League of Women Voters of --Lower Merion and Narberth--

The League of Women Voters of LMN, along with other local non-profits, is learning how to use the new Public Access television channel in Lower Merion and Narberth. This is the only television channel where the community can develop its own programming. PATV welcomes information and taped events from non-profit organizations. Showcase your Rotary, Scouts, Lions, American Legion, charity, Women's Auxiliary, etc. Videotape in the studio or on location to share information about your good deeds and the help and resources you bring to the community. Comcast cable subscribers can view Public Access on channel 99. Verizon will add the channel in May 2008. We hope to widen the LWV of LMN audience by reaching cable subscribers, which number over 90% of the 60,000 residents Lower Merion & Narberth Public Access Television (PATV)

Rosemont College

Click here for our new Rosemont College page with info for teachers, students, members and friends. Submit photos, videos, brochures for viewing.

Design Teacher Susan DiGironimo approached LWV LMN with the idea of having her students in the Undergraduate Women's College work on design projects to develop campaign issues for design and print. A Graduate student is planning on videoing the process of the women working on the projects. We hope the final video will air on PATV. We are also supporting the Azar Nafisi lecture at Rosemont on March 12 and will have a Voter Registration Table at the event.

ABC "A Better Chance" in Lower Merion

Lower Merion Scholarship Fund

CYLC: Congressional Youth Leadership Council

We helped sponsor Morgan Purcell who attended Jr CYLC or the Congressional Youth Leadership Council. This summer program helps children develop their leadership skills. Below is Morgan's report and the interesting "company" she was developing to stop bullying in schools, which happened to be one of the topics for a question the League of Women Voters and the Civic Associations in our area recently asked our local School Board Candidates at a debate. Thanks for the report Morgan!

To The League of Women Voters of Lower Merion and Narberth:

As I promised, I have written a summary of my events during my Leadership Conference and what I learned while I was there. I would like to take this opportunity again to thank you and the League of Women Voters for helping with the opportunity.

Upon arrival at American University in Washington D.C., we learned why we were invited to Junior NYLC, the people behind it and what they wanted us to take from it. The message is that we have a voice and that we can do anything we put our minds to. We also discussed six leadership traits which are: goal setting, communication, character, respect, teamwork and problem solving

The following day we arrived in Philadelphia, were we went to the Constitution Center where we saw a show called Freedom Rising which was all about what “We the People” means. We went on an exciting tour of historical sites in Philly such as: the Liberty bell, Independence Hall, and Franklin Court.

On Monday we went to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. While on the bus trip, we played a trivia game about the Civil War. Upon arrival, we toured Harpers Ferry. We learned all about John Brown who tried to help free slaves on October 16,1857 by attacking the arsenal and armory and gaining control of the town. Unfortunately, after an initial success, local militia defeated him on October 17th. He was captured, convicted and later hung in December 1859. From this I learned that to be a leader one must be brave and never stop defending what you believe in. We held a debate on whether you would follow John Brown. Later in the day, we learned what it was like to be in the army, march and load a gun. We went on to the National 4H Center in Washington, D.C. where we had dinner. After arriving back at American University, we had a mock trial on a non-existing issue of freeing animals from a research laboratory with both the owner’s and the animal group’s side being represented. I was on the animal group side – which was the defense side. Although we lost our case, I learned that you need to take action for your cause. If nothing else, it brings awareness to the public.

Tuesday we started the day by having a Leadership Focus Group meeting. We then had a Seat of Significance Rally where we learned about things that we would want to say that we did such as when you get older, you could tell people that you stood up for what you believed in and never gave up on what you wanted to do. Afterward, we went by bus to the national memorials where we walked to The Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I think we saw them because they are there to represent and respect all the brave leaders of our country – the men and women who gave their lives so we can have freedom. We visited the White House and were able to take pictures. At the National Portrait Gallery, we filled out our journals on all of the different rooms that contained portraits of many great leaders.

On Wednesday, we were going to be sleeping at the Maryland Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. After breakfast, we went to our LFG meeting where we put the last touches on a project we had been working on – this was to create a company where we helped stop bullying in schools. We then had a speaker who had gone to the Junior NYLC several years ago, who gave us information on how she applied her leadership skills to organize a school event which helped local charities.

On the last day we received our Certificates of Achievement for participating in the conference. There was a commencement address given by Mr. Freeman, the head of the conference. “I Am, I Will” was our theme – this means we have to make a difference in the world and this conference was to help us start. We all said our goodbyes and headed to our homes in various parts of the United States.

This conference has definitely helped me to realize I can make a difference in the world.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I will always remember it and will apply the leadership traits I learned.

Morgan Purcell