Community Articles

Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week held its fourth and final summer session at Pennsylvania College of Technology July 28 to Aug. 2. More than 300 young high school juniors and seniors attended the engaging event, the signature program of the Foundation for Free Enterprise Education. The youth leadership gathering provides a hands-on, practical way for students to immerse themselves in the world of business and gain a sense of their entrepreneurial talents.

WVIA News has postponed its "Listening Tour" event, originally scheduled for Aug. 2, to Friday, Aug. 30. WVIA is conducting a “Listening Tour” by visiting various communities and asking residents for input on story ideas.

Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Le Jeune Chef Restaurant – a live-learning lab for the college’s hospitality majors – is preparing to provide well over 15,000 meals for the teams who will participate in the 2024 Little League Baseball World Series. The crew will begin serving when the first teams arrive – several days before the first game is played on Aug. 14 – and will continue through the end of the series on Aug. 25.

Nineteen middle and high school educators from throughout the state received a free education in cybersecurity, courtesy of the recent GenCyber Camp conducted by Pennsylvania College of Technology. Supported by the National Security Agency and National Science Foundation, the goal of the GenCyber program is to build a strong cybersecurity workforce by igniting interest in the field at the secondary level. The teachers learned actionable cybersecurity concepts to share in their classrooms this fall.

Representatives from Penn College’s brewing & fermentation science major were among those cheering summertime at the Selinsgrove Brewfest, held July 20 near downtown Selinsgrove. "It's great to have the opportunity to present student products to a large number of beer enthusiasts, as well as beer-curious folks,” said instructor Timothy L. Yarrington. “I welcome any opportunity to let people know about our brewing program and the successes of our grads."

WVIA News is conducting a “Listening Tour” by visiting various communities and asking residents for input on story ideas. Community members are invited to visit the WVIA radio studio in the lobby of the Community Arts Center from 2 to 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2. As space is limited, reservations are encouraged on the WVIA site. WVIA's Williamsport/Lycoming County reporter, Chase Bottorf, will be on hand to engage visitors.

Before the story ends on Sunday, July 21, art lovers are encouraged to visit the final days of The Gallery at Penn College's exhibition, “Books Undone 2: The Art of Altered Books." Two days remain to view the national juried show: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. (The gallery is closed on Fridays and Saturdays in the summer.)

Seven secondary school teachers representing different regions of the state became students of STEM during a recent weeklong externship at Pennsylvania College of Technology. Supported by a PAsmart grant, STEM Careers Re-Imagined: An Industry and Education Collaborative, the program engaged educators in activities rooted in science, math and engineering and supplied them with resources for future classroom use.

The Community Arts Center in downtown Williamsport will host Blues Traveler on Saturday, Oct. 19, as part of the band’s fall tour, celebrating the 30th anniversary of its iconic, award-winning album, “Four.” Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. concert are available at the CAC site.

WNEP-TV’s Mackenzie Aucker reported on the final day of STEM Careers Re-Imagined, a hands-on externship for secondary school teachers throughout the state. The recent weeklong camp at Penn College engaged the teachers in STEM activities that they can duplicate in their own classrooms this fall. Auker’s story focused on the mini-cars the teachers produced with 3D printers.