WQED’s New “Smartparent” Series Offers Parenting Tips for Digital Age

Being a parent in 2013 is much different than being a parent 30 years ago—or even 10 years ago! New forms of media, the Internet, and cultural changes that have cropped up this past decade present many challenges for parents, especially those with children entering their middle school and high school years.

One of our most helpful local educational resources, WQED, has launched a program called IQsmartparent. The program consists of a series of live-recorded episodes on parenting in the digital age. There is even a live taping tonight, at WQED Multimedia’s historic Fred Rogers Studio. Check their website to see if there are still seats available. Of course, if you can’t make it, the episode will air on WQED TV at a later date.

Other upcoming episode tapings include:

Episode 5: Early Childhood, Screens, and the Developing Brain
What happens when kids under age 8 watch TV and are exposed to screens? We’ll discuss current research and practical considerations of exposing children to media during the early childhood years, explore the impact of educational screen time on kids of various backgrounds, and offer iQ: smartparents some tips for raising young children in our media-rich environment.
Taping: September 25, 2013

Episode 6: Online Identities and Social Media
Children and teens are using social media to define and share their personal narratives. When there is no “delete” button on Facebook or other social platforms, what story does your child’s online identity tell, now and into the future? What does it mean to be a good digital citizen? Join us for an eye-opening discussion on how parents and children can have safe and positive experiences online.
Taping: November 19, 2013

WQED has also provided a trove of supplementary resources to pair with each episode. To review a complete schedule of episodes and resources from IQsmartparent’s website, click here. But chances are, if your child is a patient of Reed Orthodontics, you’re already a “smartparent.”

Nominations for ATHENA Awards are Open!

Do you know an inspiring woman who seems to succeed in whatever they do? It’s possible you know several! If so, consider nominating them for an ATHENA Young Professional Award for the Greater Pittsburgh Area.

Established in 1982, the ATHENA Awards aim to recognize talented professional women under age 35 who not only excel in the workplace but as mentors to their communities. The award’s name is derived from Athena, the Greek goddess of strength and wisdom—and continues to be one of the largest annual gatherings of ATHENA International members across the globe.

Courtesy of ATHENA’s website, here are some of the requirements for Greater Pittsburgh ATHENA Award nominations:

ATHENA Young Professional honorees are emerging leaders 35 and under who do the following:

• Demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession;
• Provide valuable service by contributing time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community; and
• Serve as personal and professional role models for young women. 

Benefits of nominating a woman in your life include the following: 

• Enhancing the public profile of the nominee and her organization through ample pre-   and post-event media coverage and the event itself, which draws 800+ people;
• Providing substantive, well-deserved acknowledgement to individuals whose dedication, service and leadership may go unrecognized;
• Fostering a community that promotes ongoing contributions from this influential group; and
• Enjoying access to an exclusive Nominees Reception a month prior to the event to mingle with all nominees, nominators, and sponsors.

The deadline for nominations will be June 28, at 5:00pm. Nominations may be submitted online at www.ATHENA-Pittsburgh.com, and the awards reception will be held on Monday, September 30, 2013, at Westin Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.

A Grand Endowment for 25 School Districts

Our local schools continue to pull away from the national pack in the most important academic areas: science, technology, engineering, math, and the arts (STEAM). And now, thanks to a $500,000 grant from The Allegheny Intermediate Unit's Center for Creativity, 25 Pittsburgh area school districts will benefit from even more funding in the academic areas that are most vital to our future.

The grant designates funding for hands-on educational resources such as a robotics laboratory, a digital communications station, music centers, and a media studio. So as Pittsburgh continues to firmly establish itself as a national leader for economic development, it makes sense that our schools follow suit.

The Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s assistant executive director, Rosanne Javorsky, told WESA FM:

“My heart was filled with joy,” said Rosanne Javorsky, assistant executive director of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, reacting to the 80 proposals for grants to create innovative spaces to engage students in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). 

“One thing we should be proud of, we’ve been saying STEAM now for five years where the rest of the country just seems to be catching on,” she said.

For more information on the grant, click here.

Citiparks Pool Season is Upon Us!

Summer is almost here! The temperature seems to have taken a head start without us. If you’re thinking of heading out to the local outdoor pools, there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that they aren’t open yet. But! The good news is that you’ll only have to wait another week. According to the Pittsburgh Citiparks website, the pools will open on June 14. Check out the information below for more tidbits, and follow the links for a list of local outdoor pools you can use to splash into summer.

Outdoor - Pool Directory - Summer

• June 14 to September 2, 2013 (Labor Day as staffing levels permit)
• Hours of Operation: Mondays - Fridays, 1:00 - 7:45 p.m.
• Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays: 1:00 - 5:45 p.m.
• NOTE: Any child under the age of 6 must be accompanied by an adult (18 years or older) in the pool.
• Indoor - Oliver Bath House - Fall, Winter, Spring - Now Open
• Spray Parks - Late Spring to Early Fall - Closed for the season
  
  
  Follow this link for more information.