In early November, Passport Auto Group surprised the entire third grade class at Panorama Elementary School with new bikes through the Bikes for Kids Foundation. Passport Auto Group President, Everett Hellmuth, and Vice President, Jay Klein, heard about the Bikes for Kids Foundation and wanted to sponsor a local elementary school in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where many of the Passport Auto Group stores are located. “We are always looking for more ways to support our local community and surrounding schools,” said Jay Klein. “This program teaches students that hard work helps make dreams come true, and we are excited to be able to sponsor local Panorama Elementary School in this way.”
Bikes for Kids Foundation President, Robert Krumroy, stands with employees of Passport Auto Group and students and staff of Panorama Elementary during a school assembly.
Prior to the donation event, employees of Passport Auto Group assembled the brand-new bikes at their Passport Collision Center. Passport employees worked together using their own tools to assemble the bikes, from pumping tires to tightening handlebars. Passport then donated the bikes in early November on behalf of the Bikes for Kids Foundation at a school assembly.
The Bikes for Kids Foundation program began by providing books that focused on working hard and dreaming big to the third graders at Panorama Elementary. Then, the students were encouraged to write an essay about what they want to be when they grow up. The third graders were told three essay writers would be picked to win a bike, but to their surprise, they all won a new bike thanks to Passport Auto Group and the Bikes for Kids Foundation.
“It felt like Christmas seeing the students’ faces with surprise and excitement. They worked hard and each deserved to be rewarded for their work. We hope this will encourage these students to continue to focus on their dreams as they can accomplish anything,” said Passport Auto Group President, Everett Hellmuth.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Italian Festival is set to take place in Downtown Youngstown, Ohio from July 27-30, 2023. This four-day event will bring together locals and visitors alike to celebrate the vibrant Italian culture and heritage of the area.
The festival will feature a range of activities and events, including live music, delicious food, games, and rides for all ages. Visitors can sample a variety of Italian dishes, from classic pizza and pasta to regional specialties like cannoli, etc.
In addition to the food and entertainment, the festival will also has a rich history and traditions of Italian-Americans in Youngstown. Attendees always learn about the contributions of local Italian immigrants to the city’s growth and development, and explore the many facets of Italian culture, from art and music to literature and cuisine.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Italian Festival is a beloved annual tradition in Youngstown, and a celebration of the city’s diverse and vibrant community. Whether you’re a local or a visitor to the area, this is an event that you won’t want to miss!
Each week, #SpanningtheNeed will present an “Inspirational Person of the Week’ and have a “Q & A” with one of its many gifted individuals and/or groups who are willing to go out of their own way to help others. This week’s featured is Brynn Pluchinsky from Canfield High School.
Name: Brynn Pluchinsky School: Canfield High School
Class: 2023 GPA: 3.95
Bio: Brynn Pluchinsky is from Canfield, Ohio, as she attends Canfield High School. She has lived here her entire life, growing up with the same people. She will be graduating the Class of 2023 and aim to continue her scholastic journey via college form at Kent State University and eventually become an Architect.
Throughout her high school career, Brynn has achieved a number of goals. She thinks she has matured into a good person who can still improve. Brynn enjoys spending time making memories and volunteering in her hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, while assisting people and supporting others to succeed.
What are your plans after graduation? I plan to attend Kent State University in the fall of 2023. I’ll be attending the School of Architecture there for my bachelor’s degree in architecture, then returning for a fifth year to pursue my master’s degree.
What is your favorite class? Math classes are my favorite subjects in school. There’s always something new to learn.
What type of volunteer work are you involved in within your community?
I am quite involved in my church; I handle the slide projections during the church services, and I have helped clean up Cornersburg. I work a lot of hours at my church. I also mentor one student in each of Canfield’s elementary schools, for a total of two students, one of whom has a disability, and I do this every Thursday throughout the school year. I assist these students in being more interested in the classroom and making progress in school. I also volunteer at the Mahoning County Rescue Mission the last Sunday of every month and with other organizations in the community at random.
Why is the most memorable moment in your scholastic career?
Getting inducted into the national honors society was a memorable moment, because all of the hard work I did all years of high school paid off. Also knowing I applied to the 3 top Architecture schools in Ohio for college and getting into every program was a great feeling and something I will remember.
What is your favorite sports related movie?
“The Blind Side” is my favorite sports movie. I adore the storyline to the entire film. It reminds me not to give up on the goals I set for myself in life. This story can be applied to anyone, sports-related or not; the message is my favorite.
What is the hardest decision you ever had to make?
The most difficult decision I had to make thus far was which college I would attend next year to continue my academic career. This is the place where I will spend the next 4-5 years of my life, and I had to determine which program was best for me and where I wanted to live.
Who is your role model?
My role model is my grandpa.
What is your favorite food?
My favorite food is any type of pasta. I love regular sauce, vodka sauce, and alfredo.
What is your best accomplishment/experience in life?
My best accomplishment, personally, would be leaving high school in a couple of months knowing I accomplished everything I wanted to and experienced everything I wanted to experience. My parents or people around me would say, building up to earn acceptance into the national honors society, gaining community service hours and building my trust with so many families through babysitting. But I would have to say, I am just happy how I have built myself up over my high school years and continued to strive for what I wanted to achieve and build a figure for myself.
Who is your role model and Why? My role model is my grandma and grandpa.They both came from very little and worked their way to the life they live now. My grandpa’s parents passed when he was very young and then he had to live with a different family and the father of his second family was abusive. He then went and served for our country at the age of 21 while my grandma worked a full-time job as a waitress and took care of her two children, my mom and uncle. They now both treat my sister and I with so much love and provide us with so much. They will always be my role models and people I aspire to be like in life. Their stories, both past and present, have inspired me to be a better person every day.
If there was one person that you would like to meet, past or present and why?
If I could only meet one person, it would be a distant relative. I’d like to meet my father’s mother, my grandmother. Grandma passed before my parents got married, and I’d love to get to know her. How she lived, what she went through in her life, and how she managed the hardships that life presented at her.
A favorite quote by which you live.
“Worry about your character and not your reputation, because your character is who you are, and your reputation is only what people think of you” – John Wooden
The fifty-third Ohio Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition will include a selection from Jase Roberts. His painting, titled “Glazed Focus” was one of nearly 8,300 art entries submitted for regional judging from approximately 3,000 Ohio high school students participating in one of the fifteen regional qualifying competitions.
This juried exhibition showcases creative expressions in the visual arts created by outstanding and talented high school students from across the state of Ohio. The exhibition is a cooperative effort between the Governor of Ohio, the Ohio Department of Education, colleges, universities, and business sponsors.
The exhibition will be on display from April 23 – May 18, 2023, at the Rhodes State Office Tower in Columbus.
CongressmanBill Johnson (R-Marietta) today announced that high school students in Eastern Ohio residing in the 6th Congressional District are eligible to participate in the 2023 Congressional Art Competition, “An Artistic Discovery.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity for local high school student artists,” Bill Johnson said. “I always enjoy viewing the artwork produced by our talented young people, and I encourage all interested schools and students to participate. I look forward to welcoming the winning student to Washington D.C., and proudly displaying his or her piece in the U.S. Capitol alongside winners from across the country.”
The winning student-artist will be invited to Washington, D.C. to take part in a national reception, and have his or her artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. All high school students living in the 6th District can participate, regardless of where they attend high school: public, private, home school, or online.
All submissions are due by Monday, April 24th, and can be either mailed or delivered in-person to Rep. Johnson’s Marietta (246 Front Street) or Mahoning Valley (4137 Boardman-Canfield Road, Suite 106) District offices. The winning submissions will be determined by a panel of experts and local officials; the winners will be notified during the first week of May. In addition to the overall winner, one runner-up will have their artwork displayed in one of Rep. Johnson’s district offices. Johnson will also award a “People’s Choice” award where images of selected artwork will be posted on his Facebook page, and fans will have the opportunity to vote on a final winner. The student whose artwork receives the highest number of “likes” will be designated the winner of the People’s Choice award, and their artwork will be displayed in a district office.
All artwork must be no larger than 26 x 26 x 4 including the frame, and can weigh no more than 15 lbs. The artwork should be original in design, concept, and execution. Acceptable media include:
*Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolors *Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers *Collage *Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints *Mixed media: use of more than two media such as pencil, ink, watercolor *Computer-generated art *Photography
