Blue Ridge Elementary students are urging their parents, other family members and friends to hand over their Box Tops for Education.  The small labels found on everything from Cheerios cereal boxes to Hanes clothing can mean a chance to spray their school Principal with silly string! 

The Blue Ridge PTO is sponsoring the unique competition between classrooms.  For the next several weeks, students in grades Pre-K through 5th who provide Box Tops for Education as well as Labels for Education will earn points for their classroom.  The classroom with the most points by February 20 will get to zero in on Principal Matthew Button with silly string.

 “We just want the kids to have fun while helping raise money to help our school,” explains contest coordinator and PTO President Danielle Buchanan. 

Collecting the small labels can pay off big.  Every box top collected is worth ten cents.  Over the last year, Blue Ridge PTO has earned hundreds of dollars.  All of it goes to support the school in various ways including:  covering field trip costs; hosting family engagement events; and providing items for food baskets given to needy families within the school district. 

If you know a student at Blue Ridge Elementary, don’t be surprised if he or she asks you to help in their collecting.  Even if you don’t know a student a Blue Ridge, you can still join in the fun.  Box Tops or Labels for Education may be sent to the Blue Ridge PTO c/o Blue Ridge School District, 5058 School Road, New Milford PA, 18834.

Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) teachers representing educators from seven counties across northeastern Pennsylvania met on Wednesday, January 22 at Marywood University. Teachers from Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming Counties came together to participate in an informational meeting sponsored by the Pennsylvania Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (PAFCS).

Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) has been defined as the study of the relationship between individuals, families, communities, and the environment in which they live.  It is an academic discipline that focuses on the following subjects:  Consumerism; Foods and Nutrition; Clothing and Textiles; Housing; and Human Development, including parenting, child development, and literacy.  It is a subject that takes concepts from other academic areas and demonstrates the practical application of those subjects to an individual's daily life.

Forty-two Family and Consumer Sciences teachers along with Marywood University students attended this informational meeting. The program was planned and coordinated by Dr. Elaine M. Chichura, PAFCS North-East District Chairperson and teacher of Family and Consumer Sciences at Mountain View School District, Kingsley, PA.  Marywood University was the host of this meeting through the cooperation and direction of Dr. Lee Harrison, Chairperson of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics for Marywood University.  Marywood University is one of only five colleges or universities in Pennsylvania that currently offers a teacher certification program for Family and Consumer Sciences.

Ms. Terri Stocki, a Certified Education Director from the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northeastern Pennsylvania

The main purpose of the meeting was to familiarize teachers with current financial literacy curriculums and to provide information regarding grant opportunities.  Two guest speakers presented information pertaining to programs available to FCS teachers in northeastern Pennsylvania. Ms. Terri Stocki, a Certified Education Director from the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northeastern Pennsylvania presented information on the TEEN Program (Teenage Education for Economic Needs).  Mr. Paul Francis, Operations Director for Junior Achievement of Northeastern PA presented information on the Finance Park program.  Upon invitation these programs are available to school districts.