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When the 97 seniors at Williamson College of the Trades attended the spring Career Fair on March 18 in the Wesley Student Center, their main concern was which offer to accept from the 180 companies in attendance, all eager to hire Williamson graduates, according to a press release.
Many of the seniors receive multiple offers, sometimes as many as four or five. They also have the luxury of looking for a company that closely matches their career goals, the school said.
Williamson graduates also have the benefit, unlike most college graduates, of starting their careers debt-free, because Williamson is a tuition-free college.
Undergraduates also benefit from the career fair in searching for a summer internship in their field.
President Michael Rounds said in a press release, “Williamson’s career fairs offer proof that our approach to education works. We are helping fill a niche in America’s lack of skilled tradesmen. How many schools can boast of having more company representatives at a career fair than students seeking positions? … Our three-year program is highly demanding and rigorous, but our graduates come back years later to tell us that their time at Williamson changed their lives for the better. Our core values of faith, integrity, diligence, excellence, and service help our students become excellent employees, good family men, and an asset to their communities.”
Williamson enrolls low income students primarily from the Philadelphia region and nearby states, and provides each a full scholarship, including tuition and room and board, which allows them to graduate debt-free.
There has been much talk recently about learning a trade as an alternative to a traditional college degree.
Williamson’s career fair offers proof that the trades are a definite alternative from a traditional college where graduates have difficulty finding employment and have a mountain of debt to pay off.
North American Land Trust to acquire Joseph Davis Tract
Delaware County-based North American Land Trust has reached an agreement to acquire the 16-acre historic Joseph Davis Tract in Chadds Ford, which played a role in the 1777 Battle of Brandywine and where the artist N.C. Wyeth once lived and worked, the trust said in a press release.
Trust President Steven Carter said the nonprofit conservation organization plans to preserve the historic property forever and open it to visitors as a public preserve.
The trust plans to offer historical and cultural programs at the preserve, develop hiking trails throughout the rolling fields, create pollinator habitat along the trails, and eventually move its headquarters to the Joseph Davis House, it said.
“NALT is a national land trust, but Chadds Ford is our home,” Carter said in a press release. “We are excited about the possibility of moving our headquarters to the Village of Chadds Ford and becoming a more visible part of this vibrant community. We envision this preserve as an active historic, cultural, and natural resource attraction, bringing visitors from all over to Chadds Ford to share in our region’s rich cultural heritage.”
The Joseph Davis Tract would be the trust’s second public preserve. In 2022, it opened the 72-acre Brinton Run Preserve to the public.
The Brinton Run property, which is just over a mile from the Joseph Davis Tract, initially was considered for development. NALT and several partners were able to raise more than $4 million to permanently protect the battlefield and natural lands.
Chadds Ford Township holds the permanent conservation easement on Brinton Run Preserve. Carter said Chadds Ford Township also would hold the permanent easement on the Joseph Davis Tract.
“On behalf of the Board of Supervisors and Open Space Committee, we are thrilled to be a part of preserving the historic 1597 Baltimore Pike property, formerly the residence of the esteemed N.C. Wyeth,” Township Manager Lacey Faber said in the same press release. “Partnering with North American Land Trust shows our continued dedication to conserving open space in Chadds Ford, safeguarding its history, and establishing a vibrant community.”
“Chadds Ford Township has been an amazing conservation partner,” Carter said. “We believe that this public preserve will meet the vision of the township Master Plan for a park-like, village green setting connecting the preserve to nearby businesses with natural trails and paths.”
The trust currently is working with historic and conservation groups, as well as local and state agencies, to raise the $3.6 million needed to fully acquire the Joseph Davis Tract. One of those partners is the American Battlefield Trust, which was instrumental in helping the trust acquire Brinton Run Preserve in 2021.
“With so much of the Brandywine Battlefield lost to development, the Joseph Davis Tract preservation project offers an exciting opportunity to protect an important historic site for future generations,” said David N. Duncan, President of the American Battlefield Trust.
The historic Joseph Davis House, originally built in 1725, sits on the 16-acre property.
According to the Brandywine Museum of Art, N.C. Wyeth and his family lived in the house from 1907 to 1911. Wyeth converted a former carriage house into his studio, adding a skylight to his work space. There, he created some of his major artworks including his depictions of Native Americans and his illustrations for Robert Louis Stevenson’s adventure novel “Treasure Island.”
Wallingford Presby’s next Concert for a Cause is April 6
Wallingford Presbyterian Church, 110 E. Brookhaven Road, Wallingford, will present a choir of local singers, soloists and a Baroque quintet on Sunday, April 6, at 3 p.m. for a performance of Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and other choral works.
The program, under the direction of the church’s minister of music Lee Hagon-Kerr, is the latest in the church’s Concerts for a Cause.
The presentation will feature soloists Meghan Cakalli (soprano) and Corinna Bruckner (alto), both of whom also serve as section leaders in the church’s Chancel Choir.
The quintet will be composed of June Bender and Freddy Contreras (violin), Che-Hung Chen (viola), Lily Eckman (cello) and Gabriel Benton (harpsichord).
The series celebrates great music and makes a difference in the community, with each concert benefitting a different local effort.
The proceeds will be donated to Chester Eastside Inc., a nonprofit that provides education, advocacy and social services and promotes social justice in our community.
The suggested donation is $15.
For more information, visit www.wallingfordpres.org or the church Facebook page. Local singers are invited to perform with the choir. For more information and to register, visit http://bit.ly/WPCGloria.
N.Y. man wins Delco Steaks’ Cheesesteak Bowl 5th time
Delco Steaks held its annual Cheesesteak Bowl on Sunday at Marple Public House in Broomall, Dan Kennedy of West Decatur, N.Y., capturing his fifth straight title in the “professional” category.
Kennedy devoured a record 8½ Delcos, a 1-foot cheesesteak featuring 10 ounces of ribeye, Cooper sharp, on a seeded Carangi roll, in 10 minutes, organizers said.
That was one more than Kennedy ate in last year’s win.
In the “amateur” competition, Chris Furia of Media finished three Delcos in 10 minutes.
It is just child’s play at Springfield Mall
Springfield Mall, 1250 Baltimore Pike, Springfield, is holding a free Kids Play event every third Thursday of the month through October.
The mall Kids Play provides free entertainment and discounts for toddlers and their caretakers. Events include a variety of fun activities, entertainment, arts & crafts, music and more.
All the events are 11 a.m. to noon in the lower Level near Macy’s.
Upcoming dates and Information:
April 16: Jump and dance around with Go With Yoyo
May 21: Music and fun with Lolly Hopwood
June 18: Music and fun with Lolly Hopwood
July 16: Music and fun with Lolly Hopwood
Aug. 20: Music and fun with Lolly Hopwood
Sept. 17: Jump and dance around with Go With Yoyo
Oct. 15: Halloween Adventure with Go With YoYo
Communications firm that works with Delaware County districts earns honors
The Donovan Group has earned 10 awards in the Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association’s (PenSPRA) 2024 Excellence in Communications Contest, according to a press release.
A national strategic communications firm that partners only with school districts and public education organizations, the Donovan Group earned six Awards of Excellence, three Awards of Merit, and one Honorable Mention from PenSPRA.
The awards recognized communication items produced for five Pennsylvania school districts: Brentwood (Allegheny County), Reading (Berks County), Rose Tree Media (Delaware County), Saucon Valley (Northampton County) and Southeast Delco (Delaware County).
“It is an honor to be recognized by PenSPRA for the quality and impact of our communication materials,” said Liam Goldrick, a Philadelphia-based Donovan Group partner. “Our firm is solely dedicated to public education and has been proud to have supported the communications and public relations needs of dozens of Pennsylvania school districts since 2019.”
PenSPRA’s annual Excellence in Communications Contest recognizes outstanding school district communication efforts across Pennsylvania. This year, more than 200 entries from 2024 were submitted for rigorous judging.
The winners were acknowledged last week at the Annual PenSPRA Symposium during the President’s Luncheon on March 20, at The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center in State College.
To view the Donovan Group’s award-winning materials, along with other winners from this year’s contest, visit https://penspra.com/2024-contest-winners.
School for Irish dance performs at Rose Tree Place
Residents of Rose Tree Place in Media celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a performance by students from the McDade-Cara School of Irish Dance in Newtown Square.
The school preserves the tradition of Irish step. Residents look forward to the show each year and couldn’t wait for the dancers to bring their energy and festive spirit, a press release stated.
Family and friends were also watching the performance and participating along with the residents.
Readers can send community news and photos to Peg DeGrassa at pdegrassa@21st-centurymedia.com.
