Monthly Archives: January 2016

Jan 28 2016

Music For People Community Improv Orchestra

Extraordinary event of conducted Improvised music with Philadelphia musicians and Music for People members. Drumming, dancing, audience participation and fantastic music.
Music for People Community Improv Orchestra
Friday February 12, 2016
You will hear the most unique music ever, comprised of Music for People (MFP) participants and local musicians led by Lynn Miller, Ron Kravitz and others..Each composition has a different conductor creating completely improvised music with a palette of winds, strings, guitars, voices, found objects, percussion, world instruments and you!
Immaculata University, 1145 King Rd, Malvern, PA
Villa Maria Hall, Green Room
8pm showtime, door opens 7:40
$20. donation

This concert kicks off Music for People’s Adventures in Improvisation workshop – a weekend of creative inspiration, deep listening, music skills, confidence building, and PLAY…… Come jam with us and learn improvisation skills. All instruments,
levels of experience and styles welcome!
The theme is Rhythm although we will be playing every instrument imaginable, including our voices. Special guest percussionists for workshop and concert: Quint Lang, Kofi Donar and Jim Hamilton with MFP staff

From the evening of Friday, Feb. 12 through Sunday, Feb. 14.
early bird discount ends Jan 30th!

 
 Music for People | (860) 491-3763 | mfp@musicforpeople.org
Jan 28 2016

REBECCA’S DUMPLINGS WILL HOST CHINESE NEW YEAR LUNCHEON TO BENEFIT THE CHESTER COUNTY FOOD BANK

West Chester, PA – Rebecca Li Jordan, the chef behind a new taste sensation sweeping the region, will share her mouthwatering dumplings and other traditional dishes at a Chinese New Year luncheon on Saturday, February 6th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Artisan Exchange in West Chester. Costs range from $7.50 to $20 and proceeds will benefit the Chester County Food Bank. Guests may enjoy lunch on site or take home one or more servings. Registration is not required and walk-ins are welcome.

Jordan, who launched Rebecca’s Dumplings last year, has experienced early acclaim from numerous audiences, including the Food Network. She was born in Nanjing in Eastern China. A family tradition was making dumplings, which took an entire weekend. “We went to the market early in the morning to purchase fresh ingredients and then spent all day Saturday preparing hundreds of pork and vegetable dumplings,” she reminisces. “Everything was made by hand. My job was to flatten the dough.”

Years later, Jordan delighted her husband Jim and two children, Rachael and James with the delicious dumplings. “We used to go on dumpling hunts seeking the best tasting products and quickly discovered that mine were better than anything offered in China Town. For years, I made them for friends and family and decided that it was time to let the world have a taste.”

Early success of the budding business proves she is right. The Chinese New Year Luncheon will introduce even more people to Rebecca’s Dumplings. The products are: Original Pork, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free Pork, Gluten-Free Vegetarian, Breakfast and Cheese Steak. The celebration of the Year of the Monkey menu will also include other family favorites including Chinese ribs, Rebecca’s Dumpling Soup, gluten-free Chinese noodles and various fresh vegetable dishes.

Rebecca’s Dumplings are created by hand at the Artisan Exchange commercial kitchen at 208 Carter Drive in West Chester. To keep up with demand, staff has grown from one to four in just a few months. For more details on products or the Chinese Year New Year Luncheon, visit http://www.rebeccasdumplings.com, Facebook or call 610.570.6487.

Rebecca’s Dumpling Soup – Serves Four

Ingredients

3 Cups pre-cooked beef, pork or chicken stock

½ Shitake mushroom, sliced

1 Cup fresh spinach (You can add more if you prefer.)

8 pieces of Rebecca’s Dumplings of your flavor choice

½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Combine the three cups soup stock and three cups water. Heat to a temperature of 180 degrees. Add the mushrooms and cook for two minutes. Stir in the spinach and Rebecca’s Dumplings. Cook for one minute. Add the salt. Turn off the stove. Cool the soup briefly and serve.

Jan 28 2016

MCCC Board Of Trustees Elects 2016 Slate Of Officers‏

Blue Bell, PA — The Board of Trustees at Montgomery County Community College unanimously elected its 2016 slate of officers on Jan. 19 during the Board’s monthly meeting. The officers for 2016 are as follows:

Chair: Michael J. D’Aniello, Esq. (Worcester Township)

Vice Chair: Andrew B. Cantor (Cheltenham Township)

Treasurer: Regina Lowrie (Whitpain Township)

Secretary: Gertrude Mann (Lower Gwynedd Township)

Assistant Secretary: Marcel L. Groen (Abington)

Michael J. D’Aniello, Esq. was appointed to the College’s Board of Trustees in 2001, and he served as the Board’s treasurer from 2004-2010 before being elected chair in 2011. A graduate of MCCC, he was inducted into its prestigious Alumni Hall of Fame in 2003 for outstanding service to the community. D’Aniello has practiced law from his Montgomery County office since 1983. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.  In addition to an A.S. from MCCC, D’Aniello holds a B.S. in Accounting from Villanova University and a J.D. from Widener University School of Law.

Andrew B. Cantor was first appointed to the Board in 1997 and has served as the Board’s vice chair since 2011. He previously served as secretary from 2003-2010. He is retired from Wisler, Pearlstein LLP after 48 years of practice, and he serves on the Board of Trustees for Einstein Medical Center, Montgomery, as secretary of the Board of Trustees for New Regional Medical Center, and as an emeritus trustee for Albert Einstein Medical Center. He previously served as the president of the Montgomery County Bar Association, the Montgomery County Trial Lawyers Association, and the Board of Trustees for the Hedwig House, Inc. Cantor holds a B.A. from Trinity College and an L.L.B. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Regina Lowrie joined the Board of Trustees in 2009, and was first elected as treasurer in 2011. She was a member of the College’s Foundation Board of Directors from 2003-2015, and she served as chairperson of the Courage to Create Capital Campaign in support of the Fine Arts. Lowrie is the President and CEO of RML Advisors in Blue Bell, Pa. and has more than 32 years of mortgage banking experience. Lowrie served as the 2006 Chairman of the national Mortgage Bankers Association, becoming the first woman to do so in the organization’s 94-year history. In 2000, Lowrie was honored by Governor Tom Ridge as one of Pennsylvania’s “Best 50 Women in Business.” She was named “Women of the Year 2014” by the Montgomery County Community College Foundation.

Gertrude Mann was appointed to the College’s Board of Trustees in 1999 and has served as secretary since 2011. She previously held the position of assistant secretary from 2002-2010, and she has served as the past chair the Foundation’s Scholarship Scramble golf event. Mann has held the positions of chairperson of the Board and human resources representative for PM Fasteners, Inc. She is a member of the Ambler Kiwanis Club and is active in politics. She holds a B.S. from Penn State University.

Marcel L. Groen was appointed to the College’s Board of Trustees in 2009, and was first elected assistant secretary in 2013. He is a partner with Fox Rothschild, LLP and was a former partner and founder of Groen, Laveson, Goldberg & Rubenstone, LLC. He is a member of the Pennsylvania and Bucks County Bar Associations as well as counsel for Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. Among his numerous community affiliations, Groen has served as former chairman and founder of the Bucks County International Trade Council, member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Appellate Rules Committee, former counsel for Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce, and chairman of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee. He holds a J.D. from Temple University School of Law.

The 15-person Board of Trustees is the policy and governing body of Montgomery County Community College. Trustees are appointed by the Montgomery County Commissioners to six-year, renewable terms. The Board sets policies to advance the College’s mission and affect student access, curriculum, and the administration of the College, including approving and monitoring an annual operating and capital budget, setting tuition and fees, and hiring and evaluating the President.

The Board meets monthly in public session from September to June, and uses a committee structure to consider issues in areas around finance/audit, physical plant, curriculum and personnel.

Jan 28 2016

‘Master Choreographers,’ Feb. 11-13 At Muhlenberg College‏

Allentown, PA — This season’s “Master Choreographers” concert at Muhlenberg College will feature restagings of three major works by world-renowned choreographers and four world-premiere works by faculty and guest artists. Presented Feb. 11-13 in the college’s Empie Theatre, the annual concert by the college’s nationally recognized Dance Program will feature more than 70 dancers.

The concert will feature restagings of “Ligeti Essays,” choreographed by Karole Armitage; “Songs of the Disinherited,” choreographed by Donald McKayle; and “To Have and To Hold,” choreographed by Shapiro & Smith Dance.

The concert will also feature world-premiere works by Karen Dearborn, Jeffrey Peterson, Heidi Cruz-Austin, and Shelley Oliver.

Karole Armitage is the artistic director of the New York-based Armitage Gone! Dance Company. Known as the “punk ballerina,” her performance credits include the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Switzerland, and leading roles in Merce Cunningham’s landmark works. Armitage has choreographed two Broadway productions (“Passing Strange” and “Hair,” which garnered her a Tony Award nomination), videos for Madonna and Michael Jackson, several Merchant-Ivory films, and Cirque du Soleil’s 2012 tent show “Amaluna.”

“Ligeti Essays” is “breathtaking, providing a pristine setting for Ms. Armitage’s partially frozen world,” according to the New York Times. “As the lighting gently shifts from light to dark, the stage takes on the look of a remote, icy pond in the middle of a dream.” The piece is presented with funding from the Dexter F. & Dorothy H. Baker Foundation. The Baker Foundation has sponsored Muhlenberg’s Baker Artist in Residence program every year since 1992.

Donald McKayle has been named by the Dance Heritage Coalition “One of America’s Dance Treasures: the First 100.” He has choreographed more than 90 works for dance companies in the United States, Canada, Israel, Europe and South America, and has received five Tony Award nominations for his work in musical theater.

“Songs of the Disinherited,” originally choreographed in 1972 for the Inner City Repertory Dance Company of Los Angeles, is one of McKayle’s heritage masterworks. Dance critic Madeleine Swift calls the piece “a finely wrought suite of the enduring human heart that reaches out to others and up to God in its despair and joy… The movement is so specific and true to its theme that it breaks your heart and mends it again.”

Shapiro and Smith Dance began as a collaboration between Danial Shapiro and Joanie Smith after meeting in the companies of Murray Louis and Alwin Nikolais. The company has a reputation for performing tales of beauty and biting wit that run the gamut from searingly provocative to absurdly hilarious. Dancing with breathtaking physicality and emotional depth, they have earned an international reputation for virtuosity, substance, craft, and pure abandonment.

Described as a “genuine treasure,” “To Have and To Hold,” has become one of the company’s signature works since its premiere in 1989. “The piece is zestily acrobatic and eerily haunting, by turn,” according to the Seattle Times. “It’s a meditation on revelry, peril and loss. Choreographers Danial Shapiro and Joanie Smith created it when the ravages of the AIDS epidemic were at their most intense, and that may explain some of its power.”

This year’s edition of “Master Choreographers” also will feature four world premiere pieces by Muhlenberg faculty and guest artists.

Karen Dearborn, the concert’s artistic director and the director and founder of Muhlenberg’s dance program, has created a new, all-male piece that incorporates aerial acrobatics. The concert will also feature a new ballet by Heidi Cruz-Austin, alumna of the Pennsylvania Ballet; a tap piece by Shelley Oliver, director of Shelley Oliver Tap Dancers; and a modern piece by Jeffrey Peterson, former dancer with Danny Buraczeski’s Jazzdance.

“Master Choreographers” will be performed Thursday, Feb. 11, and Friday, Feb. 12, at 8 p.m.; and Saturday, Feb. 13, at 2 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for patrons 17 and under. Performances are in the Empie Theatre, in the Baker Center for the Arts, Muhlenberg College, 2400 Chew St., Allentown. Information and tickets are available at 484-664-3333 or http:///www.muhlenberg.edu/dance

Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg is a highly selective, private, four-year residential college located in Allentown, Pa., approximately 90 miles west of New York City. With an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 2200 students, Muhlenberg College is dedicated to shaping creative, compassionate, collaborative leaders through rigorous academic programs in the arts, sciences, business, education and public health. A member of the Centennial Conference, Muhlenberg competes in 22 varsity sports. Muhlenberg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Muhlenberg offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in theater and dance. The Princeton Review ranked Muhlenberg’s theater program in the top twelve in the nation for eight years in a row, and Fiske Guide to Colleges lists both the theater and dance programs among the top small college programs in the United States. Muhlenberg is one of only eight colleges to be listed in Fiske for both theater and dance.

Choreographer Bios

Karole Armitage is the artistic director of the New York-based Armitage Gone! Dance Company, founded in 2004. She was rigorously trained in classical ballet and began her professional career as a member of the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Switzerland (1973-1975), a company devoted exclusively to the repertory of George Balanchine. In 1976, she was invited to join Merce Cunningham’s company, where she remained for five years (1975-1981), performing leading roles in Cunningham’s landmark works. Throughout the 1980s, she led her own New York-based dance company, The Armitage Ballet. She set new works on companies including the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, the Ballet de Monte Carlo, Lyon Opera Ballet, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, The Washington Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Kansas City Ballet, The Greek National Company, The Bern Ballet and Rambert Dance Company. Armitage served as Director of the 45-memeber MaggioDanza, the Ballet of Florence, Italy (1996-2000), the Biennale of Contemporary Dance in Venice (2004), and as resident choreographer for the Ballet de Lorrine in France (2000-2004). After her company’s successful season at the Joyce in 2004, Armitage’s focus shifted to creating her New York-based company, Armitage Gone! Dance. Armitage has choreographed two Broadway productions (“Passing Strange” and “Hair,” which garnered her a Tony nomination), videos for Madonna and Michael Jackson, several Merchant-Ivory films and Cirque du Soleil’s 2012 tent show, “Amaluna.” In 2009, she was awarded France’s most prestigious award, Commandeur dans l’orde des Arts et des Lettres. She is the 2012 recipient of the prestigious artist-in-residence grant at the Chinati Foundation, founded by artist Donald Judd in Marfa, Texas. She has directed operas from the baroque and contemporary repertoire for prestigious houses of Europe, including Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, the Lyric Opera in Athens, Het Muzik Theater in Amsterdam. She choreographed “The Cunning Little Vixen” in 2011 and “A Dancer’s Dream” in 2013 for the New York Philharmonic and provided choreography for “Marie Antoinette,” by playwright David Adjmi, at the American Repertory Theater Harvard and Yale Repertory Theater.

Donald McKayle has been named by the Dance Heritage Coalition “One of America’s Dance Treasures: the First 100.” He has choreographed over 90 works for dance companies in the United States, Canada, Israel, Europe, and South America. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and Lula Washington Dance Theatre serve as repositories for his works. He is artistic mentor for the Limón Dance Company. Five Tony nominations have honored his choreography for Broadway musical theater. In dance he has received the Capezio Award, Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award, American Dance Guild Award, Living Legend Award from the National Black Arts Festival, Heritage Award from the California Dance Educators Association, two Choreographer’s Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, Dance/USA Honors, Irvine Fellowship in Dance, and the 2004 Martha Hill Lifetime Achievement Award, among others. In April 2005, Donald McKayle was honored at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and presented with a medal as a Master of African American Choreography. For his work in education, he has earned the Balasaraswati/Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching, UCI’s Distinguished Faculty Lectureship Award for Research, and he is a recipient of the UCI Medal, its highest honor.  He has received honorary Doctorate Degrees from: Cornish College of the Arts, the Juilliard School, and from CalArts. His autobiography, “Transcending Boundaries: My Dancing Life,” was honored with the Society of Dance History Scholar’s De La Torre Bueno Prize. A television documentary on his life and work, “Heartbeats of a Dance Maker,” was aired on PBS on stations throughout the United States.

Shapiro & Smith Dance began in 1985 as a collaboration between Danial Shapiro and Joanie Smith. After meeting in the companies of Murray Louis and Alwin Nikolais, they went on to create their first choreography during a Fulbright Lectureship in Helsinki, Finland. Since then Shapiro and Smith’s blend of contemporary dance and dramatic theater has elicited enthusiastic receptions across the U.S., Europe, Asia and Canada. The Company has been presented by major festivals and venues including the Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, Dance Theater Workshop, St. Mark’s DanSpace Project, PS 122, Festival di Milano, Teatro de Danza in Mexico City, Recklinghausen RuhrFestSpiele, and the Korean International Festival. Danial Shapiro died of complications from prostate cancer in 2006 and now Joanie Smith continues as sole Artistic Director.

Heidi Cruz-Austin is an alumna of the Pennsylvania Ballet, and she has danced featured roles in works by choreographers ranging from Alvin Ailey to George Balanchine. In addition to dancing with Pennsylvania Ballet, Cruz-Austin has performed with the Philadelphia-based company Ballet X and as a guest artist throughout the United States and Europe. As a choreographer, Cruz-Austin was a winner for the 2003 Ballet Builders showcase in New York City. She has been commissioned to create works for Franklin and Marshall College, Bryn Mawr College, Repertory Dance Theater, and Ballet D’errico, and she was a recipient of the 2004-2005 New Edge Residency at The Community Education Center of Philadelphia.

Karen Dearborn has choreographed more than 70 works in concert, theater, and musical theater, including national tours of the Tony Award-winning National Theatre of the Deaf and several Equity theatres. She has provided choreography for the Muhlenberg theater productions of “On the Town,” “The Pajama Game,” “Oklahoma!,” “Urinetown,” and “West Side Story,” and Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre productions of “Hairspray,”  “The Sound of Music,” “The Who’s Tommy,” and “Oliver!” to name just a few. Dearborn is the founding director of Muhlenberg’s dance program. Her scholarly research has been published in the Journal of Dance Education, and she contributed an essay to the book “Performing Magic on the Western Stage.” She serves on the executive board of the American College Dance Festival Association.

Shelley Oliver is a Canadian-born tap dancer, choreographer, and educator. She has appeared internationally with some of the legends of the tap world. She is the artistic director of The Shelley Oliver Tap Dancers currently touring with the David Leonhardt Jazz Group throughout the northeast. Oliver is a founding member of Manhattan Tap and served as a co-artistic director and choreographer with the company. She has toured in concert halls in Europe, China, the Caribbean, Canada, and the United States. She has performed with Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, Jimmy Slide, Buster Brown, Jimmy Slide, and Chuck Green. Oliver’s television appearances include “Tap Dance in America” with Gregory Hines and “Star Search.” On faculty at Muhlenberg College, she directs the Muhlenberg Jazz Tap Ensemble, providing community outreach in the Allentown area. Ms. Oliver has produced a series of “Tap Music For Tap Dancers” CDs that have become a standard pedagogical tool in the tap dance world. She is the recipient of the 2009 Outstanding Dance Educator award for the Lehigh Valley Dance Consortium.

Jeffrey Peterson serves as an assistant professor of dance at Muhlenberg College, where he teaches modern, jazz, and partnering techniques. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Peterson began his professional dance career in national tours with JAZZDANCE by Danny Buraczeski in 2000. Since then, he has performed in the work of Clare Byrne, Edisa Weeks, and Mathew Janczewski, as well as Stephan Koplowitz’s “Grand Step Project,” and the Minnesota Opera’s production of “The Pearl Fishers” with choreography by John Malashock. His choreographic work for Jeffrey Peterson Dance has appeared at Joe’s Pub, Joyce SOHO, and Dixon Place in New York City, The Minnesota Fringe Festival, Intermedia Arts, and Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis, and in “The Cloth Peddler” at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. Peterson’s choreography has appeared in the concert repertory of numerous university dance programs. His ongoing creative work includes choreographic projects, colorguard and visual consultation for the Govenaires Drum and Bugle Corps, and sound design.

Jan 28 2016

MCCC Gears Up For 2016 RecycleMainia Competition‏

RM_logo_2016Blue Bell/Pottstown, Pa.— Coming off its most successful finish in eight years of competition, Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) is gearing up for RecycleMania 2016, a national tournament among colleges and universities designed to increase student awareness of campus recycling and waste minimization.

The 2016 competition begins Feb. 7 and continues through April 2.

Historically, MCCC excels in RecycleMania’s Waste Minimization category.  The category measures an institution’s total waste—trash and recycling collected during the eight-week competition—and divides it by the number of students, faculty and staff on campus to calculate the amount of waste per person.

In 2015, MCCC collected 8.395 pounds of waste per capita, which was the lowest amount collected among competing Pennsylvania institutions and the sixth lowest among all competing U.S. colleges and universities.

“Less waste per capita means that our efforts to educate the campus community about the importance of reducing and reusing, in addition to recycling, are paying off,” said Jaime Garrido, associate vice president for facilities and construction at MCCC. “Montgomery’s participation in RecycleMania each year is a great way to benchmark how we’re doing.”

During the 2015 RecycleMania tournament, 394 institutions recycled or composted 80.16 million pounds of materials, preventing the release of 129,411 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E) into the atmosphere.

According to the U.S. EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM), MCCC’s recycling efforts during the competition resulted in a greenhouse gas reduction of 33 MTCO2E, which translates to the energy consumption of three households or the emissions of six cars.

In addition to Waste Minimization, other RecycleMania categories measure the amount of total recyclables, the amount of recyclables per capita and overall recycling rates, among other data.

RecycleMania is made possible through the sponsorship support from the Alcoa Foundation, The Coca Cola Company, Rubbermaid Commercial Products and CyclePoint. Partner organizations include Keep America Beautiful, U.S. EPA Waste Wise, the College and University Recycling Coalition (CURC), the National Wildlife Federation – Campus Ecology, and the Food Recovery Network.

To learn more about the RecycleMania 2016 competition, visit http://www.recyclemaniacs.org.

Jan 28 2016

HOOVER FINANCIAL ADVISORS EXPANDS OFFICE SPACE

PHOTO CAPTION: Hoover Financial Advisors, P.C. offices on Moores Road, Malvern.

PHOTO CAPTION: Hoover Financial Advisors, P.C. offices on Moores Road, Malvern.

Malvern, PA – Hoover Financial Advisors, P.C. opened 2016 with larger quarters to accommodate its growing staff. “We were beginning to get a bit too comfortably close,” says HFA founder and CEO Pete Hoover with a laugh. “We love the Moores Road architecture and relocation was not an option we wished to consider. When space became available in our building, we jumped at the chance to expand.”

The expansion gives HFA an additional 2,080 square feet for a total of 5,368. First and second floor conference rooms are now each a sweeping 375 square feet with ample room for large meetings, work sessions and small special events. The lower level conference area is enhanced with a 65-inch flat screen television set.

HFA, which is headquartered on Moores Road in Malvern, was launched in 2005 by Pete Hoover, who has been an independent financial advisor for more than 30 years. Since its inception, HFA has quadrupled in size. Staff members include certified financial planners, financial advisors, investment analysts, insurance and tax specialists, attorneys, a certified portfolio manager, and an information services manager. In 2012, HFA was selected as Small Business of the Year by Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry. For more information, visit its website at http://www.petehoover.com or call 610.651.2777.

Jan 23 2016

PEAK – Pottstown Celebrates Young Children YMCA – Healthy Kids Day

Saturday, April 16, 2016, 1-3 pm Pottstown High School 750 N. Washington St.

We invite your organization to participate by providing a family activity or other resources. We provide you with a table and space at no cost and an opportunity for family engagement.

Please reply to Jane Bennett – jbennett@pottstownsd.org for questions and to confirm your participation.

More than 1400 people attended this free event for Pottstown families with young children last year, thanks to the support of organizations like yours. We hope to see you this year at Pottstown High School!

This year, we will be partnering with the Pottstown YMCA and celebrating Healthy Kids Day! We are planning fun family activities along with music from D.J. Steve, a moon bounce, celebrated mascots and Pipper the Clown to name a few. The YMCA will be coordinating fitness activities and more.

We thank Pottstown Memorial Medical Center http://www.PottstownMemorial.com for once again being the main sponsor for April’s PEAK Month of the Young Child events.

Thanks for all you do to support that all Pottstown’s children enter kindergarten ready to learn and achieve. Join us on April 16th for our 10th annual event and help celebrate Pottstown’s young children and families!!

Jan 23 2016

FREE BASIC INCOME TAX PREPARATION FOR LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES

POTTSTOWN, PA — Family Services, the Montgomery County Asset Building Coalition and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are offering free basic income tax preparation for low-to-moderate income individuals and families (who earned less than $54,000 in 2015) through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

The IRS trains and certifies all VITA volunteers to prepare and electronically file income tax forms. VITA volunteers are trained to assist clients in claiming special credits and refunds, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The mission of the program is to help working families improve their finances and increase their self-sufficiency.

“We can help put money back in your pocket,” said Lupe Hernandez, Family Services’ VITA site coordinator. “By filing your taxes through a VITA site, not only will you save money in filing fees, but you’ll also receive your tax refund as soon as possible.”

Family Services is offering VITA appointments at two locations in Montgomery County:

  • Family Services’ Pottstown Office, 1976 East High Street, Pottstown. Appointment times: Mondays and Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Family Services’ Eagleville Office, 3125 Ridge Pike, Eagleville. Appointment times:  Thursdays, 5-8 p.m.

Appointments are required. To schedule an appointment at the sites listed above, please call Family Services at 610-326-1610.

Individuals should bring the following documents to their VITA appointment:

  • Photo identification (driver’s license or state-issued identification card) for self and spouse
  • Social security cards for self, spouse and dependents
  • Birth dates for self, spouse and dependents
  • Wage and earning statement(s) (Form W-2, 1099, unemployment statements) from all employers for self and spouse
  • Health insurance statement (Forms 1095-A, 1095-B or 1095-C)
  • Interest and dividend statements from banks for self and spouse
  • Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit
  • Other relevant information about income and expenses
  • Total paid for daycare, daycare provider’s address and tax identification number
  • Form 8332 or a copy of a divorce decree if you are a non-custodial parent claiming a child
  • A copy of last year’s federal and state tax returns (if available)
  • If filing jointly, both the filer and spouse must be present to sign the tax return.

For a complete list of VITA tax preparation sites in Montgomery County, please visitwww.mcassetbuilding.org.

Would you prefer to file your taxes in the comfort of your own home? Now you can—for free and without an appointment! Individuals or families with a combined income under $62,000 may prepare and file their own federal and state taxes online at www.myfreetaxes.com/fsmontco.org. This website is powered by H&R Block and sponsored by Walmart and the United Way.

Since 1900, Family Services has been caring for children, seniors and families in Montgomery County who face everyday emotional difficulties or physical hardships. The agency’s innovative social service programs make a positive difference in the lives of 13,000 county residents each year. For more information, contact Family Services’ Pottstown Office at 610-326-1610 or visit http://www.fsmontco.org.

Jan 23 2016

Montgomery County Community College To Host Third Annual Tri-County High School Art Exhibition‏

Photograph caption: “Long Term,” oil on canvas by Isabel DeGuzman of Perkiomen Valley High School.

Photograph caption: “Long Term,” oil on canvas by Isabel DeGuzman of Perkiomen Valley High School.

Pottstown, PA —High school students from Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties will display their best artwork at Montgomery County Community College’s Third Annual Tri-County High School Art Exhibition and Competition in the College’s Fine Arts Gallery, North Hall, 16 High Street, Pottstown.

The exhibition opens Wednesday, Feb. 17, and will continue through Friday, March 4. The artists’ reception also will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 17, from 5-7 p.m. with the awards ceremony at 6 p.m. Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the community.

This annual event enables up-and-coming student artists to exhibit their work in a professional art gallery and share their talents with the community. This year’s artwork will feature a wide-variety of subjects created in various mediums. MCCC art faculty members will be reviewing the artwork and will be available to answer any questions about the College’s art programs.

Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Closed weekends. For more information about the exhibition, contact Gallery Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349 or hcairns@mc3.edu.

Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DestinationArts for information about upcoming performances and art exhibitions.

Help support the arts and art education programs at Montgomery County Community College by becoming a Friend of the Galleries.  Donations are tax deductible. For more information, contact the College’s Foundation at 215-641-6530.

Jan 23 2016

Experience Arts And Access Event – Next Tuesday, Jan 26!‏

Experience-Arts-Access-web-image-invitationThe Lehigh Valley Arts Council and the Disability Friendly Community are pleased to announce Experience Arts & Access on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, from 2:45 to 5:30 p.m. at the Banana Factory in South Bethlehem. This mid-winter festive gathering celebrates the achievements of Arts & Access midway through a year of offering greater accessibility.

Arts & Access launched last July to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act through the lens of the arts. Currently, thirty arts organizations have teamed up with social service agencies to offer more than fifty events through June 2016, that intentionally reach people with disabilities and their family and friends. The diversity of programming include live theatre performances that are audio described and open captioned for people with visual and hearing loss; sensory friendly performances for children with autism, and a dance workshop for Parkinson patients and their caregivers.

“Cultural access is really about customer service,” says Randall Forte, Executive Director of the Lehigh Valley Arts Council.  “It’s about making your customers feel welcome and comfortable.

Experience Arts & Access seeks to raise awareness of the needs as well as the abilities of persons with disabilities. Featured artist and National Storytelling Champion Anne Thomas will perform autobiographical stories crafted with a mix of dark humor, high energy and rare common sense.  She speaks not only to survivors of disability, illness and tragedy, but to everyone who has a body, a dream, obstacles, hope and determination.

Experience will also allow visitors to explore an arts experience through the simulated reality of a person with a physical, sensory, or cognitive limitation. Guests will be encouraged to test the different technologies that are available, such as audio description and open captioning, voice activated wheel chairs, plus a tactile exploration of a 3-D image of a painting.

The event is free and open to the everyone, particularly someone with a disability.  Please RSVP your intention to attend at info@lvartscouncil.org or 610-437-5915. Light refreshments will be provided.

Jan 23 2016

Dr. Kevin Pollock Named Next President Of Montgomery County Community College

PHOTO: Dr. Kevin Pollock has been selected as Montgomery County Community College’s fifth president. He will begin his tenure on April 1, 2016.

PHOTO: Dr. Kevin Pollock has been selected as Montgomery County Community College’s fifth president. He will begin his tenure on April 1, 2016.

Blue Bell, PA —After an extensive, eight-month national search, Montgomery County Community College’s (MCCC) Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Dr. Kevin Pollock has been selected to serve as the institution’s fifth president. He will begin his tenure at MCCC on April 1, 2016.

Pollock, currently of Port Huron, Mich., has served as president of St. Clair County Community College (SC4) since April 2009. He has more than 30 years of education experience in diverse roles that include college administration, strategic planning, leadership and teaching.

“Dr. Pollock’s breadth of experience in higher education will be a tremendous asset to Montgomery County Community College as we build on our outstanding reputation as a premiere community college in the nation,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Michael J. D’Aniello.

That reputation was built, in large part, by the leadership of Dr. Karen A. Stout, who assumed the role of president and CEO of Achieving the Dream, Inc. on July 1, 2015 after serving as MCCC president for more than 14 years.

“It is an honor to have been selected as the next president at Montgomery County Community College.  It is my sincere hope that we can work together to build upon the foundation set by the faculty, staff, and Dr. Stout and advance the college even more so in the future to the benefit of the students and the community,” said Pollock.

During Pollock’s seven-year tenure as president at SC4, the institution experienced record enrollment, embarked on new student success initiatives, increased its grant funding, became a leader in green initiatives, and strengthened its connections with the community. The institution also adopted a new vision, mission and strategic plan that is tied to national best practices and is based on data.

In addition to his presidential responsibilities, Pollock is a frequent national speaker on topics that include student success, leadership, strategic planning and college transformation, and he has authored 18 book chapters and articles. Pollock holds a Ph.D. in Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education from Michigan State University and a Master of Arts in Education and Bachelor of Science in Education from Central Michigan University.

Dr. Pollock will begin his tenure at MCCC on April 1, 2016. Dr. James J. Linksz will continue to serve in the capacity of interim president until Dr. Pollock begins his tenure.

Jan 23 2016

Valentine’s Day Cooking Demonstrations At Pottsgrove Manor Saturday, February 13, 2016 From 11:00am To 3:00pm

Pottstown, PA – Visit historic Pottsgrove Manor on Saturday, February 13, 2016 between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm for demonstrations of open-hearth cooking with the program “Valentine’s Day, the Colonial Way.”

In the colonial era, before the invention of the techniques that give chocolate the smooth consistency people know and love today, chocolate was usually consumed as either a hot beverage or as an ingredient in various “made” dishes. In this program, historic cook Connie Unangst will prepare a variety of 18th-century recipes using chocolate. Visitors can stop in the kitchen at any time during the hours of 11:00 am to 3:00 pm to see what’s cooking. Guided tours of the manor will also be offered on the hour throughout the day, and the site’s museum shop will also be open. There is a suggested donation of $2.00 per person for this program.

Visitors can also take a guided tour of Pottsgrove Manor during regular museum hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Tours begin on the hour. The last tour of the day begins at 3:00 pm.

Pottsgrove Manor is located at 100 West King Street near the intersection of King Street and Route 100, just off Route 422, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Pottsgrove Manor is operated by Montgomery County under the direction of the Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites Division of the Assets and Infrastructure Department. For more information, please call 610-326-4014, or visit the website at http://www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor. Like Pottsgrove Manor on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pottsgrovemanor.

Jan 17 2016

Program Prepares Students For High Priority Employment As Pharmacy Technicians‏

Blue Bell/Pottstown, PA —Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) is expanding its 50-hour Pharmacy Technician program this spring, with both day and evening classes being offered in Blue Bell and Pottstown. The program prepares students to work in the pharmacy field and to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s national exam, among other national and state certifications.

MCCC is offering a total of six Pharmacy Technician sections this spring.

At the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, the program will be offered at the following days/times:

·      Saturdays, March 5-May 21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

·      Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 8-May 3, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

·      Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 22-May 10, 6-9:30 p.m.

At the West Campus, 101 College Drive, Pottstown, the program will be offered at the following days/times:

·      Saturdays, March 5-May 21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

·      Mondays and Wednesdays, March 7-May 2, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

·      Mondays and Wednesdays, March 21-May 9, 6:9:30 p.m.

The program covers key topics such as pharmacy calculations; medical terminology; skills to read and interpret prescriptions; review of the top 200 drugs; skills to identify drugs by generic and brand names; dosage calculations, IV flow rates, drug compounding and dose conversions; the dispensing of prescriptions; inventory control; and billing and reimbursement.

The cost of attending the Pharmacy Technician program is $1,995, which includes the course textbook. The program is approved by PA Career Link for students who qualify. Students should have, or be pursing, a high school diploma or GED to enroll. To learn more or to register, call 215-461-1127 or email grossett@mc3.edu.

Pharmacy technician jobs are expected to grow by 20 percent through 2022—nine percent higher than the average growth rate for all occupations nationally according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook.

The demand holds true in Pennsylvania as well. Pharmacy Technician is designated as a High Priority Occupation in the Commonwealth, which ranks fourth among states in the number of pharmacy technicians currently employed.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry reports that candidates with formal training or prior experience have the best opportunity for employment as pharmacy technicians. In 2012, the median salary for pharmacy technicians was $29,320 nationally.

To learn more, visit http://www.mc3.edu/academics and click on Areas of Study, followed by Health Sciences, then Career Training Programs.

Jan 17 2016

Community Invited To Mobile Job Lab And Open House At MCCC’s University Center

Pottstown, PA —Montgomery County Community College’s University Center, in partnership with its Career Services and the TriCounty Community Network (TCN), will be hosting a Mobile Job Lab and an Open House on Monday, Feb. 1, from 1 to 4 p.m., at the University Center, 95 S. Hanover Street, Pottstown. Both the Mobile Job Lab and Open House are open to the community, as well as MCCC students.

For the Mobile Job Lab, MCCC’s Career Services representatives and volunteers from TCN will assist participants with searching for jobs, writing resumes and using LinkedIn to create career profiles and broaden their contact networks. The services are free, and walk-ins are welcome.

During the Open House, visitors can meet with representatives from the University Center’s partners—Albright College, Chestnut Hill College, Immaculata University and Temple University—to learn about their programs and available degrees and certificates. MCCC representatives also will be on hand to provide information about the Virtual Campus and admission process.

For more information about the University Center, visit http://www.mc3.edu/universitycenter. For updates, like and follow the University Center on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UniversityCenterMC3.

Jan 11 2016

Greater Norristown Police Athletic League To Host Free Regional College Fair

Norristown, PA — College-bound students and their parents are invited to a Regional College Fair at the Greater Norristown Police Athletic League, 340 Harding Blvd., Norristown, on Thursday, Feb. 18. Visit http://www.greaternorristownpal.org/college-fair for a list of participating colleges and universities.

The public portion of the fair runs from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., during which high students in grades nine through 12 and their parents can talk with representatives from more than 30 colleges and universities about admissions, financial aid, scholarships and academic programs. This portion of the event is free and is open to the community.

Earlier in the day, Norristown eighth grade students will visit the fair from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. to learn about the various institutions and programs as they begin to explore college opportunities. This portion is closed to the public.

The Regional College Fair is sponsored by Montgomery County Community College, the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC) and the Greater Norristown Police Athletic League.

For more information, Visit http://www.greaternorristownpal.org/college-fair or call MCCC Assistant Director of Admissions Carolyn White at 215-641-6561.

Jan 8 2016

Wellness Council Of Boyertown Presents The 11th Annual Wellness Fair​

WHEN: SATURDAY MARCH 19, 2016, 10AM – 1PM

WHERE: Boyertown Junior High West, Gym and Cafe

Running of the Bears at 9:30 am and

Senior Walking Bingo at 10:30 am

Vendor Fair and Live Demos

We are so proud to continue to bring this event to our community.  The success of this event relies on our dedicated vendors.  We truly appreciate your participation each year and hope that you find this event beneficial to your business as well as our community as a whole.

Over 750 local community members attend the Annual Wellness Fair.  They are interested in learning about the Products and Services available in the Boyertown Area to help improve and support their individual Wellness goals.  If you are a local provider, you may want to consider being a vendor.  The cost is only $50 per table for Businesses and $25 per table for Non Profit Organizations.  To complete your Vendor Registration online, click here.

For an additional contribution of $100:

–  Your Business will be listed of the Wellness Council of Boyertown website within the Wellness Providers page for one year.

–  Your wellness events and opportunities through the council’s e-mail newsletter received by 500 people. Anytime you have an important event you wish to advertise, please send it to us and we will distribute your information to our community list.

Kid’s Celebrity Chef Cook-Off

​Visit the Vendors and Live Demonstrations

 We welcome this great activity back to the wellness fair for 2015. Six elementary finalists from the Kids Celebrity Chef competition will bring their dishes for our panel of judges and the community.  The community tasting and voting will occur from 11:00am to 12:00pm during the fair. Winners will be announced at 12:30pm.

Come out to support our finalists and vote for your favorite!

Senior Bingo Walking

Kick off the Walking Bingo program at the Wellness Fair  from 10:30 to 11:00

Free monthly event encouraging activity and fun!  Grandparents bring your grandkids, kids bring your senior parents,  caregivers bring the seniors you care for.  Bingo cards, prizes, water, and snacks are provided for Seniors.  We encourage multigenerational activity for fun & fitness!

What may you ask is “BINGO Walking”?
When you arrive, each Senior will receive a BINGO card.  For each half lap you walk around the track, 10 BINGO numbers will be pulled. Mark your BINGO cards with pulled numbers.  Each 5 in a row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal), you get to choose a prize from our Prize Table including household goods & healthy living items.

Jan 7 2016

Montgomery County Community College Foundation Awards Grants To Support Programs And Initiatives‏

Blue Bell/Pottstown, PA — Montgomery County Community College Foundation recently awarded $19,705 in grants for the 2015-16 year to support programs and initiatives that will improve student success and access, enhance students’ educational experience, promote sustainability and engage the community.

Grants were awarded for the following programs and initiatives:

  • Veterans Retreat – A $5,000 award will allow 20 veteran students to attend a two-night Mindfulness Retreat in Bangor, PA, during which attendees will participate in activities to help build physical, cognitive and emotional resiliency; decrease levels of stress; improve quality of sleep; and improve emotional well-being. The program will be led by Ann Marie Donohue and Deborah Greenspan, MCCC psychology professors, with Veterans Services Coordinator Michael Brown.
  • Reading Community of Practice: Reading in the Content Areas – A $3,779 grant will support this reading program designed to introduce and engage participants in active reading and critical thinking to help increase student success in the classroom. Through workshops, one-to-one faculty collaborations and ongoing support, students will learn to model reading strategies as demonstrated through best practices. The program will be led by Assistant Professor of Reading Barbara Maurer.
  • Creating Accessible Videos with Closed Captioning – A $3,776 grant will enable MCCC’s Information Technology department to create closed captioning for course content videos used by faculty to increase access and student success. The grant funding will cover software costs and allow IT to hire students to learn and work alongside the academic training team, led by MCCC Instructional Designer Joshua Eckenrode.
  • Software Development Academy Pilot Equipment Support – A $3,000 grant will enable MCCC’s Director of Enterprise Infrastructure Jim Stasik in IT to purchase additional computers and iOS devices to support MCCC’s proposed Software Development Academy pilot. This proposed pilot program will increase student access and success in the IT field by providing and innovative delivery of curriculum in a high-performance culture.
  • The Betzwood Silent Film Festival – A $3,000 grant will enable MCCC’s Lively Arts Series under the direction of Interim Director Brent Woods to continue the presentation of The Betzwood Silent Film Festival on May 7, 2016. This annual festival informs the community about the unique history and culture of the silent film industry that developed in Montgomery County and engages the audience through the lively narration and presentation of silent films. The Betzwood Silent Film Archive is housed in MCCC’s Brendlinger Library at its Central Campus in Blue Bell.
  • Bike Maintenance Station – A $1,150 grant will enable MCCC to provide a bicycle maintenance station at its Central Campus in addition to the station at West Campus in Pottstown. Nationally recognized as a Bike Friendly University by the American Bicyclists, MCCC encourages bicycling as an alternative form of transportation for nearby students. The initiative supports MCCC’s ongoing commitment to sustainability since signing the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007.

Established in 1983, the Montgomery County Community College Foundation provides student scholarships; grants for projects, equipment and technology; student emergency funds; support for cultural enrichment activities and financial resources for programs and activities. The Foundation makes a difference in the lives of students thanks to the generosity of alumni, parents, community friends, private foundations and corporations. For more information, contact the Foundation at 215-641-6530.

Jan 7 2016

Montgomery County Community College Announces Fall 2015 Dean’s List‏

Blue Bell/Pottstown, Pa.—Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Victoria Bastecki-Perez is pleased to announce the fall 2015 Dean’s List at Montgomery County Community College. The Dean’s List recognizes full-time students who have earned at least 12 cumulative credits with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher during the fall 2015 semester.

Dean’s List honorees are listed by area of residence.

Abington: Cory Bane, Catherine Bray, Dustyn Collins, Kevin Cruz, Kelly Durphy, Joseph Ganiszewski, Taylor Gordon, Brian Kelly, Adam Lin, Hudson Marsh, Abriana Outen, Allegra Schnitzel, Paige Taylor

Alburtis: Rachel Delp

Ambler: Shana Birdsong, Bridget Bouton, Hagin Butson, Michael Chrzanowski, Caroline Coloracci, Anthony Demarinis, Nisa Fabiani, Allison Fitzpatrick, Matthew Halligan, Kurt Herbine, Evelin James, Jake Kahn, Akshay Kulkarni, Akhil Kulkarni, Richard Lavrence-Mrvar, Brian Maggio, Collin Maurtua, Miranda McFerran, Patrick Mergenthaler, Megan Moyer, Melody Rolon, Eric Rubenstein, David Vigano, Marissa Ward, Amanda Willis, Kimberly Wolbach, Brianna Zera, Amanda Zhou

Ardmore: Richard Gallagher

Aston: Agustina Sosa

Audubon: Brooke Baldassano, Robert Betton, Alicia Bigelow, Jenny Firn, Kirstie Nicolo, Darshanaben Patel

Bala Cynwyd: Roy Li, Harriet Poe, Tiffany Weeks

Barto: Matthew Coldsmith, Tyler Keefer

Bechtelsville: Joseph Hartline, Corey Pettine, Janelle Walters

Birchrunville: Keenan McCormick, Tyler McGee

Birdsboro: Kaitlin Eichenberg

Blandon: Daniel Minto

Blue Bell: Sarah Carminati, Julia Dani, Emily Didomenico, Katelynn Gold, Eun Kyoung Han, Andrew Herbert, Roman Montijo, Patrick Nucci

Boyertown: Sean Bickhart, Courteney Coccie, Kaylie Dixon, Paris Herbst, Jonathan Johnson, Kyle Lee, Annie Renninger, David Rohrbach, Lauren Specht, Katelyn Wentzel

Bridgeport: Carolynne Collins, Amaris Colon

Bryn Mawr: Robert Klein, Arielle Ytterberg

Chalfont: Dahyeon Jeong

Cheltenham: Karlie Dieudonne, Stephanie Hill, Maliyah Howell, Stacy Parker

Chester Springs: Qianyan Wu

Collegeville: William Bianco, Rebekah Bondi, Nicole Bradbury, Sean Brady, Max Bugay, Philip Cappelli, Emily Cosmi, Elizabeth Cusmina, Nicole Dalasio, Anna Di Giovanni, Erin Donovan, Nicholas Duffy, Mark Dylinski, Ericka Hastings, Jordan Higley, Chris Luzeski, Regina MacMurtrie, Kacy Maroney, Geoffrey Melle, Ashley Muhlenberg, Ashley Parker, Brianna Patterson, Anna Poet, Michael Reiner, Kelsey Rush, Yasna Saez Tapia, Julie Scott, Greg Seraphin, Lindsay Siron, Jacqueline Smith, Audrey Sorber, Gisselle Tirado, Michael Topham, Kyle Umstead, Nicole Viola, Daniel Waslo, Stephanie Yovish

Colmar: Vincent Dirienzo, Jennifer Walton

Conshohocken: Kelby Chen, Rachel Dibenedetto, Brianna Labrice, Anthony Moore, Sheila Salcedo, Harry Silverwood

Douglassville: Anna Chandler, Anthony Davis, Lorenzo Giotti, Patrick Hennessey, Charles Hennessey, April Motta, Emilee Parizo, Lauren Tomlinson

Doylestown: Andrew Durkin

Dresher: Lindsey Glassberg, Dana Tascarella, Adam Wasserman

Eagleville: Daniel Buttorff, Kayla Dimitry, Joseph Dipaul, Julie Primavera, John Saviello, MacKenzie Shaughnessy, Bethany Smith

East Greenville: Stephen Andress, Jacob Berry, Heather Haby, Nicholas Haidl, Benjamin Hammill, Colin Hurrey, Shelby Reger

East Norriton: Katherine Bampfield, Emily King, Alison Koziczynski, Edward Lohmeyer, Raj Rawal, Nichole Romano, Kyle Sapovits

Elkins Park: Danny Asmaro, Cecilia Dang, Caitlyn Deviney, Marin Harwood, Dylan Joyce, James Kang, Janice Lee, Amy Malloy, Eliot Pavlov-Rosenfeld, William Schwarz, Ryan Seifert, Katelyn Tausendffeunat, Angelo Torrecampo, Teri-Ann Wollyung

Elverson: Samantha Hyder

Erdenheim: Mark Vido

Flourtown: Jake Frye, Natalie Hargan, Vincent Madle

Fort Washington: Jonathan Basta, Michela Mennella, Victoria Sonetto

Gilbertsville: Brian Bibby, Kathryn Brown, Samuel Cocchimiglio, Zachary Dick, Addee Grabowski, Paul Jaworski, Magdolna Pinto, Bridget Rapp, Alex Siwik, Paige Stubblebine, Joshua Urbach, Charles Vitabile, Carly Watson, John Yoast

Glenside: Caroline Ciocca, Noah Cohen, Elisabeth Cripps, Sebastian Derosa, Joseph Fittipaldi, Chelsie Harmer, Harry Kim, Brendan Kirk, Anita Marie Kruse, Kiera Mahoney, Monica Mohammed, Regina Newlin, Dianna Pax, Peter Pritz, Sherri Razaq-Thiers, Maria Reitano, Kiersten Tasker, Tammi Watson

Green Lane: Sara Barndt, Caira Borchers, Zach Diehl, Emalene Sylvester, Jessica Yelito

Gwynedd Valley: Lauren Ratka

Harleysville: Katalin Abraham, Lane Alderfer, Christine Campbell, Dimitri Coachi, Jocelyn Cribbs, Alfred Derro, Marissa Gleason, Grace Guntz, Faith Guntz, Julie Hartman, John Jungers, Andrew Kramer, Jessica Margulies, Renee Marshall, Ansley Martin, Alexnder McConnell, Thomas Meehan, Alexander Minguez, Alexandra Murphy, George Park, Edbert Ruliff, Brandon Salvo, Samantha Schneider, Jessica Shields, Esther Thompson, Brianna Vandegrift, Dianarose Weiler, Lee Wilcox, Kevin Wood, Amanda Zacharias

Hatboro: Anna Angely, Hailey Beattie, Angelina Brown, Morgan Connell, Crystal Guzman, Nicholas Hildebrand, Kelsey Holm, Jennifer Jacker, Tori Lawlor, Donna-Jo Licciardi, Tara McMaster, Eric Moll, Valerie Natter, Kyle Owen, Rachel Schy

Hatfield: Eric Albaugh, Colleen Andris, Sandra Beitler, Varun Belani, Marc Buchhalter, Brian Burns, Vidhi Desai, Evan Famous, John Feher, Courtney Gill, Brandon Gilrain, Hon Ho, Michelle Hoffman, Scott Keffer, Alexandrea Kier, Ashley Leahy, Lauren Lee, Denise Lied, Andre Martin, Jenna Moyer, Lyn-Lynh Nguyen, Victoria Reeser, Angela Russak, Emily Seiler, Janeel Solanki, Connor Wallis, Ricardo White

Horsham: Stefanie Barszowski, Maria Boggi, Rachel Butler, Kristal Jusino, Da Eun Kim, Merve Kuyumcu, Danielle Lybrand, Kristen Mayo, Victoria McKale, Aaron Murphy, Heather Pringle, Victoria Rivers, Avery Romanoli, Woo Young Song, Ryan Wagner, Michaela Williams

Huntingdon: Christine Brown

Huntingdon Valley: Deena Derenzis, Dylan Kanter, Deborah Kauffman, Julie Schilling, Timothy Terrizzi

Jenkintown: Min Chang, Casey Kasitz, Jinman Li, Li Zhu

King of Prussia: Matthew Bickerdyke, Shaya Edelman, Spencer Edelman, Kyle Gutkowski, Kristen Lopez, Megan Lowery, Angelika Mari Morelos, Angelika Mae Morelos, Bao Nguyen, Laura Persofsky, Grant Smith, Gabrielle Sommese

Lafayette Hill: Doris Aston, Johnny Barattucci, Alexis Dougherty, Michael Fitzpatrick, Brian Seyler, Daria Sykuleva

Langhorne: James Macomber

Lansdale: Rabbil Ahmed, Philip Ahn, Christopher Bean, Sebastian Braccia, Justin Carr, Marisa Christensen, Jiyoung Chun, Abby Dennis, Kennedy Dickhoff, Kevin Franklin, Jessica Furlong, Alex Gabriel, Regina Guzman, Kylie Hartman, Kandice Hill, Tamara Huff, Jae Jang, Mikay Ji, Samantha Jordan, Daniel Kappler, Paul Kendikian, Chang Yong Kim, Mason Koch, Mengwei Kong, Alex Larosa, Anthony Lento, Jacqueline Lepre, Kwan-Ho Lui, Justin Lynch, Destiny Ma, Jena Marron, John May, Michael McLaughlin, Konstantina Merianou, Seyed Ali Mirfakhar, James Mullan, Fatemah Najafali, Sarah Najafali, Sufi Noor, John Ockershausen, Young Oh, Greg Olsen, Doreen Panico, Hee Park, Alejo Pasquale, Rushi Patel, Brianna Phelps, Breanna Potts, Valerie Pry, Dylan Rainone, Natasha Scott, Jeet Shah, Devanshi Shah, Huixin Shen, Kawser Siddique, Kisu Sohn, Fahmida Sultana, Jenna Tieu, Robyn Tone-Pah-Hote, Bryana Whyte, Chaksa Williams, Liting Zou

Lederach: Hae Min Go

Limerick: Kyle Allebach, Abigail Budzilowicz, Sean Budzilowicz, Megan Nacarelli, Bryce Rhodenbaugh

Lower Gwynedd: Nancy Henggeler, Samantha Schafer

Malvern: Haydn Briggs

Maple Glen: Courtney Durham

Merion Station: Catherine Schaper

Mont Clare: Noah Cittadino

Montgomeryville: Elizabeth Flagler, Jake Flagler

Narberth: Colette Clark, Jesse Putnam, Brooke Starkman

Norristown: Nicodemus Andanje, Aamir Austin, Shaun Bradley, Jessica Christman, Caitlin Collis, Jaquelin Cruz-Jordan, Brianna Devenny, Maria Flores Chavez, Chante Forde, Vanessa Fosco, Thomas Gambone, Emma Hagel, Ryan Hamilton, Alison Henning, Brittany Hewitt, John Holleger, Loren Lomax, Gilbert Martinelli, Jacori McEachnie, Elizabeth Palesano, Ginger Peterson, Marina Resendiz, Cynthia Reyes, Davin Sao, Bridget Snyder, Joanna Thompson, Atik Vahora, Gabrielle Valitski, Chelsea Venezia, Dmitry Vereykin, Jessica Whittle

North Wales: Christian Aristizabal, Marissa Boorse, Olivia Camiola, Justin Colon, Derrick Dell, Lyudmila Denisova, Alicia Eglin, Jessica Fulford, Brianna Gaul, Michael Godown, Kyle Greenwood, Paul Hasyn, Samantha Hencken, Alyssa Hoos, Eric Knoblauch, Kevin Krier, Harry Lee, Ian Mack, Garret Macrone, Halifa Mounia, Yong-Eui Park, Dhavalkumar Patel, Keyur Patel, Dipesh Patel, Brandon Peel, Nicole Rademan, Rebecca Robinson, Karolina Rzepka, Taylor Snisky, Dolan Stimson, Fiamma Tulli, Grant Udinski, Christine Yi

Oreland: Cassandra Davis, Nina Grimes, Grace Harmer, Ryan Meinke, Robert Murphy, Jocelyn Smith

Penn Valley: Alexander Shetzen

Pennsburg: Asia Fell, Isabel Gandek-Gaspar, Megan Grams, Miranda Leidy, Julia Leonard, Gabriella Maine, Chad Petipren, Olivia Spilman, Tyler Whittaker, Andrew Zambanini

Perkasie: William Reimers, Crystal Serrano

Perkiomenville: Alexis Elsner, Chelsea Faulkner, Julianne Nacarelli, Brandon Taylor, Elizabeth Tcheiguine

Philadelphia: Tamara Ali, Ashley Ball, Anthony Calfapietra, Patrick Carr, Carly Handley, James McAllister, Gabriel Prichard-Ramage, Jacob Robertson, Stephano Saldutti, Cyerra Smith, Phallon Summerville, Christopher Tejeda, Hyuck Yun

Phoenixville: Niquella Berry, Kevin Colbert, Kaitlyn Evans, Ahmad Hasaan, Caroline Heasley, Monica Hritz, Jessica Jacobs, Michael Jones, Felicia Milano, Brandon Mormello, Kimberly Nihart, Timothy OBrien, Jacob Sims, Matthew Steplewski, Sarah Wochele

Plymouth Meeting: Nazanin Abdollahi, Kyle Bone, Michael Cairns, Rebecca Carbo, Nicholas DiSanto, Amelia Ellinger, Julian Giorno, Kristen Janfrancisco, Autumn McClure, Timothy McClure, Cristian Neagoe, Juman Safi, Juliette Stilley, Sarah Viola, Rachel Viola

Pottstown: Elaine Allen, Amy Bauer, Annmarie Binsfeld, Emily Bohn, Colin Bullock, Olivia Buszta, Mikayla Chippari, Zachary Davis, Anastasia Davis, Martin Dobbs, Samantha Faust, Bridget Geri, Casey Hand, Elizabeth Harley, Christopher Hayden, Sarah Hill, Ruth Holsopple, Gaia Houseal, Leif Hums, William Kabrich, Angela Kenney, Hans Konarkowski, David Kurtz, Tyesha Lewis, Kaitlyn Lichtley, Brian Lightcap, Brianna Maggio, James McKeon, Jaclyn Murphy, Megan Nazaryk, Emily Nazaryk, Pamela Oister, Paul Parrish, Jonathan Pavlick, Sorana Phal, Shelby Poston, Joseph Ragusa, Emily Reitmeyer, Hattie Sandberg, Jonece Sergent, Holly Shively, Samantha Shovelton, Sara Shultz, Joseph Stasik, Kirsten Staurowsky, Angelica Stone, Charlotte Stone, Julia Tartaglia, Alexandria Volinskie, Kali Wade, James Walmsley, Daniel Walters, Shane Woodrow

Quakertown: Anna Short

Reading: Nicaya Perera, Derek Peterson, Corrine Peterson

Red Hill: Catherine Camuso, Joanne Feldbruegge, Mary Heebner

Rockledge: Benjamin Miller, Julia Timlin

Roslyn: Daniel Fisher, Joseph Flint, Ruth Myers, Dawn O’Hara

Royersford: Blanca Anoushian, Nicole Bumbarger, Gwaelin Collison, Matthew Crocker, Daniel Dougherty, Philip Gardocki, Alec Harrod, Dani Keefer, Stephanie Kelley, Madalyn Kostyrka, Steven Landis, Lynn Lang, Tyler Lelii, Shreeda Patel, Kyle Richter, Isabella Rotta, Alyssa Salvo, Kyle Surbrook, Michele Taluc-Chance, Kayla Velasquez

Salfordville: Brandon Rahmer

Sanatoga: Hailee Tyson

Schwenksville: Nichole Bonsell, Erin Bullock, Christopher Camuso, Daniela Casalinuovo, Jennifer Ciccotosto, James Clendening, Colin English, Austin Flint, Jacob Hennessey, Kara Hoover, Blaine Kleiner, Heidi Liebenberg, Angela Malony, Zachary Olecki, Jessica Pupillo, Rachel Robinson, Corey Stenger

Skippack: John Haasis, Michele Szabo

Souderton: Alysa Cianciarulo, Rebekah Doelp, Elizabeth Doelp, Sarah Doelp, Shane Grinkewitz, Brett Hale, Seth Hartley, Sandra Kilborn, Joseph Knesis, Tejaskumar Manvar, Hyeonjoo Min, Rebekah Negley, Christina Nguyen, Joseph Plank, Micah Plank, Daulton Rittenhouse, Melinda Simkins, Lavinia Soliman, Phuong Tran, Nathaniel Walmsley, Benjamin Walmsley, James Walsh

Spring City: Erik Aschendorf, Weston Finerfrock, David Rudart, Jocelyn Stanek

Springfield, Mass.: Derik Duklis

Stowe: Katelin Gladback, Austin Guyer

Telford: Hannah Bergauer, Carina Brown, Jimmy Bui, Katherine Derstine, Emily Freed, Kara Gaburon, Brooke Giannini, Danielle Halteman, Jillian Hartman, Stefan Hofmeister, David Hollinger, Claire Horrocks, Robert Jenne, Marisa Kampe, Lawrence Loughery, Marissa Medycki, Preston Moyer, Colin Moyer, Angela Ofalt, Lynn Saponaro, Christopher To

Trappe: Jose Catalan, Jessica Turner

Villanova: James Mearns

Warminster: Margaret West

Warrington: David Webster

Wayne: Audrey O’Keefe

West Chester: Jamie Hutchison

West Norriton: Madelynn Lund

West Point: Andrew McNaney

Willow Grove: Colleen Barbardo, Brian Behler, Natalie Berger, Gabrielle Biagi, Jonathan Dacosta, Nataliya Demkovych, Allison Lackovich, David Marcucci, Alicia Nicklas, Michelle Paripsky, Matthew Rickert, Mary Rosenbaum, Conner Shillington, James Soulges, Margaret Thompson, Amanda Warren, Zachary Wiley, Candice Yohe

Willowgrove: Melissa McCann

Worcester: Emily Hobbs

Wyncote: Joshua Kellem

Wyndmoor: Christine Fariss, Matthew Samson

Wynnewood: Rivka Gross