Chalked Up: Beaver hosts FREDtalks; United Works helps with local job training access

AI-assisted summary
• The Beaver Area School District held its first annual "FREDtalks", a public speaking event inspired by Fred Rogers, on March 15.
• United Works is helping local families get access to job training programs at CCBC and funding apprenticeships for lower income households.
• There are several opportunities for local scholarships available this month.

(Chalked Up is a monthly column looking at education in the Beaver Valley. Anyone with information for the column can send it to Garret Roberts at groberts1@gannett.com.)

The Beaver Area School District asked its neighbors to "look and listen" to their students at a special event on March 15.

Students from sixth grade and up were able to participate in the first annual celebration of "FREDtalks," a local riff on the TED Talks-style public speaking events. The two hours of speeches were centered around the six fundamental lessons shared by Fred Rogers: self-worth, trust, curiosity, play, solitude and looking and listening carefully.

“Fred Rogers represents not only what it means to be an outstanding teacher through the curiosity, creativity, and patience that he showed but also what a just human being looks like via the caring and respectful manner with which he treated others," said Steve Katkich, Beaver Area Middle School principal. "We should all continue to ‘spread a little Fred’ to those around us, and that’s what our young people are doing through this imaginative event.”

Over 60 students submitted essays for this year's competition, and the 22 finalists shared their speeches in the high school's auditorium. The event also featured a book signing with Gregg Behr and Ryan Rydzewski, authors of the Mr. Rodgers-themed book "When You Wonder, You’re Learning." The night was a success for the students, who got to show off their creative works to the Beaver community.

“Like so many of us, I have been a fan of Mr. Rogers since I was a little girl, so it was extra special to see a new generation discover or rediscover Fred’s legacy of love and learning,” said Jess Hill, Beaver Area Middles School ELA teacher and one of the minds behind the creation of FREDtalks.

According to the district, there are plans to expand the event next year. One idea being discussed is to include other Beaver County schools.

United Way of Beaver County launches United Works program for workforce training opportunities

United Way of Beaver County has announced a new partnership with Job Training for Beaver County to allow lower-income households to participate in job training programs.

The new program, United Works, was designed to help ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households access educational opportunities that may have been restricted due to household budgets. With the job training, the program organizers hope these households can transition to financial stability while contributing to local labor demands.

Several Community College of Beaver County training pathways qualify for the United Works programs. These courses are designed to prepare students for work at local employers such as Shell, Vistra, BASF Chemicals, Stoelzle, Tenaris, local healthcare, security and more. For students interested in trades, the United Works program can also benefit students seeking assistance with out-of-pocket costs with union apprenticeship programs.

According to program officials, the following criteria must be met to participate in the program:

• Students must be at least 18 years old.
• Students must have a high school diploma or GED.
• Students must be Beaver County residents.
• Students must verify their household income is under United Way's ALICE survival budget guidelines.
• Students must be accepted into an eligible CCBC training program, building and construction trades pre-apprenticeship or registered apprenticeship program.

Students interested in the program can find more information onJob Training for Beaver County's website or by phone at (724) 728-4860, ext. 218.

More education news to note:

• Seniors graduating from Lincoln and Riverside high schools are encouraged to apply to the annual Dom Viccari-McDonald’s of Ellwood City Scholarship. The scholarship is open to students who plan on attending two-year or four-year vocational and academic schools, recognizing students who excel in educational achievements, leadership and community service efforts. Applicants must write an essay addressing how they were inspired to improve their community, the philosophy they would pass on to future leaders, and the qualities that make them eligible for the award. This year, two applicants will receive a $1,000 scholarship, with one award going to an Ellwood City student and the other to a Riverside student. Interested students should visit the Beaver County Foundation website for the application and submit the forms no later than Thursday, May 1.
• Grove City College announced that Bradley Lingo will be serving as its new president after a unanimous confirmation by the board of trustees on March 17. According to officials, Lingo graduated from Grove City College summa cum laude in 2000 and has "a distinguished record in law and academia and a compelling vision to build on Grove City College’s 150-year legacy."
• Butler County Community College is celebrating the recent induction of Megan Coval as its ninth president on March 20. According to the board, Coval has shown immense skill and impressed the board since she took over as interim president in May 2024. She took on the position after Nick Neupauer, the community college's president for 17 years, announced his retirement. Coval was hired on a four-year contract.
• New York's Bard College announced on March 20 that senior Blanche Darr, a Darlington native, was awarded the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. An anthropology major and violinist at the Bard College Conservatory, Darr will receive a $40,000 grant for 12 months of travel and independent study as a Watson Fellow. According to school officials, Darr will use the year to develop her project, "Reimagining Music-Making as a Way of Life," by traveling to Kenya, Indonesia, India and Germany. While traveling to these new environments, school officials say she will "examine barriers to music-making such as access, cost, and elitism, and, by joining international music education programs, explore ways to overcome them."
• Geneva College has announced the start of its Associate Degree Transfer Guarantee, which allows students transferring from accredited community colleges to transition to full-time undergraduate programs at the Beaver Falls-based college. This will enable students to pay for four semesters at the college to achieve a degree, making the process more affordable for students. More details about the program and eligibility requirements are available now on the Geneva College website.
• The Beaver Valley Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is offering its Effie M. Solomon Memorial Law Scholarship of $2,500 to a female resident of Beaver County enrolled in an accredited law school. Applicants should have completed at least one year of law school and be in good standing. Scholarship details and applications are available on the Beaver Valley AAUW website. The applications are due by May 24.