Dimitri Kraniou sees a fascinating dilemma with the economic crisis in his native Greece, referring to a dynamic system in perennial change, as the welfare state in Greece is being systematically dismantled, threatening the lifestyle Greeks are accustomed to.

A Greek default would cause a spillover effect threatening global financial markets, specifically Italy and Spain. Spain is plagued by high unemployment and Italy is debt-ridden. Kraniou said the most important thing to emerge from the crisis is that the global economy will witness a seismic change in the years to come.  

“Everything is in a state of flux. Greeks see their way of life threatened by the crisis, specifically the strict austerity measures.” Kraniou said.

Greece barely avoided bankruptcy last June, after a decade long debt binge resulted in the current crisis that threatens the future of the euro and the recovery of the European economy.The European Union recently approved the sixth installment of ongoing bailout aid, part of the existing $150 billion approved in May 2010 by the EU and the International Monetary Fund. Without the financial aid, Greece would run out of money and not be able to pay salaries and pensions.

A year and a half of draconian cutbacks, including a 3 percent increase in total tax revenue, an across-the-board value added tax on consumer goods and a 15 percent wage cut for all public sector led to the seventh general strike this year in Greece, as workers walked off their jobs last November.

Kraniou said the major indebtedness in the Greek economy has a negative impact on society, specifically the rise in unemployment and an array of social problems that come with it, including a rise in crime and an increase in suicide.

Kraniou, professor of economics and management at Point Park University School of Business and chair of the department of Global Management and Organization teaches his students that capitalism is elusive by nature, and said “I tell my students the concept of capitalism is different depending on the country practicing it. The American system of capitalism is focused on efficiency, and ultimately profit.”

Kraniou is suspicious of newly appointed Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, because of their strong ties to Goldman Sachs, a global banking empire specializing in mergers and acquisitions.

“Technocrats who push international financial practices will impact our society and must come up with compromise; they must espouse policies to put in place to provide necessary social benefits,” Kraniou said.

Kranious said the primary reason behind European indebtedness is that all European countries use the welfare state to revisit public debate on health insurance, socialism and corporate welfare. Multinational corporations avoid tax obligations using existing loopholes to avoid paying taxes.

“Wall Street penalizes politicians for going along with the welfare state in Europe, the same will happen here in America.” Kraniou said.

As Greece shifts from a socialist government, under former Prime Minister George Papandreou, to a national unity government under Prime Minister Lucas Papademos, it has relied on billions in bailout funds from its more prosperous European neighbors, specifically Germany and France. Former Prime Minister George Papandreou struggled to conform to the demands of the IMF, the EU and the European Central Bank Forces that have worked for decades to erode the welfare state.

Kranious said he is upset over the acronym “PIIGS,” a pejorative used by international bond traders and the economic press to describe the less affluent northern European countries of Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain.  

“Dr. Kraniou is upset when Germany asks Greece to adjust their lifestyle as a result of austerity measures. The Germans believe Greeks are lazy and living beyond their means, but Germany only cares about the euro,” Point Park University business student Ragheed Muhra said.

Muhra credits Krainou with helping students learn to think critically and evoke their analytical skills. Kraniou traces the roots of the international financial crisis to post World War II America, when the political and corporate elites in the victorious United States, decided on and pushed for the premise that for America to grow, their must be free international trade and control of the global financial environment. 

“Capitalism is elusive by nature. In the United States the tendency is to focus on efficiency, so the overriding priority is we have a super dynamic system to maximize the efficiency of the marketplace,” Kraniou said.

Dr. Arch Maharaha, assistant professor of business management in the Master of Business Administration program at Point Park University has known Kraniou since he was an MBA student in the 1980s agrees the situation in Greece is fragile, and added “If the Greek economy fails, Italy may also fall and this will impact the global economy.”

Despite the problems facing the global economic system, Kraniou said he is trying to be optimistic. Kraniou said the Greek way of life is eroding from diminishing incomes and a collapsing welfare state. “The major issue in this new era is how the concept of democracy can survive in the marketplace.”  Kraniou said.

Most college classes don’t start out with a toga party. But that was the way Dr. Eric Stennett was greeted in a surprise from his students, on the last day of class.

He fought the urge to visibly break out laughing, burying his face in his hands as his students marched into the room in bed sheets styled as togas.

Despite the fun atmosphere, Stennett’s role as a professor at Point Park is very important. As all education majors do, they will spend their last semester teaching in a real school. It is his role to get them prepared for that in their final classes.

“The way to prepare students is to really give them practical experience,” Stennett said. “It has to be relevant to what teaching is today.”

Two of his students, Megan Moore and Dan Hudak, both say those methods have prepared them to be ready for teaching.

“Dr. Stennett takes what we learn in our text and applies it to real world scenarios that we’ll probably experience in our future classrooms,” Hudak said. “Every class I feel more and more confident that I can be a successful teacher.”

“He makes it real to life,” Moore said. “I just really like him.”

Stennett said the best part of being a part of the Point Park community is “absolutely helping students succeed.” But in addition to that, the faculty and staff at Point Park has made his time here an enjoyable experience.

“I really do like the faculty,” Stennett said. “Point Park is unique in the sense that it’s like a family.”

In addition to his teaching duties, Stennett also serves as the principal of Hampton Middle School. Serving at that job has shown him some of the challenges involved with working in education, but also how rewarding working in this field can be.

“I think it’s dealing with children who are suffering, whether academically or personally,” Stennett said. “It’s really difficult to do when there’s not a lot of support and you’re trying to keep children above water. Some of the most rewarding experiences are helping children succeed.”

Carrying both of those jobs at once does take up a lot of time, but he has the support at home to make all of this possible.

“Most importantly, you have to have a loving, caring spouse, who understands that you can’t be home,” Stennett said. “And when you’re home, you need to be home. I don’t have many hobbies outside of my kids.”

He does indeed make time for his children, even with all of this work. After his final class last Tuesday evening, he was going straight to the Penguin game for his daughter’s birthday.

Stennett was not originally going to pursue education as a career. He was a geology and chemistry major when his advisor got him a job as a teaching assistant. From there, it led him down to path to becoming a teacher, and later a principal. When working as a teacher, he taught life and earth science in the eighth grade.

He still feels an equal love for both teaching and being a principal, and would not be able to choose one over the other. It would be choosing which child he preferred, he said.

Overall, his time working in different jobs in education has shown him what the power of teaching can really be.

“It’s one of those things where, if you’re in the business world, you make a product, but children aren’t products,” Stennett said. “If you can make a change in at least one child’s life, that’s the reward.”

By Richard Finch

Samey Lee, PPU student, who has been participating in the Occupy Movement. Photo by Richard Finch

Until recently, Samey Lee had no real political motivations, even though she is a global cultural studies major at Point Park University. Last October t

hat changed after she shunned her comfortable dorm room to spend another night shivering in her tent at Mellon Green as part of the Occupy Pittsburgh camp.

Despite the dropping temperatures and the threat of hypothermia, Lee, along with 20 to 30 other “occupiers” stayed each night while their peers head home to warmth and comfort. Lee was instantly caught up in being part of the process and discovered a passion to be involved in change. “I met a lot of people, heard their hard luck stories and I began to realize the main problem in society is the lack of caring and respect.” Lee said.

Lee, a full-time sophomore works a part-time job at Mancini’s, in addition to her work-study job at the university. In spite of her hectic schedule she is actively involved in the Occupy movement, attending general assembly meetings and helping to organize events within the camp.

Lee has been living in the camp since October, when a friend from Point Park University brought her along to the campsite, the friend has since lost interest in Occupy, but Samey is still here. Lee is uncertain how long she will continue her involvement with the movement, for the moment she is fascinated with the experience and is learning a lot from the people she meets. Lee added “I’ve met such diverse, interesting people, veteran activists who’ve been arrested dozens of times.”

Dr. Robert Ross, Lee’s global cultural studies professor, said he sees the work she does with the Occupy movement as complimentary to what he wants students to learn from class: “To take action and try and change the world.”

Lee learned a lot about globalization issues in her academic program, but also wants an education in real-world issues and to take advantage of opportunities that are available while she is young. “This movement is a symbol to bring power back to the people. I’m here to learn about life, there are certain things I can’t learn in a classroom.”

At 19, Lee is barely old enough to vote. She plans to gain experience and learn more about the political process so she can make informed decisions. Lee said “I hope change will come. I want to see people care about people, not only as money generating machines for the wealthy.”

Ross said in the global cultural studies program, students learn about how the real world works in relation to political and economic power across the globe, the extent to which a small minority has power over the majority, similar to the message espoused by the Occupy Wall Street movement. Lee said “It is my hope that students use their knowledge and struggle for social justice just like Samey is doing.”

With the weather getting colder, quite a few people went home but a lot of them are still here, Lee says there are probably 20 to 30 occupiers sleeping at the campsite.

Sean Selcer, a co-worker at Mancini’s, initially thought Samey was just another college student looking to coast through a part-time job, said he was surprised at how hard she works, adding she changed his assumptions about her generation, saying “She is proof that young people really know what’s at stake in the world and are brave enough to try and do something about it.”

Ross said his goal is to get more college students interested in social justice issues, hoping they get angry enough to get involved. Ross thinks student are reluctant to get involved in a movement like Occupy Pittsburgh, because what they remember from the G20 protests in 2009, is that college students took the brunt of abuse from authorities.

Ross is impressed that Lee is involved in Occupy, adding she is really informative in class discussions and eager to educate other students about Occupy.

With the fall semester at an end, Lee is planning to go home to Newville, Pa., for the holidays to visit her family. Lee has no definite plans to stay with the movement for the long haul, but she is certain she will take a leave of absence from Point Park at the conclusion of the Spring semester to travel and gain more experience. Lee said, “I’ve learned quite a bit from my experience. Occupy may not change the world, hopefully it will grow, and it will definitely change the conversation.”

Virginia Knor sees a lot of people all getting the same idea at the same time around the holidays: volunteering.

“They want to sort of recreate this Hallmark moment,” she said in a phone interview.

For many volunteer organizations like the Salvation Army, Pittsburgh Cares, and Light of Life Rescue Mission, the holidays can bring an overflow of volunteers.

Knor, the director of marketing and public relations for the Western PA division of the Salvation Army, said that although they have to turn people away for some events, like the Christmas Day dinner, there are still plenty of opportunities available.

The popular red kettles are the Salvation Army’s “most visible fund effort” and they often need the most volunteers.

Knor said the hours are flexible and they welcome families or groups of students to help out.

“The most successful kettles are when people might bring a dog” or get creative in another way, said Knor.

They’ve had high school bands, singing groups, and sometimes groups in universities will have challenges to see who raises the most money.

Other opportunities the Salvation Army offers around the holidays include toy and food distribution at various locations throughout the area, caroling at local hospitals, and coat donations for Project Bundle-Up.

And if people are unsure of the opportunities available to them, it’s easy to find out.

“The best thing a person can do is to call the organization and ask what to do. It’s hard to imagine what’s really needed,” said Knor.

The Light of Life Rescue Mission, a Christ-centered ministry that serves the poor, homeless and addicted, also sees a spike in volunteer interest around the holidays, especially when it comes to serving meals.

Doug Smith, the volunteer coordinator for Light of Life, hopes to engage people in all kinds of volunteer activities, not just serving meals.

“They really want me to move people from the mentality of, ‘All I can do is scoop mashed potatoes on a plate,’” he said.

Smith said that they want volunteers to do something that truly interests them.

“My goal is to help people find their passion and their gift and see how they can use it at Light of Life,” he said.

Smith said that one time a woman who was passionate about gardening came to Light of Life and got involved by starting an urban garden. He said this was a great example of how people can get creative and volunteer in an area they are passionate about, which also means their volunteer opportunities are unlimited.

Lights of Life’s volunteer slots for the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals often get filled up by mid-October. Smith said the organization wants people to get beyond the mindset of the holidays being the only time to volunteer.

However, even though other times of the year may not get as many volunteers, Smith said Light of Life is “blessed” to still be able to fill up volunteer projects.

Light of Life does have several other Christmas-themed activities other than serving meals including a Christmas giving program that allows people to shop for a person in need, baking cookies, and winter survival kits.

Light of Life lists numerous project ideas for people or even groups to take, hoping that people will pick something that they are passionate about.

For those interested in volunteering at Light of Life, they can fill out an application online and then attend an orientation session that gives them an overview of the organization’s vision.

People are highly encouraged to think creatively when they volunteer. He said whether it’s a passion for Kung Fu, gardening, or yoga, all of these special areas can be applied to helping those in need by teaching and engaging them in something new.

Pittsburgh Cares is a non-profit that connects volunteers with other non-profits that need them most. They also see more interest around the holidays but they have hundreds of spots available.

“We never really run out of things. There’s always a way to get engaged in the community as a volunteer,” said Bobby Moore in a phone interview.

One of their biggest volunteer opportunities is through Toys for Tots in which they need hundreds of volunteers to sort and distribute toys.

Moore, the manager of agency relations, did say that a “drop off” occurs after the New Year and into the winter since the holidays are over.

“Even though the holiday season is over, those non-profits still have those programs. They’re still out there trying to serve the people that they need to serve,” he said.

Pittsburgh Cares is currently making a big push to mobilize volunteers on Martin Luther King Day, particularly university groups.

Moore said that volunteering for Martin Luther King Day would be “a great way to kick off another year of service.” People can contact Pittsburgh Cares and then they will match them with a non-profit.

The MLK Day activities focus on renovation and repair and include working for Habitat for Humanity, repairing flooring, painting, community clean up, and working with the Girls and Boys Club. There are also a variety of opportunities available the week leading up to the holiday.

For those looking to get involved this holiday season or any other time of year, there are a variety of places to serve at in the Pittsburgh area. Visit salvationarmy-wpa.org, lightoflife.org, pittsburghcares.org, unitedwaypittsburgh.org for more information for various volunteer opportunities. Many of these organizations are able to connect people with other non-profits who may need the most help.

Contact Information to Volunteer:

Salvation Army: 412-446-1532

Light of Life: dougsmith@lightoflife.org

Pittsburgh Cares: 412-471-2114

United Way: 412-261-6010

With just a few weeks left in the semester, Caitlin Johnson was feeling nervous about her resume, so she went to see Amy Kier who gave the sophomore photojournalism major ways to improve it.

“Resumes are not about what you’re paid to do,” Amy told Johnson. “I want you to look here and tell me if there’s a photographer on this page,” said Amy.

This is just one example of how Amy Kier works to help students in Point Park’s School of Communication as Director of Student Success.

Amy grew up in Mars, Pennsylvania and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She constantly moved, spending just about every other year between the two locations until she graduated high school. She went to 10 schools over 12 years but she wouldn’t change a thing about her childhood.

“I like change. It’s a new challenge, a new opportunity to learn something new for me,” she said.

After high school, Amy took some time before perusing a college education. Being the first one in her family to go to college meant that she didn’t always realize it was an option for her. But once she went to community college, she understood just how important it was.

“I was really empowered by going to school,” she said.

Amy then went to Robert Morris University where she earned a degree in communications, which was a subject that was always important to her because “communication goes so much more beyond talking.”

After college, Amy came to Point Park in 2004 as a temporary employee in the School of Business. She was quickly hired and moved through various positions including Director of Internships, Director of Student Support Services, Director of Academic Administration, and Assistant to the Dean.

During her time at the university, she also got her master’s degree in Business Administration from Point Park.

Amy served as Director of the Student Success Center for the School of Business from September 2008 but in May 2010, Amy was approached by administration to move over to the School of Communication on a temporary basis to help develop what their success center would be.

Once the position was approved, Amy applied and got the job. As Director of Student Success, Amy helps students with numerous things including scheduling issues, helping a student who’s looking to change their major, or helping struggling or at risk students. She essentially serves as a guide to students from the time they come to Point Park.

“I believe it’s my responsibility to make sure that students have success from the time they matriculate into the university until they graduate the university,” said Amy.

Amy believes it’s important that she knows the curriculum, is able to listen and communicate well with students, understand what each generation that comes through needs, and how the industries are changing. This way she can help students through the process of understanding and reaching their goals.

“Anyone can come to me for absolutely any reason,” she said. “I’m so proud of the relationships that I form with students and the trust that they instill in me.”

Amy stresses the importance of creating a comfortable, confidential environment for students to come and talk.

“Sometimes you have a bad day and people stop in and grab some candy,” she said.

Whether it’s advice, candy, hugs, or tissues, Amy is there for students. She even tallies her hugs, giving 37 hugs the first week of the semester.

It doesn’t matter if it’s for a hug or to solve a problem, Amy will never judge any student that comes into her office.

“For whatever reason you’re in the position that you’re in, how do we get out of it? It’s not about lectures… I just try really hard to lay out their options,” she said.

In addition to director of student success, Amy also teaches Career Prep and Business Communication and Research. Career Prep helps students prepare for their future after college.

“You have the opportunity to do anything that you want to do and inside people are so amazing and we just need to get that to come out,” she said.

Faith Cotter and Joelisa McDonald also have taken Amy’s Career Prep class and really enjoyed working with her.

Cotter, a senior journalism and mass communication major, said that Amy had a lot of “good advice in terms for writing to the job that you’re applying for” and she helped her “spruce up” her resume.

McDonald, a senior broadcast major, loves how flexible and understanding Amy is both inside and outside of the classroom.

“Every time I reached out to her, she reached back. She always made herself available,” she said.

Heather Starr Fiedler, Chair of Faculty and Associate Professor of Multimedia, sees a lot of the day to day interactions that Amy has with students.

“They’re really very open to talking with her about things that they may not really be open to talking to their professors about,” she said.

Since Amy is a Career Prep teacher, students will often come to ask for help on their resumes, cover letters and interviews. Fiedler said that she’ll give them advice about anything from what outfit they’re wearing to how their hair is styled.

“She has a way of being able to be honest and give that tough love but still have them leave her office loving her,” Fiedler said.

Johnson, who has doubts about her resume, finds Amy very approachable and easy to talk to.

“You sometimes get nervous with other professors but you can just honestly talk to her about everything,” she said.

Amy and the faculty also work together as a team thanks to Amy’s “great institutional knowledge.”

“She knows all of the policies, procedures, numbers, rules and a lot of us faculty don’t know all of those things or can’t keep up with them,” said Fiedler.

In addition to her teaching and duties as Director of Student Success, Amy is also an active participant in the Point Park community. She helped plan the 50th anniversary celebration, she’s a team member of the STARS program, she works with Campus Life and she helps with open house, the Pioneer Experience, and Accepted Students Day.

“I think it’s important for me to know how the university operates and what other offices are doing and how students can get involved,” she said.

Amy didn’t always have the career goal to get involved in education, but once she came to Point Park, she fell in love with the community.

“I like the fact that we can really get to know our students…It’s one on one. That’s what makes this school so amazing,” she said.

As for Amy’s future, she is not entirely sure where life will take her next but she would definitely like to get her Ph.D. in Communications Media/Instructional Technology.

“It’s really interesting for a Career Prep teacher to say, but I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I am having so much fun on this journey,” she said.

Amy does know that she wants to continue working with students for the rest of her life.

“The feeling that I get being a mentor is so rewarding that I want to stay here. I want to stay working with students and help people achieve their goals.”

Amy was selected as the November honoree of the Point Park University Striving to Achieve Remarkable Service (STARS) Program. This was the first time the program was open to student nominations.

Cats and Dogs is located at 4059 Penn Avenue.

Nixi Cat Chesnavich was walking down the street with a friend, brainstorming ideas for a type of community meeting space when the perfect idea popped in his head.

“What do I know how to do and what do I like to do?” he said. “Coffee!”

Consequently, Cats and Dogs Coffeehouse was created and opened this past August. The shop is located at 4059 Penn Avenue in Lawrenceville and is open weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Chesnavich, also known as Mr. Cat, owns the shop and gets help from his spouse, Mr. Dog, who declined to give his human name. The couple has long been known as Mr. Cat and Mr. Dog, which is how the name came about for the shop.

Mr. Cat said that although the coffee is important, it’s not the driving force behind the shop.

“It’s way more about the people who come here and the things that they can do with the space. The coffee is sort of the dance we do to fund it,” he said.

The shop’s menu is simple, with a focus on beverages like coffee and tea.

“I was really trying to focus on having high quality beverages because that’s what I know and love,” said Mr. Cat.

The shop brews Commonplace Coffee Company’s beans and a coffee is just $1.87. Other drinks include mocha (either dark or white) for $3.74, a cappuccino for $3.27, an Americano for $2.57, and a latte for $3.27. Many of these drinks can be flavored with Torani syrups as well.

Cats and Dogs also offers smoothies for $3.27, Italian sodas for $1.87, and fresh pressed lemonade or limeade for $2.10.

A variety of white, green, black, red and herbal teas are also available for $1.87.

Cats and Dogs does offer some light snack items including biscotti and rum cake from Anna Marie’s Specialties as well as muffins, gluten-free chips and candy, which generally cost between one and two dollars.

Josh Kablack, of Lawrenceville, is a regular customer of Cats and Dogs. He really enjoys their fresh pressed lemonade and the “friendlier” atmosphere of the shop.

Cats and Dogs does offer free Wi-Fi internet and Mr. Cat hopes that people will come and stay a while to enjoy the “calm, quiet, study-oriented venue.”

Mr. Dog hears from many of their guests that it’s their “secret place of productivity,” which he was very flattered by.

“It is an awesome place to study and do work. We have a little bunch of regulars that come in with their notebooks,” he said.

Rob Cullen, of Garfield, was sipping coffee while on his laptop this past Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s a relaxing place to hang out,” he said, where he likes to bring his laptop to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi. He also enjoys the brighter than usual atmosphere, thanks to the large window in the front of the shop.

Cats and Dogs offers features photography and paintings on the walls.

Cats and Dogs also has a back room that is available as a meeting space by appointment. It’s free of charge to use the space and it’s perfect for small community, business or student groups to gather and relax for a while.

The atmosphere is simple but a few colorful paintings and photographs from local artists adorn the walls. Mr. Cat enjoys giving local artists exposure and on Friday, December 10, Toni Gigante was at the shop to show off her photography and paintings. He hopes to have more art openings in the future like this one.

As for the future of the shop, Mr. Cat said that this “tiny idea” he had for a place like this is still evolving. He does hope to add couches in the back room someday but as far as use of the space, he’ll let it evolve itself.

“I just made the venue. I trust that the community would fill it up with what it would want to have happen here.”

Dr. Stanley Denton got involved in trying to resuscitate the troubled Duquesne City School District because since his days as a graduate student he believed education is a human rights issue and this Mon Valley district failed to serve the best interests of the children in the district he hoped to make the “Jewel of the Valley.”

During five years of efforts the board of control hammered out a new contract with teachers, added tutoring services, extended the school day and closed the high school, as well as hiring a new budget manager to improve fiscal solvency. Despite these efforts, the district did not meet AYP (yearly adequate progress) at any grade level, referring to targets set by Pennsylvania Department of Education standards for the 2010-11 school years.

Denton, an associate professor of education at Point Park University, resigned his position on the three member board in late October.

“In some cases failure is not an accident and kids in the Mon Valley, black or white, are kind of forgotten about in Allegheny County,” Denton said.

The board of control was created in 2000 to oversee the distressed school district as a result of a declining tax base and dwindling enrollment. Denton, who joined the board in 2006, is not pointing fingers but said no entity, whether it be the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), board of control or teachers union, can be exempt; all must accept responsibility for any failures.

Denton said his intent has always been to work with public education and improve the outcome for all students in an effort to achieve equivalency, adding “This is what I do.”

With property taxes split between the city and school district, financial problems are directly related to the declining population in the Mon Valley. Recent census figures indicate Duquesne lost nearly half of the 11,410 residents it had in the 1970s. To make payroll the state bailed out the district. The city of Duquesne is exceptionally hard pressed economically in a state with many struggling school districts he said racism plays a role in the problems because Duquesne is predominately low-income and black, compared to neighboring municipalities such as West Mifflin, which is closer to middle class. “Duquesne and West Mifflin are essentially one community with two socio-economic levels; Duquesne will come to an agreement with neighboring districts or the state will impose its will.”

Duquesne is the only school district in Pennsylvania not governed by an elected school board, although the Philadelphia school district is governed by the school reform commission. Denton says the problems facing the district are more the result of structural inequity “These students are often looked down on by their peers in neighboring municipalities. This tendency to look down on kids from Duquesne occurs regardless of whether they are black or white.” Denton said there is a good relationship between the board of control and the nine member elected board, adding that the board of control does not try to operate as overseers and a long standing mutual respect prevails.

Reached by telephone Dr. Paul Rach superintendent of the city of Duquesne school district since September 2010, declined to speculate on the future of the school district but said “Dr. Denton had the students at heart; the students were at the forefront of his decision making.”

Adding to the problems nineteen teachers were let go in June, class sizes were increased but sports team activities were restored in the most recent budget. Gov. Tom Corbett introduced a budget plan in March 2011 to cut $4 million in Duquesne; however the Senate Appropriations Committee restored between $2.75 and 2.8 million, Denton said former Gov. Ed Rendell always found money to keep the district afloat and that he has no reason to doubt Gov. Corbett will support Duquesne City School District through the 2011-2012 school year.

“There is a battle between the Democrats and Republicans with the state budget. It is a political issue. They have to decide whether to save or spend, still, teaching positions could have been saved.”

Denton would like to see residents of Duquesne come together and decide what they want to do; saying decisions should be made by citizens of the district and not by people like him who don’t live there. Reached by telephone at his office in Harrisburg, Department of Education spokesman Timothy Eller responded, “There are many schools of thought on this, some of which include people who feel that schools should be “local.” Eller stressed that state law requires two board of control members to be residents of Allegheny County, appointed by the courts and a third member appointed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Denton knew things weren’t good when he saw results of the spring 2011 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) test in math, reading, science and writing. None of the academic targets established by the state were met by Duquesne students in grades three through eight. High school students from Duquesne hit one target in math and missed all the reading targets. Duquesne high school students have been attending either East Allegheny or West Mifflin Area high schools since 2007.

Denton, who holds a Ph.D. in social psychology, emphasized test scores not only never came close to established goals despite rigorous teacher evaluations and other measures, they were actually worse in June 2011 compared to June 2010. “We wanted the kids to do better and it’s no one’s fault, the things we did, did not achieve the intended benefit.”

According to Eller, officials from the education department, the school district and members of the community are talking frequently to determine the best course for the school to receive adequate education for each student at this time. Denton is hopeful that the decision on the school districts future will be made at the local level with the support of the PDE rather than being initiated by the state or some other entity outside of Duquesne.

District spokesperson Sarah McCluan, reached by telephone said Denton had a good connection with the community; he seemed to understand their concerns. “We will be sorry to see him leave, he was always a strong advocate of the elected board, he always had questions and they were good questions.”

As the future of the school district hangs in the balance, politicians and educators across the state have a keen interest in the outcome because of implications for other financially distressed areas. It was always an uphill battle as the district represents the part of the Valley hardest hit by the decline of heavy industry in the 1980s. After his work there, Denton refers to the children caught up in a failing system as “the faces at the bottom of the well.”

Joni Ondra was taking advantage of Handmade Arcade to buy one-of-a-kind stocking stuffers for the holidays for her nieces, nephews, godchild, and her husband.

Pati Medina and Kathy Smith-Dowd were also scouring the various handmade goods for t-shirts and earrings in hopes of finding gifts for friends as well as themselves.

“I like the idea that it’s something that not everyone’s going to have and it’s going to have an artistic flair,” said Ondra.

Just like these shoppers, more people are turning to buying handmade, especially for the holidays. And with Pittsburgh’s vibrant, continually growing handmade craft scene, it’s easier than ever, especially since handmade is often affordable.

On November 12, Handmade Arcade took place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, which brought out crowds hoping to find handmade goodies for the holidays. The large craft fair featured over 150 vendors, many of them local, who set up their own tables to sell their goods. Jewelry, t-shirts, scarves, plush animals, bags, pottery, house wares and greeting cards were just a few of the handmade items available for purchase.

Customers check out some of the unique jewelry pieces at Handmade Arcade on November 12, 2011.

What’s unique about handmade is how much different items can vary.

Jewelry was made from a variety of different components including glass beads, enameled pieces, brass, or even old buttons. 19 Moons’ Gothic, Steampunk, and Victorian style necklaces, bracelets, brooches and earrings use old watches that are taken apart to show the intricate gears and mechanisms. The intricate, unique pieces can cost anywhere from $20 to $80.

Green Bubble Gorgeous sold all-natural, organic soap, bath salts, lip butters and lotion bars. A bar of soap shaped and decorated like a bundt cake cost just $5.50 and a Mango Green Tea lip butter was $3.50.

Exit343Design had silkscreen prints and greeting cards with designs ranging from deer to an anatomical heart. Prints ranged from $10 to $40.

Ondra, of Friendship, liked the fact that she was supporting the artist and the items she bought were “unique things that you can’t find at a mall, certainly.”

Smith-Dowd, of Penn Hills, was happy to support “business for people trying to make a living” and said she will continue to buy handmade in the future.

Another similar craft fair opportunity in Pittsburgh is through I Made It! Market. The nomadic craft fair not only holds events, but also has a dedication to helping local artists.

Carrie Nardini, organizer of I Made It!, said the craft fairs give local artists the opportunity to sell their wares in many different places.

“We want local artists to get in front of a lot of different kinds of customers to be able to expand their market,” she said in a phone interview.

The fairs are juried and often have a theme such as holiday, children or weddings and take place in various locations in the Pittsburgh area. Previous locations include Southside Works, Bakery Square, Mount Lebanon Park, Hartwood Acres and Schenley Plaza. Crafters are selected based on the quality of their work and the type of goods they create, whether it’s jewelry, clothing, art prints or anything else that works with the theme.

Recent events include I Made It! for the Holidays at Bakery Square on December 2 and 3 and another I Made It! will take place on December 7 on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus.

I Made It! for the Holidays at Bakery Square included over 80 local artists. Vendors included Nina Ramone (knit scarves and hats), Textilegifts (purses, scarves and bowls made out of fabric and jeans), and Rachel’s Cure by Design (glass, beaded bracelets).

“Why I Made It! is kind of cool is that people can try things out and talk directly with customers that they’ll meet on multiple occasions,” Nardini said.

She also added that people can create a relationship with the artist and many times, people will follow that artist outside of the craft fair setting, whether it is through an online shop or other fairs.

The markets provide great opportunities for the artists, but I Made It! also helps them expand their handmade business.

They offer small business workshops for crafters who are selling online as well as social events so crafters can network with each other. Nardini can also help with marketing and social media aspects of selling handmade.

Although market-like events are occurring more often, there are a few stores that offer handmade items as well, making for convenient holiday or year-round shopping.

Wildcard in Lawrenceville is the most popular with a huge selection of handmade goodies such from mostly local artists. Items in the shop include greeting cards, t-shirts, stationary, original art, bags, jewelry and more. Prices vary depending on the goods, but greeting cards are only a few dollars and t-shirts often run for just under $20. Wildcard is located at 4209 Butler Street.

Another store also located in Lawrenceville (3613 Butler Street) is Pageboy Salon & Boutique. In the boutique, independent and local designers are featured and a variety of handmade accessories and house wares are available. Items include vintage button magnets, feather and leather earrings, quirky clothing pieces (such as a tan jacket with plaid sleeves), and button bobby pins with vintage portraits on them.

So Me in Glenshaw also has handmade items from local crafters and a jeweler’s studio. Colorful ceramic plates, beaded necklaces, and soy wax candles are some of the goodies available at the store located on 3394 Saxonburg Boulevard.

Two other unique things one might find around town are the traveling Craft-O-Tron and the Upcycla-Tron.

The Craft-O-Tron is a craft vending machine made from a recycled cigarette machine bought on eBay. The goal of the machine is to spread the word about the local craft scene by selling handmade items for $5 each. The machine, which can hold over 200 items, travels all around Pittsburgh and can be found in museums, cafes, bars, food stores and more, depending on the month.

Previous items available in the machine include beaded wrap bracelets, fish-shaped catnip, small pottery bowls, soap in the shape of an owl, and magnets with a painting reprinted on them.

Lynne Kropinak, who does all the stocking, boxing, and maintenance on the machine, loves going to craft shows to pick items for the machine.

“It’s a labor of love and it’s really fun to go into places and say, ‘I’m with the machine.’” she said in a phone interview.

Kropinak also runs the Upcycla-Tron which is a similar machine but instead it features crafts made out of recycled materials.

The Craft-O-Tron is currently at the Square Cade (1137 South Braddock Avenue) and the Upcycla-Tron is at Creative Reuse Pittsburgh (214 N. Lexington Street).

Through things like the Craft-O-Tron, Handmade Arcade, I Made It! Market, and other events promoting handmade goods, it’s easy to buy handmade and support local artists for the holidays.

Nardini, who has also been a crafter for years, believes handmade items given as gifts mean a lot more “versus something that kind of met their needs from the store.”

Kropinak has been a crafter specializing in jewelry for over 25 years and gets joy out of both making crafts and giving them.

“There’s really nothing that can touch you more than something that someone’s made with their hands,” she said.

Buying handmade not only insures a unique gift, but it also has other benefits, such as supporting small, local businesses.

“You’re not only supporting a person who is trying to make a living on their craft but you’re also helping to put more money directly into our local economy by purchasing handmade,” Nardini said.

Pittsburgh already had a very present handmade craft scene, but it appears to be growing and continually gaining followers.

“Pittsburghers attach a lot of value to neighborhoods and communities,” said Nardini. “[With handmade] it’s that community aspect but there’s also the aspect that you’re contributing to the cycle that is helping the individual person in your community versus a mass produced item.”