The Oil City Area School Board plans to vote next week on continued use of two programs, that still have two lessons scheduled, after they get further definitions on what is to be taught. This was the recommendation Monday from the curriculum committee during the board's work session meeting. 

Along with an agenda that listed an administrator's report of items on personnel changes, contracts for "The Nutrition Group," budgets, building alterations, field trips, coaches and the need of another speech therapist position in the school district, there were also four individuals who spoke about the "We Care Elementary" and "Sexual Abuse Free Environment for Teens" programs and their concerns with the district's transparency. 

Not including the school board members, the administrators, the three members of the press and a presenter from The Nutrition Group, 16 people attended Monday's Oil City School Board non voting meeting that was moved in the cafeteria at Hasson Heights Elementary School. ​ 

The four who spoke during the public comment section reiterated many of the same points brought up a few weeks ago in which they said a lessons being used by the district were not approved by the board, thus going against district policy. Since then, the district offered clarity to what they admit is a confusing use of the term curriculum by school officials and the public.

​The confusion, one of the evening's commenters Jerry Burns pointed out. was from the district's frequent use of the term curriculum up until just recently. Last week, in a curriculum committee meeting, Superintendent Lynda Weller explained the administrators' overuse of the term curriculum and differentiated between a curriculum that requires board approval and resources, sometimes referred to as curriculum, that do not.

Joe Klapec, who spoke a little while later, didn't appreciate Weller's distinctions and accused her of trying to circumvent school board policy. He, Burns and two others on the agenda, Dan and Devin Aaron, expressed concerns of what Klapec call "a woke narrative" and Burns referred to as "confusing gender ideology."

Dan Aaron said "this lunacy doesn't belong in our schools." His wife, Devin Aaron agreed, adding "when we compromise to world views and sin is allowed in schools we will continue to decline." She also expressed that she and the other parents don't disapprove of the entirety of the progamsm, acknowledging the lessons on sexual harassment are important.

After the meeting, school board president Joseph McFadden expressed that he didn't recall hearing that point of view from the parents before.

​Curriculum chairperson Mark Kerr said he will recommend at the boards's next meeting that offer resource developers an oppportunity to present alternatives for consideration in the 2023-24 school year. 

He also asked the board if they wanted to discuss anything involving the current two lessons still scheduled to be taught. Board member Lawrence Sterner asked about terms in the lessons, wanting clarification and definitions. Kerr offer to cooridinate with the administration and the PPC Violence Free Network, who administers the lessons in question, to get answers for Sterners and other members of the board.

At the next meeting the board will vote whether to discontinue the classes currently being taught, which encompasses two more lessons, or to finish out the year and accept the program. They will also vote whether to seek alternative curricula or resources for the following year. Kerr said he hopes to have proposals beginning in May and board recommendations ready by the middle of June. Kerr said if a new program is chosen that will give the administrators six months to get to get the materials to the public for review and questions.

Kerr also recommended a committee chaired by board member Tyler Johnson that will include public input to discuss policies of how and when students and/or parents can opt out of certain lessons.

The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m Monday March 27.

 "So when we talk about our official curriculum, that’s what the board needs to approve. This other stuff, which we may use the term curriculum, really is a resource or material to help meet the standards under the core curriculum. So it gets confusing.”

Aaron says their objections are greater than that.
 
Though she says there are good things in the lessons, she, and others object certain lesson about sexuality and gender. “There is no place for this sexuality lesson in school,” said Aaron.

She is referring to, in part, a worksheet that was handed out to students in April 2022. The worksheet asked students to match the terms: “your biological sex,” “gender identity,” “gender expression,” “sexual feelings” and “sexual expression” with definitions describing what each meant.
 
At that time the sheet began circulating on social media (not by the district) and drew some attention, but the posts did not include the full context of the lesson.
 
The worksheet is part of a multi-lesson resource/program taught by trained personnel from the PPC Violence Free Network, a program of the Venango County Family Services and Children’s Aid Society.
 
“There was script read to the class,” Weller said about the worksheet. The script talked about boundaries and how people feel and react when boundaries are not respected. The script went into self-esteem and sexual harassment, how different people express themselves through their own personal understanding of their own sexuality. “The term 'sexuality' is an umbrella term. This means it is a word that we use to describe a number of different things,” the script explained. “Misinformation about sexuality can sometimes lead to hurtful or unhealthy behaviors,” it continued.
 
Weller said events involving Oil City area children led the district to seek out the program to help protect students against abuse through proactive education. The “We Care Elementary” and "Sexual Abuse Free Environment for Teens" were chosen because they have been reviewed and approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and a county agency was at the ready, with trained personnel to implement the program.
 
History
 
In 2021, an incident of sexual harassment involving students within the school district led to discussions on how the district can best serve its students overall through education initiatives.
 
Tracy Delmonaco, the district’s Title IX administrator, sought advice from colleagues, including fellow enrollees in a doctoral program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, to find a program to meet the needs of the school. These student colleagues are fellow administrators from across the state and they discussed many options.
 
The Vermont-based “We Care Elementary” and “Sexual Abuse Free Environment for Teens” were brought up and it was on the list Pennsylvania Department of Education approved programs. She also discovered the PPC staff were trained to implement these resources and had a grant to administer the lessons for free. Delmonaco, after reviewing the materials, suggested working with the PPC, Weller agreed and made the school board aware in 2021.
 
“Dr. Weller is absolutely correct that the board did have full knowledge of her intention to implement this program with our students,” school board president Joseph McFadden said in an email earlier this week. “The board members did not show or vocalize any objections to the direction being discussed.”
 
According to a timeline provided by Weller, the program was implemented in the fall of 2021. A letter went out to parents and was posted on the social media. No parents or guardians opted their children out of the classes at that time.
 
In April 2022, according to Weller, the district received concerns from parents about a particular lesson pertaining to sexuality in a sixth grade lesson. Weller said she informed the board of the parents’ concerns. During the next board work session a few days later suggestions were made to improve communications with parents about the lessons. Weller and Delmonaco admitted the language in the letter to parents was vague and they worked to improve the letter with more details.
 
In May 2022, parents of 10 students opted their child out of the lessons involving sexuality and gender.
 
In January 2023, one of the students, the child of Dan and Devin Aaron was not pulled from the class. Devin Aaron said she and her husband were upset that their wishes, expressed verbally, were not granted. Weller admitted the school made an error and have since added more layers to hopefully insure the error doesn’t happen again. She said the school apologized to the Aarons, who confirmed they received an apology from the school’s principal.

​Since then the small group put together a lengthy PowerPoint given during the February meeting.  The presentation included their frustrations over what they feel was a lack of transparency about the "curriculum" and the fact that administrators implemented the program within the district. Devin Aaron later created the private Facebook group "Concerned Parents and Taxpayer of OCASD" in early March and they currently have 94 members.
 
Curriculum or not
 
The topic rose to the public's view again in February when the Aarons, two other parents objected to what was characterized by local media as “controversial” curriculum that Weller “unilaterally” approved. 
 
Devin Aaron said “the root of our concern continues to be lost. There is a point when school’s are overstepping and pushing their agenda. It is the parents’ decision and right to have these discussions with their children. It doesn’t belong in public school.”

Weller doesn’t disagree that parents should be involved, but not every student under the district’s care has such a home life. She pointed to the fact there are over 60 students who are considered “unaccompanied youth,” a designation for students who do not have a biological parent or court appointed guardian in the picture, as one illustration that not every home is the same.

Devin Aaron says she understands not every home is the same, but still doesn't believe the lesson belong in school and wants more transparency so they can decide their child's needs.

Weller and Delmonaco say they want parents and guardians to be involved and believe they are being transparent. They are also admitting they can do better and are working on further ways to improve communication with parents and guardians.

McFadden said the board was aware of the program and that Weller and her staff have their confidence. Weller and Delmonaco also provided evidence documenting how on several occasions they gave opportunities to the public and staff to better understand the resource material used by the district.
They emphasized the district must make decisions in the interest of students coming from extremely varied backgrounds, lived experiences, and parental involvement.
 
Delmonaco and Weller pointed to the ever-changing demographics, statistics and infiltration of modern technology at virtually every kids’ fingertips. “Over past couple of years we were seeing an increase of reported sexual abuse of our students, we were seeing an increase in suicide and depression and some mental health concerns. We’re seeing an increase in students utilizing technology in inappropriate ways,” Delmonaco explained. “So we knew that that stuff was going on and we had discussions to be progressive in addressing those issues. My job is to make sure I’m addressing all kids regardless of their backgrounds, or their religion affiliations. And that I’m creating equitable opportunities.”
 
Weller agreed and pointed out that of the district’s nearly 1,900 students, all who have their own unique background and story.
 
She referred to a lesson she learned years ago from an administrator in the district. “You can’t put your middle-class values on everybody and expect that they had the same life experience that you did,” Weller quoted. “I think that’s hard for people to understand the differences of A to Z of how our students are living their lives.”

Next steps
 
The Oil City school board meets again at 7 p.m. Monday, March 20, among the items listed on the work session agenda are four speakers, who indicated they would like to discuss the topic further.
 
Devin Aaron is among those listed. “They (the administration) knows there are parents that are not ok with gender ideology and sexual expression lessons going on with children in elementary school,” she said. “This type of discussion needs to happen at home.”

Weller acknowledged some concerns have been voiced but indicated only two families have expressed concerns and that of the 10 students who were opted out of the lessons last year, only four have been opted out this year.
 
On March 13, the curriculum committee held a public meeting to discuss what the district can and will do moving forward. Curriculum chair Mark Kerr indicated he’ll suggest the district puts out additional inquiries on education alternatives to see what comes back.
 
Though she thinks the Pennsylvania Department of Education approved resources they already have in place are good, Weller thinks this is a step forward. “If there are other programs that we should consider, bring them to us, present and… we don’t have to use this particular healthy relationships project. If there is one that is a better fit, bring it on, that would be great.”

Below are more photo from the first two acts of the play.

Oil City's southside elementary school's celebrated the arts this past week with an exploration of the many varied expressions of creating from performance to applied arts. The Seventh Street Elementary School hosted Smedley as both school's student's moved from room to room to learn from people in the arts and in some cases create some art on their own.

The student's got a chance to dance, learn about the art of music and theatre and help creat a large puzzle-piece mural one piece at a time. They also were entertained by expert putterers from the Pittsburgh Puppet Works group.

Characters in the show, which are inspired by the Disney Channel movie series include Ben, Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos – the children Belle and The Beast, Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Cruella De Vil, and Jafar, along with other recognizable roles. ​

The Super Bowl had the Kelce brothers going head to head with their teams. That was nothing.

A championship this Friday will feature the Fulmer brothers coaching rival schools in the district title game. Long-time Route 8 rivals Oil City and Franklin both won their games Tuesday night to advance to the D10 championships.  It's not just the schools that a long-term rivals, these brothers have challenged each other ever since baby Bundy was brought home and met his two-year-old brother Jason.

The Fulmer's rivalry, which they call competitiveness apparently has been so intense at times that family members wouldn't even go with them to play putt-putt golf said Bundy as he stood on the concourse above Slippery Rock University's basketball court watching to see if his brother's team would beat Fairview Tuesday night.

They did and now the two will face each other on the court as coaches for the third time this season - both earlier games were won by older brother Jason's team -but this time the District 10 trophy is on the line.

​Oil City vs. Seneca story here
Franklin vs. Fairview story here

The Franklin Public Library has developed quite a checklist of goals for area teens – learn lifelong skills, explore job options and create connections within the community. Fortunately for the youth, the Adulting 101 program covers all three.

One of the newest additions to the library’s offering, Adulting 101 branches out from the walls of the 12th Street building and into the surrounding businesses and community organizations. And it offers any age 12 to 18 the opportunity to explore and learn along the way.

“The overall goal is to equip teens with a wide array of life skills to take with them into their adult lives while also introducing them to different career options and building relationships between the teens and their community,” said Diadre Green, teen services coordinator for Oil Region Library Association.

She developed the program and its curriculum to touch on an array of topics covered that can be paired with trade career possibilities. The program will offer a mix of workshops, hands-on activities, local field visits and expert instruction all under the umbrella of a common theme specific to the month.

As an example of what the program will offer, Green explained the three sessions planned for March, which has the theme Cooking Essentials. “The first workshop will be a presentation put on by Bethany from Kontaxes Nutrition on March 10 at the library,” she said. “The following day will be a hands-on workshop about grocery store and cooking skills held at the library and also Sanders Market, and the third workshop for the month will be held at Benjamin's Roadhouse so the teens can tour the restaurant.”

Themes for the remainder of the year include the following:

• April – Mending & Caring for Clothing
• May – Car Maintenance
• June – Knowing Your Body & Communication (Learning about vitals, CPR, and the correct way to communicate with your peers)
• July – Budgeting & Handling Money
• August – Lawn Care & Power Tool Safety
• September – Connecting to the Arts & Your Community
• October – IT & Technology
• November – Electricity & Plumbing
• December – Safety

To determine the themes, she researched similar programs at other libraries, reached out to coworkers and talked with community members. Green believes one of the things that will make the program strong is how it can be adapted month to month to reflect the overall theme, so the types of activities, speakers or field visits can vary.

“Also because we are tying in careers with each theme, we are trying to have at least one workshop a month where the teens actually go to a place of business to see what it's like to work in that establishment,” she said.

Allegheny professor James Niblock is this year's guest conductor for the PMEA Region II Chorus Festival at Meadville Area Jr/Sr High School auditorium.

"It is going amazingly well," said Niblock during a break in rehearsals Thursday afternoon. Forty-eight schools are represented in the ​RegionaI Il chorus made up of the qualifiers from their respective districts.

Of the 160 singers, only four from each section were selected to move on to the all-state chorus. In Venango County, only Cranberry's Devin Dulaney was selected as a bass 1. His teacher Preston Yoder said it will be his first time taking a student to the state competition. His student Trevor Gladin qualified in 2020, but because of COVID they didn't get to experience the in-person state chorus. 

Dulaney will join singers from all over the state in the Poconos beginning April 19. The four-day festival will be held at the Kalahari Resort near Mt. Pocono.

​"It is very difficult," said Hoover about advancing to states. Along with Swartz, she had three other district qualifiers at regionals. Senior Logan Boyle earned the seventh chair. "The students represented Rocky Gove very well," she added. "Every kid here is very talented."

"It is very tough competition," added Franklin's director Sarah Gilbert. She boasted that three of her sopranos made it to regions. That is a high number in a very competitive field. "That is pretty cool," Hoover chimed in.

Oil City also had four regional qualifiers who will perform with the rest Friday at 7 p.m. in the MASH auditorium. 

Titusville teacher Andrea Fenske brought seven singers to regionals. Junior Alexis Banner was chosen as one of the top four alto 2s and will head to states along with Dulaney. ​

Meadville's Cooper Breckenridge made his instructor Molly Moyer very happy advancing as a tenor 2.

Conneaut Area will send two singers, Pasquale Mattera, a bass 1, and Katie Gillette, an alto 2, along with their instructor Elizabeth Heckman.

Cochranton did very well. Three singers to states - Spencer Freysinger, bass 1; Kyran Miller, alto 1; and Alison Merritt soprano 1 - will be headed to the Poconos for a lifetime experience.

Regional host instructor Molly Moyer said having this level of competition at Meadville High School is amazing. "It’s so rewarding hearing these kids sing," she said. "It's fun."

The performance of the regional chorus will be at 7 p.m. today at the Meadville High School auditorium. It is open to the public. Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, military and students.

​Attendees are reminded that there are also district basketball games at the school tonight, so allow time to navigate parking.

The ORB company was formed in 2009 by Deb Femovich to "provide greater options for dancers with the skill level to perform on a pre-professional level and pair them with professional dancers in an environment of support and discipline," according to the group's website.
​
Two dancers in this year's performance exemplify this goal while overcoming some obstacles that could've prevented them from ever dancing again.

​Coincidently another dancer in the troupe had to deal with issues involving surgery on his brain. Brian Murphy is a professional dancer from Akron, Ohio who has come to be a regular part of the ORB family.

​Murphy suffered a traumatic brain injury from a bicycle accident. His road to recovery was also fast taking into account that soon after his accident he stopped breathing. He credits the science of medicine, his doctors and the science of dance for his recovery. While recovering in the hospital he was up and dancing as part of his own therapy. "Deb never gave up on me; they have trusted me," he said of his return this year to ORB. "I just love the concept of (ORB)," he said.

Other cast members include Bellina Devine, Caleb Waybright, Christopher Warner, Elijah Stewart, Kyran Miller, Justus Lind, Audrey Frazier, Cole Devine, Sylvia Cagle, Kennedy Dawson, Lillian Devine, Josie Stout, Rachel Brunot, Lucy Murphy, Madolyn Williams, Londyn Fink, Marley Plowman, Addison Murphy, Maryan See, Abigail Williams, Lissa Murphy, Maddi Phillips and Molly Carswell.

Below are a few more photos from a recent rehearsal at the former Studio 22 building in Franklin.

Learn more about the Oil Region Ballet at https://www.oilregionballet.org.

The Venango Area Chamber of Commerce got a chance to say thank you to its members and recognize a few of the difference makers in the area.

The Oil Region Library Association was named the Partner in Business of the Year by the chamber. It was one of four awards given out during the chamber's annual dinner Wednesday night at Cross Creek Resort.

"We are beyond fortunate to have this organization," chamber president Susan Williams said about the library. 

ORLA was chosen for the honor based on its commitment to engage local communities and enhance literacy. This includes modernizing of the way people can use its services and expanding well beyond book loaning. ​

Business of the Year

Klapec Trucking Company was named the Business of the Year by the chamber Wednesday evening as well. Greg Lander accepted the award on behalf of the family business, which was started by his grandfather Bert Klapec in 1949 and expanded under the guidance of his mother, Cindy Urban.  

​"If you haven't seen them in our community, you aren't driving our roads," Williams said. 

"They genuinely care about their employees," Chris Loll said of Klapec.  "They want to see their employees grow cause it helps the business grow." 

Lander gave examples of how the company has grown from one truck to a fleet of dozens and a staff that includes drivers with 32 years or approximately 4 million miles of safe driving.

"Our team is what makes Klapec Trucking," he said. "... we know that the best is yet to come."

Jones was acknowledged as the chamber’s Citizen of the Year at the annual awards banquet Wednesday night at Cross Creek Resort. 

“I was humbled that my community service was noticed enough… to win this award,” Jones said as she addressed the large crowd. 

“She carries herself with grace and class that I admire,” said former Venango County commissioner Bob Murray.  “She is one of the best people I know.”

​Murray nominated Jones for the award after working alongside of her in county government and more recently with the Northwest Hospital Foundation. He offered his comments as part of a video presentation about Jones made for the evening.

Morrison was surprised by the honor, but not shy about sharing how long she has been rooting for the Orioles. "I started here watching the games in '49 when I was just in tenth grade," she said. If you are doing the math, that's heavy on the plus side of the "50 plus" years Mulholland mentioned. In fact, it is 74 years since the 89-year-old watched her first game at Rocky Grove. ​

"I missed a few years and things because of raising my children (but) I've been here most all these years," she said. "It seems like forever in my life."

She said she tells players now that she watched their parents and grandparents play. And she has watched  her own children and grandchildren too.

Venango County commissioner Mike Dulaney said Wednesday that he will not seek reelection. In a letter he expressed personal reasons and his own political philosophies for his decision. "This was never meant to be a career path for me, it's always been about public service," he said Wednesday afternoon.  "When
the year is up and my term concludes, I will have been in an elected seat for nearly half of my
professional life. With that said, I do not choose to run again," he wrote.

​Prior to being elected commissioner in 2019, the 35-year-old Dulaney served a Franklin City Councilman. He also served many years as the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce assistant director.

Dulaney said he is a believer in term limits and ran on not serving more than two terms as commissioner, but felt given where the county is currently, this is a time to step back. "The county is in the best shape it has been in for some time. The wages have been lifted to a more livable income; the infrastructure has been updated; the savings account is full; and the taxes kept level," he said.

When he, Sam Breene and Chip Abramovic were sworn in in 2020 the news of the pandemic was just starting to hit America. Within a couple months the state was forcing shutdowns. Dulaney isn't shy saying he disagrees with how it was handled regarding the delineation of essential and non-essential businesses.
"What the state governments failed to realize was that all jobs are essential from the employees' perspective. It was for that reason that I advocated for the distribution of our CARES Act money to those who were shutdown and deemed "too small" for federal assistance. This quick response enabled some of our small businesses to avoid an untimely closure."

That was just one thing he felt county government stepped up to the plate on in the last three years.

"As I look back on the accomplishments of my term, I know I've implemented some lasting changes. 2022 saw the start of the Venango County Infrastructure Bank, a program to help municipalities acquire funds for vitally necessary but exceedingly expensive infrastructure projects," he wrote in his letter. "Venango County started its first 911 Advisory Board, which enabled members from various emergency service agencies to have a say in the operation of 911 and Emergency Management Center. The county is also in the middle of upgrading the 911 radio system. These updates will not only provide a clearer quality of sound but also increase the coverage and efficacy of the signal."

Dulaney said improving emergency response services and increasing broadband upgrades will likely be a priority of the next four years for the commissioners. He favors moving all of the 911 services to the old Oil City Armory near the Hasson Heights swimming pool. For a $1, the county could purchase the property then have all their emergency operations and equipment at one location, according to Dulaney. 

​But he is leaving that job for the next body of commissioners.

"I'm forever grateful for the opportunity to serve you all these last seven years as councilman and commissioner. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, 'In free governments, the rulers are the servants, and the people their superiors . . . . For the former to return among the latter does not degrade, but promote them.' While I will miss the service and the people I've worked with, I look forward to my promotion to private life."

He isn't sure what is in his future after January 2024 looks like. He joked about the cold not really being for him, but gave no indication on moving. "Maybe if I get a job that let's me afford two homes," he joked, adding that perhaps he was always meant to be a snowbird living here in the warm weather and in the south when fall and winter hit northwest Pennsylvania. "Wherever life takes me, Venango County and it's residents will always have a cherished place in my heart."

While Mike Dulaney has announced he will not seek relection for Venango County commissioner, his counter parts, Sam Breene (R) and Albert "Chip" Abramovic (D) had both indicated they will. Franklin businessman Mathew Beith (D) announced his candidacy last month. The Derrick reported that Jim Speth (R), who is serves as president of Sugarcreek Borough Council, is also running in the primiaries.

Click here for our intial story on the Venango County Commissioner race. The primary election will be held May 16. 

Hundreds of people hit the beach on Saturday, many to watch. The terms used by Luke Kauffman, director of Two Mile Run County Park, were "bears" and "chickens" for those who registered for the annual event. It's not hard to decipher what that means, but those who registered for the icy plunge were dubbed "bears," while those who donated money by registering but decided to remain warm-ish and dry were called "chickens."

Kauffman said that just under 200 people registered for the plunge, bringing in somewhere around $ 5,000 to the park for use during its many activities throughout the year.

​Sometimes it pays to be crazy.

Downtown Franklin may not have been quite so crazy, but it too was frigid. The many shops and restaurants offering a warm respite from the cold were comfortable bookends for viewing the many ice sculptures in Fountain Park. The 27th annual Franklin on Ice festival brought hundreds of people into Franklin throughout the course of the day and evening to view the artistry of the DiMartino Ice Company sculptors. The cold weather was perfect for their creations to stay exactly as they intended them to be viewed. 

Sadly, the weather is expected warm considerably with rain in the immediate forecast. This means the winter cultural wonderland will likely only be a weekend long event this year.

Below are more photos that prove Franklin's motto of being always eventful. 

What's a trick to carving ice in the snow - layers. Lots of layers. 

On Friday, members of the DiMartino Ice Company of Jeannette braved the low temperatures and windy conditions to create the final three sculptures for Franklin on Ice. The cold weather was good for carving but hard on the body. It required, according to one worker, lots of layers of clothing. His list was at least 10 items long and that didn't include anything to shield his face from the bitter cold. 

Layers were also a must for the Franklin Fine Arts Council volunteers in the park putting up sponsorship signs. Besides that, Fountain Park had few visitors Friday morning, despite the intrigue of a sneak peek at this year's sculptures and the opportunities to watch some of the large ones go from stacked blocks to interactive pieces likely to be popular with tomorrow's festival crowds. ​

The ice sculptures are just one of the many things happening in Franklin tomorrow. The Franklin Public Library, Barrow-Civic Theatre, Two Mile Run County Park and many downtown businesses will be holding family-friendly events throughout the day. Find a detailed list of activities in our earlier preview article uned the News from You tab. ​

Bullying is nothing new. "Kids will be kids" attitudes toward teasing can shape how young people learn to trust others and develop their personalities when it is by becoming the aggressor, the victim or even the turn and look the other way type. We take these lessons into adulthood too whether we realize it or not. Often these "little things"  are how we act as leaders and or members of society.

The stereotypes happen because they perpetuate themselves over time and learned experiences. In recent years bullying in the form of racism has been brought to the attention of the Franklin School Board and administration. Several parents have spoken up at school board meetings and several community members took note.

A program in Erie several years ago brought volunteers from the community into Erie schools to be proactive. The initiative called the "Blue Coats" placed individuals in the hallways of schools to be eyes and more importantly ears on what was going on.

File photo from August 12, 2021. 

Residents, businesses owners, commuters, regular visitors and anyone with a vested interest in the future of Venango County should attend one of the four open house meetings that will be held at the following dates and places: 

• 4 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 8, 737 Elk St. in Franklin.
• 4 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 15, Great Room, National Transit Building, 206 Seneca St. in Oil City.
• 4 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 22, Cherrytree Township municipal building, 1311 Cherrytree Road.
• 4 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, March 1, Clintonville fire hall, 501 Emlenton St.

The county is looking for feedback and suggestions on a variety of topics. "The plan must address the protection of natural and historic resources and include a plan for the reliable supply of water," Buchanan said. "In addition, the plan will include implementation strategies and possible funding sources used to accomplish the stated goals."

​Among the items they will be looking at include the location, type and timing of future development, land use, housing needs, transportation, community facilities and utilities. "The plan covers the needs of the entire county, down to the local government level. Items such as education, recreation, municipal buildings, fire and police stations, libraries, hospitals, water supply and distribution, sewerage and waste treatment, solid waste management, storm drainage, and flood plain management, utility corridors and associated facilities, and other similar facilities or uses are addressed," she said.

"We believe poetry can lead to change," poet Debbie Allen said. A group of poets gathered Saturday at the Franklin Public Library to share original works and poems published by others which address the topics of bigotry and hate. A crowd of roughly 30 people attended the event by "Poets Against Racism USA," an organization created by Debbie Allen of Youngstown and Patricia Thrushart (bottom right picture) of the Cook Forest area.

​Prior to the event, Thrushart said “We hope to have an audience that comes with open minds and hearts ready to join us in denouncing racism and hate.” It appeared that's what they got. A couple even came to read their own poetry in the open mic portion of the day.

The group was joined by several poets from the Bridge Literary Arts Group based in Venango and Clarion counties.

The Poets Against Racism USA’s website explains who they are as “… a network of primarily US-based poets who challenge, discuss, and confront racism, bigotry, and hate through the power of poetry." The group is affiliated with the Poets Against Racism movement launched in the UK in 2017. PAR USA was formed in 2021. "We wish to promote love, peace, and positivity toward all, regardless of color, ethnicity, place of origin, creed, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, appearance, or physical or mental ability. We encourage others from around the country to join our movement so that we can spread the message of zero tolerance for racism, bigotry, and hate.”

To learn more about the group, visit their website here.

A shorter quicker (supposedly) game of HORSE was the impetus behind last weekends mini-fundraiser for the rocky Grove girls and boys basketball programs. The event drew dozens of "shooters" to the gymnasium to see who had the best game overall when it mattered.
Four bracket eliminations were played over a couple hours with four champs crowned - their photos holding their trophies can be found at the end of this post.

There were all sorts of shots attempted.

And some gave it there all/

Others were just having fun.

Some wondered if they still had it.

Others weren't ready to pass the torch.

They all tried (at least to have fun.)

Or grow.

For the organizers -  they are doing it for their kids and the future of Oriole hoops.

It may be a PIG tournament, but the results are meant to bring community awareness to the programs and the kids these programs help.

They were joined by senior cheerleader Kayleigh Schommer, who was recognized for her years of cheering on wrestlers and football players at Franklin.

​See photos from the wrestling matches here.