< PreviousCAround Your Town Around Your Town When Paul Amic was growing up in Canonsburg, his dad would sometimes take him on a drive out to McDonald to visit the gravesites of his father’s parents and grandparents. The cemetery where those graves were located was a bit odd as far as cemeteries go. It sat at the end of a dirt road that wound up off of a side street and through a forest. There wasn’t any signage indicating that it was there or even what its name was. “It’s kind of off the beaten path and the road bends,” says Amic. “Then you go about 50 yards and into the woods and all of a sudden it opens into a cemetery. It’s a neat place.” Amic was supposed to go there again with his dad in 2018, but the day they were planning to do so his dad cancelled, saying he didn’t feel well. Amic’s dad passed away not long after that. On Memorial Day of last year, Amic finally made it back out to the cemetery and what he found shocked him. Every other time he’d visited there had been some tall weeds growing around the outer edges, but most of the area was still accessible. This time around, the weeds were chest high and he could barely make out the tops of the headstones. “I couldn’t believe it,” he says. “I was disappointed and upset, all those emotions that, boy, this had been let go. I had family there so it was important that it get taken care of.” A couple of days later, Amic returned with a weed wacker and cleared out the growth around his family’s headstones. Throughout the summer, he worked to get the rest of the overgrowth under control. He’s been returning every couple of weeks since in the spring and summer to mow the grass and recover name tags strewn around the field. It has turned into a big project at the historic cemetery, which contains upwards of 160 graves, some of which date back to the 1890s. Recently, Amic also began working with the McDonald Area Redevelopment Association to raise funds to fix the road leading up to the cemetery. Earlier this year, a heavy rain washed out a large portion it. A five-foot-deep ravine currently makes the road impassable by car. Amic’s hoping other people with family members at the cemetery will chip in to help get the road fixed so people can continue to visit their loved ones interred there. A list of the graves is located at: sites.rootsweb. com/~njm1/robb.htm. Anyone wishing to donate can send a check with “Cemetery” written on the subject line to the McDonald Area Redevelopment Association. The address is provided at the end of this article. The latest volunteer caretakers As it turns out, Amic is just the latest in a line of volunteer caretakers who have happened to take it upon themselves to maintain the cemetery over the years. Another such caretaker, Larry Toulouse, used to help his grandfather take care of the cemetery in the mid-1960s. Like Amic, he also has family members interred there. Earlier this year, Toulouse returned to check on the cemetery and ran into Amic. He’s been helping him ever since, by cutting grass and even removing some fallen trees. Toulouse says he has at least 10 family members at the cemetery and that when he used to visit it with his grandfather he’d regularly see other people there. “When I’d go up there it wouldn’t be unusual to see people taking care of the graves,” he says. “Most of the graves I remember a lot of flowers being planted and shrubs. A lot of the graves have nice pink flowers on them from the peonies they planted.” Recently, he and Amic have noticed flowers being left at some graves, indicating that people are still visiting. The two suspect that if more people knew they had family members there, they might visit as well. Toulouse says his elderly aunt would love to visit the cemetery but that, with it now being inaccessible by car, she wouldn’t be able to climb the road on foot. Amic’s mother, too, would like to visit but can’t for the same reason. They both suspect there may be others in the same situation. Rescuing a historic cemetery in McDonald STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY ABOVE: Paul Amic stands by the headstones of his ancestors at Hilldale Cemetery in July. RIGHT: Amic snapped this picture of the cemetery last year when he visited and found it overgrown to the point that the headstones can barely be seen. BELOW: Additional challenges to maintaining the cemetery include finding name tags identifying unmarked graves, fixing the road, and righting toppled headstones. BOTTOM RIGHT: Several veterans are interred at Hilldale, among them James Dickson, a veteran of the Indian and Spanish Wars. 20 • Allegheny West Magazine • August/September 2020Solving a mystery At the same time, Amic has been trying to piece together some of the history of the cemetery with the help of locals, including Alice Thomassy. Over the past couple of decades, Alice and her husband, Tim, have been dedicating a good bit of their time to chronicling the town’s history. They’ve assembled not only a history display dedicated to McDonald at the McDonald Trail Station but also gathered information for the book series “McDonald Memories.” Alice, who has family members interred at the cemetery as well, says she has long suspected it held a connection to her church, Irons Memorial Presbyterian Church, in McDonald. In the late 19th century, the church was known as French Church and its parishioners were largely French and Belgian immigrants who had come to the U.S. in the mid- to late 19th century. Many of the church’s oldest family members are interred at the cemetery. Those same names are etched into a stained glass window at the church. Digging through church records, Alice has found baptism and marriage records with those names but no official connection to the cemetery. Neither has she been able to find a cemetery map that lists all of the people interred there. Obituaries from the McDonald Record newspaper, however, have helped shed some light on the mystery. Those obituaries indicate that the cemetery was once known as Hilldale Cemetery or Hillsdale Cemetery. Some also refer to it as Robb Cemetery, after a prominent area farming family. One such Robb, James Robb, lived nearby in a stone house and the book “20th Century History of the City of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens” indicates that Hillsdale Cemetery was actually located on Robb’s farm. A section of text dedicated to James Robb refers to his wife, Mrs. Robb, as being “…buried in Hilldale Cemetery, which is located on the Robb Farm” in 1904. Still, what relationship Robb held to the French Church or why its parishioners were interred on the farm remains a mystery. A number of other Robb family members are also buried at the cemetery and a prominent stone marker is etched with the Robb name. “Maybe this guy was so kind he said, ‘Go ahead,’” Alice says. There are other mysteries, too, including the layout of the cemetery. A large area in between a rise and lower area appears vacant and devoid of stones. As well, some areas have been sectioned off by steel pipes, apparently indicating family plots. The surfaces of some concrete head stones have worn away while others have no markings at all. Some very old graves are marked with plastic plates that have been chipped and largely destroyed while others have nameplates that once contained letters but have been scattered around the area. Some stones may have also been lost to the undergrowth. Thus far, Alice believes she’s found at least a dozen obituaries belonging to additional individuals interred at the cemetery. Their headstones could have either been lost or are located off in the brush in areas that Amic and Toulouse have yet to clear. At least two veterans are also interred there, though the name of one is unknown. Another, named James Dickson, was a private in the U.S. Calvary during the Indian and Spanish Wars. Born in 1863, he passed away in 1953. Currently, the land where Hillsdale Cemetery is located is privately owned and a gate blocks the road leading into it. However, people do still visit, including Amic and Toulouse. As they’ve continued their work, Alice is still searching for records in hopes of coming up with a map of the cemetery and more about its history. Anyone who has information regarding the cemetery can email Allegheny West Magazine at info@awmagazine.com or call (724) 673-3161. Anyone wishing to donate to fix the cemetery’s road can send a check with “Cemetery” written on the subject line to: MARA, PO Box 152, McDonald, PA 15057. After much work, the grounds at Hilldale Cemetery have been mostly cleared. August/September 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 21Western Pennsylvania and Allegheny County have been adapting and responding aggressively to the spread on the Covid-19 virus. Specifically, contact tracing, masking and quarantines for residents who have encountered someone who has tested positive for the virus have helped slow sustained community spread. Yes, we are “Opening Pennsylvania” and we all are excited to be going back to work but the plans to proceed with returning to work still require caution. Nationally, we see that when communities reopen without carefully putting proper safety measures in place - such as social distancing, universal masking, and other public health guidance - a spike in cases, stay- at-home orders and closures often ensue. Here at the PAACC, we are working in tandem with Team PA, PA DOT, the Department of Community and Economic Development and the PA administration on guidance for businesses, local municipalities, employees and customers with the goal of guiding a safe reopening process for all. The “Green” phase eases most restrictions with the continued suspension of the stay-at-home and business closure orders. This allows the economy to reopen while continuing to prioritize public health. I am continually amazed and encouraged by the creativity and exuberance displayed by our members as they have encouraged each other to work together during our reopening. An example is Pittsburgh Works Together, which is a new collaborative venture between business and labor that the chamber is helping to facilitate. This mix of blue-collar manufacturing, research and development within our technology community will be directed and managed by our good friend from the Builders Guild, Jeff Nobers. It will be chaired by Tom Melcher, Business Manager for the Greater Pittsburgh Building Trades Council, and Morgan O’Brien, former President and COO of Peoples Gas. Their mission is to advocate for an all-inclusive economic future that recognizes the vital roles of both traditional and emerging industries. As your Chamber of Commerce, we will do everything possible to help guide our members and our community. We are stronger and just as, if not more, vibrant and economically sound than any other business community throughout Western Pennsylvania where people work, live and connect. 22 • Allegheny West Magazine • August/September 2020y > Learning Curves Learning Curves Understand what you own – Do you understand what types of stocks and bonds you own? Going through your holdings can help you realize the level of diversification you have. If you see that your portfolio is well thought out, with complimentary parts and appropriate risks given your time horizon and goals, that can be reassuring. If you find that you are overly concentrated in certain investments, you can go ahead and address that thoughtfully. Ramp up your savings – Now is a great time to make sure you are using your money wisely. You may be able to generate new savings by refinancing your mortgage, switching cable companies, shopping for energy providers, finding a better health plan or simply putting away a set amount monthly. Even a modest sum, consistently invested, can turn out to be significant over the long term. If you are not saving every month, pick a dollar amount - no matter how small - and set up an automatic draw to an investment account. Simplify your financial life – One effective way to deal with uncertainty is to make it easier to keep track of your accounts. Do you have miscellaneous money floating around - perhaps an old workplace plan or a brokerage account with a small balance? Consider consolidating these into your main set of accounts. Old savings bonds, stock certificates or that drawer full of change could all add up and be put to better uses. By decluttering your finances and eliminating unnecessary accounts, you can better analyze your financial position and maybe even speed up your tax filing. Talk to someone you trust – This can be your financial advisor or a friend or relative with investment experience and knowledge. What do they suggest doing? Simply looking for advice online may lead you to information overload. Try speaking about your fears. You may find that just articulating your thoughts and concerns makes you feel better and more confident about the road ahead. While times of volatility can be upsetting, managing one’s financial life reasonably and systematically can lead to much better outcomes than knee-jerk reactions or a neglectful approach. Not confident in your financial plan and investments after the COVID-19 market sell off? Looking for help to get organized? Amy and Brad can be contacted for a no-obligation retirement planning and investment review. Call them at (412) 633-1741 or email Amy.Riley@hefren.com. Learn more about their webinars at www.hefren.com/seminars. Investing checklist: weathering the stock market storm SUBMITTED BY BRAD COLVIN AND AMY RILEY, FINANCIAL ADVISORS, HEFREN-TILLOTSON Brad Colvin Amy Riley When markets are moving rapidly up and down, you may feel torn between jumping ship or trying to hibernate. Selling out is usually tricky and sometimes disastrous. So what else can one do besides putting on blinders? Here are four proactive moves to take when your portfolio is making you nervous: August/September 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 23412.205.8998 | DDSWebDesign.com Websites that get results. Designed in Pittsburgh Contact us for a free website analysis. Affordable Custom Designs Responsive Sites | Content Management SEO | E-commerce | Hosting | Maintenance Imagine your website working as hard for your business as you do. 24 • Allegheny West Magazine • August/September 2020August/September 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 25Remember When? Remember When? N As a child growing up in Findlay Township, Joe Niederriter recalls hearing the cows mooing and the ring-necked pheasants crowing at what was once the old Montour Farm on McClaren Road. Niederriter fondly remembers the beautiful rose bushes that graced the property’s fence along the road. Those fences formed the farm boundaries, which encompassed a large swath of property where the remains of two old barns stood until their demolition earlier this year. The farm was a beacon in the middle of Imperial when it brimmed with life at its height in the 1960s and 1970s. Marty Langston, another area resident, believes that the barns were built before the Civil War. He added that they belonged to his great, great grandparents. Earlier this year, McClaren Road Findlay LLC, an affiliate of SunCap Property Group, purchased the 115-acre property for $5.81 million. The barns were razed and property conversion is well underway for a new industrial development. The property will be the site of a second Amazon distribution center in the township and a possible office center. Findlay Township resident Ernie Leopold, who sits on the township’s planning commission, says he was sad to see the barns go. “I’ve been a proponent of preserving the barns for years,” he says. “The developer was asked what would become of the barns, and indicated they weren’t sure at that time.” Findlay Township currently has over 520 acres of privately owned land identified as Agriculture Security Areas, according to a link on their website to the page, www.alleghenyfarmland.com. The abandoned Montour Farm property, unfortunately, was unable to be preserved as part of that effort. Cheryl Rinehart, secretary-treasurer for Findlay Township, said that one barn still had the milking stalls and equipment, and the other had machinery in it. The photos here were taken by Findlay Township’s building inspector, Russ Collins, shortly before the barns were dismantled. “My cousin and uncle both worked there,” Rinehart reflects. John Scott Jr., whose family has owned the historic Scott Farm in North Fayette Township over multiple generations, says his family took a crew of Amish men who had worked on their own structures to look at the barns before they were demolished. Their intent was to possibly move one of the barns onto the Scott Farm in order to preserve it. “Unfortunately, the condition of them was such that they would not survive a move intact or dismantling and reassembly. These were some of the nicest barns around. It’s sad to see them go, but unfortunately, they were too far in disrepair to relocate,” he says. Local information about the farm and its structures is limited. The Western Allegheny Community Historical Society doesn’t have any records, nor does Findlay Township. Online research reveals very little. However, one older resident, Herb Swaoger, lived and worked on the farm. He reminisced about the times when the farm was a prominent place in the township. Immediately after graduating from West Allegheny in the 1960s, Swaoger went to work at the Montour Farm. He joined his father, Joe, and brother, Frank, both of whom worked there as well. He recalls that the farm encompassed several barns, horse stalls, crops and orchards. He remembers there being a row of sheds, a bunkhouse, and a shop building that served as a garage and place to store equipment. He says that the farm was managed by Joe Boyle, who lived in the farmhouse. Mary McCune, who owned the farm, lived on their other property in a mansion on Coraopolis Heights Road in Moon Township with her brother, Charles McCune. According to information published on geneaology.com from “Biographical Review Volume XXIV: Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Pittsburgh and the Vicinity Pa,” their mother, Janet Walker Lockhart, was the daughter of Pennsylvania oil baron Charles Lockhart. Charles not only served as president of Standard Oil and the Pittsburgh Bank of Commerce, but also owned Lockhart Steel. Swaoger says he believes the family owned Potter Montour Farm Recently razed barns spur memories of a once vibrant Findlay farm STORY BY PAT JENNETTE These photos and the one on the following page were taken of barns at Montour Farm shortly before dismantling. PHOTOS BY RUSS COLLINS 26 • Allegheny West Magazine • August/September 2020Remember When? Remember When? N and McCune Wholesale Merchandise as well. Today, their Moon Township home and its surrounding grounds are home to Montour Heights Country Club. The McCunes played a prominent role in the airport region. According to history found on the Montour Heights Country Club website, Janet and her husband, John Robinson McCune III, first purchased the property on Coraopolis Heights Road in 1909. They named the home High Skeog, after the Lockhart family farm in Scotland. In 1938, the 25-room house was destroyed by a fire and Charles constructed a three-story brick house on the same site. In 1960, Charles and Mary moved into the home. While Mary oversaw the affairs of Montour Farm, her brother was a prominent figure in the region’s banking industry. Charles served as director of the Union National Bank of Pittsburgh for 56 years, according to information found on the McCune Foundation website. He also served as the foundation’s president from 1945 until 1972, and then as chairman until his death. Charles and Mary McCune were generous in every way, and Herb Swaoger was quick to note that those who worked and lived on the farm were most appreciative of their generosity. During his life, Charles gave generously to charitable organizations, mostly in the Pittsburgh area, while seeking no public recognition of his philanthropy. He established the McCune Foundation in memory of his parents, Janet Lockhart McCune and John Robinson McCune III. “Mary McCune would make sure we were always fed, and she gave away many of the products that were either made at the farm or from other sources,” Swaoger remembers. He especially recalls how Joe Boyle’s wife cooked meals each day to feed all the farm workers before they would go home for the day. Swaoger and his family lived in a small house in Enlow. The property was part of what would soon encompass the Montour Farm when, he believes, the Marshall and Marcon Farms were purchased and added onto the farm property. The combined property sat adjacent to the former Enlow Racetrack and Fairgrounds, a popular place where horse racing had its heyday. The racetrack needed cared for, so Swaoger and the farm hands would maintain it. When winter came, they cut down trees and hay fields and kept the grounds clean. “My dad and brother were paid $150 a month plus their stay in the house, and I was paid two dollars and fifty cents a day, minus taxes. It wasn’t much, but I was able to soon buy a car with it,” he notes. Swaoger recalls that his duties were varied. “We did everything,” he says. “We hand milked dairy cows every evening. We cleaned up the hog barn, cooked the hog feed and put it into the tubs. We would cut the grass or churn milk to make butter with cream from the milk. Mrs. McCune would give each of us one-pound blocks plus extra meat.” Cleaning the stalls for the cows and two retired racehorses was also part of a typical day. Swaoger recalls their names were Flash Draw and Silver May. Both were mares. “Flash Draw was blind,” he says. “Those two would spend their days in the pasture.” He says Clark McCoy had the best job, though. “He was the horse trainer,” says Swaoger, “and he was getting paid a thousand dollars a month.” Besides the two retired mares, the McCunes raised racehorses in a separate barn on the property. Mary McCune also raised Irish sprinter show dogs, and Swaoger says he took care of them, too. When spring arrived, the farmhands got the fields and orchards ready for planting and tended to the extensive rose bushes that grew along the wide picket fence that bordered the farm property along McClaren Road. “She was very proud of those roses, and we would spend hours pruning them and carefully winding them in and out of the fence so they would grow to her liking,” he says. The roses are what many area residents still remember about the old Montour Farm. They were admired by anyone traveling up and down McClaren Road. Mary McCune succumbed to cancer at the age of 58 in 1961 . Charles McCune passed away in 1979. Soon after, the horses, cattle and other portions of what was once the farm were sold off. Joe Boyle and his family continued to live in the house. Eventually, his family and others who lived there moved on, and the property was left dormant. Now 78, Swaoger reflects on his life at the farm. “It was a good place to live and work,” he recalls. He now lives in Hookstown, and still owns horses. As a piece of local history goes by the wayside, these stories remind us of an era when more farms like these were vibrant parts of the West Allegheny area. This painting depicts Charles McCune. PHOTO COURTESY MCCUNE FOUNDATION August/September 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 27> Learning Curves Learning Curves Pain is not a lifestyle. It is a message that our body is sending to us to tell us that something is wrong. It’s not unlike when the check engine light comes on in our car. When that happens, we tend to address the problem immediately rather than risk a smaller, addressable problem becoming a major mechanical failure. We know that if we keep running our car with the check engine light on, we’re taking a risk. When it comes to treating pain, however, we tend to take a different approach and medicate to cover up the underlying problem rather than address it. Doing so can make it easy to ignore symptoms of stress, pain or fatigue, and will only make our nervous system hypersensitive to pain. This can open up a window to chronic conditions. Just like with cars, we can’t procrastinate when it comes to addressing a bodily injury with a safe and effective treatment. “Our body gives us warning signs that are easy to ignore with pain-relieving medications but finding the source of the problem is something that we specialize in,” says Josh Slomkowski, DC, owner of Hometown Spine and Sport on Steubenville Pike. Slomkowski holds advanced certifications in sports medicine treatments and can address problems causing the injury, not just the symptoms of the injury. Hometown Spine & Sport offers a unique style of treatment that involves a hybridized blend of chiropractic care, soft tissue release therapy and physio-therapy exercises. “We see people every day who have been treated by other health care professionals prior to coming to our office and these people are usually frustrated with their pain and symptoms that haven’t been fixed,” says Slomkowski. “While testing with x-rays, CT or an MRI are important to rule out the things that our eyes can’t see, pain could be caused by other factors such as stomach issues, anxiety, poor posture, a bad diet or even a fear that pain won’t ever go away.” Slomkowski says he tries to empower patients by teaching them to put their health first with adequate stretching, exercise, proper nutrition and even mindfulness techniques. Stress management is particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many peoples’ daily routines have been altered. “Healing starts from the inside outward, meaning that we must find ways to help our bodies now before more concerning medical conditions arise later on,” says Slomkowski. The healthcare professionals at Hometown Spine and Sport have been strictly adhering to all CDC guidelines so that patients feel comfortable when entering the facility. The practice remains open during the pandemic so that anyone suffering from debilitating pain can get the treatment they require. Hometown Spine & Sport is located at 7350 Steubenville Pike, just off the Route 22 Oakdale Exit. For more, visit www. hometownspineandsport. com or call them at (412) 490-1700. The practice is open on Monday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., on Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Hometown Spine & Sport accepts most insurance and also offers Department of Transportation physicals. See below for more information. Are you treating your pain, or ignoring it with medication? SUBMITTED BY HOMETOWN SPINE AND SPORT Hometown Spine and Sport owner Dr. Josh Slomkowski is pictured here with administrative assistants Linda Kavka and Amy Purdy . 28 • Allegheny West Magazine • August/September 2020y > Learning Curves Learning Curves 3. They’re not treating online courses as “real” courses Some students take online classes less seriously since there is no one standing there to hold them accountable. Students, though, should begin coursework early and finish assignments as soon as they can. They should also be participating by commenting on other students’ posts and assignments, by peer editing projects, and getting involved in online discussions. Engaging in class discussions helps to clarify concepts, introduce new ideas and build a rapport with both the instructor and fellow students. Students should also establish a consistent way to contact teachers and classmates, whether it be by email, texting or social media. Is your student at risk of falling behind this fall? SUBMITTED BY NINA KAPLAN, OPEN MINDS STUDIOS When students go back to school this fall, chances are their education will continue to encompass some type of online learning. Until this past spring semester, however, many students had little experience with distance learning, or at least not to the extent as has been required of them during the COVID-19 pandemic. While 21st century tools have aided this transition, the lack of a structured school environment has led many students to develop habits that are detrimental to learning and could cost them later. As a locally operated and student-focused learning center, Open Minds Studios has worked with many students to develop independent study strategies that help them succeed. Now those skills are more important than ever. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve been continuing to offer our existing online tutoring services while also developing new services to better serve students. Is your student at risk of falling behind while they’re working remotely? Here are some signs that they could be and some strategies on how to help them stay on track: This fall, it might be tempting for students studying remotely to go to class in their pajamas, but in order to stay on track they’ll need to make modifications. At Open Minds Studios on Steubenville Pike, we’ve been helping students with the transition to e-learning and are adapting to the current crisis just like everyone else. In addition to our existing online tutoring services, we’ve recently established an emergency response team to expedite planning, implementation, and access to 1:1 on-demand online tutoring and homework help. We customize online sessions to the student’s level and pace. We’ve also been connecting tutors with students for same-day homework questions and exam prep. Our tutors are helping students by supporting school-directed e-learning and guiding them through school assignments. We also help them revisit concepts and procedures, practice executive functioning skills, prepare for standardized tests and finish assignments. In addition, we’re offering another new program for academic coaching that includes devising a personalized plan in the following areas: motivation/procrastination, organization, time management, test-taking skills, homework management, note taking, improving study skills, reading strategies, using a planner, and setting priorities. Our $35 hourly rate includes a weekly check-in to help students stay on track. For more information, call us at (412) 600-1125 or visit www.OpenMindsStudios.com. 1. They’re not on a daily schedule Instead of following a routine defined by when they left the house and got home this past spring semester, students instead spent every day at home. Yet staying on a schedule contributes to a feeling of normalcy, thus providing structure. It also helps keep students motivated and from falling behind. Instead of feeling like they are on vacation with empty days ahead, students should be waking up at the same time and taking a regular lunch break. There should be time for reading, studying, engaging online, exercise and self care, every day. 2. They’re studying in a messy and distracting workspace It’s tempting for students to grab their laptop and start working on their next essay or reading assignment from the comfort of their bed, but is that helping them shift their mind into study mode? Students should have a defined work area like the kitchen table or a desk in their bedroom. They should keep their online and off-line spaces organized. Doing so is one of the best ways to stay productive. Make sure they put away the phone during class or study time. Some additional strategies are keeping folders for each class, color coding materials, having an array of writing utensils readily available, keeping chargers all in one place and always cleaning up. Changing the workspace up from time to time can also help keep minds fresh and ideas flowing. 5. They’re losing motivation It’s easier for students to push themselves in a classroom environment, but when they’re home they may struggle to stay motivated, particularly when it comes to learning content that’s difficult or not particularly interesting. Finding motivation is the best way to keep students focused on schoolwork and avoid procrastination. Get them to create a photo board to hang above their workspace with images of graduation caps, a future career, or whatever else motivates them. Encourage them to take time for themselves, find a support system, take things a day at a time, stay positive and ask for help. 4. They’re writing off study groups Just because students are having to stay apart or socially distance doesn’t mean they can’t have virtual study groups through Skype, Google Hangouts, Zoom or other platforms. Not only do study groups help students coach each other and tackle more difficult material, they also keep students from feeling isolated. August/September 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 29Next >