Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Why we chose to highlight this story: Four local educators will be honored on May 6 during the Beaver County Educational Trust's "Coming Together for Education Educator Hall of Fame" event. The event takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. at Seven Oaks Country Club in Brighton Township. Tickets are $55. Purchase tickets here.
This year's inductees are the following (according to the BCET's Facebook page):
Sr. Mary Thaddeus Markelewicz: Sr. Thaddeus is a member of the Felician Sisters of North America and has faithfully served her community and the church for 61 years. She also served as president and CEO of McGuire Memorial in New Brighton for 31 years. Under her direction, McGuire Memorial grew from a single purpose ministry serving 99 children and families in 1988 to serving 250 children, adults and families in five discrete programs. She also has a master's degree in Health Administration from Saint Louis University, Missouri, and a Pennsylvania Home Nursing Administrator's license.
Dr. Don Sheffield: Dr. Sheffield earned his bachelor's degree in Secondary Education from Geneva College in 1969, a Masters of Education from Slippery Rock University in 1974 and a doctorate in Higher Education from Penn State University in 1989. After 26 impactful years at Penn State—where he retired in 2002 as Director of Diversity Outreach—he continues to inspire as an adjunct professor at Penn State Beaver. As the founder and president of TAME Inc. (Techniques Assisting Motivation and Excellence), he champions cultural excellence by guiding schools, families and businesses toward high performance.
Dr. Carol Sprinker: Dr. Sprinker serves as the executive director and secretary of The Wright Promise. She has extensive experience in education across Beaver and Allegheny counties, demonstrating her commitment to public education through her role as a Regional Service Specialist with the PA Principals Association. She also serves as the President of the Blackhawk School Board of Directors and holds multiple leadership certifications, including Data Wise from Harvard University, National Institute for School Leadership, Principal’s Induction Program and Recognized ASCA Model Program.
Dr. William DiBenedetto: Known by many as "Dr. D," he began his accomplished career with the Millvale Borough School District as a music and band director, moving on to the Beaver Area School District in 1969 where he continued as a band director and music teacher before becoming the district’s Staff Development Coordinator. Dr. D served as the Aliquippa School District Assistant Superintendent in 1988 and Superintendent of Schools from 1998 to 2004. He also served as interim Superintendent with the Rochester Area School District in 2008.
Why we chose to highlight this story: Pennsylvania is just one of 10 states with a closed primary, which means only registered Democrats and Republicans can participate in the spring elections. Spotlight PA reports that more than 308,000 people have registered as independent in the last ten years.
Read more via Spotlight PA here.
Why we chose to highlight this report: Trust is waning for many in our country amid growing division and uncertainty. What does trust, agency and belonging look like now? The Trust for Civic Life recently released a report exploring that question.
The Trust for Civic Life partnered with SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and Trust grantees in the fall of 2024 to conduct a community survey in eight communities to "gain a deeper understanding of how civic life, community connections and social trust are cultivated locally," the report reads.
Read the full report here.
Why we chose to highlight this event: Reforest Our Future's new tree nursery in Bradys Run Park is about more than planting trees — it's a way to start a conversation about living in harmony with the Earth.
"I spent so much time with people in Beaver County hearing their stories about trees," Jeff Karwoski, founder and executive director of Reforest Our Future, said during a ribbon-cutting event for the Forest Exploration Center and Native Plant Nursery and nursery on April 22. "I wanted to hear what they say and shape and mold it. We want to make this (plant nursery) for people who are here. It's for anyone who wants to get involved in the outdoors."
The event included short speeches from Karwoski, Fernando Treviño, the state Department of Environmental Protection's Special Deputy Secretary for Environmental Justice, Beaver County Commissioner Jack Manning and Audrey Bodenlos, nursery manager and educator for Reforest Our Future.
Funding for the nursery was made available as a result of the Beaver County Environmental Mitigation Fund. This fund was established as part of a legally-binding agreement in response to Shell's ongoing violations at its facility in Potter Township.
Learn more about Reforest Our Future here. Photos taken by Erin Ninehouser.
Why we chose to highlight this study: Protecting our waterways benefits more than just human health, according to a recent study conducted by the Ohio River Basin Alliance.
Read the report here.
The Sisters of St. Joseph's community gardens are open and anyone is welcome to tend a bed for free! All gardeners donate a portion of their harvest to local food pantries. The deadline to apply is Friday. Apply here.
The United Way of Beaver County, in collaboration with Job Training for Beaver County, Inc., has launched United Works, a workforce development program aimed at helping ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households access valuable educational opportunities that were previously out of reach.
The goal is to empower participants by providing them with training needed to secure well-paying, meaningful jobs, and ultimately, transition from ALICE to a higher level of financial stability, according to UWBC.
Learn more about United Works here.
This weekend is a great opportunity to explore 225 years of Beaver County history. This two-day event will include engaging exhibits, interactive activities, reenactments and more, and take place at a variety of locations across the county. Check out the list of happenings here.
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Owen Rossi-Keen
Owen Rossi-Keen is the Founder and Principal Software Engineer at Iliad.dev, LLC, a web development agency focused on delivering enterprise-grade customization without the enterprise price-tag.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania