t i c s ! a t d n a B s 2013 Band Festival ’ r u o t n n-Mo o t n y Car l
Special Section: Health and Wellness Page 21
School News winter Fall 2013 2013 icmags.com
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Contents winter
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features 21 Special Section: Health & Wellness How to live a healthier, happier, longer life.
35 Wolfpack Boxing Club Offers Something for Everyone
Wolfpack Boxing Club is for the young, old, male or female who want to get in shape — and have fun!
39 The Power of Four Four Crafton women — two in their 90s — remember the shut-ins at Christmas.
10 on the cover Paige Lherbier, Carlynton Cougarette and junior, does her part to represent the district during the Annual Festival of Bands. Photos by Primetime Shots, Inc.
departments 4 6 7
From the Publisher IN the Loop IN Person
10 41 56
IN Events School News INCognito
sponsored content Business Spotlights 15 Hawthorne Partners 38 Keller Williams 19 Dan Ryan Builders
Industry Insights 17 Planning Your Estate: Julian Gray Associates 20 Saving for College: South West Communities 26 Dental Health: Ingram Family Dentistry 31 Your Health: Robinson Chiropractic 54 Pain Management: Ohio Valley General Hospital
35
IN Community is a publication dedicated to representing, encouraging and promoting the Carlynton-Montour area and its comprising municipalities by focusing on the talents and gifts of the people who live and work here. Our goal is to provide readers with the most informative and professional regional publication in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 3
FROM THE
PUBLISHER PUBLISHER Wayne Dollard EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Julie Talerico j.talerico@icmags.com REGIONAL EDITORS Mark Berton [South, West and Erie] m.berton@icmags.com
At Seven Springs with my wife Lisa and our three sons.
Top-notch health care, education, banking and technology are what make Pittsburgh known, but our communities are what make us home. Home – where you live, go to school, shop, work and play – is what IN Community Magazines is all about. Each quarter, we bring you the latest news and information about schools, businesses, nonprofits and the people who make them exceptional. We also bring you coverage of interesting events and articles about historical sites you may pass every day without even knowing. We like to surprise you with little-known facts about your community and profile intriguing people who’ve made their mark locally – and sometimes even globally. One thing that makes our communities in western Pennsylvania special is the beautiful seasons. As autumn comes to an end and the snow begins to fall, we hope you take some time to enjoy the many winter activities our area has to offer and hit the slopes, sled ride, cross-country ski or ice skate at one of our many beautiful parks. Or simply build a snowman in the backyard! The staff at IN Community Magazines wishes you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy New Year!
Wayne Dollard Publisher
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in the
Loop What’s news in Carlynton-Montour
Nemetz Brings Broadway Razzle Dazzle To Carnegie Carnegie Hall Lenora Nemetz, Pittsburgh’s queen of song and dance, will wrap up 2013 with a showcase of her amazing body of work at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall’s annual benefit. “Lenora! Lenora Nemetz Brings Broadway to Carnegie Carnegie Hall” takes place Saturday, December 28th at 8 p.m. Event sponsors at the time of this printing include: Rose Kutsenkow, Landau Building Company, Snyder Brothers Exxon, and Standard Ceramic Supply Company. “Lenora!” will be followed by an elegant reception on all three floors of the historic landmark ACFL&MH facility: in the Reception Hall; in the chic basement Studio; and audience members can “belly up” for refreshments at the Library’s historic circulation desk. Tickets are $125 apiece ($90 tax deductible) for reserved seats in the orchestra or $75 apiece ($40 tax deductible) for open historic seating in the balcony. Proceeds from the concert benefit the Library & Music Hall and the restoration of its historic facility. Tickets may be purchased at www.carnegiecarnegie.org or by calling 412.276.3456, x13.
Montour Junior Takes the MAC
Montour junior, Amanda Bruscemi,16, won the MAC (Midwestern Atlantic Conference) girls tennis for the “No. 1 Singles” division. Sixteen teams participated,
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including, Ambridge, Beaver, Beaver Falls, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Ellwood City, Hopewell, Mars, Montour, Moon, Neshannock, New Brighton, Quaker Valley, Riverside, Rochester and West Allegheny. Amanda defeated the Moon Amanda Bruscemi opponent, Cam Beer, in the final match with a score of 10-3.
St. Philip News
Champion Racer St. Philip 8th grader Macaila Ziolkowski won her division at the FirstEnergy AllAmerican Soap Box Derby at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio. 6,000 boys and girls aged 7 through 17 competed in regional competitions in the U.S., Canada, Japan and New Zealand. Only 400 of them were invited to the Soap Box Derby World Championships in Akon. Macaila qualified for the Ohio Championships at the Regional Trials in McKeesport. Racers competed in 13 categories. Macaila finished in first place in the local stock division. She won a trophy, gold ring, racing jacket and a Macaila Ziolkowski $3,000 scholarship. Ingram Days Parade Even though school was not in session, St. Philip teachers, students, and family members turned out in great numbers to be part of the Ingram Days Parade. The marchers shared candy and St Philip School Spirit with parade goers.
inPerson
Aerospace Ace
Breaking barriers in high-speed flight, supercomputing and nurturing the next generation of scientists, Peyman Givi does Pittsburgh proud. By Elvira DiPaolo-Hoff
I
nterviewing Dr. Peyman Givi of Kennedy, who has been honored for his groundbreaking work by such stalwart institutions as NASA and the White House, is a bit like an exercise in combustion. Not surprisingly, the James T. MacLeod Professor of both mechanical and petroleum engineering at the University of Pittsburgh is a worldrenowned expert in combustion, specifically as it relates to jet engines flying as fast as 10 times the speed of sound. At any given moment, Givi will be answering a question and suddenly hit upon a thought that ignites an emphatic discourse into one or another of the various subjects he holds dear. His feelings on Pittsburgh: “I love Pittsburgh so much, as Pittsburghers are the nicest people I have ever met.” On NASA funding: “One of the biggest mistakes people make is to ask ‘Why is all this money being used to go into space when we have so many poor people here on Earth?’ But it’s not just about going to space. NASA research has led to major discoveries that help all of us on Earth every day.”
On his colleagues at Pitt: “Pitt knows how to hire good people. We have some of the best people in physics and some of the best people in computer science and even though I am in engineering, I am working with them on these projects and it is really, really making me a lot more intelligent.” On the capability of his students: “My students write calculations about how fluids behave inside of a combustor. They can make movies of the fluid and the flames and how they mix within the engine—in fact, they can show you what goes on in there in many cases better than if the engine was actually BUILT and you took a camera to look inside it.” There’s nary a wishy-washy answer, except maybe on whether the character of Sheldon Cooper, the socially bumbling but ever lovable genius on CBS’ “Big Bang Theory”, is indeed accurate in his assessment that theoretical physicists are the smartest people in the world: “I kind of agree.” continued on page 8 Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 7
continued from page 7 The conversation is never boring, and may actually inspire even the most scientifically illiterate of listeners to want to check out a book from the library on quantum physics—and actually read it. Last May, Givi, who also co-directs Pitt’s PhD Program in Computational Modeling and Simulation, landed a $3.7 million U.S. Air Force grant to develop computational algorithms that will enable quantum computers to solve the highly complex equations used to model turbulent combustion—how engine fluids ignite and behave at varying speeds. The QCFD (Quantum Computing/Computational Fluid Dynamics) “dream team” is comprised of theoretical and experimental physicists, mechanical engineers, and quantum information scientists from Pitt, the University of Vienna, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Givi is the principal investigator. “Whereas a ‘bit’ of information in a classical computer can be represented by only two points (either a zero or a one), a ‘qubit’ in a quantum computer is instead represented as any point on the surface of a 3D sphere,” explains Pitt professor and theoretical physicist Dr. Andrew Daley, a colleague of Givi’s on the QCFD team. “This is why a quantum computer—with the types of specially designed computational algorithms we are aiming to create—could be so immensely powerful. An equation that might take years to solve today, could be cracked in mere seconds.” Givi’s existing classical equations on modeling turbulent reacting flows are already being used in 20 universities nationally and in nearly two dozen other countries as far out as Kazakhstan. If these equations can one day be solved on a quantum level, it would have a revolutionary impact on the future prediction of jet engine systems designed for hypersonic flight or velocities more than five times the speed of sound. “We are really pushing the limits of supercomputing,” says Givi. “Pushing the limits” seems to come naturally to Givi, who was awarded NASA’s Public Service Medal in 2005 for his contributions to the design process of hypersonic-speed propulsion systems. “He has developed a very, very accurate means of modeling the turbulent flow in these propulsion systems,” says 38-year NASA veteran Dr. J. Philip Drummond, who headed up the Combustion Group at Langley Research Center that funded Givi’s work. “His calculations are probably the best available in the world to be able to model 8 724.942.0940 to advertise | Carlynton-Montour
these types of flows and get the kind of details necessary to understand how these engines are performing.” Givi is again emphatic as to the immensely exciting eventual byproducts of such research. “The physics of high-speed transport is something people need to know about. Wouldn’t you like to be able to fly from here to China in two hours instead of 24? That’s what this type of research is leading to.” As the computer simulations he and his students produce demand gargantuan amounts of data, Givi is also the principal investigator on a National Science Foundation
grant to study advanced data management technology. “When you are doing these kinds of calculations, you are generating billions of megabytes of data,” explains Givi. “How to store this data, move it around, visualize it, and reduce it without damaging it is becoming a major issue in science. For example, let’s say you are using 5,000 points of data to simulate a figure of a horse. By reducing it to 50 points, you do not want to see an orangutan; you still want to see a horse. This is extremely, extremely challenging when you are dealing with the amounts of data we generate to model turbulent reacting flows.” “Peyman is fascinated by this stuff and is so enthusiastic and intellectually curious,” says Pitt Computer Science Professor Alexandros Labrinidis, a co-principal investigator on the NSF grant and co-director of the university’s Advanced Data Management Technologies Lab. “He doesn’t just take what we say at face value—he wants to understand the reasoning and add to his learning which makes the work so much more interactive and, well, fun.” And when it comes to fun, Givi is a huge believer. In fact, he’s quick to point out that if it weren’t for his many and varied interests outside of academia, which include everything from taking flamenco guitar lessons to cross-training with military fitness experts, he could not achieve professional success. “I have hundreds of pages of mathematical equations that we develop weekly. Some of these equations have never been developed
He doesn’t just take what we say at face value — he wants to understand the reasoning and add to his learning which makes the work so much more interactive and, well, fun. before, so you are sitting in a room staring at the wall for hours trying to figure out how to close an equation, or manipulate it, or put it in a language the computer can understand. And then sometimes the computer gives you a solution that goes against your intuition so you’re constantly thinking, and I find that if I don’t do things like the cross-training and jogging and playing guitar or tennis, my brain cannot create.” In fact, Givi actually encourages his students, who have a tendency to spend 15 hours a day studying, to cut back and spend more time eating well, exercising regularly and developing hobbies. “It fuels the brain.” “Obviously, Peyman’s work as a research scientist has had an international impact but what also impresses me a great deal about him is the contribution he is making to train the next generation of scientists,” says Drummond. “He is highly regarded for producing really, really strong students who can go and drive universities, government agencies and the private sector. He not only produces a technically qualified student, but he works very, very hard to produce one with the right character and the right attitude and I think that’s every bit as important as the technical side.” Drummond goes on to add that his former research position at NASA’s Langley Research Center was filled by one of Givi’s graduates. On this subject, Givi brims with pride. “I tell you, my graduate students are some of the best in the nation. I have two graduates who are research scientists at NASA centers. I have lots of them who are full professors themselves now at the country’s top
universities. And I have students being hired in industry by companies like Honeywell, ANSYS, and Rolls-Royce. They are all over the place.” “One of the things that makes him unique is that the students he accepts into his doctoral program aren’t always ‘the best of the best’ on paper,” says former student Dr. Virgil Adumitroaie, a software engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. “Lots of times, he will take a ‘better’ student that he sees has potential. It gives him satisfaction to groom these students and watch them succeed.” Adds Givi: “Many university administrators do not appreciate the fact that students with less than a perfect GPA can become magnificent researchers.” Maybe it’s Givi’s own past personal odds that propel him to create opportunities for promising young students. After all, fresh out of high school, he couldn’t even speak English. Born in Tehran of a Persian father and a Georgian mother, Givi didn’t immigrate to the U.S. until after graduating high school. His first stop here was at Iowa State to learn English. Next stop was a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Youngstown State University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. Then on to CMU for his PhD – and the start of his love affair with Pittsburgh. Post-graduate, he worked as a research scientist at Flow Industries in Seattle and a University Distinguished Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at SUNY-Buffalo before returning to his adopted hometown. “I was telling my neighbor the other day: It is really an honor for me to be considered a Pittsburgher,” says Givi. “While I have many great friends in Seattle and Buffalo, I always felt very jealous not to be here when I watched Steelers games on TV, with the crowd in black and gold. I became a Steelers fan before I even knew how American football worked!” In addition to Steelers home games this fall, Givi is excitedly anticipating the 2013 American Physical Society’s Annual Fluid Dynamics Conference which he was asked to co-chair and which is expected to draw nearly 3,000 attendees to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in late November. “We broke a record this year with the highest number of abstracts ever submitted for the conference,” says Givi. “It’s amazing how Pittsburgh can attract so many good people!” And Givi, undoubtedly, is one of them. ■ Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 9
inEVENTS
Carlynton Band Participates in Mt. Lebanon’s 19th Annual Festival of Bands
For nearly 20 years, one of the region’s most popular band festivals has been the Mt. Lebanon Annual Festival of Bands, and this year, Carlynton wowed the audience with its musical prowess. Hosting regional bands from Allderdice to Upper St. Clair, and special performances by Westminster College’s band and the Lebo drum and frontline, the festival was a night of music to ring in the fall. Photos by Primetime Shots, Inc.
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inEVENTS
The Kyiv Ukrainian Dancers Perform
The Andrew Carnegie Music Hall hosted the Kyiv Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and the Ukrainian Cultural Trust Choir, and special guest Ukrainian Cultural Trust Choir. “Generations: A Ukrainian American Story” is the story of Lesia, who learns about her family’s culture and heritage through her grandmother. The story tells of their strife in coming to America, as well as their days in Ukraine. The Kyiv Ukrainian Dance Ensemble is based out of Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Carnegie. Photos by Primetime Shots, Inc.
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Sponsored Content
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Life just got a whole lot Easier.
New in North Fayette…A community that offers the homes and lifestyle you’ve been looking for!
M
owing, shoveling or mulching should not fit into the “important” or “celebrate” category of one’s life. For this reason, Epcon Homes and Communities has introduced its newest single-level living and low-maintenance community, Courtyards at The Preserves, to North Fayette Township. “We offer a low-maintenance lifestyle and home to those who are looking to simplify,” says Lisa Scarmazzi, who, along with her husband Paul, owns Hawthorne Partners, Inc., the Pittsburgh-based Epcon franchisee. “Our residents range from active retirees and single-again adults to young professionals; anyone looking for more time to do the things they want to do, not have to do!” If you’re not familiar with Epcon’s homes, communities or commitment to the region, you won’t have to go far. Recently ranked as one of Pittsburgh’s Top Ten Home Builders, Epcon has developed seven communities in the Pittsburgh area and has provided over 400 families with the low-maintenance lifestyle they desire. An unparalleled pledge to affording homeowners with a more carefree choice of home ownership has earned Hawthorne Partners the prestigious Guildmaster with Distinction Award, a national recognition for exemplary customer satisfaction, for the past eight years. In addition, as part of the company’s commitment to giving back, Epcon makes a monetary donation in each new homeowner’s name to the charity of their choice upon closing. To date, thousands of dollars have been given to local and national charities as part of its Give Back Program. The homes Epcon builds are like no others in the Pittsburgh area. “We consistently hear from our new homeowners that they have been looking for this type of home and lifestyle for years,” says Scarmazzi. “They either work long hours and don’t want to spend their extra time on lawn
maintenance, or are empty nesters who don’t want the large home anymore and all the maintenance that goes along with it.” The stand-alone EnergyStar carriage/patio homes at Courtyards at The Preserves range in size from approximately 1,600 to 2,755 square feet. Pricing starts at $237,900. Each home features two bedrooms, two baths, a large sun-filled open living, dining and kitchen space, laundry room and an oversized 2.5-car garage…all on one floor. Bonus suites are available offering additional bedroom, bath and living area. Outdoor living is enhanced by a private courtyard, visible from all rooms of the home, and a monthly maintenance fee covers lawn services including mowing, shoveling and seasonal mulching. Courtyards at The Preserves is located within minutes of Rt. 22/30, Rt. 60, I-79, Pittsburgh International Airport and Robinson Town Centre. This tucked-away, private, tree-lined cul-de-sac community offers all the benefits of quiet rural living while being within minutes of major medical, educational, entertainment and shopping venues. To assist with the purchase of a new home, Epcon has introduced the Peace of Mind Program. Designed for folks 62 and better, this new mortgage program allows homeowners to purchase their dream home for as little as 44-57% down and make no monthly mortgage payments…ever. A fully furnished model home is available for viewing at Courtyards at The Preserves and is located at 200 Hill Place Drive, McDonald, PA 15057 (GPS: Gateway Drive). Follow Epcon Pittsburgh on Pinterest: www. pinterest.com/epconpittsburgh, Facebook: www.facebook.com/EpconPgh or Twitter: www.Twitter.com/EpconPittsburgh. For more information call 412.548.3298 or visit www.EpconCommunities.com. Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 15
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Sponsored Content
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Dan Ryan Builders Brings Extensive Home Building Expertise to Kennedy and North Fayette Townships The new housing market is back, and if you’re looking for a builder that’s going to give you the most value for your hardearned dollar, Dan Ryan Builders is for you. Started by the son of one of the founders of Ryan Homes, Dan Ryan Builders has been creating unique and affordable housing all across the East Coast since 1990. In 2012, they brought their expertise to the Pittsburgh market, and currently have several projects underway in the region. Dan Ryan Builders will be building brand-new townhomes in the Kennedy Highlands development off Steubenville Pike. The community will feature brick, stone and siding elevations, 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths with two-car garages all starting in the high $190,000s. There will be a variety of options to choose from making each home your own. In North Fayette, construction is set to start in November in the Preserves off North Road. Currently, 16 home sites are ready to build on. There are eight different single-family home plans offered, starting in the high $200,000s. “Our mission statement is to create the best value in homeownership,” said Shaun Seydor, manager of Dan Ryan Builders’ Pittsburgh operations. “There are four main tenets that we strive to achieve: Recognized Quality, An Affordable Price, Excellent Service, and Satisfying Value.” As for market differentiation, “we maintain an inventory of quick move-in new homes and provide extensive options within our floor plans making us very flexible in the market. Our customer service is second to none and it’s based around communication with the homeowner to make sure they are very well informed throughout the complicated construction process, and further, that they receive a great value.” Seydor is a Pittsburgh native, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University and two master’s degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. What’s more, he has a thorough knowledge of the region, and is helping to create the vision of Dan Ryan Builders in Pittsburgh. Nationwide, Dan Ryan Builders expects to complete over 1,000 homes in 2013. The company’s dedication and volume have earned it a place among Builder Magazine’s Top 50 Builders in the Country. Also, the company is a six-time winner of the Builder of Integrity Award, and currently over 90 percent of Dan Ryan Builders’ homeowners would recommend it to their family and friends. Dan Ryan Builders’ commitment to quality shows in every detail. You’ll find
standard features and name-brand materials that would be costly options at other communities. When you choose Dan Ryan Builders, you’re getting not only the precise construction quality, but standard features that aren’t available from many other builders. For example, designer lighting packages, programmable thermostats, cultured marble vanity tops and cathedral ceilings are just some of the standard interior features. What’s more, the structure of the home maintains the same quality as the interiors. Homeowners can expect stick frame construction, poured concrete foundation walls, Carrier 90-percent high-efficiency gas heating and air conditioning units, landscaping packages including all shrubs, trees, mulch beds and grass, and complete concrete leadwalks and asphalt driveways as standard features. Kitchens include Aristokraft Cabinets, double bowl stainless steel sinks and G.E. appliances. All of this comes with a 10-year Builder’s Warranty and pre- and post-settlement walkthroughs underlying Dan Ryan Builders’ commitment to quality. To see all of Dan Ryan Builders’ home designs for Kennedy Highlands and the Preserves, as well as other Pittsburgh communities, please go to www.DanRyanBuilders.com/Pittsburgh or call 724.908.4638 to speak with a Sales Consultant today.
L to R: CFO Paul Yeager, CEO Dan Ryan and COO Ronny Salameh
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INDUSTRY INSIGHT
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Saving for College
SPONSORED CONTENT
Great Ways to Live a Healthier, Happier, Longer Life in Carlynton-Montour
CarlyntonMontour Health & Wellness Section By Michele Thompson
Though finding the fountain of youth (or miracle product) is unlikely, you can embrace the following ways to feel and look younger. Gleaned from age-defying experts this list is a must-keep for your desk or refrigerator for reference.
So turn the page — hack into the havoc that aging can wreak on your body! ››
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H e a l t h & W e l l n e s s / Carlynton-Montour
Health & Fitness Exercise to live longer. Carlynton-Montour has many walking and biking trails to help you stay fit. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), regular exercise helps control blood pressure, body weight and cholesterol levels, and reduces the risks of hardening of the arteries, heart attack and stroke. Not to mention you will look and feel better! Warm up and cool down. Regardless of the types of exercises you do, warming your muscles as well as cooling down with slow rhythmic stretches is key to avoiding injury, reducing soreness, and speeding up your recovery. Commit to daily fitness. Getting out there and staying active translates into better health and well-being — both physically and mentally. Focus on total fitness. ACE recommends aerobics and muscular conditioning along with exercises to stretch your body and promote good posture. Year-round exercise. Don’t ditch your fitness routine because of inclement weather. Try new activities, such as snowshoeing, swimming at an indoor pool, or fitness classes at your local fitness or senior housing facility. Join a health club. Be social and get fit. This one’s worth its weight in sheer motivation points.
Take supplements. Don’t mega-dose, just take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement. Get aerobic. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends getting moderate aerobic activity 30 minutes per day, five days per week or 20 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular activity, three days per week. Break it up. Instead of 20 or 30 minutes of exercise, break up your cardio into 10-minute segments throughout the day. Make working out fun. Getting out of the house and traveling to interesting places where you can walk around is one of the best ways to get exercise without even trying, and you get to enjoy the sightseeing, too. Put a set of dumbbells by your television set — and use them!
Stop smoking. Nuff said.
Pump it up. Margaret Richardson, author of Body Electric, says one pound of fat burns three calories a day while one pound of muscle burns 30 plus.
Go green. Eat organic, use eco-friendly products and practice green living to protect your health as well as the environment.
Challenge yourself. To counteract age-related muscle loss, do exercises with progressively challenging resistance.
“The fitness and recreational programs that we offer seniors at the centers are the reason that many of them get up in the morning and get moving,” said Karen Seibel, regional manager of Lifespan Senior Centers. “They really enjoy congregating together.”
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H e a l t h & W e l l n e s s / Carlynton-Montour
Cognitive Boosters Music therapy. Music can regulate mood, decrease aggression and depression, improve sleep, and, because old songs are stored in memory, even create new brain cells. Brain food. Keep your mind sharp by eating salmon, nuts, olive oil, soy, meat, eggs, dairy, leafy greens, beans, oatmeal and dark skinned fruits.
P
Train your brain Working a daily crossword, Sudoku puzzle or another brain teasing game can help improve your mental fitness.
Posture Avoid sitting cross-legged. Pain management specialists at New York Chiropractic warn that crossing your legs puts excessive stress on your knees, hips and lower back. Sit up straight. When you slouch or strain to look at the screen, these patterns stick and posture learns these positions. Listen to your body. See a chiropractor, physical therapist or post-rehabilitation specialist for postural exercises to reduce pain and risk of injury.
Oral Health & Hearing Brush and floss your teeth. According to research, chronic inflammation caused by periodontal disease has been linked to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Turn it down. According to the House Ear Institute, noiseinduced hearing loss is a leading cause of permanent hearing loss that can be prevented by turning down the volume on your TV, radio, or headsets to a level that you can comfortably hear.
Stretch. Stretching your neck and chest can prevent short and tightened muscles that can lead to injury. A simple stretch involves bending your head to your shoulder, holding it there and slowly bringing it back to the mid line and then switch sides. Belly button to spine. Not only will this exercise help you stand taller, it will take five pounds off your waistline! Head up. Instead of scrunching your head to your shoulder to hold the phone, get a headset and avoid injury to your neck and shoulders.
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H e a l t h & W e l l n e s s / Carlynton-Montour
Eat Healthy Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Holistic guru Dr. Andrew Weil recommends eating a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables and minimally processed foods to reduce inflammation in your body. Eat all natural. Avoid high-calorie foods full of sugar, fat and artificial ingredients and concentrate on eating high-nutrient, high-flavor foods such as fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.
Eat many small meals. Eat something every three hours to keep your metabolism high and your blood sugar and insulin levels steady. Don’t skip breakfast. The easiest meal to skip but the most important. Eat something small, even if you aren’t hungry. Read labels. Opt for products with at least three grams of fiber, low sugars and no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Eat less and live longer. Maoshing Ni, author of Secrets of Longevity: Hundreds of Ways to Live to Be 100, suggests the “three-quarters rule,” essentially not eating any more after you feel three-quarters full.
Eat and drink coconut. The type of saturated fat in coconuts does not contribute to heart disease and it is rich in lauric acid, which boosts your immune system. Avoid bad fats. Bad fats include saturated fats, which are primarily derived from animal products, and trans fats, which are used in commercial fried foods, margarines, and baked goods like cookies and crackers. Spice it up. Dr. Wendy Bazilian, author of The SuperFoodsRx Diet: Lose Weight with the Power of SuperNutrients, recommends high-antioxidant spices and herbs such as cinnamon, ginger, curry, rosemary, thyme, oregano and red pepper. Drink up. Drinking water throughout the day can decrease your urges for sweets, lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, minimize pain associated with arthritis, migraines, and colitis, hydrate your skin, and help with your digestion. Limit your alcohol intake to one or two drinks per day. According to the Centers for Disease Control, too much alcohol can increase your risk for developing various diseases and physiological and social problems.
Drink tea. Ni recommends daily tea because tea is a proven preventive and treatment for hardening of the arteries and has potent antioxidant powers.
Sideline the soda. The phosphoric acid in carbonated beverages, particularly colas, can put you at risk for osteoporosis.
Slim down with soup. People who eat soup before a meal reduce the total number of calories they consume.
Drink red wine. Red wine is renowned for its many health benefits, primarily for the heart. However, new research from the Institute of Food suggests that wine may also protect you from potentially fatal food-borne pathogens, such as E. coli, salmonella, listeria, and H. pylori.
Sink your teeth into superfoods. Experts say superfoods can help ward off heart disease, cancer, diabetes, cholesterol, bad moods, high blood pressure, and improve digestion, skin, hair, nails, bones and teeth. Superfoods recommended by WebMD.com are beans, blueberries, broccoli, oats, oranges, pumpkin, salmon, soy, spinach, green and black tea, tomatoes, turkey, walnuts and yogurt. Eat more healthy fats. According to University of Michigan Integrative Medicine, healthy fats to include in your diet are monounsaturated fats, found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and some plant foods as well as polyunsaturated fats, like omega-3s found in fatty fish and omega-6s found in nuts.
Marinate your meat. Research from the Food Safety Consortium recommends marinades with rosemary, thyme, peppers, allspice, oregano, basil, garlic and onion to cut down on carcinogens. continued on page 28
P Eat a variety
Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, dairy, and omega-3 fats better ensures you get all the nutrients your body needs. Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 25
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
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H e a l t h & W e l l n e s s / Carlynton-Montour
Fighting
Childhood Obesity One Child at a Time By Heather Holtschlag
Imagine – for the first time in four generations, a
child’s life expectancy may not match his/her parents. One in 10 American children is obese, and between 16 to 25 percent of children are overweight. Children average a weight of about nine pounds heavier today when compared to the 1960s, and the average teenager’s weight has increased by 12 to 16 pounds, according to government statistics. Beyond the issue of just being overweight is the risk factors associated with obesity, including heart disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Fit-Trix Fit Kidz, located in Bethel Park, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is devoted to the prevention of childhood obesity in the western Pennsylvania region. The purpose of Fit-Trix Fit Kidz is to educate children and parents on the importance of achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight by adopting increased physical activity and healthy eating. “We promote fitness, proper nutritional habits and self-esteem in a fun, positive and safe environment,” said Lynn Ross, owner of FitTrix Fit Kidz. “Our 45-minute program provides a full body workout regardless of fitness ability. We focus on cardio, hydraulic and resistance training with kid-friendly equipment, including BOSU balls, punching bags and agility ladders.” Fit-Trix Fit Kidz also encourages small lifestyle changes that may provide immediate health benefits for children, such as lower blood cholesterol levels, increased independence and productivity and reduced demands for health care services. And, staff members are committed to disseminating these healthy lifestyle messages to children of
all ages, regardless of their ethnicity or socioeconomic status. Ross said that the main purpose of Fit-Trix Fit Kidz is to teach kids that fitness can be fun, so that they can develop a healthy lifestyle to maintain throughout their entire lives. The staff members do this by providing a fun and safe environment where they teach healthy behaviors to children at young ages, hoping that by doing so, the children will carry their good habits well into adulthood. “At Fit-Trix Fit Kidz, we believe that exercise and proper nutrition are the pinnacles of preventing obesity in children and adolescents,” Ross explained. “We differ from other gyms in that we work by appointment, which helps make the children we see to remain accountable to their fitness goals and gives the staff the opportunity to work with and get to know each child on an individual basis.” According to Ross, there are a number of benefits that can have an impact on children as they begin an exercise program. These include an improved body mass index (BMI), an increase in self-esteem, a boost in athletic performance, increased flexibility and endurance, and an increase in lung capacity and fat burning through cardio exercise. “Strength conditioning also will increase a child’s bone density and improve tendon and ligament strength,” Ross noted. For more information about Fit-Trix Fit Kidz, call 412.831.1200, stop by the facility located at 4941 Library Road in Bethel Park, or visit the website at www.fittrix.org. Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 27
H e a l t h & W e l l n e s s / Carlynton-Montour
continued from page 25
Stress Control Smile. Smiling lowers blood pressure, heart rate, and the stress hormone cortisol. Aromatherapy. Essential oils improve your mood, reduce stress and even improve your memory. Try lavender, lemongrass, cinnamon or cedarwood.
Yoga. The Mayo Clinic recommends practicing yoga to reduce stress and anxiety. Get kneaded. Research from the Touch Research Institute indicates that regular massage lowers heart rate, blood pressure, anxiety levels, depression, hostility, and the stress hormone cortisol. See a therapist. Mental health professionals can help you deal with stress.
Begin with breathing. The first thing you ever did for yourself was breathe. And consciously focusing on your breath remains the epitome of self-care throughout your entire life.
P Humor your stress Laughing improves circulation, lowers blood pressure, releases tension, and improves your immune system.
Get Fit In Carlynton-Montour Here are just some of the fitness classes available:
Crafton Public Library
140 Bradford Ave., Crafton; 412.922.6877 craftonpubliclibrary.com Yoga classes at the library for just $5 per class! Come to Crafton Public Library every Monday evening from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Experience the many relaxing benefits of yoga and you will get a great workout as well. Please wear comfortable clothing and, if you would like, bring a mat or towel and water.
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Site 1082 Pinkerton Run Road, Oakdale; 412.444.4464 pittsburghbotanicgarden.org The Botanic Garden is not yet open for general admission, but is offering Peek and Preview Tours on specific dates and times in December. “Led by a knowledgeable tour guide, each tour consists of a 1-hour walk (moderately difficult) through the newly-developed Woodland Garden Trails. Reservations are required and visitors are asked to reserve a place on the tour at least two days prior to the scheduled date of each tour.” For more information, call or visit the website.
Chartiers Senior Resource Center of LifeSpan
300 Lincoln Ave., Carnegie; 412.276.5056 email: chartiers@lifespanpa.org Beat the winter blues by enjoying fitness and fun activities with other seniors — a line dancing class is offered for just $3 on Mondays at 9:30 a.m. Call or email with questions about more information.
Latin RhythmZ Studio
5500 Steubenville Pike, McKees Rocks; 412.498.5406 latinrhythmz.net “ZUMBA is the exciting fitness class sweeping across the country! It combines a high-energy cardiovascular workout with pulsating Latin music into a fun, calorie-burning experience.” For information on a $7 Drop-in fee for one class, call or visit the website.
28 724.942.0940 to advertise | Carlynton-Montour
Robert Morris University Island Sports Center
7600 Grand Ave., Neville Island; 412.397.4454 rmuislandsports.org Approximately 6.5 miles from Robinson, enjoy an ice skating workout at a public skating session while the kids are at school! Admission is $6 for adults with skate rental costing $3. Check for available days and times on the website.
Settlers Cabin Park
1225 Greer Rd., Oakdale; 412.787.2750 alleghenycounty.us Dust off your hiking boots, cross-country skis, sleds and snow shoes and enjoy the picturesque, 1,610-acre park located in Collier, North Fayette and Robinson townships.
Reprinted with the permission from SeniorsForLife.com
Let nature take your stress away. Being outdoors with green plants, fresh air and the sounds of nature is a proven stress buster.
Say What? Your mother was right when she warned you that loud music could damage your hearing, but now scientists have discovered exactly what gets damaged and how. In a research report published in the September 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal, scientists describe exactly what type of damage noise does to the inner ear, and provide insights into a compound that may prevent noise-related damage. “Noise-induced hearing loss with accompanying tinnitus and sound hypersensitivity is a common condition which leads to communication problems and social isolation,” said Xiaorui Shi, M.D., Ph.D., study author from the Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the Oregon Hearing Research Center at Oregon Health and Science University. “The goal of our study is to understand the molecular mechanisms well enough to mitigate damage from exposure to loud sound.” To make this discovery, Shi and colleagues used three groups of six- to eight-week-old mice, which consisted of a control group, a group exposed to broadband noise at 120 decibels for three hours a day for two days, and a third group given single-dose injections of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) prior to noise exposure. PEDF is a protein found in vertebrates that is currently being researched for the treatment of diseases like heart disease and cancer. The cells that secrete PEDF in control animals showed a characteristic branched morphology, with the cells arranging in a self-avoidance pattern which provided good coverage of the capillary wall. The morphology of the same cells in the animals exposed to wide-band noise, however, showed clear differences - noise exposure caused changes in melanocytes located in the inner ear. “Hearing loss over time robs people of their quality of life,” said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., editor-in-chief of The FASEB Journal. “It’s easy to say that we should avoid loud noises, but in reality, this is not always possible. Frontline soldiers or first responders do not have time to worry about the long-term effects of loud noise when they are giving their all. If, however, a drug could be developed to minimize the negative effects of loud noises, it would benefit one and all.” Source: Medical News Today
Protect Young Athletes The risks of sports-related traumatic brain injuries among professional athletes is making national headlines. However, prevention should begin at childhood, especially among those involved in contact sports. Each year, approximately 300,000 people in the United States experience sports-related concussions. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury most often caused by a sudden bump or blow to the head or other parts of the body. It also can be caused by a fall. As a result of the sudden impact, the brain moves around in the skull causing chemical changes. These changes make the brain more sensitive to stress and other injuries until it fully recovers. In addition, the immature brain of a young athlete is known to take longer to recover. Most people who have experienced a concussion realize that something is wrong, however, the symptoms can be tricky, so those around the injured person must pay close attention for the warning signs. This is especially apparent among football players who are conditioned to being knocked down and getting back up again, only to realize later that they’ve been hurt. Many athletic directors for public schools require that athletes who participate in “high-risk” sports must have a baseline
symptoms of a concussion Difficulty concentrating Difficulty completing tasks Changes in behavior Worsening headache Persistent double vision Excessive drowsiness Stroke-like symptoms
neurocognitive test before their first contact football practice, within the first week of cheerleading or before the first game for other sports. Although treatment for concussions is individualized almost all physicians recommend physical and mental rest immediately after the injury. This includes no texting, video games, TV, reading or physical activity. It’s also important to understand that medications will mask the pain and do not heal the brain. In fact, anti-inflammatory medications can be dangerous because they increase the risk of bleeding. However, there are situations where medications are warranted. It is paramount to have an evaluation and obtain clearance by a physician experienced in diagnosing and treating concussions before returning to sports activities.
continued on page 33 Source: UCF Pegasus Health/UCF College of Medicine
Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 29
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INDUSTRY INSIGHT
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of the ingredients in these products? If you were given a choice of a supplement manmade in a laboratory which produces synthetic vitamins or would you choose one that is derived from organically farmed whole foods? I would expect that most of you answered the latter. Whole food supplementation is far superior to any manmade sup plement in that they contain the nutrients plus all their synergistic cofactors. What does this mean? It means that your body recognizes them as real food and utilizes them properly and efficiently to provide you with the strongest, natural, and most wellbalanced nutritional support. Our bodies treat all synthetic vitamins as foreign substances, reacting to them as if they were toxins. Once we ingest these substances, our body has to process and neutralize these “toxins.” This takes place in the liver and then the kidneys have to eliminate the byproduct. Have you ever taken synthetic vitamins and noticed the color of your urine? Bright yellow, right? We refer to this as “expensive urine.” Take a proactive approach this year and get on the right track with your supplementation. Make it effective and beneficial for your body and you will feel the difference. We choose the whole food supplementation company Standard Process. They have owned and operated their own organic farms since 1929. Whole supplements by Standard Process along with nutritional guidance for the right supplements tailored for you are available at Robinson Chiropractic. Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 31
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health &Wellness DIRECTORY continued from page 29 The Medicine Shoppe 724.539.4565 • latrobepharmacy.com
The Skin Center 1.800.429.1151 • Theskincentermd.com
Centers For Medical Weight Loss 877.584.4191
At The Medicine Shoppe in Latrobe we are now offering our extended generic discount program where you can get a six-month supply of certain generics for as low as $37 or a one-year supply for $70. We offer free shipping to your door anywhere in the state of Pennsylvania; in addition, this program offers many new generics that are discounted through us and better priced than the big box chains. Call today!
Recognized as one of the top cosmetic surgery medical spas in the country and the largest in the region, The Skin Center Medical Spa is the premier destination for facial rejuvenation, body contouring and the treatment of vein disorders. All surgical and nonsurgical treatments are performed with precise artistry and compassionate care, under the direction of our founding medical director and board-certified cosmetic surgeon, Dominic Brandy, MD.
I am Dr. Miguel A. Marrero, who graduated from medical school at Case Western Reserve University. A subspecialty fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology at The Mayo Clinic has given me the skills and insights into the endocrinology aspects of obesity. I have extensive training in medical weight loss, which has led me to seek board certification by the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
Pittsburgh Audiology & Hearing Aid Center, Inc. 1.888.826.0950 • pghaudiology.com
Children’s Community Pediatrics 412.262.2415 • childrenspeds.com
Dr. Bradley A. Levinson 724.741.6020 (Cranberry) • 412.777.4352 (Pittsburgh)
Pittsburgh Audiology & Hearing Aid Center, Inc. specializes in hearing assessment, hearing rehabilitation and hearing aids. We are an independent private practice working with over 10 hearing aid manufacturers, providing the highest quality of care to our patients. Dr. Laura Di PasqualeGregory, Au.D., and Dr. Lori A. Howard, Au.D., are both Board Certified Doctors of Audiology and offer a complete hearing health care plan to each patient.
Established in 1974, CCP – Moon & Wexford’s mission is to provide high-quality pediatric and adolescent medical care. In addition, we provide preventive health care which includes developmental, behavioral and nutritional assessments and age-appropriate counseling with a strong emphasis on patient and parent education. We offer a variety of specialty services right within our practice including behavioral health, weight management and sports medicine services.
Dr. Brad Levinson is a board-certified colon and rectal surgeon with over 30 years of experience. Dr. Levinson performs most procedures in his office or on an outpatient basis. Some procedures such as for hemorrhoids are painless and can take only seconds. Others can prevent colon and rectal cancers. He and his staff give patients all the time they need, making themselves available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ingram Family Dentistry 412.922.9292 • ingramfamilydentistry.com Our team aims to provide the highest quality dentistry possible by exceeding our patients’v expectations through excellent service and innovative dentistry. Our goal is to provide each individual with comprehensive planning and treatment as if each patient were a beloved family member. This allows us to complete exceptional dentistry that will last a lifetime. We aspire to make every appointment relaxing, comfortable, and life changing by providing our patients with a caring, loving, and professional team!
Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 33
34 724.942.0940 to advertise | Carlynton-Montour
Wolfpack Boxing Club
Offers Something for Everyone By Matthew J. Fascetti Jeff Mucci is a perfect example of what can happen when you have a dream and you are willing to go out on a limb to obtain it. Mucci, originally from Elk County but an area
resident since 2000, worked in the corporate world for many years. He was always interested in boxing and soon became a customer at Wolfpack when it was owned by former Steeler Craig Wolfley. Over the years, Mucci remained active at Wolfpack and then, in January 2012, he quit his job and bought the club from Wolfley. He has since moved it from Bridgeville, where it shared
continued on page 36
here are so many reasons one should consider giving boxing efits a try. Boxing provides many ben has it le, mp and challenges. For exa by the potential to turn lives around pentfor let out an and s providing focu most the up aggression. It is also one of
T
’ll find! comprehensive workouts you d not be nee ect asp The actual fighting benefits ny ma the lize rea to d emphasize Ultimate the of boxing, which include: It’s in ries calo 900 Workout, burning up to g nin trai ing box ical one hour. The typ groups, session stimulates all muscle
ation and provides the perfect combin erobic ana and ) of aerobic (with oxygen rcise. exe ) gen oxy out (short-burst, with ude incl d size pha em are t tha Exercises and ll -ba heavy bag, speed-ball, spring g, nin run g, pin medicine-ball work, skip ) inly ma s enic isth (cal weight-training Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 35
continued from page 35 a space with a weightlifting club and kettle ball club, to a new 6,000 squarefoot gym on Gregg Street in Scott Township. Mucci is a man who had a vision and a passion, and he went for it. Wolfpack Boxing Club is for the young and old, male and female, and is also great cross-training for athletes in sports that require speed, strength, explosion, quickness, eye/hand coordination, and endurance. It will also help athletes who participate in sports that involve physical contact, such as football, hockey, or soccer. The programs are structured, safe (head contact
Confidence. and wind-sprints. Builds k after yourself Possessing the skills to loo nt of ou am gives you a significant lar belief, pu po to ary confidence. Contr frontation. con k see t no do lly boxers typica an vey e con Their skills and confidenc to g thin no is inward belief that there g to prove, prove. If you have nothin 36 724.942.0940 to advertise | Carlynton-Montour
is not required) and most of all it is a great deal of fun. Since 1994, Wolfpack Boxing Club’s success can be attributed to the fact that they cater to all levels of experience. Respect, integrity and sportsmanship are what they stand for. Currently, Wolfpack has a little over 100 members, but Mucci has a goal of 400 to 500 members. “We have a wide range of members here,” Mucci said. “About 50% are in the basics class, which is just for conditioning and fitness purposes. The other 50% of the students either spar or compete in boxing.” Before Mucci allows a client to fight, they must advance to a certain level in order to keep themselves as safe as possible in an actual match. It
to prove you will be less compelled to protect d it. However, if boxers nee situation, nse efe f-d themselves in a sel ishing things fin at pt ade re they will be mo heightened quickly and cleanly, due to When someone ll. confidence levels and ski defend himself to lity abi is confident in the ates to a physically, this often transl
f-contentment psychological benefit of sel Stress. es liev Re and peace of mind. countering for rt spo te ma ulti Boxing is the ng stre th stress. The combination of vides the pro training and aerobic work feeling of ms ter in best of both worlds the ting ula stim and mp a muscular pu ich wh of both cardiovascular system —
begins with two mandatory private introductory courses and includes three subsequent levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Mucci and his team determines if and when a client is ready to advance levels. In addition to him, Mucci has three other USA Boxing certified instructors on staff. When asked what attracted him to boxing years ago, Mucci didn’t hesitate. “The chess match. People who aren’t as familiar with boxing and don’t follow the sport have a misconception that it is just two people pounding each other, but there is so much more to the sport.”
enhance psychological we ll-being. After a hard day, hitting the hea vy bag for 5 to 6 rounds serves as a tremendous stress release. Boxing (pa rticularly concentrating on the focus mitts) enhances the ability to rela x, which helps keep the boxer calm and poised under pressure. In this sense, box ing might
Wolfpack Boxing Club is the largest boxing gym in western Pennsylvania. But despite its size, at Wolfpack you get more individualized attention, structure and coaching than other boxing gyms. The coaches are young, experienced and have a deep love and passion for coaching and mentoring. You’ll get into great shape and learn more than you will at any other boxing club! So whether you are white collar, blue collar, an Olympic hopeful, or would just enjoy a great workout, our boxing programs are geared to help everyone achieve their individual goals. ■
help one to manage his/he r life more efficiently. Provides the Ult imate Contest Between Two People. Boxin g allows for a direct competitive experie nce between two people in a controlled setting. Depending on the athlete s’ disposition, this can be a great self-es teem boost. Full-contact sparring, wh ich is optional,
provides the perfect platfo rm to refine fundamental boxing skills, and a great test of physical capability and courage. If you want to make a lifechanging decision and give boxing a try, visit www.wolfpackb oxing.com or call 412.335.2419 for more information. Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 37
Sponsored Content
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Mother/Daughter Realtors Team Up for Sales Excellence If you are looking for a team that will represent your next home sale with professionalism and experience, head for the Hills – Joy and Marrae Hill, that is, of Keller Williams Realty. This mother/daughter team-up brings the best of real estate to the table with Joy’s decades of property management experience, business acumen and knowledge of the mortgage and title industry, and Marrae’s background in titles, appraisals, public relations and marketing. Joy is a graduate of Robert Morris University, with a degree in business. She was a mortgage loan officer before moving into the mortgage title industry. Joy also owned a property management business for over 15 years. Marrae graduated from Point Park University with a major in communications and advertising. Once out of school, she worked for a title company herself, reviewing appraisals for different lenders. She moved on to become a customer relationship manager for a bank, specializing in pre-foreclosure loans and assisting with loan modifications. That experience led to an expertise in the loans available to clients on the market, whether they be FHA, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Together, the Hills work as buying and selling agents for their clients in the northwest Allegheny County market. They specialize in guiding clients through the buying process, step by step, to ensure that they are getting the most for their money. They also
specialize in assisting homeowners with pricing their home to sell in a competitive market. “Right now is a perfect time to buy for new homebuyers,” said Joy Hill. “Fall and winter are some of our busiest months because people are either looking to take advantage of the tax breaks owning a home affords them in the current calendar year, or they’re simply looking to make a fresh start in a new home to ring in the New Year.” For sellers, the market is advantageous as well. “There are more buyers out there than there are houses for sale in the region,” Marrae said. “So the demand is there. If you’re looking to downsize or move, there’s no better time to put your house on the market than today.” By going with the Hills as your real estate team, not only will you be getting two experienced individuals working for you, but you also will be helping a good cause. Five percent of their net proceeds are donated to breast cancer research and awareness. The Hills are registered with the national cancer society for these efforts. “My aunt and my sister are both breast cancer survivors, so this is a cause that is dear to both of us,” Joy said. “We’ve been fortunate for that and we are happy and proud to give back in their honor.”
For more information on the Hills and how they can help you buy or sell your next home contact them at Hilldreamhomes.kwrealty.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Hilldreamhomes. Call them at 412.788.0888; 412.969.0920 ( Joy); 412.977.5289 (Marrae). Conveniently located at 1000 Cliff Mine Road, Suite 101, Pittsburgh, PA 15275.
Clockwise from left: The Faithful Foursome: Rose Givvin, Prudence DeNardis, Eileen Guay and Lucy Grazulis at Marian Manor, one of the 27 elderly homes they regularly visit to cheer on, and pray with residents.
The Power of Four By Elvira Hoff
Four Crafton women — two in their 90s — remember the shut-ins at Christmas After talking to 90-year-old Rose Givvin of Crafton, you find yourself suddenly humming verses from your favorite old church hymns, like “…they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” Regulars at the beloved 107-year-old St. Philip Church in Crafton will know that it’s Christmas by the tree — the giving tree — when it goes up the week of Thanksgiving. A
more than 20-year-old tradition maintained by an “anonymous angel,” the tree is adorned with “ornaments” that are each a gift idea for someone in need. Parishioners are urged to take home an ornament and purchase the requested item so that it can be delivered in time for Christmas. Last year, the parish collected nearly 320 gifts to benefit Focus on Renewal in
McKees Rocks, Birthright of Pittsburgh, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the elderly shut-ins of the parish living at one of 27 nursing and private homes in the surrounding area. It is the latter group of roughly 50 parishioners who are the charge of St. Philip’s Legion of Mary, comprised of only four retired women—two of them in their 90s themselves. “We deliver their gifts at Christmas but we are very busy all year round,” explains Eileen Guay, who just retired last year and is the youngest of the four legion members. “We visit an average of four or five parishioners
Carlynton-Montour | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 39
“When an older woman happened to open my gift right in front of me and I saw the joy on her face, it was really heartwarming.” per week and we always go in pairs.” Adds 90-year-old Givvin: “It’s our duty.” Prudence DeNardis and 92-year-old Lucy Grazulis round out the faithful foursome, who actually fulfill three parish ministries. In addition to visiting shut-ins, they are also the welcome committee for the newly baptized, and make rosary beads for missions and parishes in need. Givvin teaches her fellow residents at Crafton Towers how to make the beads, and she and her team are known to complete 50 rosaries at a time. “It was actually good therapy for Rose since her hands were affected by a stroke,” explains Guay. Givvin isn’t the only legion member who doesn’t let a health setback interfere with her responsibilities. Grazulis had to take up residence at Marion Manor herself in recent months for physical therapy after a bout with congestive heart failure. “She came to church to say the rosary for First Saturday as we usually do, and then she said a second rosary for the deceased before the funeral mass, which is also one of our assignments,” itemizes Guay. “Then she attended the funeral mass
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before going back to Marian Manor. All of these actions were definitely weekly assignments which she fulfilled.” It’s obvious these women take their work seriously and conduct it from deep within their hearts. Guay remembers a visit when, by chance, the gift she delivered was the very one she had purchased. “There aren’t names on the ornaments so you don’t know who you’re buying for,” she says. “So when this older woman happened to open my gift right in front of me and I saw the joy on her face, it was really heartwarming.” Givvin tears up when she recalls visiting an elderly parishioner who had lost her voice due to a stroke. “Her favorite song was ‘How Great Thou Art’ and I sang it to her. Tears rolled down her face—and mine too.” Fittingly, Givvin’s own favorite song is “Gentle Woman,” and she no sooner tells you this than she starts singing a verse: “Gentle woman, quiet light, morning star, so strong and bright, gentle mother, peaceful dove, teach us wisdom, teach us love.” ■
CarlyntonMontour School News School News
Carlynton-Montour School District 42
A Day Made Better
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A Carlynton Strong Man
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40-Under-40 — High School Teacher is Making a Difference
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Tough Mudders Competed for Wounded Warriors
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An Art Connection
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National Merit Commended Students
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Ornaments for the Municipali-Tree
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Making Music — The 2013 Band Festival
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It’s a Blast
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Celebrating a Tradition — A Portrait of Homecoming, October 4, 2013
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Anti-Bullying Lessons in Review
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We Are All Winners
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Crafton Elementary Receives National Attention
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rafton Elementary teacher Meghan Dettling was certainly surprised when visitors invaded her classroom the first day of October with a giant box. The box was filled with school supplies–construction paper, tablets, pencils, markers, and more astonishing–a digital camera and classroom printer. Thanks to OfficeMax, Mrs. Dettling was the recipient of “A Day Made Better” advocacy program to help erase teacher-funded classrooms. The fifth grade teacher was nominated by principal Dr. Jacie Maslyk. The box of supplies, presented by associates of OfficeMax, was valued at $1,000.
Above: Students jumped in to open the box of OfficeMax supplies and excitedly handed them to Mrs. Dettling. Far right: Meghan Dettling sits for a moment after the surprise visit, with certificate in hand and empty box before her. Right: A sampling of the supplies in the box.
A Carlynton Strong Man Bill Harris, high school technology education teacher, took second place in his weight class in the North American Strong Man competition held this summer on Staten Island, NY. Harris, a Carlynton grad, has been lifting weights and working out since high
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school when he was a leader on the wrestling team. Dead lifts, pulling a truck with bare hands and hoisting heavy barrel kegs were only a few of the events Harris took part in to capture the title.
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igh school social studies teacher Tracy Post has been recognized as one of the 40 Most Influential Teachers Under 40 in America. She has been identified as one of the more innovative and passionate young teachers who make a positive difference in the lives of students. Veritas Prep, one of the nation’s largest SAT prep providers, solicited nominations directly from students. Hundreds of teachers from across the United States were nominated, and there were so many great nominations that the selection process was a challenge. Ultimately, 40 nominated teachers stood out for their passion, innovation, and effectiveness in teaching. Tracy Post prides herself on teaching her students core content knowledge, but primarily hopes they learn life lessons and take accountability for their choices. She believes students feel empowered when they are mature and responsible enough to make good choices with a little guidance. Tracy encourages her students to always do research and collect information so they can make well-informed decisions about anything in their lives. Her favorite economics lesson plan is when she has her students plan out their next five years following graduation, examining all the hurdles and realities of life. “It gives them a genuine understanding of what will need to be done both financially and educationally to achieve the lives they desire,” she explains. The 40 teachers selected for recognition came from all over the United States, representing the best of the best in educating young Americans. More profiles of outstanding young teachers can be found at www.veritasprep.com/40-under-40/. Mrs. Post was one of only two educators in the Pittsburgh region selected for the award. Statewide, she was one of five, with three others from the Philadelphia area. She was nominated by current senior Shakaila Haley.
Carlynton teachers and alumni took some hard falls to raise money for Wounded Warriors in the Tough Mudder Run this past August. With a hardcore core obstacle course of ropes, 12-foot walls, freezing water and lots of mud tunnels, the games tested the strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie of a competing team. The courses are designed by British Special Forces and it takes courage and endurance to meet the finish line. Physical education teacher Norm Palko said he competed in Tough Mudder as an example to his students. “My goal as a health and Phys. Ed. teacher is to develop physically fit and well-rounded students,” he said. To date, Tough Mudder events and participants have raised over $5 million to support veterans returning from the battlefield. Monies support combat stress recovery programs, adaptive sports programs, benefits counseling and employment services.
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Team mates in the Tough Mudder race included (standing) physical education teachers Michael Donovan and Norman Palko, John Jones and alumni Anthony Novelli; (kneeling) Kathy Kitterman, social studies teacher Laura Begg, physical education teacher Susan Brossman, science teacher Elizabeth Jones and Lisa Novelli.
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An Art Connection
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Seventh grader Kayla Wilson received a full scholarship from the Carnegie Museum of Art to take part in an art experience that will open the opportunity to explore museum galleries, experiment with drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography and more under the guidance of a teaching artist. The first of 18 classes began in October and Kayla is excited to join the ranks of distinguished program alumni such as Andy Warhol, Duane Michals and Raymond Saunders. Kayla was nominated for the scholarship last year by her then-sixth grade art teacher Diane Criste. “Kayla is willing to take challenges and grow artistically. She always goes beyond the expected to develop her creativity,” Criste said. Pieces of Kayla’s finished artwork could be selected for display in the annual student exhibition at the Carnegie Museum of Art later in the year.
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rafty juniors and seniors in Mrs. Marlynn Vayanos art classes took time from their regular projects to design and create Christmas ornaments for Allegheny County’s first Municipali-Tree. Luke Ankrom, Pamela Meighan, Christina Santillo and Priya Sobti comprised the design team to meet specifications for the ornaments after an invitation arrived from County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. Guidelines asked students from schools across the county to create ornaments that best represented their school and each of the municipalities that make up the school district. The ornaments were to be creative and weather-proof. The art team decided recycled materials might best suit the project and they began by cutting off the bottoms of two liter and 16-oz. plastic pop bottles. The cougar mascot and the cougar paw were deemed most symbolic of the school district, which led the way for the shape of the ornaments. Using brass tooling sheet metal, the students embossed the back side of the metal to form a relief image of the cougar and the names of each municipality in the appendages or pads of the paw. The ornaments representing the three municipalities were also designed with recycled plastic from pop bottles. The tooling on the brass sheeting represented a popular theme for each borough. The Carnegie ornament featured the beautiful churches in its neighborhood, Crafton represented the honor it’s received many times over as Tree City USA, and the Rosslyn Farms ornament
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Seniors Jeffrey Henke and Christian Franchick were named commended students in the 2014 National Merit Program. Nationwide, about 34,000 commended students were identified for their exceptional academic promise. The boys earned the recognition for outstanding performance on the 2012 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying test.
1. The underside of the ornaments was made from recycled two-liter and 16-ounce pop bottles. 2. Ornament designers Christina Santillo, Luke Ankrom, Priya Sobti and Pamela Meighan display their designed pieces.
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highlighted the community center building, the hub of the community. The Municipali-Tree will be located in the courtyard of the Allegheny County Courthouse during the holidays. County officials hope to fill it with 130 unique ornaments to represent the boroughs and the 43 school districts located within the county. A winning design team will be named and will be invited to decorate the tree with all the ornaments submitted. The school’s choir will be invited to perform at the courthouse for Light-up Night as well.
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ith a line-up of 12 bands, this year’s band festival proved to be a favorite. The festival was held at Honus Wagner Field, and the stadium was graced with balloons, banners and good weather, adding to the success of the festive evening. The festival began with the 911th Airlift Wing Honor Guard as they presented the colors during the National Anthem. Among the performing guest bands were Cornell, Hopewell, Montour, North Allegheny, Northgate, Pittsburgh Carrick, South Fayette, Union and West Allegheny. College bands from California University and Robert Morris University were also highlighted, with Carlynton’s very own marching band wrapping up the show. Pyrotecnico added color to the dark sky with a fireworks display. Band boosters deserve much credit for the success of the event. Their planning and hard work was evident by all the smiles on the faces of the record crowd. The Carlynton Cougar marching band, led by Director Todd Obidowski, regularly accepts invitations to participate in band festivals and parades throughout Pittsburgh and the surrounding area. Each year, members enjoy educational trips and performances in major cities such as Boston, Nashville, Chicago, Orlando (Disney World) Baltimore and Washington, D.C. A trip to New York City is planned for the spring of 2014.
1. Members of the Cougar marching band brass and woodwind section shine in a performance of “Clocks” by Coldplay. 2. At the end of the festival, Cougar drum majors Jeff Henke and Joseph Baldanzi thanked the leaders from all the marching bands and presented them with awards for their participation. 3. Members of the Montour Spartan marching band stand at attention following their performance. 4. The magnificent North Allegheny Tiger band drew praise and admiration for their size and performance. 5. Eighth grade flutist Hannah Stack holds her own as the Cougar marching band takes the field.
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Making Music
The 2013 Band Festival
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n the same day Pedro Alvarez of the Pittsburgh Pirates was hoping to blast one out of the ball park, Crafton Elementary sixth graders also had visions of blasting one out of the park. Crafton Park, that is. And in place of a baseball, the youngsters were using Wizard rockets. As an extension of the science program, Crafton Elementary sixth graders spent an afternoon in Crafton Park in early October to embark on a mission of experiments with rockets, friction, gravity, and chemical reactions. The venture was collaborated by sixth grade teachers James Nagorski and Bridget Ward, scientist Steven Reinstadtler from the Bayer Corporation, and LabRatz, an organization that offers a creative hands-on approach to learning more about science through real and imagined scenarios. The afternoon adventure enabled these students to use higher level thinking skills and deductive reasoning to reach scientific conclusions, all while having fun.
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4 l 1. Rockets were painted by students in the classroom earlier in the week in preparation of launch day. 2. Erin Fox, Jada Lee, Cole Ziolkowski and Liam Egenlauf transformed lids of small plastic bottles into unidentified flying objects when adding a solution of peroxide and Alka-Seltzer to the bottle. By shaking and agitating the mixture, a carbon dioxide gas was formed, causing the lid to pop off. These youngsters waited in glee and anticipation for the bottle lids to pop, often hitting the ceiling of the pavilion. 3. Following earlier experiments with air currents, paper and balsa wood gliders rested on a picnic table while students enjoyed a snack break. 4. Sixth grade teacher Bridget Ward, guidance counselor and chaperone Steve Hope, and sixth graders Haley Williams, Julian Miller, Cole Ziolkowski and others observed the lift-off of Haley’s rocket. 5. A tracking team of Katelyn Bussard, Tony Devita, Renee Meyers and Evan Staker prepared to track the height and distance of a flying missle. 6. Despite some hesitation Julian Miller learned that he could push a skewer through a balloon without breaking it because of “soft spots” in the latex. 7. Under a pavilion, Bayer scientist Steven Reinstadtler led six graders Erin Fox, Jada Lee and Thomas Gollop, through a lesson about polymers by mixing a solution of glue, corn starch, water and food coloring to make a solid yet pliable gel they called “gak.”
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Celebrating a tradition A portrait of Homecoming , October 4, 2013 1. The pep rally at the end of the school day began as the band’s drum line roared through the halls and led students to the gym in an earsplitting cadence. Inside, everyone was welcomed by cheerleaders performing stunts and lifts. 2. The rally intensified as students took to the floor to role play a ride on a roller coaster, one of the games that brought onlookers to their feet… 3. …and dancing in the bleachers. Cougar pride? You know it!
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4. Juniors laughed as members of the male court were led blindfolded through an egg obstacle course on the gym floor. 5. At halftime, Jacqueline Roussos was crowned queen. She was escorted by king Kevin Schuster, a member of the football team. 6. The king was announced and crowned during the pep rally. King Kevin Schuster, center, is flanked by court members D.J. Hart, Freddie McKissick, Fred Carini and Chris Cardiello.
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7. Counterparts to the male members of the court, Hannah Murray, Emily Farqhuar, Jacqueline Roussos, Maggie Smith and Kelly Jones were photographed the week prior to homecoming. 8. Later that evening, following a heavy rainfall, the band led the parade down Washington Avenue in Carnegie. 9. Through the Decades, the theme for the 2013 homecoming event, guided the creativity of the floats like this colorful Nickelodeon display designed by members of the sophomore class. 10. Michael Jackson, aka Brad Moehring, was joined by Luke Davis, Antoinette Koval and MacKenzie Ellis on an American Bandstand float created by juniors. The costumed characters tossed candy to the crowds and danced to favorite oldies. 11. The 2013 homecoming court following the halftime ceremonies, minus football players Freddie McKissick and Kevin Schuster: Kelly Jones, Chris Cardiello, Emily Farquhar, Jacqueline Roussos, Fred Carini, Hannah Murray, Delsean Hart and Maggie Smith. 12. The fans were in high spirit through the end of the game and stayed back to salute the team after the loss. 13. The football game provided thrills and shrills as the Cougars held the lead until the final minutes of the game only to lose by three points and stopping a three game winning-streak.
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Anti-bullying lessons in review
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rafton and Carnegie elementary schools continue the practice of character building and stressing the importance of respect. Antibullying events to expand on the Olweus program were used to kick-off the beginning of the school year with assemblies and team building activities. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) is the most researched bullying prevention program available. It is a wholeschool program that has been proven to prevent or reduce bullying in school settings. The program was implemented last year with the purpose of improving peer relations and making the school a safer and more positive place for students to learn and develop. Through it, the elementary schools have adopted the following anti-bullying rules: Rule 1: We will not bully others. Rule 2: We will help students who are bullied. Rule 3: We will include students who are left out. Rule 4: If we know somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home. In addition, teachers continue to implement exercises to prevent bullying, some of which include team meetings to discuss and incorporate new ideas, maintaining accurate documentation of incidents and responses and utilizing programs such as Best Buddies, Peer to Peer and other mentoring solutions.
Likewise, an additional elementary guidance counselor was hired in August, providing added support in each school. Counselors are working alongside teachers and school psychologists to deter repeat offenders by gaining an understanding of the issue and seeking a positive solution. 1. Posters created by Carnegie Elementary students and representing every grade were hung along one entire wall in the school’s auditorium. 2. Crafton fourth grader Michael Artascos is paired with a blindfolded kindergarten student in an exercise to build trust. The older student is guiding the younger through a maze of colored balls. 3. Crafton Study Buddies use team work and good sportsmanship while manipulating a parachute. The study buddy program links sixth graders with those in kindergarten for a variety of year-long activities. The bullying prevention activities were held in nearby Oakwood Park. 4. Carnegie elementary students were treated to an assembly with Josh and Gab, two young artists who combined comedy and music to share an anti-bullying message. The interactive assembly brought students to the stage or the entertainers to the floor. At one point of the program, students joined in a rap song to shout, “Don’t be a bully!”
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Carlynton students with special needs were invited to participate in the Montour High School seventh annual fall Olympic day held at the school’s Thomas J. Birko field. The event was run by students and staff of Montour High School. The program was designed to welcome students from other area schools to partake in fun Olympic-style games.
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1. Kylee Gillis, a sophomore, takes the lead in a 40 yard dash. 2. Patience and skill were required for ladderball and junior Ben Bonifield, with a mentor from Montour, held a competitive edge over the opponent. 3. Peer helper Justin Autry, a senior, takes time out from the day’s events to hang out with senior Hailey Baker. 4. The Carlynton crew gathered for a silly photo following the closing ceremonies.
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We are all
Teachers Frank Zebrasky and Lisa Rowley and high school peer helpers Justin Autry, Mason Follmer, Madison Gallagher, McKenna Gamble, Katie Gibson, Jazmyn Meredith and Carlos Sorco joined the special athletes from Carlynton. Serving as mentors, the peer helpers encouraged and aided young athletes in relays, bean bag toss, ladderball, bocce ball, an obstacle course and kicking exercises with soccer balls and footballs. In addition to Carlynton and Montour, participants came from Ambridge, Baldwin, Chartiers Valley, Moon Area, StoRox and West Allegheny. Following lunch, a giant tug-o-war contest capped off the day before closing ceremonies and the presentation of medals.
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Crafton Elementary receives national attention
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ABC’s Sea Rescue to recreate dolphin rescue story with children in an elementary reading program
In the last three years, Crafton Elementary reading students have been learning about sea animals and the environment through the Dolphin Project. Students in Mrs. Susan Kosko’s reading class would Skype with Captain Chris Desmond and marine biologists aboard the Dolphin Explorer, a vessel off the Gulf Coast of Florida, primarily in the areas surrounding Ft. Meyers, Naples and Marco Island, FL. Students would track and study Bottlenose dolphins and other wildlife in the local waters, followed by reading, research and work sheets. Through this connection, Kosko, Desmond and marine biologists collaborated to
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develop an environmental curriculum in association with the Dolphin Project. Named the “10,000 Islands Environment Studies Program,” this curriculum has received national attention and has been adopted in hundreds of classrooms, reaching nearly 5,000 young students. In March 2012, it was learned that Seymour, one of the dolphins tracked by the Dolphin Explorer and observed by students, had become entangled in fishing line. The line was cutting into the mammal’s flesh at the base of his tail, an injury that could prove life-threatening. The 350-pound dolphin appeared to have lost weight and those aboard the Dolphin Explorer were concerned. Crafton Elementary children and staff jumped into action and began a fundraiser to save Seymour. Along with monies acquired through other environmental organizations and agencies, an expensive and risky rescue took place that saved the life of the dolphin.
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1. Rescue workers lift Seymour out of the water to determine the best method to remove the fishing line. 2. The fishing line was examined and removed from the dorsal fin and tail by carefully cutting it away. 3. Reading teacher Susan Kosko teaches a lesson while Skyping with James, a marine biologist on the Dolphin Explorer vessel in Florida. At the same time, a crew from Sea Rescue is filming the story for the educational television show that will air in April. 52 Carlynton-Montour
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The rescue wasn’t easy. It took days to track down the dolphin, much like finding a needle in a haystack, before trained workers were able to encircle Seymour in shallow waters and let out a 400-foot net. The story of the rescue, which received quite a bit of notice in Florida, caught the attention of producers of the nationally syndicated television show, Sea Rescue. The show airs on Saturday mornings at 10:00 am on ABC. Producers of the program began discussing the rescue of Seymour with Chris Desmond and he shared the story of the Crafton Elementary students and teacher Susan Kosko, the Dolphin Project and the money raised by the school to aid the rescue. Fast forward to late October 2013: Sea Rescue executive producer Aiden Pickering traveled from Florida to Crafton Elementary with cameramen in tow. They spent a day at the school, interviewing Mrs. Kosko and students about the rescue and the part they played in saving Seymour. The itinerary involved taping classroom lessons, footage of Crafton and the school, and a Skype with marine biologist James Livaccari on board the Dolphin Explorer. Sea Rescue producers and writers will continue to work toward reenacting the rescue with the help of those originally involved in the story in Florida. Filming and editing will take place before the show is scheduled to air on April 26, 2014. You can be sure the staff and students of Crafton Elementary will be watching.
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inCOGNITO
Did you know…
The women of Carnegie initiated a garbage protest?
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ell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and Carnegie’s Park View Manor women had had enough of the Allen Street Dump. Long complaining of smells, smoldering debris and everincreasing populations of rats, the women used everything at their disposal to dissuade refuse trucks from reaching the dumping site. Barricades of cars, park benches and warm bodies created an imposing boundary for any hapless, unarmed garbage-dumper to cross. And it worked. The 57 women and children who took a stand in June of 1959 told the borough and the press that no one would get through to the dump until the borough consented to abandon it. Their pleas were not about the aesthetics of living near a dump—they were about health and safety issues surrounding the dump itself. And those pleas were heard by doctors who condemned the unsanitary nature of the dump, and by investigators from the Allegheny County Health Department who caught wind of the whole stinking mess. Carnegie Borough, in turn, stopped private haulers from using the facility, but reserved the right to use the land for its own dumping purposes. Today, Allen Street is the home to Carnegie’s Chioda Field, and is praised by residents as a place where the Carnegie Youth Athletic Association (CYAA) holds its games. It’s also better maintained. The borough and CYAA upgraded several facilities at the field this year, including building a pair of dugouts and removing an old storage facility to make way for a more modern and safe building. With the cheers of parents watching their kids play ball and the bellowing train whistle coming from the tracks beyond the outfield fences, no one needs to be down in the dumps on Allen Street again. ■
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