Lake Erie Lifestyle Education Edition April 2018 by ErieTimesNews

LAKE

ERIE

LifeStyle APRIL 2018

LESSONS TO LEARN Education is a life-long pursuit ALSO INSIDE: 10-page Home Building section

Cyber keeps Mercyhurst on cutting edge PAG E 2 4

APRIL 2018

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contents

April ’18 VOL. 11 ISSUE 6

education 12

LOTS OF LEARNING How smart are we?

FABULOUS FARMING

in every issue 8

APRIL IS ... Blooming with fun things to do.

Schools place growing emphasis on living off the land.

PAY IT FORWARD

Parable Farm is still going strong in Ripley.

Learn what it takes to pay for college.

CAREER EDUCATION

12 61 62

IT’S A DATE Dance, recite a poem and learn something new in April.

New brewery has spirited tradition.

LAKE LORE Meet the friendliest of sea monsters this month.

bon appétit BLACK MONK BEER

BY THE NUMBERS What are the stats on education?

Learn career skills without a degree.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

SAY SALMON Lemon, garlic and butter. You’ll be asking for more.

LAST LOOK Yoga fans aglow.

home & garden 38

BUILDING BOOMS What’s happening in new construction.

MARBLE AND MORE Entrepreneur chisels out home decor.

escapes

LAKE

ERIE

on the cover

LifeSt

APRI

Duncan E. McGill, Ph.D., dean of the Ridge ColLE SS lege of Intelligence Studies ONS TO and Applied Sciences at LEAR N Mercyhurst University, and Orlandrew E. Danzell, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Intelligence Studies, Ridge College ege of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences at Mercyhurst University, stand in front of the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies. [RFRANK/ERIE TIMES-NEWS]

Educ ation is a ALSO

INSIDE

: 10-pag

life-lo ng pu rsuit e Bui lding

e Hom

section

TAKE A TIKI FOR A RIDE Tour Pittsburgh from a ﬂoating tiki.

arts & entertainment 56

ARTIST EVOKES EMOTION Rachael J. Burke’s art springs out of scenic studio.

4 | LAKE ERIE LIFESTYLE

yle L 201 8

APRIL 2018

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From the editor

Lessons come when you need them most

And we started Women’s learn something every day History Month as I wrote During a recent week, I this. When our newsroom needed a few pick-me-ups, works on this project, it gives and they came in unique forms. us opportunities to meet with Working in a newsroom, really extraordinary women bad news often surrounds who set great examples for us. It goes with the territory. all of us. I marveled at the Sometimes, I’m emotional for five musicians who grabbed no particular reason other than music and played flawlessly the news literally hurts. But Pam Parker at without rehearsal. And the then strangers do something to the Warner Theatre. stories of six 30-ish women make me smile, and I quickly [CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE/ ERIE TIMES-NEWS] who appeared on the cover remember there are really good of the Erie Times-News on people out there. March 4 inspired me. I have a lot of faith in the At the narrow drive-through at Dairy next generation of leaders. Spend five minutes Queen on Peach Street, a young man in with some of the movers and shakers in this front of me apparently missed the speaker community, and you will be inspired, too. and had to catch my attention to get me This is our education issue, and it’s a to back up so he could place his order. So reminder that you are never too old to I waved and backed up. When I got to the learn something new. window, the sweet young woman at the counter told me he had paid for my burgers. That was heartwarming. All I did was back up. So I paid for the next person’s burgers. During Dr. Seuss week, I read to some of the students at the Barber National Institute. Every time I go there, I thank God that we have such a wonderful asset in this Pam Parker community. Everyone there will give you a Editor reason to smile.

6 | LAKE ERIE LIFESTYLE

APRIL 2018

NICHE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR Brenda Martin brenda.martin@timesnews.com EDITOR Pam Parker pam.parker@timesnews.com WEB DESIGN Ben Smith, Dave Super MAGAZINE DESIGN Center for News & Design PHOTOGRAPHERS Jack Hanrahan, Christopher Millette, Greg Wohlford ADVERTISING Amy Izbicki, multi-media sales manager aizbicki@timesnews.com 814-878-1924 CONTACT US 205 W. 12th St., Erie, PA 16534 GoErie.com/lifestyle/lake-erie-lifestyle All content, including the design, art, photos and editorial content © 2018, Erie Times-News. No portion of this magazine may be copied or reprinted without the express written permission of the publisher.

APRIL 2018

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Contributors: April 2018

April is ...

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

There’s a lot to celebrate. No foolin’.

— BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Compiled by Brenda Martin

Liz Allen checks in with local educators, who make sure farming stays top of mind in our area. She is member of Erie City Council and a retired journalist for the Erie Times-News. page 14

Brenda Martin shares education numbers and tells us what to look forward to in April. She also gathered local events for our calendar. Martin is the niche publications editor at the Erie Times-News. pages 8, 12, 62

Karen Beardsley visits Andrew Church, an entrepreneur who turns marble slate and other items into beautiful home decor accents. Beardsley is the manager of media relations at UPMC. page 49

Marsha Morgenstern ﬁnds ﬂoating tikis will be dotting the rivers in Pittsburgh this summer. Morgenstern is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh. page 52

Jennie Geisler spices up salmon with some surprising ingredients. She is the resident foodie at the Erie Times-News and has shared recipes she makes at home for more than 16 years. page 36

Steve Orbanek ﬁnds a new craft brewery will open in Millcreek this month, and it has a familiar face. Orbanek is a marketing communications specialist at Penn State Behrend. page 30

JoLayne Green discovers some unique ways to help your kids get into college and ﬁnance it. Green is a freelance writer living in Meadville with her family. page 20

Pam Parker checks in on the Parable Farm, and she reminds readers of Grimsby, a part of Lake Erie lore. She also compiled some stats about what’s going on in new construction. Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie TimesNews. pages 10, 41, 61

Jack Hanrahan captured the glow during a Glow Yoga event in Erie. He is a photojournalist at the Erie Times-News. page 66 John Arthur Hutchison tracks down career schools that don’t require four-year degrees. He is the grants and public relations coordinator for Project for the Homeless in Painesville, Ohio, and a freelance writer and public relations professional. page 26

Brian R. Sheridan meets artist Rachel J. Burke an artist who brings nature alive. Sheridan is a lecturer and chairman of the communications department at Mercyhurst University. page 56

C O M I N G I N M AY It’s home and garden month at Lake Erie LifeStyle. What’s new in building, buying and remodeling in the Lake Erie region.

8 | LAKE ERIE LIFESTYLE

April gives us plenty to celebrate. In northwestern Pennsylvania, usually that has something to do with snow ending, ﬂowers blooming and the awaited conclusion to a long winter. That’s especially true after a winter of historic proportions like the winter of 2017-2018 that brought Erie a new seasonal snowfall record. But now that April has arrived, enjoy it by celebrating jazz, eating celery, exercising your dog and laughing until it hurts. April is: • National Humor Month • National Jazz Appreciation Month • National Canine Fitness Month • National Fresh Celery Month For those with an interest in health, it’s also: • National Autism Awareness Month • National Donate Life Awareness Month • National Cannabis Awareness Month • Occupational Therapy Month • Stress Awareness Month For those who are all about food, it’s: • National Pecan Month • National Soft Pretzel Month • National Soy Foods Month If you’d rather celebrate by the day or week, here’s a sampling: • National Reconciliation Day (April 2) • National Zoo Lovers Day (April 8) • National Siblings Day (April 10) • National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day (April 16) • National Talk Like Shakespeare Day (April 23) • National Superhero Day (April 28) • American Indian Awareness Week (April 12-16) • National Princess Week (April 22-28) •Every Kid Healthy Week (April 23-27) And if you think this is a joke, it’s not. It might be, if it were April Fools’ Day (April 1). From www.nationaldaycalendar.com

APRIL 2018

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Where are they now?Â ... brought to you by Painted Finch Gallery

Checking in with Parable Farm Story By Pam Parker

Hens and roosters graze in one of the barns on the Parable Farm. [FILE PHOTO/ERIE TIMES-NEWS]

10 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

Parable Farm, in South Ripley, New York, was a spot many folks knew for clean eating in 2013 when Lisa Gensheimer wrote a story for Lake Erie LifeStyle. Rob and Sarah Parker became the owners of Parable Farm, which originally opened in 1999 with a healthy concept of raising a closed herd of cattle, meaning all the cows are born and raised on the farm. Patrons will also find turkeys, chickens and pigs. The company doesn't just sell healthy meats, it educates people about meats, healthy fats and more. When Lake Erie LifeStyle caught up with Sarah Parker for the April issue of Lake Erie LifeStyle, she was bubbly and happy to share that the farm was a success. "Business is going very well," she said. She said that the farm had added lambs to its available

meats. The farm also sold out of turkeys for Thanksgiving several years in a row. The farm also sells about 1,000 chickens a year, and its Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiative has grown at just the right pace along with store sales. And the best part is you don't have to drive to Ripley to find the meat products. Customer drop-off points have been established in Fairview, Asbury Woods, Gannon University, Lord Corporation and in North East and Harborcreek. If you want to check out the farm, you can call Mondays thru Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 716-581-1709. Visit www.parablefarm.com for more information. LEL

Parable Farm 9584 N.E. Sherman Road Ripley, N.Y. 14775

Lake Erie LifeStyle www.lakeerielifestyle.com

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Education

SCHOOLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

Education

AT A GLANCE

e all spend at least 13 years in classrooms. For some of us, many more years can be added. But it's not all reading, writing and arithmetic. There's so much more. •

•

Here's one: Do you know where your food comes from? Agricultural education not only teaches us how food moves from farms to our tables, it teaches the people who will grow our food, keep it safe and tend our environment. Here's another: When advanced learning is sought, career schools offer an alternate path to fulﬁlling work without a four-year degree. Speaking of degrees: How are you going to pay for the darn thing? It's a tough question. Some creativity might help.

Read all about it, and pick up some new learning, over the next 18 pages. LEL

•

A LOT OF LEARNING. More than 50 million students are enrolled in public schools. Public school enrollment rose 28 percent, from 39.4 million to 50.6 million, between 1985 and 2016. MILLIONS OF TEACHERS. There were about 3.6 million elementary and secondary school teachers working in classrooms in the U.S. in fall 2016. The average salary for public school teachers in 2015–16 was $58,064 in current dollars (dollars that are not adjusted for inﬂation). GOING TO COLLEGE. College enrollment was 20 million in fall 2015, a 5 percent decrease from the record enrollment of 21 million in fall 2010. College enrollment is expected to set new records from fall 2020 through fall 2026. WHO GOT DEGREES? Females earned 57 percent of all bachelor's degrees in 2014-15. Between 2004-05 and 2014-15, the number of white students earning bachelor's degrees increased 15 percent, compared with larger increases of 42 percent for black students, 115 percent for Hispanic students, and 38 percent for Asian/Paciﬁc Islander students. SOURCE: DIGEST OF EDUCATION STATISTICS, 2016, COMPILED BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

Education

14 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

WHERE DOES FOOD COME FROM? Agricultural education in Erie County is about more than how to run the family farm. Story by Liz Allen

ou might not associate PB&J with the trendy farm-to-table movement. But for Judith Stetson, serving children peanut butter sandwiches spread with Welchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grape jelly is a teachable moment in agricultural

education. She uses field trips to her farm to show youngsters how food moves from the field to the grocery shelf to the kitchen table.

Education Stetson, 72, is the proprietor of Duck Pond Farm in North East, where she has happily embraced the life of a grape farmer since she moved there 46 years ago. Born in Connecticut, she spent part of her childhood on the Jersey Shore, where her father operated a restaurant before he retired and moved her family to Florida when she was 9. After she married, she moved to Erie, living in Glenwood before the family followed in the footsteps of her in-laws and relocated to North East. “When we left Erie, my son’s kindergarten class was totally curious about where Jake was going,” she says. She invited the city of Erie children to visit Jake’s new home, which Stetson had named Duck Pond Farm because of the 17 mallards living there. One time when Jake was an elementary student in North East, he wanted to bring his horse, Star, to school for a program. “I got there purposely about a half hour early, so the horse could get calmed down,” she recalls. She noticed that a class of special needs children was going on a field trip that involved picking up litter at a playground. She decided that a field trip to her farm would be a more enriching experience than picking up litter. That’s how a tradition began in which children from North East and surrounding school districts spend time at her 50-acre farm. In addition to learning about the Catawba and Concord grapes that Stetson grows, children meet horses, dogs, cats, goats, sheep and turkeys. “I’ve had two wonderful veterinarians over the years, and they always managed to find critters and creatures that needed homes.” It’s a hands-on experience. “They put a chicken to sleep and they wake it up, of course. They feed the goats and the sheep bread, and they go around the garden, because we grow raspberries and blueberries, too.” She sells her grapes to Welch’s, so when the kids eat their peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches, she tells them it’s very likely they are eating grapes grown in North East. Stetson is surprised that even in an agricultural community like North East, children “don’t know where their food is coming from and how it arrives.” Agricultural education used to be about “teaching young boys how to go home and take over the family farm,” says Anthony Honeycutt, who teaches about agriculture. Now ag education covers food, fiber, the

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Kirsten Currier, an environmental educator at the Erie County Conservation District enjoys her work setting because right behind the ofﬁce is Headwaters Park. The 70-acre public park, open yearround, dusk-to-dawn, features three miles of hiking trails and four habitats: a stream, meadow, forest and wetlands. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/LIZ ALLEN]

environment and natural resources, and offers a curriculum that prepares students for a wide range of careers — including, of course, farming. Honeycutt, 43, is the ag education teacher for Northwestern High School in Albion. Northwestern and Union City High School in Erie County both offer state-certified Career Technical Education programs in agriculture, while Erie High offers a horticulture/ landscaping management career track. The Union City program, which is in its third year, currently enrolls about 25 students, according to Joan Quickle, director of curriculum and special programs. “We focus more on hydroponics, aquaponics, community gardens and food production,” she said. “We are very fortunate. We’ve had people on the school board and a lot of community people who really valued and treasured the ag education program at Northwestern. That has kept us relevant,” he says. “It’s not just about cows, plows and sows. It’s about everything from the farming end to the environmental end to forestry to landscaping to horticulture.” Honeycutt brings the same enthusiasm to his job at Northwestern that he saw in his teachers when he was in school in Sampson County, North Carolina. “It was life-changing,” he says about the ag program that he took in school, run by “two very passionate

individuals,” Garland Barlow and Stewart Daltry. “They ran it well and they gave us students tons and tons of opportunities to do different things,” he recalls. While attending North Carolina State, he met Mary Beth, his future wife, and five years after they were married, they had the opportunity to move closer to her family in northwestern Pennsylvania. The ag teacher was ready to retire at Northwestern. “I came up and interviewed for the job. And here is something unique. My wife’s greatgrandfather, Dr. Byron E. Decker, started the program.” At Northwestern, freshmen can take an agscience class. “It’s kind of a catch-all class, and it introduces you to everything.” A variety of courses are offered throughout all four years of high school, including large animal science, small animal science, horticulture, landscaping, and agricultural engineering and mechanics. Skills taught in the latter class came in handy when students restored a 1957 Massey Harris 50 tractor and displayed it at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in 2017. Students can also study environmental, water and energy systems. “We do everything from studying micro-invertebrates, all the way to making biofuel,” he says. “We have a little S.T.E.A.M. deal,” he says. S.T.E.A.M. is an acronym for science, technology,

Get your seedlings

Gordon Post and his daughter, Ana Post, are surrounded by memories of the Post family’s farming legacy. The picture in the square frame on the left shows Gordon Post’s great-grandparents, Katherine and Charlie Post, on their 50th anniversary. The photo in the oval frame is the wedding photo of his grandparents, Archie and Gertrude Post. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/LIZ ALLEN]

engineering, agriculture and math. Students also learn leadership skills by becoming part of Future Farmers of America, for example. “It’s not a club. It’s an integral part of the curriculum,” he says. “They learn parliamentary procedure and they give speeches on everything from conservation to agriculture.” Students who commit to the ag-ed program are also required to perform 180 hours of work in a supervised agriculture experience. “It can be paid or unpaid, volunteer or entrepreneurial. They can raise animals or run a lawn care business.” Farmers make up only about 2 percent of the U.S. population. “A very small percentage (of students) are going to farm, but they all are going to eat,” he says. “I want them to be educated about where their food comes from, and a good, educated source when they vote.” To that end, students also study government laws and policies. “We discuss those things. Are they good for agriculture? Are they good for farming? Are they helping or hurting us?” Honeycutt is excited that his school’s ag program also collaborates with the foods and family consumer science program, headed by Julie Schmidt, who has a dairy farm background. Thanks to the school’s “maple syrup enterprise,” which involves tapping between 200 and 300 trees, the students also learn

business skills. “We produce a lot of maple syrup, which we take to our food program. They make confections, cotton candy, suckers out of that commodity.” In addition to benefitting from supportive school administrators and the school board, the ag program also stays relevant thanks to the Albion Fair. Students help with the prep work for the fair, and the junior class and various community organizations run booths as fundraisers. “If that fair didn’t exist, a lot of things would shrink up and die,” he says. If you have a hankering for a close-up look at the benefits that ag education produces, mark your calendars. The 2018 Albion Fair will be Sept. 11-15. Kristen Currier, an environmental educator for the Erie County Conservation District, agrees that it’s important for youngsters to learn how and why our food is connected to the natural world. Her job, she says, is to teach kids “about nature, about stewardship, about conservation, about preservation. Basically, it’s getting them to like nature. If they like it, they’ll preserve it.” Children today don’t spend much time exploring the outdoors, climbing trees or stirring up mud in a creek, as Currier did. But her program involves more than outdoor activities. She also includes time for a “solo sit,” where the kids write or draw in their journals

The Erie County Conservation District was established in 1949 to help farmers with issues and questions about land and water resources. This year, it is sponsoring its 37th annual sale of tree seedlings and conservation plants to raise money for its scholarship fund and for the annual Envirothon competition for middle school and high school students, which takes place in May. Visit www.erieconservation.com to learn more. But hurry. The deadline to order is March 28.

for 15 or 20 minutes to capture what they see and hear outside. Her programs start with a snack made with locally grown ingredients. The youngsters might chop up local vegetables to make salsa to serve with bruschetta. Or they sample Northern Scoop craft ice cream, from North East, taste and compare apples, drink local cider or try locally processed beef jerky. “Making that connection between what you put in your mouth and how it got on your plate is key,” says Currier, whose interest in what we ingest is also personal. Her 16-year-old daughter has Crohn’s disease, so she worries about the effects of chemicalladen foods on the body. “We’re big label readers,” she says. Currier, 45, who majored in environmental science at Allegheny College and got her master’s in education at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, wants young people to understand that agriculture is an important part of Pennsylvania’s economy and that there are careers available. “It doesn’t mean you necessarily have to be in a field at 4 in the morning (as a farmer). It could be that you’re focusing on quality control for ice cream or focusing on (how to raise) cage-free chickens,” she says. “It could be environmental engineering or environmental law.” Gordon Post, 65, earned his degree in APRIL 2018

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Education

Students in the Future Farmers of America program hold awards at Northwestern High School in Albion. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

biochemistry from Pennsylvania State University and thought about pursuing his doctorate. But he knew that eventually he would work on his family’s farm in North East. “A Ph.D. in biochemistry isn’t going to help me be a better farmer,” he decided. So he returned home to North East, where the Post family had farmed for three previous generations, and where he and his wife, Pam, a home economist, would raise their five children. He grew commodity crops, like apples, potatoes and oats. He also developed a chemical supply business that sells to

18 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

school science classes and another business that builds steel cabinets for laboratories. But these days, he concentrates on the Post Apple Community Supported Agriculture business. In this past season, the CSA had 232 members; Post would like to double that number, said his daughter, Ana Post, who manages the CSA. People join the CSA because they want to eat local, healthy ingredients, he says. By growing 150 different vegetables, he offers his own style of ag education for customers. “All these fruits and vegetables make better nutrition for an

individual,” he says. “You can put things together that are really good for you and that taste good.” He also grows interesting things you normally wouldn’t expect to find growing in our area – jimaca, for instance, a root vegetable from Mexico. He starts them in a greenhouse, then plants them outside. This season, he’s going to try planting peanuts, which take a long time — 120 days — to grow. “Of course, I raise sweet potatoes and those take 100 days,” he muses. If he succeeds, maybe a peanutbutter-and-jelly sandwich will become a double farm-to-table treat. LEL

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Education

COLLEGE HOW TO PAY THE BILL Families can come up with creative means to meet children’s dreams Story by JoLayne Green

arents follow the pack behind the enthusiastic tour guide pointing out the library, iconic statue or the fourth Starbucks on campus. They look glazed. Perhaps they are tired of hearing the same spiel. Perhaps it’s because they are in denial that their baby will be flying the coop. Or perhaps they are shell-shocked at the true costs of modern-day college. The statistics are sobering. The College Board’s 2017 Trends in Higher Education report released in October found that average tuition and fees for in-state students at public universities and colleges increased by 3.1 percent before adjusting for inflation, from $9,670 in 2016-17 to $9,970 in 2017-18. Tuition and fees for out-of-state students increased 3.2 percent from $24,820 in 2016-17 to $25,620 in 2017-18. Average published tuition and fees at private nonprofit schools increased by 3.6 percent from $33,520 in 2016-2017 to $34,740 in 2017-18. That is tuition alone, not including room, board and books. Those costs can add another $10,000, and even more, to the cost. No matter how the numbers are sliced, there is no denying that college is expensive. “At all socioeconomic levels, it is an issue,” says Debbie Schwartz, founder of the website www.road2college.com near Philadelphia and the Facebook group Paying for College 101. So just how are families and students paying for it? A variety of ways, and unfortunately, debt is a big one.

[SHUTTERSTOCK.COM]

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Education

Debbie Schwartz is the founder of the website www.road2college.com and the Facebook group Paying for College 101. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

Don Smith, ﬁnancial adviser and owner of Provident Wealth Management in Erie, says his two sons lived at home and commuted to school in order to save money. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

According to Pew Research Center, Americans owed more than $1.3 trillion in student loan debt at the end of June, which is more than two-and-a-half times what they owed a decade earlier. Of those with debt, bachelor’s degree holders owed a median of $25,000. Debt isn’t the only way, though. More people are getting creative and educated. Schwartz began seeing the issues of college funding from all sides as a mom of three going through it and also as a marketing executive in financial services when she began working with student loans. “I saw it was a mess,” she says of the system. She saw her own friends, who were all educated, being confused. “A big issue is whatever information you

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Sabrina Fischer, director of human resources for Erie County, is the parent of one college student with another ready to graduate from high school this year and one more who is a high school freshman. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

get, you get it too late, and you can’t roll back the clock,” Schwartz says. “There are decent sources of information, but you don’t know it exists.” Schwartz tried to work with her school district to bring more awareness and quickly decided to reach parents directly. She founded Road2College about four years ago as a public service. It has grown into a full-time endeavor. “My goal is to provide education and get people more access to data,” Schwartz says. One of the best strategies in paying for college with as little debt as possible starts with where students apply. That means trying to match a student’s academic ability, stats and potential for

“The biggest mistake is taking money out of retirement plans unless they are over-funded.” Don Smith, ﬁnancial adviser and owner of Provident Wealth Management in Erie

admission with the expected cost of attendance and the family’s ability to pay. In other words, don’t go into the process with just a “hope and a prayer.” “People want to stick their heads in the sands,” she says. “You have to be realistic about what your situation is.” By far, the best way is to save in advance and adjust as the child grows. “The way I explain it is to look at it as a timeline in a child’s life,” says Don Smith, financial adviser and owner of Provident Wealth Management in Erie, whose own sons lived at home and commuted to save money. If you have the money, opening a 529 college savings account or a Roth IRA is key. The advantage to a Roth is that it is not included in the financial aid FAFSA form and calculations for government aid. “You want to fund the 529 to the maximum point as soon as they are born,” Smith says. As the child grows, Smith advises putting them to work and then have them invest a portion of their wages. Saving is sometimes easier said than done, so what do parents do when college came quicker than good intentions were realized? First, Smith advises everyone to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, even if they think they won’t qualify for aid because there are unsubsidized loans, as well as subsidized ones. Often, colleges require it even to give other kinds of aid. Options can include cash-flowing costs, student work or work study, Parent Plus government loans, private loans with a co-signer, and using home equity. Those going the loan route should go in with eyes wide open about high interest rates and parent liability. Smith advises getting a written agreement between a child and a parent that the child will be legally responsible for paying the loan if that is the intent. Smith also cautions parents to protect their own future. “The biggest mistake is taking money out of retirement plans unless they are overfunded,” Smith says. Sometimes lifestyle changes or other creative means can help pay for college. On Schwartz’s Facebook group, people have talked about going back to work after being a stay-at-home parent, downsizing a home, even out-of-thebox ideas such as selling plasma. Sabrina Fischer, of Fairview, says the topic has been an interesting one in her home with her husband and three children, one in college, one a senior in high school

and a freshman in high school. “Our approach has been open and honest. We have shared with each child how much they have for college. Once they tip over that amount, the rest will be on them to pay for through loans and/or earnings. We have shared all the financial information of each college that made it to the short list,” Fischer says. One idea she finds clever is working for a college for a tuition benefit. That option did not fit their needs, but another employment change has. Fischer recently shifted from being a business owner to going back to her first career in human resources for Erie County. While much of the change had to do with the timing of an opportunity, selling her store the Sassy Peacock also was a strategy, Fischer says. Fischer says her children hope to avoid large debt so the family plan combines college savings, keeping expenses down with doing things like buying used cars, and academic and athletic scholarships. One of the children even explored going the G.I. Bill route through the military. Fischer requires them to work during summers and keep a strong grade-point average. “If they do come out with debt, by focusing on GPA and internships in their fields of interest, we are hoping they will be able to obtain the best possible salary in the long run,” she says. Schwartz says this kind of approach is exactly what families should do. Often saving money by starting at a community college, opting for a trade route rather than a traditional college, taking a gap year to work and make sure you know what you want to do, are overlooked. Schwartz’s mission is to have students and parents research colleges and make sure they are a good fit not just academically or socially, but financially first. People need to be aware of what their expected family contribution number determined through the FAFSA will be and what the net price of a school will be. “It should not be a surprise what the net cost will be,” she says. “I do personally think building a college list is the most strategic thing you can do.” College is first a financial decision and not merely one about following dreams. “I personally think it is more important to come out financially stable than to have gone to the school of your dreams,” Schwartz says. LEL

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SP ONSOR E D CONTE NT

Cyber programs make sense of interconnected world From business and finance to health care and government, the use of data has gone from a competitive edge to a professional necessity. As industries turn to data analysis to make better-informed decisions, a new priority is emerging: protecting data and networks from constantly evolving cyber threats. Unsurprisingly, demand for professionals skilled in analytics and cybersecurity is quickly outstripping supply. And colleges and universities are taking notice. At Mercyhurst University, this growing need has spurred the creation of new programs in data science, cyber security and cyber risk management, which are housed in Mercyhurst’s Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences. Mercyhurst earned a national reputation for pioneering the nation’s first non-governmental intelligence analysis program in the early 1990s. These new data analytics and cyber programs build on those strengths and represent the logical next steps. Studying and researching cybersecurity often involves delving into the issues and vulnerabilities of the network of interconnected devices known as the Internet of Things, according to Duncan McGill, Ph.D., dean of Mercyhurst’s Ridge College. Smart phones, GPS, security cameras, WiFi systems and intelligent home assistants like Amazon Alexa are just some of the devices that compose the Internet of Things. “It’s the job of the cybersecurity analyst to find security mechanisms to protect these devices, and understand when and how they’re being attacked,” McGill said. For students who could enter virtually any career field after graduation, practical handson experience is essential when studying data analytics and cybersecurity — and can often connect students with future employers. Many students at the undergraduate and graduate levels work on analysis and cyber projects for customers in the business and intelligence communities, McGill said. “Our intent is to produce educated students who have an understanding of the theoretical science as well as the practical experience of doing the work,” McGill said. New initiatives — such as Mercyhurst’s state-of-the-art cyber lab and networks

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Bill Welch, an instructor in Mercyhurst University’s Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences, leads a class in intel analysis. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

operation center, a joint venture with Cleveland-based national technology company MCPc — will yield similar opportunities for students. Given the constant evolution of the online environment, colleges and universities are discovering some areas, such as those relating to privacy and insurance, are years behind the technology. Mercyhurst’s cyber risk management program puts a new spin on a traditional business process. Whereas most risk management programs are associated with financial risk, McGill said, “our program looks at the insurance side as it relates to cyber risk and intellectual property on computer systems, which tend not to be insured or protected well.” There’s great potential for working together between educational institutions, as well, on the cyber front. February saw the announcement of a new

cyber alliance between Mercyhurst, Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University. Known as the North Coast Cyber Research and Training Alliance, this initiative leverages the unique strengths of the three institutions to jointly develop cybersecurity education, research and training programs. “It’s an exciting time because of all the change going on,” Duncan said. “For us at Mercyhurst, it’s a lot of fun to be on the front end of a discipline that has so much potential.”

BROUGHT TO YOU BY Mercyhurst University 501 E. 38th St. Erie, PA 16546 814-824-2000

ǋǖɤ ǖɤ ¨ n¨ǖŠ Š̤źɛʍǖɤźǷźǾʍ

IǖǬǬɤ .¨ʍ ź¨Š Vź źĻǋǾȑǬȑƷ̬ sźǷȑ̤źɤ Vź̥ xʍʩġġȑɛǾ .¨ʍ .ȑɛź̤źɛ ǖʍǋȑʩʍ n¨ǖǾ ]ɛ xʩɛƷźɛ̬ .]s

ȡɁ ȑ ̬ȑʩ ǋ¨̤ź ɤʍʩġġȑɛǾ Ɯ¨ʍ ȑǾ ̬ȑʩɛ ġźǬǬ̬ř ʍǋǖƷǋɤř ¨ɛǷɤř ȑɛ ĻǋǖǾɐ ʡɁ ȑ ̬ȑʩ ̥¨Ǿʍ ʍȑ źǬǖǷǖǾ¨ʍź Ɯ¨ʍ ƜɛȑǷ ¨ʍ Ǭź¨ɤʍ ȑǾź ȑƜ ʍǋȑɤź ¨ɛź¨ɤɐ ʔɁ ɛź ̬ȑʩ ¨Ǿ ɛǖź ɛźɤǖŠźǾʍř ¨Ʒź ʔƤǐɶƤɐ 9Ɯ ̬ȑʩ ¨Ǿɤ̥źɛźŠ ɕ̬źɤɖ ʍ̥ȑ ʍǖǷźɤ ȑɛ Ƿȑɛźř ʍǋǖɤ Ƿ¨̬ ġź ʍǋź Ƿȑɤʍ ǖǷȰȑɛʍ¨Ǿʍ ¨ɛʍǖĻǬź ̬ȑʩ ɛź¨Š ¨ǬǬ ̬ź¨ɛɁ 6źɛźɘɤ ̥ǋ̬Ř Vź̥ ʍźĻǋǾȑǬȑƷ̬ Ƿ¨Ǩźɤ ǖʍ ȰȑɤɤǖġǬź ʍȑ ʍ¨ɛƷźʍ ¨ǾŠ ǨǖǬǬ Ɯ¨ʍ ĻźǬǬɤ ǖǾ ̬ȑʩɛ ġȑŠ̬ř ǬǖǨź ȰȑǖǾʍǖǾƷ ¨ Ǭ¨ɤźɛ ƷʩǾɁ ǖʍǋ Ǿȑ Ȱ¨ǖǾ ȑɛ ɤʩɛƷźɛ̬Ɂ ȑʩ ǷǖƷǋʍ ġź ź¨ʍǖǾƷ ɛǖƷǋʍ ¨ǾŠ ź̪źɛĻǖɤǖǾƷɁ ʩʍ ̬ȑʩɛ ġȑŠ̬ Ɯ¨ʍ ǋ¨ɤ ɤǋǖƜʍźŠɁ ǾŠ Ǿȑ̥ ̬ȑʩɘɛź ɤźźǖǾƷ ǖʍ ǖǾ ȰǬ¨Ļźɤ ̬ȑʩ ŠǖŠǾɘʍ ġźƜȑɛźɁ 9ʍɘɤ Ǿȑʍ ̬ȑʩɛ Ɯ¨ʩǬʍɁ Vȑ Ƿ¨ʍʍźɛ ǋȑ̥ ǋ¨ɛŠ ̬ȑʩ ̥ȑɛǨř ʍǋȑɤź Ǭ¨ɤʍ ɤʍʩġġȑɛǾ ȰȑʩǾŠɤ Ƿ¨̬ ġź ɛźɤǖɤʍ¨Ǿʍ ʍȑ Šǖźʍ ¨ǾŠ ź̪źɛĻǖɤźƙ ǋ¨ʍɘɤ ̥ǋ̬ ̬ȑʩ ɤǋȑʩǬŠ ǨǾȑ̥ ¨ġȑʩʍƊ

ǋź ɕnȑȰɤǖĻǬź Sǖɛ¨ĻǬźɖ ǋ¨ʍ IǖǬǬɤ ȑʩɛ .¨ʍ xʩɛȰɛǖɤǖǾƷǬ̬ř ʍ̥ȑ 6¨ɛ̤¨ɛŠ ŠȑĻʍȑɛɤ ŠǖɤĻȑ̤źɛźŠ ʍǋ¨ʍ ĻǋǖǬŠɛźǾ ̥ǋȑ ¨ʍź ȰȑȰɤǖĻǬźɤ Ʒȑʍ ŠǖǷȰǬźɤ ǖǾ ʍǋźǖɛ ĻǋźźǨɤɁ ǋź ŠȑĻʍȑɛɤ ɛź¨Ǭǖ̳źŠ ʍǋ¨ʍ ʍǋź ȰȑȰɤǖĻǬźɤ ̥źɛź Ɯɛźź̳ǖǾƷ ¨ǾŠ źǬǖǷǖǾ¨ʍǖǾƷ Ɯ¨ʍ ĻźǬǬɤƙ ǋǖɤ ɤǖǷȰǬź ǖŠź¨ř ʍǋ¨ʍ ĻȑǬŠ Ļ¨Ǿ ǨǖǬǬ Ɯ¨ʍ ǖǾ ̬ȑʩɛ ġȑŠ̬ ̥ǖʍǋȑʩʍ Ȱ¨ǖǾ ȑɛ ɤʩɛƷźɛ̬ř ǬźŠ ʍȑ ʍǋź Ļɛź¨ʍǖȑǾ ȑƜ ȑȑǬxĻʩǬȰʍǖǾƷɁ

]ǾĻź Ɯ¨ʍ ǖɤ ʍɛź¨ʍźŠ ġ̬ ȑȑǬxĻʩǬȰʍǖǾƷř ǖʍɘɤ ƷȑǾź Ɯȑɛ ƷȑȑŠɁ ȑʩɛ ġȑŠ̬ Ǿ¨ʍʩɛ¨ǬǬ̬ źǬǖǷǖǾ¨ʍźɤ ʍǋź Šź¨Š ĻźǬǬɤɁ ȑʩ Ļ¨Ǿ ɛźɤʩǷź ̬ȑʩɛ Š¨ǖǬ̬ ¨Ļʍṳ̈̄ǖʍǖźɤ ǖǷǷźŠǖ¨ʍźǬ̬Ɂ ǾǬǖǨź ǬǖȰȑɤʩĻʍǖȑǾř ̬ȑʩ ɤźź ǖǾĻɛźŠǖġǬźř ɤĻʩǬȰʍźŠ ɛźɤʩǬʍɤ ̥ǖʍǋ Ǿȑ Šȑ̥ǾʍǖǷźɁ

SźŠǖĻ¨ǬǬ̬ nɛȑ̤źǾ ]Ǿ Vź¨ɛǬ̬ ɶ SǖǬǬǖȑǾ nźȑȰǬź ȑȑǬxĻʩǬȰʍǖǾƷ ǖɤ ʍǋź ȑǾǬ̬ . ǐ ¨ȰȰɛȑ̤źŠ ʍźĻǋǾȑǬȑƷ̬ ʍȑ ʍ¨ɛƷźʍ ¨ǾŠ ǨǖǬǬ Ɯ¨ʍ ĻźǬǬɤ ʩɤǖǾƷ ĻȑǾʍɛȑǬǬźŠ ĻȑȑǬǖǾƷɁ ǾŠ Ǿź¨ɛǬ̬ ɶ ǷǖǬǬǖȑǾ ̥ȑǷźǾ ¨ǾŠ ǷźǾ ǋ¨̤ź ġźźǾ ʍɛź¨ʍźŠ ̥ȑɛǬŠ̥ǖŠźɁ ¨Ǿʍ ʍȑ ơʍ ǖǾ ̬ȑʩɛ Ɯ¨̤ȑɛǖʍź Ȱ¨Ǿʍɤɐ LȑȑǨ Ʒɛź¨ʍ ǖǾ ¨ ɤ̥ǖǷɤʩǖʍɐ /źʍ ̬ȑʩɛ ɕȰɛźǐġ¨ġ̬ɖ ġȑŠ̬ ġ¨ĻǨ ¨Ʒ¨ǖǾɐ ȑȑǬxĻʩǬȰʍǖǾƷ Ļ¨Ǿ Ʒṳ̈̄ź ̬ȑʩ ¨ Ǿź̥ ơƷʩɛź ¨ǾŠ ¨ Ǿź̥ ǬǖƜźɁ

ȑʩ Ƿ¨̬ ǋ¨̤ź ǋź¨ɛŠ ɛ¨Šǖȑ ȰźɛɤȑǾ¨Ǭǖʍ̬ Gźɤɤ ʩɛɛ̬ ȑǾ xʍ¨ɛ ȡ̷Ʈř ¨ɤ ɤǋź ŠźɤĻɛǖġźɤ ǋźɛ Ɯ¨ʍǐǬȑɤɤ ǦȑʩɛǾź̬ ̥ǖʍǋ ȑȑǬxĻʩǬȰʍǖǾƷɁ xǋź ʍɛʩɤʍɤ ʩɤ ʍȑ ǋźǬȰ ǋźɛ ǬȑȑǨ Ɯ¨Ǿʍ¨ɤʍǖĻɁ ȑʩ Ļ¨Ǿř ʍȑȑɁ

ȑ ȑʩ ¨Ǿʍ ȑ .ǖǾ¨ǬǬ̬ Lȑɤź xʍʩġġȑɛǾ .¨ʍɐ ǋź ȰɛȑȑƜ ȑƜ ʍǋǖɤ Ǿź̥ ʍźĻǋǾȑǬȑƷ̬ ǖɤ ǖǾ ʍǋź ɛźɤʩǬʍɤ ǖʍ ȰɛȑŠʩĻźɤ Ɯȑɛ ̬ȑʩɁ ǋ¨ʍɘɤ ̥ǋ̬ ̥ź ¨ǬǬȑ̥ ̬ȑʩ ʍȑ ̤ǖɤǖʍ ȑʩɛ ɛǖź ǬȑĻ¨ʍǖȑǾ ¨ǾŠ ĻǬ¨ǖǷ ̬ȑʩɛ .ɛźź sź¨Šźɛɘɤ /ǖƜʍɤ ¨ʍ Ǿȑ Ļȑɤʍř ʍȑ ɤźź ǖƜ ȑȑǬxĻʩǬȰʍǖǾƷ ǖɤ ɛǖƷǋʍ Ɯȑɛ ̬ȑʩɁ ǋź ơɛɤʍ ʍǋǖǾƷ ̬ȑʩ Šȑ ǖɤ ʍźǬǬ ʩɤ ǋȑ̥ ǷʩĻǋ Ɯ¨ʍ ̬ȑʩ ̥¨Ǿʍ ʍȑ ǬȑɤźɁ ǋźǾ ʍźǬǬ ʩɤ ̥ǋźɛź ̬ȑʩ ̥¨Ǿʍ ʍȑ Ǭȑɤź ǖʍ ǐ ǐ ġźǬǬ̬ř ʍǋǖƷǋɤř ¨ɛǷɤř ȑɛ ĻǋǖǾɁ 9ʍ Ƿ¨Ǩźɤ ¨ǬǷȑɤʍ Ǿȑ ŠǖƝźɛźǾĻźɁ ǋ¨ʍ ɤ¨Ƿź Š¨̬ř ̬ȑʩ ɤʍ¨ɛʍ ̬ȑʩɛ ǦȑʩɛǾź̬ Šȑ̥Ǿ ʍǋź ɤ¨Ƿź ɛȑ¨Š ʍǋ¨ʍ Ǿź¨ɛǬ̬ ɶř̷̷̷ř̷̷̷ ȰźȑȰǬź ǋ¨̤ź ƷȑǾź ġźƜȑɛź ̬ȑʩɁ ǋź̬ ¨ǬǬ Ǭȑɤʍ ɤʍʩġġȑɛǾř ʩƷǬ̬ Ɯ¨ʍ ̥ǖʍǋ ȑȑǬxĻʩǬȰʍǖǾƷƙ Vȑ ź̪źɛĻǖɤźɁ Vȑ ŠǖźʍɤɁ Vȑ ǾźźŠǬźɤɁ Vȑ ȰǖǬǬɤɁ Vȑ Ȱ¨ǖǾɁ ǾŠ Ǿȑ Ǿź̥ ĻǬȑʍǋźɤ ̬ȑʩ Ļ¨Ǿ ġʩ̬ ̥ǖǬǬ Ƿ¨Ǩź ̬ȑʩ ǬȑȑǨ Ƿȑɛź ¨ʍʍɛ¨Ļʍṳ̈̄źɁ ǋź ĻǋȑǖĻź ǖɤ ̬ȑʩɛɤɁ ǋǖɤ ǖɤ ¨ ȰɛȑƷɛ¨Ƿ Ɯȑɛ ̥ȑǷźǾ ¨ǾŠ ǷźǾ ̥ǋȑ ¨ɛź ɤźɛǖȑʩɤ ¨ġȑʩʍ ǬȑȑǨǖǾƷ Ʒɛź¨ʍ ¨ǾŠ ƜźźǬǖǾƷ Ƿȑɛź ¨Ǭṳ̈̄źɁ ¨Ǩź ¨ĻʍǖȑǾ Ǿȑ̥ř ̥ǋǖǬź ʍǋǖɤ ȑƝźɛ ǖɤ ɤʍǖǬǬ ¨̤¨ǖǬ¨ġǬźɁ

Vȑ̥ ̪ȰǬȑɛź ȑʩɛ ]ȰʍǖȑǾɤ ȑ ǋźǬȰ ɛǖź ɛźɤǖŠźǾʍɤ Ƿ¨Ǩź ʍǋź ɛǖƷǋʍ ĻǋȑǖĻź ¨ġȑʩʍ Ɯ¨ʍ Ǭȑɤɤ ʍǋǖɤ xȰɛǖǾƷř ̬ȑʩɘɛź źǾʍǖʍǬźŠ ʍȑ ¨ Ȱ¨ĻǨ¨Ʒź ȑƜ ʔ .ɛźź /ǖƜʍɤ Ɯȑɛ ¨ ǬǖǷǖʍźŠ ʍǖǷźɁ ʍ V] Ļȑɤʍ ¨ǾŠ V] ȑġǬǖƷ¨ʍǖȑǾ ʍȑ ġʩ̬ ¨Ǿ̬ʍǋǖǾƷɁ xǖǷȰǬ̬ ġɛǖǾƷ ʍǋǖɤ ¨ɛʍǖĻǬź ʍȑ xǬǖǷ ȑŠ̬ xȰ¨ ̥ǋźǾ ̬ȑʩ ɤʍȑȰ ǖǾ Ɯȑɛ ̬ȑʩɛ ɕ.¨ʍ ź /ȑǾź .ȑɛź̤źɛɖ ȑǾɤʩǬʍ¨ʍǖȑǾ ¨ȰȰȑǖǾʍǷźǾʍ ¨ǾŠ ɛźĻźṳ̈̄ź ̬ȑʩɛ ʔ .ɛźź /ǖƜʍɤŘ

.s s sɘx /9. x ɤ ¨Ǿ ɛǖź ɛźɤǖŠźǾʍř ̬ȑʩ ¨ɛź źǾʍǖʍǬźŠ ʍȑ ʔ .ɛźź /ǖƜʍɤɁ xʩȰȰǬǖźɤ ¨ɛź ǬǖǷǖʍźŠř ɤȑ ȰǬź¨ɤź ¨Ļʍ Ǿȑ̥Ɂ ȑ ɛźɤźɛ̤ź ̬ȑʩɛ ƷǖƜʍɤř Ļ¨ǬǬ ƂȡƮǐƮ̷ʡǐƂɶȄɭɁ ȑʩ Ʒźʍ ¨ǬǬ ʍǋǖɤŘ ĺ .ɛźź /ǖƜʍ ȏȡŘ ȑǷȰǬǖǷźǾʍ¨ɛ̬ ɕ.¨ʍ ź /ȑǾź .ȑɛź̤źɛɖ ȑǾɤʩǬʍ¨ʍǖȑǾř ɛź̤ź¨Ǭɤ ʍǋź ɤʩɛȰɛǖɤǖǾƷ ɤźĻɛźʍ ʍȑ ɛ¨ȰǖŠř ȰźɛǷ¨ǾźǾʍ Ɯ¨ʍ Ǭȑɤɤ ȲůƤ̷Ɂ̷̷ ̤¨Ǭʩźȸ ĺ .ɛźź /ǖƜʍ ȏʡŘ V¨Ƿ¨ɤʍź V¨ʍʩɛ¨Ǭ xǨǖǾĻ¨ɛźɁ ȑʩɛ ĻǋȑǖĻź ȑƜ .¨Ļź Sȑǖɤʍʩɛǖ̳źɛř .¨Ļǖ¨Ǭ Ǭź¨Ǿɤźɛř ȑɛ ̬ź xźɛʩǷɁ ȑǷźǾ ȑ̤źɛ ɶ̷ ɤ¨̬ř ə ǚʑǏǚȂ Ť¨̰ɨŝ ǻ̰ ƥȂž ǰǚȂžɨ ¨ɟž ĥ¨ɟžǰ̰ ʑǏžɟžɅ ǻ¨̷žŤ ̩ǚʑǏ ʑǏž ɟžɨʭǰʑɨƝɚ ȲůƤƂɁ̷̷ ̤¨Ǭʩźȸ ĺ .ɛźź /ǖƜʍ ȏʔŘ ůʡ̷̷Ɂ̷̷ x¨̤ǖǾƷɤ ȑʩĻǋźɛ ȑǾ ȑȑǬxĻʩǬȰʍǖǾƷ ɛź¨ʍǷźǾʍ ¨ǬǬ Ǿȑ̥ř ƂȡƮǐƮ̷ʡǐƂɶȄɭɁ ǋźɛźɘɤ Ǿȑ ȑġǬǖƷ¨ʍǖȑǾ ʍȑ ġʩ̬ ¨Ǿ̬ʍǋǖǾƷ ǐ ǐ Ǧʩɤʍ Ļ¨ǬǬ ʍȑ ź̪ȰǬȑɛź ̬ȑʩɛ ȑȰʍǖȑǾɤƙ ȑʩɛ sź¨Šźɛɤ /ǖƜʍɤ ź̪Ȱǖɛź ȰɛǖǬ ʔ̷ř ʡ̷ȡƂ ȑȑǬɤĻʩǬȰʍǖǾƷ ġ̬ xǬǖǷ ȑŠ̬ xȰ¨ ǐ ȡƂȡȡ IʩǾʍ̳ sŠɁř ɛǖźř n ȡɶƤ̷Ȅ ]ǾǬǖǾź ¨ʍ ̥̥̥ɁxǬǖǷ ȑŠ̬xȰ¨ɁĻȑǷɁ ]ɛ Ļ¨ǬǬ Ǿȑ̥ ƂȡƮǐƮ̷ʡǐƂɶȄɭ

APRIL 2018

¨Ǩź ʍǋǖɤ ɏʩǖ̳Ř

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6ź¨ɛŠ ]Ǿ xʍ¨ɛ ȡ̷Ʈ s¨Šǖȑ

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Education

CHOOSING THE CAREER SCHOOL PATH Want to work on your job options? There are advanced education choices other than four-year schools. Story by John Arthur Hutchison

hen the time comes for a person to consider a meaningful career choice or to simply make a job change, there are plenty of options available beyond enrollment at a traditional college or university. Career schools offer education in a variety of career-specific fields that can provide students opportunities to earn

a certification, diploma or an associateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in a much shorter amount of time and at a lower cost. Graduation usually occurs within nine to 18 months, depending on the program. Erie Institute of Technology was founded in 1958 and offers 11 programs in the fields of computers, electronics, manufacturing and skilled trades. These fields of study

ABOVE: Veterinary assistant students Brittany Schwenk and Migdalia Lopez practice skills at Great Lakes Institute of Technology. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

26 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

involve programs in business and information management, multimedia graphic design, network and database professional, medical equipment technician, electronics technician, CNC/ machinist technician, industrial maintenance and mechatronics, auto body technician, electrician, HVAC/R technology and welding technology. “I think the ultimate mission of EIT is to train the students to be entry-level employees in their field of choice,” Director Paul Fitzgerald said. “Our goal from the time they walk in through our doors is to get them a job. It’s not for them to enjoy the sororities or fraternities or go to the football games. We do a pretty good job of reminding them why they are here.” He explained there are usually three general demographics of students who attend a career school such as EIT:

First, there are students who decided not to attend a traditional college or university for a variety of reasons. That may include wishing to avoid the potential of tens of thousands of dollars of debt owed after graduation. Second, many students have already spent time in the workforce and decided it’s time to do something else rather than plugging away at a job that doesn’t provide them with an opportunity for better future or advancement. Third, is the student who is in the middle of their career and has been downsized, laid off, or terminated from a job or just decided it is time to do something else when it comes to employment. EIT usually has around 250 students in its programs at this time of year, and enrollment has been as high as around 400 students, Fitzgerald said. Programs begin with new courses four times per year.

“Essentially, every class is directly or indirectly related to what they are studying,” Fitzgerald said. The Great Lakes Institute of Technology in Erie has been around for 51 years and offers 12 programs of study, said Vickie Clements, director of education. The fields offered are accounting clerk, administrative office professional, dental assistant, diagnostic medical sonographer, health information technology, massage therapist, medical assistant, practical nursing, surgical technologist, veterinary assistant, cosmetology operator and cosmetology teacher. “Most of the students who call in to apply have some idea of what they want to do. Not all of them though. Some of them just know they want to go back to school,” Clements said. “No matter what the reason, we always bring them in and give

Dental assistant students Ashley Alexander and Heather Smith work at the Great Lakes Intitute of Technology. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

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them a tour. A lot of times the students don’t know what is all out there. They might have a friend who went to medical assistant school so they want to be a medical assistant, not realizing we have a dozen other choices, too.” Every student meets with the student services department to determine eligibility for different funding sources such as grants or student loans, she said. After a student signs up for a program, they are offered an orientation program and preregistration activities until classes begin. “It’s the little things we do here to keep them interested before they start,” Clements said. “We have a student service department that works with applicants who might have non-academic problems with housing, day care, transportation, financial problems, or maybe they need a bus pass or school clothes. We don’t offer that here, but we have a huge list of resources available to make sure they are prepped.” She said GLIT has learned that a holistic approach with students is the best way to ensure they are successful. “We really work with them on a personal level to help them deal with problems they might have once they are here,” Clements said. “They could be here for 30 hours a week, plus homework, plus driving here. So we want to make sure they are ready.” Students complete courses at GLIT to earn a diploma or an associate’s degree. A diploma can be earned within a year and as a short as six months. “You get a diploma and that has no general education classes, like a medical or dental assistant, they don’t have to take English or math. They come in about 25 to 30 hours a week and are done in 10 months,” Clements said. “The other programs are associate degrees, that are 17 to 19 months depending on the length of their externship. They are focused on career education, but have general education classes that are applied education courses such as math for the health care professional instead of algebra.” Tuition at a career school is typically based on the length of the program and number of credits and field of study, she said. Students usually are able to secure some type of financial assistance to help offset a portion of the costs. “They definitely have debt, but it is far less than what you would expect from

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Great Lakes Institute of Technology student Zamarys Burgos Franco, instructor Lori King and student Danielle Hartman work on health-care skills. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

Great Lakes Institute of Technology medical assistant students Chelsea Loney and Ashley Bierbach work on practical skills. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

Student Natalie Joint learns skills that will be useful in a medical ofﬁce. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

higher education,” Clements said. “Probably 60 to 70 percent of our students are eligible for grants, scholarships and other programs. We look for as much money for students as possible that they don’t have to pay back. After those dollars are applied, we look for student loans they can apply for. With those things, depending on the program, often it is less than $10,000 for a lifetime career.” Tony and Guy Hairdressing Academy in Erie opened in 1995 and currently has 48 to 50 students with new courses starting every four weeks, said Director Darlene Newell. It takes students about nine months to earn their diploma, and they are job-ready immediately. “We get the students set up for their state board licensure and we like to have them placed at a job before they graduate,” Newell said. “If a student doesn’t have an idea where they want to be, we have a really good relationship in the salon industry locally and within the tri-state area. So we like to set up interviews for the student to go on and they are placed. Once they have graduated, they will have a job lined up in most cases.” According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the median pay rates in 2016 in professions taught at career schools include $64,280 per year or $30.90 per hour for a diagnostic medical sonographer. An automatic body technician averaged $40,370 annually or $19.41 per hour, multimedia graphic designers earned $65,300 annually or $31.40 per hour, licensed practical nurses earned $44,090 or $21.20 per hour, and cosmetologists earned $24,300 or $11.68 per hour. Job placement and career services employees at a career school such as EIT are typically the most popular people at the respective institution, Fitzgerald said. That’s because they help students find a job and that process involves matching them up with externships at a company that more often than not will lead to a direct hire. “They are the end result of why students come to EIT. A number of our programs have an externship and ideally that externship turns into a job,” he said. “Some students have never gone on a formal interview before. So they do things such as mock interviews, update their resumes, cover letters, and thank you letters. It really gets them ready for the job search component of it.” LEL

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Bon appetit

Brewery brings owner full circle 20 years after getting a brew kit from a store, brewery moves in right next door Story by Steve Orbanek

om Morris has come full circle. In 1997, Morris’ wife, Barb, bought him a homebrew kit from Bierhaus International Inc. It

helped ignite Morris’ passion for brewing, and now that passion has brought Morris back to where it all began. Together with his business partner Brian Friley, Morris is the new owner of Black Monk Brewery, the newest addition to the Lake Erie Ale Trail. The brewery is literally located directly behind Bierhaus International, 3723 W. 12th St., in a building that was previously occupied by Thomas Lee Printing & Mailing. As of press time, the brewery was scheduled to open in the middle of March. Morris’ name should sound familiar to anyone who knows a thing about Erie’s craft beer scene. He previously served as the head brewer at Millcreek Brewing Co. before departing from that role in January 2017.

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Tom Morris is the new owner of Black Monk Brewery, located directly behind Bierhaus International, 3723 W. 12th St. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/STEVE ORBANEK]

His specialty has always been Belgians, and his affection for the style can be found in the new brewery’s name. Black Monk Brewery gets its name from Noire Monk, a Belgian Tripel that was one of Morris’ staples while at Millcreek Brewing Co. While Belgians will be a staple at the new brewery, Black Monk Brewery will have a diverse beer portfolio with plenty of options. “Our new motto is ‘Belgians and Beyond,’” said Morris, who is also the owner of Omega Dental Laboratory. “We’re going to have 15 beers on tap at any one time.” Morris has always been a fan of the atmosphere found in a German bierhaus, and plenty of influence can be found inside Black Monk Brewery. Large German beer garden tables adorn the back of the brewery. Couple that with a custom-made shuffleboard and other games, and you have the perfect setting for both conversation and craft beer.

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While the brewery does not have a kitchen, Morris said there are plans to have food trucks on site on a regular basis. Also, delivery menus from several local establishments will be available at the brewery, and guests are encouraged to order in any food they would like. Morris is big on the idea of craft beer tourism, and he hopes to play an active role in helping the Lake Erie Ale Trail grow. He looks forward to hosting guests at his brewery and then encouraging them to continue down 12th Street and stop at places like Erie Ale Works and Lavery Brewing Co. Similarly, if guests express an interest in homebrewing, Morris will be able to point them in the direction of Bierhaus International, owned by Dave Skonieczka. He said Skonieczka also hopes many of his customers will also stop at Black Monk while picking up their home-brewing supplies. Despite being a longtime craft beer

connoisseur, Morris also recognizes that there still might be several patrons who have not yet developed a taste for it. Customers need not worry though as Black Monk will offer several Pennsylvania spirits and wines. He will even have some domestic beers available like Yuengling and IC Light. “We will have some visitors who really have not tried a lot of beers, so it will be good to have some of that on hand,” Morris said. “Plus, if they have a Yuengling, maybe we can then use that to introduce them to one of our beers that’s not intimidating for the non-craft beer drinker.” Like almost every brewery, Black Monk Brewery will offer growler fills, but Morris is also introducing a way for guests to purchase beer to go that is new to the Erie region. Instead of selling 32-ounce crowlers, patrons will be able to purchase any draft beer they like in four packs of 16-ounce cans. This is made possible thanks to a new can seamer

KNOW IF YOU GO Black Monk Brewery Wednesday: 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday: 5 to 10 p.m. Friday: 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday: 2 to 10 p.m. Sunday: 2 to 8 p.m.

Happy Hour ($1 off pints) Wed.-Fri.: 5 to 7 p.m.

Black Monk Brewery is a new brewery located directly behind Bierhaus International, 3723 W. 12th St. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/STEVE ORBANEK]

The logo of Black Monk Brewery stands out on glasses in the new brewery. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/STEVE ORBANEK]

that is similar to the crowler machine, only for smaller beers. “I found the machine while searching, and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s different,’” Morris said. “I also think it’s great for tourists as they often want to get beer to go, and with four packs, it’s not like they have to drink it all right away.” Morris and Friley are already forward thinking in regard to the brewery and plan to install an outdoor bar and patio in the near future. Morris’ excitement over opening the new brewery is palpable, but he is also taking the time to enjoy the ride. After all, it was just a little more than 20 years ago that he brewed his first beer after purchasing a small kit from his new next-door neighbor. “It really is kind of ironic,” he said. “I really have come full circle. There’s definitely going to be a beer here on tap called ‘Full Circle.’”

BEER AND WINE EVENTS FOR APRIL Erie Microbrew Fest Saturday, April 7, 1 to 4 p.m.; 5 to 8 p.m. The Brewerie at Union Station 123 W. 14th St., Erie Sponsored by WQLN, the Erie Microbrew Fest is the longest-running craft beer festival in the region. More than 30 breweries will be in attendance at this year’s event, and each brewery will offer a rare beer that is not available at a bottle shop or grocery store. Tickets cost $35 in advance or $40 at the door for session 1 or 2. Visit www.wqln.org/ auctions-events/erie-micro-brew-fest to purchase tickets. Halfway to Halloween Haunted History Tours Wednesday, April 18; Friday, April 20; Wednesday, April 25; Friday, April 27 The Brewerie at Union Station 123 W. 14th St., Erie Enjoy a rare look at the dark side of Union Station. Tickets cost $15 per person and are available at Brewerie. These tours almost always sell out, so be sure to get tickets early. Wine & Cheese Weekend April 20-22 Lake Erie Wine Country Lake Erie Wine Country invites guests to enjoy a weekend of food and wine pairings across the trailing. Tickets for all three days cost $38, or a ticket for Friday or Sunday can be purchased for $28. Cheese is provided by Yancey's Fancy, and this year, the event has an international theme with each food pairing representing a different country. Each ticket includes: • A food and wine sample pairing at each winery • Additional wine tasting at each winery • A booklet containing the recipes of the foods sampled • A Lake Erie Wine Country wine glass • A $5 voucher to use at any winery or at designated restaurants Visit www.lakeeriewinecountry.org/events for more information or to purchase tickets. Beats at the Brix Saturday, April 28 21 Brix Winery 6654 West Main Road, Portland, New York Beats at the Brix returns to 21 Brix Winery in April with a performance from Ten Minutes & Counting. The acoustic guitar duo plays music from several genres. Admission to the concert, which beings at 7 p.m., is free, but a wine purchase is required. For more information, call the winery at 716-792-2749.

LEL

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Bon appétit

Little fish boost flavor of bigger fish in tangy spring dish Story by Jennie Geisler

o matter what the weather, spring has arrived in my kitchen. That means lots of fish, tangy lemon, and simple, lightly seasoned dishes that cook quickly and pack their own flavors. Try lemon pepper on pork tenderloin, strips of preserved lemon tossed with pasta and Parmesan, and salmon fillets any way you want them. Rub with a Cajun blend and broil, or bake and serve with a dollop of basil pesto. Yogurt and dill make lovely toppings, too. I know what many of you are thinking about the following recipe, however: “Anchovies, yuck!” Friends, I’m telling you: Don’t knock ‘em till you’ve tried them. They pack a wollop of flavor, tamed but not covered by the garlic and butter. If you don’t think fish has enough flavor to satisfy you, try this and tell me you didn’t just go through a wall of deliciousness. Personally, I think it has enough going for it without the capers, which are saltier than a lake in Utah, and a bit mealy besides. But do not skip the anchovy butter. Trust me on this one. LEL

Salmon With Anchovy-Garlic Butter • • • • • • • •

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 4 anchovy ﬁllets, minced 1 fat garlic clove, minced (or 2 small ones) ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 4 (6- to 8-ounce) skin-on salmon ﬁllets 2 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry ½ lemon

Salmon ﬁlets cooked with anchovy butter and capers. [FILE PHOTO/ERIE TIMES-NEWS]

• Fresh chopped parsley, for serving • Heat oven to 400 F. In a small bowl, mash together butter, anchovies, garlic, salt and pepper. • In a large ovenproof skillet, melt about half the anchovy butter. Add fish, skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes over high heat to brown the skin, spooning some of the pan drippings over the top of the fish as it cooks. Add capers to bottom of pan and transfer to oven. Roast until fish is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. • Remove pan from oven and add remaining anchovy butter to pan to melt. Place salmon on plates and spoon buttery pan sauce over the top. Squeeze the lemon half over the salmon and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve.

New York Times 36 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

Per serving: 425 calories, 19 grams fat, 0.2 gram ﬁber, 59 grams protein, 0.5 gram carbohydrate, 761 milligrams sodium, 179 milligrams cholesterol Values are approximate.

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APRIL 2018

HOME BUILDING SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

1 0 - PAG E S P E C I A L S E C T I O N [SHUTTERSTOCK.COM]

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New homes feature hot trends Story by Pam Parker

f you walk through any new home in the region, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find house designs have a lot of sparkle. So whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new for 2018? Here are some of the trends: Technology According to the National Home Builders Association, the smart home â&#x20AC;&#x153;is no longer a dream â&#x20AC;&#x201D; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an expectation.â&#x20AC;? In November, Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) recorded that 20 million Amazon Echo and 7 million Google Home smart speakers had been purchased by U.S. consumers. And remember, that was all before Christmas.

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Tiny homes are making waves. 53 percent of an NAHB survey respondents said yes or maybe to the possibility of a purchase, with 63 percent of millennials leading the pack in interest. [SHUTTERSTOCK.COM]

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S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T

Who wants a tiny home? In February, NAHB released a HousingErgonomics.com survey that reveals tiny homes (fewer than 600 square feet) have potential buyers, especially among first-time buyers. The survey asked a representative sample of adults if they would consider a tiny home. 53 percent of respondents said yes or maybe to the possibility of a purchase. Broken down by age group: 63 percent of millennials and 53 percent of GenXers were interested, while 45 percent of baby boomers and 29 percent of seniors showed interest. NAHBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essential features in homes The NAHB survey of prospective buyers revealed that a front porch, two-car garage, and double sink in the kitchen were essentials, along with a patio and hardwood floors, as well as granite countertops in the kitchen. Other trends weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see in 2018 include:

Slate appliances, granite countetops and backsplashes that look more like wallpaper are among the trendy items in newer homes. This newer kitchen is located at 318 E. Main St. in Girard. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

Kitchens White? Gray? Wood? Black? Wait, black? Houzz claims white will still be the color for kitchen cabinetry, but move over white. Gray and blue cabinetry are hot, and slate appliances along with black matte appliances are what brand names are pushing. And HGTV says black cabinetry will find its niche. The warm wood tones will never go away, though, according to Houzz.

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S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T

Sinks Sinks will continue to be more of a design element in kitchens, according to Houzz. Concrete, stone and copper will push white and stainless steel sinks aside. Farmhouse sinks are also here to stay. Concrete also is on the increase for countertops, flooring and more. Vintage-style lights, like aged copper pendants, will gain traction, according to Houzz. Backsplash Newer homes are shying away from the subway tile and moving toward more artistic designs that look less like tile. Interest rates They are going up. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recorded the interest rate on mortgage loans was 4.16 percent in January, an increase over December. What’s up in national sales Single-family home construction was up slightly in January, and that’s the eighth straight month for increases, but the highest level reached was hit in October 2007, according to the National Home Builders Association. NAHB says the average cost of constructing a new home is $237,760, not including the lot, but that’s just the builder’s cost. The numbers come from a construction cost survey of a typical single-family home in September of 2017. The survey was emailed to 4,267 home builders. LEL

46 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

Home technology is something buyers are expecting in new homes. [SHUTTERSTOCK.COM]

S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T

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S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T

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Home & garden

Waterford entrepreneur sends Story by Karen Beardsley

any residents in Michigan are serving cheese on boards made of marble and handcrafted in Waterford. Marble boards, hand-cut in the shape of the state of Michigan, were the number one selling item for Waterford’s Bison Hill Stonecrafts last year, according to owner Andrew Church. But marble and slate coasters and earrings — not in the shape of a state — are also big sellers. Just two-and-a-half years old, Bison Hill Stonecrafts experienced an extraordinarily busy holiday season in 2017 which kept Church, 27, and a small staff very busy. “It was an extremely good holiday season,” he said. “We often pulled all-nighters, making our products around-the-clock to meet customer demands.” Bison Hill Stonecrafts was born from reclaimed roofing slate repurposed into useful household and personal items. “I started playing with slate; it’s a crazy material,” he said. “There is a gross misunderstanding of the strength of slate and marble. You can put slate on a roof and it lasts 100 years.” According to the company’s website, the slate used “is completely natural and has no additional chemicals, additives or finishes. It is very environmentally friendly.”

RIGHT: Andrew Church carves the state of Kentucky in black oak marble in his workshop. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

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There is a diverse spectrum of colors available, and all the colors are the natural shade of the rock as it is quarried, Church said. “I think people are especially interested in natural materials right now.” Both materials are durable; marble products are slightly more expensive. Both slate and marble products can be laser engraved. “Cheese boards, ornaments, jewelry and anything you can think of can be created in any shape you want,” said Church. Amazon describes the custom marble plate, listed at $44.99 plus shipping, as: “. . . a multi-purpose cutting board, cheese board, or serving tray. They are durable, long-lasting, personal mementos that can be given as gifts for any occasion, and are available in all states and a ton of animal shapes. On top of that, personalized etching is available to engrave names, initials, designs, or anything else you can think of. You can show your pride for your home state or send to a loved one as a reminder of where they came from. Features include 10-year Material Quality Guarantee, three color choices, personalized with laser engraving, decorative gift box.” This isn’t Church’s day job. By day, he is an engineering consultant with GE Power. He graduated with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering four years ago from Penn State, where he was a member of the four-time NCAA champion wrestling team. He has a passion for wrestling, traveling, hiking, national parks, fruit and anything outdoors. Although he started the business out of his basement, his

Slate coasters can be engraved and customized. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

Slate earrings in various shapes are among the products availabe at Bisonhill Stonecrafts. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

50 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

current workshop is a space at his dad’s business, Church Brothers Inc. Because of the nature of the high demand during the holiday season, he hires college and high school students to help him because their schedules are a good fit for this seasonal part-time job. “I’ve always enjoyed working alongside Andrew,” said Jack Hermann, who is a senior at Fort LeBoeuf High School and has been working at Bison Hill for two years. “He is very knowledgeable of his trade and is always making sure his products are high quality.” Hermann said that even during the busy season, when Andrew works all day and night, he maintains a sense of humor and keeps the energy light and positive. “He does everything he needs to do to continue his growing business while still providing a very good work environment and quality products,” Hermann added. Last year was his first year selling on Amazon, which he believes catapulted his business to the next level. Church can’t pinpoint exactly what caused that, but he thinks that Amazon’s marketing techniques have been a considerable factor. Customers can also shop his website, www.bisonhillstonecrafts.com. Either way, all orders are custom-made and packaged and shipped locally. While he is still fulfilling orders, he is using the off months to evaluate the harried holiday season. ”It’s time to reorganize and reflect on what went right and what went wrong,” he said. His goal is to make his parttime business a full-time job. “Things are definitely heading in the right direction,” Church said.

I’ve always enjoyed working alongside Andrew. He is very knowledgeable of his trade and is always making sure his products are high quality.”

LEL

Jack Hermann, senior at Fort LeBoeuf High School A marble Pennsylvania cheese board is a popular seller at Bisonhill Stonecrafts. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

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Escape

52 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

It’s tiki time on the water in the

‘BURGH Story by Marsha Morgenstern

magine a relaxing cruise on the water with a cold drink in your hand, summer music playing and five of your closest friends. You aren’t on a typical boat, you are on a 16-foot-wide floating tiki bar, complete with a thatched roof and a captain wearing a Hawaiian shirt. This is the eye-turning experience Dale McCue, owner of Cruisin’ Tikis Pittsburgh, is bringing to the city’s three rivers this May. An avid boater for 26 years, McCue has lived in Pittsburgh all his life and first learned about tiki boats when he saw a video of one on a boating-related social media site. He immediately thought it would be a great fit for Pittsburgh, considering all the events and development at the waterfront and on the North Shore, the point and Station Square. Cruisin’ Tikis is the brainchild of Greg Darby, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The idea started just two years ago when Darby decided he wanted a tiki hut but didn’t want to put it in his backyard. Instead, he decided he would float it in the canal and later, he added a 30 horsepower Suzuki motor. His attorney insisted he patent the boat, and he is glad he did. “We took it down the river, going out to dinner at Southport, and somebody took a video of it,” Darby says. Soon, that video went viral. Since then, Cruisin’ Tikis has exploded as a franchise, with locations all over the country. “We’re franchising the charter boats because everybody

Cruisin’ Tiki boats travel between 6-8 miles per hour. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/GREG DARBY] APRIL 2018

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wanted an exclusive territory and that was the best way to really protect the territory for them and protect the brand for us,” Darby says. In addition to nearby Pittsburgh, there is currently a location in the Buffalo area and one coming to Cleveland. After reaching out to Darby, McCue met with him and his wife this past January. “We looked at the boat, saw how it was made and went out for a sea trial,” McCue says. After getting a chance to operate the boat and see how it handled on the water, he was sold. “It’s a boat trip like you have never experienced before because they are so stable,” Darby says. The tiki boats are fully Coast Guard compliant and do not pitch or roll. A typical two-hour Cruisin’ Tiki Pittsburgh cruise will cost around $400 total for up to six people. “We’ll head out the Allegheny River, go past PNC Park, go past the convention center, come back down the Allegheny river, go around the point, close to the point ... head up the Monongahela … and then we’ll go down the Ohio River,” McCue explains. A highlight of the tour will be time spent where the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers meet. “Unless you are a boater, you do not know what the iconic view of the point, and the fountain, and the skyline is from the center of the rivers,” McCue says. “You just can’t get that experience from going across a bridge or onshore,” he adds. The price includes a boat captain and possibly a crew member, along with ice, soda and water. Guests are encouraged to bring snacks or a cooler with their favorite alcohol and drinks. Tours can be cozy with up to six people, or, because of the unique design, a second or third boat can easily be tied on to accommodate larger groups. Online booking will be available, and tours can be catered to special event requests. “So, if you want to charter one of our tiki boats to go to the point, where the rivers converge, and you want to propose to your girlfriend, we’ll cater to that,” McCue says. Prices for personalized charters will be based on the amount of time booked. McCue intends to partner with a venue or restaurant on the North Shore or along the river to offer packages and may incorporate sunset cruises. “There’s a lot of concerts coming into the North Shore, concerts at PNC Park, fireworks nights. We may have a baseball game tour where we go to PNC Park, tie the 54 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

“ We’ll head out the Allegheny River, go past PNC Park, go past the convention center, come back down the Allegheny river, go around the point, close to the point ... head up the Monongahela … and then we’ll go down the Ohio River. ” Dale McCue, owner of Cruisin’ Tikis Pittsburgh

Two- and four-hour informational sightseeing charters will include spectacular photo opportunities from the water in Pittsburgh. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/GREG DARBY]

boat off, you can go to the game and we take you back. The options are endless,” he says. Cruisin’ Tikis’ target location is Pittsburgh’s convenient North Shore area. “There’s plenty of parking, an amazing amount of great restaurants, and it is located between the stadiums, Stage A.E., and there are a multitude of hotels if people want to

stay the night,” McCue says. He hopes to give people an opportunity to have a safe and fun way of going out and experiencing Pittsburgh and some of the things that can only be seen from the water. Weather pending, it should be in operation from the middle of May until mid-October. LEL

LEFT: Tikis are equipped with six padded, bamboo stools. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/GREG DARBY]

More info: • cruisintikis.com/pittsburgh-pa • facebook.com/pg/tikispittsburgh

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Arts & entertainment

I always want my work to have that sense of aliveness and that continuation. It’s not just a snapshot moment. It really is something powerful and alive that seems to be brewing in the painting.” Rachael J. Burke

THE WORLD IS

HER CANVAS Artist’s studio is nestled in the woods, but not far removed from world’s chaos Story by Brian R. Sheridan

he paintings of artist and Edinboro University art professor Rachael J. Burke feature figures struggling against the stresses and chaos of modern life. For Burke, it is about creating works that resonate with an “emotional climate” and narrative implications. It requires Burke to have a quiet place removed from our fractured culture. For the past 13 years, Burke and her husband, fellow painter and Mercyhurst University art professor Dan Burke, have resided in a rustic but modern designed home nestled in a wooded area of Millcreek.

“I had heard about this place nestled in the woods and (those words), ‘nestled’ and ‘cradled’ hit something within me right away,” Burke says. “I had had visions of wanting to live in a place that was surrounded by the quiet in nature. I found my dream home — not in terms of it being fancy — but the location. The setting gives me this quiet reflective time that is vital to who I am. Without that, I’d go mad.” Burke was born Rachael Deborah Jacobs in Pottstown. She earned a master of fine arts degree in painting from Miami University

ABOVE: Rachael Burke works on her paintings in her home studio.

LEFT: Rachael Burke’s Head in Hands is part of the Erie Art Museum permanent collection. [PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED by RACHAEL BURKE]

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and a bachelor of fine arts degree from Western Kentucky University. Her mother was also a painter, but not formally trained. Burke says despite her mother creating hundreds and hundreds of pieces, that generation didn’t offer the opportunity for women to fulfill their potential in a professional setting. The example her mother set put Burke on a path of exploring and expressing herself visually at a young age. The passion for art continued into junior high school, where she says her art teacher could see the excitement and devotion she had for creating. Following high school and college, Burke says it was a “no-brainer” that she’d pursue art in graduate school. She had such supportive teachers that teaching art also became a path for her. “It felt so right. I loved teaching because I could do it so honestly, despite that I’m an extremely shy person. So going into a classroom and teaching just seemed the opposite of anything I could do. But you hear this about other people that love what they did. If you love what you do, all the fears go away when you go

58 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

Rachael Burke enjoys this creation of concurrent dramas in oil paint on canvas. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/RACHAEL BURKE]

Rachael Burke works on her paintings in her home studio. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/RACHAEL BURKE]

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into the classroom bursting with enthusiasm about what you know,” Burke says. The Millcreek house offered Burke not only a respite from the world but plenty of space for creating art. She and her husband had first renovated an old urban house in Erie for their individual work spaces. It offered each of the Burkes a floor in which to paint and sculpt. It wasn’t long before studio space crept into their living space as each artist turned out more and more work. While their Millcreek place has some creative space — and places to hang art — they still retain the Erie house for “undistracted” work space. “There are times in life when you have to get things done in your home. And so I make it so that there’s always a place where we can work. But if I can’t get there, I can still work here. I never have an excuse for not working. I won’t allow that,” Burke says. While the Millcreek house is quiet and remote, it still is only about a mile away from the noisy traffic of upper Peach Street and its focus on consumerism. Burke admits the juxtaposition of peace and noise is a perfect

60 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

Rachael Burke has exhibited her work at many museums. [RACHAEL BURKE/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

reflection of her and her art. It is no surprise that Burke titled a 2008 show “New Concerns” around the idea of organizing the chaos.

“I always want my work to have that sense of aliveness and that continuation. It’s not just a snapshot moment. It really is something powerful and alive that seems to be brewing in the painting. A lot of the red line gestures that I work through initially in the composition, I see as the veins and arteries of the painting. I’m pumping blood into it. I’m giving it life and sometimes it dies and I have to resuscitate it,” she says. The recent upheavals in America, with more people seeming at odds with each other, also enter her work when she can capture her concerns for the world on canvas. “I don’t know how you can live in the world without everything that’s going on impacting you, “ Burke says. “We are living with contemporary ruins like people used to live with ancient ruins. They are everywhere and all around us.” She adds that if she is feeling nervous or anxious about all of the trauma she sees, it goes into the paintings. “My paintings are not quiet and not cold,” she says. “I’m not expecting everybody to connect to what I do but it has to remain honest and true when I have to put it out there as I feel it.” While Burke may not expect people to connect to her work, many have. She’s a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts award recipient. Her pieces have exhibited in shows at the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Butler Institute of Art, Evansville Museum of Arts and Sciences, Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, Headley Whitney Museum, and the Museum of Art of Ogunquit, Maine. Burke has also had solo exhibitions in Erie; Atlanta; Louisville, Kentucky, and Cincinnati. While the tranquility of her home helps Burke recharge and reenergize herself, its setting in nature also has become an inspiration. But unlike simple landscapes, Burke’s paintings capture what she sees happening to nature in our modern world with a mix of symbols of fragility, uncertainty, hope and resilience. “It’s almost like I’m holding on to the texture and the beauty of nature as it’s being destroyed all around me,” Burke says. “I’ve taken the opposite kind of approach to the ideal (of landscape art) but it is still something that makes my heart pound, as corny as that sounds. I have to start from that palpable lightness and energy and excitement that gets me making that first mark on the canvas.” You can see examples of Burke’s work at Glass Growers Gallery and her website, www. rjacobsburke.com. LEL

Lake lore

GRIMSBY THE MONSTER OF LAKE ERIE Story by Pam Parker

Don McQuaid brought Grimbsy to life. [FILE PHOTO/ERIE TIMES-NEWS]

hh, the rumors of UFOs, monsters and more beneath Lake Erie date back centuries. But a team of Erie folks introduced us to a particularly friendly monster decades ago. Don McQuaid wrote the book “Grimsby: Great Lakes Sea Serpent” in 1992 and former Erie adman/illustrator Joe Anastasi, of Jones Anastasi and Mitchell, illustrated it. McQuaid, a poet, worked at Mercyhurst University, hosted a classical music show on WMCE at one time, and held other positions. “Grimsby” is the story of a sea serpent who travels through the Great Lakes. In an interview with the Erie Times-News after the book came out, McQuaid said the fictional character was loosely based on “alleged sightings of a sea serpent in Lake Erie.” The book was and still is a hit, and it’s not just about a friendly monster. It parallels a journey through life for the sea monster who helps save others. The late Ruth Jageman, an avid arts supporter, pushed the project to completion and even worked with artists to move it into animation. It was more than just a book. It was adapted into a ballet and performed several times by local dancers. A mural honoring the sea serpent was on display at Perry Elementary School at one time, and children at Neighborhood Art House read it in 2016. LEL

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Calendar

IT’S A DATE! Discover local events and some fun things to do that are worth taking a road trip for this month. GET MOVING Spring Dance Collage: Sunday, April 29, 2 p.m.; Great Room, Ridge Library, Mercyhurst North East; dance showcase featuring four local ensembles. Cost: Free. Info: 725-6277. Ballroom dancing lessons: Mondays, 6:45-8 p.m.; Montgomery Performance Space, Allegheny College, Meadville; participants should wear socks or ballroom shoes. Cost: $60 per person or $100 per couple for 10 lessons. Info: 814-332-2813. Line dancing lessons: Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m.; Doc Holliday’s Country Bar, 7425 Schultz Road; free lessons and open dance. Cost: Free admission. Open line dancing: Tuesdays, 7 p.m.; Mound Grove Golf Course, 10760 Donation Road, Waterford. Info: 796-2767.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE WORDS

OPEN TO LEARNING?

GET OUTSIDE

Poetry Night: Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m.; Calamari’s Squid Row, 1317 State St., 6:30 p.m.; weekly poetry event hosted by Chuck Joy; weekly open mic and occasional featured poet or theme; bring a poem or just listen. Cost: Free. Info: 450-1483. Pennwriters Fellowship of the Quill meetings: Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.; Eat’n Park, Yorktown Center, 2519 W. 12th St.; members and guests welcome to bring samples and discuss works; no writing experience necessary. Cost: First two meetings are free; membership is $55 for first year, or $45 to renew. Info: todd_main@ steris.com. Poetry group meeting: First Tuesday of the month, 10 a.m.; Mercy Hilltop Center, 444 E. Grandview Blvd.; write, recite or listen to other poetry enthusiasts’ work. Cost: Free. Pennwriters at Barnes & Noble: Fourth Saturday of the month, 1-4 p.m.; downstairs seating area in the fiction section, Barnes & Noble Bookstore, 5909 Peach St.; guests and group members welcome to bring writing samples, discuss their craft. Cost: Free for first two meetings; $55 for first year membership or $45 for renewal. Info: daveszy@ adelphia.net. Book lover’s bus trips: Saturday, April 21, to Cleveland region. Info: 864-1565.

Painting on canvas classes: 6-8 p.m.; Claytopia, 924 West Erie Plaza Drive; for kids and adults. Cost: $20 for 8-by-10, $25 for 11-by-14. Info: www.heathercash.com/ painting-classes. •April 6: “Cactus Collection” •April 9: “Magical Unicorn” •April 11: “Mermaid Kitty” •April 16: “Bunny’s Star” •April 20: Open canvas Stormwater management workshop: Tuesday, April 25, 6-8 p.m.; Tom Ridge Environmental Center, 301 Peninsula Drive; learn the basics of collecting and using stormwater, and receive a rain barrel; must register in advance. Cost: $30 per household. Info: www.environmenterie.org. Victim’s Rights Speaker Series: Thursday, April 26, 6:30 p.m.; Garden Atrium at the Ambassador Conference Center, 7794 Peach St.; Crime Victim Center of Erie County presents Thomas Williams, of Tommy Talks PA, and Erin Merryn, founder of Erin’s Law, who will speak as a childhood sexual abuse survivor turned author and activist. Cost: $4.50 per person, $45 for donor status, $450 for sponsorship. Info: 455-9414, www.cvcerie.org.

Asbury Woods nature programs: Asbury Woods Nature Center, 4105 Asbury Road, Millcreek Township; advance registration required for most programs due to limited space (unless otherwise noted). Info: 8355356, www.asburywoods.org. •Erie Wild!: Saturdays, 11 a.m.; indoor amphitheater; participants can learn about and get a closer look at one of the nature center’s different animals each week during these short, family-friendly programs. Cost: Free; no registration required. •Nature Tots: Mondays through April 16, or Thursdays through April-19, 9-10 a.m.; children ages 18 to 36 months, with accompanying adult, can explore the changes of spring with a lesson, story, craft, snack, game, animal visit and outdoor excursion (weather permitting). Cost: $54 for either six-week session ($42 for members); $9 per class ($7 for members). •Preschool Nature Discovery Class: Mondays through April 16, or Thursdays through April 19, 10:30-11:30 a.m.; children ages 3 to 5 years old, with an accompanying adult, will explore the what spring will bring with a lesson, story, craft, snack, game, visit with an animal and outdoor activities (weather permitting). Cost: $54 for wither six-week session ($42 for

Compiled Brenda Martin 62 | L A K E E R I E L I F E S T Y L E

members); $9 per class ($7 for members). LEL

ABOVE: Painting on canvas classes will be held at Claytopia, 924 West Erie Plaza Drive, in April, for adults and children. See the full list in calendar for which paintings are scheduled. Cost: $20 for 8-by-10, $25 for 11-by-14. Info: www.heathercash.com/painting-classes. [SHUTTERSTOCK.COM]

A tree observation hike is scheduled for Sunday, April 15, 2 p.m.; meet at Elk Creek Access at Erie Bluffs State Park, 11122 West Lake Road, Lake City; hike with naturalists from Presque Isle and Cook Forest State Parks, and professional tree measurers from the American Forest Cadre; celebrates “Cathedral: The Fight to Save the Ancient Hemlocks of Cook Forest”; all ages welcome, but registration required. Cost: Free. Info: http://bit.ly/2iaHM1p. [FILE PHOTO CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE/ERIE TIMES-NEWS]

APRIL 2018

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Last look

GLOWING FOR GOOD Story by Jack Hanrahan

About 150 yoga enthusiasts gathered for a good cause in late February. Glow Yoga, held at the Ambassador Conference Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden Atrium in Summit Township, was not only cool, but it raised money for Safe Harbor Behavioral Health of UPMC Hamot. Connie Mazza, of Harborcreek Township, was one of the participants.

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APRIL 2018

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