PBEA NEWSLETTER
Spring 2020
Message from the President
Dear PBEA members,
As I write this we are dealing with uncertain times, but I hope that you are all safe and healthy. As educators we are facing something we have never seen before. Never would we have imagined that March would be the last time we would be at school with our students. Our hearts break for all of our students especially those that are seniors. As teachers we are resilient and we have been making the best of this situation.
On April 7th PBEA hosted a Spring Social via ZOOM to discuss what was going on in our classrooms and we had 32 attendees. Thank you to all who attended and a special thank you to Bill Egan for providing us with tips about online teaching. This event was scheduled for 60 minutes, but before we knew it 90 minutes had passed. Based on the feedback we received we will definitely be planning more ZOOM sessions. Our discussion led to the importance of BCIT and how this situation may impact its future. As BCIT teachers we had the skills to adapt to “virtual learning.” In addition, fellow colleagues and administration may have called on us to assist others. I hope this unfortunate pandemic will cause schools to reevaluate the importance of BCIT. I am sure many Americans wish they had the knowledge and forethought to create a budget, maintain savings, file for unemployment or had more technology skills to assist themselves with work and assist their children with school.
I ask all of you to continue to be champions for BCIT--what we teach matters! This year’s conference theme is “BCIT... Can Help Lead In Times of Need.” I look forward to meeting with you face-to-face in November.
Be well and stay safe!
Christina Force
PBEA President
Congratulations New Officers!!
Carri Donmoyer and Amy Smyers Conference Co-Chairs
and Dr. Scott Mehall Secretary/Exhibits Chair
2019 PBEA SCHOLARSHIP WINNER - Nick Laudenslager
I would like to take a moment to express my gratitude and appreciation to PBEA for selecting me as the winner of the 2019 PBEA Scholarship. I am truly honored to have been selected as I pursue my goal of becoming a business educator. I would also like to thank all the members of PBEA for their support towards the association to make this scholarship possible for not only myself, but for all past and future recipients.
Congratulations to Jennifer Drey - Educator of the Year
Jennifer Drey is currently a Business Educator in the Career and Technical Education Department at
the Milton Hershey School, where she has been employed for the past ten years. Jennifer is the
advisor of the National Technical Honor Society and also serves on the Houseparent Teacher Association
committee at Milton Hershey School. She volunteers her time to organize the school’s annual Day of
Service event which places over 900 students and staff at various locations throughout the Harrisburg/
Hershey area to promote giving back to the local community by performing community service. Jennifer
has also assisted MHS Admissions with various Opportunity Days to promote enrollment and highlight the achievements of the CTE Department at MHS.
Jennifer received her undergraduate degree in Business Education from Bloomsburg University with a minor in Business Information Systems. Jennifer continued her education to receive two Master’s degrees from Wilkes University in Classroom Technology and Educational Leadership.
Jennifer was a member of the PBEA Board for over ten years, serving two terms as President and planning two annual conferences for business educators across the state. She has presented Professional Development sessions at both the state and national levels to promote Business Education. Jennifer is also an Accounting Program for Building the Profession (APBP) trained educator and has a great passion for accounting education. Jennifer was previously selected to attend the first ever Knowledge at Wharton High School Seminar for High School Educators on Business and Financial Responsibility, sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Jennifer was presented with a WGAL Teacher Impact Award and an award for Distinguished Service from the Pennsylvania Association of Career and Technical Education. Jennifer is a positive voice and representative for other Business Educators within the profession. Jennifer resides in Schuylkill Haven with her husband Jake and two children Hudson and Ruby. She is the daughter of Robert and Rhonda Kunetz of Hazleton.
Thank you Exhibitors!
The PBEA Board would like to extend a thank you to all exhibitors of the Fall 2019 Conference. Below is a list of exhibitors:
Doris Humphrey, Career Solutions Publishing
PA Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Kenny Lockard, Cengage
Ziegler College of Business, Bloomsburg University
Sam Rhodes, The Keyboard Teacher
Kevin Smith, Stocktrak
Kristi Ryland, PA FBLA
Harriet Huntington, Diva Feet Boutique
Chris Macdonald, Refresh Your Plate
Eileen Cornish, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge
Carolyn Shirk, Penn CFL
Colleen Wilson, Scentsy
Basil Holobetz, Center for Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship - Susquehanna University
Bloomsburg University to Bring Assistance to Students Interested in Law
Bloomsburg University now has a center where students get information, advice, and help in applying to law school, learning about law school, and exploring legal careers. The Craig A. Diehl Center for Law School Preparation offers:
—Annual fall semester trip to a law school forum in NYC where students can speak with representatives (primarily admissions officers) from 170 law schools
—Informational sessions (2019-20’s included how to write a personal statement for the law school application and deciding where to apply to law school)
—Regular guest speaker roundtable discussions (four this Spring 2020 semester)
—Networking events with other students interested in law school
—Panel discussions about law school and legal careers
—LSAT preparation assistance and study sessions
—One-on-one advising for students considering law school
Students considering law school after the Zeigler College of Business (or any of BU’s other colleges) can contact Dr. Loren Selznick (lselznic@bloomu.edu) for more information about the Diehl Law Center and follow us in LinkedIn.
Congratulations
PBEA Membership
PBEA membership is continuing to increase through various stakeholders advancing the field of business education in Pennsylvania. Please consider joining or renewing your membership for this school year and the following year, which can be completed on the PBEA website at http://pbea.info/become-a-member/. A one-year membership is now valid through June 30, 2021. We thank you for your continued support.
Treasurer's Report
Checking Account: Since our last meeting, new accounts have been set up at Citizens Bank. We have 2 checking accounts in place; a “working” account used to write checks for general expenses and the other account to store most of our funds. There is no checkbook or cards associated with the second account and the plan is to keep a small amount in the working account to pay bills. Excess funds can be transferred to the second fund when needed for safe keeping.
Balances as of 3/2/2020
Checking 1: $ 1,712.57
Checking 2: $31,196.38
Total Checking: $32,908.95
PA JUMP$TART
PA Jump$tart - Making a Difference Together
“Look for the helpers.” Wise advice many of us learned at a young age from Mr. Rogers. As we continue to navigate these unprecedented times, it is comforting to see so many helpers doing what they do best – serving others, sharing hope, and staying connected. While this Financial Literacy Month was not celebrated in its typical way this April, the partner highlights below show that financial literacy education is still happening in our communities. Thank you for the ways you are helping your communities navigate these challenging times. We look forward to connecting with our partners virtually on May 13. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy.
Partner Meeting - May 13
TIME: Wednesday, May 13 - 2pm
REGISTER HERE [pajumpstart.us18.list-manage.com]
Connect with other PA Jump$tart Coalition partners to share ideas and engage in conversation about how we can continue to grow the impact and partners for the organization.
Partners Making a Difference
Foundation for Free Enterprise Education: In light of the unprecedented situation that we are now passing through and in celebration of Financial Literacy Month, the Foundation for Free Enterprise Education is offering a special session of the Stock Market Game for Pennsylvania students and teachers that is completely free of charge. In these times of social distancing, we are providing an excellent financial education tool and lessons that are pre-packaged so that learning can continue outside of the classroom. For more info, check out www.pfew.org/SMG.php [pajumpstart.us18.list-manage.com]
Junior Achievement: Though schools are closed, Junior Achievement is here to support students, parents and teachers during this period of uncertainty. JA is providing access to learning experiences that students can do on their own, with a parent or other caring adult, or with teachers via a digital/virtual environment. We are doing this so our kids can spend more time planning for and dreaming about tomorrow, and less time worrying about today. We are committed to doing this until we can all be certain again. To learn more, visit www.ja.org/tomorrows [pajumpstart.us18.list-manage.com]
PA Department of Banking and Securities: The PA Department of Banking and Securities is working to provide resources regarding scams, and other information to individuals of all ages regarding COVID-19. We are also working on programming addressing Financial Technology in general - with target audiences including students and young adults.
Anyone interested in receiving further information about this or other Banking and Securities related resources can contact Katrina Boyer at katrboyer@pa.gov
PSECU: PSECU, Pennsylvania's largest credit union, is offering a variety of digital learning resources free to the public so that consumers can access the information anytime, anywhere convenient for them. These include live and recorded webinars (by request), blog articles, youth worksheets, and a new Online Learning Center. For more information, check out www.psecu.com/learn [pajumpstart.us18.list-manage.com]
Free Weekly Credit Reports
Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion have announced that they are offering free weekly credit reports for the next year to help Americans protect their financial health during the sudden and unprecedented hardship caused by COVID-19. Free reports are available via AnnualCreditReport.com. Click for additional information [pajumpstart.us18.list-manage.com].