Inside this edition It Started With A Smile

History Is Brought To Life

Transforming Lives Through The EITC & NAP Programs

Radio Interview with WESA

Celebrating SuccessA publication that honors the students, teachers and the staff of PHASE 4 Learning Centers.

Ten Years of SuccessSince 2004, PHASE 4 Learning has served over 6,000 students in grades 7-12. We work with over 80 public schools in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and southwest Pennsylvania.

The dedicated staff at PHASE 4 Learn-ing has helped 1,538 students earn their high school diplomas and achieved a 98% graduation rate.

2013 - 206 graduates2012 - 196 graduates2011 - 222 graduates2010 - 229 graduates2009 - 144 graduates2008 - 183 graduates2007 - 143 graduates2006 - 120 graduates2005 - 65 graduates2004 - 30 graduates

It Started With A SmileIt all began with a 12-year boy with a smile that would brighten the darkest corner and a heart to match. The year was 1994. A young woman was in her final year as a student teacher at Harding Middle School in Steuben-ville, Ohio. She was immediately touched by this young student with the beautiful smile. The student teacher was Terrie Suica-Reed, the future CEO and Founder of PHASE 4 Learn-ing Centers.

Terrie had just gone through a very dif-ficult time on a personal level. She had just beaten breast cancer and had a new lease on life. While she had great success in corporate America, Terrie wanted to work with children and become a teacher. She was well on her way to making her dream come true but little did she know that a single smile would change her life and the lives of thou-sands of young children across the state.

It began one morning when a young boy came to class with-out his class materials. He was quickly directed to take a chair and sit in the hallway by himself while his classmates began their studies. Sadly, the little boy sat alone in the hallway.

After watching this young student sitting in the hallway, Terrie knew she wanted to help him. She immediately asked the teacher if she could go into the hall and work with the little boy. The teacher was surprised by her inter-est in him but she gave Terrie the approval to work with him.

At first, the boy was nervous and a little apprehensive, but it wasn’t long until he realized that Terrie genuinely cared about him. This was a new experience to him. He wasn’t

It Started With A Smile (Cont.)accustomed to people caring about him on a personal level, and over time, their relation-ship became stronger and stronger.

As Terrie worked with the young boy, she noticed that there were many other children who needed personal attention. She also learned that due to various challenges the public school system wasn’t equipped to help these students.

With this knowledge, Terrie and three of her colleagues took action. They decided to do something to help these children and created PHASE 4 Learning Centers. In 2003, the first PHASE 4 Learning Center opened its doors in Century III Mall in West Miflin. Terrie, Cathy Mickolay, Patti McHugh, and Susie Harkness were determined to create a school that was special and would welcome at-risk students with open arms.

One of the first things was to identify loca-tions for the schools. They had to be located in a friendly environment and accessible to students from many school districts. Second, it was critical to have certified teachers and counselors on staff.

The answer was simple . . . shopping malls. They were the perfect solution. They were friendly, convenient, and more importantly, the students and their parents felt comfort-able at the mall.

From the very beginning, PHASE 4 focused on the relationships between the staff, teach-ers, districts, students and parents. The staff at PHASE 4 works hard to know and under-stand all of the students. They learn about the students’ friends, family, personal life and the individual problems that they expe-rienced at their home schools. Many of the students come from personal situations that are extremely difficult for adults to endure, let alone young children.

Terrie and her colleagues understood the importance of building strong relationships with their students. They instilled this sense of caring in the culture at every PHASE 4 school and classroom.

The men and women that joined PHASE 4 are special. They are passionate about helping their students in any way they can. Whether it’s spending extra time in the classroom with a math problem or staying after class to listen to a student’s personal problems, the PHASE 4 staff is there to help the students.

Today, PHASE 4 helps students enrolled in grades 6 - 12 and also those who have dropped out of schools in Southwestern PA, Harrisburg and Philadelphia. Over the ten years since Terrie and Cathy (who both remain) opened the first PHASE 4 Learning Center, more than 6,000 students have been helped. Over 1,200 students have graduated and earned their own home district diploma. Of those 1,200 stu-dents, 50% went on to higher education, 10% joined the military and 40% secured employ-ment upon graduation.

PHASE 4 is proud to announce that the graduation rate remains at 98% statewide. This is a phenomenal achievement when you consider that many of these students were on the path to dropping out of their home schools before coming to PHASE 4 Learning Centers.

The friendly environment, caring teachers and staff, and PHASE 4’s success rate sets them apart from other schools.

PHASE 4 Learning Center is helping to put thousands of students on the right path by teaching them the importance of education and what their high school diploma means to their futures. The staff at PHASE 4 Learning Center is proud and excited to begin the next decade of helping children across the state.

As we look to the future, it’s important to reflect on the past and remember that it all started with a little boy, a smile, and . . . a desire to give someone a chance.

2012 Success Stories

Number of Graduates by Location

Philadelphia102 Graduates

Pittsburgh104 Graduates

History Is Brought To LifeThe largest battle ever fought in North Amer-ica, the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863) resulted in the largest number of casualties and is often described as the turning point of the Civil War. This summer, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of that “turning point” and the impact it has had on our country, Civil War reenactors participated in historically accurate representations of the battles that occurred in the Summer of 1863 in Gettysburg. PHASE 4 Behavioral Specialist and Civil War buff, Mike (Mikey) Martin, and his wife, Robin, were honored to participate in the remembrance and reenactment of the historic events of Summer 1863.During the battlefield reenactment our own Mikey became Lieutenant Michael E. Martin of battery B Virginia artillery, Gen. Heth’s Divi-sion; Gen. Pender’s Brigade; 3rd Corps under Gen. A.P. Hill, Army of Northern Virginia Con-federate States of America. Lt. Martin was in command of several cannon pieces on the field during the first day’s battle against the Union’s Iron Brigade. Robin Martin became Lady Robin Lynn Martin, a true Southern Belle.On the eve of July 6, 2013, Lady Robin and Lt. Martin attended a reenactors camp ball held by the 2nd South Carolina String Band. The ball was held in a tented enclosure among the encampment of the Union Army reenactors. Both Confederate and Union Army reenactors attended the ball in good cheer, dance, and fine spirits.Lt. Martin wore a full wool uniform with elabo-rate braid insignias on the sleeves of his tunic to indicate his rank as a Lieutenant. His red hat, called a kepi, indicated that he was with the artillery portion of the Confederate Army. This is the style of uniform a Confederate of-ficer would have purchased from his own funds before the war’s initial outset in Richmond, VA.Martin says of wearing the Confederate uni-form, ”As in any reenactment once that uniform is on, you are in that era and you embody a true soldier of the war. It becomes as real and alive as it can be without having actually been there. So the entire time I was a Lieutenant in the Army of the Confederate States of America.” Although he was entirely in character while

Photo: Robin Lynn & Michael Martin, Phase 4

wearing his uniform, he stressed that part of the “job” of a reenactor was to be willing to stop for photographs, talk to, and teach any of the 200,000 spectators that were in Gettysburg for the 150th anniversary.Lady Robin Lynn Martin wore a handmade lace and satin hoop skirt in the style popular for spe-cial occasions during the Civil War era. Her outfit included a corset, giving her figure an hour glass appearance. The fan she carried is important be-cause “…well, all Belles carry them!” The fan car-ried by an unmarried woman of the era would also have been important as a way to keep her hand from fully touching a gentleman’s until marriage.When asked how he became so interested in the history of the Civil War, Martin says, “I’ve been into the Civil War since I was 7 years old. I read The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara and was hooked. I’ve been to dozens of reenactments and speak all the time at different places on the bat-tles, war, leadership, etc.”“The 150th reenactment is so special to me be-cause I was at the 125th anniversary when I was 10 years old and vowed to be in the 150th and attend the ball that is always held. So, talk about a dream come true!”

WESA’s Essential Pittsburgh Interviews Terrie Suica-Reed & Merle ThompsonRecently, PHASE 4 Learning Center’s CEO, Terrie Suica Reed and Merle Thompson were interviewed by WESA’s Paul Gug-genheimer, host of the Essential Pittsburgh series. WESA is the Pittsburgh’s NPR (National Public Radio), News Station.

WESA’s Essential Pittsburgh is produced locally and focuses on critical issues impacting Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, as well as featuring community leaders and newsmakers in the Arts, Sciences, Technology, Business, Healthcare, Government and Education.

To listen to the interview with Terrie and Merle, click on the link below.

http://wesa.fm/post/phase-4-learning-centers-serve-last-chance-high-schools

Spread the WordIf you know of a school district or student that would benefit from PHASE 4’s ability to help students that are having problems in their home schools, please contact one of the team below.

Headquarters Harrisburg Terrie Suica-Reed Julian DorseyFounder & CEO 717-561-2060724-462-1241

Beaver Valley Philadelphia - Liberty PlazaJosh Stewart Alpha Jalloh724-770-9080 215-637-0544

Brentwood Philadelphia - SouthwestTom Joyce Maurice Williams412-650-9004 215-727-0200

East LibertyAaron McKinnon412-361-6012

Transforming Lives Through TheEITC & NAP Programs If your business or employer pays Pennsylvania state taxes, those dollars can be directed toward high school programs and scholarships for motivated, low-income students. The state of Pennsylvania offers tax credits to corporations as incentives to donate to schools and tuition scholarship funds that serve low-income children in the state.

Businesses that pay any of the following state taxes are eligible:

• Corporate Net Income Tax

• Bank and Trust Company Shares Tax

• Capital Stock Franchise Tax

• Title Insurance Company Shares Tax

• Insurance Premium Tax

• Mutual Thrift Institution Tax

• Personal Income Tax of S Corp. Shareholders or Partnership Partners

Businesses that make a charitable contribution to PHASE 4 Learning Center, Inc. are eligible to receive a 90% tax credit for a two-year commitment or a 75% tax credit for a one-year commitment. The credit reduces your bottom line state obligation.

Detailed information can be found at the State webpage: www.newpa.com — search for “EITC”. For more infor-mation contact PHASE 4 at 412-650-9004 and ask for Eric Raphael.

The PHASE 4 team would like to thank the follow-ing companies for their support during the 2013-2014 school year.

Northwest Savings Bank The PNC Financial Services Group

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