Education

brite winter is bigger & brighter than ever with 60-band lineup
Bundle up, hold a beer in your mitten and it’s really not so bad. Brite Winter is dedicated to embracing the winter season with 60 bands and a strong focus on local music.
beaumont school's new stem addition brings modern-day science education to girls
Beaumont School, a Catholic school for girls in Cleveland Heights, unveiled its new STEM addition with a ribbon cutting on Monday, January 5th, re-emphasizing its commitment to science, technology, engineering and math and education with the $9.5 million building. “Our science facilities were over 50 years old,” says Beaumont president Sister Gretchen Rodenfels. “I graduated in 1965 and we were using the same science equipment today.”

The movement to improve STEM education for girls has been growing, and Rodenfels says Beaumont has proven in recent years that girls do excel in science and math. “Really, in the United States, students are not as prepared in science, technology, engineering and math as other developed countries,” says Rodenfels. "Now we have eight science rooms, four prep rooms and all new equipment. Each room is dedicated to a different area of the curriculum.”
 
In fact, Rodenfels says a STEM education provides well-rounded preparation for any field the students choose. “If you are strong in STEM skills, that can be transferred to any career – deductive reasoning, collaboration, problem solving.”
 
For the past two years, Beaumont students have participated in the Alliance for Working Together's (AWT) annual RoboBot Competition. “The first year we had the only all-girls team and the guys were making wisecracks,” says Rodenfels. “The following year we came in third at nationals.”

Additionally, the new wing has administration and guidance offices, a clinic, a two-story student common area with outdoor patio and a new front entrance. Construction began on the 25,000 square-foot building in September 2013.
locally-produced documentary tells stories of holocaust survivors
Natalie Bauman, founder of Sunrise Sunset Documentaries and the Digital Mosaic, an iPad app that allows people to record their memories and life stories, has produced a documentary chronicling the experiences of four Holocaust survivors living in Cleveland.
 
The Remembering Project, which was made with a grant from the Saltzman Youth Panel of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, brought on board four area high school students to help with the production and learn first-hand about the Holocaust. The film will premiere Tuesday at Montefiore Home.
 
The piece tells the survival stories of Irene Weiner, Roni Berenson, Michael Pupa and Alex Zelczer. “This is a piece of history; this matters,” says Bauman. “This is not your everyday work project – these are moments in someone’s life. They chose to dredge it up and speak about it to teach others.”
 
Weiner, who lives at Montefiore with her husband, Marvin, suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.  Irene came to the United States as a teenager, but with the help of Marvin tells her story because she doesn’t want the personal horrors of the Holocaust to be forgotten.
 
“People should know what they did,” Weiner says. “I was lucky I survived because I was young.”
 
Sarah Axner, a social worker at Montefiore, says the experience has been good for the Weiners and other residents. “As an aging services agency guided by Jewish values we recognize the importance of speaking about their experiences,” she says. “Hopefully there is therapeutic value in it and will encourage other survivors to speak out.”
 
The Remembering Project will debut Tuesday, January 13 at 7pm at Montefiore’s Maltz Auditorium. Admission is free.
 
The documentary will also be available online and through Montefiore’s YouTube channel. Organizations and schools can contact Melissa Adell about obtaining a copy of The Remembering Project. A study guide created by Daniel Weiss, Judaic Studies teacher at Gross Schechter Day School, is available as well.
fulfill your new year's resolution by trying something new this weekend
Learn to swing dance, check out cutting-edge local theatre or participate in a conversation about social justice.
anchor districts are the new engines of job creation, and that's a good thing for cities
New research suggests that innovation districts, whose growth is fueled by anchor institutions, companies and startups working in close proximity to one another, may be growing faster than traditional downtowns.
this weekend in cleveland: makers markets galore & much more
Check out a local holiday market, let Lolly the Trolley be your designated driver or join a book binding workshop. Your weekend, planned.
police-community partnerships offer way to improve neighborhood safety
Dozens of communities across the U.S. have formed effective, ongoing partnerships with the police that have improved safety and trust.
city ambassadors: 7 people changing the conversation about cleveland
Our city seems to be constantly in the spotlight these days, for our innovations as well as our challenges. Meet a group of leaders who are redefining the narrative of our city and pushing us to collectively move forward.
the cleveland flea holiday gift guide
Twelve makers share something they’re excited to bring to The Flea this weekend.
five can't miss events in five cleveland neighborhoods
Whether you life on the east side or west side, there are plenty of opportunities this weekend to explore new neighborhoods and try new things. Learn to swing dance, try a new beer and visit a museum you’ve never been to for free -- it's all within an arm's reach.
long-awaited makeover of mlk jr. drive and 'suicide circle' now open
The much-maligned traffic circle at East 105th and MLK Jr. Drive has been completely redeveloped and is now open to vehicle traffic. Fresh Water first reported on these planned improvements two and a half years ago.

"This traffic circle has one of the highest rates of vehicular accidents in the region -- they're mostly fender benders, because people are just confused by it," Chris Bongorno, Director of Planning with University Circle Incorporated (UCI), told us at the time. "The new configuration will definitely be more pedestrian and bike friendly, and will also help to connect people to Rockefeller Park and University Circle."

According to a press release from Cuyahoga County, which invested in the project along with the City of Cleveland, the $7.2 million infrastructure project "modified an existing roadway network at East 105th Street, MLK Boulevard, Mt. Sinai Drive, East Boulevard, and Jeptha Drive. An existing roundabout was eliminated and the remaining roadways geometrically realigned."
 
Mt. Sinai was moved south of its previous location, while Jeptha Drive was moved north. Meanwhile, East 105th Street was widened and now includes turning lanes. Finally, MLK Jr. Boulevard has been widened and realigned, and East Boulevard has been extended.

Additional improvements include new sidewalks, paths and the reconstruction of the Cancer Survivor Plaza. A new bio swale will have over 4,000 shrubs and perennials, apparently.
 
The project is pedestrian- and bike-friendly. A pedestrian boardwalk will serve to connect East 105th Street to MLK Jr. Blvd.

There are still a few items to be ticked off the completion list, including installation of the shrubs and perennials, permanent pavement markings and permanent traffic signals.
celebrate local: five can't-miss events this thanksgiving weekend
After you've celebrated with family and friends and had your feast, enjoy these local shopping events and holiday festivals taking place around town.
discover cleveland's neighborhoods through cle city life tours
Cleveland Neighborhood Progress has announced that it will be hosting two CLE City Life tours on Saturday, November 29th and Saturday, December 27th.

"Cleveland Neighborhood Progress is pleased to offer citywide bus tours to introduce (or re-introduce) you to some of the coolest and most unique places to live in Northeast Ohio," the website states. "Join us and see why Tremont and Ohio City receive so much publicity. We’ll  show you why University Circle is considered the most intellectual square mile in the nation. And you’ll understand why demand is so high for Downtown living options. All this and more!"

The cost of the tour is $12. You can register here.
the diverse language of food: a guide to ethnic markets
Cleveland's ethnic diversity is represented in the city's markets. Replete with dazzling items and intriguing people, they offer a taste of home for newcomers and exotic flavors for the rest of us.
the cleveland flea thrives as small business incubator
Since its launch 18 months ago, the Flea has helped dozens of new businesses to flourish. Perhaps its greatest success is the tight knit and supportive community of makers that it has cultivated.
home for the holidays: a guide to the november flea
Our friends at the Cleveland Flea created this November market guide full of beautiful imagery showcasing the event's artisan vendors. Check it out, then stop by this weekend for the real thing!