On May 13, 2023, PIC's Workforce Development Board Drone grant students and our Department of Agriculture Drone grant students had the opportunity to attend a fieldtrip to Derry Area School District’s Agriculture and Horticulture Complex. The students got the...
The Private Industry Council's 21st Century Community Learning Centers Afterschool Enrichment Programs are coming to an end for the 22-23 school year. These programs serve students in the Monessen, Ligonier Valley, Southmoreland, and Connellsville School Districts....
On March 23, 2023, HS/EHS of Fayette County hosted our Annual Registration Day at four of our centers in Fayette County. For those families that were unable to attend in person, we offered a Facebook Live session. The event was open to pregnant women and families with...
Welcome to Southmoreland Pre-K Counts!!! We are located at Southmoreland Elementary School in Scottdale, PA. Our Pre-K Counts classroom is dedicated to the development of the children we service. We accept children ages three to five and help with their transition to...
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Head Start / Early Head Start FAQs The Private Industry Council discusses frequently asked questions for Head Start and Early Head Start students. Private Industry Council operates the Head Start / Early Head Start program for Beaver and Fayette Counties in the...
L. Michelle Ferguson (DADS MATTER Project Manager) & Daniel J. Bell (DADS MATTER Database Specialist) submitted a proposal that was accepted for presentation at the 12th Annual National Alliance for Relationship Marriage Education (NARME) Summit in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 11-13, 2022. The topic “That’s My Culture: An Introspective Exploration of Awareness and Sensitivity of Diverse Family Backgrounds” examined how a person’s experiences and worldview are significantly shaped by their family history and culture, which also extends to how life challenges are approached. Participants discussed the importance of cultural awareness and sensitivity by sharing their viewpoints and experiences with their own and others’ cultures. Discussion also included similarities and differences surrounding experiences and the impact they had on shaping who you are.
Participants in attendance were from a diverse range of cultures and backgrounds, including military, Asian, Pacific Islander, Marshallese, and various regions of the United States. It was very exciting to experience the interaction from participants and how they embraced the sensitive nature of the topic with open engagement. For those of you who know my office personality, it should come as no surprise of how natural it was to engage people, bringing lots of laughter and giggles as I candidly shared my experiences about childhood board games, toys, favorite foods, cotton candy, and Christmas holiday traditions. Dan on the other hand, maintained his calm, observant demeanor as he engaged the audience with multigenerational and cultural pictographs while overseeing role-playing and simulations of the various groups.
It was our goal to have participants obtain an enhanced appreciation for how culture shapes values and families’ interactions. Based upon positive feedback from participants immediately following our presentation and throughout the duration of the conference week…Mission accomplished! We look forward to sharing this presentation with our PIC family and community partners!
Wishing you continued Awareness and Sensitivity! 😊
L. Michelle Ferguson (DADS MATTER Program Manager)
&
Daniel J. Bell (DADS MATTER Database Specialist)
724-836-2600