Page 10 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • November 2, 2011 Area The week of Nov. 13 through 19, Huntington Learning Centers in the local community will recognize American Education Week, a celebration of public education and the people who make a difference in ensuring every child receives a quality education. First observed in 1921, the National Education Association’s American Education Week is now in its 90th year. “The vision of the National Education Association to implore Americans to help Huntington celebrates American Education Week make public schools great for every child is very closely aligned with our own mission at Huntington,” said Eileen Huntington, co-founder of Huntington Learning Center. “We strive to give every student the best education possible and give them the tools and the confidence to succeed in school. American Education Week is a wonderful celebration of the people and communities who believe in the importance of highquality schools and come together to give children what they need to achieve.” American Education Week was born when the National Education Association and the American Legion met in 1919 to seek ways to generate public support for education. The first observance of American Education Week was in December 1921. The week includes the individual celebrations of Parents Day, Education Support Professionals Day and Substitute Educators Day, and an Educator for a Day program. “Public support for education has certainly come a long way in the past 90 years, but we continue to call upon our students’ parents and all citizens to get involved in education,” said Huntington. “Whether you are a parent or not, we can all agree that educating our students and supporting their learning is crucial to our nation’s prosperity. We are honored to join other educators to recognize American Education Week.” To learn more, contact Ashley Oettinger at the Ridgewood Huntington Learning Center at (201) 447-1235 or YuanC@hlcmail.com. For additional information about American Education Week, visit www.nea.org. Hey, Sole Sisters! Thirteen women from the Ridgewood area participated in the 2011 NYC Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Known as the Bethlehem Lutheran Sole Sisters, they raised over $36,000 for breast cancer research. Front row: Autumn Lexer, Aimee Ensign, Maria Torre, Patty Criscenzo, Elaine Bitten, and Jennifer Benjamin. Back row: Anne-Marie Dalessandro, Patricia Poole, Gretchen Nelson, Nancy Evenden, Lynette Matthews, Marisa Panecki, and Jill Krause. (continued from page 4) knuckling under to peer pressure or submitting to abuse. “Girls, never let anyone tell you that you aren’t beautiful,” she said in speaking at the StarPower program at the Ridgewood Library on Oct. 23. “You are a shining star no matter what anyone else has to say.” “I was bullied a lot when I was in school, mostly by other girls, but sometimes by boys, and I just wanted to let them know what bullying is all about and that they don’t have to put up with it,” Kneer confided as she signed autographs for the younger girls who lined up at her table in the library lobby. Sponsored by the Junior League of Bergen County, StarPower featured Miss Teen America speakers and workshops to tell pre-teen girls how to cope with bullying and cyberbullying. Interactive small group talks between adult volunteer counselors and the girls took place all over the library. The speakers included Junior League of Bergen County President Laura Behrmann, StarPower Chair Marcee Taylor, and Dr. Erica Chin, a psychologist who specializes in depression therapy, anxiety, and non-suicidal self-injury – all of which may be symptoms of being victimized by bullies. Members of the Junior League of Bergen County are seeking parents who need advice about youngsters who have been bullied in school and can often provide referral services.