NewsWorks announces new partnership with NW Philly parents blog

2012 is promising to be a banner year (excuse the pun, see end of article).  Germantown Avenue Parents (GAP) is thrilled to launch a partnership with WHYY’s Newsworks, and very excited to welcome three new writers to the group. 

If you miss the stories on Facebook, email, or your feed of choice, you’ll now have the opportunity to check them out directly via either website.

Here are the top three things you should know about the GAP writers:

1. We hail from and write about Germantown, Mt. Airy and Chestnut HIll. 2. We’re all transplants to the area. 3. We have sixteen children between the 5 of us.

Writer Elizabette Andrade, is a mother of 4, a formative years homeschooler, an educator, freelance academic writer, and a culinary artist and food alchemist at Earth’s Elements Foods & Products, Inc. She is passionate about family, food and community. She’s an advocate for the local food movement and enjoys both cooking as an art and contemplative practice, especially with children. Elizabette lives in Germantown.

Jen Bradley (GAP writer and editor), has four great kids who provide endless inspiration for blog topics, but little time to actually write them. Passionate topics include everything from raising independent and under-scheduled kids (love) to homework (hate) to taking on the princesses (love-hate).  Some of these topics are helped along by her background in Urban Education and Early Childhood Education, but most are generated by her four young muses.  Jen teaches courses at several local colleges and universities.

Seasoned GAP writer Maleka Fruean is a mama of three, writer, artist, aspiring activist, and the events coordinator for the Torchlight Arts and Culture Center. She’s done poetry readings at a variety of venues throughout Philadelphia, organizes the kid programming for Greenfest Philly, and tries to find time to actually read. As the Library Assistant at Wissahickon Charter School, she helps spread her love of books.  Maleka lives in Germantown.

Writer Kim Pacini is a mama of a three year old girl living in Mt. Airy. A feminist, yogi, entrepreneur and community organizer, she has been studying and working for the prosperity and happiness of women and girls for the last 12 years. Kim writes for both Germantown Avenue Parents and The Examiner.

Writer Paula M. Riley is a freelancer who believes in the power of words!  She has a background in marketing & communications and is an adjunct writing professor. Raised in Rochester, NY, Paula now calls Chestnut Hill her home.   She is involved in many local organizations and loves community living.  Paula and her husband have four children who keep their lives fun and interesting.

This week, we’ll be unveiling a new post each day from one of GAP’s talented writers.  You can look forward to pieces on purging t-o-y-s, surprises from Germantown, gender and play, and a fabulous new children’s book review.  But this newness doesn’t end with the posts, our writers, or even the Newsworks partnership.  Thanks to Zoe Rooney Website Design and Development, the GAP website has a gorgeous new look.  You’ll find drop-down menus for local school reviews, upcoming events, parenting articles, and local issues for Germantown, Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill.  Our fabulous banner (there’s the pun) was created by the talented Dana Scherer of Bamboo Photography. Both Dana and Zoe are also local Moms (adding another 6 children to GAP’s total).  One thing you can never accuse us of is a lack of parenting experience!

Jen Bradley is Editor of Germantown Avenue Parents