PPL awarded Western Wayne sophomore student Liam O’Brien an amazon gift card as a prize for completing a survey about his usage of tools in the Innovation Kit that all Western Wayne 9th grade high school students got as a part of the PPL Think! Energy program this past fall. The students were challenged to use the items in the kit such as a smart power strip, LED bulbs, and a special shower head for water conservation, among other items. Liam, who aspires to study culinary arts or sports broadcasting in the future, and many other Western Wayne students used these items and then filled in a survey about their experiences. Liam was the lucky winner drawn at random for the Western Wayne School District. Liam said he got the most use out of the power strip from the PPL kit. He likes his science class and prioritizes helping the environment. “I think it is important to be environmentally conscientious so that plants in nature can thrive and people in general have better health,” Liam said.
From left: Dr. Mark Nebzydoski and Liam O’Brien.

The following students were recognized by the Student Council as students of the month for January. Their teachers and administrators weighed in on the decisions.  All of the students chosen hold a high standard of academic and personal excellence. They are true examples of the P.R.I.D.E. standards for PBIS at our school. 

 First, Grace Owens is our selected freshman.  Grace is dedicated to all of her studies in school and is looking forward to her honors English class next year.  In addition, Grace is a member of the Wayne County Youth Advisory Committee this year.  She also is a member of the high school CATS Club.  In addition, she plays volleyball and will be playing lacrosse this spring. Grace is also highly involved in her church LCBC in Dickson City. Her faith is a large part of her life.  She has always enjoyed helping others and just completed the Unified Bocce Ball season at Western Wayne in which she participated with special needs and regular education students.

“It is such a cool experience,” Grace said.  “This is because the atmosphere is always positive.”

Grace aspires to be an agricultural engineer and a student pastor in the future. 

 Next, Madelyn McClure is our chosen sophomore this month. Madelyn is highly involved in FBLA having been recently elected as the FBLA regional secretary.  She will go with Western Wayne FBLA students chosen to compete in states this April. Her event is Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure.  In addition, she is an honor roll student involved in many other clubs, sports, and activities at school including:  Envirothon, Science Olympiad, PJAS, tennis team, and Unified Bocce Ball.  She aspires to be a physician’s assistant.

“I think the time management skills learned through FBLA competitions will help me in the future,” she said.  “For one test you get only 40 minutes to answer the questions correctly and this really makes you learn how to think quickly.”

 In addition, Zachary Wilbur is this month’s featured junior.  He is extremely involved in the performing arts at Western Wayne.  He has been in the Pride of Western Wayne Wildcat Marching band since his freshman year playing percussion.  This year he serves as a band librarian.  Zachary also is highly involved in the school’s Drama Club since his freshman year.  This year he serves as the show’s student music director and is an essential part of the club’s creative team that works to create the musical.  

In addition, Zachary is a member of NHS and aspires to be a constructional electrician.  He is currently working to explore the many college degree paths that could lead him to his end career goal.  He is grateful for the many leadership opportunities he has had working in performance arts in high school.

“My leadership roles have taught me a lot about responsibility,” Zachary said.

 Finally,  Nicole Klim is our senior spotlight this month.  Nicole is dedicated to her academic studies and is a member of NHS. She has currently been accepted to three local colleges and wishes to pursue her degree in early childhood education having always enjoyed spending time with children.  

“Their personalities are great and the stories they tell are so entertaining,” Nicole said of her time working with kids and babysitting over the years.  “I love to watch how children develop.”

Nicole is also highly religious and dedicated to Thrive Church in Honesdale. She enjoys being a part of their youth group and has made many great friendships through being a part of it.

The Western Wayne School District congratulates these January students of the month and wishes them the best in their future endeavors.

From left: Grace Owens, Madelyn McClure, Zachary Wilbur, Nicole Klim, and Mr. Paul B. Gregorski, high school principal.

The Western Wayne High School received a 500 dollar 2025 ExxonMobil Educational Alliance Grant to support STEM education.  ExxonMobil and Onvo present these grants to various area schools each year.  The check was awarded to Western Wayne recently.  Western Wayne Administration and staff are excited to use these funds to better the educational experiences of their students. The District intends to use these funds to enhance students’ experiences in STEM related studies.   From left:  Mr. Paul B. Gregorski, high school principal; and Mike Kizis, Onvo District Manager.

Western Wayne FBLA recently attended the Regional Leadership Conference at The University of Scranton. Students participated in competitive events and attended workshops with local business leaders. Twenty-two  Western Wayne Students qualified to compete in the State Leadership Conference in April. Students who qualified are as follows:

Clare Coccodrilli, Isabella Kolp, Avery Ullner – 1st Place, Intro to Social Media Strategy

Khloe Mistishin, Grace Moser, Maggie Kotchessa – 1st Place, Business Ethics

Chris Pane – 1st Place, Intro to Financial Math

Madelyn McClure – 1st Place, Intro to Parliamentary Procedure

Lance Maiocco – 1st Place, Networking Infrastructures

Lily Kieva & Julia Wehrmann – 1st Place, Sales Presentation

Makenzie Chearney – 2nd Place, Intro to FBLA

Phoebe Schmitt & Audrey Agnello – 2nd Place, Social Media Strategies

Colette Schmitt – 2nd Place, Public Speaking

Nathaniel Amberg – 2nd Place, Impromptu Speaking

Kyle Matthews – 3rd Place, Intro to Event Planning

Abigail Bell – 3rd Place, Intro to FBLA

Ciarra Kidder – 3rd Place, Accounting 1

Olivia Gries – 4th Place, Business Communication

Paityn Duprey – 4th Place, Intro to Business Communication

Eli Bilski – 4th Place, Intro to Business Procedures

Lastly, Madelyn McClure was voted to serve as the 2025-26 Region 22 Secretary.

The District is  proud of our FBLA members’ hard work and commitment to the program.

Photo One:

From left, row one:  Grace Langendoerfer, David Elias, Ethan Lamberton,  Timmy Roberts, Madelyn McClure, Audrey Agnello, Phoebe Schmitt, Ciarra Kidder, Olivia Gries, Isabella Kolp, Clare Coccodrilli, Avery Ullner, Cameron Press, and Myles Lee.

From left, row two:   Carmine Leggio, Connor Bryant, Jared Goldman, Emaan Tanveer, Lily Kieva,  Grace Moser, Maggie Kotchessa, Graysen Valinski,  Paul Borowski, and Lance Maiocc.o

From left, row three:  Jason Vass,  Julia Wehrmann, Khloe Mistishin, Colette Schmitt, Vinny Baldini, and Mitchell Ferraro.

From left, row four: Mia Arcadipane, Madison Trapanese, Donovan Gregorski, and Gage Roberts.

Back row:   Nathaniel Amberg, Mackenzie Adams, Hannah DeStefano, Raeleigh Kromko, and Madelyn Vinton.

Photo Two:

Madelyn McClure, who was voted to serve as the 2025-26 Region 22 Secretary.

Western Wayne High School’s Watershed Group is proud to announce the acceptance of a grant to sponsor a fourth-grade field trip to the Varden Conservation Area this spring. This initiative, led by students, exemplifies their commitment to fostering environmental stewardship and creating meaningful educational opportunities for younger learners.

      Sophomore Aliyah Gregory wrote the grant and is thrilled to have been given it to use to help the younger students at Western Wayne have this unique educational experience.

      “I really enjoy helping environmental causes,” Aliyah said.  “I also aspire to be a teacher one day and think that working with the fourth graders later this year will be a good experience in leading others.”

  The program, Community Connections to Our Watershed, has a legacy spanning over two decades. Each year, education staff from Lackawanna and Nescopeck State Parks collaborate with local schools to engage students and educators in an environmental forum. Participants explore local parks and public lands while learning from conservation professionals who work tirelessly to ensure equitable access to clean water—a resource vital for both human and ecological health. An overview of the 2023-2024 program, including information, pictures, and highlights from field trips, is available at https://tinyurl.com/CCTW2024

This year’s participating schools include:

Lackawanna County Teams: Carbondale, Forest City, Lackawanna Trail, Lakeland, Mountain View, Old Forge, Riverside, Western Wayne, and Wayne Highlands.

Luzerne County Teams: Crestwood, Hanover, HAAS, HACC, Hazleton, Northwest, Tunkhannock, and Wyoming Area.

Western Wayne High School students have already participated in enriching field trips to Lackawanna State Park, Keystone College, the Old Forge borehole, and the Alliance Landfill. These experiences provided hands-on lessons in understanding healthy watersheds, monitoring their condition, and implementing solutions to maintain water quality. These activities were made possible through support from Pennsylvania American Water Company, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and DCNR’s Watershed Education Program.

Sophomore Dakota Douglas greatly enjoyed the trip to Keystone.  Part of the experience that day was the students doing a simulated bird watching activity where they used binoculars to look at pictures of birds on trails and then identify them.

“The bird watching activity was really fun,” she said.  “I love science and hope to study psychology one day in college.”

The program will culminate on May 6, 2025, with a student presentation banquet at Montage Mountain. Western Wayne students will present their project, which involves designing and implementing a field trip for fourth-grade elementary students to the Varden Conservation Area. Drawing from their own learning experiences, the high school students crafted ecology-based activities to inspire and educate their younger peers.

To fund this initiative, the students successfully applied for a grant through the Wayne County Community Foundation (WCCF). The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) reviewed and approved their mini-grant application, which secured funding for transportation and programming costs.

The Wayne County Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a charitable reserve for the current and future needs of Wayne County. Through its grant programs, the Foundation empowers community organizations to grow, thrive, and achieve sustainability. For more information about the Foundation, visit their office at 214 Ninth Street, Honesdale, PA 18431, call 570-251-9993, email info@waynefoundation.org, or visit https://www.waynefoundation.org.

Western Wayne High School is deeply grateful for the support that made this student-led program possible. This grant underscores the power of youth initiative and collaboration in promoting environmental awareness and education within our community.

From left, kneeling:  Aliyah Gregory and Kyleigh Turner.  From left, standing:  Dakota Douglas, Jerrah-Ann DeBree, Mark Nebzydoski Ph.D. advisor; and Giuliana Velazquez.