Joy to the Burg is an annual Christmas album that features holiday selections from local artists to raise money to benefit Central Pennsylvania residents experiencing homelessness. Proceeds from the album will go to street outreach through Christian Churches United.

In 2019, Sheldon Jones was concerned about the unhoused people in Harrisburg. As an artist, he had this idea to make a Christmas album and sell it to help the homeless.

“And it's just been it has taken off from there. In 2019, when Joy to the Bird first started, it helped open up a winter overnight shelter for women and non-binary individuals. And so, we're super grateful for the legacy of joining the burg and all the artists, “said Nick Mucci, Director of Development for Christian Churches United of the Tri County Area.

Since Joy to the Burg’s inception in 2019, there have been over 80 artists that have been on the annual Christmas album. D-Bo!, songwriter and singer, is featured on the album this year. He has a song titled, “Christmas with My Baby.”

“I'm just honored to be a part of this this great project and collaborate with so many great musicians in the area that me. I mean, I'm very familiar with most of them. I've seen a lot of them perform live. A lot of them have seen me. And so, you know, to be able to get all together on one thing and just, you know, for a good cause, it's just it's just a dream come true, you know? “said D-Bo!.

CLICK here to purchase the album.

 

Joy to the Burg is an annual Christmas album that features holiday selections from local artists to raise money to benefit Central Pennsylvania residents experiencing homelessness. Proceeds from the album will go to street outreach through Christian Churches United.
In 2019, Sheldon Jones was concerned about the unhoused people in Harrisburg. As an artist, he had this idea to make a Christmas album and sell it to help the homeless.
&ldquo;And it's just been it has taken off from there. In 2019, when Joy to the Bird first started, it helped open up a winter overnight shelter for women and non-binary individuals. And so, we're super grateful for the legacy of joining the burg and all the artists, &ldquo;said Nick Mucci, Director of Development for Christian Churches United of the Tri County Area.
Since Joy to the Burg&rsquo;s inception in 2019, there have been over 80 artists that have been on the annual Christmas album. D-Bo!, songwriter and singer, is featured on the album this year. He has a song titled, &ldquo;Christmas with My Baby.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I'm just honored to be a part of this this great project and collaborate with so many great musicians in the area that me. I mean, I'm very familiar with most of them. I've seen a lot of them perform live. A lot of them have seen me. And so, you know, to be able to get all together on one thing and just, you know, for a good cause, it's just it's just a dream come true, you know? &ldquo;said D-Bo!.
<a href="https://www.joytotheburg.com/">CLICK here</a> to purchase the album.
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When people come together and talk about really interesting topics, great questions spark better understanding and opportunities for new ideas to form. On The Spark from WITF, hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon start the conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at https://witf.org/programs/the-spark.

When people come together and talk about really interesting topics, great questions spark better understanding and opportunities for new ideas to form. On The Spark from <a href="https://www.witf.org">WITF</a>, hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon start the conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at <a href="https://witf.org/programs/the-spark">https://witf.org/programs/the-spark</a>.

The Spark

When people come together and talk about really interesting topics, great questions spark better understanding and opportunities for new ideas to form. On The Spark from WITF, hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon start the conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at <a href="https://witf.org/programs/the-spark">https://witf.org/programs/the-spark</a>.

Joy to the Burg Christmas album raises money for Harrisburg unhoused

Our Journalist Roundtable segment for December 20 included Pennlive reporter Jenna Wise. Jenna joined The Spark to discuss her article on The Harrisburg School Department to create it’s own police department. She also discussed her coverage on major breaking news in the City of Harrisburg in the past month. Listen to the podcast to hear the conversation.

Our Journalist Roundtable segment for December 20 included Pennlive reporter <a href="https://www.pennlive.com/staff/jenawise/posts.html">Jenna Wise</a>. Jenna joined The Spark to discuss her <a href="https://www.pennlive.com/news/2024/12/harrisburg-school-district-to-create-its-own-police-department.html">article</a> on The Harrisburg School Department to create it&rsquo;s own police department. She also discussed her coverage on major <a href="https://www.pennlive.com/news/2024/12/homicide-suspect-dead-after-confrontation-with-police-in-harrisburg.html">breaking news</a> in the City of Harrisburg in the past month. Listen to the podcast to hear the conversation.

Journalist Roundtable:  Major breaking news events in Harrisburg, and Harrisburg SD to create its own police department

Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, announced its selection of 12 educators from across the country to join the Company’s third annual Teacher Fellows Cohort. During the school year, these skilled K-8 educators will work alongside Scholastic Education Solutions’ product development, research and marketing teams and assist with the development of various education-focused programs.

Scott Brewer, a sixth-grade teacher at Eagle View Middle School has been selected to join the 2024-25 teacher Fellows Cohort.  Scott has 19 years’ experience as a Pennsylvania educator, and has worked with students and teachers across various K-8 settings.

The 2024-2025 Teacher Fellows will serve through August 2025 and are listed below:
Sherri Amos, Grade 4 Teacher, Copeland Elementary School, Augusta, GA
Anna Catherine Boyd, Grade 6 and 8 Teacher, Brewer Middle School, Greenwood, SC
Scott Brewer, Grade 6 Teacher, Eagle View Middle School, Mechanicsburg, PA
Andrea Childes, Grade 5 Teacher, Highcroft Ridge Elementary School, Chesterfield, MO
Milagros Sanchez-Cohen, Kindergarten Teacher, Horeb Christian School, Hialeah, FL
Alexandra Felix, Grade 2 Teacher, P.S. 122 Mamie Fay School, Astoria, NY
Bridget Jordan, Grade 1 and 4 Teacher, Baltimore Highlands Elementary School, Baltimore, MD
Katie Kim, Grade 5 Teacher, Warner Avenue Elementary School, Los Angeles, CA
Paul King, Grade 6 Teacher, Global Village Academy North, Thornton, CO
Morgan Meaux Mercado, Grade 3 Teacher, Dr. Raphael A. Baranco Elementary School, Lafayette Parish, LA
Keke Powell, Grade 2 Teacher, Sunfield Elementary School, Buda, TX
Hope Clinton, Grade 8 Teacher, AZ

 

 

 

 

Scholastic, the global children&rsquo;s publishing, education, and media company, announced its selection of 12 educators from across the country to join the Company&rsquo;s third annual Teacher Fellows Cohort. During the school year, these skilled K-8 educators will work alongside Scholastic Education Solutions&rsquo; product development, research and marketing teams and assist with the development of various education-focused programs.
Scott Brewer, a sixth-grade teacher at Eagle View Middle School has been selected to join the 2<a href="https://education.scholastic.com/education/teacher-fellows.html#contact">024-25 teacher Fellows Cohort.</a> &nbsp;Scott has 19 years&rsquo; experience as a Pennsylvania educator, and has worked with students and teachers across various K-8 settings.
The&nbsp;2024-2025 Teacher Fellows&nbsp;will serve through August 2025 and are listed below:
<ul>
<li>Sherri Amos, Grade 4 Teacher, Copeland Elementary School, Augusta, GA</li>
<li>Anna Catherine Boyd, Grade 6 and 8 Teacher, Brewer Middle School, Greenwood, SC</li>
<li>Scott Brewer, Grade 6 Teacher, Eagle View Middle School, Mechanicsburg, PA</li>
<li>Andrea Childes, Grade 5 Teacher, Highcroft Ridge Elementary School, Chesterfield, MO</li>
<li>Milagros Sanchez-Cohen, Kindergarten Teacher, Horeb Christian School, Hialeah, FL</li>
<li>Alexandra Felix, Grade 2 Teacher, P.S. 122 Mamie Fay School, Astoria, NY</li>
<li>Bridget Jordan, Grade 1 and 4 Teacher, Baltimore Highlands Elementary School, Baltimore, MD</li>
<li>Katie Kim, Grade 5 Teacher, Warner Avenue Elementary School, Los Angeles, CA</li>
<li>Paul King, Grade 6 Teacher, Global Village Academy North, Thornton, CO</li>
<li>Morgan Meaux Mercado, Grade 3 Teacher, Dr. Raphael A. Baranco Elementary School, Lafayette Parish, LA</li>
<li>Keke Powell, Grade 2 Teacher, Sunfield Elementary School, Buda, TX</li>
<li>Hope Clinton, Grade 8 Teacher, AZ</li>
</ul>
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Mechanicsburg Teacher selected to join the Scholastic Teacher Fellows Cohort

The National Civics Bee is an annual competition that is led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. that provides an opportunity for middle school students to showcase their civic knowledge and become more engaged in their communities.

The civic bee is very important to the Pennsylvania Chamber according to Elizabeth Bolden, Executive Director, of the PA Chamber Foundation. A survey in 2022 showed that less than half of Americans could name all three branches of government.  Another survey in 2023 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that only 25 percent of Americans were confident that they could explain how our government worked to other people.

“It makes for a more effective and efficient government, which makes for a better place for businesses to operate and grow and entrepreneurs to come to the Commonwealth. We know that stability is important for businesses. And so, as the civics fee increases, civic engagement, just not among middle schoolers, but among their family members, we're building a stronger commonwealth where we can have a more competitive economy and businesses can flourish and grow, “said Bolden.

The PA Chamber Foundation, Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, and Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC are working to get participation from middle school students in the state. Kat DeSantis, Public Policy Coordinator of the Lancaster Chamber says the deadline for applications for the local competition is February 5, 2025. The first step is responding to a three-question essay prompt with no more than 750 words by submitting their application online through a portal.

“So, we've distributed that to teachers and educators and students themselves to kind of help them develop their essay, Know what the judges are looking for. They'll get the rubric because we do have essay judges that we've solicited from across the state who will then be scoring the essays. And then, like I said, the top 20 essays will then go on to compete in the local competition, which then includes a couple of rounds of multiple-choice questions via tablet. And then as they kind of go through that, they’ll get down to the kind of third round where students will defend their essays and they'll be asked questions about how they would implement it. And to explain a little bit more about their solutions for their community. And then that is how they then the judge, the live event judges, then select the finalists who then move on to the state competition, “said DeSantis.

Kevin DiGuiseppe, Business Policy & Advocacy Manager, Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC is really hoping to see growth of civics knowledge and engagement in our region’s youth during the competition.

“One of the most fulfilling and rewarding parts of this experience, at least for myself, is seeing the kids who come in as competitors, as sixth grade students, as seventh grade students. And then to see them coming back the next year or two as seventh graders or as eighth graders, and really watching that knowledge and understanding of foundational civics principles really growing, taking root and flourishing in these kids. It's really rewarding to see. It reminds me of myself at that age when I was first taking an interest in civics, “said DiGuiseppe.

The first prize of the National Civic bee is $100,000 529 account towards their college education.

 

 

The <a href="https://civics.uschamberfoundation.org/national-civics-bee/?utm_source=www.nationalcivicsbee.org&amp;utm_medium=redirect">National Civics Bee</a> is an annual competition that is led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. that provides an opportunity for middle school students to showcase their civic knowledge and become more engaged in their communities.
The civic bee is very important to the Pennsylvania Chamber according to Elizabeth Bolden, Executive Director, of the PA Chamber Foundation. A survey in 2022 showed that less than half of Americans could name all three branches of government. &nbsp;Another survey in 2023 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that only 25 percent of Americans were confident that they could explain how our government worked to other people.
&ldquo;It makes for a more effective and efficient government, which makes for a better place for businesses to operate and grow and entrepreneurs to come to the Commonwealth. We know that stability is important for businesses. And so, as the civics fee increases, civic engagement, just not among middle schoolers, but among their family members, we're building a stronger commonwealth where we can have a more competitive economy and businesses can flourish and grow, &ldquo;said Bolden.
The PA Chamber Foundation, Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, and Harrisburg Regional Chamber &amp; CREDC are working to get participation from middle school students in the state. Kat DeSantis, Public Policy Coordinator of the <a href="https://www.lancasterchamber.com/">Lancaster Chamber</a> says the deadline for applications for the local competition is February 5, 2025. The first step is responding to a three-question essay prompt with no more than 750 words by submitting their application <a href="https://www.pachamber.org/2025_national_civics_bee_pennsylvania/">online</a> through a portal.
&ldquo;So, we've distributed that to teachers and educators and students themselves to kind of help them develop their essay, Know what the judges are looking for. They'll get the rubric because we do have essay judges that we've solicited from across the state who will then be scoring the essays. And then, like I said, the top 20 essays will then go on to compete in the local competition, which then includes a couple of rounds of multiple-choice questions via tablet. And then as they kind of go through that, they&rsquo;ll get down to the kind of third round where students will defend their essays and they'll be asked questions about how they would implement it. And to explain a little bit more about their solutions for their community. And then that is how they then the judge, the live event judges, then select the finalists who then move on to the state competition, &ldquo;said DeSantis.
Kevin DiGuiseppe, Business Policy &amp; Advocacy Manager, Harrisburg Regional Chamber &amp; CREDC is really hoping to see growth of civics knowledge and engagement in our region&rsquo;s youth during the competition.
&ldquo;One of the most fulfilling and rewarding parts of this experience, at least for myself, is seeing the kids who come in as competitors, as sixth grade students, as seventh grade students. And then to see them coming back the next year or two as seventh graders or as eighth graders, and really watching that knowledge and understanding of foundational civics principles really growing, taking root and flourishing in these kids. It's really rewarding to see. It reminds me of myself at that age when I was first taking an interest in civics, &ldquo;said DiGuiseppe.
The first prize of the National Civic bee is $100,000 529 account towards their college education.
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Joy to the Burg Christmas album raises money for Harrisburg unhoused

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