Pitt-Greensburg APEX 2024-2025
Service
Table of Contents
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Hempfield Area School District Night Out
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Unity in the Community- YWCA event
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Blue & Gold Weekend
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Reading Under the Stars
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Jeannette Head-Start Holiday Party
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Greensburg Salem School District Light Up Night
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
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SOPA Hoops
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Dr. Seuss Day
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College Day
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Pen Pal Program
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Notes for Professors for National Educators Week
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Outreach to Teach
Hempfield Area School District Night Out
On August 6th 2024, five SPSEA members attended Hempfield Area School District's Night Out! This event was at a local park and had many community volunteers there. Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA brought activities for kids to do at the event. We did spin art, made bookmarks, and colored. This was a great way to welcome the school year with a local school district.
Unity in the Community- YWCA Event
On September 14th, 2024, SPSEA partnered with the YWCA in Greensburg to hold a children’s book fair for the first time ever! We had many stations including face painting, book readings, coloring, and games. Children from the Greensburg community attended this event for some fun as school was beginning. YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
Blue & Gold Weekend
On September 28th, 2024, students of SPSEA at UPG took part in the annual Blue and Gold Homecoming celebration weekend. Our chapter ran a “kids’ corner” for any children of staff, alumni, or the local community to come and enjoy some activities. These activities included coloring pages, bracelet making, face painting and sticker tattoos, and sand art.
Reading Under the Stars
​On October 18th, 2024, the University of Pittsburgh Greensburg SPSEA hosted the fun and engaging literacy event called "Reading Under the Stars," designed for all children in preschool through third grade. Each child that attended was encouraged to wear their Halloween costume and explore 17 interactive literacy stations set up for them. The event started with a group reading of a big book called "Owl Babies," setting the tone for a night filled with learning and fun! At the end, each child received a treat bag and a literacy bag as a thank you for attending. We had over 70 children at the event.
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Jeannette Head Start Holiday Party
On December 6th, 2024, thirty SPSEA members went to Jeanette Head Start preschool to provide a holiday party for the children there. We worked with the students to make crafts, play games, and make a holiday present for their families. During our holiday party, Santa made a "surprise" visit to the children's school and even gave each the toy/ game they had requested (in letters to Santa). SPSEA also gave each teacher a present in recognition for all the work they do. Head Start is a federally-funded, lower-income preschool; our campus community provides students with a present to open the day of the party, a present of clothes to open Christmas morning, and $50 gift-card for the families to get food at the local grocery store for a holiday meal.
Greensburg Salem Light Up Night
On December 13th, 2024, six Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA members attended Greensburg Salem School District's Light Up Night. We volunteered to decorate sugar cookies! The event had over 50 kids attend. There were various stations across the neighborhood where families could make ornaments, hear stories being read, and decorate cookies. This was our first time volunteering, but it was a blast! It was amazing connecting with our community.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
On January 15, 2024, members of Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA hosted a kids corner at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art's Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. Chapter members assisted children who attending in creating self portraits, love wreaths, and bookmarks. Members also read children's books that featured diverse main characters.
Sopa Hoops
On January 23rd, 2025, Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA was able to re-engage with an annual event called "SOPA Hoops"; SOPA stands for Special Olympics of Pennsylvania. Our SPSEA Chapter teams up with Special Olympics and the Men's and Women's Basketball teams to make this event a success. Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA made banners, VIP bags, and provided snacks for our athletes from Special Olympics. During the basketball games, we sat with SOPA athletes and got to enjoy the game. During halftime of the Men's basketball game, the Special Olympics team competed in an exhibition game against each other. Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA cheered them on. After the game, we spent more time hanging out in the VIP lounge with the players and their families.
Dr. Seuss Day
On February 28th, 2025, thirty-three members from Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA attended Nicely Elementary School to celebrate Dr. Seuss Day with a fun-filled day for K-5 and life skills classrooms. The event featured a Readers' Theater performance of Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose, followed by a “Moose Munch” snack for all students. In each classroom, children engaged in a Dr. Seuss book-themed craft or activity, fostering creativity and a love of reading and learning. The collaboration between Nicely Elementary and the University of Pittsburgh volunteers made the celebration both engaging and memorable for everyone involved.
College Day 2025
On March 13th, 2025, we invited students aged 14 to 22 from Clellian Heights School for Exceptional Students to Pitt-Greensburg. The Exceptional 1 class designed and implemented educational and fun activities with the theme of Superheroes. Students made their own circuits, designed their own super hero, practiced some math, and completed STEM activities. Student PSEA members also ate lunch and socialized with the students, making new friends and learning about the variability within special education.
Pen Pals
Students in the SPSEA are participating in our pen pal program with elementary students from Rowan Elementary in the Seneca Valley School District. The SPSEA members that participate in this program write to a student in the elementary school. In November, students that were a part of the program got a chance to visit with their pen pal. The photo above is of the students that participated in the visit.
Notes for Professors for National Educators Week
During the week of November 18, 2024 and in honor of American Education Week, we thanked our professors for their dedication and commitment to bettering us as students, Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA put a note with a pack of Extra gum in every professors' mailbox, thanking them and wishing them a happy Educator's Week!
Outreach to Teach Service Project
With the conference model changing, Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA has taken the lead on the 2025 Statewide Outreach to Teach project. Our Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA students have visited Valley High School (New Kensington-Arnold School District) many times last year and this year. We visited the school to gather information about what the students wanted to see change in their school and used those to plan our murals. Although our project will not be completed until April 5th, 2025, there are already 35+ Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA members registered to attend!