PHILADELPHIA — Get ready for a high-energy, music-driven celebration as The Greatest Show On Earth returns on Friday to Monday, Feb. 13 to 16 at Xfinity Mobile Arena, 3601 S. Broad St., Philadelphia.
Featuring bold circus performances, unforgettable characters, and a nonstop party vibe, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an adrenaline-packed spectacle that showcases world-class athletes and performers from around the globe for children of all ages.
This year, 65 performers from 17 countries — including Mongolia, Chile, Colombia, Ukraine, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and China — have come together at Feld Entertainment for Ringling rehearsals, igniting a whirlwind of creativity, music and motion.
Every day brings new bursts of color, collaboration and jaw-dropping feats as performers perfect every flip, catch and beat. Bonds are forming, dreams are taking flight, and the spirit of the circus is coming alive for a new generation. Featured Acts Include:
• Acro-Salsa Troupe (Colombia): A seven-member group that will bring a dynamic blend of acrobatics and traditional salsa packed with passion, movement, and power.
• Contortion (United States): A world-renowned contortionist making her Ringling debut, redefining flexibility with artful, unbelievable control.
• Bailey the Robo Pup: The beloved Bailey the Robo Pup returns to the spotlight with endless energy, new dance moves, and her signature mix of mischief and high-tech charm.
Guests are welcome to come early for a music-infused pre-celebration. A pre-show begins 30 minutes before showtime and is included with admission.
The all-new Ringling Hype Crew will set the tone by dancing and engaging fans, turning the arena into a high-energy good time with laugh-out-loud experiences.
Shows are at 7 p.m. Feb. 13, 14 and 15; 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Feb. 14 and 15; and noon on Feb. 16. Tickets for The Greatest Show On Earth are on sale at www.ringling.com/tickets.
Teen country artist Maddox Batson will make a special guest appearance in Philadelphia with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus on opening night only, Feb. 13. (COURTESY OF RINGLING BROS CIRCUS)
Teen country artist Maddox Batson will make a special guest appearance on opening night only, Feb. 13. For this exclusive one-night engagement, Batson will be fully integrated into the live show, appearing throughout the performance and joining the circus as Ringling Bros.’ opening-night guest celebrity.
His appearance adds a unique crossover moment as he is the first-ever artist collaboration, complete with a custom remix of Batson’s music, an exclusive song launch, and a custom music video showcased inside the live performance in Ringling’s 150-year history.
The show features Batson’s brand-new single, “If I See Her Again,” during the street-style unicycle act, alongside other hit tracks that drive the production’s dynamic atmosphere.
Audiences can snag limited-edition Ringling x Maddox Batson merch at Ringling tour stops nationwide. Fans can also catch Maddox’s behind-the-scenes circus-skills adventure during Ringling’s high-energy pre-show celebration, included with every ticket and starting one hour before showtime.
Special Ringling x Maddox Batson digital content is also available across Ringling’s YouTube and social platforms.
Rafferty Subaru partners with Greenhouse Project for coat giveaway on Tuesday
Rafferty Subaru and Operation Warm are partnering with Greenhouse Project in Chester for a coat and shoes giveaway.
It will be held Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 44 House, 44 E. 23rd St., Chester, from 10 a.m. to noon, while supplies last.
Brand new coats and shoes will be available for children in need who are age 15 and under. Adults can bring their children for the coat and shoe giveaway.
For more information, go to http://raffertysubaru.com or visit the Greenhouse Project Facebook page or call 610-874-2753.
Director Nakia Dillard works on the upcoming “Tubman: A Celebration of Black History Month,” that will be presented Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. at Chester High School. The community is welcome. (COURTESY OF BATSON ENTERTAINMENT
Community invited to celebration of Black History Month
The Bountiful Blessings Foundation will present a celebration of Black History Month for The Chester Upland School District at Chester High School auditorium, 232 W. Ninth St., Chester, at 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26.
The community is welcome to attend the free event.
The presentation is called “Tubman: A Celebration of Black History Month,” and features students who attend Chester High School and STEM High School.
“Tubman” features both theater and poetry and is directed by Walter Jones, Tammi Brooks and Nakia Dillard.
The show opens with scenes of Harriet’s daring Underground Railroad and amplifying the risk she took leading her people to freedom. Afterward there will be poetry reading in celebration of the event.
The theater program is the cooperative brainchild of Walter Jones of Batson Entertainment; Sandi Newsome of Bountiful Blessings; Dr. Dexter Davis, former superintendent/Bountiful Blessings; and Dr. Garry Batson.
The presentation was developed to teach students to perform original and classical works.
Bountiful Blessings’ theater program has enhanced students’ chances of college acceptance and scholarships. The program is always open to new members.
For information contact Sandi Newsome at 252-371-4360 or Dr. Garry Batson at 917-753-2438 or email Phoenixartsinc@gmail.com.
Philadelphia archdiocese to kick off annual Rice Bowl initiative
For the 51st consecutive year, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will kick-off its participation in Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) Rice Bowl.
It is Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 10:30 a.m. in the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center Auditorium, 222 N. 17th St., Philadelphia. The Rice Bowl initiative is a nationwide Lenten program providing people of all ages with ways to put their faith into action through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
The Most Rev. John McIntyre, the Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia who oversees the work of charitable ministries throughout the Catholic Church of Philadelphia as part of his pastoral and administrative responsibilities, will preside over this year’s Rice Bowl kickoff and blessing of the cardboard Rice Bowl containers.
He will be joined by Anne Ayella, CRS diocesan director, who will offer remarks on Rice Bowl’s impact globally.
Paola Herrera, executive director of the Community Center at Visitation (CCV), will speak about Rice Bowl’s impact locally on hunger relief efforts.
A ministry of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia, Visitation is a community organization that provides a safe place for the children and youth of Kensington to build meaningful connections and access resources to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.
Herrera will be joined by Lizanne Hagedorn, executive director of Nutritional Development Services, a Catholic Charities ministry that provides food to children and those in need across the Greater Philadelphia region and benefits in part from Rice Bowl contributions.
Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic Community in the United States.
It is dedicated to improving the lives of poor and vulnerable families through humanitarian programs and services.
For more information on CRS’ Rice Bowl, visit www.crsricebowl.org. For more information and Rice Bowl resources, visit http://catholicchurchofphila.org/crsricebowl.
Delaware County bingo events announced
• Marple Newtown High School Baseball will present designer bag bingo at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28 at St. Luke’s Church in Broomall. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
The event costs $40 prepaid and will feature 12 rounds of bingo, with three bingo cards per round, door prizes, raffle baskets and a 50/50 drawing.
The event is being sponsored by Meehan Insurance, Buckley Construction, Safety Support Traffic Control and Meridian Bank.
For tickets, email heatherddwyer@gmail.com or Venmo at MNBaseball-Boosters.
• A cash-prize bingo to benefit the Aston Public Library, 3280 Concord Road, Aston will be held 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 7. Tickets cost $25.
No one under age 18 will be admitted and alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Tickets will only be sold at the door. For more information, call the Aston Library at 610-494-5877.
• The Upper Darby-Lansdowne Rotary Club invites the public to bingo, featuring cash, designer bags, Yeti, grills and more as prizes.
It’s at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 7 at St. Philomena Catholic Church, 41 E. Baltimore Ave., Lansdowne. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
Tickets cost $40 for 10 games. A basket raffle and 50/50 drawing will also be available. The event is a BYOB and players can also bring their own snacks and beverages.
Proceeds will support the Upper Darby-Lansdowne Rotary Club scholarship program for senior students at Upper Darby, Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast and Penn Wood high schools.
For tickets or more information, contact Fr. Paul Castellani at 215-801-5434 or Ryan Stone at 484-688-3073, or go to the The Upper Darby-Lansdowne Rotary Club Facebook page.
• Cardinal O’Hara High School softball will hold a bingo night at Briarcliffe Athletic Association Field House, 110 N. Bartram Ave., Glenolden, on Friday, March 27 from 7 to 10 p.m.
Tickets are $40 and include 11 rounds of cash bingo. Players can bring their own snacks and BYOB.
Additional raffles and a 50/50 drawing will be available.
Tables of 14 can be reserved with complete purchase. For more information, call Stephanie at 610-952-3561 or email oharasoftball@gmail.com.
Angela Friend, a Delaware County Intermediate Unit Practical Nursing Program student, practices patient care with one of the program’s new Laerdal mannequins, which replicate childbirth scenarios. (COURTESY OF DCIU)
DCIU Practical Nursing Program emphasizes maternal health education
A new Pennsylvania awareness holiday reflects work that has long been underway at the Delaware County Intermediate Unit Practical Nursing Program, where maternal health education is a core part of the curriculum.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s recent proclamation designating Jan. 23 as Maternal Health Awareness Day brings renewed attention to the need for health care professionals who are prepared to support mothers before, during and after pregnancy.
In Pennsylvania, the maternal mortality rate is 17.5 deaths per 100,000 births, with Black women facing two to three times higher risk than other populations.
Nearly 52 percent of pregnancy-related deaths occur postpartum, with mental health conditions among the leading causes. At DCIU, these realities reinforce the program’s longstanding focus on maternal and newborn care.
“Maternal Health Awareness Day validates what our faculty have long understood, that preparing nurses to support mothers across pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period is essential to improving outcomes,” said Program Supervisor Stacy Delaney, RN.
Unlike many states, Pennsylvania offers licensed practical nurses a distinct role in maternal care. LPNs in Pennsylvania may actively participate in labor and delivery settings, allowing them to support patients during childbirth and play a hands-on role in maternal and newborn care.
Delaney said that responsibility makes comprehensive education and real-world training especially critical.
“Our graduates enter the workforce with the skills, judgment and confidence needed to support mothers during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives,” Delaney said.
The 12-month Practical Nursing Program prepares students for entry into the LPN profession through classroom instruction, clinical experience and hands-on training.
In the obstetrics nursing course, students are guided by experienced instructors Shay Washington and Brianna Vettese, whose combined clinical and academic backgrounds shape a comprehensive, real-world approach to maternal health education.
Washington’s career began in homecare with Preferred Home Health before she spent several years as an OB-GYN nurse at Jefferson and Penn Medicine.
She later managed prenatal and pediatric patients as a reproductive child health care manager at the Stephen Klein Wellness Center and served as a mom and baby home health nurse with Mercy Home Health. Today, she leads a team of mom and baby home health nurses as a nurse supervisor for Family Connects Philadelphia.
“When there are Black Maternal Health Week events and community baby showers going on, I try to bring students to those events as a clinical opportunity so that they can see what maternal child health nursing looks like in real time,” Washington said.
Washington also emphasizes the importance of recognizing maternal mental health concerns that may not always appear on screening tools.
Early in her career, she supported a patient experiencing severe perinatal mood disorders who had been labeled as difficult and avoided by others in the practice. By looking beyond behavior and taking time to listen, Washington built trust with the patient and continued to support her through multiple pregnancies and years of care. The experience continues to shape how she prepares students to support postpartum patients, particularly those struggling emotionally.
Working alongside Washington is Vettese, who has taught obstetrics at the Practical Nursing Program since 2022. Vettese, an RN who holds a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and is working toward a master’s degree in nursing from West Chester University, helps students build confidence through a combination of lectures, clinical experiences and simulation lab training.
Following the program’s recent move into a new building, the simulation lab was upgraded with Laerdal mannequins that replicate childbirth scenarios, providing students with a highly realistic learning environment.
“Students are taught to recognize normal versus abnormal maternal and newborn findings, with a strong emphasis on early identification of complications such as hypertensive disorders, hemorrhage, infection and gestational diabetes,” Vettese said.
Both educators said the recognition of Maternal Health Awareness Day affirms work that has long been underway inside the Practical Nursing Program and across Pennsylvania.
The Practical Nursing Program offers a comprehensive curriculum that includes classroom instruction, simulation labs and clinical experiences, with training in maternal health alongside medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics, pharmacology and other core areas of practice. Students train in clinical facilities and simulation labs across Delaware County and Philadelphia under the guidance of experienced nursing faculty.
For more information about the Practical Nursing Program, there will be a Zoom Open House on Tuesday, April 7, at 5 p.m. Visit www.facebook.org/delcotechlpn for updates, and to learn more about the program or begin the enrollment process, visit www.dciu.org/lpn.
Readers can send community news and photos to Peg DeGrassa at pdegrassa@21st-century.com.