The Western Wayne Drama Club recently elected their 2019-20 officers. The students are excited for a fun year of events. From left: Julia Phillips, treasurer; Lily Visceglia, public relations; Rhonda Fenkner, secretary; Sydney Peet, president; and Honour Shaffer, vice president. Absent from photo: Rebeccah King, historian.
The Western Wayne School District will host a cavalcade of bands on the evening of Wednesday, September 25 at our football stadium. The National Anthem will be played at 6:10 p.m. followed by the first band performance at 6:15 p.m. A total of eleven schools will participate including: Dallas, Dunmore, Delaware Valley, Honesdale, Mid Valley, North Pocono, Northwest Area, Valley View, Wallenpaupack, West Scranton, and Western Wayne who will be the closing performance. Admission is $3 for adults, $1 for students and senior citizens, or free with the donation of a new or gently used winter coat for “Warming Up Wilson.” In addition, concessions will be sold with all proceeds benefiting Western Wayne band and color guard students. Come out and enjoy a great night of music and fun.
Western Wayne Middle School Administration has recognized Mitchell Lunn and Gianna Rosetti, both sixth graders, as outstanding students for the month of September.
Mitchell has been very respectful to his classmates and teachers this first month of school. He has even been seen holding doors open for his teachers. “It feels good just to be helping people,” Mitchell said. Mitchell’s favorite class is math. He is always prepared for class and loves learning about exponents. Mitchell also enjoys his band class where he is learning how to play the trombone. In his spare time, Mitchell likes to ride his bike, play video games, and take walks with his mom and two dogs.
Like Mitchell, Gianna has also been recognized for being very respectful to others at school. She too enjoys her math class the most. “It’s a fun class where I get to figure things out,” Gianna said. In addition, Gianna likes her chorus class where she can develop the quality of her singing. In her spare time, Gianna enjoys taking walks with her younger cousins. She also looks forward to joining track and cross country in seventh grade.
The Western Wayne community is proud of Mitchell and Gianna’s accomplishments and can’t wait to see what they do next.
Western Wayne School District hosted its annual Homecoming Game on Friday, September 13, against Montrose. Prior to the game, the Homecoming Court of ten seniors was recognized. Afterwards, the King and Queen were announced in front of a full crowd. This year’s Homecoming King is senior Jack McAllister and Homecoming Queen is senior Kristi Kromko. Jack, one of three Western Wayne Varsity Football captains, plans to go to college upon graduation and complete an ROTC program. Kristi, one of two Wildcat Marching Band drum majors, enlisted in the Army National Guard and plans to study forensic psychology in college. Pictured is Jack McAllister, Homecoming King, and Kristi Kromko Homecoming Queen.
Pictured is the 2019 Western Wayne Homecoming Court. From left: Hunter Frable, Gevin Coccodrilli, Ezra Tetreault, Derek Mason, Jack McAllister, Homecoming King; Kristi Kromko, Homecoming Queen; Sinaea Buford, Rebecca Klemovitch, Trina Barcarola, and Noelle Orehek.
Following in a tradition that has been established over the past few years, the Western Wayne School District invites the community to attend to its annual homecoming game this Friday, September 13 and accept the challenge of helping others. Along with coming to cheer on the students, they ask that spectators bring donations of canned goods and other nonperishable food items for a drive that will benefit those in need in Wayne County.
The Western Wayne Homecoming Game against Montrose will begin at 7 p.m. with the presentation of the Homecoming Court about a half hour before kick-off. The ten seniors on this year’s court feel extremely honored and excited to be a part of this ensemble.
Members of the court include: Rebecca Klemovitch, Kristi Kromko, Trina Barcarola, Sinaea Buford, Noelle Orehek, Derek Mason, Jack McAllister, Ezra Tetreault, Hunter Frable, and Gevin Coccodrilli.
This year’s three Western Wayne football senior captains, Derek Mason, Jack McAllister, and Ezra Tetreault, also have the honor of taking part in homecoming together through being members of the court.
As a part of homecoming week the students have the opportunity to visit with Western Wayne elementary and middle school students in addition to other typical homecoming traditions like themed dress-up days throughout the week, a high school pep rally, a school-run tailgate party before the game, and the homecoming festivities at the football game. Jack, who is also a part of the wrestling and tracks teams along with being a member of FBLA, said he was most looking forward to interacting with younger students this homecoming week.
“I want to be a role model for younger students and get them excited about homecoming and things they will be able to do at Western Wayne when they are older,” Jack, who plans to go to college and complete an ROTC program, explained.
Fellow football captain Ezra said he also looks forward to visiting with elementary students as a part of his homecoming responsibilities.
“I like socializing with younger kids and answering their questions,” Ezra said.
Ezra certainly can discuss many clubs and sports at Western Wayne since he has been highly involved in after- school activities throughout his high school career. He serves as president of the National Honor Society and is also student body president this year. In addition, he is greatly involved in FBLA serving as first vice president of this organization for the state of Pennsylvania. Along with playing football in the fall, Ezra is a member of both indoor and outdoor track with hurdling as his main event.
Ezra, who plans to attend the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut upon graduation, is happy to have some time this week to spend on the homecoming court with his best friends.
“It’s great to be on it with Derek and Jack and other people we have grown up with,” Ezra said.
Derek agrees with Ezra and explains that all three football captains are just as excited about the homecoming game as they are about being on the homecoming court.
“We went into this season feeling we have something to prove,” Derek explained. “Each one of us captains has a different way of leading the younger players. I lead by example and others follow.”
The boys explained that Jack is a more vocal leader whereas Ezra leads by communicating with his teammates on a personal level.
The boys look forward to all of the support of the community at the annual homecoming game.
Fellow homecoming court member Rebecca Klemovitch also looks forward to seeing the crowd at homecoming when she is dressed in her formal wear.
“My favorite part of homecoming is being able to associate with my classmates all dressed up,” she said.
Rebecca, who aspires to study art after graduation, felt shocked to be chosen for the court. Rebecca’s senior project was creating a mural that was donated to the high school of an abstract cityscape.
“I love being about to create what I envision into my actual artwork,” she said.
In addition Rebecca is a member of the National Art Honor Society, volleyball team, where she has been a starter for four years, and plans to join the political science club this year.
Rebecca’s volleyball teammate Sinaea Buford also serves with her as part of the homecoming court. Sinaea like Rebecca felt surprised to be chosen for homecoming.
She also plays basketball and is in the Spanish club, NHS, FBLA, and FCCLA.
Sinaea can’t wait to meet with younger students as one of her homecoming duties.
“I like answering their questions and talking to them about how high school is,” she explained.
Kristi Kromko agrees with Sinaea that talking to younger students will be a high-light of her homecoming experience. Kristi, who serves as one of this year’s Wildcat Marching Band drum majors, plans to focus on promoting the high school band program when she visits the elementary schools.
“It’s an honor representing the band,” she said. Kristi, who has already enlisted in the Army National Guard, has played softball for four years and is a part of NHS. She participates in student council along with having been the junior class president. She has qualified for District Band two years and has held various leadership positions in the Western Wayne Band.
Another member of the homecoming court Gevin Coccodrilli also has military plans for after graduation. He wishes to do an ROTC program and join the Marines.
“I’ve always wanted to be in the military since I was younger,” Gevin explained.
Gevin has played basketball and baseball for Western Wayne and looks forward to having fun at homecoming.
“It’s exciting. I didn’t know I’d make it,” Gevin said.
Hunter Frable also felt surprised to be named to the court and looks forward to being with his friends at the game.
Hunter is a four-year member of the Western Wayne golf team and enjoys being a part of the Hot Rod Club. He plans to attend a two-year trade school to be an auto mechanic.
Two additional members of the court are Trina Barcarola and Noelle Orehek both girls are highly involved in fashion classes at Western Wayne. They are both looking forward to the honor of displaying their senior collections in the fall at the school’s annual fashion show. Noelle’s collection has a wildflower theme and Trina’s is striped-themed and titled “Between the Lines.”
The girls also participate in track together. Noelle, in addition, plays soccer, and Trina plays volleyball. This year Trina also had the honor of being named Athlete of the Year for the Scranton Times. She was state champion in two track events last season and made second team all- star for volleyball.
Noelle and Trina are also members of NHS and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Noelle plans to study biology and environmental science in college. Trina plans to attend college as well with a potential major in business marketing and minor in psychology. In addition, Trina aspires to continue her track career after high school.
Both Trina and Noelle feel very excited for the homecoming game.
“I can’t wait to get dressed up and see everyone. I also hope the court brings more spirit to the school,” Noelle said.
Trina agrees.
“I love getting dressed up and feel very honored to represent the school at such a fun event.”
Trina and all of the members of the homecoming court look forward to bonding with each other and making memories during homecoming at Friday’s game. The court along with the rest of the Western Wayne community invite the public to join them on Friday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m. for the homecoming festivities followed by the game.
Bring some canned goods to donate and contribute to the positive atmosphere of Western Wayne Homecoming.
Eleven members of the Western Wayne chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) recently returned from attending the annual National Leadership Conference held in San Antonio, Texas.
The students had the opportunity to see the Alamo, take a tour of the city via the famous River Walk, and attend a rodeo.
Once the conference actually began, the students competed in their events. The team of Allison Mattern, Darlene Black, Jill Dudley, Abby Gogolski, and Sydney Peet captured a third-place national award in Parliamentary Procedure. Each girl had to take a 100-question objective test covering the rules of parliamentary procedure. Their scores were averaged. Then, the top 15 teams advanced to the final round where the students were given a specific problem and asked to conduct a chapter meeting incorporating the problem.
Also attending were Kaeli Romanowski, Lena Piccolino, and Rachel Hoch, who competed in Intro to Parliamentary Procedure; Ashton Fitzsimmons, Intro to FBLA, and Madison Kapschull, Accounting I.
Ezra Tetreault led the Pennsylvania delegation which numbered nearly 600 members and advisers. Ezra is currently serving as PA FBLA First Vice President.
Accompanying the students were local chapter adviser, Theresa Lubash, and chaperone, Fran Vitovsky.
The Strengthening Families Program 10-14 returns to Western Wayne School District Wednesday, September 25, 2019. SFP is designed for 10-14 year old students and their parents. It is designed to help youth learn about setting positive future goals, peer pressure resistance skills, positive management of emotions, coping with stress and communication skills. It is a great opportunity for families to work together as their youth transitions to the teen years and adjusts to middle school. There is an opportunity for parents to develop decision making, establish boundaries, and life skills including stress management, peer relationships and goal setting. It is a great opportunity to meet new families and build on your family strengths.
The program runs from 5:30-8:00 PM at Western Wayne Middle School. Each of the seven sessions begins with a family supper. Babysitting is provided for those families with younger siblings. There is no charge to our families for this project. Sign-up today by contacting Mrs. Jennifer Bradley, Principal of Western Wayne Middle School, 800-321-9973.
This summer The AllOne Charities, Northeast PA Area Health Education Center, and The Wright Center for Community Health have provided “Stop the Bleed Kits” to the Western Wayne School District for use in all four district buildings. This past school year all Western Wayne employees received training from medical professionals employed by Wayne Memorial Hospital in how to properly handle medical emergencies involving wounds that a bleeding control kit would warrant.
The groups involved in providing the kits have partnered together as part of a national awareness campaign to provide bleeding control kits and training “to encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives.”
Presenter Valarie Williams, B.A., TTS., bestowed high school principal Paul Gregorski and high school nurse Denise Johnson with one wall-mounted kit for each of the four schools in the district. Each wall-mounted kit includes eight individual kits. Western Wayne is grateful to have been granted these kits to assist in their continued efforts to make the district well-equipped to handle any medical emergency that may arise. “We are very thankful to have received the generous donation of these kits,” Gregorski said. From left, Denise Johnson, high school nurse; Valarie Williams, B.A., TTS., and Paul Gregorski, high school principal.
The Western Wayne Coaching Staff will be hold a softball camp for girls entering grades 3 – 9. The camp is open to anybody, not just Western Wayne Students. It will be held on June 17-20, 2019.
Tomorrow’s Leaders Today Graduation – May 1, 2026May 1, 2026Congratulations go out to Donovan Gregorski and Emaan Tanveer on their recent Tomorrow’s Leaders Today Graduation!
Leadership Lackawanna’s seven-month Tomorrow’s Leaders Today program develops the leadership, interpersonal and managerial skills of high school juniors and provides real-world experiences in the areas of health care, STEAM, history and heritage, crime and corrections, financial literacy, philanthropy, non-profit organizations, and community service. Each year, a class of approximately 70 students, representing various geographic areas and schools, is selected to participate. The program begins in October and concludes with a graduation ceremony in May. Sessions are held one full weekday each month from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Upon completion of the TLT program, participants will have the necessary skills to become concerned and committed citizens who participate and invest in our community. Tomorrow’s Leaders Today turns aspiring teens into future adult leaders. [...]
Junior Information Night – May 13th – 6:00 PMApril 30, 2026On Wednesday, May 13th, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. the Guidance Department will be conducting JuniorInformation Night in the LGI. The purpose of this evening is to inform parents/guardians about:selecting a college/trade school/training program, college cost, the college admissions process,registration and deadlines for the SAT/ACT, general financial aid information, Maia, SmartFutures,military and job opportunities and other important information.
https://ww3.westernwayne.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Junior-Information-Night-letter-to-parents-2026-1.pdf [...]
Student Council Attend Pennsylvania Association of Student Council Regional ConferenceApril 23, 2026Members of Western Wayne High School Student Council attended the Pennsylvania Association of Student Council Region H’s Annual Conference on Friday, April 17, hosted by Wyoming Valley West. There were hundreds of middle and high school students from area schools in the region in attendance.
Mr. Mason Wooldridge gave a presentation. Wooldridge encouraged students to remember that “things don’t happen to you; they happen for you” and encouraged them to take on challenges in life and know that everything is an opportunity for learning and growth.
In addition, Pennsylvania State Representative Mr. Alec Ryncavage, who represents the 119th Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, serving parts of Luzerne County, also gave a presentation. He was a WVW graduate who spoke about feeling called to public service at a young age and the responsibility he holds for representing 65k residents and encouraged students to follow their calling.
Another part of the experience involved students attending three different workshops of their choice. The workshops all focused on student leadership, teamwork, mental health, fundraising, and making connections with a fun twist. For example, they were able to make slime, friendship bracelets, and participate in breakout rooms.
Finally, there was a College/Vendor Fair that had 44 tables at the event.
Front row, from left: Evan Davitt, Ava Fiorella, Layla Persaud, Leah Reeger, Raelyn Simpson, and Meghan Rath. Back row, from left: Haley McGuire, Lillian Gilchrist, Olivia McGlone, Jailah McRae, Mackenzie Wehrmann, and Alexis Gill. [...]
High School March Students of the MonthApril 23, 2026The following students were recognized by the Student Council as students of the month for March. 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, is our selected freshman Xavier James. He’s a hard worker who actively participates in class and is extremely polite and respectful. He always strives to push himself to be his best. He is described as respectful, polite, hardworking, and all-around great young man, strong athlete with a commitment to his academics, kind, gets along well with both classmates and teachers, and diligent. It is also noted that he works hard to stay on top of his sports and classes.
Next, Leah Reeger is our chosen sophomore this month. She always participates during class, does her own work, and wants to learn. She is described as polite, hardworking, dependable, a stand-out amongst her peers, helps others, kind, a role model, and has integrity. In addition, it is noted that she is creative, insightful, dedicated, mature, hard-working, and courteous.
In addition, Makenzie Chearney is this month’s featured junior. She is noted as hard-working, completes all assignments on time, helps her peers, intelligent, friendly, determined and caring.
Finally, Katarina Shumski is our senior spotlight this month. Katarina’s teachers say she quietly goes about her business and is impeccable with her organization, school work, and time management. In addition, they note she is hard-working, dependable, considerate, reliable, and dependable because she is always on task.
The Western Wayne School District congratulates these March students of the month and wishes them the best in their future endeavors.
From left: Katarina Shumski, Leah Reeger, Makenzie Chearney, and Xavier James. [...]
FBLA Students Shine at PA State Leadership Conference in HersheyApril 23, 2026HERSHEY, PA — Students from Western Wayne High School’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter demonstrated outstanding achievement, leadership, and professionalism at the Pennsylvania FBLA State Leadership Conference held this week in Hershey.
Throughout the multi-day conference, students participated in a wide range of enriching experiences designed to build career readiness and leadership skills. Attendees engaged in competitive events, attended dynamic leadership workshops, explored career pathways at the expo, and collaborated with peers from across the state. These sessions provided students with opportunities to strengthen their communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, hallmarks of FBLA’s mission to prepare students for success in business and beyond.
Western Wayne proudly celebrates Grady Farley, who earned an impressive 4th-place finish in the event of Agribusiness, qualifying him for the FBLA National Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas, in June. This exceptional accomplishment reflects his dedication and expertise.
The chapter also congratulates Kaelyn Chearney for her 10th-place finish in Introduction to FBLA, showcasing her strong foundational knowledge and competitive spirit.
In the Business Ethics event, the team of Khloe Mistishin, Maggie Kotchessa, and Grace Moser advanced to the final round, demonstrating excellence in ethical reasoning, teamwork, and presentation skills at a highly competitive level.
Western Wayne FBLA members competed across a wide range of events, including:
Abigail Bell – Member at Large/Voting Delegate
Eli Bilski – Human Resource Management
Paul Borowski – Banking and Financial Systems
Julia Burry – Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure
Robert Carrelle – Banking and Financial Systems
Kaelyn Chearney – Introduction to FBLA
Makenzie Chearney – Journalism
Roxanne Dugan – Healthcare Administration
Paityn Duprey – Business Communication
Grady Farley – Agribusiness
Madison Forgione – Future Business Educator
Raegan Fox – Member at Large/Voting Delegate
Lillian Gilchrist – Introduction to Supply Chain Management
Charlianne Hachikian – Business Law
Justin Jimenez – Real Estate
Madison Kizer – Advertising
Kaitlyn Kloss – Introduction to FBLA
Maggie Kotchessa – Business Ethics
Raeleigh Kromko- Computer Applications
Kelsey Lokuta – Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure
Aiden Matthews – Banking and Financial Systems
Kyle Matthews – Introduction to Information Technology
Madelyn McClure – Organizational Leadership
Khloe Mistishin – Business Ethics
Grace Moser – Business Ethics
Madison Trapanese – Hospitality and Event Management
Graysen Valinski – Networking Infrastructure
Avery Vinton – Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure
Bryn Vinton – Business Communication
Madelyn Vinton – Computer Applications
Annie Williams – Job Interview
In addition to competitive success, several students were recognized for their leadership contributions at the regional level. Madelyn McClure was honored for her service as the 2025–2026 Region 22 Treasurer and was officially welcomed into her new role as the 2026–2027 Region 22 President, a testament to her leadership and commitment to FBLA.
The chapter also recognizes Raegan Fox and Abigail Bell, who served as Members-at-Large and voting delegates, representing Western Wayne in important conference decisions and leadership proceedings.
The State Leadership Conference is an incredible opportunity for our students to grow as leaders, connect with peers, and apply their skills in real-world scenarios. As their adviser, I am extremely proud of their hard work, accomplishments, and the way they represented Western Wayne. Students were also accompanied by Mrs. Megan Rush and Mr. Tim McClure, who are themselves WW FBLA Alumni.
The Western Wayne FBLA chapter looks forward to continuing its tradition of excellence and wishes Grady Farley the best of luck as he prepares to compete on the national stage this summer.
Picture one, front row, from left: Lillian Gilchrist, Madison Kizer, Kaelyn Chearney, Madison Trapanese, Khloe Mistishin, Grace Moser, and Maggie Kotchessa. Second row, from left: Madison Forgione, Madelyn McClure, Makenzie Chearney, Bryn Vinton, Annie Williams, Paityn Duprey, Madelyn Vinton, Julia Burry, Kaitlyn Kloss, and Avery Vinton. Third row, from left: Raegan Fox, Grady Farley, Abigail Bell, Eli Bilski, Kyle Matthews, Paul Borowski, Graysen Valinski, Robbie Carrelle, and Aiden Matthews.
Picture two, from left: Kaelyn Chearney, 10th-place finish in Introduction to FBLA; and Grady Farley, 4th-place finish in the event of Agribusiness. [...]
