MEDIA ADVISORY/REQUEST FOR COVERAGE May 2, 2018 CONTACTS: Linda K. Ross Zandy Dudiak Director of Communications Communications Coordinator Pittsburgh Mercy Pittsburgh Mercy 412-578-6224 412-578-6442 [email protected] [email protected] LOCAL STUDENTS TO COMPETE IN DANCING CLASSROOMS PITTSBURGH “COLORS OF THE RAINBOW” SPRING 2018 SEMESTER FINAL TEAM MATCH MAY 16 WHO: Pittsburgh Mercy and fifth-grade students from the following participating schools: • Community Day School (Squirrel Hill) • Pittsburgh Banksville K-5 (Banksville) • Pittsburgh Brookline PreK-8 (Brookline) • Pittsburgh Montessori PreK-5 (Friendship) • Pittsburgh Phillips K-5 (South Side) • Pittsburgh Roosevelt PreK-5 (Carrick) • Pittsburgh Westwood K-5 (Westwood) • St. Benedict the Moor School of Pittsburgh (Hill District) • Sister Thea Bowman Catholic Academy (Wilkinsburg) • West Mifflin Area Middle School (West Mifflin) WHAT: Teams of fifth-grade students from 10 participating Greater Pittsburgh area schools will compete in the Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh “Colors of the Rainbow” Spring 2018 Semester Final Team Match, the final step of a 20-session journey through the world of ballroom dance. WHEN: Wednesday, May 16, 2018, from 10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (Ending time is approximate) WHERE: Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum 4141 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (Oakland) -more- Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh “Colors of the Rainbow” Spring 2018 Semester Final Team Match Page 2 of 2 WHY: The students, who trained in ballroom dance twice a week for 10 weeks, were selected to represent their peers and schools at the final team match, the culminating event of the semester. Participants will perform the merengue, foxtrot, rumba, tango, and swing in front of an enthusiastic panel of judges, family members, and classmates. Participating ballroom dancers, school principals, and Pittsburgh Mercy representatives will be available for interviews and photos. The event is free and open to the public. About Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh, part of Pittsburgh Mercy, a member of Trinity Health and serving in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, first introduced Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh to 300 fifth-grade children in six Pittsburgh Public Schools in September 2009. Since then, approximately 5,000 children in Pittsburgh Public Schools, Extra Mile Education Foundation schools in the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, local charter schools, and other participating public and private schools have benefited from the renowned, international arts-in-education program. Students who participate in the 10-week curriculum learn not only the fundamentals of ballroom dance, but also valuable life lessons like team building, cooperation, self- confidence, problem solving, creative thinking, resiliency in the face of challenge, professional courtesy, and appreciation for other cultures. Teachers and principals in participating schools have noted decreases in behavior management problems, increases in parental involvement, and positive impacts on academics, school climate, and in the way the students treat one another. For more information about Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh, visit www.pittsburghmercy.org. About Pittsburgh Mercy Pittsburgh Mercy, a member of Trinity Health, serving in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, is a person-centered, population-based, trauma-informed community health and wellness provider. Pittsburgh Mercy is one of the largest employers and the only Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh Mercy includes Bethlehem Haven, McAuley Ministries, Mercy Behavioral Health, Mercy Community Health, Pittsburgh Mercy Intellectual Disabilities Services, Pittsburgh Mercy Parish Nurse & Health Ministry Program, Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net®, and Pittsburgh Mercy Family Health Center. Together, these Pittsburgh Mercy programs and their 1,700 employees serve more than 33,000 individuals annually at more than 60 locations in Southwestern Pennsylvania. To learn more about Pittsburgh Mercy or to make a donation in support of its important work in the community, visit www.pittsburghmercy.org. -###- EDITOR’S NOTE: To cover this event, please contact Zandy Dudiak in advance at 412-578-6442. 050218/DCP_Spring_2018_Final_Team_Match_RFC_FINAL_05-02-18 .