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Neshaminy Senior Named Bucks County High School Poet of the Year
Hailing from Neshaminy High School, senior Cecelia Shine rose to the top of more than 100 entries to be named the 2024 Bucks County High School Poet of the Year, announced officials at Bucks County Community College. The 37th annual contest is part of the Bucks County Poet Laureate Program administered by the College.
With the first-place finish, Shine wins $300 and will be honored at the annual Reading + Celebration on Saturday, May 4, 1-3 p.m., in room 142 of the historic Tyler Hall mansion on the College’s Newtown Campus. The event will feature the contest winners, finalists and judges.
Shine’s three poem submissions were entitled “one heart too many,” “The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine” and “it might be just a dream.”
This year’s current Bucks County Poet Laureate Tara Tamburello and last year’s Bucks County Poet Laureat Tom Mallouk served as judges and reviewed a strong field of entries from all over the county.
In addition to the winner, the judges also named Jack DeBoyace, sophomore from Central Bucks High School East, as first runner-up. Second runner-up was Kade Booker, a senior from Neshaminy High School. The third runner-up was Olivia Cao, a Central Bucks High School South senior. The three runners-up will also read from their works during the celebration.
The entire competition, including the awards and refreshments, is sponsored by a generous donor, Gary Kephart, originally of Levittown and currently of Fort Collins, Colorado. Thanks to Kephart’s generosity, and new this year, each runner-up will receive $100.
The annual Bucks County High School Poet of the Year contest is another way that Bucks County Community College contributes to the cultural heritage of the region.
For more information contact Dr. Ethel Rackin, a Professor of Language and Literature at Bucks and the director of the Wordsmiths Reading Series and Poet Laureate Program at ethel.rackin@bucks.edu.
Shine’s winning poems:
one heart too many
one day the doctors told my mother i had two heartbeats. they said thiswith a downturned wince and a crinkle between their brows,like a sheet of paper which can not be unwrinkled, can notbe made perfect again. when i was born,it was with double the blood flow, double the oxygen, double the fear. when i was born,my two hearts beat a rhythm that echoed through my skull and gave me somethingto march to, a hopeful anthem to keep me moving, to keep my bones from crumblingand cracking under the weight of my organs, the overproduced instruments humming too loudly,beating too quickly, working too well. when i was born,it was with extra love built in; extra love for gifting neighbors, gifting mailmen,gifting worms that wash up when the rain pours down. when i was born,it was with too many feelings, too many obstacles, too many faults.doctors said i was a miracle; my mother said that thats just life.i dont know how my two hearts are functioning, how their pulseis strong enough, suitable enough, for my long limbs, but they are.they are calling to each other and answering back, creating a song thatwakes me up in the morning and puts me back to sleepwhen i need it to. i have two hearts, and theyre surviving and theyre thrivingand theyre dying one secondat a time, but theyre mine,theyre mine.my god, arent they mine?
The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
All of a sudden I am an ant in a city of marble and stained glass,cemented in porcelain skin, thin like bible paperin an old friend’s cabinet. Technicolor light showers infrom crystal windows, swaddles me in beacons of riverand sky, paints over me with patterns of rainbow shine.I am becoming unbreakable, like my bones are rooted through tile,like my existence is sanctioned between these tall walls.
My weight is somehow pardonedbecause every statue and pillar above, every archand emblem is grand like my heart, is grand like the seaand bluebirds chirping in boiling heat. Candlelight darts alongthe wrinkles of a praying woman on her knees. This place of worshipwas once on fire and then rebuilt, remade, rebeautified, and I realizethere is a cathedral hiding inside all of us, a religion restingright under the skin, and I realize that I am no stranger here.No one ever could be.
it might be just a dream
now and then when my hurtclouds over and fizzles at the sides,i see another version of meflickering between my outline,proclaiming herself just tow i t h e r away again.and for one meaningless moment,we become the same person, andeach of my steps leaves a footprintof purpose behind, and my tearsfeed flowers by the front door,and my hands don't leave scratcheswhere lovebites should be.and then she is gone, and i’mmissing her, and every footstepis almost as heavy as the last,and i'm trapped within this visionof other me on the opposite endof a black hole, and i'm hopingshe is as happy as i know her to be.maybe one day i'll understand herbeyond fleeting meetings, beyondsuperficial thoughts. maybei'll know her well enough to engravethe shape of her smile to the backof my eyelids, and to see it reflectedon my own forsaken face
ShadowGrass Appearing Live at the Zlock Performing Arts Center
Get ready for a foot-stomping, banjo-picking good time as the Zlock Performing Arts Center presents an exhilarating bluegrass concert featuring ShadowGrass on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
ShadowGrass is redefining the bluegrass genre with their fast picking and fresh arrangements, incorporating each member's diverse influences into a project that branches outside the bounds of traditional music while maintaining traditional instrumentation. Hailing from culturally rich areas of traditional music, the band members infuse their performances with a deep appreciation for their musical heritage, creating a sound that is both authentic and innovative.
Feeding off each other's musical ideas and energy, ShadowGrass creates a constantly evolving musical landscape that draws audiences in at every show. Their dynamic performances showcase their passion for bluegrass and their commitment to pushing the boundaries of the genre.
The concert will be preceded by a Lobby Bluegrass Jam from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., where attendees are invited to bring their instruments and join in for a jam session. Participants will receive one free drink on the house as they come together to celebrate the spirit of bluegrass music.
Doors will open at 2:45 p.m., with the concert starting promptly at 3 p.m. Additionally, a cash bar will be available starting at 1 p.m. for attendees to enjoy refreshments before and during the concert.
Do not miss your chance to experience the magic of bluegrass with ShadowGrass at the Zlock Performing Arts Center located on Bucks County Community College’s Newtown Campus (275 Swamp Road, Newtown, Pa. 18940). Tickets are available now and can be purchased online.
BCCC Student Art Exhibition April 26 Through May 7 at Hicks Art Center
The Arts and Communication Department at Bucks County Community College is pleased to host the 59th Annual Student Art Exhibition; a showcase of work made during spring and fall 2023 and spring 2024 by students in the Arts and Communication Department. Medias include ceramics, dance, digital media, drawing, film, fine woodworking, glass, graphic design, jewelry, music, painting, printmaking, photography, 2D design, 3D design, video, and web design. The exhibition will be on view from March 28 through May 9 in Hicks Art Center.
The public is invited to the exhibition reception, open studios, student art and craft sale, and the arts scholarship and award ceremony on Sunday, May 5 from 1 to 4 p.m.
The schedule and locations for May 5 are as follows:
59th Annual Student Exhibition Reception1 – 4 p.m., Hicks Art Center2 p.m., Arts Scholarship and Award Ceremony
Student Art and Craft Sale1 – 4 p.m., 3-D Courtyard (weather permitting) or 3-D Arts 001
Open Studios1 – 4 p.m., Hicks Art CenterFine Woodworking, Room 130; Jewelry, Room 111; Photography, Rooms 118 & 120; Printmaking, Room 106; Sculpture, Foundry, 3-D Building.
Wood Turning Demonstration1 – 2 p.m., Hicks Art Center, Room 130Janine Wang shows her expertise in the art of Wood Turning.
Bronze Pour Demonstration3 p.m., 3-D Arts Building, Metal FoundryJon Burns guides a team of artists through the process of casting bronze sculpture.
For additional information please visit the Hicks Art Center Gallery online, follow the department’s Instagram account @bcccartscomm or phone 215-968-8432.
Hosted by the Bucks County Community College, Arts and Communication Department at Hicks Art Center Gallery.
Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on the following Saturdays during the exhibition from 12 – 4 p.m.: April 27 and May 4, 2024.
Bucks Announces the Winners of the Annual High School Short Fiction Contest
The Bucks County Short Fiction Contest for High School students is pleased to announce the winners for the Spring 2024 contest. There were 38 entries this year.
Olivia Beno, a junior at Pennsbury High School, and a Yardley resident, was awarded first place for her story, “Death and Dreaming on the Golden Coast.” Alaina Kass, a junior at Neshaminy High School and a resident of Levittown, won second place for “The Sin of a Smile.” Katie Krom, a senior at Neshaminy High School, and also a Levittown resident, captured third place for “Forever, Shattered.” Dr. David Venditto, a faculty member at Bucks County Community College, made the final selections.
Venditto said of Beno’s work, “This story had a dreamlike quality to it that mirrored the protagonist’s own mental state, stuck going through memories and imagined future scenarios. The writing is beautiful and heartbreaking, realistically conveying the feelings of loss that accompany an untimely death. It taps into a deeply relatable feeling that lingers long after reading the story.”
Of the story by Kass, Venditto said, “The writing itself is engaging, with carefully chosen words that reveal a truly surprising ending. The textured and grounded world of the story isn’t incongruous with the more supernatural conclusion, due to the foreshadowing sprinkled throughout. Furthermore, excellent pacing and development of the protagonist give the twist a visceral impact.”
In Krom’s “Forever, Shattered,” Venditto noted, “The basic premise is simple, but thematically intriguing. The story turns what would ostensibly be a typical teenage romance into a fantastical tragedy. In addition, a lot of interesting visuals are conjured from the author’s eloquent writing.”
A reception for the winners and their friends and family will be held on the Newtown Campus later this month.
Bucks County Community College is the sponsor of the Bucks Short Fiction Contests. The contest receives support from the Department of Language and Literature.
BCCC Awarded $250,000 Grant to Prepare Next Generation of PA Workers
Bucks County Community College’s Center for Workforce Development has been awarded a $250,000 grant through the PA Department of Labor & Industry to expand access to its highly successful Building and Construction Trades pre-apprenticeship program. Bucks will be one of 14 recipients of the state’s $3.3 million Schools-to-Work initiative.
The Center for Workforce Development at the College will continue its partnership with the Bucks County Workforce Development Board, the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council and the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 19 which serves as sponsor for Bucks’ Building and Construction Trades Pre-Apprenticeship program.
The pre-apprenticeship program aims to increase diversity in enrollment and offer math and literacy skills for entry into the trades. Together, Bucks will provide the hands-on experience necessary to prepare graduates for jobs in the trades including basic electricity, plumbing and carpentry. Other fundamental topics included in the training are shop measurement and math, blueprint reading, welding basics, job planning benchwork and layout. Participants will earn industry-recognized credentials in OSHA10 and Forklift Safety. Students will also work one-on-one with a career coach to assist with the next steps whether it is finding an apprenticeship or preparing for union exams.
“We are so pleased to be able to expand access to our building and construction pre-apprenticeship training program. Bucks continues to strive to provide education and career opportunities for people whether they are seeking a degree or aiming to go directly to the workforce,” says Susan Herring, Associate Vice President, Workforce Development. The $6,500 training is free for those that meet eligibility requirements. Bucks will recruit interested applicants from Bucks County and the surrounding region including Philadelphia. Ms. Herring went on to say: “With these funds, we will be able to continue providing our Building and Construction pre-apprenticeship at no cost and will aim to attract diverse candidates including women to enter the construction field and start in careers with life-sustaining wages upon graduation.”
The first cohort under the Schools-to-Work grant is anticipated to start in the beginning of 2025 with recruiting starting towards the end of 2024. The 10-week free bootcamp will be held Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Center for Advanced Technologies on the Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks in Bristol. The Center is a brand-new, state-of-the-art training facility which offers job seekers access to high-quality career training programs in advanced manufacturing and other programs. The new facility will provide students with an up-to-the-minute, high-tech learning environment. Find more information on our Workforce Development site.
Requirements for the Building and Construction Trades Pre-Apprenticeship program include:
Must be a U.S. Citizen or possess a Green Card
Must be at least 18 years old
Must have a high school diploma or GED
Must pass an aptitude test, drug screening, background check (determined on a case-by-case basis), and a physical test
Daily attendance and punctuality
Must have reliable transportation to commute to training
For more information about this program, contact Susan Herring at 267-685-4827 or susan.herring@bucks.edu.
BCCC Hosts Life in a Jar Book and Panel Discussion on April 16
Bucks County Community College invites the public to a book and panel discussion about Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project on Tuesday, April 16 at 6 p.m. in the Zlock Performing Arts Center on the Newtown Campus (275 Swamp Road, Newtown, Pa. 18940). The book, written by Jack Mayer, tells the story of Irena Sendler, a Polish woman who saved hundreds of Jewish children from the Warsaw ghetto.
As part of a secret World War II organization called Żegota, Irena Sendler (1910–2008) rescued several hundred Jewish children from the Warsaw ghetto — providing false identities and hiding places in orphanages, convents, and private homes. Mayer’s book weaves Sendler’s story with that of the Kansas students who helped tell it to the world.
In addition to author Jack Mayer, the panel will feature:
Rabbi Anna Boswell-Levy of Kol Emet, Yardley;
Barbara Simmons, Adjunct Professor, International Peace and Conflict Resolution, Arcadia University, and Executive Board of NAACP, Bucks County Chapter; and
Nancy Isserman, Co-Director, Transcending Trauma Project, Director, Operation Home and Healing, Council for Relationships and Faculty, Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Gratz College.
Admission is free, but advance registration is required. Visit the Zlock Performing Arts Center to reserve your spot today.
To learn more about the History of the Holocaust course or the April 16 panel discussion, contact the Department of Social and Behavioral Science at sb@bucks.edu or 215-968-8270.
