Why The Penn State Hershey Medical Center Glows At Night

Have you ever wondered why the Penn State Medical Center is lit up at night?

Whether you’re visiting the Penn State Hershey Medical Center, driving by it on 322, or if you’re like me, and you can see it after taking five steps outside of your home, this place is quite hard to miss at night.

I remember the first time I noticed the lights shining onto the front crescent of the hospital at night and was taken aback by how bright and colorful it looked. It instantly grabs your attention. Now that it’s been several years, they have done more than try to save energy. I find that they’ve made this a unique and important signature of the hospital today and it affects the public in a positive way.

For example, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the color pink is used heavily to support women that have or know someone with breast cancer.

This past month the hospital showed their support for women everywhere by lighting the front of the hospital with pink LED lights a few nights throughout the month. It was impossible to miss from the highway and easily visible from a mile away.

By doing this, the hospital is spreading awareness to the public and sending out the message that they are in full support of the health challenges that need recognition in our community. Also, they do themed lighting for specific holidays throughout the year such as the Fourth of July. This year,  the building was divided into thirds of red, white, and blue.

It is so subtle yet so effective and quite frankly a little fun. Some nights they do different designs and colors and it can be exciting to drive by on your way from work and see what color the hospital is that night.

So, the next time you’re out and about one night, take a detour on you’re way home and drive by the front of the hospital and see for yourself how the hospital is engaging with its people just by the switch of a button and a few lightbulbs.

Check out their page here.

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Parent Involvement With Homework

When I was in high school, I shadowed a Kindergarten teacher from my Elementary school in Hummelstown, PA. At the time, I was interested in becoming a Kindergarten teacher and although that desire is no longer with me, one discussion that we had in relation to the setbacks for teachers in primary education pops up into my head every so often. That setback is the need for more help in academics from parents at home. For example, the class was assigned a homework sheet and one student failed to have it completed that morning.

My curiosity over this issue continued as I briefly researched the topic online. I stumbled upon a blog post from a website called Learning Liftoff, where they discussed two differences between parent engagement of homework.

Learning Liftoff explains that “children consistently complete their homework when their parents are involved in their education”. By doing this, the article suggests that parents become more interested in what their children are learning, allows for a scheduled time to make sure they do their work, and helps to diminish distractions.

After reflecting on the article, I can’t seem to find a definitive reason as to why a Kindergartener isn’t getting their school work completed. Who’s at fault for this? The student, teacher, or parent? There can be plenty of room for debate when trying to answer this question but I do find that from personal experience growing up, I side with the idea that a parent cannot be too involved in the homework that their students are required to do at home.

A tip that may be helpful in student success from home would be to go through all of their work with them each night around the same time, to ensure that they are prepared for the next day. Be a guide for them when they need it! It’s what my parents did for me growing up and I can say that I am thankful for it. It kept me in a routine, taught me the importance of responsibility, and emphasized their care for my success. Overall, their involvement benefitted everyone.

I want to know what you have to say! Leave a comment down below!