Category results for: Season 12

America250 PA

Cassandra Coleman, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial

Cassandra Coleman was appointed Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial (America250PA) in September 2019. She previously served as Special Advisor to Governor Tom Wolf and Director of his Northeast & Central Offices, overseeing intergovernmental and constituency services across 28 counties. A lifelong public servant, Cassandra began her career at age 20 when she was appointed Mayor of Exeter Borough to fill her late grandfather’s term and was subsequently re-elected twice, becoming one of the youngest female mayors in U.S. history. She later founded Coleman & Associates, a firm specializing in fundraising networks and community and political event planning. Cassandra has been recognized by Oprah Magazine, NBC, The Times Leader, the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal, and City & State PA for her leadership and community impact. She serves as the inaugural President of the Wyoming Area Foundation and on the boards of King’s College and several regional organizations. A graduate of King’s College, Cassandra resides in Exeter, Luzerne County, and is the proud mother of her son, Jimmy IV.

Discover how Pennsylvania is taking center stage for America’s 250th anniversary. America250PA Executive Director Cassandra Coleman highlights ongoing programs like the Keystone Classroom Initiative, a storytelling and outreach program bringing Pennsylvania history to elementary schools across the Commonwealth, and Bells Across Pennsylvania, a public art project installing artist-designed bell sculptures in every county. She also previews the kickoff celebrations beginning January 16 in Philadelphia and continuing through all 67 counties, along with the Commonwealth Concert Series and the Countdown to the 250th Mobile Experience. Through celebration, education, and innovation, America250PA is inviting every community to help make history during this once-in-a-generation commemoration.

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Gardening in Small and Shared Spaces with Native Plants

Category: Season 12

Tags: gardening, hobbies

Adam Barkafski, Penn State Extension Master Gardener, Lancaster County

Adam has been a Penn State Extension Master Gardener since 2018. He is a home gardener by hobby. His interest in gardening began with perennials and later focused on native plants. He now gardens to preserve and create pollinator and wildlife habitats. Observing pollinators interact with plants is one of his favorite things.

Gardening with native plants has many benefits, especially for pollinators and other wildlife. However, gardeners who live where there is smaller space to garden, such as in townhouses, urban areas, or retirement communities, may be curious how to maximize those benefits in minimal space. Learn how to choose plants for shared spaces, maintain small gardens, and consider the power of many small gardens together creating a “pollinator patchwork.”

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The Pawpaw: Remembering America’s “Forgotten” Fruit

Category: Season 12

Tags: agroforestry, environment, food, stewardship

Andrew Leahy, Education & Outreach Specialist, Horn Farm Center, York County

Growing up in a rural town called Sweet Valley, just south of Ricketts Glen, Andrew spent his life fostering a love for the PA wilds. He attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown and majored in English Literature and Music Composition, exploring regional ecology, slow food, composting, gardening, permaculture, foraging, and wildcrafting in the spaces between. After graduating college and moving to the Lower Susquehanna region, Andrew spent a year working with the Dickinson College Center for Civic Learning and Action. Soon after, he joined the staff at the Horn Farm Center, affirming his intention to make environmental stewardship a professional path and lifetime passion project. As Education & Outreach Specialist, Andrew is responsible for developing programs, coordinating volunteers, managing social media, crafting educational content, and supporting marketing and development projects.

Take a look at the pawpaw (Asimina triloba), North America’s largest native fruit. Viewers learn about the pawpaw’s unique growth habits, pollination, wildlife relationships, and tropical flavor profile, as well as its deep connections to Indigenous stewardship and American history. The talk traces how the pawpaw shifted from a widely used and cultivated fruit to a largely forgotten one, and why it is now experiencing renewed interest. Emphasizing sustainability, agroforestry, and climate resilience, this presentation highlights the pawpaw’s growing importance in local food systems and its promise for the future.

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