[412-public-news] Lots of community stuff -- mostly at the pool and with kids doing well

Mark Rauterkus mark.rauterkus at gmail.com
Thu Feb 7 12:11:56 EST 2013


Hi Friends,

1)
My older son, Erik, and his mates got some coverage in the Post-Gazette
East today for the work they do with Youth & Government.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-east/pittsburgh-obama-students-ready-to-govern-673785/

2)
Today is "Senior Night" with our boys and girls varsity swim teams at Obama
Academy, with a 6 pm meet vs. Bishop Canevin. This year we departed the
city league and compete in Class AA in the WPIAL Section 6. It is our final
section meet, and our boys team is going to win the section. Hats off to
them and our 14 senior swimmers. This class of kids has been called the
best senior class of swimmers in the city, ever. (My humble words.)

Photos of the kids and some thoughts about attendance and athletics at my
blog:

http://rauterkus.blogspot.com/2013/02/fwd-senior-night-at-pool-h2o-hail-2.html

3)
USA Gold Medal Swimmer, Cullen Jones, visits Pittsburgh tomorrow, Friday.
He'll lead school assemblies at noon at Obama Academy and at 2 pm at
U-Prep. He speaks strongly about the need to  teach our kids, especially
those of the inter-city, about swimming and being safe in the water.

This school year I've been having fun every Wednesday at U-Prep with "water
polo" in an after school activity with The Zone, operated in part by The
Hill House.

4)
The Summer of 2013 plans for our Swim & Waterpolo program have been
approved, (tentative until board vote). We'll coach 40 kids in The Hill and
40 others in the West End.

Helpers can apply:
http://rauterkus.blogspot.com/2013/01/thinking-about-summer-employment-apply.html

Sadly, what got funded with Pittsburgh Public Schools is only one quarter
of what was proposed. The 30-page plan is open;
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121210183940/aforathlete/images/8/80/Water_Polo_RFP_2013-PDF.pdf

5)
Kickstarter has a new venture that I'd love for you all to support. It is a
way to pay it forward as a commercial company in Scotland is raising funds
to make its software OPEN SOURCE. Their LiveCode grew from the HyperCard
legacy and provides easy way for authoring computer software on all sorts
of computers, tables and smart phones. Once this goes OPEN SOURCE, it will
be free (gratis) for all and all things ever created will include open
source code as well. This is like the birth of wikipedia in my humble
opinion. Be a part of it.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1755283828/open-source-edition-of-livecode?ref=live

6)
Pittsburgh's Mayor Race is going to include a debate at 1:30 pm on Sunday,
March 17, 2013, at Pittsburgh Obama Academy, corner of Highland and East
Liberty Blvd (formerly Peabody HS). This free, community event is being
organized by my son and his school mates.

*http://tinyurl.com/b4f67xx*

The Facebook page say that 88 are attending now and 36 maybe. We'd love to
see 500 people at this debate, moderated by our PA Youth Governor, Erik.
Let us know with the RSVP on Facebook if you can attend.

7)
Perhaps the old Schenley High School should remain a school after all? If
it is sold, the highest bidder does not know what to do with the swim pool,
yet. I'd love to use that pool to teach city kids about swimming,
waterpolo, relationships, fitness, rule-following, time management, and all
sorts of other things that come with being engaged in community in events
rich in wellness.

Go, H20 Eagles!



--
Ta.


Mark Rauterkus       Mark.Rauterkus at gmail.com
Head Boys and Girls Swim & Diving Coach at PPS Obama Academy
PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim & Waterpolo Camp Head Coach
Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Team

http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
http://FixPA.wikia.com
http://CLOH.wikia.com
412 298 3432 = cell
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