman and James Wells from Crayola will share practice strategies that bridge school and home learning. Whether it is Moved by Math, Writing Art-Inspired Stories, or STEAM for 21st Century Learners, projects that actively engage students as decision-makers who create, present, respond, and connect enliven learning! This webinar will be of interest to pre-k through middle school teachers and school and district leaders. Time for questions will be included. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
June 29, 2020 Creativity Concepts Are you interested in learning about the role creativity plays in your early learning program? Join Trying Together on July 15 for our online course, “Creativity Concepts.” About This course will serve as an introduction to creativity and children’s developmental stages with arts learning. The course instructor will share ideas for visual art, music, movement prompts, and activities. A supply list will be shared before class for those interested in participating in hands-on artmaking. All registrations must be submitted by Monday, July 13. Space is limited. Course Details Session Date: Wednesday, July 15 | 6 – 8 p.m. Instructor: Alison Babusci CKC: K11.C2 CDA Subject Area: Advancing children’s physical and intellectual development. Two PQAS and ACT 48 hours available. Registration To register and learn more, visit the course webpage. More Information For more information, contact Community Engagement Assistant Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org.
November 22, 2019 Kate’s Kid Book Bash Join Reading is Fundamental (RIF) Pittsburgh on December 8 at Ace Hotel Pittsburgh for Kate’s Kid Book Bash! About Join RIF Pittsburgh for a children’s book festival to celebrate the life of beloved Pittsburgh children’s author, Kate Dopirak. Activities will include a children’s book art auction, storytimes, and book sales/signing by other authors such as Jonathan Auxier, Sharon G. Flake, and Nick Courage! Admission is free. All proceeds benefit RIF Pittsburgh. Share this flyer with your network.
September 27, 2019 Family Friendly Itsy Bitsy Spider Art Workshop Join Hatch Art Studio on October 13 for their “Family Friendly Itsy Bitsy Spider Art Workshop.” About Families and caregivers with children ages two and older are invited to create fun creepy crawly stuffies together! Event hosts will read a fun spider story, provide spooky sensory bins, and invite participants to make their own itsy bitsy spider or spooky bat! Attendees are invited to wear their favorite costumes as well! Register To register and learn more, visit the Facebook event page.
