“It’s a bold vision of a future where older adults can age with dignity and independence with the supports they need in order to succeed,” said Shapiro.

The fifth oldest state in the country, Pennsylvania has seen a rapid growth in its senior population, expected to reach 3.8 million, or 1 in 3 Pennsylvania residents, by 2030. The trend prompted the state to develop a strategic plan to address the needs of the growing population, said Kevin Hancock, project manager for the program.

“This shift requires significant changes to the commonwealth’s infrastructure and the service system to reflect the needs and preferences of this growing population and to support the older adults’ health and quality of life,” said Hancock.

The plan is a culmination of a year-long collaborative effort by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, which received input from more than 20,000 seniors, community members and caregivers at more than 200 listening tours as well as a number of stakeholders, including 29 state agencies, Pennsylvania’s network of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), the Pennsylvania AARP and local leaders.

“We built this plan with input from older adults, caregivers and a bunch of very smart and frank people who told us what they thought was needed to improve Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and service system,” said Hancock.

“We are talking about people who we know have worked hard to save and retire,” said Kavulich. “Now they need an investment in the infrastructure that will keep them from having to seek more costly service interventions.”

The plan promises to streamline and bolster the senior service system, with priorities of unlocking access, aging in community, gateways to independence, caregiver supports and education and navigation. Included in the publication unveiled Friday are strategies to improve access to long-term care, health care support, financial services, digital literacy, transportation, food and housing.

“In the past, the commonwealth invested some money, but it was all scattered around state government,” said Shapiro. “Now, it’s under one roof, under one plan, and we have a clear direction on how we’re gonna deliver that help.”

Jennifer Haeussler-Barnhart, Montgomery County Office of Senior Services Administrator, said that the plan will provide a crucial lifeline to low-income seniors.

“Poverty is an issue our office grapples with daily,” said Haeussler-Barnhart. “Over 19,000 older adults are struggling to pay for basics like food and housing, let alone transportation, utilities, medical bills and other expenses. They need the safety net that Aging Our Way offers.”

Shapiro’s 2024-2025 budget proposal includes $11.7 million to implement the plan, with a $10 million funding boost for AAAs, increased funding for caregivers and a new Alzheimer’s Disease division in the Department of Aging. Shapiro said that the state’s $14 billion surplus calls for greater investments in senior services.

“Now is the time to invest,” said Shapiro. “As we see one in every three Pennsylvanians at the end of this decade be a senior, we can look them in the eye and say, ‘We did right by you’.’’

State Sen. Maria Collett and state Rep. Steve Malagari touted their firm support for the plan and urged their fellow lawmakers to approve it.

“It’s up to us in the legislature to pass a budget that shows older and disabled Pennsylvanians that they are truly valued,” said Collett. “Let’s put our money where our mouth is and get this across the finish line.”

Friends and family members of the centenarians joined Dock Woods staff members and local officials for the May 14 celebration, complete with a luncheon, cake and an Elvis impersonator.

“I’m sure many of you are asked what’s your secret,” said Lisa Reiff, executive director of Dock Woods. “Hopefully the answer is lots of chocolate, coffee and wine.”

The centenarians cited diet and exercise, a positive attitude, genetics and faith as the secrets to a long life.

“The secret is honoring your father and mother, loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself,” said Anna Blaha, who will turn 100 in July.

“I think my longevity is in my genes,” said Ethel Metz, who will turn 103 in July. “I attend the fitness center daily. I am usually a positive person. I never drank or smoked. I eat three balanced meals daily and eat candy, cookies and ice cream each day. I’m a Christian and attend church every Sunday.”

“My secrets to a healthy, long life are to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water, do what the doctor says, laugh as much as you can, enjoy music, keep a song in your head, stay in touch with family and friends, enjoy each day God has blessed you,” said Caroline Merrill, who, at 109-years-old, is the oldest living Montgomery County resident.

Several centenarians defied the odds after being born under dire circumstances.

Martha Pish, age 101, was born weighing just two pounds and was not expected to survive the night. Her sister put her in a shoebox on the shelf of a coal stove. She later married her husband, Chester, and the two went on to become the longest-living married couple in Pennsylvania at 81 years.

Lois Satalof, who will turn 102 in October, reached the milestone after overcoming numerous obstacles, including severe health issues and the sudden deaths of her parents.

“When I was born, my mother had to remain in the hospital for gallstones. At the time, there was no baby formula, so I had to have a wet nurse,” said Satalof. “By the age of 17, I lost both my parents. When I was 33, I suffered a stroke that ended my wish to have many children.”

In celebrating the centenarians’ birthdays, local officials took the opportunity to reflect on some historical events that are also celebrating 100th birthdays.

“100 years ago, it was 1924. Walt Disney created his first cartoon called, ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ Macy’s held its very first Thanksgiving Day parade, and the cost of a first-class stamp was $0.02,” said Jennifer Haeussler-Barnhart, administrator of the Montgomery County Office of Senior Services. “Macy’s and Walt Disney have brought such experience and humor and meaning to our lives and that’s exactly what our centenarians do for our community.”

“In 1924, the first-ever Winter Olympics took place in France. Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ premiered in New York. The song ‘Happy Birthday to You’ was published as was the first ever crossword puzzle book,” added Montgomery County Commissioner Tom DiBello. “But most important thing that happened 100 years ago — you were born.”

DiBello also discussed the revolution in communication technology over the past century, including social media, while underscoring the ongoing importance of face-to-face interaction.

“We all know that true social connections take place at a much deeper level, even with all the technology,” said DiBello. “Maintaining true connections with our community, our friends, our family is more important than ever, and these connections become strongest when they are at events like this.”

The move follows the federal government’s recent overhaul of Title IX, a 1972 law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. Among other provisions, the new 1,577-page regulation forbids blanket policies that bar transgender students from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity. While the regulation is set to take effect on August 1, several Republican-led states have filed lawsuits to block the change.

At Monday’s meeting, Superintendent Angelo Berrios stressed the importance of remaining in compliance with Title IX, a requirement for federal funding.

“The recent updates to federal Title IX regulations prompt us to reevaluate our approach to handling these matters,” said Berrios.

While retiring the current policy, the board and administration proposed a shift to an administrative regulation, which, unlike a formal policy, would provide the district with the flexibility to adapt to legal changes, said Berrios.

Under the proposed administrative regulation, the high school would offer three pairs of faculty restrooms, six pairs of sex-based multi-user bathrooms and one pair of gender-based multi-user bathrooms. The regulation would also provide four pairs of single-occupancy bathrooms, up from two pairs, with signage and exterior locks.

“This approach underscores our commitment to an inclusive and respectful environment where every member of our school community will feel welcomed and supported,” said Assistant Superintendent for Administration Bradley Palmer.

The administration is also considering the installation of modernized toilet stalls equipped with larger doors and dividers to enhance student privacy, said Palmer.

Board president Ron Wurz described the proposed regulation as a fair compromise.

“This is a compromise,” said Wurz. “I think it supports every child, and that’s why I believe we should retire this and give administration the flexibility they need to modify this in the future without having to go through three readings. That’s common sense to me.”

However, some board members reiterated concerns about enforcement mechanisms and the safety of female students in bathrooms.

In the end, the motion to retire the sex-based bathroom policy passed 5-4, with board members Wurz, Leah Rash, Chris Kaufman, Bradley Merkl-Gump and Carolyn Sciarrino voting in the majority and board members Christine Batycki, Jordan Blomgren, Ricki Chaikin and Bob Cormack voting in the minority.

Digital hall passes

The board approved a new digital hall pass system to monitor student movement throughout the high school and flag problem behavior, particularly meet-ups and loitering in the bathrooms. Under the new system, students will sign in and out of their classrooms on their computers.

“We’ve had a lot of complaints on bathroom behavior, bullying, drugs,” said Wurz. “This is one of the solutions of tracking people who abuse the system. It helps prevent some of the situations that our teachers aren’t capable of monitoring themselves.”

The policy passed 6-3, with Blomgren, Chaikin and Cormack voting in the minority after raising concerns about student privacy.

Proposed final budget

The board approved the proposed 2024-2025 final budget with no tax increases. The balanced budget projects revenues and expenditures of $159,147,064 and maintains the real estate tax rate of 135.2555 mills, which remains unchanged from the 2017-2018 school year.

The board also approved the Savvas My World Interactive Social Studies resource for the newly-written elementary social studies curriculum. The resource was vetted and approved by a committee of teachers, administrators, board members and members of the public.

The next Pennridge school board meeting is on June 17 at 7 p.m. For more information, visit pennridge.org.

Held at the North Penn Goodwill building in Souderton, the milestone celebration brought together dozens of emergency personnel and volunteers for a night of food, music, socializing and appreciation of community service.

Dating back to 1949, Goodwill is a non-profit organization that provides food, drinks, shelter and restrooms to emergency workers. An all-volunteer organization, Goodwill predominately serves Bucks and Montgomery counties but has also responded to emergencies in other counties throughout southeastern Pennsylvania.

‘Best kept secret’

Joe Flenders, secretary of Goodwill, described the organization as one of the “best kept secrets” in the community.

“We’re least well-known among the community but most well-known among the fire and police departments,” he said. “You say ‘the Goodwill’, they know who you are.”

The idea for the organization was first conceived by the Souderton Fire Company in 1949 after responding to a house fire on a frigid March night. The first vehicle was a 1934 semi-retired school bus secured from Hagey’s Bus Service in Franconia, with funds for equipment and materials coming out of the firemen’s pockets. They eventually turned to the community for assistance.

“We bought a sound truck and broadcast around town that we needed money and donations for clothing and food,” said Jim Thomas, president of Goodwill. “And when we got back with the truck, all the bays were full.”

As funds increased, Goodwill acquired additional transit buses before switching to step vans, featuring grills, microwave ovens, refrigerators, storage space, electric generators and lighting systems capable of illuminating an entire football field.

Disaster response

Over the years, Goodwill volunteers responded to some of the region’s worst disasters, including the 1972 Hurricane Agnes floods in Pottstown, the 1982 Kmart warehouse fire in Falls Township, the 1988 Perkasie fire, the 1988 tornado in Lyons and the 2001 Bridgeport fire.

Today, Goodwill boasts three state-of-the-art canteen units and two shelter units, with plans to purchase a new modernized shelter unit next year. All units are equipped with two-way radio systems for Montgomery and Bucks counties. The organization has 32 members, 11 of which are active, and relies exclusively on donations.

“We get donations from our local residents and the fire companies we serve,” said Dennis Crouthamel, Goodwill deputy chief. “That’s how we support ourselves.”

Jim Hange, Goodwill chief, said that the organization receives an average of three to four calls per month, though the number fluctuates.

“The last couple months, we’ve been lucky to get one call,” said Hange. “But there have been times where we had eight to ten calls.

“And anymore we don’t just go to fires,” added Thomas. “We’ve been to standoffs to help the police out. We’ve been to big car accidents on the turnpike.”

“And we don’t usually get called for the short term,” said Flenders. “You’re usually called for a longer call, and each call is a minimum of six to eight hours, though there’s occasionally some shorter ones.”

Rewarding work

The men described the work as tough but rewarding.

“You know you’re doing something good for the community and the people who are out there busting their butts working hard,” said Flenders. “And they appreciate it.”

“It’s something to be proud of, and it makes you feel good when you’re at a scene and a fireman will come up and say, ‘Thank you guys for coming out. We needed this,’” said Hange.

During the celebration, the organization took the opportunity to recognize local fire companies and police chiefs with plaques. Hange concluded with Goodwill’s motto.

“If you need us, give us a call,” said Hange to the crowd. “That’s what we’re here for — to serve those who serve others.”

“For too long, state underfunding has led to a patchwork of some great opportunities for students but also many missed opportunities for students across the county, where some students have not had the basic necessities and many residents have been paying exorbitant property taxes,” said Priyanka Reyes-Kaura, K-12 education policy director at Children First, a nonprofit child welfare organization that has advocated for fair school funding. “This year, finally, a solution is on the table.”

Held at the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit in Norristown, the press conference featured several school officials and students from low-income Montgomery County school districts who spoke to the transformative nature of Shapiro’s education funding proposal which earmarks $1.1 billion for public schools, a 14 percent funding increase, with $872 million aimed at low-income school districts such as Pottstown and Norristown.

“Students today and in the future, because of the color of their skin or the neighborhood they live in, may not be given a chance to succeed,” said Elizabeth Andedeji, a senior at Pottstown High School. “With proper funding and resources, our students could soar to incredible heights.”

“Help us fund our schools so that all students have the resources they need to be successful,” said Jeremiah McCray, a senior at Norristown Area High School. “If we had the funds, students could reach their full potential.”

“Students at public schools are frequently exposed to a range of cultures, ethnicities and viewpoints,” said Nia Kennedy, a junior at Springfield Township High School. “Public schools frequently collaborate with neighborhoods through partnerships, events and initiatives that help kids develop a feeling of community and civic duty. Legislators, please cooperate to approve more money for Pennsylvania’s public schools.”

Pottstown School District Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez said recent funding increases have enabled the district to increase teacher compensation, hire additional school counselors and purchase updated curriculum services.

“This is evidence of what can happen when we adequately and fairly fund our schools,” said Rodriguez. “Just imagine the results for both our communities and the economy of our commonwealth when our public schools are fully funded.”

Christopher Dormer, superintendent of Norristown Area School District, echoed Rodriguez’s sentiments, saying that recent funding increases to Norristown have allowed the district to keep property taxes flat and hire 80 additional staff members, which he credited with higher math scores at the elementary and middle school levels.

“Should the current budget proposal be enacted, the Norristown Area School District is proposing another 59 staff positions and to hold taxes in line for the 4th consecutive year,” said Dormer. “The increase in state funding is simply game-changing for a school district like Norristown that has too long had to make sacrifices that we knew were not in the best interests of our students, our staff, our families and our community.”

Dormer added that Shapiro’s funding proposal would enable the district to both renovate and modernize aging facilities, with price tags north of $180 and $330 million, respectively.

“If the legislature agrees to the budget, Norristown Area School District can pay for it all, and we will not have to raise taxes a single dollar,” said Dormer. “This is about providing our children the opportunity to come to school each day and be inspired and excited about being the best version of themselves because they are in spaces conducive to that.”

Souderton Area School District Superintendent Frank Gallagher commended cyber charter tuition reforms proposed as part of Shapiro’s plan. The proposal would cap tuition payments at $8,000 and create a tiered payment formula to reflect actual service costs.

Gallagher criticized cyber charters for charging “excessive fees” to school districts that often go towards “massive” advertising budgets and executive salaries and noted that the state’s largest cyber charter school reported $122 million in profits for the 2021-2022 school year.

“This is not the way a public school should operate, yet cyber charters have been in the business of making money,” said Gallagher. “They have become publicly-funded private schools, and they are schools that are almost without exception among the very lowest performing in student achievement. We have been paying more for the worst results.

“Imagine what we could do with the savings,” Gallagher continued, “Hire additional staff, strengthen our facilities, offer increased trainings, support our local taxpayers and support education systems that we know are working and are truly the heart of our communities.”

Montgomery County school districts would receive an additional $43 million in funding, including $30 million in basic education funding increases and $13 million in savings from cyber charter spending reforms. The proposal also includes annual funding increases over a seven-year period. The increases would be funded by a portion of the state’s $14 billion surplus.

The budget proposal follows a Commonwealth Court ruling declaring Pennsylvania’s public education funding system unconstitutional. According to the Public Interest Law Center, the plaintiff in the lawsuit, Pennsylvania’s public schools are underfunded by $5.4 billion, with 86% of Pennsylvania students attending underfunded schools. The issue is primarily due to the state’s distribution of funding on the basis of outdated enrollment data and the reliance on property taxes to fund education.

Pennsylvania currently has the largest funding gap between wealthy and poor school districts in the country, with the wealthiest districts spending 33% more per student than the poorest districts, according to PA Schools Work. Nationwide, Pennsylvania ranks 45th in state education funding, with roughly a third of the cost covered by the state.

Regina Speaker, executive director of MCIU, concluded the conference on an optimistic note, pointing to bipartisan support for fair school funding.

“There is great hope that we are making progress and seeing bipartisan support for what we know is a fundamental right and simply the right thing to do — to ensure that children, no matter where they live in the Commonwealth, can attend a public school that has been appropriately funded,” said Speaker. “Let’s pass this budget and make a real difference in the lives of our schools, our students and the communities across Montgomery County.”

The deadline to pass the 2024-2025 state budget is June 30.

Held at North Penn High School, the festival offered attendees a dizzying array of nationality exhibits, cultural dance and musical performances and international cuisines from across the globe.

“I’m proud to say that this is the largest multicultural, diversity and inclusivity festival in the state of Pennsylvania,” said Manish Ingle, president of the International Festival Foundation. “You can get to know different countries and get to educate yourself about what’s outside America.”

More than 20 nationality exhibits crowded the main gym, showcasing a range of artifacts, memorabilia and cultural heritage items. Representatives took pride in educating attendees about their respective countries.

“When we say Algeria, usually people do not know where to locate it, so we try to explain that it’s in north Africa,” said Thara Moussaoui. “And most people think that the only language in Algeria is Arabic, which is not true. The native language of Algeria is Berber. It’s an official national language, so we try to educate people about this.”

“There’s a lot to the culture, not just the food that most people may know about,” said Thao Nguyen of Vietnam, pointing to Bầu cua cá cọp, a traditional Vietnamese dice game played during the Vietnamese New Year. “I try to bring something unique about Vietnam that maybe not a lot of people know about.”

“Egypt is most predominately known for its ancient Egyptian culture with the pyramids,” said Raquelle Riad. “But it is a very rich and diverse country that has a lot to offer in addition to its history.”

“The city of Plovdiv in Bulgaria is the third oldest inhabitable city in the world. It’s where I’m from, and it is beautiful,” said Veselka Koleva. “We’re very proud of our history.”

“Ninety-eight percent of the population of Jordan is Muslim, but there are Christians in the country too,” said Matt Alverson, pointing to a Bible on his table. “The culture is very generous and welcoming.”

Representatives consistently touted the friendliness and hospitality of their cultures.

“We are a very political country. We care about the world,” said Mary Lou Arocea of the Philippines. “Filipinos are hardworking people. We are easy to assimilate all over the world. You’ll find us anywhere. We’re very friendly people.”

“We’re generous and helpful, especially to our neighbors,” said Miria Koleda of Poland. “We’re small, but we’re vibrant, and we have a history that is worth knowing. We’re represented all over the whole world, from Australia to Alaska.”

“We have a long history. People are very friendly and want peace,” said Henry Chen of China. “Some people are conservative, but people in general are very open.”

“We want people to know that we always welcome everyone,” said America Lara-Romero of Mexico. “We are rich in culture and have many things to offer, from the food, which is one of UNESCO’s cultural treasures.”

“And Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day,” added son Francisco Romero with a smile. “But we love the enthusiasm.”

The event also included a parade of nations ceremony. Hoisting their respective flags, international representatives wound their way through the school building before ending in the main gym. The ceremony concluded with speeches from state and local officials, underscoring the importance of diversity and multiculturalism.

“We all share the belief that Pennsylvania should be welcoming and inclusive and be a state where every person, every family can live with dignity and security, can thrive and raise their families in the way that they deserve to do,” said Valerie Arkoosh, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

“This is a moment where the tide is turning, where our communities are becoming more diverse,” said Montgomery County Commissioner Jamila Winder. “One of the things that myself and my governing partners are focused on is ensuring that we have a Montgomery County that truly works for everyone, regardless of how you love, how you pray or what you look like.”

“The diversity that we have in our community is to be celebrated each and every day,” said state Rep. Steve Malagari. “The fabric of our nation is built upon that.”

Attendees were additionally treated to numerous cultural dance performances from Guang Hua Chinese Dance, the Coyle School of Irish Dance, the Yaretzi Mexican Dance Troupe and more. Rounding out the event was a bevy of cultural dishes, including Kimchi from Asian Snacks by Dilshad, pizza and pasta from Spatola’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant, dumplings from Chong Dumpling House and Italian cookies from Donna’s Delicious Delights.

The policy was unveiled at the policy committee meeting for a first read following a legal review of the current policy, which requires students to use the bathroom that matches their biological sex. The policy, among others, sparked a federal civil rights complaint against the school district for sex discrimination.

The revised policy would establish three bathroom options — single-user bathrooms, multi-user bathrooms and gender-based bathrooms. Notably, Director of Student Services Ernest Johnson said that the policy would permit transgender students to use multi-user bathrooms that align with their gender identity.

“Students who identify differently than their sex assigned at birth or their biological sex may have an opportunity to use those multi-user bathrooms based on how they feel,” said Johnson, continuing, “The purpose of the policy is privacy and respect for the rights of all students and staff.”

Board member Ricki Chaikin took issue with the revised policy, raising concerns about the safety of female students.

“A biological male could go into my daughter’s bathroom. If that’s where this ends, my daughter will go to a charter school,” said Chaikin. “With no ill intent, most women are uncomfortable in the bathroom with a male there. I don’t want my daughter going through that.”

Policy committee chair Leah Rash denied that the policy would create a bathroom “free-for-all,” saying that there would be a “process” involving staff and guidance counselors.

“It’s not meant that a student can walk in and self-declare and be able to use whatever bathroom they want,” said Rash. “It doesn’t translate into fully-grown men walking into the bathrooms with our girl students. No one is saying that. I don’t want us to keep bringing that up to scare people when that’s never come up.”

Rash continued by arguing that the current policy violates Doe v. Boyertown Area School District, which ruled that transgender students cannot be required to use single user or birth-sex-aligned facilities. She added that the district cannot legally check students’ biological sex.

“Instead of trying to get our students and staff to police this down to a level that violates student’s rights, ‘Show me you’re a boy; show me you’re a girl,’ our options are to create safe spaces for all our students,” said Rash.

In addition to the Boyertown case, the policy also referenced Bostock v. Clayton County, the landmark Supreme Court case that outlawed employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, ruling that such discrimination constitutes a function of sex discrimination prohibited by the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Board member Jordan Blomgren denied that the current policy violates legal precedent, arguing that the Boyertown decision is “up to interpretation.” She further said that the Bostock decision only concerned employment discrimination and that both Title IX and Pennsylvania state law permit gender-segregated bathrooms.

Chaikin added that the federal civil rights complaint only called for additional bathroom options for transgender students. She condemned the revised policy for privileging a handful of students at the expense of the rest.

“In a building with 2,700 people, it’s somehow discriminatory to put single-user bathrooms for the six children who want it, but it’s not discriminatory to ask the 2,694 other kids to go to a certain bathroom?” asked Chaikin. “To take less than 1% of students and make them comfortable at the expense of 99% of the students makes no sense.”

Board member Carolyn Sciarrino suggested an official record of transgender students to prevent bad actors from abusing the bathroom policy. Johnson responded that such a record could violate students’ privacy.

“It would be hard for us to develop a list or have kids identify themselves because in some instances they truly want to create it private and we don’t want to create more harm by asking kids to self-identify,” said Johnson.

Sciarrino then inquired about potential consequences for abusing the bathroom policy. In response, Johnson said that the issue would be handled on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the district’s disciplinary policies and procedures.

“We can’t have a cookie-cutter response, because it depends on the gravity of the situation and what actually occurred,” said Johnson.

Board members Ron Wurz and Christine Batycki raised similar concerns about the revised policy and urged a balance of sex-based and gender-based bathrooms in addition to single-user bathrooms.

“I think that respects both sides of the issue and gives people the privacy they need,” said Wurz. “We need to respect the rights of people who are uncomfortable.”

“I think we need to go back and flesh out more specifics,” said Batycki. “We need to think about implications at the middle and elementary school levels. I’m not sure that this is the right policy for that.”

After some discussion, the board agreed to review the revised policy with its solicitor to make adjustments and reintroduce the policy for another first read.

The board also discussed other bathroom safety issues, including vaping and drug use, harassment and bullying and fighting and assault. Johnson pointed to vaping, drug use and loitering as the primary issues.

In response, Johnson said, the administration has implemented more bathroom monitoring and checks, hired a female security guard to police the women’s bathrooms, instituted an anonymous reporting system for bathroom safety issues and locked down specific bathrooms at planned times to mitigate loitering.

The next Pennridge school board meeting is on April 22 at 7 p.m. For more information, visit pennridge.org.

Titled Waverly Flower Co., formerly known as Wavy Roo Florals, the studio will offer daily deliveries, workshops, bouquet bars, and custom growing for weddings and special events, using homegrown and other locally-sourced flowers and foliage.

“We have a special focus on sustainability and sourcing locally,” said owner Alanna Messner-Scholl.

Messner-Scholl, a doctor of clinical psychology, said that she took up gardening as a postpartum hobby during the pandemic. She soon began selling some of the flowers, eventually developing the practice into a sustainable career.

“Literally and figuratively,” said Messner-Scholl.

The studio, located on Cressman Road, will be appointment-only for clients, said Messner-Scholl, with a particular focus on custom growing for weddings.

“We meet with brides and grooms ideally at least 6-9 months before their wedding day, and learn more about their floral vision and the colors and styles they love the most,” she said. “During this consultation, we share inspiration and ideas, as well as information about the exact varieties of what we can typically have blooming during their desired time of year. We then plan our gardens with our wedding clients in mind.”

The company grows most of its flowers in four private Montgomery County gardens, located in Harleysville, Souderton, Telford and Skippack, primarily sourcing from a handful of local and regional flower farmers, said Messner-Scholl.

Many of the flowers will be donated to local non-profit organizations following the receptions, a point of pride for Messner-Scholl.

“We are fortunate to serve some incredibly generous brides and grooms who opt to donate most of their wedding flowers after the reception is over,” said Messner-Scholl. “This year, we plan to work with a handful of senior living facilities, hospitals and women’s shelters.”

In addition to growing for weddings and special events, the studio will host workshops and floral design classes, assisted by a team of designers and operational support personnel, including Messner-Scholl’s father, Pete.

“We’re fortunate to have six talented designers that assist with special events and workshops, as well as three people who provide operational support, including my dad, Pete, who is a tremendous help with both the gardening and deliveries,” said Messner-Scholl.

The company will begin moving in this month, with the goal of fully opening in mid-April. Messner-Scholl described a busy season ahead, with plans to “flower” over 30 weddings and other large events.

“This year, the summer garden’s pallete will include plenty of muted peaches and corals, soft blue, dusty lavender and whimsical greenery,” said Messner-Scholl, adding, “I feel incredibly lucky to wake up each morning and spend the day surrounded by flowers and really wonderful people!”

Tucked inside Souderton’s Broad Theater, the brewery drew dozens of community members, employees and elected officials for the occasion. Manager Tanya Horst thanked everyone for attending and wished the brewery “a bright future.”

“Let’s remember that this is more than just a ceremonial snip,” she said. “It’s a promise to brewing moments of joy, crafting memories, serving not just beer but experiences that bring us together.”

“We are so happy to have you here in town, and we look forward to spending many nights in your brewery,” added Kylie Harrington, Souderton Connects board member.

The brewery is owned by Broad Theater owners Kyle Hoff and Charlie Crown, who described the amenity as one of their “original goals” to distinguish themselves from other theaters.

“What’s better than beer and a movie?” asked Hoff.

The space was initially rented by Free Will Brewing but closed after a year. Hoff and Crown then decided to open a brewery themselves.

“So we went through the whole approval process and got our brewery license,” said Hoff.

The menu includes a selection of eight beers as well as wine, canned hard cider and pre-mixed and canned cocktails, all originating in Pennsylvania.

“We have a lot of product and a lot of options we can offer people,” said Hoff.

Since opening in mid-December, the brewery has had “steady business,” said Hoff. He noted that patrons can enjoy beer both during and after their movie screenings.

“A lot of times you go to a movie theater, you see the movie and you just head right out the door,” said Hoff. “But it’s still a little early in the night, you still have a babysitter, you might not want to go home yet, so having the bar is a hangout option.”

Crown added that the brewery dovetails nicely with the neighboring Broad Street Italian Cuisine & Pizzeria.

“You can come here, go to a show, go other there and have dinner or vice versa,” said Crown.

Moving forward, Hoff and Crown hope to host activity nights in the theater lobby, including open mic night, trivia night, karaoke night, board game night and more.

“We’re the best independent theater in the area,” said Hoff.

Shunning both political parties, the convention was deemed an Independent nominating group who considered eight candidates including President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley, Democratic presidential candidates Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips, Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

The winners? The race for nomination came down to Ramaswamy and Shapiro, with Pennsylvania’s governor — the only nominee currently not in the national running — winning on the final ballot. His running mate was a Haley — Brian, North Penn High School social studies teacher, not Nikki, who is vying for the real Republican nomination.

Civic engagement

Dating to 1976, the student-run program seeks to foster civic engagement by enabling students to role-play as delegates to a political party nominating convention, wherein they debate their party platform and nominate a candidate for president.

“One of our mission statements at North Penn is to send students out into the world ready to be active, engaged and informed citizens,” explained Brian Haley, convention advisor. “So we try to do as much hands-on stuff as we can so they know what it’s gonna be like when they get out there and they then have the interest to do it.”

“It’s a cool insight into how the parties actually function,” added convention co-chair and student Tarun Iyengar. “And I think it’s pretty important to get everyone engaged in politics.”

Held in the school auditorium, this year’s program featured an independent party convention to reflect the electorate’s increasing dissatisfaction with the two-party system. The convention kicked off with a three-hour debate on the party platform, with students lining up at microphones to express their viewpoints.

Differing opinions

On domestic policy, there was a broad consensus on the need for stronger government intervention in the economy, including more government funding to reduce the cost of college and healthcare and legislation to raise the minimum wage and combat climate change.

“The United States spends the most per capita in the entire world on health care and yet our life expectancy has been going down,” said a student. “I think we should have universal health care. Leaving it up to the private sector is a bad idea because the main motive of the private sector is profit.”

“Not only has cost of living continued to rise, but worker productivity has gone up several fold in the last several decades, and yet the average income and the minimum wage has not followed suit,” said a student. “Corporate profits continue to rise, while the minimum wage has remained the same. It should be at least $15, if not more.”

The students also overwhelmingly supported the right to an abortion.

“Abortion should stay legal because, whether we like it or not, it’s gonna happen,” said a student. “Women are still gonna get it done even if it’s illegal and it will be more unsafe, so we will be putting their lives in danger, too.”

“I don’t believe that old rich guys in suits sitting in a building should decide what women are able to do with their bodies,” said a student. “They should have no say over what a random lady who got assaulted in Texas does with her body.”

On immigration, the students were more divided, with many touting the economic benefits of immigration and others raising concerns about crime and drug trafficking.

“Allowing more immigrants is always expressly a positive thing,” said a student. “It’s trillions of dollars benefiting the economy, hundreds of thousands of new jobs being created.”

“We should secure the southern border,” said a student. “The cartel and the criminal activity going on down there… we can’t have it disrupting our country.”

Foreign affairs

On foreign policy, there was nearly unanimous agreement on the need to terminate U.S. aid to Israel due to concerns about war crimes and human rights violations in the Gaza Strip as well as settler violence in the West Bank.

“The actions by Hamas on Oct. 7 were abhorrent, but the actions by Israel have been just as, if not more, abhorrent,” said a student. “America cannot continue to send unconditional aid to Israel.”

“The bombings in Gaza have been indiscriminate and unjustifiable, and the only solution is to stop funding Israel entirely and place economic sanctions and embargoes on Israel and work towards a unitary state where Arabs and Jews can live together without this needless conflict,” said a student.

On the Russia/Ukraine crisis, students were more split, with some arguing that U.S. funding for Ukraine should be redirected to domestic issues and others insisting that the aid is essential to safeguarding democracy.

“You look at the tragedy in Hawaii, and the U.S. government is only sending $700 to survivors. A lot of the money we send to Ukraine could’ve been sent to the people who lost their homes in Hawaii,” said a student. “The U.S. government is caring more about foreign affairs than affairs in their own country.”

“My family is Ukrainian, and I think if we weren’t sending money to Ukraine, there would be another genocide,” said a student. “It’s not just about sending money to Ukraine; it’s about protecting democracy.”

Inspiring words

Following the debate on the party platform were keynote addresses from state Rep. Steve Malagari and state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick, who each underscored the importance of civic engagement.

“I dare you to step up and stay involved. We have a very big political year coming,” said Pennycuick. “Work hard and make a difference in your community. Your voice can be heard and you can make a difference.”

“Your energy, your enthusiasm, your commitment to justice are the driving forces that will shape the destiny of America,” said Malagari. “The responsibility to safeguard our republic rests on your shoulders. Embrace the challenge.”

Malagari also took the opportunity to tout the House Education Committee’s passage of a bill to reduce the costs of Advanced Placement (AP) exams. The bill, suggested by North Penn High School students, would reimburse school districts for every student that takes an AP exam and allocate funding to train AP educators.

“Thirty-one other states offer some type of assistance with AP exams,” said Malagari. “I’m proud of your fellow students for seeing an inequity and wanting to right it. I’m proud of the hard work they spent looking for solutions and acting to make those solutions happen.”

Following the representatives’ speeches, the students began the presidential nomination process.

One-by-one, the candidates’ campaign managers made the case for their candidates before jockeying for votes from the delegates. After some discussion, representatives from all 50 states took to the microphones to announce their delegates’ votes.

On the first vote, Shapiro led the field with 272 votes, followed by Ramaswamy with 201, Trump with 41, Biden with 37, Haley with 25, Williamson with 17, Phillips with 16 and Stein with 14.

Shapiro and Ramaswamy then advanced to a runoff, and after a tight race, Shapiro was selected as the party’s presidential nominee. The students proceeded to nominate teacher and convention advisor Brian Haley as Shapiro’s vice president.

The presidential and vice-presidential nominations concluded the convention. As students filed out of the auditorium, Haley characterized the convention as a success.

“It went very well,” said Brian Haley. “When you put 600 kids in an auditorium, you never know what they’re gonna say, but they were very impressive today.”

Iyengar similarly commended his fellow students.

“Our politics are all online in short-form content, it’s harder to sit down for hours and have a big discussion, but it went really well,” said Iyengar. “They were really engaged, really interested in discussing the issues and excited to vote. They were so well-spoken; everyone had their research done.”

Iyengar concluded by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the time-honored tradition.

“It’s amazing how this tradition has been going since 1976,” he said. “I’m really glad I could be part of it.”