Category: Education

An Undervalued Asset in Our Community

 

My youngest daughter came to us during her Junior year in high school, disgruntled and restless about what to do the following year with her school schedule. She only needed a few more credits to graduate, and was looking at her options. She considered moving to a cyber charter school, trying to graduate early, and even home schooling, briefly. She went in to discuss it with her guidance counselor, who suggested she look at a dual-credit program the high school had set up in cooperation with Montgomery County Community College. The way it worked, she would take all her classes at the college, and the classes would count not only toward her high school graduation, but toward college credit as well. We would be required to pay regular tuition at the community college to participate in the program, but for a full year of college credit, it was a bargain price by any standard, so my daughter immediately enrolled. My daughter, as well as my husband and I, consider the year she spent at MCCC to be of incredible value.

The main campus is located in Blue Bell, but the college has its West Campus located right here in Pottstown, just off the Hanover Street exit of 422, and convenient to all the High Street restaurants and stores, at 101 College Drive. It is home to an art gallery, theater, library and bookstore, as well as the recently added Sustainability and Innovation Hub. Many of MCCC’s students live in Pottstown, but many more come into Pottstown from surrounding communities. The college offers degree programs in many areas of education including Business Administration, Education, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Mathematics, and many others. In addition, academic programming at West Campus’s University Center allows students to take a selection of courses and pursue a range of degrees offered by Albright University, Alvernia University, and Chestnut Hill College.

The college also offers credit certificate programs that can be completed in Pottstown in Medical Assisting, Human Services, and Addictions. There are Continuing Education programs, summer camps, a Culinary Arts Institute (located in Lansdale), as well as online courses. The college also offers events for the community, two of which are coming up next week. There will be a College Jump Start event beginning June 17th and running through the 21st (see flyer below), as well as the upcoming Community Career Fair on June 18th. For more information on either of these two events, contact Christine Morris at cmorris@mc3.edu or call (610)718-1802.

To stay connected with what is being offered by way of events, follow this link, or go the the MCCC website, and click on the For the Community tab.

Montco College Jumpstart

Montco Community Career Fair

Hairspray Opening This Weekend At PHS

Over the last 5 years, the Pottstown High School Musical program has taken us from Rydell High to the City of Oz, from Skid Row to under the sea.

This year, the scene is 1960’s Baltimore! A cast of over 80 talented teens will present the hit Broadway musical Hairspray in the Davenport Auditorium March 1-3.  Add in stage crew, lighting, and hair and makeup and you’ve got over a hundred students working to bring this production to life. Long days with rehearsals stretching almost to midnight are just about over and the students are ready for opening night this weekend!

If you aren’t familiar with the plot of Hairspray, it’s the story of Tracy Turnblad, a chubby, vivacious teenager with dreams of dancing on the Corny Collins Show, specifically with her crush, Link Larkin.  It’s not just about young love; the story is set in a city undergoing massive change.  The show, and in larger part, the community is wrestling with ongoing segregation that

But, Tracy and her best friend Penny are out to change things for everyone!  Hairspray is ultimately about breaking stereotypes and changing the culture of the community, with lots of teen hormones, catchy music, and great dance numbers thrown in.

So, come on out this weekend for a great show and lots of hairspray!

The show opens tomorrow, March 1st at 7pm, with another evening performance Saturday March 2nd at 7pm and a matinee at 2pm in the Davenport Auditorium at Pottstown High School.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the door

https://www.showtix4u.com/events/15289

See you at the show!

 

Bethel AME scholarship fundraiser features Legendary Locals of Pottstown

This Saturday, September 13th from 1-4 pm, Bethel AME Church will host a luncheon and book signing event on the site of their proposed new church at the corner of Lincoln and Grant Street in Pottstown.

Each year the church gives $500 scholarships to the high school graduates in the congregation who are pursuing higher education. They hold an annual fundraiser, among other fundraising activities throughout the year, in which they promote a book. This year they selected Legendary Locals of Pottstown, and I am so appreciative of their support and the big community gathering they have planned.

Admission to the luncheon is $10. Books will be available for purchase.

Several legendary locals will be on hand such as Donna Hennessey, George Wausnock, Dan Brunish, and more! Co-author and photographer Ed Berger and I will be there, too! Hope to see you there.

Fall art classes for adults at ArtFusion!

ArtFusion, Pottstown’s art school and gallery at 254 E. High Street in the heart of downtown Pottstown, is offering several fall classes for adults.

Check them out here.

You can choose from drawing, oil painting, water colors, and art journaling.

There are daytime and evening options, so there’s no excuse to get your creative vibe on, let your inner artist out, or maybe start something that could be a special holiday gift to a special someone.

 

The mission of ArtFusion 19464 is to enrich the lives of the residents in the greater Pottstown area through the visual arts, regardless of ethnicity and economic situations. Our goal is to spark creativity, build self-confidence and develop community bonds through education, mentoring and community service. Artfusion is online at www.artfusion19464.org.

Openings Still Available for SCORE In-Depth Workshops

SCORE is a nationwide nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed.  SCORE provides free and confidential counseling to entrepreneurs on policies, procedures, and problems in the realm of small business. The great news? Pottstown has its own SCORE office of seasoned, successful business leaders who volunteer their time to help others succeed, too.

People starting out in business frequently have the same questions: Who is my largest competitor?  How can I drive customers to my website?  What is the difference between an LLC and a Sole Proprietorship?

In an effort to provide entrepreneurs with cutting-edge information, Pottstown SCORE is offering three separate In-Depth workshops for the fall.

The first workshop, “Using Reference USA” is presented in collaboration with the Pottstown Regional Public Library.  The workshop, which will be held at 7 pm on September 17 at the library on 500 East High Street, will instruct participants how to use a database to research information pertaining to customers and competitors.

A second workshop, “Social and Mobile Equation” will give participants up-to-date secrets of successful marketing using social media and mobile technology.  This workshop will be presented at       7 pm on October 8 at the SCORE office on the basement level of the New York Plaza building in Pottstown.

In the third workshop, “Sole Proprietor, Partnership, Corporation,” participants will learn to avoid legal pitfalls in starting a business.  A lawyer and a CPA will be available to answer questions about the legal and tax considerations for different business structures.  This workshop will be presented at 7 pm on October 30 at the SCORE office in the New York Plaza building, 244 High Street, Pottstown.

There is a nominal fee for each workshop, and a discount of 50% is offered for a second person registering at the same time.  Class size is limited, but there are still openings available.  Applicants may sign up online at www.pottstownscore.org or phone the SCORE office at 610-327-2673 for more information.

 

Doe Club Hosts All-You-Can-Eat Chicken & Waffle Dinner Sept. 24th

Open to The Public!

All You Can Eat Chicken and Waffle Dinner

Doe Club of the Pottstown Elks Lodge #814

61 E. High Street

Pottstown, Pa 19464

Wednesday September 24, 2014, 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Adults- $8.00

Children 6-12 years- $4.00

Children 5 years and under- free

The Chicken and Waffle dinner includes coleslaw, applesauce, desserts, coffee and tea. Take-out orders available.

Proceeds benefit the Doe Club Nursing Scholarships which are awarded annually to local students.

Please come out and enjoy dinner while supporting higher education for local students!  

MCCC Offers Workshop to Help Adults Transition into College

Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) will continue to offer its popular Career Transition Workshop for adults who may be thinking about returning to college.

The next workshop will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 10 a.m.-noon. in the South Hall Community Room at MCCC’s West Campus, 101 College Drive, Pottstown.

The workshop is open to all adults and is free of charge, although pre-registration is requested. For more information or to RSVP, contact Denise Collins at 215-619-7313 or dcollins@mc3.edu.

During the workshop, prospective students will get an overview of the resources available to help them transition into college. Topics include using MCCC’s website and online registration tools, financial aid, assessment of credits for prior learning, stackable credentials, career pathways and job search tools.

After the initial session, MCCC advisors will follow up with participants one-on-one to help them identify programs and pathways that are right for them.

“Our goal is help adult learners be comfortable and successful at the College. We want this to be a place where they can get back on track with their education and transition into new careers,” said Denise Collins, who manages the U.S. Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant at MCCC.

The grant is helping MCCC to develop a robust Prior Learning Assessment model and stackable credentials for adult students as part of the JobTrakPA framework—a joint initiative of Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges to train and place underemployed and unemployed residents of the Commonwealth in high demand jobs.

The workshop also connects to MCCC’s participation in the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) Plus 50 Encore Completion Program, which looks to train 10,000 baby boomers for high-demand jobs through 2015.

 

Fourth Annual Summer Fundraiser for ArtFusion

Brought to you by Artfusion 19464!

ArtFusion 19464 will host their fourth annual summer beef and beer fundraiser on Saturday, August 9 from 6-9pm. This year’s event will be held at the ArtFusion studios and gallery at 254 E. High St.

Tickets are $20 purchased in advance. If any are still available, tickets at the door will be $25. Tickets can be bought online athttp://artfusion19464.org/event/2014-beef-and-beer/, in person at ArtFusion, or over the phone by calling 610-326-2506. Guests can choose the beef entrée, or a vegetarian sandwich option.

Victory Brewing Company has once again generously donated their amazing beer for this event. Ice House will be making the hot beef sandwiches and Montesano Bros. will again be creating their amazing side salads and veggie sandwiches. There will be soda and water in addition to Victory beer and homemade desserts to finish off the meal.

Along with enjoying great food and great beer, guests will have the chance to win fun door prizes, try their luck at a 50/50 raffle and bid on silent auction items.  Proceeds benefit ArtFusion 19464’s upcoming fall educational exhibit Rainbow Crow and Other Stories. This show will feature artwork inspired by Native American stories.

The non-profit community art center will once again be offering free field trips to local schools in conjunction with this show. Please email info@artfusion19464.org for more information on scheduling a field trip. The Rainbow Crow field trip program is generously sponsored by the Foundation for Pottstown Education.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

 

FREE Outdoor Movie – Aug.2nd – Disney’s FROZEN

Genesis Housing Corporation is pleased to announce the second annual outdoor movie night will be held on Saturday, August 2nd at the Chestnut Street Park in Pottstown. This year’s movie will be Disney’s Frozen.

Bring your lawn chairs and blankets to the Chestnut Street Park at Washington and Chestnut Streets, Pottstown starting at 8 PM. The event kicks off with Tom Carroll, a free balloon performer, followed by DJ music until dusk and then Disney’s Frozen. The rain date is Sunday, August 3rd.

This Pottstown Neighborhood Program is funded by National Penn Bank through the Neighborhood Tax Credit Program. More information is available by calling 610-275-4357, on our website at www.genesishousing.org and/or via email at info@genesishousing.org.

Since 1994, Genesis Housing Corporation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has served Montgomery County as a community housing development organization (CHDO) and is dedicated to the development of affordable housing and to the education of consumers on housing and financial issues. Our general activities include the rehabilitation and new construction of homes to improve and stabilize neighborhoods and to provide opportunities for lower income homebuyers to purchase homes at affordable prices. Genesis Housing Corporation also provides monthly classes and individual counseling to help overcome barriers to home ownership, financial education and foreclosure prevention.

For more information about Genesis Housing Corporation and our programs, please visit their website at www.genesishousing.org, email at info@genesishousing.org, visit them on Facebook or call 610-275-4357.

National Night Out at First United Methodist/Pottstown

First United Methodist Church at 414 E. High St. will host its second annual “Fire & Ice” event this year on National Night Out, Tuesday, August 5 from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

They will be serving Pastor Will’s chili & Rita’s water ice.  

There will be a fire truck, fireman, dalmatian, simple craft, fire safety handouts, and experiments for children with a small volcano & snow-making in August!

Come out with the kids and enjoy a this hot-and-cold extravaganza!

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