Harrisburg Magazine September 2021

CONTENTS S E P T E M B E R 2 02 1

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b enchmark Media, LLC.

27 September 2021 • Volume 27 No. 8

PRESIDENT/CEO Darwin Oordt doordt@benchmarkmediallc.com DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Christina Heintzelman cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com Darcy Oordt darcy@benchmarkmediallc.com

INSIDE

34

4 INTROSPECTION 6

BARTENDER'S CHOICE

8

IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

10 TOYS ON THE SQUARE 12 BY THE BOOK 12 NOURISHING BITES 13 THE FINANCE HOUND 14 #HBGMAG INFLUENCER 18 SIMPLY THE BEST

ALL-STAR TRIBUTES

ON THE COVER

27 IN THE SPOTLIGHT: THE HAND

THAT HOLDS THE QUILL

EDITOR Randy Gross rgross@harrisburgmagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laura Reich lreich@benchmarkmediallc.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Don Bair dbair@harrisburgmagazine.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jo Ann Shover jshover@harrisburgmagazine.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Richard Eppinger reppinger@harrisburgmagazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Christina Heintzelman Deborah Lynch

30 LHA CREATES LEADERSHIP 31 CORPORATE J.E.D.I LEADERS 34 CHARTER SCHOOLS IN PA 35 CASA: A CHARTER SCHOOL 39 LIBRARIES

Visit us online at: HarrisburgMagazine.com

42 ARTFUL INSPIRATIONS: STYLE

PHOTO BY PHOTOS BY TODD GEARHART FOR LEADERSHIP HARRISBURG AREA LHA President & CEO, Una Martone, with Keynote Speaker Omar L. Harris, see page 26.

CORRECTION: August 2021 Issue Page 68 Address Correction Simply the Best Penn Pest 2810 Shutt Mill Road Harrisburg, PA 17110

Harrisburg Magazine® is published monthly at 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. Phone: 717.233.0109; Fax: 717.232.6010; harrisburgmagazine.com. Subscriptions, $10.95 per year. Single copies, $3.75. Back Issues, $4.00 at office or $7.00 by mail (postage and handling included). Send change of address forms to Benchmark Group Media, 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. This issue or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from Harrisburg Magazine®, Inc. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, photographs and disks if they are to be returned, and no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. All rights in letters sent to Harrisburg Magazine® will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as such are subject to a right to edit and comment editorially. Name and contents ©2021, Harrisburg Magazine, Inc. Printed by Freeport Press, Freeport, Oh.

2 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 3

Introspection

PHOTO BY KAREN COMMINGS

Fall is a season of many changes …

S

eptember may mark the beginning of a new season, but the month – particularly this one – signifies much more than that. For our magazine, for our local communities, and for me personally.

As Harrisburg Magazine moves closer to next year’s 25th Anniversary, we want to do more than just celebrate our many years of shining a spotlight on the region’s arts, entertainment, and culture. There’s no disputing that our most anticipated issue every year is August’s “Simply the Best,” which is why we’re thrilled to begin honoring those who have been recognized repeatedly as the best by naming them our “Simply the Best All-Stars.” Starting this month, you will find a special “All-Star” laurels section in our magazine – and it’s our goal in the coming months to honor as many of your “best of the best” favorites as possible.

For the parents and students in our local communities, it’s also the first full month of heading back to school, physically, in more than a year. While there are some who might be cheering that return, there are others who may understandably struggle with the adjustment after a year of isolation, online learning, and self-supervision. No matter which side of the emotional spectrum you come down on, education remains the number one engine towards advancement, both in the greaterHarrisburg region, and the U.S. In this issue, Harrisburg Magazine looks at a variety of different types of education, from charter schools to leadership programs, to library programs and sustainable communities.

As the new Editor of Harrisburg Magazine, this month also marks the end of a peculiar circle for me. When I first came to Harrisburg some 24 years ago, it was because I had been hired by WINK 104 to write radio commercials. WINK (along with the long-defunct AM station, 1400 The Touch) were housed back then at 3400 N. 6th St. in Harrisburg, in a tiny building across the street from Theatre Harrisburg. Well, guess who’s been inhabiting that same tiny building for at least the past decade? You guessed it, Harrisburg Magazine.

It’s been a joyride of nostalgia for me during my first weeks on the job, saying hello to some old “ghosts” while looking forward to making some new friends. Sometimes circular paths can be dizzying, but I’m determined to have a blast as Editor, by helping our readers to have 4 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

one, too. (And you can help me to help you – by sending your comments or suggestions to rgross@harrisburgmagazine.com.)

Speaking of blasts, here’s what you can expect to find in this month’s issue: The #hbgmag Influencer for September is Steelton native Jordan Hill, who takes over as head football coach at Trinity High School. Hill, however, is so much more than a former Penn State, Seattle Seahawks football player-turned-coach. He started his own foundation to benefit causes like youth programs, kidney disease, diabetes, and ALS. He is a role model young father of two, married to his equally dedicated wife, Cristin, a labor nurse. And he is the chief community officer for The Bridge Eco-Village, which is the brainchild of Harrisburg native and former Penn State and Seattle teammate Garry Gilliam, who sings Hill’s praises. “I guess you could say he is the golden child of Harrisburg. He has great connections and network,” Gilliam said, adding, “I lived in Hershey since I was 8 [Gilliam attended the residential Milton Hershey School], so I’m more the prodigal son.”

Last May, a Covid cohort of leaders graduated from the Leadership Harrisburg Area training program after making key connections and gaining servant leader skills during their nine months together.

Their graduation speaker was Pennsylvania native Omar Harris, who literally wrote the book on both servant leadership and JEDI — justice, equity, diversity, inclusion — leadership. We profile both Leadership Harrisburg and Harris in this issue.

Throughout the pandemic, people found different ways to sustain themselves, with libraries playing a major role around the Harrisburg area. The takeaway for librarians was that virtual programming worked, and some people preferred it, so while many have been returning to libraries in droves, community members will still be able to choose to get some of their programming virtually this fall.

The most complicated and sometimes divisive topic this month is a look at Pennsylvania’s public charter schools. People are passionate on both sides of the charter school debate, and those passions haven’t abated since 1997, when Pennsylvania established the right to school choice through a charter school system. Among one of the more unique charter

schools is Capital Area School for the Arts, located in Strawberry Square in Harrisburg, where creativity thrives alongside academic excellence. We visit staff, teachers, students, and alumni to paint a picture of its success.

In My Neighborhood visits the borough of Hummelstown, where a bustling, if small, downtown offers a variety of businesses seldom seen in contemporary small-town squares. As nominator Bonnie Loomis put it, “Hummelstown has all the charm and nostalgia.”

Part of that charm is a toy store overflowing with childhood magic. The In My Neighborhood business profile visits Toys on the Square.

This month, Bartender’s Choice features a bartender who seems to know everyone’s name.

Jill Gilbert serves a nice variety of draughts along with some of her own special creations with a personal touch at Underdog Sports Bar & Grill on Paxton Street in Harrisburg.

Finally, we also have a special Q&A with longtime Mechanicsburg playwright Cindy Rock Dlugolecki, whose original historical musical, The Hand That Holds the Quill, premieres with three performances at Central Penn College’s Capital Blue Cross Theatre, Sept. 16, 17 and 19; Alex Brubaker of Midtown Scholar returns with a preview of blockbuster new book releases in By the Book; Danika Baer expresses the joys of fall fruits and vegetables in Nourishing Bites; and Bryson Roof of Fort Pitt Capital fans the flames of FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) in the Finance Hound.

A special shout-out to my predecessor, Deb Lynch: thank you for your professionalism and dedication to your job. Your kindness in working ahead before your departure made my first month so much less chaotic! 7

PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS? Okay, we won’t actually pay you. But we would love to receive your comments and suggestions! (And those are worth their weight in gold to us!)

Send your ‘Letters to the Editor’ to: Rgross@harrisburgmagazine.com Letter to the Editor Guidelines: • Letters must be written to the magazine, not as an open letter to someone else.

• Letters over 350 words in length may be edited for fit.

• Letters are printed on a space-available basis.

• All letters must include your name, address, and phone number for verification.

While Harrisburg Magazine encourages a diversity of voices and views, we will not accept solicitations, petitions, libelous letters, or any material espousing hatred or intolerance toward others.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 5

Bartender’s Choice

Drinkers Have No Need to Fear, Underdog Bartender is Here Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch

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Gardner's Mexican Candy drink

Bartender Jill Gardner 6 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

assing a memory team type challenge led to a job offer for bartender Jill Gardner back in 2001, near the start of her bartending career. She was waiting on 15 corporate trainers from a chain restaurant who tested her wait skills by asking her to take all of their food and drink orders without writing anything down. She did it, got all the orders right, and was offered a job.

She declined that job, but it encouraged her bartending career. These days, Gardner, a bartender and manager at Underdog Sports Bar and Grill at 3100 Paxton Street in Harrisburg for the past five years, spends more of her time concocting drink specials for her regulars three nights a week, and manages the bar another night.

Although she got her start behind the bar at The Firehouse in Downtown Harrisburg and has been bartending off and on for 20 years, Gardner worked as a full-time hospice nurse and a private duty nurse before diving in at Underdog. The emotional toll of nursing coupled with the good living she could make at the bar led her to leave nursing. She now focuses on making her customers happy.

“My goal is to make sure that all of our customers have a memorable moment and look forward to coming back,” Gardner said.

She must be succeeding as Underdog has a regular clientele. “We have a lot of regulars at the bar and they have become an extended family rather than customers. We have a Cheers-like vibe at Underdog. It’s because of our customers and regulars that I look forward to going to work.”

Outside of work, Gardner is a mom of three daughters (24, 20, 17) and is engaged. She graduated from CD East and Harrisburg Area Community College, and currently lives in Paxtang. She enjoys the outdoors — hiking and going to the beach.

Every good bartender has to have his or her own favorites behind the bar.

Hers are Patron XO Cafe, a coffee liqueur, and Crown Royal Vanilla whiskey.

Her customers’ favorite - other than draft beers and IPAs (India Pale Ales) is Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

“I make sure that all of my customers are happy with their drinks,” Gardner said. “I don’t want them drinking something because I want them to. I want them to have an experience from the moment they walk through the door to the time they leave, and I definitely want them looking forward to coming back.”

To that end, Gardner has come up with some specialty drinks including the Mexican Candy and the White Tea shots. She also brought a Michelada to Underdog well before it caught on elsewhere, according to the customer who nominated her for Bartender’s Choice. The nominator wrote that Gardner is “very witty and has a way of making you feel as though you’re the only customer she has, no matter how busy she is. She takes the time to know you on a personal level, not just as another customer.”

Gardner might not need to speak in rhyming couplets or announce herself as the “humble” hero like Underdog of 1960s cartoon fame did, but she has always been there for her patients, her family, her customers. Cheers, indeed. 7

Gardner’s Signature Drinks Mexican Candy ½ ounce of blackberry brandy ½ ounce vodka ½ ounce watermelon pucker schnapps Add a splash of pineapple juice and grenadine, topped with ginger ale White Tea Shot Measure equal parts vodka and peach schnapps.

Add a splash of sour mix.

Shake well and top with ginger ale

Gardner’s Dossier

Words of advice to home mixologists: Be creative and don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. Spirits are just like food, only in liquid forms.

Inspirations: To give great service consistently to everyone. “My customers mean the world to me.”

Favorite spirit straight: Whiskey Favorite brands of your favorite spirit to drink straight: Crown Royal Vanilla whiskey Favorite spirit to mix: Vodka — There are a lot of options when using vodka to make great drinks.

Most commonly ordered drinks at your bar: Draught beers and our Underdog punch.

Your philosophy on drinks: I want my drinks to make the customers say, “Oh wow, that tastes good.” I know I've done my job correctly and they're happy with their drink.

When Gardner is working: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights. I manage on Monday evenings Overall thoughts about her cocktails: You can have a little or a lot of any flavors that all complement each other to create the perfect cocktail. 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 7

In My Neighborhood

Hummelstown Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

A

ccording to the Lower Dauphin Middle School Theater page on the history of Hummelstown, this small town was once occupied by the Susquehannock Indians. The land that became Hummelstown was purchased by the William Penn family in 1734 before they sold it to Henry Chambers, who sold it to Frederick and Rossina Hummel in 1762, who then laid out streets and sold plots, making the formal founding date of the town 1762. The town was settled primarily by the Pennsylvania Dutch who had come from Germany. Residents of Hummelstown were proud patriots during the Revolutionary War, and President George Washington later visited Hummelstown on his way to put down the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania. Hummelstown became a borough in 1874.

Jean and Wade Seibert created a walking tour to help celebrate the town’s history for the 250th anniversary in 2012. The tour included stops at the Hummelstown Historical Society’s 1815 limestone Parish House at Rosanna Street and North Alley, where the museum features more than 14,000 historical items. The adjoining cemetery is the resting place of the town’s founders, the Hummels. The tour features several old brownstone homes (a quarry was located just south of town for many years) and Gish Buser log house, which is believed to be from 1802 and had the town’s first bath tub.

The Seiberts wrote a history of Hummelstown with 1,500 entries in a year-by-year timeline called Only in Hummelstown for the Hummelstown Area Historical Society’s 50th Anniversary, which is available at the Historical Society along with the Walking Tour map and information.

The Hummelstown Square, designed originally to accommodate carriages and wagons for those traveling between Reading and Harrisburg, remains the center of town.

Physical boundaries: The Swatara Creek, which flows south from the Susquehanna River, forms the western and northern boundaries of Hummelstown, which in the latest U.S. Census was listed as being 1.3 square miles. Route 322 forms the northern boundary of the borough, with the eastern boundary a little less well-defined, but just past the U.S. Post Office on Walton Avenue.

Businesses: Small businesses are alive and well in downtown Hummelstown. The town has been home to Bill Maloney’s Men’s Wear and Tailor Shop, located just off the square, for many years. It moved from Hershey a few years after Toys on the Square (see Page 10), which sits across the street from it. The town has a flower shop, a bakery, ice cream and Italian ice shops, breweries, a bar, pizza places and Chinese food, auto repair shops, law offices, salons, a guitar shop, fitness studios, and so much more.

Rhoads Hallmark & Gift Shop at 17 W. Main St. has been a downtown presence for more than 70 years. After selling the pharmacy part of the business to CVS (located on East Main Street) in 2018, the shop expanded its gift shop area. A home decor gallery is located on the second floor. Another downtown staple since 1932, Bowser Furniture now features a Going out of Business sign in the front window.

Just west of the town boundary, Hometown Hardware sits above 322, offering much needed household supplies and tools.

8 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

Restaurants/Groceries: On the northwest corner of the square, stands The Warwick, a downtown landmark since at least 1800 when it was a hotel. Today, it offers historic indoor dining along with a garden room and a large outdoor deck. The Wick offers a large menu featuring appetizers, salads, burgers, and entrees. Hummelstown also has long-time restaurant Jo Jo’s Pizza, with a Silver Sea Chinese restaurant right next door. Further East on Main, hidden off an alley, is Forrest Feed Company, a barbecue place. The Chatter Box Cafe has been located in a pink Victorian on West Main Street since 2004. It serves lunches Tuesdays through Fridays between 11 a.m.-2 p.m. A little closer to the square on Main sits Little Essie Mae’s Sweet Shoppe, serving baked goods. Right in the square, Bill’s Restaurant has been offering breakfast and lunch for many years. The Soda Jerk, with its diner fare and ice cream, has long been a favorite on the east end of town.

Hummelstown is also keeping up with the craft brew trend. Rubber Soul opened during the pandemic in the former Hummelstown Borough Building on South Hanover Street, where it offers a long list of craft brews along with an extensive food menu. Another newcomer during the pandemic is Howling Henry’s Brewery at 35 E. 2nd St. Despite limited hours and no food menu, brewer Gregory Schertzer isn’t afraid to try new brews following his “crafting beer without rules” philosophy.

While no large grocers exist within the borough’s boundaries, the Weis Markets at 1130 Mae St, located in the Hershey Square Shopping Plaza just east of town, has a Hummelstown address. Our Generation Italian Gourmet Food Store is located on Main Street at the east edge of town. The Giant Food store located at 277 Hershey Road (Route 39) also has a Hummelstown address and is convenient to the borough.

Nearby Hershey offers several other choices. In addition, downtown Hummelstown has a 7 Eleven, and a Sheetz sits off Walton Avenue just east of town.

Want to see your neighborhood featured in Harrisburg Magazine?

Send us your nominations for future profiles by completing the form at https://benchmarkmedia.wufoo.com/ forms/in-my-neighborhood.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 9

In My Neighborhood/Business

Owner Grafton Stine and his store Toys On the Square

Traditional Toys Prove to be Building Blocks for Longevity Story and Photos by Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com

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ong gone are the days when many downtowns and malls could boast having a place filled with fun — a toy store. As recently as 20 years ago, local toy store owners faced competition from a variety of larger chains like KB Toys, Zany Brainy, Toys R Us, and FAO Schwarz. Then, Toys R Us went on some buying sprees, and acquisitions fell like so many Jenga blocks.

Some local operators faced similar woes as more and more children got into more and more organized activities or opted for their electronic friends. Where Goliath has fallen, the tiny David of Hummelstown has remained strong. Toys On the Square celebrates 20 years in the square after first existing in a different square — Briarcrest Square shopping village in Hershey — for the previous 15 or so years.

How has it survived where others have failed? What is the secret to this child’s paradise sitting off the beaten path in quiet downtown Hummelstown?

The store sells toys for children of all ages and offers a paint-your-ownpottery studio for individuals of all ages, and also hosts parties. It sells well-respected brands of toys that last and last … and last. Here, shoppers can find Breyer Horses, Thomas the Tank Engine, Playmobil, Lego, Brio, Learning Resources, Klutz, and many other high quality toy brands. It sells books and educational toys along with toys that are just plain fun.

Owner Grafton Stine got into the toy business through his parents, who operated their store in Neffsville, outside of Lancaster, from about 1985-1995. He said he’s still in business because of “all of you good customers,” but elaborated that it is a combination of returning local customers and tourist business that has been the key to his success.

“There’s nothing like this in their towns,” he said of many tourists, “so they lose their minds when they come in here. They buy everything they can because they don’t see it or feel it or touch it, and everyone’s so sick of Amazon. … They come in here, ‘Oh, you gift wrap? Oh my gosh, I’ll never shop Amazon again.’ ” While the store does offer a limited selection of toys online, this is a store to be visited — with or without children. Even shoppers whose children are long grown will feel more than a hint of nostalgia to walk 10 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

the aisles that are chock full of tempting toys, perhaps wistfully wishing they still had someone who would enjoy these playthings. Buying can sometimes be almost as much fun as playing.

“I love the whole gamut about this business,” Stine said, greeting customers who come in, offering to help if they need any. “The words that come out of people’s mouths when they walk in this door — ‘Wow! This is amazing!’ Then they get into the store and say, ‘Oh my, God! Thank you for bringing this into our life. This is joy.’”

Even before Tom Hanks brought the enchantment of toy stores to the big screen by playing a life-sized keyboard with his feet at an FAO Schwarz store in the movie Big, toy stores have evoked happiness and nostalgia for nearly every one who has entered one for eternity. “I love it. I just enjoy people. I just enjoy putting a smile on kids’ faces and seeing when they get that right toy that they want, and how happy they get,” Stine said.

Toys On the Square doesn’t offer any electronic toys, including educational software. What it does offer is everything from trendy fidgets, poppers, and squeeze-its, to all the traditional toys that multiple generations have enjoyed through the years.

Stine noted that he has to be careful stocking trendy toys because sometimes trends last for only short periods of time, and “then it’s like, bam! They’re gone.”

He’s joined in the store by five employees, including full-time employee Steve Shank, who has worked together with him in one capacity or another for nearly 15 years.

For those without kids or whose kids are grown, this store still offers memories and gifts, and advice on finding just the right one. “Some parents will pick out a terrible toy, and I’ll ask, ‘Who’s that for? Let me show you something a little better than that that’s going to make a better gift,’ ” Stine said.

Customers almost always leave happy, and many return again and again and again.

Visit Toys on the Square at 22 E. Main St., Hummelstown, or online at www.toysonthesquare.com 7

Other notable features: As of the 2020 census, 4,823 people lived within the borough of Hummelstown. The town has had a weekly newspaper, The Sun, since 1871.

Hummelstown children attend the highly rated Lower Dauphin School District schools with both the middle school and high school located on the northern side of town. When Hummelstown children go to middle school, they join children from East Hanover Township, South Hanover, Conewago, and Londonderry townships, and Hummelstown serves as the hub for those communities.

Because of religious persecution when the town was founded, religion was important to residents. The Zion Lutheran Church, the United Church of Christ (the old Reformed Church), the Trinity United Methodist (formerly the Evangelical United Brethren) and Grace United Methodist are within the borough. Interestingly, the Walton family, who owned the brownstone quarry, brought the Catholic Church to Waltonville using the quarries for their laborers. This church became the eventual foundation for St. Joan of Arc in Hershey.

Living here: With a creek bordering two sides of town, and a cycle and fitness shop (In Gear) located just outside the town boundary, the outdoors beckons to residents of Hummelstown. Although Schiavoni Park also is technically outside the borough, its paths and disc golf course along the creek attract many. Just inside the borough limits on the other side of the creek, Hummel Nature Trail also offers access for kayaks and canoes as well as trails for hiking. Further east along the creek, boaters have access to the creek at the Swatara Water Trail off Circle Drive.

Nearby off Kokomo Avenue, the Hummelstown Swim Club is a hit all summer long for its pool, tennis courts, picnic pavilions and more.

The borough also offers several other parks, including Schaffner Park at the corner of Poplar Avenue and Water Street. Here, each summer, the Fuzzy Few hold an annual carnival, and other events are held in the pavilions and on the stage. The Fuzzy Few Organization celebrates youth, community, and good will. It offers football and cheerleading to youth between the ages of 5 and 13.

The William H. and Marian C. Alexander Family Library at 200 W. 2nd St. is part of the Dauphin County Library System, offering a full array of library services and programs.

The Hummelstown Arts Festival, canceled last year by the pandemic, is scheduled for Sept. 18 in the streets of downtown.

Last word: 25-year Hummelstown resident Bonnie Loomis (living downtown for the past five years) nominated Hummelstown for the In My Neighborhood feature. She writes, “Hummelstown is an iconic neighborhood. Everything is walkable and neighbors know neighbors.

Pre-Covid, the Hummelstown Arts Festival (held in September) is a celebration of local artists and our small town becomes a small city. … I wanted to live in Hummelstown for its sense of community, its walkability to its churches, shops and restaurants along with an occasional "destressor" window shopping/spending at Rhoad's Gift Shop. Everything is within a 2-3 block radius. ... Hershey is chocolate, Hummelstown is home.”

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 11

By The Book/Alex Brubaker

This fall feels especially loaded with heavy hitters

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mong the many pleasures of fall — the changing foliage, the cool weather, the return of football — nothing delights a reader like the blockbuster new book releases that come with the fall season. As publishers and authors look to score big with the winter holiday sales (and yes, your local booksellers too), most of this year’s buzziest titles are set to release in the coming months. As the pandemic continues to rankle publishing timelines, this fall feels especially loaded with heavy hitters. In this month's By the Book, we'll take a closer look at this month's most anticipated titles.

Matrix by Lauren Groff (September 7th): From the indie bestselling author of Fates and Furies and Florida, Lauren Groff returns with a breathless and lyrical novel on the life of Marie de France. Ambitiously set in the Middle Ages, Marie is cast out of the royal court and sent to an impoverished abbey in England. Matrix is daring and beautifully written, and Groff cements herself as one of the finest prose writers working today.

On Freedom: Four Songs of Care and Constraint by Maggie Nelson (September 7th): There aren’t many writers I’d trust to tackle a big topic like freedom in such difficult, turbulent times. But Maggie Nelson? Count me in. Here, she turns her gaze on that lofty ideal we so profoundly cherish — and in On Freedom, Nelson proves she has the wisdom, insight, and audaciousness to pull it off.

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney (September 7th): Love her or hate her, Sally Rooney certainly knows how to get people talking. After the wildly successful Normal People, Rooney has critics and readers on the edge of their seats to see what she pulls off next. In Beautiful World, Where Are You, Rooney fans won’t be disappointed. As for her naysayers, they’ll certainly keep talking. You have to love it.

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead (September 14th): From the two-time Pulitzer Prize- winning author of The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more anticipated fall title than Harlem Shuffle. Colson Whitehead dazzles

as always, and at this point, we may as well consider handing him the awards before we read the books. Set in 1960’s Harlem, Whitehead delivers another powerful novel — this time, with heists!

Bewilderment by Richard Powers (September 21st): While Richard Powers was never a literary lightweight, The Overstory launched his career to the next level. Bewilderment is the longanticipated new novel from Powers, and it has him grappling with big, cosmic questions — along with a moving portrait of father and son.

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (September 21st): Is there anyone out there who hasn’t read All the Light We Cannot See? Anthony Doerr’s 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel has been devoured by millions (yes, millions) of readers, and we, along with the rest of the world, can’t wait to read his newest novel. In Cloud Cuckoo Land, Doerr has readers and critics on the edge of their seats.

The Morning Star by Karl Ove Knausgaard (September 21st): There aren’t many writers today who capture the beauty and existential dread in the ordinary like Karl Ove Knausgaard. Following the worldwide phenomenon that was My Struggle, Knausgaard is in familiar territory in The Morning Star, his newest novel set to release in the United States. Knausgaard weaves together the lives of various narrators — a doubting priest, a lonely artist, a struggling father, an alcoholic journalist — as a new star shines in the sky above them all. 7 Alex Brubaker is the manager of the Midtown Scholar Bookstore and director of the Harrisburg Book Festival. Previously, he was the editorial assistant at Rain Taxi Review of Books and the exhibit coordinator for the Twin Cities Book Festival. He is a graduate of Millersville University and now lives in Harrisburg.

Nourishing Bites/Danika Baer

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Fall continues to be a great time to eat healthy, local food

all is approaching, bringing with it cooler temperatures and an overall different atmosphere. While I am certainly looking forward to beloved autumn pastimes, I’m very happy to learn that some of my favorite things about summer will be sticking around for a while. I love taking advantage of central Pennsylvania’s bounty of locally grown produce, and, even as we approach the fall season, the harvest will continue to abound. Not only does the autumn harvest allow for seasonal and local eating to continue, but it is also loaded with health perks that’ll make fall produce ever more appealing.

A diet that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables can support a healthy heart and digestive system, lower the risk of some chronic diseases, and provide essential nutrients that our bodies need.

12 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

Research has shown — and I can attest to this personally — that purchasing food locally or growing it yourself, can result in someone eating more of these foods. Since one must eat the fruit (or vegetable) to reap the benefits, this may be a great motivator!

Connecting to local farms by purchasing through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, farmers’ markets, and farm stands may also provide a social benefit, whether that is from sharing the experience with a friend or family member, by meeting a local farmer, or through a sense of pride felt from supporting a local business. Finally, when buying local, consumers’ money generally remains within the local economy much longer as it passes from the farmer to other local businesses.

Since the temperatures can stay relatively high even into October, the availability of end-of-summer produce extends well into the fall season, providing a huge variety from which to choose. Apples and pumpkins are hard-to-miss fall favorites. However, that is just the beginning of the list. We can find fruits and vegetables ranging from

berries, tomatoes, corn, melons, greens, and peppers to pears, beets and other root vegetables, and winter squash.

Here are some examples of produce the fall has to offer and how you can enjoy them!

1. Apples Apples are delicious on their own, paired with a favorite nut butter (a go-to snack for me since I was a kid), or with some cheese for a sweet and savory combination. They can be added to oatmeal and salads, baked into a dessert, or even paired with beef and spices in a stew.

2. Winter squash Actually harvested in the fall, winter squash comes in many varieties and is a versatile ingredient. I love roasting large chunks for a side dish or adding to soups. They would also be a great swap for sweet potatoes in a yummy sweet potato casserole.

3. Blueberries Blueberries are a well-known summer treat, but some plants continue producing fruit into the fall. It’s hard to go wrong when adding them to a tasty dessert such as a cobbler or a pie. I’m partial to adding blueberries to smoothies and pancakes. They can also be paired

with savory dishes in a sauce or dressing, tossed into a salad, or on top of a pizza!

4. Leeks Leeks are related to onions and garlic but offer a milder, although flavorful, taste. They can be sautéed, roasted, or grilled and eaten as a side dish or added to soups, stuffing, casseroles, eggs, pasta, pizza, and more!

5. Brussels sprouts Boiling or steaming often results in a bland, mushy product. I highly suggest trying them roasted until at least slightly browned. They will be crispy, caramelized, and tasty. Seasonings and pairings such as balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, spices, Parmesan cheese, or bacon add an extra burst of flavor. 7 This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to replace advice from a healthcare provider. It is recommended that individuals consult with a doctor and/or a registered dietitian before making diet changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition.

Danika Baer, MPS, RD, is a recent master’s graduate in Nutritional Sciences from Penn State.

The Finance Hound/Bryson Roof

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To FIRE or not to FIRE

ost people have a negative connotation about the word fire.

From getting relieved from a job or from actual flames, the word’s got a bad rap. Yet, more and more individuals are seeking to join a fire movement: Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE).

No matter if I’m at the club training my pack of beagles for our next competition, or lending a hand on a friend’s home remodel, it’s inevitable, the discussion of early retirement seems to creep its way into the discussion. As a financial advisor, I’m used to discussing individuals desires to retire early, whether someone is merely venting after a long stressful day of meetings, or they are unhappy with their current career. However, since the lockdown associated with Covid-19, many individuals have embraced the flexibility that work-from-home provides. This freedom has inspired many to challenge the status quo and start exploring the FIRE movement.

An initial Google search for Financial Independence Retire Early will yield various blogs about individuals retiring at seemingly impossible ages. For example, a widely known - and highly regarded -blogger named Mr. Money Mustache retired in 2005 at the age of 30, per his blog site. But the initial excitement of retiring in someone’s thirties is quickly dampened when Mr. Mustache outlines how he achieved the seemingly impossible. In order to retire early, he reduced his lifestyle (i.e., reduced his expenses) by roughly 50%-75%.

Hope is not lost! Don’t give up on your early retirement goals just yet. FIRE is a catchy phrase for a trend individuals have been seeking for decades: early retirement. Retirement is a unique experience for everyone. My idea of retirement is traveling the East Coast with my beagles, competing at various beagle clubs. A colleague of mine is a history buff and would like to retire from the financial industry and work as a high school history teacher. Everyone’s retirement is tailored to their interests and objectives.

Using my colleague as an example, why not incorporate a Hybrid FIRE approach? We’ve been seeing this trend for years. If you’ve

had a meaningful career where your income allowed you to save for retirement, pay off your home and send your children to advanced education, maybe you’re not entirely, financially able to retire. But maybe you’re questioning whether you need to continue to accept the stress of attending board meetings, after-hour appointments and burning the midnight oil?

Take the opportunity to explore the job you always dreamed of, but you never took because the pay wouldn’t support raising a family. Or maybe you can reduce your income by reducing your hours. Either way, retirement doesn’t have to be a binary decision. You can take your foot off the accelerator and slow down into retirement.

Adding to the FIRE trend, Pennsylvania is an attractive state to retire early. As U.S. News and World Report outlines, Pennsylvania is in the top 15 states for cost of living and housing affordability.

Additionally, Pennsylvania does not tax retirement income, unlike many states.

It is important to complete financial projections prior to making any major financial decision, especially if you are planning to reduce your income. It may be hard to replace that income if you leave your current employer for a job with less stress, but also less pay, benefits, and hours. Remember, everyone has a unique financial situation. It may be hard, but try not to compare yourself to others and focus on what’s best for you and your family. If in doubt, call a financial professional to help you navigate the complexities of early retirement. 7 Bryson J. Roof, CFP®, is a financial advisor at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Harrisburg, and has been quoted nationally in various finance publications including CNBC, U.S. News & World Report, and Barron’s.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 13

#hbgmag Influencer

Jordan Hill: “You have to know where you want to be, and that’s what you want to go do.”

Story and Photos by Deborah Lynch Writer's Note: A few years ago, Jordan Hill graciously accepted my invitation to be the commencement speaker for the 8th grade graduation at Nativity School of Harrisburg, where I worked as a volunteer graduate support director. I had the great honor to introduce him. When I started to write about him for this piece, I realized that the introduction I gave that night was still a great place to start.

Steelton native Jordan Hill, the new head football coach and Director of Advancement at Trinity High School, and a former member of his high school state championship football team, Penn State defensive lineman, and an NFL player in Seattle, Jacksonville, and Detroit, doesn’t like to talk about himself. He prefers to let his actions speak for him as he gives back to his hometown community. It takes a little digging online and talking to people who know Jordan to get a clearer picture. They use these words to describe him: “Humble.” “Grit.” “Nonstop motor.” “Tenacious.” “Dedicated efforts.” “A real good effort guy.”

“Jordan isn’t some big flashy guy.”

That last quote came from his mother, Sue, to a news reporter. She and Jordan’s father have been his role models, and it’s for his father, Larry, who suffers from diabetes and kidney disease, that Jordan started the Jordan Hill Foundation in 2016 “to provide youth initiatives and create[ing] a road to success” by promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Hill has always had a close relationship with his parents. As a kid, he thought his dad was hard on him, as most kids tend to feel. “He had an older style, a blue collar style of mentoring me. His relationship got stronger and stronger as I continued to grow. The two months he lived 14 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

with me in Seattle, everything he had done just clicked in my head,” Hill recalled. “My goodness, it wasn’t because he was just being hard on me, it was for greater good.”

His father was diagnosed with diabetes when Hill was just 2 years old, and suffered his first stroke the week Hill enrolled at Penn State.

His family protected him from knowing about his father’s condition for almost that entire first year so he could focus on school because they knew that if he found out, he probably would have left Penn State to come home to work and help out.

But he stayed and he excelled, which has allowed him to do the things in life that he’d always been guided to do. Hill formed the foundation to help keep kids active physically, socially, and intellectually. He also sought to raise awareness for the prevention of diabetes and to advance research into kidney disease. The foundation has been shifting gears since president Jermaine Chisholm’s diagnosis with ALS, and is being tweaked so that proceeds from the annual golf tournament, which was a success in 2021, will go toward one single cause this year: ALS research.

Hill’s relationship with Chisholm started out rocky when Chisholm started dating his cousin. Hill and his cousin’s brothers did not approve.

As they got to know each other better and Chisholm took over as the strength coach in Hill's senior year of high school, their relationship changed into one of mentor and mentee. “While I was at Penn State, he cared less about the athletics than the academics,” Hill said. “He was almost like my personal academic adviser. … He made sure I was doing what I was supposed to do.

“I don’t have a blood brother, but I always have said that’s my older See Hill on Page 16

Gilliam works to build a bridge between talent and opportunity

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Story and Photos by Deborah Lynch

ormer Penn State football and Seattle Seahawks teammates Jordan Hill and Garry Gilliam recognize the value of team. As Henry Ford once encouraged, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

The former football teammates are using that model and their local roots to team again on Gilliam’s grand vision for the former Bishop McDevitt High School — The Bridge Eco-Village. The concept is to create a sustainable living space that includes housing, businesses, play spaces, learning and innovation opportunities, and agriculture.

Gilliam, founder and CEO of Empower at The Bridge, is a Harrisburg native and graduate of Milton Hershey School and Penn State University with degrees in advertising, business development, and psychology. In addition to the non-profit Empower at the Bridge, Gilliam also heads the for-profit The Bridge Eco-Village development company, and a consulting company, The Branch.

Milton Hershey, the visionary, and Gilliam’s experience as a Milton Hershey School student inspired the Bridge. Gilliam said the Milton Hershey School campus was a microcosm of the town Hershey created with the foresight that to get better production from his workers, he had to create a place where they could also eat, live, learn, and play. “I was always curious when I was at the school — where are the rest of the campuses? Does Coca-Cola have a campus? I went to the dean trying to figure out a way to start another Milton Hershey School campus.

“If you have a complaint, you have a career,” Gilliam quipped, adding that he turned his complaint into his post-football career.

Gilliam has utilized Hershey’s vision to create his dream for The Bridge Eco-Village. More specifically, WELLP: Work, Eat, Live, Learn, Play. The mission, according to the website for The Bridge Eco-Village, is “to provide specialized opportunities and improved quality of life for underprivileged and underserved individuals and families suffering from systemic oppression.”

Hill is involved as the chief community officer for The Bridge EcoVillage. That means he is “the liaison and connector for anything and

everything they need around here,” Hill said.

To do that, he has been meeting with residents at council meetings and town halls to get ideas. “It’s great for us to have ideas, but if nobody wants to do it, what good is it? People need to understand what they actually want. I ask them, ‘Hey what do you need? How can we help you? How can this benefit you?’ ” Here’s how the WELLP concept breaks down for the former McDevitt facility: • Work — A major portion of the first floor classrooms will become co-working spaces for different businesses, both nonprofits and for-profits. They would like it to become a hub for nonprofits in Harrisburg, “like a war table where they can collectively get things done,” Hill said.

• Eat — Because Harrisburg “is considered a food desert,” Hill said they will work to grow their own food through aquaponics and hydroponics. They hope to have vertical harvests by the former football field. “We’d like to be able to produce enough to outsource to grocery stores around here,” he said. A vegan restaurant concept from the West Coast that Gilliam is co-owner of will be located there.

Gilliam said the goal is that residents will “learn how to grow their own food at home and we’ll teach you how to prepare your food in a healthier and more palatable way. It will give more chances of getting people to eat what they need to eat.”

• Live — Given that the second floor of the building is already fitted with many bathrooms, this will become the housing portion of the village, with units marketed as mixed residential living that will be available at market rate. It will offer a lottery system for low income applicants. Low-income residents will be given opportunities to rent to own with the hope that they might eventually move on to find a house and then rent out the apartment they had bought at The Bridge. The goal is to have people from all walks of life and economic backgrounds living together in the same community forming a natural network. Overall, the campus is expected to See Gilliam on Page 17

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 15

Hill, continued from Page 14

brother,” Hill said of his relationship with Chisholm.

Hill is still doing “what [he] is supposed to do.”

He told PennLive in 2016 that his mother ingrained in him the desire to give back to his community and the people that helped him achieve his high school, college, and NFL careers. “Going out there and playing football, I know only so many people get to do that, but the reasons I play are a lot bigger than me. It’s a lot bigger than the game,” he said.

Regardless of those bigger reasons, Hill was a huge success on the field. Let’s start with high school, where he helped lead Steel High to Single A state championships his junior and senior years. He recorded 275 tackles, 19 sacks, and five interceptions in his high school career, culminating with first-team all state honors his senior year and being named a MaxPreps Small School All American.

At Penn State, during his 2012 senior season, Hill made 64 tackles — third among Big 10 defensive linemen — and finished as a firstteam All Big 10 Selection, two-time Conference player of the week in 2012, earning Senior Bowl honors. He tallied 123 total tackles in 2011 and 2012.

Of course, those numbers caught the eye of NFL scouts, and Hill was a third-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks, whose coach Pete Carroll told Washington reporters of his new player, “He’s different than the guys we have. He’s got real nice quickness. ...

He’s a really good-effort guy, which we like. ... [He is] one the best guys in the draft at creating space for himself in the pass rush.”

Hill earned a Super Bowl ring as a rookie for the 2013 championship season. He went to the Super Bowl again with Seattle the next season when they lost to New England. He had 50 tackles, seven sacks, and four fumble recoveries with Seattle. He played his last season in 2017 with Detroit before suffering a season- and career-ending bicep injury.

Yes, football is important, and make no mistake, Hill was a good football player. But he always had a bigger goal. He wanted his college degree, he wanted to make a difference, and he wanted to give back to his community. That’s why, when he was working out for the NFL combine and draft in 2013, he was also still at school, finishing out his final classes so that he could walk away from Penn State with a degree in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Management. He took his final exams days after the NFL draft and waited to see the grades for proof that he was graduating.

“He knew he came from a poor school district, and he was humble, had grit, was blue collar, and he worked hard,” Penn State Associate Director of Football Academic Support Services Todd Kulka said. “Jordan was willing to use all academic resources coming in. He used tutors and 16 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

mentors. He was always on time. He always sat in the front row in his classes. He got to know all of his teachers — in the good way. Education was important to him. Jordan is well respected by the Penn State faculty because of his work ethic, leadership skills, and motivation.”

Kulka said Hill returns every few years to give the incoming Penn State football freshmen a pep talk from the heart. Sometimes, he takes his dad Larry with him. Hill is the perfect role model for these wideeyed freshmen football players.

“It’s neat to see him build off of what he had done at Penn State, his professional career, and now moving into his next phase,” Kulka said. “He’s using everything — the insight he’s gained from all of his experiences and platforms.”

Education and the bigger goals helped to keep Hill focused during early NFL Draft talks when he was quoted telling Blue White Illustrated that “hype isn’t anything that you have to think about. You don’t have to live up to what somebody else is saying you have to be. You have to know where you want to be, and that’s what you want to go do.”

Think about that: “You have to know where you want to be, and that’s what you want to go do.” Hill has continued to do that and, as the new head football coach at Trinity High School, he will have the opportunity to affect even more young lives with his positive spirit.

The Shamrocks were 0-7 in 2020 and 6-21 over the past three years. While Hill brings an impressive football resume to his one-time opponent, former Trinity athletic director Gary Bricker says the hire was easy. “I’ll start by saying that the references and people that talked to me [about Hill] talked more about the person than about football — not to take away from his football expertise.

“I’ve never seen a head coaching hire get as much hype about a person who has never been a head coach before. A lot of that is because of what people think about him in this area,” Bricker said, adding that while the incoming freshman class at Trinity is already one of the largest in years, adding Hill to the coaching staff won’t hurt either.

Hill is a busy man. He and his wife (and high-school sweetheart), Cristen, who is now a labor nurse at Harrisburg UPMC, are the parents of 2-year-old Annaleigh and newborn Delaney Mae. Although he had been working a day job for Northwestern Mutual in Mechanicsburg, and as the chief community officer for The Bridge, which is developing the former Bishop McDevitt High School on Market Street in Harrisburg into a mixed-use eco-village (see related story), he says that coaching high school was his top dream after playing in the NFL. Why Trinity? Last season, Hill helped to coach at Cumberland Valley, where he got to meet a lot of Trinity alumni. The opportunity

presented itself, and given that it’s a school he was already quite familiar with, it was a perfect fit.

“It’s an intriguing opportunity. I’m just really ready to get back into football and get to work,” Hill said. “This is something where I have a lot of responsibility and a lot of stuff lies on my lap. I want to be a person that’s helping kids.”

To do that, Hill is bringing back some familiar Trinity sports names while also creating a large and specialized coaching staff. Three coaches are Steelton guys (two, former high school teammates), several either played or coached at Trinity, including Tyler Kostalac, and the biggest catch is strength coach Justin Assadinia, a Penn State friend and football graduate assistant coach who played rugby at Penn State. Since then, he’s been a strength coach at Clemson, Tennessee, and Appalachian State. Assadinia will be the full-time strength coach for all Trinity teams.

Hill’s been practicing with his young squad for a few months, and is happy to report that numbers are growing. The team had 33 players last season, and is already up to 52 players for this season. “It’s a situation where it’s a very young football team that doesn’t know a whole lot about football. Every day we’re teaching, abc, 123. It’s fun because you get to start from the basics. Kids don’t have expectations. You literally get to build from the bottom up.”

Kulka thinks this is all going to translate well at Trinity. “I think he’ll have a direct, immediate impact on those he coaches in the high school setting,” he said.

For more information on the Jordan Hill Foundation, visit the website at jordanhillfoundation.org 7

Gilliam, continued from Page 15

have 120-150 units. Part of the “Live” concept includes home buyer seminars and teaching people how to acquire real estate. They hope to teach residents group economics. “As a professional football player, I had access to all these credited pools — this is a way to get uncredited investors together,” Gilliam said.

• Learn — This should become a natural outgrowth of the other parts of The Bridge.

To help owners achieve solvency, they hope to offer classes on financial literacy, with it trickling down to the kids who live there.

Empower at the Bridge will partner with other nonprofits and agencies to develop programming within the eco-village so that it will become a place for the public to learn to work through incubation and acceleration from local universities who will teach participants to develop selfsufficient businesses. Gilliam hopes to promote job training, particularly trades, which was inspired by his time at Milton Hershey School. “You’ll never meet a broke plumber,” he said. “We want to teach the true essence of self-sufficiency. Learn to make money with what you have.”

• Play — This will involve many different concepts — a community center for basketball, a recreational area based more on virtual reality, and outdoor adventure types of things. They want to have a driving simulator so people with disabilities can go there to do things they normally aren’t able to do. “We will make the correlation between mental health and physical health,” Gilliam said, adding therapy will be emphasized.

The goal of the non-profit arm is to bring value to the spaces the development company

creates. At the former Bishop McDevitt, Gilliam’s team hopes to see the first phase of their ideas coming to fruition by the end of 2022.

The old gym will be renovated in phase one to be used as an event space for things like TED Talks and concerts, while still being used as a gym. The locker room area will be turned into a medical clinic, and the former swimming pool will become a virtual reality sports area. He hopes this will be complete by the end of 2022. The timeline for completion of the entire eco-village is the end of 2023 or beginning of 2024.

Long-term, Gilliam hopes to acquire other abandoned properties and expand his vision for eco-villages in other cities around the country, with Harrisburg as the model. The development arm of the company has been in talks with municipalities, mayors, and banks in several other cities, putting together plans for grants to get properties renovated.

Harrisburg was first for three reasons: “No. 1, because there’s an extreme need for what we’re doing; two would be because many of us are from the Harrisburg area; and third, timing -- Bishop McDevitt and the former William Penn high schools were available.” Gilliam says McDevitt is the sole focus now, although something could be pursued at William Penn with other entities in the future.

Gilliam’s family still lives in Harrisburg and other nearby communities, so he understands the need for a community like his Bridge EcoVillage in Harrisburg. “I have another quote I like to use a lot,” he said: “Talent is evenly distributed, but resources and opportunity are not.”

He plans to use his post-football career to balance that scale in his hometown.

For more information on The Bridge EcoVillage and Empower at The Bridge, visit the website at www.thebridgeecovillage.com. For information on The Branch consulting, visit www.tbcollab.com 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 17

SIMPLY THE BEST ALL-STAR TRIBUTES Being the best isn’t about being better at what you do for just one year. That’s why, as Harrisburg Magazine celebrates 25 Years of Excellence, we want to recognize your excellence - by awarding “All-Star” status to those who have been honored repeatedly as your Simply the Best favorites.

Looking for more STB All-Stars?

Harrisburg Magazine has launched an all new online directory at simplythebestharrisburg.com. This online directory lists all of the 2021 Simply the Best and Readers' Choice winners, along with Simply the Best winners from the past 10 years!

The online directory at simplythebestharrisburg.com is also searchable so you can quickly find winners of the Simply the Best Reader's Poll.

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PHOTO BY CREIGHTON SMITH

In the Spotlight:

The Hand That Holds the Quill at Central Penn College Cueing up a Q&A with playwright Cindy Rock Dlugolecki Editor’s note: There’s an awful lot of work that goes into writing a play. And a lot more effort on top of that to turn that play into a full-blown musical.

Which is why, when we heard just before going to press that Mechanicsburg’s Cindy Rock Dlugolecki’s original historical musical, The Hand That Holds the Quill, was rehearsing like mad in preparation for its premiere at Central Penn College the weekend of Sept. 16, 17, and 19, we felt compelled to honor Cindy’s many drops of blood, sweat, and tears devoted to crafting her story with a special sit-down Q&A session. Here’s wishing for broken legs for all of Cindy’s cast and crew!

RG: I understand that Jacob Shallus, your first cousin six-times removed, served as the inspiration for The Hand That Holds the Quill, but that you didn’t start researching his life until you had read the Arthur Plotnick Book, “The Man Behind the Quill.” How did that book lead you to discovering your relation to Jacob?

CINDY: I heard Jacob and I were cousins at a 2005 family reunion in western Pennsylvania from a cousin who had read the book. I ordered the book upon returning home, read it immediately upon receipt, and then displayed it proudly on a bookshelf. It never dawned on me at that time to write a play about Jacob or the Constitutional Convention.

RG: Early on, what was the thing that struck you the most about Jacob’s life? And how soon was it before you had that “light-bulb” moment and said to yourself “what a great play this would make!”

CINDY: The volatile political climate fueled by the 2016 election energized my own political perspective. By 2019, I was ready to put hands on the keyboard. And I hoped to have a play ready just before the 2020 election. Covid had other things in mind. So, I kept writing, as events in 2021 kept informing this play that takes place in 1787.

The fact that Jacob is the son of a German immigrant made me extremely proud of my German heritage. Jacob’s father Valentine and Uncle Sebastian weathered an Atlantic Ocean voyage to make a new life. Valentine must have instilled the value of an education and

patriotism in Jacob early on, because Plotnik reveals Jacob’s command of the English language—both spoken and written—was the result of an education in a private Philadelphia school. Jacob also served in the Revolutionary War as a quartermaster and corresponded with other patriots, including John Hancock. After the war, Jacob served as an assistant clerk in the PA Legislative Assembly, which put him in the company of Benjamin Franklin and Robert Morris.

His free-spirited Uncle Sebastian, on the other hand, went westward to cultivate land in the wilds of Pennsylvania to become my 5x-great grandfather. I had not intended to make Sebastian a pivotal character in the play, but Sebastian had other ideas.

As patriotic and well spoken as Jacob was, his greatest flaw, in my opinion, was his mismanagement of money. The issue becomes important in the play when Jacob is threatened publicly with Debtor’s prison for his failure to pay taxes. The family contemplates pulling up city roots and moving to the backwoods with Sebastian until the opportunity to engross the Constitution saves the day.

RG: What made you decide to take The Hand That Holds the Quill in an additional direction – and add an extra dimension – by focusing on the roles played by women in the events of that time period, and also the issues of abolition and literacy for the Black community?

CINDY: As I wrote and took copious notes on the Constitutional Convention, I realized early on this play could easily become another 1776. Both scripts had many of the same characters pontificating in the same room. Then in the spring of 2019 a friend told me about a book she had read by Cokie Roberts, “Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation”. One insight changed the direction of my play: wives of some delegates traveled with their husbands to Philadelphia.

Immediately, I pictured opinionated and entitled women—I call them the “Liberty Belles”—sharing afternoon tea and their own perspectives (or lack of interest thereof) on government.

Delegates spent much of the summer debating representation by state versus by population. Counting the enslaved would greatly HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 27

increase the number of representatives southern states could have, which threatened the northern states. Because slavery was such a hot-button issue, I began researching slavery in Philadelphia and discovered the formerly enslaved Absalom Jones. Absalom helped to establish the African Methodist Episcopal Church after his own confrontation with white supremacy. He promoted literacy in the Black community to free the minds of those who may not be free in body.

RG: Was it a conscious decision then that perhaps the best way to bring your story to the stage would be by assembling an all-female production team (producer, director, stage manager, music director, and music composer)?

PHOTO BY JANET BIXLER

Anthony Ariano as Charles C. Pinckney and Sydney Hoke as Auba

PHOTO BY JANET BIXLER

Aaron Booth as Jacob Shallus and Audrie Noll as Lizzie Shallus

CINDY: An all-female production team was a happy accident; there was no deliberate intent. Having brunch in January 2019 with Janet Bixler and innocently sharing that I was currently researching a play about my cousin, the scribe of the U.S. Constitution, prompted a six-word response: “I want to produce that play!” When I heard music in my head as the script was developing, I called business partner Chris Purcell, who agreed immediately. When it came time for a table reading, I asked Chris Krahulec to listen and advise, as she was enjoying the challenge and success of directing for Keystone Theatrics. I did not invite her with the intent of guilting her on to the team, but she volunteered! Because Carol McDonough has worked with Chris Krahulec as stage manager for many productions, it made sense to use her expertise. Finding a music director had its own set of challenges. But the muses had mercy sending us the divine and dedicated Ellen Carnahan.

RG: So, it sounds like it didn’t occur to you immediately that you wanted to turn the story into a musical. It was something that evolved along the way, then?

CINDY: Right. It was not my intent to make Quill into a musical or a play with music.

However, I heard music in my head when working with the delegates. I remember emailing author Art Plotnik and asking him what he thought. He LOVED the idea. So, I went with it. Honestly, some of the best thoughts in the script are in the lyrics.

RG: I see that you have one previous musical under your belt – Into the Desert – and that one was also a collaboration with Chris Purcell.

What is it about Chris that made you say “no question in my mind, that’s my composer!”

CINDY: Chris and I met in the 1980s as we both worked part-time as clerks in a Christian bookstore. I immediately liked her independence and quirky sense of humor. At that time, playwriting was not even on my radar. However, in 1999, I found myself looking for a composer for lyrics a college professor challenged me to write. I remembered Chris telling me she was not only a singer but also a composer, so I looked her up in the phone book. Yes. The phone book. And there she was.

The rest is history. But, back to Quill … did I say that Chris will make sure the audience leaves humming? Her music ranges from prayerful to playful with patriotism in between.

RG: The Hand That Holds the Quill will have its premiere performances at the Capital Blue Cross Theatre at Central Penn College on September 16, 17, and 19. With those show dates coming just after 9/11 commemorations, do you believe your play will serve an additional – if unintentional – purpose of reminding the audience how precious our Constitutional freedoms are? Are there any other takeaways you’re hoping audience members will have?

CINDY: I use the term fragile in the play, and I’m very intentional. The last years have shown us how fragile our democracy is. For too long we have assumed that anyone holding office will perform his/her duties morally and ethically. That assumption is wrong. And we still have disenfranchised people struggling to be heard at the ballot box. I’m hoping this play brings government teachers to the play. Quill would make an entertaining teaching tool.

RG: Is a production of The Hand That Holds the Quill in Philadelphia still in the works?

Of course, every playwright dreams of taking their work to Broadway … is that something you’re actively pursuing with Quill?

PHOTO BY JANET BIXLER PHOTO BY JANET BIXLER

Diane Hetes as Mary Jones, Eric Jackson as Absalom Jones, Sydney Hoke as Auba 28 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

Aaron Booth as Jacob Shallus, Catherine Tyson-Osif as Elizabeth Shallus, Jet Gillan as Francis Shallus

CINDY: Yes, we are taking Quill to Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center.

Stay tuned for the time and date.

I have reached out to around ten Philadelphia theatres, inviting them to the Philly production. I believe Quill belongs to

Philadelphia and then Philadelphia should share it with Broadway!

RG: Speaking of Broadway … Even though your roots are in Pennsylvania, when you were younger, did you ever consider moving to New York (or Chicago, or LA)?

CINDY: No. Never. I’m a small-town girl at heart. But I will say that, after watching Les Miserables on Broadway, crying my eyes out, and humming the music for days on end, I thought to myself: I want to write a play just as powerful. Is Quill that play?

PHOTO BY CREIGHTON SMITH

RG: A little more about yourself … like a lot of writers, you had a humble beginning, earning $35 a week writing commercials for a rock radio station in Waynesboro. Any lessons learned from those early days that you would like to pass on to aspiring playwrights? Even better, what one word of advice can you offer from your long, stellar playwriting career?

CINDY: Randy, you really are making me laugh! And making me think. People say “write what you know.” I say to challenge yourself to write what you don’t know. I know nothing about art, yet I wrote a play about muralist Violet Oakley (Violet Oakley Unveiled). I knew nothing of the Constitutional Convention.

Now I know Gouverneur Morris composed the Preamble, and I wrote about the person who penned it. My life is richer knowing about Absalom Jones. I have learned so much through my writing, even making up stories about my great grandfather Sebastian.

PHOTO BY CREIGHTON SMITH

RG: I know you’re probably anxious to get back to rehearsals, but … any parting thoughts?

CINDY: Just that I am indebted to not only everyone on our team for their investment of time and expertise but also to our twentythree actors, auditioning for a play they had never read and singing a score they had never heard.

RG: Lastly, on a lighter note (and sorry, I can’t resist): your middle name. Maiden name? Or can I just call you a playwriting “rock” star (which you truly are!)

PHOTO BY CREIGHTON SMITH

CINDY: Maiden name. LOL. To purchase tickets for any of the three performances of The Hand That Holds the Quill at Central Penn College’s Capital Blue Cross Theatre, visit www.givebutter.com/Quill. 7

PHOTO BY CREIGHTON SMITH

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 29

PHOTO BY TODD GEARHART FOR LEADERSHIP HARRISBURG AREA

Joseph Robinson, Jr., Graduate of the Community Leadership Series Class of 2011, receiving the 2021 Platinum Award for Servant Leadership sponsored by Members 1st Federal Credit Union.

LHA creates leadership cohorts to serve the Harrisburg community

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By Deborah Lynch

ach year for the past 35 years, Leadership Harrisburg Area has welcomed another class into its rigorous nine-month Community Leadership Series training program — that’s more than 1,500 graduates since it started. Una Martone, president and CEO of LHA, says those graduates today are serving the community in a variety of ways — running boards of directors, leading corporations and large educational organizations, running non-profits, and pulling the community together.

“The fingerprints of Leadership Harrisburg Area alumni are all over the Capital region,” she said. “They individually and collectively change and improve lives through leadership and service.”

LHA programs cover the systems that affect the quality of life in the Capital region, encompass a broad geography (Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties), and facilitate experiences that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. LHA’s mission is to be a resource that matches people with opportunities to serve the community. That is accomplished by teaching servant leadership and effective community service. LHA’s vision is an improved quality of life where all can experience their fullest potential, according to Martone.

The Community Leadership Series training involves more than 100 hours of educational and experiential work. Some of that means teaching trainees everything about the region, from demographics to history to challenges and opportunities.

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Participants get hands-on experience working on a team project with a non-profit organization.

The class that graduated in May was working to explore an arts collective that might benefit the local arts community. The goal is to help connect arts groups and individuals so that they can take advantage of resources like capital, physical space, and audiences. By helping artists, the trainees concluded, the region would also benefit from both tourism dollars and increased quality of life. Another team project involved helping nonprofits to engage volunteers and increase their number of volunteers.

To better understand how to form an arts collective and the potential benefits of having one, the leadership class invited Sharia Benn, a local arts leader, to talk about how collaborations such as having someone who knows how to write grants, an organization that knows how to get volunteers and hold events, or a group good at outreach, have helped.

This allowed the trainees to see how similar collaborations might work for the arts community.

Because trainees are not themselves artists, they also needed to meet with artists to better understand their needs and why past collectives have failed. They held an online forum of individuals, organizations, and patrons from the arts community to gather ideas about wants, needs, ideas, and skills. They created an outline for a possible collective that includes recommendations from lawyers,

financial advisers willing to help set up an endowment, and even a cohort member whose law firm gave the green light to help establish the collective if he gauges enough interest from the arts community.

“One of the things we’ve heard pretty loudly from people: a lot of artists don’t have an interest in the business side of things; they don’t want to make websites, submit grants and proposals, etc.,” recent LHA graduate Kim Pottinger, IT Manager for HM Health Solutions and President of Junior League of Harrisburg, said, adding that her cohort learned what some logistical problems could be and was able to challenge patrons who participated.

“The fingerprints of Leadership Harrisburg Area alumni are all over the Capital region.

They individually and collectively change and improve lives through leadership and service.”

— Una Martone President and CEO of LHA “While we aren’t artists ourselves, we all enjoy art, we understand the struggle, and we are passionate about bringing this to the community,” Pottinger said.

Another team project of the 2021 Leadership Training Cohort involved helping nonprofits to engage volunteers and increase their participation. “So many nonprofit organizations in the mid-state had been negatively impacted as a result of the pandemic,” said TaWanda Stallworth, individual giving coordinator for POWER Interfaith. “Many relied on in-person events to be able to do much of their work, including recruiting volunteers.

Being able to provide this virtual volunteer recruitment experience allowed for nonprofits to make very necessary connections to continue the fabulous work that they are doing.”

The cohort had subcommittees that focused on venue and logistics, market and sponsorships, nonprofit and participant onboarding, individual participant acquisitions, and financial — all topics that were then covered with and for participants in the virtual volunteer fair to help the nonprofit organizations (33 percent of which serve those in poverty) move See Leadership on Page 32

PHOTO BY TODD GEARHART FOR LEADERSHIP HARRISBURG AREA

Keynote Speaker, Omar L. Harris, signing copies of his book The Servant Leader’s Manifesto

Corporate J.E.D.I Leaders: Guardians of Peace and Justice

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By Deborah Lynch

ne of the Alumni Circle peer review groups of Leadership Harrisburg Area chose a book to read and discuss together during the pandemic. This small group of graduates of the LHA program met once a month to continue their leadership development with conversation centered around the bestselling book by Omar Harris called The Servant Leader’s Manifesto. LHA believes servant leaders work to “influence, empower, and help develop others to reach their fullest potential.” With servant leadership core to the LHA program, the book really resonated.

LHA president and CEO Una Martone decided she had nothing to lose to contact Harris, a Pennsylvania native, about speaking at the May 2021 leadership graduation. “When I called, we didn’t even have a location — we didn’t know if we would be indoors or outdoors [because of the pandemic]. He was willing to work with us,” she said. Finally, FNB Park on City Island was booked for May 26, and she called Harris, saying, “OK, Omar, we’re going to be outside at a baseball field. It turned out to be the hottest day of the season.”

When she first contacted Harris, she didn’t know that he was also writing a new book, “Be a J.E.D.I. Leader Not a Boss: Leadership in the Era of Corporate Social Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion,” that was released in June, but that meshed perfectly with LHA’s new charge to work towards justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Just days after the killing of George Floyd and the protests that

followed last summer, LHA convened a panel of people to focus on civility and solutions.

More than 300 people joined the nine panelists on a Zoom call. “After the panel, we had people contacting LHA to say, ‘we want to talk about this more. We don’t want this conversation to end. Still more people need to have this conversation.’ ” LHA responded with an online program and a workshop on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and has made that presentation to more than 30 different nonprofit, corporate, and governmental groups in the past year.

“It was almost like a perfect storm with Omar’s focus on servant leadership, and his upcoming book on J.E.D.I. It just matched everything LHA had been working on at the time. The fact that we were able to get him here and have this outdoor event was really just all things coming together,” Martone said.

Harris, a native of Pittsburgh who now calls Charlotte, NC, home, has been a General Manager (GSK and Allergan), is the founder of Intent Consulting and TYMPO.io (the world’s first and best SaaS application for employee inclusion), is an award-winning best-selling author, and is a leader and motivational speaker on business and servant leadership.

He worked for more than 20 years in global pharmaceuticals on four continents, for companies like Pfizer, Merck, and ScheringPlough. Harris, who also speaks five languages and plays seven instruments, started his first company at the age of 7, selling golf balls.

See J.E.D.I on Page 33 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 31

PHOTO BY TODD GEARHART FOR LEADERSHIP HARRISBURG AREA

TaWanda Stallworth, Spokesperson for the Class of 2021 Leadership, continued from Page 31

forward in their missions despite constrictions of the pandemic.

LHA evolved from the Harrisburg Regional Chamber board’s desire to start a leadership training program 35 years ago. While it is completely separate from the Chamber today, the two organizations enjoy collaboration and “definitely have a similar footprint,” according to Martone. “We’re coming at it from different angles. We’re developing leaders; they’re developing economic programs.”

Multiple training programs exist within LHA — the Community Leadership Series (core program), an Executive Leadership program, a servant PHOTO BY TODD GEARHART FOR LEADERSHIP HARRISBURG AREA leadership training called LHA President & CEO, Una Martone, with Keynote Speaker Omar L. Harris Beyond Leadership, Board Strong, a video training program for new and potential board members, DEI training, and ACES, an Alumni Circle Enrichment Series, which consists of small groups of alumni. The Community Leadership Series is designed for rising professionals who are ambassadors for their organizations. A benefit of going through the LHA training program is to make connections with like-minded classmates on similar trajectories. The trainees work together on their community service project.

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Employers or organizations (both nonprofit and for-profit) identify employees they think would benefit from the program, and the individuals then submit applications to LHA. Each incoming class has between 30 and 50 people that go through training as a cohort.

Pottinger sought out LHA to help her better understand how to train leaders, a role she will play as president of Junior League of Harrisburg, whose mission is twofold: to train women leaders in the community and to create volunteer opportunities for women in the community. The Harrisburg chapter, she said, focuses on breaking the cycle of poverty, especially for women and children in the community, and works together with other community organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

Covid made working as a cohort a bit more difficult for the LHA class that started in September 2020 and graduated in May. The group was split in half and met in different rooms, socially-distanced, and masked. For a time, training went virtual.

A session was held each month with a separate focus and expert speaker for each. Topics included education; human services; demographics and diversity/equity/inclusion; arts, culture and recreation; and other areas of public life. There were also field trips for volunteers in those areas. Throughout the nine-month training program, participants gained insights on servant leadership, which Martone defines as being “more rooted in individual relationships,” adding that servant leaders “influence, empower, and help develop others to reach their fullest potential.”

Stallworth said that completing the Community Leadership Series during Covid and the unrest of 2020-21 was a unique experience that allowed the cohort to delve into subjects that challenged their core beliefs. “We would engage in weighty dialogue that, oftentimes, revealed the division that has become quite common in our country,”

she said. “However, we didn't allow those divergent thoughts and beliefs to stand in the way of us doing what we needed to do to keep each other safe and create substantive relationships with people who think differently, because our chief priority is keeping each other and our families safe while praying that, from month to month, we will see each other again, if even on a zoom screen, healthy and well.”

The Executive Leadership series is for people already in leadership positions, such as those new to the area or new to their position, or those in need of seeing how all the community systems work together. It’s a condensed version of the Community Leadership Series and doesn’t include a service project.

The Alumni Circle breaks into smaller groups of graduates who meet monthly for continued leadership development — an offshoot for grads so the program doesn’t have to end, Martone said. One of those groups read The Servant Leader’s Manifesto by Omar Harris, and because they “enjoyed his book so much and it resonated so much,” Martone looked into having him speak to the 2021 graduating class (see related story, Page 31).

Now that she’s an alumni of LHA, Pottinger says she will look to the Alumni Circle group next year. “The connections we make are awesome,” she said. “There’s a lot of peer coaching in the alumni group — for me at work, we have structured coaching. I love the idea of peer coaching, talking through things, brainstorming, …”

Pottinger already sees the value of her LHA training for her new role with Junior League of Harrisburg, and she’s also appreciating the benefits at the office after working with her diverse LHA cohort that included lawyers, marketing directors, graphic designers, teachers, and more. “It’s really inspiring to see how people from those different backgrounds came together and everyone had a different perspective — that helped make us successful. It really helped me as a manager to encourage my team to make sure we’re hearing all the opinions.”

For more information on Leadership Harrisburg Area, visit its website at www. leadershipharrisburg.org 7

J.E.D.I, continued from Page 31

So, yes, Harris speaks from experience when he addresses future leaders about the need to adopt a servant leader mindset that will help them to stop toxic leadership behavior. In his speech to the LHA graduates, Harris said it is key for leaders to answer three key questions: 1. Why do I serve? 2. How can I leave a positive legacy? 3. What do I really care enough about to give my all?

By pursuing their purpose, Harris said leaders can combine their passions and strengths into something they can be paid for and that the world needs, which will be a “positive impact on the world of me being compensated for leveraging my strengths in pursuit of my wild passion.”

Harris’s passion for music and sports taught him teamwork and collaboration. As a Black man leading an organization, he had to use those skills, but also develop more innovative styles as well. “I didn’t feel the kind of power and authority-world was open to me. So, I had to learn a different way to lead,” he said.

From 2012-2020, Harris lived and worked in Turkey, Indonesia, and Brazil. He had just returned to the U.S. last March to be with his mother, who was battling and later died from cancer, when the pandemic hit. He had just published “The Servant Leader’s Manifesto” and said he couldn’t ignore what was happening with social justice protests. After a conversation with a friend about the acronym J.E.D.I being thrown around, he decided to pursue this concept in leadership in business.

“It was just a throwaway line in my book — to be a J.E.D.I, not a boss. In the book, I was talking more about being above the fray and utilizing positive influence to drive your initiatives. I didn’t even know there was a much broader meaning,” Harris said. “I decided to write a roadmap to explain JEDI leadership and what it’s about, and how it can be applied to solve the problems of stakeholder capitalization.”

It all connects. He says the basis of JEDI

leadership is servant leadership and “servant leadership is really reinventing organizational hierarchy away from executives and back to value players — the people who are working for customers, the people who are working in service in communities and the environment who need to be supported the most. It’s not the executives, who have been getting the lion’s share of the financial returns.”

Leaders who choose to follow Harris’ path will need a combination of humility, will, and empathy. They will need to realize that “it’s not about me, it’s about the challenges we’re trying to face.” This will help them to lead people with a higher degree of empathy and understanding, and that’s when meaningful change can happen, Harris said.

Harris believes his vision comes from living and working on different continents among different cultures. “It takes a lot to gain the trust of people when you aren’t leading the way they are used to being led,” he said of those experiences. “How much do I believe in this? I could take the easy way out or stick to my guns and lead the way I believe is the right way to lead. I stuck to my guns. It’s not a Western thing or an Eastern thing,” he said of good leadership.

“Leadership is inspiring action in others and getting people to adopt a cause as their own,” he said.

To that end, Harris commended Martone and LHA’s mission. “She was talking about leadership when it wasn’t even on people’s minds. I find a like-minded kindred spirit in her and in the organization. I love what they are doing. I love what they stand for. Having an organization like LHA in the community will definitely add value and improve the conditions for the citizens of Harrisburg.”

For more information on Omar Harris’ leadership coaching and books, visit his website at www.omarlharris.com 7

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The cafeteria awaits students for lunch at Capital Area School for the Arts in Strawberry Square.

Demystifying Charter Schools in Pennsylvania

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Story and Photos by Deborah Lynch

n 1997, under Governor Tom Ridge, charter schools were created Brick-and-mortar school charters must be reviewed every five through the Pennsylvania Department of Education to provide years by the local school district. The charter schools must justify school choice with increased learning opportunities that included their existence by showing how they’ve managed their money and different and innovative teaching methods for all students. Local school how students have performed academically. The state department boards were granted authority to review and act upon applications for of education reviews the charters for cyber charters every five years. traditional charter schools while the Department of Education was The state established a Charter School Appeal Board (CAB), which can given that role with cyber charter schools. review decisions to deny charter applications or rule to not renew or Since then, many charter schools have been established across the revoke a charter. state. Charter schools are public schools, which means tuition comes For every child from a school district who attends a charter school, from federal, state, and local school district money (taxpayers). It the local school district must pay the tuition to that charter school. doesn’t matter what charter school a student attends, where it’s located, Pennsylvania provides some money per student to a school district, or whether it is brick-and-mortar or cyber, a school district will pay so, theoretically, that money would follow the student to a charter the same tuition. Tuition does differ between non-special education school. The amount a charter school receives is based on a statutory and special education students, with the funding formula, according to the state tuition for students with IEPs being much department of education. The original In the Harrisburg area higher. Tuition varies by school district 1997 charter law did not consider or and is calculated with a special formula anticipate cyber charters. alone, five brick-andbased on budgeted total expenditures of Sometimes, the allocation doesn’t mortar charter schools a school district — whatever is stipulated match the cost because state allocations as the cost for a district to educate a child. are based on a formula of budgeted will be operating this Instead of being governed by elected total expenditures of a school district — fall, along with several school board members, charter schools whatever is stipulated as the cost for a cyber charter schools. must be run by a non-profit entity district to educate a child. That means governed by boards of trustees, who are some school districts must pay more than appointed. Most charter schools use others for their students to attend charter lotteries for admissions. That means that admission is completely schools. In the Harrisburg area, in 2020-21, the charter school tuition random (although preference can be given for students within for a non-special education student ranged from $10,000/student the school district that authorizes the charter school), and when to about $13,000/student. That tuition increased to between about enrollments are met, that’s it. $23,000/student to $31,880/student for special education students.

In the Harrisburg area alone, five brick-and-mortar charter schools Education funding in Pennsylvania can be complex to figure out as will be operating this fall, along with several cyber charter schools. much of it is determined by local school taxes. School districts do also Those schools are Capital Area School for the Arts, Infinity Charter receive some state and federal funding. Harrisburg School District’s School, Premier Arts and Science Charter School, Sylvan Heights Science 2021-22 budget includes $2,465,661 as part of the state’s Level Up Charter School, and the newly approved PA STEAM Charter School. The equity supplement. The district applauds this funding, which it says is bulk of the brick-and- mortar charter schools are in Philadelphia. The necessary to help Harrisburg close the funding gap.

Harrisburg area also offers two cyber charter schools: Commonwealth “Due to chronic underfunding at the state level, school districts across Charter Academy Charter School and Reach Cyber Charter School.

Pennsylvania must rely on local wealth – property taxes – to fund their 34 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

schools,” Chris Celmer, formerly the acting superintendent of Harrisburg School District, said in a statement released by the school district. “Communities with a robust local tax base can raise sufficient funding to meet students’ needs, while students living in poor districts go without essential resources, even despite high property tax efforts.”

The number one contention school districts have with charter schools is funding. According to Dr. Sherri Smith, Deputy Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education through the Pennsylvania Department of Education, “funding creates the most difficult conversations between the two types of public schools.”

The reason, she said, is twofold: the high cost the local school districts must pay for students with IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) and the fact that the same amount is paid whether the student attends a brick-and-mortar charter school or a cyber charter school.

Smith, who previously served as superintendent of Lower Dauphin School District for many years, said she understands the issues as she has “perspective from both sides.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has been advocating for reform to the charter school law and funding structure that would help to create a special education formula like school districts use, Smith said, adding this would “take away some of the concerns of the cost of educating every child with an IEP going to a charter school.”

Lenny McAllister, CEO of Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, contends that amending the 1997 law isn’t the right approach, particularly since Pennsylvania’s public school code was written in 1949. “It was written with the ink of red-lining, it predates color television, landing on the moon, and the civil rights movement of the 20th Century,” he said.

“So, it’s disingenuous for us to say the 1997 law is archaic, but to keep amending the 1949 law. If we’re looking to reform and improve public education across the board in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I’m all for that.

“I’m not for addressing charters and allowing the foundational flaws in public education that disproportionately hurt the communities that disproportionately lean on charter schools,” McAllister said.

Marc LeBlond, senior policy analyst with the Commonwealth Foundation, would like to take things even further.

He advocates for education opportunity accounts (like a health savings account) in which tax money allocated for education would go into an account directed by See Charter Schools on Page 36

Welcome to CASA: A School That is Light, Welcoming, and Happy

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Story and Photos by Deborah Lynch

apital Area School for the Arts charter school very aptly draws correlations to the 2003 hit movie starring Jack Black, “School of Rock.” While the plot is not the same, the goal is — to help students recognize their artistic talents while developing leadership, cooperation, problemsolving, and academic skills.

CASA offers two-and-a-half hours per day of study in a chosen art, including creative writing, theatre, dance, visual art, film/video, and vocal or instrumental music. Students audition for their specific art, and are selected based solely on their audition — not on their academics, attendance, disciplinary record, or any other information. The acceptance rate is about 50 percent; some students are waitlisted, and, if they don’t make it off the waitlist, they can audition again the next school year.

The school evolved from a half-day model — started in 2001 as a partnership between Open Stage of Harrisburg and the Capital Area Intermediate Unit, in which students attended their home schools and then came to CASA for their chosen arts education — into a full-day charter school in 2013 when the school received charter status.

A charter school is created only when the local school district, in this case Harrisburg School District, grants the charter, which lasts for five years. CASA’s charter was reapproved in 2018. Today, CASA has as many as 205 students in 9th through 12th grades coming to the school in Strawberry Square, from 30 different school districts.

“We really have the kids that belong here,” said CASA CEO and Principal Tim Wendling.

“We’re a school filling a niche,” he said of the arts school that uses the city as its classroom.

“One of the keys to academic success is that they feel safe here, and that they want to come to school. Is it light, is it welcoming, is it happy? Are we responsive to their needs?

And, I think the answer to that is yes, and that’s why students are successful.”

CASA alum of the class of 2014, Erin Shellenberger, now office manager at Gamut Theatre, says her home school district was Mechanicsburg, but being at CASA allowed her to broaden her horizons in classrooms full of students who didn’t live in her neighborhood. “Gosh, I just love it,” she said.

“I loved being in a classroom with kids from different school districts. It was key to my development as a human being and an artist.”

Wendling said the school places a heavy emphasis on students collaborating with each other and challenging themselves. “Each kid is so unique that it’s impossible to have cliques.

They’re all here for a passion — something they all have in common despite coming from different socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.” he said. With kids from such a diverse geographic base, too, Wendling said the school makes it clear from the start that “we are all going to work together and as colleagues to achieve a common goal.”

Some of that leads to that collaboration and leadership CASA strives to give each student, as CASA dance teacher Tori Sexsmith, a CASA grad, notes: “Students can provide meaningful and purposeful feedback to one another.”

Sexsmith attended CASA during the transition from half-day to full-day charter school, and still recalls with excitement what it felt like to move into Strawberry Square.

“We had dressing rooms, a whole space just See CASA on Page 37 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 35

Charter Schools, continued from Page 35

parents rather than going directly to a school district. Parents would then have the choice to use the education funding to send their kids wherever they want — private school, charter school, cyber school, private tutor, public school, etc. He noted that Arizona and Florida offer this option, and that of course, an audit would be a component of such a system to ensure that funds were being spent on education.

Both LeBlond and McAllister contend that parents in lower performing school districts deserve the same opportunities for their children as those in wealthier districts. “Wealthy folks, they’re not worried about this. They can send their kids to a private school. People at lower income levels deserve that just as much,” LeBlond said.

One such parent is Najimah Roberson, who started an organization called Harrisburg Families United in September of 2020 to support Harrisburg families for school choice. “The biggest issue is that [we make sure] the families are being heard.

Anything we can do for families to help them focus on the child’s education is what we are about.”

She said she started the families’ group “both because the Harrisburg Lenny McAllister, CEO of schools weren’t doing what they Pennsylvania Coalition of should be doing, and because Public Charter Schools parents should have choice.”

A spokesperson with the Pennsylvania Department of Education supports parent choice saying the department has worked for the last seven years to raise the bar for school standards, and has worked to make sure parents have high quality educational choices, regardless of the type of school.

Roberson has three children in three different schools. One son attends Harrisburg School District’s SciTech campus, another attends Nativity School, and her daughter attends Harrisburg Catholic School.

Three different schools can be tricky, but she said her favorite part of it is “when these kids come home that dreadful question that all kids who come home from school hear, ‘How was school?’ I don’t have to ask that. My kid comes in the door and is full-faced bright, ‘Guess what we did at school?’ He is so excited.”

Celmer, who was acting superintendent for Harrisburg School District, but now serves as Director of Educational Turnaround with the Harrisburg Partnership at Montgomery Intermediate Unit, understands some of the frustrations parents had, particularly before Harrisburg School District offered a full cyber option. He says, however, that Covid pushed the district to speed up a cyber option, and it now offers a 100 percent online education (HVLA -- Harrisburg Virtual Learning Academy) as an option. Prior to Covid, Harrisburg School District did offer a hybrid or blended model through its Cougar Academy, where students could choose to go half-day, full-day, or 100 percent online.

“I can’t sit here as a former acting superintendent and complain 36 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

about cyber charters if we’re not willing to put the program up and compete, but we are willing to compete for our students,” he said. “It’s continued to evolve, and we believe it’s [HVLA] going to be a really, really robust option that will offer our families anything their student would get if they were attending a brick-and-mortar school.

“Our cyber program runs cheaper financially than the other cyber charters. From a taxpayer standpoint, financially, if it supports the school district academically and activity-wise, if they offer the same or more, why wouldn’t I want to consider having my child in it,” Celmer said. “We’re in a position now where we do offer a multitude of programming options for our families. If families want choice, we can provide that within our system.”

Celmer notes the value of the cyber and hybrid offerings of the HSD, saying it helps those students who have jobs or whose parents’ jobs don’t mesh with in-person schooling. “Our ultimate goal is to have an individualized program that meets every student’s needs.”

Both charter school proponents and public school leaders agree on one thing: the need to make all of the information on school options public and available to parents and students. Celmer said the district can offer the information, bring the numbers, and describe the reality, then allow parents to make their decisions. “We need to raise the level of awareness and education around this issue.”

Roberson agrees that information is the key, saying part of what Harrisburg Families United works to do is to help parents interpret the jargon. “When you pull up some things about school choice, it has professional jargon that parents are not really connecting with.” She said her group works to help parents understand that advertisements they might see about school choice actually do apply to their children in Harrisburg.

Although Gov. Wolf’s proposal to change charter school funding failed to pass this year, Celmer said he was pleased overall with the new state budget for schools that provides an increase in basic education funding. A federal program called ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) has provided stimulus money to help schools address issues with unfinished learning during Covid as well.

McAllister believes charter schools are helping to offer an equal playing field for the state’s disadvantaged children. He said that about 70 percent of the children in charter schools are eligible for free and reduced school lunches. “They are coming from communities where public education has failed those communities for decades,” he said.

Coming from the Pittsburgh area, where his baseball skills earned him a scholarship to the prestigious private school, Shadyside Academy, McAllister has experienced the difference that school choice can make in a life. “People have to see school choice, including public charter schools, as an option to improve socio-economics, to improve criminal justice issues, to improve civil rights issues, and to stabilize communities,” he said.

“When we look at charter schools vs. district schools only as a funding issue, we overlook and undervalue the cultural and societal advantages that having both strong district schools and strong charter schools provide us holistically,” McAllister said.

McAllister and other charter school proponents would like to see a day when public schools and charter schools work together as the kind of collaboration the 1997 law intended. He’d like to see dual enrollment allowed for charter school students with community colleges, and he’d like to see students within a district given the opportunity to take a course at a charter (or public school) that isn’t offered at the school they attend (like a language course, or an arts course, etc.).

See our related story about a charter school that has thrived with cooperation between the authorizing school district (Harrisburg), the charter school administrators, and the nearly 30 different school districts that send students to that school — Capital Area School for the Arts — helping to show that collaboration does work. 7

Students collaborate with teachers in their arts and general education classes daily while also getting 2 1/2 hours a day in their creative arts.

CASA, continued from Page 35

for us. That was something that was miraculous — the power of the arts being treated with the same seriousness and integrity as other academic institutions and sports. It felt like a level moment.”

Sexsmith said that CASA not only prepared her to be a teacher, but it inspired her to pursue teaching because “the staff treated students like they were college students.” She said she learned to work independently, to speak intelligently, and to present her art form, all of which prepared her not only for college, but to dance internationally and to work with others. “It’s nice to be in a place where what you want to learn is important enough to focus on.”

Current students echo Sexsmith’s experience, crediting good teachers, good academics, and a small class size with teachers who respond individually to their concerns. “It’s amazing to have secure academics that I know I can go to college with as well as do what I love to do — music,” said Evan Maldet, who primarily plays bass guitar.

In 2021, CASA was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 10 best performing charter high schools in Pennsylvania, as being among the top 20 percent of national charter high school rankings, and as one of the 10 best performing high schools in Central Pennsylvania (top 25 percent in Pennsylvania, and top 20 percent in the nation). Niche.com, which analyzes data and statistics from schools nationwide, placed CASA at No. 1 for best public teachers in Dauphin County and No. 2 for best public high school in Dauphin County for 2021. It also listed CASA as No. 2 out of 82 charter high schools in Pennsylvania and among the top 10 percent of best public schools in Pennsylvania and top 10 percent for best charter schools nationwide, among other designations.

Students also say CASA offers a lower stress environment and is

welcoming to all students. Robert Myers, an instrumental student who plays mandolin said, “We’re all a family … everyone is respectful of one another.”

His classmates echoed that and acknowledged that part of the reason for that supportive and respectful atmosphere is because administrators and teachers place a heavy emphasis on a positive school climate. “The administration is really supportive,” said Kate Murray, a theater student.

Although it is a school that focuses on the arts, general education academics are also stressed, and interestingly, those core subject teachers are as enthusiastic about the school and their students as the arts staff. Katie Flood, an English teacher who has been at CASA for five years after teaching abroad, said CASA is her favorite place of employment. “As teachers, we have freedom and trust from the administration. We’re not micromanaged, which is helpful. The smaller class sizes help us to work with students one-on-one. That’s reflected in our scores. We are able to work with the kids. … I feel so fulfilled.”

Erica Leonard, a seventh-year history teacher at CASA, agrees, adding that “it’s really fun to be with the kids and to see them grow artistically and academically. When the kids come here, it’s nice to see them transform and blossom. You don’t get to see that in every school.

It’s different here.”

A proud moment for Leonard: 2018 CASA grad Taylor Stoessel changed her major while studying at Penn State so that she could become a history teacher. Stoessel has come back to CASA to observe her mentor and to help with lesson plans. “As a classroom teacher, I still have the same concerns about reaching every kid. I actually get to spend more time with my students at CASA than I had at other schools. Because it’s smaller, I feel overall more supported as an educator,” Leonard said.

See CASA on Page 38 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 37

CASA, continued from Page 37

Alum Shellenberger commended the teachers’ skills at facilitating discussions during her years at CASA, their abilities to be hands off to allow students to lead discussions and projects while guiding them.

“It was the most frustrating activity I’ve been a part of in an academic setting, but it was so, so fruitful,” she said. “Teens can have an attitude and question authority — especially kids who are a little artistic. They [the teachers] put up with a lot and their hearts were really big. It was evident every day.”

Another benefit for CASA students is not only exposure to, but also encouragement to pursue non-traditional post-education options,

38 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

too. Through that, 2019 alum Emily Reusswig learned about and chose The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City, which she said has been a perfect fit.

Her theatre and dance background at CASA prepared her to attend the school where dance legend Martha Graham used to teach.

“I think just being able to focus two hours a day on something that you’re just passionate about is so special and a very rare experience,” Reusswig said.

While many CASA grads hope to pursue their arts post graduation, others also pursue traditional careers that their strong academics have prepared them for, and go on to places like Princeton, HACC, Penn State, arts schools, NYU, the military, and the workforce.

“Some kids use art as their passion and their release, and are going to school for something else,” Wendling acknowledged, while Assistant Principal Amanda Rhinehart agreed, noting, “Our academic programs are so strong and rigorous that our kids are exceptionally prepared for their post-secondary education and careers in STEM and every possible career field — from business to marketing to the arts.”

CASA is much more than a step ahead of “School of Rock.” In the movie, Black’s character inspired his prep school students to a successful Battle of the Bands performance that showcased their newly found confidence, which led to the founding of an after-school School of Rock. The reality at CASA is even more harmonious — 2½ hours of each school day pursuing a passion.

For more information about the school, visit www.casa-arts.org 7

Book displays at Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill are eye-catching.

Book a fall schedule full of library events Story and Photos by Deborah Lynch

T

hrough the years, public libraries have offered troves of educational opportunities. Even without programming, the stacks and stacks of books hold a college full of information on everything from auto repair to drug allergies, and flower arranging to engineering, not to mention fictional escapes and epic non-fiction tales to inspire browsers.

In more recent years, libraries have become synonymous with storytime for toddlers and elementary children, and book clubs for older readers. They also become the community hotspot for free wifi and computer use. Most libraries have large rooms available for public reservation.

Still, that’s not enough. Area librarians continue to dig even deeper to create classes, events, and career opportunities for residents.

Ironically, the pandemic offered an opportunity to reach even more people through virtual programming.

“Virtual programming for adults offered an important connection between community members during isolation,” said Alyson Tran, adult programming manager for Hershey Public Library. “It allowed us to learn new skills, meet new people, and get outside our house if only virtually.”

Librarians recognized the unexpected value of virtual programming.

“Continuing to offer virtual programs allows more people to experience programming who may have accessibility challenges or simply don't want to drive in bad weather,” Tran said.

Ashley Famularo, adult programming and outreach coordinator for the Dauphin County Library System, also sees the continuing importance of virtual programs. “While it was a challenge and it definitely wasn’t for everyone, we do see the benefits of offering virtual services,” she said, adding that this fall, in addition to recording some live appearances that will be made available along with some sessions presented only virtually on the library system’s YouTube channel,

classes will also be more of a blend between in-person and virtual.

Lori Loss, interim director of Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill, said the library’s ebook offerings and virtual gatherings were important to patrons, too. “We’ve had many letters of thanks saying, ‘thanks, you sustained us.’ … People were really grateful for that,” she said.

Along with creating better email communication with patrons, librarians also realized that some patrons find virtual sessions to be more convenient — particularly those living in more remote areas.

It also allowed people from all parts of the state or even other states to participate. These classes were able to bring people from diverse economic, cultural, racial, and geographic backgrounds together.

“If we learned nothing else through this pandemic, we learned how much we need one another; these events also offer important social connections to our community,” said Jessica Nupponen, community events coordinator for Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill. “And – in a time when we are both more connected and more divided than ever – programs about other cultures can expand our horizons and create an empathetic connection.”

In addition to a large offering of adult programs and events, Fredricksen Library also houses a business and career center, which has full-time staff offering a myriad of classes, training, and resources for job seekers and employers. Loss found the ability to take the center’s career programs virtual when so many workers were struggling during the pandemic helped the library to continue to help those most in need.

“During the shutdown itself, we daily put information on the website about how people could get jobs, who was hiring right now, information on how to get CARES funds or small business information,” Loss said.

“We helped people find the information they needed at that time when it was so difficult for everybody.”

See Libraries on Page 40 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 39

Hershey Public Library plans to continue virtual programming Libraries, continued from Page 39

The three pillar programs of the Business and Career Center at Fredricksen Library are Career Exploration, Resume Writing Workshop, and Get That Job. The programs are distributed also through CareerLinks. This means that the library can sign off on paperwork for those who must document job searches to get unemployment and benefits from the state. The classes are built around what it takes to get and keep a job, finding the best job search sites, and personal and professional best series on time management and stress management.

They work on goal setting and staying positive during times of change.

The Business and Career Center also offers workshops on how to use the Google and Microsoft Office suites, cloud storage, social media classes, and other technology needs. It offers resources and volunteers for SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Entrepreneurs) and business roundtables. It partners with the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities for investing, budgeting, and how to use credit classes.

In-person, virtual, and hybrid classes will continue to be offered through Fredricksen’s Business and Career Center. All of Fredricksen’s programs serve people primarily from six municipalities — East Pennsboro, Hampden, Lemoyne, Lower Allen, Camp Hill, and Wormleysburg.

At Hershey Public Library, a variety of classes continued throughout Covid. Librarians also helped patrons through calls or one-on-one Zoom sessions to learn to use virtual platforms. “Our vision is to learn how to use both in-person and virtual to the highest effectiveness,” Tran said of future programming.

Dauphin County libraries also kept programs running with Zoom rooms, in partner programs with the PA Monument Project and a relationship with the Dauphin County Bar Association and MidPenn Legal Services, to create the Lawyers in Libraries series. Some virtual programs, like a Spanish language group, will continue virtually since members from many different Dauphin County libraries attend (Dauphin County Library Systems include East Shore Library in Colonial Park; Elizabethville; Millersburg; Kline, Olewine, and McCormick Riverfront libraries in Harrisburg; Northern Dauphin Library in Lykens; and Alexander Family Library in Hummelstown).

Virtual library offerings also helped to sustain children. The Dauphin County Library system had virtual storytimes that included a pony 40 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

listening in on the virtual storytelling, and offered parents a chance to get work done or participate in a different online forum while their children were kept occupied with an online story program.

“I can’t stress the importance of the children’s library during the pandemic enough,” Loss said. “We made videos, and the kids looked forward to the videos and the characters the programmers would use.

It was almost like the kids had a friend during that time.”

All local libraries have a full slate of programs available for patrons of all ages this fall, and they’ve taken the positives they learned during the pandemic and applied them to future programming. That means virtual events will continue alongside in-person events.

“I feel that the virtual could actually enhance our programming,” Loss said of Fredricksen’s decision to continue some virtual programs.

“A lot of things we kept since we opened back up on June 1, 2020. We have consistently seen foot traffic uptick. Foot traffic is bustling right now. … For those who aren’t comfortable, we can offer them this other option or a hybrid option. That extra kind of service we can provide to keep our community happy and engaged.”

Libraries continue to do what they have always done well: serve the public with a wide range of free and low-cost programs. “We knock down that barrier,” Famularo said, noting that Dauphin County Library System programs are free and that any community member can get a library card.

The following list provides a sampling of adult fall programming, but readers should visit the library websites for more complete information — including dates, times, and platforms — on programming for people of all ages.

With eight different branches, the Dauphin County Library System recognizes the value of virtual programming for its patrons.

Dauphin County Library System www.dcls.org Programs include the following: Take and Make Craft Kits; Dungeons and Dragons; Crazy for Coloring; Foraging Wild Edibles; Developing a Gratitude Practice; Third in the Burg: Grown-up Storytime; Third in the Burg: Haunted Library Tour; Holiday Music at the Library; Introduction to Genealogy Resources; Medicare 101; Lawyers in Libraries; Achieving the Fundraising Success Trifecta: Effective, Efficient & Enjoyable; The Next Chapter Book Club; and Spanish Language Conversation Group.

Fredricksen Library, Camp Hill (Part of the Cumberland County Library System) www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org/FRE The library has a long list of programs for each month this fall. Some are one time events, others continue into following months, so be sure to check the online listings. Programs for September include the following: Language at the Library: Italian; Language at the Library: Spanish (Beginner & Intermediate); Language at the Library: Spanish (Fluent Speakers’ Conversation); Language at the Library: French (all levels); Italian for Beginners I; Italian for Beginners II; Moving Forward Book Group; Concert on the Lawn with Shea Quinn and Friends!; Monthly Blood Drive; Index RPG Nights; Great Stories; Fredricksen Writes; Curl Up with the Classics; Philosopher’s Roundtable; Film Fridays (“Three Identical Strangers”); Natalie D. Craumer Writers Workshop; Curl Up with the Classics Series: Les Miserables; Paint & Sip; Rock Your Paper with Your Scissors; Paint & Sip; Film Discussion: “Three Identical

Strangers”; Twisted Stitchers; Intro to Digital Photography; Saturday Fredricksen Reads: “Sooley” by John Grisham; Fredricksen Reads: “The Tattooist of Auschwitz”; Hear Me Out: a discussion series; and Travel Live with the World Affairs Council of Harrisburg.

Hershey Public Library www.hersheylibrary.org/home See the webpage for more on regularly occurring classes or events. Events this fall include the following: Zoom discussion with Evan Weiner: 1971: Ping Pong Diplomacy Opens China; Zoom with Women in Music Series: Folk, Americana, and Blues; Zoom for Heroes of Flight 93; A Day at the Library: 3 Fun Events — Robert Watson on George Washington’s Final Battle, Chocolate Town Book Festival with local authors, and Piano Nite featuring local pianists of all ages; AM Radio Memories: Hit Songs and Stories of the 60s, 70s, and 80s; Zoom session with Thirsty Radish presenting The Art of Coziness: Food, Holistic Strategies, and Seasonal Tips for a Cozier Life; Christopher McDougall author talk on “Running with Sherman”; and Black Holes Demystified with Robert Naeye. 7

Fredricksen Library offers many pleasant reading displays and nooks where readers can curl up with a book.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 41

Artful Inspirations Around Us

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Chantal Nga Eloundou, Stefan Hawkins, Jonathan Diggs Duke, Vivi, Joanne Landis, Bethany Nicholle, Reina 76, Ann Benton Yeager, T.J. Lowrie

A Slice of Cameroon in Midtown Story by Christina Heintzelman

cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com

T

ucked away in a tiny storefront in the 1400 block of N 3rd St, Chantal Nga Eloundou’s clothing boutique, Nyianga Store, with its window of colorful fashions beckons the passerby to enter and be transported to a small slice of an African market stall. ‘Nyianga’ means style, fashion, elegance in the Eton language of Cameroon and that is exactly what Nga has created.

Exciting color combinations of green and blue, yellow and red, orange and indigo - and almost any other combination imaginable - greets the eyes in an explosion of patterns and clothing styles meant to charm and tease you into trying on any number of different items which beckon from the wall-hung displays of dresses, skirts, shirts, blouses, and headwraps. Once a style is chosen, you can then move on to accessories such as jewelry, head coverings, and purses to complete the ensemble.

Nga has been surprising her shoppers in her 3rd Street location with vivid clothing, jewelry, accessories, paintings, and sculptures since 2018. Before that time, she had a small table which she operated for almost 3 years as a pop-up vendor at Broad Street Market, located 2 blocks south of her current location.

“I had no plan to open a store when I came to the Harrisburg area in 2012. In fact, I had taken all my prerequisites for a BA in nursing before moving here and then found that my credits wouldn’t transfer to a university except one that was more than an hour and a half away from Harrisburg, which meant I would have to start all 42 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

over,” she states. “At that point I was feeling down and needed to find a job, but I wasn’t sure where to start.” She then adds, “Things happen for a reason, and I had to accept that I was being pushed in another direction. I needed to create a means to an end to support myself.” She says, “I trust in the universe; the universe handles me because I am part of it.”

Fate intervened when her niece, Virginie Ondoa, who is now her business partner in Cameroon, sent her a box of African crafts to use as Christmas presents. With what Nga had left after she gave presents to people, she put up a small table at a craft fair sponsored

by Holy Family Church in Harrisburg - and was soon surprised with the money she earned. That gave her the idea of the pop-up stand in the Farmer’s Market. “I started small with half a table of jewelry, but soon realized that I would need to diversify in order to have customers return to my stand each week at the market.”

Her customers helped her with that diversification by suggesting various items that they would like to see her carry. One of these items was shea butter. Shea butter comes from the shea tree which only grows in the dry savannah belt stretching from West Africa to East Africa. This is where the trade winds named Harmattan blow from the northeast to the northwest and the legend is that, because of this trade wind, shea trees only grow there.

Shea butter is made from the shea nut. The nuts are cracked to obtain the kernel, which is roasted then ground into paste, from

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Stefan Hawkins

which oil is extracted. The oil portion obtained can be used in cooking or confectionary products such as chocolate. Shea butter which is used as a body cream comes from the oil, which is cooled and then turns to butter at room temperature. Nga has a group of women in Cameroon preparing the shea nut and converting it into a butter, exclusively for her - ensuring total control of the purity of the product. “Real shea butter should never be refined or bleached,” Nga adds. When the butter arrives at her store from Cameroon, she does the final whipping and sometimes adds essential oils to create a scent.

What started as a means to an end ended up as Nga’s passion, and though she decided that she needed to have a store-front, she wasn’t sure that she could afford to take that leap. As luck would have it, when she found her current space, she met a woman who wanted to open a business in the other half of the property. Nga would be able to afford the space, as long she was willing to help the other woman with her business.

Unfortunately, the woman ended up not opening her store, and once again Nga was faced with uncertainty. That is, until fate intervened again, when the landlord was able to make a few concessions for the Nyianga Store to stay.

“Many times, I have had to turn difficulties into opportunities, and I am all the stronger and focused because of this,” she states. “In every stage of my life I honor my mother and am willing to sacrifice for a better future. I am willing to make the necessary choices.”

Once Nga found her permanent location on Third Street, she began to seriously enter the realm of clothing design. Nga’s niece, Virginie, sends her photos of various fabrics available from locations in Cameroon, and, as Nga sees these fabrics via phone link, she begins to create the clothing design that she thinks would be best for the fabric pattern. “I am an artist in my mind as I do not make sketches of clothing designs but rather use various native African styles, adding my unique interpretations, and I convey this to Virginie during a phone call.” All the designs are created by her workshop in Cameroon, which is overseen by Virginie, and then

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Bethany Nicholle & Ann Benton Yeager

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Emma Danowski, Vivi's granddaughter HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 43

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Darwin Oordt & Chantal Nga Eloundou

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Ann Benton Yeager & son, T.J. Lowrie

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Vivi

shipped here as finished products. Nga has a small sewing area in her store which enables her to make necessary alterations for whomever buys a specific garment.

Nga’s journey to the United States from Nkol-Bewoa (meaning the hill of the chimpanzees), Cameroon, Africa, was circuitous in route. When she was in her 20’s, she left her small rural village in Cameroon and travelled to Brest, France, staying there a few years before travelling on to Nantes. Because one of the official languages of Cameroon is French, this was an easy transition.

Her next move was to Owensboro, Kentucky. “The friendliness of the people and the delicious barbeque was a perfect first place for me in the United States, and this is where I learned to speak English.” Next, she went to upstate New York, and this is where she began studying for her degree in nursing. After her studies, she left New York for Harrisburg, PA, to enroll in college and finish her BA in nursing. This was when she found that she could not transfer her credits to a local university and her life took a turn toward fashion and design. Nga states. “My plan was always to go back to Cameroon, but now here I am in Harrisburg - and I’m sure I’ll stay.” And hopefully that will remain her wish as she adds to the diversity of people, products, and cultures through her store here in Midtown Harrisburg.

Nga can be found on Facebook: NyiangaStore, Website: nyianga.com, or via email: nga. mystore@yahoo.com 7

Artists Wearing Art Story by Christina Heintzelman

cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com

H PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Joanne Landis 44 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

arrisburg Magazine decided it would be fun to tie in Chantal Nga Eloundou’s artistic clothing creations to various artists who live in our area, and aptly title it ‘Artists Wearing Art’.

Nga states, “It is important to me that people from a diverse background feel comfortable in my clothing and understand that I have created my designs for everyone. Even though my style and colors are from Cameroon, the goal is to make these styles accessible to

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Reina 76

everyone of every age who wants a pop of color and design in their wardrobe.”

A photo shoot was set up which include diverse artists who have appeared in Harrisburg Magazine and a few others who are new-found artistic talents to us.

Our artists/models chose their fashion and accessories from Nga’s existing stock to create the exciting and colorful looks in this article.

Harrisburg Magazine wishes to thank the artist/models and Jeb Boyd, photographer, for this session, for their time and energy to make this a success.

Joanne Landis: Harrisburg Magazine, May 2021. She can be reached on Facebook as Joanne Landis Artist.

Reina 76: Harrisburg Magazine, December 2020. She can be reached on Facebook and Instagram as Reina Wooden and in Studio 318 in The Millworks.

Jeb Boyd and Chantal Nga Eloundou: Chantal, Harrisburg Magazine September 2021, she can be reached on Facebook and Instagram as NyiangaStore and email at nga.mystore@yahoo.com - Jeb Boyd Harrisburg Magazine December 2020.

He can be reached on his website www. nikonjeb./format.com. Also you can visit his and partner Vivi’s store at 258 Verbeke St. Congratulations to Bethany Nicholle, Michelle Green, and Ann Benton Yeager who received the first ever Harrisburg Magazine

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Jeb Boyd & Chantal Nga Eloundou

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Rory Danowski, Vivi's grandson

Simply the Best and Readers' Choice awards for Artist. Bethany Nicholle and Michelle Green tied for Simply the Best and Ann Benton Yeager won Readers' Choice.

Michelle Green is the owner of Nyeusi Gallery, Harrisburg's newest gallery. She can be reached on Facebook as Nyeusi Gallery.

Bethany Nicholle can be reached on Facebook as Behthany Nicholle Artist/Author.

Ann Benton Yeager, Harrisburg Magazine Nominations Issue 2021, can be reached at her website Annbentonart.com or via email at annbentonart@gmail.com. She also has Studio #103 located in The Millworks.

Stefan Hawkins: owner of Good Brotha’s Book Café and bi-monthly columnist for Harrisburg Magazines’s ‘By The Book’. He can be reached on Facebook as Good Brothas Book Café.

Vivi: Harrisburg Magazine December 2020. She can be reached on Facebook as Vivi on Verbeke or at her and partner Jeb’s store at 258 Verbeke St. Rory Danowski and Emma Danowski, Grandchildren of Vivi, wearing their own creations from The Nyianga Store.

Kiki and Cherish future fashion designers and fashionistas. 7

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Stefan Hawkins HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 45

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA HEINTZELMAN

Kiki and Cherish, future fashion designers.

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA HEINTZELMAN

Bryan "Kingprolifik" Hickman 46 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA HEINTZELMAN

Michelle Green

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA HEINTZELMAN

Ann Benton Yeager & Bethany Nicholle

PHOTO BY JEB BOYD

Chantal Nga Eloundou & Jonathan Diggs Duke

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA HEINTZELMAN

Kiki and Cherish, future fashion designers.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021 47

48 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021