We would like to welcome you to our monthly Red Apple Newsletter. Our mission is to help parents help their children.
Our goal with this publication is to bring parents academic and educational resources and also family oriented things to do in the Pittsburgh area. If you have an article you would like to submit, or an event that is great for families, please contact us.
April is National Child Abuse Awareness Month!
Children need a voice! The Watchful Shepherd Program provides children and their families a voice against a growing, yet very hidden evil -- family violence and the abuse of children. With an easy-to-use technology, we continue to find ways to protect children, helping them build the strength they need to speak out against their fears before it's too late.
Childhood Dreams
By now you have probably seen one of the TV programs highlighting Mr. Randy Pausch´s life and his
battle with pancreatic cancer. Randy, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, is now famous for his
Last Lecture, which he presented this past year.
Randy’s rules can help all of us to empower our children. Here they are:
Always Have Fun - Randy poses the question, "Are you a fun-loving Tigger or a
sad-sack Eeyore?" I ask myself this question each day to remind me and my family to seek
out fun at every opportunity.
Dream Big - Fuel your kid´s dreams by encouraging them to think big. The
excitement in dreaming to become an astronaut or to play golf with Tiger Woods can feed a child´s work
ethic beyond belief.
Ask for What You Want - When you know what you want, ask for it. And, be sure to ask
someone who has the power to provide you with what you ask for.
Dare to Take a Risk - Nudge your children to take educated risks. This could
mean registering for a class in high school outside of their core curriculum or it could mean trying
out for a team that they have always dreamed of playing on.
Look for the Best in Everybody - At times we are all frustrated by others. Maintain your
patience and your colleagues and friends will eventually pleasantly surprise you.
Make Time for What Matters - If there is something that you want to accomplish in
life or somewhere you want to travel, plan it now and do it. As Randy said, "Time is all you have.
And you may find one day you have less than you think."
Let Kids Be Themselves - Of all of Randy´s guidelines, this is the most important. For
my children, my goal is not to project specific dreams on my children. I want my children to develop their
own dreams. My purpose is to nurture happiness throughout their life.
What Makes Finnish Kids So Smart?
Finland's teens score extraordinarily high on an international test. American educators are trying to figure out why.
By ELLEN GAMERMAN, The Wall Street Journal
High-school students here rarely get more than a half-hour of homework a night. They have no school uniforms, no honor societies, no valedictorians, no tardy bells and no classes for the gifted. There is little standardized testing, few parents agonize over college and kids don't start school until age 7.
Yet by one international measure, Finnish teenagers are among the smartest in the world. They earned some of the top scores by 15-year-old students who were tested in 57 countries. American teens finished among the world's C students even as U.S. educators piled on more homework, standards and rules. Finnish youth, like their U.S. counterparts, also waste hours online. They dye their hair, love sarcasm and listen to rap and heavy metal. But by ninth grade they're way ahead in math, science and reading -- on track to keeping Finns among the world's most productive workers.
The full article can be accessed at from The Wall Street Journal.
PPG Party for the Planet
April 19 - The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is hosting one of the wildest
parties in town and you´re invited! Have fun celebrating Earth Day while learning about some
of the many ways you can help to protect our planet. Sponsored by PPG Industries and the Pennsylvania
Resources Council. All activities are from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., and are included with general admission.
Please remember that all events are subject to change in dates, prices, and times. Call the special
events department before any event for verification and visit their website.
Inside Peanuts: The Life and Work of Charles M. Schulz
Through April 27 - The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh celebrates the creation of Peanuts, one of the most popular and
influential comic strips of all time, and its creator Charles M. Schulz. Through his art and storytelling,
he transformed images of everyday life into art that captured the humor, vulnerability and dignity of the
human spirit, and explored the emotional territory of friendship, disappointment, faith and tolerance.
Reproduction comic strips and preliminary sketches of Peanuts show you the development of the many
iconic Peanuts characters such as Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy. Examples of more than 40 Peanuts comic
strips, Schulz quotes and photographs, and selected Peanuts collectibles will illuminate the story behind
the creation of this most popular and influential cartoon strip. Examples of comic strips by other prominent
cartoonists show how they influenced Schulz as a young artist. Organized by the Charles M. Schulz Museum in
Santa Rosa, California, presented in the Toonseum Gallery.
The Backyardigans Live! Tales of the Mighty Knights
April 23 - April 24 - The Backyardigans is a live musical-adventure featuring five
high-spirited preschool friends who rely on their vivid imaginations to embark on epic journeys in their
backyard. Kids dance along and stretch their imaginations as they join in the fun.
The Backyardigans Live! is presented by Trust Presents. Visit the Pittsburgh
Cultural Trust website for more information.
Jesus Christ Superstar at the Benedum Center
April 25 - April 27 - JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, the first masterpiece from the legendary
writing team of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, exploded onto the scene in 1971 changing the world of
musical theatre forever. With a score of amazing songs - "I Don´t Know How to Love Him", "Hosanna",
"Everything´s Alright", "What´s the Buzz", "Superstar", and "Heaven on Their Mind", this original groundbreaking
production starring Ted Neeley in the title role and Living Colour´s Corey Glover as Judas is as relevant and
timeless as ever.
Jesus Christ Superstar is presented by PNC Broadway Across America - Pittsburgh. Visit the Pittsburgh
Cultural Trust website for more information.
Kidtoons
Saturdays and Sundays - Kidtoons is dedicated to helping parents connect with their kids
by bringing G-rated animated movies to the big screen every weekend at participating theatres across the country.
Every Saturday and Sunday, participating Kidtoons theatres showcase a fun, G-rated matinee movie and
provide a family experience filled with entertaining, kid-friendly characters, as well as cartoon
shorts, music videos and sing-alongs before each movie. We even have fun giveaways for the kids,
such as stickers, temporary tattoos, activity books or toys after every film.
National Amusements Cinemas in Pittsburgh offers Kidtoons.
