Category: Uncategorized

TikTok — The pros, the cons, and should it be banned?

by Debbie Casini Klein, Director, I Want to be an Ambassador! camp The United States is the country with the most monthly active TikTok users –more than 100 million, with teenagers making up the largest group.  It has more Gen …

TikTok — The pros, the cons, and should it be banned? Read More »

Not that clever

by Margot Callahan, Contributing Writer We were quite proud of ourselves for creating a cool 9th birthday party for our son. It was hot in mid August, and families were gearing up for back-to-school. We called the parents and said …

Not that clever Read More »

Fresh air for the eyes

by Beth Dolinar, contributing writer My home sits atop a hill I’ve come to call Mt. Crumpit, a nod to the mountain home upon which the Grinch snarled and planned his Christmas Eve plunder down below. While I’m not nearly that …

Fresh air for the eyes Read More »

Ambassador Alum Makes Music Around the World

by Beth Dolinar, contributing writer We are always happy to catch up with alumni of our Luminari camps, to learn what they’ve been up to.  Meet Max Rosen, a singer-songwriter with a budding career.  He’s an alumnus of the 2017 …

Ambassador Alum Makes Music Around the World Read More »

Meet our 2024 Luminari Award Scholars

Luminari, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit organization, proudly celebrates the winners of its 12th annual merit scholarship essay contest: the Luminari Award and the Luminari ESL Award. These prestigious accolades revolve around students’ perspectives on diplomacy. The Luminari Award contest is open to students in schools throughout …

Meet our 2024 Luminari Award Scholars Read More »

Welcome Heather Schirra, Camp Administrator

Luminari warmly welcomes Heather Schirra to our team! Heather, an experienced Special Education Teacher, brings years of experience from diverse special education settings. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Special and Elementary Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Assessment from Clarion …

Welcome Heather Schirra, Camp Administrator Read More »

Friend or Foe? It’s Hard to Know!

by Dana Wineland O’Rouke, contributing writer Female rivalry happens when a woman uses her power to keep another woman down, mistreats her, or competes unfairly with her. Opposition, envy, and betrayal are ugly. I’m a fairly confident person who never …

Friend or Foe? It’s Hard to Know! Read More »

Luminari Award Essay Contest

Apply today for the 2024 Luminari Award Scholarship Contest Do you want to learn more about the world and how to make a positive difference in it? Do you enjoy writing and expressing your ideas? If you are a high …

Luminari Award Essay Contest Read More »

E-minor: the key to my heart

by Beth Dolinar, contributing writer E-minor is my favorite. Most people learning to play guitar will agree that Em is their favorite—probably because it’s two fingers on two strings close together. It’s easy to get to, it’s fairly common in …

E-minor: the key to my heart Read More »

The Greatest Gift

by Dana Wineland O’Rouke, contributing writer Bayberry candles, cut-out cookies, and Christmas cards have been a tradition in our home since we married forty-five years ago. While I addressed as many Christmas cards this year as last, our mailbox, and …

The Greatest Gift Read More »