Pictured in the photo is Michelle Baehr, executive director of the Red Cross Pocono Mountain region. The donation was given through our dress down day collection on behalf of the Western Wayne Cross Country.
Author: Western Wayne Webmaster
WBRE – Fifth grade student’s idea spurs hurricane collection at school
SALEM TOWNSHIP, WAYNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) – What started as an idea to help hurricane victims from a fifth grade student in Wayne County has turned into a community-wide collection effort.
When you walk into the EverGreen Elementary School this week, you will see a large table filled with donations.
Students are now collecting food, cleaning supplies and more to help hurricane victims.
“They see it on the news, everything that is going on, they’re talking about it in school, talking about those real-life events,” EverGreen Elementary principal Justin Pidgeon said. “It’s great to see the students want to do something.”
The collection idea started because of fifth grader Austin Kenyon. To read more click visit: http://www.pahomepage.com/news/fifth-grade-students-idea-spurs-hurricane-collection-at-school/819752177
Public Asked to Donate for Hurricane Victims at Homecoming Game Friday, Sept. 29
Along with the usual traditions of crowning a homecoming king and queen, students at Western Wayne are focussing on giving back to others this week as a part of their homecoming celebration. The Wildcats are asking students, staff, and the community to bring items to aide hurricane victims to the Friday, September 29, Homecoming Game. Mike Biondi; owner of Team Biondi LLC, Lake Ariel; has donated a truck to be used to hold all of the goods and will then transport it to where it needs to go to help those in need at the conclusion of the drive. Please help our students to “Stuff the Truck!” Suggested items are cleaning supplies, school supplies, paper products, nonperishable food, and baby supplies. Also, items can be delivered to the High School Office, Middle School Office or EverGreen Elementary School Office through October 13. Finally, there is a Homecoming Tailgate for all High School students from 3 p.m. until the start of the football game this Friday night in the High School parking lot area. There will be music, food and drinks provided for students, including chili from the chili cook-off made by faculty and staff. From left, members of the homecoming court: Dominic Corma; Abigail Zeiler; Kaitlyn Juhasz; Marty Spewak; Jennifer Bradley, assistant high school principal; Paul Gregorski, high school principal; Cole Fuller; Lilli Millon; Ryan Cavage; Kirstin Metschulat; Nick Koch; and Katelin Dennis.
WW National Merit Commended Student
Spencer Smith, Western Wayne senior, has been named a Commended Student in the 2018 National Merit Schloarship Program. Paul Gregorski, high school principal, has presented Spencer with a Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2018 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.6 million students who entered the 2018 competition by taking the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Western Wayne Administration is proud of Spencer’s achievements. Along with being a three year National Honor Society member, Spencer is lead programmer and vice president of the Robotics Club and runs the Computer Club. He wishes to attend Lehigh University with a dual major in electrical and mechanical engineering. From left, Jennifer Bradley, assistant high school principal; Spencer Smith, Commended Student in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program; and Paul Gregorski, high school principal.
Masankay Receives Outstanding Chemistry Teacher Award
Mrs. Maria Masankay, chemistry teacher at Western Wayne High School has been unanimously selected by the executive council of the Susquehanna Valley Section of the American Chemical Society as the recipient of the 2017 Ronald C. Blatchley Outstanding High School Chemistry Teacher Award.
This award recognizes a high school chemistry teacher in the section who is passionate about chemistry as a science and works diligently to pass that passion on to their students. The award winner is also someone who consistently supports and encourages student participation in annual ACS events such as ACS high school exams and National Chemistry Week programming. The award consists of a plaque, a $100 check and the offer of reimbursement for up to $500 for registration and travel to a national conference related to chemistry education.
The plaque is usually presented during National Chemistry Week in October. The $100 check is presented at the section’s annual awards banquet in May of the following year.
Mr. Bill Dougherty, chair of the Susquehanna Valley Section of the American Chemical Society, will visit Mrs. Masankay’s chemistry class in late October and present her with the award plaque. From left: Jennifer Bradley, assistant high school principal; Masankay; and Paul Gregorski, high school principal.
3rd Annual Women in Science Symposium Attended by Students in Grades 8 -10
Courage, fearlessness and determination are not just qualities that professionals in careers like law enforcement need. These are just some of the attributes Western Wayne students, who attended the Women in Science Symposium, learned are necessary when taking on a career in the ever-expanding science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields that are predominantly male.
Female students from Western Wayne High and Middle Schools had the opportunity to attend this event which was hosted by the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance and the Lacawac Sanctuary& Biological Field Station. Students from local schools gathered at the Heritage Nightclub at Woodloch Resort on Tuesday, September 19, for an information-filled day.
The purpose of the event was to give students like women, minorities and other underdeveloped groups information on career paths consisting of STEM which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education. Students got to meet with representatives from local colleges to discuss career options, hear presentations from female, working professionals and had the opportunity to speak with these professionals after the presentations finished. Pictured are Western Wayne students in grades 8 through 10 who attended.
EverGreen Elementary Hosts Drive for Hurricane Victims from Sept 25 – Oct 13
Administration, faculty, staff and students at Western Wayne’s EverGreen Elementary School are working as a team to collect items for hurricane victims and would like members of the community to help in their efforts. Principal Justin Pidgeon credits fifth grader Austin Kenyon for this wonderful idea. Items for the drive can be dropped off at the EverGreen Elementary School. Suggested items include: nonperishable food, water, paper products, cleaning supplies, school supplies, and baby items such as diapers and formula. The drive will run from September 25 through October 13. Mike Biondi; owner of Team Biondi LLC, Lake Ariel; has donated a truck to be used to hold all of the goods and will then transport it to where it needs to go to help those in need at the conclusion of the drive.
Junior Evan Coons Does Exceptional Work at RDW
The Western Wayne School District requires students to complete a meaningful senior project that in some way enables them to give back to others. Evan Coons is an 11th grade student and he completed his senior project with the Early Intervention program this past summer at Western Wayne’s Robert D. Wilson Elementary School. Evan was an Early Intervention student in Mrs. Michelle Mistishin’s classroom at RDW when he was three years old. Evan wanted to do his senior project with EI as he wanted others to know that EI gave him the school readiness skills to be a successful student at Western Wayne. Over the summer, Evan volunteered in the RDW EI classroom where he was a part of the teaching process for eight young students, ages 3-5. Evan was instrumental by working on IEP goals and social skills through play, games, and other preschool activities. As part of his senior project and the act of “giving back” he raised $710 (through a fundraiser at his church) for EI to purchase books for all EI students (EI works with Western Wayne School District, Wallenpaupack Area School District, and Wayne Highlands School District). EI was able to purchase 720 books with the money Evan raised. From left: Evan Coons, Michelle Mistishin, EI teacher; Beth Gregory, EI supervisor; and Patricia Jennings, EI service coordinator.
Students Create Fun For Elementary Students for Homecoming Week
The Western Wayne Pride Committee run by teachers and administration gathered a group of eager high school and middle school students to paint rocks to be hid throughout the community for Western Wayne elementary students to find. Elementary students who find the uniquely creative rocks will then have their pictures taken and posted on the Western Wayne Website. This is just one of many activities students will participate in during the time leading up to Homecoming which will take place at the home football game on Friday, September 29. From left: Emma Dwyer, Becca King, Becca Boots, Harry Martinez, R.J. Clemens, Lily Visceglia, and Hailey Robbins.
EverGreen Elementary to Host Second Annual Community Market Day
A few songs from classic musicals, drum line music, and colonial songs played on fifes and drums will all be performed by Western Wayne High School students at the second annual Community Market Day to take place this Saturday, Sept. 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the EverGreen Elementary School.
This event benefits the EverGreen Parent Teacher Association and is free admission. There will be about twenty local vendors at the event selling homemade crafts and other items.
Performers will entertain the crowd from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The line-up includes: Lynnette’s Twirlerettes, Twin Dragons Martial Arts, Spotlight Performers, the Western Wayne Drama Club, the Western Wayne Drum Alliance, and the Wayne County Fife and Drum Corp. Many of the performance groups will also have tables at the event where they will offer information about their organizations and sell goods.
One such group is the newly formed Western Wayne Drama Club. The club is new this year at the district and is open to students in grades 8 through 12. For this first performance, high school students will be featured singing songs from past Western Wayne shows such as Bye Bye Birdie, Shrek and Seussical.
The students will end their set with a song from their upcoming musical comedy Nice Work if You Can Get It, which will premiere the last weekend of April in the newly renovated high school auditorium. Drama club students participating on Saturday include: Ty Alpaugh, Lindsey Karwacki, Honour Shaffer, R.J. Clemens, Hailey Robbins, Jill Jones, Lily Visceglia, Jake Jones, Rhonda Fenkner, Victoria Petrosky, Becca King, and Emily Barone.
Junior Lindsey Karwacki will perform with two groups at the event. Along with singing with the Western Wayne Drama Club she will also play percussion with the Western Wayne Drum Alliance.
The group is composed of Western Wayne student musicians: John Kear, Mason Coccodrilli, Taylor Altenhofen, Katherine Moore, and Lindsey. Jacob Slomian, Western Wayne alumni, will also perform with the group.
John Kear hopes the audience will appreciate the many genres of music the Western Wayne performing groups will bring to Community Day.
Along with playing in the Drum Alliance, John will also play old-time colonial music with the Wayne County Fife and Drum Corp.
John founded this group and decided to use his work with it for his senior project at Western Wayne. John explains that he always wanted to form a group to play this type of classic music.
His friends, all Western Wayne students or alumni, make up the ensemble: Mason Coccodrilli, Jacob Slomian, Katherine Moore, and Amanda Herold.
The group recently played at the GDS Fair and look forward to their second performance at Community Day. They plan to play songs such as “Yankee Doodle” and “Road to Boston” among others.
John looks forward to what promises to be a great day for family fun in the local community on Saturday.
“I hope that people will come out to hear the unique songs of our group and all of the other talented groups scheduled to perform at Community Day.”
Front row, from left: Haily Robbins, Emily Barone, Becca King, and Victoria Petrosky. Back row, from left: Jake Jones, Lily Visceglia, Honour Shaffer, Rhonda Fenkner, Jill Jones, R.J. Clemens, and Lindsey Karwacki.
Western Wayne Drama Club students rehearse for the EverGreen Community Market Day event with assistant musical director Sarah Calabro.
ALL NEWS
School Police Department participates in specialized, hands-on training.August 21, 2026This summer members of the Western Wayne School Police Department participated in specialized, hands-on training at the Pennsylvania School Safety Institute (PennSSI) to strengthen emergency readiness and threat response protocols.
Interactive Crisis Simulations: Officers engaged with PennSSI’s state-of-the-art multi-room simulator and 360-degree augmented reality technology, experiencing realistic emergency scenarios to test real-time decision-making and spatial awareness.
De-escalation & Tactical Response: The sessions emphasized practical de-escalation tactics, threat management, and building muscle memory for high-stress situations occurring on school grounds.
Crisis Communication & Incident Command: Training covered coordinated communication strategies within the Incident Command Structure, aligning police tactics with district administration and emergency management partners.
Behavioral Threat Assessment: Personnel expanded their knowledge on identifying concerning student behaviors, threat assessment frameworks, and applying trauma-informed protocols to keep schools secure without sacrificing a supportive environment.
This immersive training underscores Western Wayne’s ongoing commitment to proactive school safety, ensuring officers are equipped with the latest techniques to protect students, staff, and the surrounding school community. [...]
Senior Competes at FBLA National Leadership ConferenceJuly 6, 2026Western Wayne senior Grady Farley represented the school and the WW FBLA chapter at the FBLA National Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas, the week of June 29th.
Grady earned the opportunity to compete at the national level in the Agribusiness event, where he demonstrated his knowledge, preparation, and professionalism among FBLA students from across the country. Competing at nationals is an outstanding accomplishment, and the district is proud of Grady’s hard work and dedication.
Pictured is Grady Farley at the FBLA National Leadership Conference. [...]
High School Student Secures Spot on the Great Wall of HonesdaleJuly 6, 2026Western Wayne High School junior Archer Long has secured a coveted spot on the Great Wall of Honesdale with his painting entitled 250 Years Under One Flag.This year’s competition theme, 2026: American Perspective, inspired artists to explore the nation’s history, identity, and future through original works of art. Archer’s selected painting is an American depiction of our nation’s history, illustrating the symbolism of westward expansion and industrial progress. It reflects the idea that our country’s freedom was forged through sacrifice and hard work, honoring the generations whose perseverance helped shape the United States.Each selected piece is digitally reproduced on an impressive 11-by-17-foot billboard vinyl panel and exhibited for one year at the intersection of 4th and Main Streets in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.More than a decade after its inception, the Great Wall of Honesdale has evolved from showcasing primarily local artists into a juried international exhibition featuring entries from around the world. The installation is enjoyed by the occupants of more than 5 million vehicles that pass the site each year and has become a popular tourist destination. Both the exhibition theme and artwork change annually, while each year’s collection remains permanently accessible online through the Wayne County Arts Alliance, where visitors can also learn more about each exhibiting artist. Please visit the website for more information: https://waynecountyartsalliance.org/windows-on-the-wall/Congratulations to Archer Long on this outstanding artistic achievement and the opportunity to share his work with thousands of visitors throughout the coming year.Pictured is Archer Long, Western Wayne High School junior, who secured a coveted spot on the Great Wall of Honesdale and is shown standing below his painting 250 Years Under One Flag. [...]
