Akron Today Magazine

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Demonstration Night For SCOPE Academy

Greater Summit County Early Learning Center, locally known as SCOPE Academy, is a K-4 elementary school in Akron.

Last week, the learners hosted a Demonstration Night for families. This event showcased various outdoor projects students were working on within their multi-age learning hubs. Under the guidance of their teachers, SCOPE learners seek to identify challenges within their communities and develop solutions for those problems.

One hub of learners noticed that a portion of their outdoor environment was too muddy. By re-purposing rocks that were scattered nearby, they were able to divert rainwater to a drain. Another group noticed a Killdeer bird had built her nest where many of the children played. By contacting a local ornithologist from Summit Metro Parks, this group was able to construct a safe zone for the bird family and learned much about this species of bird in the process. SCOPE learners believe that the outdoors are a place that everyone should respect, observe, wonder about, explore, and understand.

SCOPE’s staff of talented teachers incorporate science, technology, engineering, art, and math principles into each child’s instruction. If you are interested in learning more or have a kindergarten student you would like to enroll, please contact SCOPE’s administrative assistant, Jennifer Huffman at 234-718-2626.

Summer Camps for Kids in Akron

Last summer, my 12-year-old daughter took a speed reading course through one of our local universities.  My expectations as a parent were not met.  She, on the other hand, was very happy. The long week course was different for her; it was a classroom setting, and she enjoyed the setting tremendously. From my point of view, she got some worksheets and a very good book’s list.  She, on the other hand, realized that her vocabulary, reading speed, and reading comprehension were not only comparable to the kids at the course, but were oftentimes better. 

Summer camps are a great time for your children to experience something new, and sometimes even challenging.  Your perspective about the camps and the things she’ll learn will differ from her point of view, but at the end of the summer, you will realize her experiences are the ones that count, and perhaps they are all positive.

Sending your child or teenager to a summer camp can be an extremely positive experience for them. It can be an opportunity where your child’s self-esteem and curiosity are not only nurtured but increased by the positive feedback from counselors and campers alike. Your child or teenager may discover a new interest or rediscover the one she stopped pursuing.  A summer camp can help your child become more independent and learn how to navigate the complexity of personal relationships.

Many summer camps can be a week-long only, and they are long enough for your child to recognize whether she likes it or likes the atmosphere.  The price varies and so does the quality of many of them.  Depending on your child or teenagers’ pursuits, it is very likely that he or she can find one that best suits his needs without paying an exorbitant amount.

The local universities in the Northeast Ohio region offer many summer camps that are academically challenging while offering a friendly atmosphere for your child. From art, dance, and music summer camps to engineering camps tailored to girls, these camps are worth the money you will be spending.

For many families with more than one child, these camps offer discounts to make them affordable for them.  If attending a summer camp through a local university, they are willing and able to work with you.  

Keeping a child learning thru the summer allows them to appreciate their free time and their free space, while still learning and keeping an active mind.

Metal Roof On Your Akron Home?

Updating a home can be an exciting, but stressful project for any property owner. There’s lots of decisions to be made, like the color of a room or styles of kitchen cabinets. If your biggest concern is an old roof, consider a metal roof when making the final decision.

Metal roofs are known for withstanding years of wear and are lightweight compared to traditional asphalt roofing. They have a typical lifespan of 30-60 years and depending on the type of metal roof you choose, it can require minimal maintenance during that time. Some metal roofs available can have up to a 45-year limited warranty. Metal roofs can withstand 140 mph winds and can have minimal snow accumulation during the winter months as metal panels are patterned to be snow resistant and to have a firm, slippery surface.

Metal roofs reflect sunlight, keeping the inside of your home about 20% cooler. If you’re looking to cut utility costs, consider installing metal roofing with solar panels. Tesla recently released solar panel roofing that looks like typical tiles but has solar cells embedded throughout the material.

Metal roofs are a popular design attribution to any household. Colorful trendy metal roofs will make your home stand out from the neighbors and will give the property a fresh, new look. If your house gets too muggy in the summer, consider painting the roof a lighter shade as this will reflect the heat more effectively. For those who are more daring, a bright red or a deep blue could be the roof for you. Earthy tones like copper are also favored among homeowners. To make your house look more modern, consider a stainless steel finish. Consider the color of your home before choosing a bold look for the roof. Remember you will have the roof for many years before needing to replace it and something too bold and trendy now might not be in style in years to come.

When considering buying a metal roof or replacing the one you have now, ask yourself whether the cost of a metal roof is worth it. Metal roofs can, depending on design, cost you double compared to the traditional asphalt shingles. If this is a starter home and plan to sell in a few years, buying a metal roof might not be a financially responsible decision.

Another important factor to consider when installing a metal roof is the level of noise it will bring into your home. There is no reason why your home cannot be as quiet with a metal roof as with an asphalt roof. Consider insulation, fastening your roof, or a roof underlayment that will help keep the noise to a minimum. Also, consider an impact-resistant material when choosing the type of roof you like.

There are four basic types of metal roofing to choose from when deciding which one is the best alternative for you.

  • Standard seam ​– The most common type, are panels covering the roof and is fastened between the panels.
  • Metal slates​ – A great option for those who love the look of singles or tile roofing, as they are designed similarly.
  • Metal tile​ – An ideal replacement for concrete, metal tiles are easier to handle and aren’t as easy to damage.
  • Metal Shake ​– ​Wood shake roofs are desired by many people because of their rustic appeal, but the metal shake is a great alternative, with an authentic look that has the benefits of a steel roof.

Metal roofing offers plenty of options for the pickiest homeowners and even have room to brand out from the norm. No matter the style of roofing you choose, be sure to hire competent contractors who will help bring your vision to light.

LynAnne Vucovich is a journalist who studied at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. She has a passion for culture, community and cats.

Best Akron Marketing Agency

Akron, Ohio is home to a number of fine marketing agencies. And which marketing agency you pick depends on what your main objective is. If you want to produce mail and print pieces, then you need to look for those older Akron marketing agencies who have specialized in that for many years. If you are more interested in growing quickly, then you need to find an Akron marketing agency that specializes in digital marketing, including pay per click and SEO.

Most businesses want to generate leads and awareness from online marketing. Lead generation via AdWords and SEO is the best way to attract new customers locally and nationally. Buzzoodle Digital Marketing Agency is the best Akron marketing agency with over 15 years of experience doing only that.

The reason this is your best bet is simple. SEO takes time, but over time attracts very high-quality buyers to your business and the cost of the click is zero, although there is an investment of time and money in advance, to attract them in the first place.

But if you need leads fast, you also want to mix in PPC. Adwords is the most common PPC 9pay per click) ad engine and it will allow you to start attracting targeted, high quality leads within 24 hours in most cases. The cost of each click is higher, but you are also getting leads quickly as well.

The combination of using Adwords for quick lead generation and SEO for longer-term, lower-cost lead generation is the best way to meet your short term and long term needs for your Akron business.

Buzzoodle has helped companies navigate this maze of opportunities for many years and grown people’s businesses. They combine Akron SEO expertise as well as Adwords management to optimize your ad campaign to test and generate the best leads for your business.

Additional services include Akron website design and development, social media marketing, native advertising and custom application development. Buzzoodle ia an Akron Marketing Agency that can provide the full scope of digital services to clients.

To reach Buzzoodle visit their Akron Marketing Agency website today and see what they can do for you.

Don’t Let Your Lifestyle Choose You

One of the most common things that make me think about moving to a different location from the Akron area is the idea of being in a place where the healthy lifestyle of people is more prevalent.  It is a legitimate thought as the healthy lifestyle indexes for Ohio are middling at best.

However, just because the averages are not where someone would like it does not mean you need to let the lifestyle of where you live pick you. 

One excuse I often think about is the seasonality of Ohio.  You cannot always do the same things year-round.  We love hiking as a family but not into Winter hiking.  So I tend to do less in Winter.

However, if you look at some of the best places for active lifestyles in the nation, some of the top cities have the same seasons.  Wisconsin, Colorado and Idaho all have highly ranked health indexes based on lifestyles.

So, what can you do to not fall into the trap of a less healthy lifestyle in Akron Ohio?

1.      It is critical to have a year-round plan.  You can choose activities that you can do year-round, such as a gym, indoor tennis, racket ball, basketball, working out on equipment you own, etc.

2.      You can also tough out an activity year-round even if it is not traditional.  One person I know who is very fit runs every day year-round with a group except for thunder storms.  All other conditions she goes out, no matter the temperature or condition.

3.      Not planning to do the same thing year-round, know what you can do in each season and have a backup plan for when the weather is not cooperating.

A healthy lifestyle is not just about the excursive.  It is also about diet and let’s face it, we have less healthy places to eat and more easy but bad places to eat.  But this is a matter of planning and doing a bit of research as well.  Places like Chipotle have healthy options for something fast and most places will have healthy options.  If you are looking for a breakfast or lunch, First Watch is a great option that is healthy and sprinkled around the Akron area.

We are not going to have all the options of a big city on the West coast any time soon but they do exist.  Plan ahead and you will be able to not just default to a bad option when you are famished. 

Plus, you can always start preparing some more things in advance and not needing to grab a meal out as often.  If you are taking care of  more meals at home and taking advantage of outdoor activities such as the wealth of walking paths and hiking trails in Akron you can save a lot of money, improve your fitness and choose the lifestyle you want, instead of defaulting to the one most common near you.

 

Exploring Nature Spots Near Akron

Akron, Ohio is home to some amazing bike, hike, and walk trails in Ohio. A short distance from
the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and housing a few of its own lengthy hiking trails, there are
plenty of opportunities, and gorgeous hidden nature spots in, and around Akron.

1. Portage Lakes State Park — Wingfoot Lake State Park —993 Goodyear Park Blvd. Suffield,
OH 44260

If you’re looking to do it all, kayaking, boating, swimming, hiking, and having a large group of
people, Portage Lakes State Park will be able to accommodate all of your needs. It features
many different lakes as well as a wetlands area that attracts many different species to the
surrounding area. There are also events that take place in the park which showcase the multipurpose
use of the park.

2. Cascade Valley Metro Park

Located in south Akron, this metro park offers a large range of different trails for you to explore.
The Overlook area offers amazing views and a relatively easy trail which is great for children or
beginners. More experienced hikers might enjoy the moderately challenging Highbridge Trail
which has some beautiful views of the Cuyahoga river.

3. F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm —1828 Smith Rd. Akron, OH 44313

As well as having three walking/hiking trails, this park and nature realm is a great place for
children or adults who want to learn while they hike. There includes seasonal exhibits as well as
a great kids adrea and a on-site naturalist who is happy to answer any kinds of questions about
the area and wildlife. This area houses many beautiful observation decks, ponds, and even a
large ravine. This is a perfect place to take the whole family to enjoy and learn about the
outdoors.

4. Treaty Line Area in Sand Run Metro Park —995 Treaty Line Rd. Akron, OH 44313

For those wanting to work up a sweat, the Treaty Line Area inside the Sand Run Metro Park
might be right for you. It features several challenging hills and workout stations that can further
challenge you during your walk. This trail is also pet-friendly and features restrooms and a
picnic area which makes it well suited for groups.

Celebrating 200 Homes Built in Akron, Ohio area

Recently Habitat For Humanity Summit County completed their 200th home in the Akron area.  Akron Today Magazine interviewed Habitat For Humanity Summit County CEO and President, Rochelle Sibbio. Here is the Q&A.

1) In 2018, Habitat For Humanity Summit County is building it’s 200th home. How does that feel and what are the goals for the next five years?

It feels amazing to know that we have helped 200 families become homeowners in our community! From the beginnings of the Summit County Habitat affiliate to today I don’t know that the founding board members thought we would get this far in our history. Our very first project was a rehab of a home on Sylvan Avenue and Dorothy Connelly is still the owner of that home today. In the next five years aggressively we would like to build 10 new homes a year, repair 20 homes a year and continue our deconstruction program as a leader in the industry and with Habitat around the US. We are projected to grow our ReStore to $2 million in gross revenue in the next five years and we started that this April by opening an additional day a week.

2) How has your mission changed over the years and what is the primary focus now?

Habitat’s mission has been steadfast for 42 years since it was founded in Americus, GA in 1977; to eliminate substandard housing and a vision where everyone has a decent place to live. While the language and sentencing may have changed over the years the mission and vision remain rooted in homeownership. In the last several years, many affiliates, including ours, began an exterior home repair program. Our goal is to keep families warm, safe, and dry in their homes which many times can lessen the utility bills and maintain the home as an affordable place to live and raise a family. The Summit County affiliate was more of an in-fill builder (one home here one home there) and over the last five years we have focused more on specific neighborhoods where we can do Neighborhood Revitalization which can mean building new construction homes, home repair and deconstruction/demolition work to make way for development once the blight is removed. With the opening of the Summit County ReStore in 2007 the community has supported this venture to provide the necessary funding to continue our mission and expand our mission to do more. But there is always more to do!

3) What does your organization need most? Money? Volunteers? Donated Items?

I would say all of those are highly needed by our affiliate. The funding is needed to build each home, repair each home in advance of the project completion. Habitat is not made whole at the closing of a mortgage since we act as the developer, general contractor, and mortgage holder and servicer. Our families pay us back over the 30 year life of the zero interest mortgage but our building materials have to be paid for as the home is built. Volunteers build nearly 80% of each home from raising walls, hanging siding, installing insulation, putting up drywall – mudding it and finishing it, prime and paint walls, to installing windows and doors and completing the landscaping. It’s a heavy lift! Approximately 2,500 hours to build a home with volunteers and generally over 300 volunteers per project. The donated items that aren’t geared for new construction are placed in our ReStore for sale to the general public. Those dollars fill our gaps in construction and keep the lights on and a roof over the head of the staff that work side by side with families.

4) How do your homes help the greater neighborhoods they are in?

Habitat homes raise property values, especially when we are blessed to build more than one or two homes on a street or in a particular neighborhood. For example, we recently completed two homes side by side in Cuyahoga Falls on Magnolia Street. They were the first two new construction homes on the street since 1987 and prior to that one house built the housing stock on the street dated into the 1940’s and 1950’s. The homes appraised at $145,000 each and will help to increase property values of the neighboring homes. We inspire in neighborhoods as well especially when we do Neighborhood Reborn projects which are our exterior home repair which takes place in specific neighborhoods. We are highly focused with this work in Akron’s Middlebury area and will be doing NRVII in May and moving up to the University Park Neighborhood for the August and October NRVIII and NRIX. While we may be able to complete upwards of 10 home repair projects for homeowners we work with the tenant occupied properties to install solar powered security lights, plant flowers and flower bulbs, and some other general landscape and empower all residents of the street whether homeowners or renters to come together for the betterment of their neighborhood.

5) How can people find out more about you and get involved?

Our website is a wealth of information on being a volunteer on the job site or in the ReStore. We also have a weekly electronic newsletter that is pushed out to our subscribers every Tuesday afternoon that is filled with information about what’s coming up and items that are new in the ReStore. We are also happy to come to workplace, church, service club or community meeting and tell our story and offer ways that people can sign up to join our efforts in making sure that everyone has a decent place to live.

What is External Benchmarking and How Does it Help?

Many small business owners think that external benchmarking is a complicated process, which only large corporations can benefit from.  They believe that there’s no advantage to be gained for their small company by doing it.  Also, even if they wanted to do it, they think the process is cost prohibitive, in addition to requiring time and manpower they don’t have.

And while this can be true, one methodology has a 12 step procedure, it doesn’t have to be that way.  There’s no universally accepted template for the process.  In its most basic form external benchmarking is simply a way to measure your company’s performance in a certain area (i.e., operations, quality, profit and loss, technology) against the best practices of other companies.

Comparing your company practices to another’s best practices provides you with 2 important things.  One is benchmarking gives you insight into how your procedures, operations and costs compare to other companies who’re “doing it right”.  Small business owners who lack basic, broad based knowledge of standard business practices, let alone best practices, is epidemic.

Secondly, benchmarking is a way to learn from the mistakes and experiences of others, without having to go through them yourself.  If you’re willing to learn from the process it’ll give you the perspective, insight and knowledge you need to stay competitive through effective management of goods, services, operations and costs.  External benchmarking provides numerous competitive advantages.

For example, a fictional Akron machine shop had significant employee theft.  The owner learned the best practices for correcting the problem from the owner of a plastics fabricator in Elyria.  However, when the problem was maintaining calibration of his machines, he sought out the best practices of the non-competitive machine shop 2 streets over.

External benchmarking doesn’t have to be complicated or costly.  It can be a onetime event related to a specific problem or an on-going course of action focusing on one or more problems.  It’s impossible for a small business owner to know everything he needs to know to stay competitive and make a profit.  Therefore, it’s worth the time to learn if external benchmarking is right for you.

 

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Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Address: 714 N Portage Path Akron, OH 44303

Phone: 330-836-5533

Website

Built during the years 1912 to 1915, this manor was formerly owned by F.A. Seiberling, founder of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and his wife Gertrude. Stan Hywet means stone quarry in Old English, which is a natural feature of the property. As most of the estates similar to Stan Hywet have been demolished over the years, the property and a few others have been preserved as historic estates and are therefore protected by the organizations that handle them.

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is considered as Akron’s sole National Historic Landmark. More than fifty years ago, the Seiberling family donated the estate to a non-profit organization, allowing the public to see what it is like inside the manor.

To support its day to day expenses, they have allowed some parts of the estate to be rented out for special occasions, such as weddings and corporate events. The lush garden surrounding the estate is perfect as backdrop for events and gatherings. They also offer tours around the estate from April to December.

If you’re an architectural buff and you enjoy visiting houses steeped in history and built with that authentic classical design that today’s classic houses could not emulate, then you must not fail to visit Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens when you find yourself in Akron.

For inquires regarding events and tours, you may call their office today.