Around the Schools

District Celebrates School Lunch Hero Day

  • From left: Sharon Fairclough, Martha Carutt, Jill Scaduto, Denise Williams, and Kristy Rusin.

Western Wayne Middle School students were treated to a lunch served by super heroes on Friday, May 7, for School Lunch Hero Day. The cafeteria workers dressed up in capes and masks for the occasion, but, in reality, these ladies serve as heroes to the students on a daily basis.
Jill Scaduto, who has worked in cafeteria service at Western Wayne for eight years, said she was excited to dress up for the kids.
“It is great just to know that we get to serve each student and that each one appreciates what we do,” Scaduto said.
Co-worker Sharon Fairclough, who has worked in cafeteria service at Western Wayne for fifteen years, agrees.
“I like my job because I get to spend time hanging out with the kids on a daily basis,” Fairclough said, noting that her own two children, both Western Wayne alumni, have since graduated.
The ladies look forward to continuing their work feeding the students of Western Wayne and plan to do some other theme days amongst themselves to brighten the kids spirits as the school year winds to a close.

Knoebels Ride Tickets: Sophomore Class Fundraiser

This is a fundraiser to benefit the Western Wayne sophomore class of 2023. If you have any questions please contact Trina Collins (tcarito@westernwayne.org), or Helene Tscheschlog (htscheschlog@westernwayne.org). ***PLEASE NOTE*** – This survey is being used to gather interest. – Order forms will be available in each of the building main offices, and monies collected by building secretaries. – Orders and payment must be in by May 14th. – Ticket books will be available for pick up during the week of May 21st.

To access the survey, please click on the following link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc00wchuYeD2LGrDwT9KmYrFAJPJr3KOr5DoFvsA5ZCHVAbWg/viewform?usp=sf_link

FBLA Members Inducted into National Business Honor Society

The National Business Honor Society is designed to recognize FBLA members who truly excel in academic preparation and will pursue an eventual career in the business world. Pennsylvania FBLA recognizes that to succeed as a true business leader, members need to be well prepared in terms of their academics, career skills, and leadership development.
Nominees must have an overall cumulative GPA of at least 3.5, an overall cumulative GPA of 3.5 in a minimum of two completed business courses, demonstrated leadership, and have clearly defined career objective.
This year, two members of Western Wayne FBLA have been inducted into the National Business Honor Society. Lacey Falloon and Lenny Maiocco were recognized at the PA FBLA Virtual State Leadership Conference in April. Both received a membership certificate, an honor society pin, and honor cords to be worn at graduation. From left: Lacey Falloon and Lenny Maiocco.

Band Director to March in 2021 Rose Parade

Elaine Ort, band director for Western Wayne High School, will join band directors from across the country next January 1st in the annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses® Rose Parade.
A custom-designed animated float will lead a “marching band of band directors” up to 300 strong from across the country. The Michael D. Sewell Memorial Foundation, based in Pickerington, Ohio, is the sponsoring organization behind the project. The foundation was created to recognize and carry on the work of the late Mike Sewell, who dedicated his life to the school and community music programs in Pickerington and the Central Ohio area for more than 38 years.
The parade entry will convey the theme, “We teach music. We teach life.” The extraordinary dedication and accomplishments of band directors are well known to their students, to parents and to school teachers and administrators. No matter where they teach and work—public and private schools, colleges and universities, the military, community bands—dedicated music educators and leaders work long hours to not only teach and direct music, but to teach life itself. Students’ lives in particular are positively changed by a motivational leader who taught, inspired and mentored them.
“I am thrilled to have this opportunity to march in the parade,” Ort said. “It is an honor to represent Western Wayne.”
Elaine Ort has devoted much of her life to the study and performance of music. A native of New England and graduate of Marywood University, Elaine is a member of the Scranton Brass Orchestra, the Providence Brass, the Schützengiggles Oompah Band, the Marywood University Wind Symphony, and performs often in musical pit orchestras throughout the region. As an educator, Elaine serves as the director of instrumental activities in the Western Wayne School District since 2014. At Western Wayne, her teaching responsibilities include sixth grade brass instruction, eighth grade band instruction, and the Pride of Western Wayne, the Wildcat High School Band. Under her direction and guidance the school continues to invest heavily in its music program, and was recently named a KHS America Academic Alliance Platinum school for its investment in instrumental education. It is the only school in Pennsylvania, and one of only 39 in the United States to have received that honor.
Complete details on the project are available on the Saluting America’s Band Directors website, BandDirectorSalute.org.

Junior Takes Honors in District and State Cosmetology Competitions

Western Wayne’s CTC cosmetology junior Madison Bower won the Gold Medal in the CTC District Cosmetology Competition and then went on to place third in the State Competition. Both competitions took place this past spring virtually.

At the district level, Madison competed in the nail competition. This is a notable accomplishment as she is one of very few juniors to participate and only Gold Medalists are invited to compete at the state level. At the state level, Madison also did the nail competition and placed third.
At first, Madison did not realize how prestigious the competitions she was a part of were.
“After winning gold in the district competition is when I found out how big this competition actually was. I googled SkillsUSA and saw all the opportunities I had with this type of competition. That’s when I started getting really nervous,” Madison explained. “I did nails every free second I had. My house smelled like a nail salon 24/7. I focused mainly on the nail art. But the state competition required much more. It wasn’t as simple as gluing on tips and a quick acrylic layer. We had to do a gel overlay as well as sculpted acrylics which is where you sculpt the nail itself with no tip. I also had to know all the nail health and nail care for the interview questions. Then the nail art for five nails with a theme.”
Madison’s hard work and preparations paid off with her third place win at the state competition.

“ I can’t wait for next year and the chance at coming back to a SkillsUSA competition either in the nail care or cosmetology (hair) part of the competition,” Madison explained. She is excited to compete in a variety of areas and demonstrate her skills.
Madison has been interested in the cosmetology field for many years. She discussed what first got her hooked.
“When I was probably 12 years old, I went swimming and my hair turned bright green,” Madison described. “No matter what we did the green wouldn’t come out, so my mom let me dye my hair, and it escalated from there. My hair has been every color you can think of. After that I started really getting into make up. I was always watching YouTube and trying out all types of makeup techniques. When I found out about CTC and that they had a cosmetology program, I knew when I was a freshman that I would apply to CTC for the program and see if this was the right field for me. I absolutely love it and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”
Madison feels passionately about all aspects of cosmetology.
“ I love almost everything to do with cosmetology,” she explained. “I think my favorite part is just being able to be creative whether it’s with nail art, hair coloring, up-dos. I just love trying new things and see how it turns out.”
Madison plans to pursue the cosmetology field after graduation next year.
“My future goals are to attend college for a business degree as well as cheer in college and to work in a salon while earning my degree,” she explained. “ I’d also have to keep up on continuing education for cosmetology. Once out of school, I would love to open my own salon and possibly my own competitive cheer team. I have two loves, cosmetology and cheerleading.”
Pictured is Western Wayne junior Madison Bower with her gold medal and some of her cosmetology tools.

Western Wayne FCCLA STAR Event Winners

Pictured is Caitlyn Burdick, Western Wayne FCCLA president, who won the Western Wayne FCCLA Chapter Member of the Year Award at a recent virtual Eastern Region FCCLA conference.
From left Western Wayne students Zoey Goldman and Kennedy Mistishin who were recognized as Silver Medal Recipients at a recent virtual Eastern Region FCCLA conference for the Community Service Project event.

Pictured is Western Wayne student Adelaide Treibley who was also recognized as a Silver Medal Recipient at a recent virtual Eastern Region FCCLA conference for her work in the Professional Presentation event.

Western Wayne Family Career & Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)  recently were recognized for being Silver Medal Recipients at a virtual Eastern Region FCCLA conference. These students are now part of the Star Events National Team and will compete this summer at the virtual national conference.

FCCLA President Caitlyn Burdick, senior, won the Western Wayne FCCLA Chapter Member of the Year Award. Caitlyn serves as president of the club and has worked on many projects this school year.

“I most enjoyed my work this year planning our community events such as our Breakfast with Santa Drive-through,” Caitlyn, who plans to attend Marywood University upon graduation with a major in early childhood education, said.  “We did our best to work with COVID guidelines for such programs.  It was really worth it to see the smiles on little kids faces when they saw Santa at our event.”

Another winner at the conference was junior Adelaide Treibley.  She competed in the Professional Presentation event.  She had to present a ten-minute speech on the topic of her choice which was unemployment.

Adelaide feels passionately about her topic.  She discussed how she thinks a solution to the unemployment problem is to have more funding for higher education.  Therefore, more people would be trained for specialized jobs. Adelaide became interested in this topic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She explained how she had to dress professionally for her presentation and deliver her message in a strong and academic manner.

Adelaide placed second in this STAR Event.  She will compete virtually in the National FCCLA competition.

In addition, Western Wayne juniors Kennedy Mistishin and Zoey Goldman placed second for their Community Service Project event.  The girls were co-chairs of Western Wayne’s Drive-Through Breakfast with Santa this past December.  For the competition, they had to create a display board and give a ten-minute speech about their experiences creating, preparing, and running the event.

The girls explained how they created a board with many pictures of their successful event along with how they illustrated their budget.

“I discussed how we were thrilled to get people out for our event, yet still keep them at a safe distance,” Kennedy explained.  

Zoey added, “It was such a good event during a year where our community has struggled so much.  I think we really helped the community.”

Both Kennedy and Zoey look forward to moving on to the National level of competition for their service project.  The girls also feel excited for their senior year in FCCLA where they hope to do even more good for the community.

Western Wayne Student Wins PPL Prize

PPL awarded Western Wayne student Amy Newman Wireless Beats Headphones as a prize for completing a survey about her usage of tools in the Innovation Kit that all Western Wayne 9th grade high school students and some students in other grades 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 and a special shower head for water conservation, among other items. Newman and many other Western Wayne students used these items and then filled in a survey about their experiences. Newman was the lucky winner drawn at random for the Western Wayne School District. “I love my Wireless Beats Headphones,” Amy said. “They are so much fun.” Pictured is Amy Newman enjoying her prize.

FBLA MEMBERS SHINE AT VIRTUAL STATE CONFERENCE

1st row (l to r): Morgan Coccodrilli, Rhayni Carroll, Emily Romanowski, Kaeli Romanowski, Gabby Tetreault, Rachel Tuman, Adrian Agnello
2nd row (l to r): Skylar Long, Julie Bryan, Alaina Maiocco, Laynee Nugent, Rachel Hoch, Lacey Falloon, Alex Hineline, Alex Chapman, Dustin Ferraro

Twenty members of Western Wayne’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter were recognized at the Awards of Excellence program during the Virtual State Leadership Conference held recently.

During this conference, senior Lenny Maiocco, the PA FBLA Parliamentarian, and the other state officers conducted the session from their homes.  Nine officers were elected/appointed to lead the organization during the 2021-2022 school year including Morgan Coccodrilli, State Reporter; and Gabby Tetreault, State Parliamentarian.  Both students are juniors at Western Wayne.

The top ten members/teams were recognized for their performance in one of the 70+ different competitive events.  The top four winners in each event qualify for the National Leadership Conference to also be held virtually because of the Pandemic.

The members from Western Wayne included:  Intro to Parliamentary Procedure:  Jenna Kwiatkowski, first; Alex Chapman, third; and Skylar Long, fifth place.  Intro to FBLA:  Rhayni Carroll, second; and Emily Romanowski, tenth place.  Parliamentary Procedure. The team of Lenny Maiocco, Lena Piccolino, Gabby Tetreault, Rachel Hoch, and Kaeli Romanowski, third place.  Accounting II:  Alex Hineline, fifth; and Lacey Falloon, ninth place.  Management Decision Making, Rachel Tuman, fifth place.  Intro to Public Speaking:  Adrian Agnello.  Word Processing:  Laynee Nugent; Intro to Business Presentation:  Alaina Maiocco and Ella Pavlovich, ninth place.  Public Service Announcement:  the team of Julie Bryan, Cyrah Biehler, and Dustin Ferraro, ninth place.

In addition, the Western Wayne chapter placed fourth in the Outstanding Chapter event and third in the Local Market Share Award.  Lenny Maiocco placed third in Who’s Who in Pennsylvania FBLA and William Selden Scholarship Award.

Ms. Theresa Lubash is the local chapter adviser.

Student Council Shows School Nurse Appreciation

Photo (left to right): Adalyn Fox, Morgan Malloy, Liam Pauler, Mrs. Maria Shelp, Grace Owens, and Vincent Delaney

Officers of R.D. Wilson’s student council wanted to do something special for their school nurse, Mrs. Shelp. Recognizing that this has been an especially challenging year for nurses, they arranged for a surprise presentation during student lunch. A personalized poster and special gift basket were given along with some thankful words including:

“You had to make a lot of tough decisions throughout the year, and we appreciate that.”

“You’re an amazing school nurse, and it’s time that everyone knows it!”

The gift basket included some of Mrs. Shelp’s favorite things, such as Doritos, Swedish Fish, and Alice in Wonderland mask and necklace.

We would like to extend our appreciation for all of the medical staff working in our district and surrounding area. Thank you for all that you have done to keep us safe and healthy this past year!