Monroe College Women’s Empowerment

By VIVIAN CARTER Monroe College recently welcomed hundreds of Bronx and Brooklyn high school female students to the Jerome Avenue campus for their annual “Aspire to Inspire” female empowerment event. The students were seated at more than 40 festively decorated round tables staffed by accomplished professional women. Colorful balloons, banners, flowers, photos, and posters featured inspirational quotes and images. Then, words of wisdom from the podium were shared by Sade Baderinwa, popular WABC-TV Eyewitness News anchorwoman. Following the speech, mentors presented ceremonial strands of simulated pearls to each participant, with the acronym P-E-A-R-L-S reminding participants of the concepts of personal

By DAVID CRUZ Community institutions, park advocates and neighbors are coming together with a shared goal in mind—pushing the de Blasio Administration to consider revitalizing Mosholu Parkway.

Summer Movie Nights Coming to Oval Park

By KIMBERLY JACOBS The Jerome-Gun Hill Business Improvement District (BID) is bringing the movie experience to a park near you, and it’s empowering you to pick the summer flick.

Neighborhood Notes

Free Mammograms The American Italian Cancer Foundation and SSC Community Development Corp. will host a free mammogram and clinical breast exam in its mobile clinic on April 4 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 2930 Valentine Ave. NYC female residents over age 40 who have not had a mammogram in the past 12 months are eligible and must schedule an appointment by calling (877) 628-9090. Suit and Tie Drive Donate gently used suits at nearby Ridgewood Savings Bank branches through March 25 to support low-income men and women finding work. To schedule a pickup, call (917) 488-9568. Pre-K Applications The New York City Early Education Centers are accepting applications for pre-Kindergarten for the 2015-2016 school year. To

Out & About: Salsa at The Bronx Library Center

Editor’s Pick Get Your Groove On The Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd., presents Latin Jazz Concert featuring Ray Martinez music, March 21; and Celia Cruz Bronx H.S of Music, featuring Chamber Orchestra and Saxophone Quartet in Concert, March 28; both at 2:30 p.m. For more information, call (718) 579-4244/46/57 or visit www.nypl.org.

Equalizing the Specialized HS Test, With Lumbering Results

By JENNY SHARP The admissions race to the city’s specialized high schools continues to show signs that Bronx students are falling behind with little recourse.

Latest Edition of the Norwood News Is Out

By DAVID CRUZ With the seasons changing hands and temperatures climbing (I also think I heard birds chirping), it’s a good time to head to your local business to pick up the latest copy of the Norwood News. We’ve packed 20 pages of community news you can use in the area, with a crime spike in the 52nd Precinct topping our news fold. Find out what the numbers are and what folks in some of the tougher neighborhoods have to say about the crime trend. We’re also following some major development news coming out of the Bedford Park/Norwood areas, beginning with

By MONICA MELTON Every Tuesday, the whining sounds of bagpipes can be heard in a basement at St. Margaret’s Church on Delafield Avenue. It’s the sound hearkening back to Old Sod, where bagpipe music symbolized revelry and in many instances a warning to the enemy.

Neighborhood Notes

DYCD Application NYC’s Department of Youth and Community Development is accepting applications for the 2015 Summer Youth Employment Program through April 10. SYEP is available for young people ages 14 to 24 with up to six weeks of entry-level experience at worksites in the city. Participants are selected by lottery for the program, which runs from July 6 through Aug. 15 and are compensated for their work. Worksites interested in providing jobs have until May 16 to apply. For more information, call 311 or DYCD Youth Connect at (800) 246-4646. Poe Cottage Adds Hours The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, 2640 Grand Concourse, is