Getting more people eligible to coach in Pittsburgh Public Schools requires a change in the city's charter

Public Statements: March 20, 2017 to PPS Board and Administration:

Mark Rauterkus, Varsity Swim Coach, Obama Academy.

I lead Swim & Water Polo after-school programs at Westinghouse (Mondays), Obama (Tuesdays & Thursdays), Allegheny (starting on Wednesdays), Arsenal (starting Fridays). Our Saturday Swim School (Oliver HS pool on the Northside) continues from 9 am to 1 pm (most weeks). At 6 am I'm at Sci-Tech three days a week. I coached Manchester Academic Charter School at the Sarah Heinz House and help with Pittsburgh Masters Water Polo and, of course, PPS Summer Dreamers. This year PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim & Water Polo is at King and U-Prep.

These activities are open to new participants, especially the Saturday Swim School. See my web sites at CLOH.org for details. CLOH = Creating Literate Olympians Here.

As we look to the summer, I'm going to be creating a new swimming, water polo and TRIATHLON team, on the Northside on Charles Street with The Pittsburgh Project.

Kids, adults, teachers, … we're hiring. Some of the varsity swimmers help, but we need about 35 as swim instructors, junior captains, guards, and coaches. Much of this work happens with the help of the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, and I'm activity recruiting employees.

Applyat the link at CLOH.org.

News flash:

Earlier this month, an Obama Swimmer, Sead Niksic, junior, set a new WPIAL Record in the class AA 100-yard backstroke. This is the first time a PPS student in any sport broke a WPIAL record. That news got a mentioned on the PPS home page.

All-in-all, our swimmers performed in brilliant fashion at the WPIAL and PIAA meets. After the snow storm, I took three of the Obama students to the PIAA meet. The Obama boys team finished in the top 20 in the state. All of the swimmers set personal and school records.

This was the 9^th consecutive season our PPS kids from Schenley / Obama went to states.

Sead was second in the back and third in the fly. Noah scored 13^th in the 500 free in his first trip to states as a sophomore. Amila, a freshman, dropped an additional 1-second in her backstroke, after getting 2^nd at the WPIAL championships, having been seeded 10^th.

Next news flash:

You, your spouse, coaches, swimmers, lifeguards, PE teachers, and all community members are invited to join in at a seminar and demonstration as well as post-game social to be held in Pittsburgh's South Side starting at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, April 12, 2017, at the historic, Citiparks' Oliver Bath House. Out of town guest include aquatic experts with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA.org) and Kevin McCarthy of Washington state, inventor of the aquatic game, SKWIM. Bring your swim suit and towel as we will put our PA friends into SKWIM games with opponents from around the nation. We'll learn about this terrific game, talk swimming, and find out what you might want to do to help get our kids swimming, more fit and safer in the water. We need to better utilize our facilities too.

After our time at the Oliver Bath House, all are invited to walk to a post game social starting at 9 pm at our home / office at 108 S. 12th Street, South Side, Pgh 15203.

Gratis Tickets / RSVP at Swim.CLOH.org.

October Reminder

In October 2016, I came to speak. My specific ask was for PPS support for WATER POLO instead of GOLF. The Obama golf team had one kid this year and none have made it to the final city-league match in the past two years. We have dozens of water polo players, and we own the pool. This would be a tremendous help for the students, programs and district in many ways. And, as a switch, it can be “budget neutral.”

I made that request to the board and the top administrators because you are the ones that will have to make it happen.

I find it sad that I have heard nothing about this issue from any of you since then.

Let's fix this for fall 2017.

New & Old Issues:

Furthermore, other matters, not well suited for public comment, need some attention. As we talk about district supported water polo, (we mainly need money for officials, some bus transit to matches and practice times at the school pool), we can share that list. This focused list of suggestions has many repeated requests from the past.  

Disseminating K-12 Health Literacy Efforts: A Learning Collaborative for Key Stakeholders” Symposium on March 24

• Invite. 
• Sessions.

NLA Contract

I did this work and never put in an invoice to get paid. I make it as my volunteer efforts at Westinghouse. NLA is Neighborhood Learning Alliance. Mt. A Church and Wesly ran the program.

New EdD at Pitt for OUT OF SCHOOL TIME study

New Doctoral Degree in Out-of-School Learning

University of Pittsburgh

Responding to the needs of professionals looking to advance their careers, the
University of Pittsburgh offers a Doctor of Education (EdD) in out-of-school learning.
The part-time EdD is a three-year cohort-based degree program designed around
the needs of working professionals with very clear timelines and an on-line course
delivery model.

The program is intended for experienced professionals who aspire to be
transformational leaders in out-of-school learning. Prospective applicants might
currently work in museums, out-of-school time (OST) settings, libraries, digital
media/technology, university outreach/extension, policy groups and think tanks, life-long
learning programs, parks, environmental centers, arts-based organizations, community
settings, youth development, or the many other areas where we explore learning
environments that exist outside of classrooms. Program faculty are expert in connecting
research and practice and have experience across a wide range of out-of-school
settings, audiences, and learning arrangements.

Out-of-School Learning students are part of a larger, multidisciplinary EdD cohort of
students from eight different specializations in education, offering rich opportunities for
collaboration and broad learning about education. The core EdD curriculum covers
educational foundations and methods of practitioner inquiry, while the specialized outof-school
learning curriculum focuses on informal learning theory, organizational
processes, applied life-long learning, and evidence-based change and evaluation.

In addition to on-line work, most students in the EdD program come to Pittsburgh for
occasional Saturday sessions with the entire EdD cohort. Students in the out-of-school
learning program can opt for this on-line/face-to-face model or could choose a
predominately on-line model. Students who do not live in Pennsylvania can apply for
merit-based scholarships to help offset the cost of out-of-state tuition.
We will launch our first cohort in May 2017. Applications are due February 1, 2017.

For more information:
Kevin Crowley, crowleyk
Tom Akiva, tomakiva
Jennifer Russell, jrussel

School To Career info

Case study on Bill Strickland

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByN94c3Pp4BpQ2lFWjhfLWtFM015b3VtV2JlMllLWmhkc24w

Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership case study on Exemplary Leadership Award winner Bill Strickland, Manchester Bidwell Corporation. This case study focuses on the replication strategy that is responsible for the many new centers opening up around the United States and abroad. 

Let's fund Water Polo as a sport at Obama

See my expanded comments to the school board and superintendent asking for help to expand water polo at Obama. Talks of one possible next step for sport reform.

http://cloh.org/wp/archives/596

Arsenal Middle School and its afterschool program with the BGC and NLA that includes water polo

Link to the form for kids and guardians to fill out is here.

Should frame this as they seldom got the attention required

This is a pool permit that was signed. Notice, I put it into the PPS school principal on 9-12-16. Meanwhile, it was marked as received on 12-15-16. 

We had problems with permits and I wanted to be sure we'd be able to swim over the break. 

In 2017, the same problems were revisited. Central office helped resolve the matter, again. 

Hiring the new PPS Superintendent

Hi PPS Board Members.

I have been following this noise about the hiring of Dr. Anthony Hamlet as close as possible and have some suggestions. STICK TO YOUR prior DECISION.

Sure, a storm has come. Blame goes here and there in bits, but golly. Plug ahead.

I feel that saboteurs are trying to derail elected school boards and are trying to damage Pittsburgh Public Schools.

The board voted 9-0 to hire the guy. To change your views now would spoil the desire for others to seek the job. None would want to deal with the mess in this wake, plus deal with a fickle board, nor confront the wire-pulling and outside influence from beyond the school board.

IMHO, two of those claims are bogus fabrications. An open source approach of wikipedia on a definition of terms is desired and should not be original.

There should be some repercussions and remedies. I have made some solution suggestions. Follow my Facebook page and http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com.

Triple his probation period.

Seek a partial refund from the consultant.

Allow for a super MINORITY to terminate his contract within the probation period.

Work harder.

+ +

Final two points:

#1: I volunteer to stand with you or stand alone and talk to the media, the citizens. other politicians, union leaders or anyone else on this topic.

#2: Furthermore, Let's begin again with sports reform, something that did NOT resonate with Dr. Linda Lane, sadly. Teaching our kids how to play well with others isn't an expensive proposition, and it is a great investment if done well. I volunteer to help to re-think the issues with PPS. System-wide athletics, sports, after-school recreation, swimming, student leadership with jobs and after-school technology have pressing issues. The city can't wait to get started on the heavy lifting on those fronts.

Good luck.

This is the type of support some in PPS give to PPS Summer Dreamers

In spring 2016, I put in a pool permit to get ready for Summer Dreamers so that our summer staff can work with the existing kids at Obama at the pool -- and work with a renewal of swim skills with the kids I coached in past years as part of PPS Summer Dreamers. 

The permit was denied. The denial says, "NO SUMMER DREAMER STUFF."

I wanted to have ONE practice on Wednesdays from April to June. 

Go figure.

Futhermore, in future years this permit would be considered a blessing -- because there is an ANSWER. MOST of the time, interactions with PPS administrators have no replies. Silence. 

Swim & Water Polo practices are starting for kids on Tuesdays and Fridays

Invite for kids from Pittsburgh!

Join new Swim & Water Polo practices.

From: Mark Rauterkus, Swim & Water Polo Coach

Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation & Pittsburgh Public Schools' Summer Dreamers Academy

Obama Academy, Sci-Tech and U-Prep Varsity Swim Team

To: Students at U-Prep, Teachers, Parents, Guardians and any possible summer-time employees wishing for jobs as a lifeguard and/or swim instructor

Let's go to the swim pool for a new, city-wide water polo program.

Learning to swim and then getting a job in the summers as a lifeguard and swim instructor is a big deal and something to celebrate! We are calling for all swimmers and non-swimmers to consider joining us for practices for a new activity. Learn to swim or swim better, stay in shape, grow stronger. You're encourage to consider these opportunities to make continued progress, new friends and learn new skills in the weeks and months to come with me in some BRAND NEW AQUATIC PROGRAMS just being announced.

All the city's middle school and high-school students, boys and girls, are invited to Swim & Water Polo practices. We will swim, work a bit on fitness, strokes, and then play and introduce everyone to water games such as water polo and SKWIM. Rookies are welcome. Bring your friends.

Tuesdays from 6 to 7:30 pm at PPS Obama Academy.

Corner of East Liberty Blvd and Highland Ave, in East Liberty / Highland Park

Fridays from 5:30 to 7:00 pm – Thelma Lovette YMCA.

2114 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 – YMCA phone = 412-315-0990

First practices in February, 2016. An adult needs to sign in the student on the first first practice with the coach and with the YMCA on your first visit there. No charge to join. Bring your suit, goggles if you have them, towel and enthusiasm.

We are also looking for students to sign up for Summer Dreamers in Swim & Water Polo for 2016. Plus, we like to engage junior captains and junior lifeguards for service jobs in the summer with these activities with the BGC.

Mark Rauterkus, 412-298-3432 = cell

Mark@Bloomfield-Garfield.org Mrauterkus@PghBoe.Net Mark@Rauterkus.com

Recap: Final Public Hearing for Pittsburgh Public Schools in its Hiring Quest for a New Superintendent.

Replacing the retiring Linda Lane can be an opportunity to recreate Pittsburgh recreation. We're a sports and river town and should use our swim pools.

From Mark Rauterkus, Mark@Rauterkus.com, varsity swim coach at Obama Academy and leader of the PPS Summer Dreamers Swim & Water Polo Camp with the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation


On Thursday night, January 28, 2016, right after our home swim meet at Pittsburgh Obama against South Fayette, I dashed over to U-Prep for the public hearing concerning the search for the new PPS superintendent of schools. We lost the swim meets, but game them a good scare. One new school record was set by Obama sophomore, Sead N, leading off the 400 free relay in a 49.

I was speaker 13 and took some notes as the others before me gave the school board their thoughts. It was wild to hear what the others would say as nearly everyone else had statements that resonated with my message too. What they want, and what I want, are identical in terms of values and vision.

Pittsburgh Public Schools needs to make an overhaul to its sports and after-school programs.

Two years ago, the wake of Doctor Linda Lane's state of the district speech when she said she wanted to cut a number of sports from the budget, I released a position paper. Thankfully, those cuts never occurred. Now that there are some new board members, it is prudent to re-introduce this document again to get them aware of these situations.

http://aforathlete.wikia.com/wiki/Fewer_Sports_Alternatives

When Mark Roosevelt became superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools, a few of us shared concerns with him. Mr. Roosevelt, a former tennis player, understood the value of sports. To his credit, he was in agreement but said sports reform and athletics were not a priority – yet. He had bigger problems: principal accountability, teacher evaluations and contracts, merit pay, and of course, right-sizing. Nothing changed for years. Then, finally, Mark Roosevelt sent me an email around New Years Day and he promised me that sports reform was coming off the back burner. Wow!

A study was done on Title IX, a consultant was hired with grant money. A committee was established and meetings were held. Real issues were talked about. Mark Roosevelt came to a meeting with about 35 people, VIPs in PPS in terms of coaching, sports, security, transportation, administration, principals, and said, “I'm sorry.” Roosevelt apologized for the terrible treatment and lack of support his administration had given throughout the years to sports and athletics. He had seen the light and now understood what was happening with PPS and how many of the pitfalls could be rectified through a more robust attention to these areas. Improvements in school spirit, attendance, grades, student health, graduation rates, discipline and scholarships are evident. I was so excited to hear of the new change in direction and within the month, Mark Roosevelt resigned and took a new job at a college in Ohio.

Linda Lane was hired by the board without interviewing anyone else so as to sustain the changes Mark Roosevelt was championing in PPS. But sadly, she failed and fumbled the whole sports reform movement. She was clueless. She pulled the plug and wouldn't do anything else in this regard except cut and starve.

When Dr. Lane gave her State of the District speech at CAPA in the fall of 2013, she talked about saving $600,000 from a budget by cutting some sports and all intramural programs and upgrading computers less frequently. That's some line item: Sports and technology upgrades for $600,000 savings. That move seemed to be a surprise to everyone, even within PPS, who had worked on sports reform. I pushed back with a position paper, “Fewer sports alternatives,” and the cuts to the budget never materialized, thankfully, due in great part by board members who knew better. Two years later in the fall of 2015, the PA auditor general and city controller told the newspapers of a PPS surplus of more than $120-million. Go figure.

The first suggestion in the position paper reads: PPS Superintendent, Doctor Linda Lane, should re-establish our Athletic Reform Task Force. Suggestion #1b: This position paper can fill the early agenda for task force meetings. Suggestion #1c: The next task force should include a research component. Examine student data along with Pittsburgh Promise data.

Some other of my favorite suggestions to PPS administrators include the establishment of PPS H2O for city-wide aquatics, an All-City Sports Camp from May to September and the formation of a private-public partnership, an Olympic Sports Division, to manage the scholastic sports of Swimming, X-Country, Track-and-Field, Tennis and intramural programs. After a three month wait, I finally did have one 30-minute meeting with Dara Ware Allen, PPS Administrator in charge of all student services (including athletics). She hadn't even read the position paper. No follow up since.

Linda Lane's Administration lacks leadership in terms of sports, after-school and community building – that's my top concern with PPS.

With the superintendent search, and new board members, it is time to double down. I want to re-visit the 2014 position paper and to insure the new PPS Board Members see it. But I am releasing a new document, a new vision. We can build upon our Summer Dreamers experiences with Swim & Water Polo and turn them into Year-Round Achievers. Let's train 250 new lifeguards in the next five years. You know, PPS has 14 indoor swim pools and there was a time a few years ago when every pool was closed all summer long. We ran the numbers, we have the opportunity to train 6,000 students a year in a five-week Swim & Water Polo Camp. We can teach every kid in PPS how to swim. And, we already have these facilities. They are too often closed. And, these plans are affordable. The pools are there. The water awaits. The plans call for no extra time for custodians. Done well, I expect sensational health benefits and community school interactions.

In the final public hearing concerning input for the new superintendent search, I was the 13th speaker. Every other speaker that came to the microphone to share insights had common ground with my central message as well.

Speaker #1 said: Services and support are not in place in PPS.

Speaker #2, a young woman, remembered that the only thing she was jazzed about at Allderdice through 9th, 10th, and 11th grade was her involvement in marching band. That experience kept her going through high school.

Speaker #3 works as a professional in out-of-school time activities as a community-based provider. She wants PPS to embrace partnerships and have that as a skill-set. The new superintendent needs to have a “track record” (pun to me) and display “small wins” in after-school programming. Well, I want big wins.

Speaker #4, an 8th grade student in Higher Achievement, spoke of the need for a fresh environment. In past years I coached water polo with students in Higher Achievement. Of course, that's fresh!

Speaker #5, a 7th grade student, wants communication skills and respect in communities.

Speaker #6, Hill District Economic Council spoke of being healthy. Wishing for transforming students, leadership, innovation. Athletic do that.

Speaker #7, a Pitt Education Professor and a parent spoke about deep and sustaining partnerships. Pittsburgh has an incredibly rich network. Civic and community engagement are needed and golly, she said that PPS often seems as if it does not want input. Spot on!

Speaker #8, Sala Udin, wants to see someone articulate a strategy. That's exactly what the position paper did. That's exactly what the Sports Reform Task Force did. That's what was ignored by PPS. Sala wants a “turn around” and I do too. We'll even teach flip turns! Yes, Sala, Pittsburgh is a segregated city with a large number of poor people. That's why we are excited to do water polo in the Hill District's Ammon Swim Pool again in the summer of 2016 and champion swimming and water polo, activities that don't cost much beyond having swim suits.

Speaker #9 wants community schools and job training for parents. I've been working with the Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center, but that's not the social skills job training that is really desired. But the new document speaks of community fitness for the parents and guardians of the students we coach. I want adults to start to train when their kids are youngsters so that a few years later as the kids are in high school we can kayak together in our rivers.

Speaker #10, the President of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers hit a home run and made mention of the word “athletics.” She wants none of this as an “after-thought. Rather, authentic working together is desired. Bravo.

Speaker #11, a U-Prep teacher, Chris, made mention that Pittsburgh has been a sports town with some graduates in the NFL and NBA. Who is going to stand up and take the heat, he asks? I think we teach that in athletics too.

Speaker #12, Fred Logan of Homewood, wants the PSCC (Parent School Community Councils) to return with gusto. And our sports boosters, sports leagues and sports advocate efforts should be a part of those PSCC gatherings, perhaps bringing purpose for some to show up and get more involved.

I spoke at #13.

Speaker #14 ranted about knowledge being power. Learn everything and many things. “We should do better than that so our kids can survive in the world.” Learning to swim is a survival skill.

Speaker #15, a Linden teacher and advocate with gifted referrals wants a universal screening so that all the kids who qualify as gifted get an invite to the Pittsburgh Gifted Center. Of course, all the kids should have some of the same opportunities. We could tie a universal gifted screening approach to a mission to have universal swimming lessons.

Speaker #16, Obama Academy senior, spoke of Teen Block and speaking up with student voices. The most popular messages among the kids have been about school starting too early and PPS teaching the whole person. I just released a new video about the AM Swim Practices we have at 6 am. And, I'm a big fan of holistic coaching.

Speaker #17, a U-Prep junior, a young Mr. Sanders, wants to be an entrepreneur. His personal finance class doesn't have a stable teacher and there are many faculty who seem to change often. The lunches do not seem to be nutritional and he and his classmates do not seem to be energized after eating. With athletes, great nutrition is vital. With growing kids, nutrition matters. I also expect that with more athletes, we'll diminish violence. Learning to play well with others is a central theme we should embrace often.

Speaker #18, a parent wants to develop amazing adults and wants inclusion with the disability community. Unemployment is at 70% in that sector, and teaching needs to be visual, auditory and kinetic.

Speaker #19, Ron Lawrence, 100-Black Men and an A+ Schools board member is one I want to get to meet. Closing the achievement gap is important. That achievement gap happens at the swim pool too.

Speaker #20, Education Rights Network advocate wants to end that pipeline to prison. I agree, the PPS administrative cabinet should have a commitment to include an administrator to work full time on efforts to better support those with disabilities. Another after-thought it seems.

Speaker #21, Kenneth, a long-time community activist and friend wants student government and school newspapers to be a first contact with visitors to the school. The newspapers teach ethics and are a place to get focus in a crisis. What's going on should be written about and he feels Mark Roosevelt was a terrible person, especially as he sold off the printing presses in all the schools.

Speaker #22, Tim Stevens, spoke and sang of his days in the U-Prep school, site of the meeting, as it was then called Herron Hill. He spoke at a past meeting and he highlighted the slogan above the stage, “We are all learning.” Enough said.

Speaker #23, Chris Moore, the new U-Prep principal, a former teacher at Schenley, is back in PPS and he feels the new superintendent should be one who is “called” to the job. That is a great trait. He also says that the new superintendent should have the discipline to put students first as he or she makes decisions. I got to chat for a minute after the meeting with the new principal. He'll help to get the word out to the students about the opportunities to play water polo in the neighborhood on Fridays at the Thelma Lovette YMCA.

Summer Learning -- even after 3 pm.

In Taking Summer Seriously, the Packard Foundation examines a growing trend in California to improve access to high-quality learning after 3 p.m. and in the summer.

As part of the Summer Matters campaign, schools across California are building new models of summer enrichment programs designed to engage kids in a more hands-on way. Advocates say these expanded learning options are vital for low-income children at risk of falling further behind. 

Learn about the latest research and hear from school administrators, educators, parents and the students themselves about how these new models are making a difference for California's children on the Packard Foundation's website.

Keeping Kids Safe, Clearances and new PA Laws

Insights from a session hosted by The Forbes Fund and others about clearances, reporting of child abuse and other new trends with law changes in PA.

We have a ladder of engagement drafted that deploys Digital Badges for adults to assist with this process. A position paper from my is forthcoming.

Knight Foundation Prototype Grant

Project title: CLOH.org: Creating Literate Olympians Here

What is your project (200 word limit):

The CLOH.org project is to further develop, refine and release open-source, scalable, tools and an on-going process for building conation especially for teens, communities and media partners.

Tools include:

• Digital Badges
• Mobile Apps
• Admin Software
• Wiki Pages
• Ebooks
• Kits for coaches, teams, camps, leagues, communities, schools, public safety officers, and newsrooms to guide the deployment of the digital badges on Goals from CLOH.org.
• Campaign assets for marketing such as email outreach bots, posters, demographic target lists, maps, info-graphics, YouTube channel, etc.

Process includes:

• Mindful discussions about volition, conation, striving and the brain's executive functions.
• Goal setting approaches, lessons and examples for consumers.
• Expert interactions of many different sports.
• Amplifying purposeful media coverage of striving Olympians and their support teams.
• Partnerships and re-branding strategies for media executives.
• Researching outcomes.

What assumptions will you test? (200 word limit):

CLOH.org tests social media growth in 2016, with the Rio Olympics. CLOH.org can amplify mindful striving on a world stage. Individuals, support systems and the process of goal setting gets celebrated. Social media hooks to goal-setting spins forward as athletes prepare to compete. Athlete research happens on wiki pages we fortify and host.

The mindfulness trend and buzz gets tested among athletes, sports and inter-city youngsters facing deprived opportunities. Digital badges cost next to nothing to deliver yet have great intrinsic value. Mindful pursuits and building conation can fix the American Dream.

Conation refers to the act of striving, of focusing our attention and acting with a purpose. Conation means striving in a way that results in our energy's being managed and focused on a goal.

Three capabilities / faculties of human behavior are: Cognitions, which is knowing; Affection, which is the ability to value things or people or ideas; and Conation, which means striving in a way that results in our energy's being managed and focused on a goal. Conation is an inclination (as an instinct, a drive, a wish, or a craving) to act purposefully.


Who is the audience / user of this project? How will they be impacted? (200 word limit)

Teens are the prime audience as well as parents, guardians, coaches, teachers, mentors, athletic administrators, guidance councilors, league officials and public safety personelle. Everyone can embrace open-source digital badges as they are free and can help with goal-setting, a universal act that more can do.

All get a better appreciation for the goal-setting process, a life-changing endeavor that can help in sports, school and career.

It is easier to reach engaged teens who are active in school and club sports teams. Celebrity athletes can draw a lot of attention. Post-Olympics, many can share their story of striving to goals and present a goal-setting foundation for others with the CLOH.org digital badges.

Superstars can speak about digital badges to help lead the future generations on their quests.

News directors, reporters and sports media professionals are an target audience as CLOH.org hopes to spin coveage to better illustrate the cognition cycle. Media coverage of goals, (similar to Sports Illustrated's Face In The Crowd) are expected. Media partnerships and education and branding opportunities with digital badges can occur with those in media conference rooms.

Media outlets have enriched and additional, localized coverage for their reuse.


Who is on your team? (200 word limit):

Mark Rauterkus, executive head coach of the Swim & Water Polo Camp, sponsored by the Bloomfield-Garfield Corp, and conducted with Pittsburgh Public Schools Summer Dreamers Academy since 2010. Rauterkus has coached since 1976 and was recently women's water polo coach at Carnegie Mellon University. His aquatics programs have more than 30 on the staff. and in his career he has coached more than 10,000 and published more than 100 books.

Kay Atman, Ph.D., has the formal rank in the University of Pittsburgh School of Education as Associate Professor Emerita. Since 1972, her sideline company, Curriculum Innovators & Implementors, Inc. has provided educational materials and support to adults interested in improving their own record of goal accomplishment as well as teachers of pre-school and post-secondary students and parents who want to learn how to coach the maturational development process at work in their students/children. Her career has be devoted to goal-setting research and a new, peer-reviewed article is due next month concerns approaches with conation and cancer survivors.

Richard Swartz, CEO of the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, a 501(c)(3), community development organization in Pittsburgh.


What progress, if any, have you made on this project?

In 2015, programs received $5,000 in foundation funding from The Sprout Fund and Pittsburgh City of Learning. More than two dozen digital badges were designed and introduced this summer. A pilot program for Summer Dreamers in 2015 was operated called, Mindful Eating, Yoga and Multimedia.

Cooperation with many partner agencies, locally and nationally, continues to develop including Pitsburgh Public Schools, Citiparks, Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center, American Water Polo Assocation, SKWIM USA, The Pittsburgh Marathon, and GNC.

More than 50 7-inch Android tablets were obtained for campers in 2015 and are on-hand for future use and events. A crowd-source campaign was planned but not implemented.

A suite of CLOH.org web sites and a wikia with more than 5,000 pages at wikia.com exists. Prior experience with app creation, publishing coaching books, and software insure these outcomes can be a reality with the prototype assistance.

---

Visual Media. (Up to 3 files)

Organization: Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Location: 5149 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224

STEM jobs infographic

Help in reaching kids, ages 14 to 21, for the city and county's summer job program before the application deadline

I've been working in April 2015 as a recruiter for the 2015 Learn & Earn Youth Job Program so that kids are aware and making their application for summer jobs. We go to schools and mingle at lunch period to help get out the word. But there are plenty of others that we are not reaching, and we could use your help.

As you see a kid in the next week, ask them if they've got a summer job and if they've applied for the city program.

The application is full of "red tape" in that the kids need birth certificate, a Social Security card (not just the number), proof of address (a copy of a report card with the student's name and address will do), and proof of household family income too. All the details on in an 8-page PDF.

http://www.ENECpittsburgh.org

Got a vigor?