State Sen. Pippy's Daughter's Role in 'Army Wives' TV Series Has Real-Life Parallel

State Sen. Pippy's Daughter's Role in 'Army Wives' TV Series Has Real-Life Parallel

MIDLAND, Pa., June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- While Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School (http://www.lppacs.org/about.html) sophomore Katelyn Pippy acts in the "Army Wives" TV series, her father plays a real-life role in helping Pennsylvania military families obtain a quality education for their children no matter where they are stationed.

The 15-year-old Pittsburgh area resident (Moon Township) returns to her role as a general's daughter in the award-winning television series "Army Wives" as it begins its new season this month on the Lifetime Network. Katelyn plays Emmalin, the daughter of Gen. Michael Holden (Brian McNamara) and Claudia Joy Holden (Kim Delaney). Her character in the ABC Studios series has only a couple of lines in the premiere, but the role is expanded in subsequent episodes.

In real life, Katelyn is the daughter of Pennsylvania State Senator John Pippy (R-37) and businesswoman Katherine Pippy. She's a perfect fit for the role because her father also is a major in the National Guard whose service includes a tour of duty in the Middle East.

This isn't Miss Pippy's first television show. She has appeared on "Monk" and "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," as well as in the film "The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It" and the pilot "Winters with Famke Janssen."

When she's not going to classes at Lincoln Park, Katelyn excels in playing for Team Pittsburgh in a youth hockey league. She was one of a dozen goalies in her age group from around the country selected for USA Hockey's National Select Camp in July.

This will also be her sixth summer at a prestigious New York acting camp, Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Center, whose alumni include Natalie Portman, Zach Braff and Mandy Moore.

"Miss Pippy has blossomed into quite an actress," said Becky Manning, CEO of the 400-student performing arts high school, which opened two years ago in this small western Pennsylvania steel town. A public charter school, Lincoln Park draws students from 42 surrounding districts to study voice, dance, theater, media and writing. Like Katelyn Pippy, a number of Lincoln Park graduates and students have already stated working professionally, said Manning.

Manning said Sen. Pippy has been a strong proponent of the charter school system which fostered creation of Lincoln Park. His most recent effort is sponsorship in the Pennsylvania General Assembly of Senate Bill 1281 to allow children of active military families who maintain a residence in the commonwealth to enroll their children in a Pennsylvania public cyber charter school when they are stationed out of state. Sen. Pippy states many other states already provide this benefit to provide educational continuity for their students as military families move from base to base.

At its 2008 annual conference in April, the Pennsylvania Charter School Coalition honored Sen. Pippy with its "Legislator of the Year" Award. The award was presented by Dr. Nick Trombetta (http://www.pacyber.org/about/trombettaBio.aspx), CEO of the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber).

Manning said it is an interesting coincidence that the television character Katelyn Pippy portrays in "Army Wives" is exactly the type of young person her real father's legislation intends.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School

CONTACT: Fred Miller, Communications Coordinator for Lincoln Park
Performing Arts Charter School, +1-724-764-7200 x1377, or cell,
+1-724-777-5918, fred.miller@pacyber.org

Web site:

http://www.lppacs.org/about.html

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