MEDIA ADVISORY/REQUEST FOR COVERAGE
April 27, 2017
CONTACTS:
Linda K. Ross
Director of Communications
Pittsburgh Mercy
412-578-6224
[email protected]
Zandy Dudiak
Communications Coordinator
Pittsburgh Mercy
412-578-6442
[email protected]
LOCAL STUDENTS TO COMPETE IN
DANCING CLASSROOMS PITTSBURGH “COLORS OF THE RAINBOW”
SPRING 2017 FINAL TEAM MATCH MAY 6
WHO:
Pittsburgh Mercy and fifth-grade students from participating Pittsburgh Public
Schools and Extra Mile Education Foundation schools
WHAT:
Seven teams of fifth-grade students from participating Pittsburgh Public Schools
(Banksville, Brookline, Faison, Montessori, Roosevelt, Sunnyside, and Westwood)
and two Extra Mile Education Foundation schools (St. Benedict the Moor School and
Sister Thea Bowman Catholic Academy) will compete in the Dancing Classrooms
Pittsburgh “Colors of the Rainbow” Spring 2017 Final Team Match, the final step of
a 20-session journey through the world of ballroom dance.
WHEN:
Saturday, May 6, 2017, from 10 to 11:45 a.m. (The ending time is approximate.)
WHERE:
Pittsburgh Allderdice High School Auditorium
2409 Shady Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15217 (Squirrel Hill)
WHY:
The students, who trained in ballroom dance 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, and friends. Participating
ballroom dancers, school principals, and Pittsburgh Mercy representatives will be
available before, during, and after the event for interviews and photos. The event is
free and open to the public.
-more-
Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh “Colors of the Rainbow” Spring 2017 Final Team Match
Page 2 of 2
About Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh
Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh, part of Pittsburgh Mercy and Trinity Health, serving in the
tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, first introduced Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh to 300 fifthgrade children in six Pittsburgh Public Schools in September 2009. Since then, approximately
5,000 children in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, Extra Mile Education Foundation schools in the
Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, and local charter 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.dancingclassroomspgh.org or the Pittsburgh Mercy YouTube channel. To make a donation
in support of Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh, visit www.pittsburghmercy.org.
About Pittsburgh Mercy
Pittsburgh Mercy, a member of Trinity Health and serving in the tradition of the Sisters of
Mercy, is one of the largest health and human service nonprofit organizations and is also one of
the largest employers in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh Mercy includes Bethlehem
Haven, McAuley Ministries, Mercy Behavioral Health, Mercy Community Health, Mercy
Intellectual Disabilities Services, Mercy Parish Nurse and Health Ministry Program, 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 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 Linda K. Ross or Zandy Dudiak in advance at
412-578-6224 or 412-578-6442.
042717/DCP_COR_Spring_2017_Final_Team_Match_RFC_FINAL_04-27-17.docx