The Western Wayne Hot Rod Club and Drama Club will host their 2023 Car Show on Saturday, September 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the high school parking lot, 1970A Easton Turnpike, Lake Ariel, PA, near the football stadium. Food to be sold at the concession stand. Registration fee is $10. Spectators are free. The Hot Rod Club will give prizes for best car, truck, tractor, motorcycle, and best in show. In addition, the Drama group will sell a variety of concessions. There will also be a raffle of baskets and gift certificates generously donated by businesses and families in the local community. Drama Club president Nate Conway is excited to partner with the Hot Rod Club for the fourth time for the Car Show. He explained how the Drama Club students will be dressed in 50s attire for the event. “We wanted our presence at the event to go along with the variety of cars from the past that surely will be there,” Nate said. “We hope that the public comes out to enjoy the cars and to have some good food and purchase some chances to win baskets and gift certificates.” Members of the Drama Parents Club are working to gather a variety of items for the raffle at the Car Show from many very generous businesses and families in our Wildcat community. The students involved in the Hot Rod Club and Drama Club can use the funds raised from this event for their club activities. The Hot Rod Club meets on a regular basis to work on a variety of automotive projects after school and can use the funds for their projects among other activities. The Drama Club meets on a regular basis after school to work on a variety of projects and activities. “Drama Club gives students a place where they can express themselves,” senior member Robert Scramuzza, club co-vice president, explained. “We are like one big family in our club and really enjoy coming together to work as a team on events such as the Car Show.” All of the members of the Hot Rod Club, Drama Club, and Drama Parents Club cordially invite the public to attend this fun-filled event on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the High School parking lot near the stadium. Come out and see some great vehicles, take some chances on our basket raffle, enjoy some food, and enjoy some time socializing. Rain date is Sunday, September 10.
The Western Wayne Drama Club rounded out their 2022-23 season with a field trip to The Scranton Cultural Center to see Disney’s The Little Mermaid. It was a great experience for the students because they recently put on their own production of the same show this past April. The students look forward to their next season, and the club wishes it’s seniors the best in all of their future endeavors!
The Sixth Grade Middle School ChorusThe Seventh Grade Middle School ChorusThe Eighth Grade Middle School Chorus
The Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade Middle School Chorus groups recently went on a variety of fun and educational spring field trips. All groups are under the direction of the Middle School Chorus and General Music teacher, Mrs. Joyce Covaleski. The Eighth Grade Chorus’s field trip to Knoebels Amusement Resort was a reward for three great years in Middle School Chorus. The second trip was the Sixth Grade Chorus who enjoyed some fun and sun at McDade Park after seeing Disney’s The Little Mermaid at the Scranton Cultural Center. The third trip was the Seventh Grade Chorus’s field trip to Bethel Woods to visit the field where Woodstock took place, see the 1960s Music and Art Museum, and learn about the 1960s, protest music, and visual arts. Mrs. Covaleski is proud of all of her students’ accomplishments this year and was glad they could enjoy their field trips!
Western Wayne High School hosted the Junior Leadership Northern Poconos Graduation on May 24, 2023. Karina Booths, Weston Nugent, Alexandra Rodriguez, Emily Romanowski and Hunter Smith were the Western Wayne representatives.
The Chamber of the Northern Poconos’ goal is to develop mutual understanding, respect, civic engagement, leadership and the interpersonal skills of high school juniors by proving real-world experiences. In addition to the skills learned and topics explored, the opportunities and challenges of the region are discussed as participants network with community leaders and other high school students from Forest City Regional, Wallenpaupack Area and Wayne Highlands. The students from all four districts collected items for the Wayne County Food Pantry.
From left: Emily Brophy, Lillian Morcom, Alex Wallace, Eleanor Black, Kourtney Franklin, Alice Davis, Angelina Salvatore, Eriana Figueroa, and Anjali de Leon-Bello.
Western Wayne hosted their annual spring Art Show on Saturday, May 13, for the community with a special section of pieces from Western Wayne alumni this year in honor of Western Wayne’s 50th Anniversary celebration. The show featured art from students in grades 8 through 12 and art from graduating seniors. The following list of nine seniors exhibited their portfolios at the art show: Eleanor Black, Emily Brophy, Alice Davis, Anjali de Leon-Bello, Eriana Figueroa, Kourtney Franklin, Lillian Morcom, Angelina Salvatore, and Alex Wallace. Their displays represented an accumulation of up to four years of artwork.
Senior Eleanor Black’s senior exhibit was titled “Our Past.”
“My portfolio theme centers around the concept of childhood,” Eleanor explained. “I wanted to convey senses of uneasiness and sadness within youthful and vibrant images.”
Eleanor plans to attend Vassar College and major in English.
Fellow senior Emily Brophy also had her display in the art show titled “Garden Party”.
She particularly likes drawing insects.
“I believe my specialty has become creating Greek and Roman statues as well as insects,” Emily said. “I enjoy more than just drawing insects, but also pinning and displaying them.”
Emily plans to attend Delaware Valley University to major in botany. She would like to have a future career working in environmental conservation at a local national park or for an agricultural business.
Another featured senior is Alice Davis who titled her display “Ghost Town.”
“In truth, I’ve always thought how fun it would be to be a ghost, to be so free and to not worry about the consequences of my actions, to just be able to have fun and to enjoy life to the fullest,” Alice explained. “I think I’ve shown my desire to be free and to be able to have that fun within my pieces.”
Alice plans to attend Lackawanna College this fall to study culinary arts.
Senior Anjali de Leon-Bello also had a featured display centered around the concept of “Change.”
Anjali doesn’t particularly like change and wanted to represent that concept in her senior collection.
“Change has always made me uneasy,” she said. “I don’t like surprises and I don’t like not knowing things. I’m at the part of my life where everything is a gigantic unanswered question and it drives me crazy. I wanted to represent that hardness of letting go, but keeping the constants in my life.”
Anjali will pursue a degree in art education at Kutztown University after graduation.
Fellow senior Eriana Figueroa’s senior collection was centered around animals.
“I like to explore various subject matter forms, but my favorite art is that which enhances the beauty of animals,” she explained. “I love all the details animals possess; therefore, I enjoy the challenge of trying to paint them, and it is why I chose this theme for my exhibit.”
Eriana believes her art is like a “form of medicine” which is fitting since she plans to attend Penn State in the fall to study nursing.
Senior Kourtney Franklin’s collection was titled “Enchanted Garden.”
“I enjoy doing mostly colored pencil, for I have always loved the outcome of it,” Kourtney explained. “I chose to base my portfolio around flowers and plants because the colors are beautiful and it is unique.”
Kourtney currently works as a CNA and plans to achieve a nursing degree at Penn State.
Senior Lillian Morcom also had a featured display titled “Me.”
“I want to convey to my viewers my life through all of my pieces,” Lillian said. “The theme I chose reflects the things I like and the things I enjoy. I chose my room as my display because I feel it reflects me the most. I can’t control everything in my life, but I can control how my room looks.”
Lillian plans to attend East Stroudsburg University with a major in English.
In addition, senior Angelina Salvatore had a display centered around people’s insecurities and things that people see as weird or unconventional.
Angelina has been very inspired by her family to pursue art.
“I want people to look at my art and feel it,” she said. “I want to capture emotions in my art and immortalize them.”
She plans to attend Albright University to pursue a degree for fashion and costume design.
Finally, senior Alex Wallace had a very unique senior display titled “Mind on a Permanent Vacation.”
“I chose this theme because my thoughts are literally everywhere,” he explained. “Throughout senior year, there were a lot of things going on and being able to mentally check out and work on my art provided me with an outlet. I want to convey to my viewers a sense of calmness and peace. I believe it’s okay to be busy and have a lot of things going on, but it’s important to reign it in and be proud of how far you have come.”
Alex plans to attend East Stroudsburg University in the fall with a major in integrated arts.
Many of the seniors plan to pursue art as a hobby if it is not part of their chosen career field. They are grateful for the experiences they had at Western Wayne in their art classes.
The District wishes them the best on their future endeavors and congratulates the Art Department on another successful Art Show.
The Third Annual Cat Pack Games were held on Wednesday, May 24 at Sharkey Rosetti Stadium. After a musical welcome from the Western Wayne Marching Band, student CAThletes from EverGreen, RDW, and the Middle and High Schools spent the day running, jumping, throwing, and playing! Student volunteers from the High School assisted in setting up and running the games and activities, taking photographs, and face painting. The day was a perfect highlight of some of the many talents of our students. Thank you to everyone who helped make it a great day!
EverGreen Elementary’s First Grade welcomed Dr. Tickner to share his knowledge about bees. After learning and writing about bees this past month, students got to see firsthand what all the buzz is about. He even brought in one of his active hives for the students to check out. Lots of curiosity was in the air and questions were asked and answered! Thank you Dr. Tickner!!!
Emily Romanowski, Adrian Agnello, & Rhayni Carroll
Western Wayne High School students, Adrian Agnello, Rhayni Carroll and Emily Romanowski, graduated from Tomorrow’s Leaders Today on May 18, 2023.
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. Sessions are held one full weekday each month. The TLT Program accepts applications from high school sophomores who wish to improve their personal skills and impact their local community.
EverGreen First Graders had the opportunity to explore the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Airport for their field trip. They visited and learned about the parts of the airport and were even able to visit the airport firehouse. They were guided through their day by a retired pilot. He showed them all the many airport job opportunities that are available and challenged everyone to dream BIG!
On Wednesday, May 17th, the Pre-Kindergarten students at EverGreen Elementary participated in a bus safety program. They learned many important safety tips and were able to take a ride around the school grounds. Thank you to Mr. Henwood, Mr. Peet, and Officer Maldonado!
ALL NEWS
Special OlympicsApril 23, 2025Thank you to everyone who participated in the Special Olympics. [...]
Dr. Mark Nebzydoski Receives Prestigious Charlie Bright Award from Wayne Pike Trout UnlimitedApril 15, 2025On Saturday, April 12, 2025, during the annual Wayne Pike Trout Unlimited Banquet and Fundraiser, Dr. Mark Nebzydoski—a science teacher at Western Wayne High School and passionate participant in the Trout in the Classroom (TIC) program—was honored with the 2025 Charlie Bright Award.Presented by the members of the Wayne Pike Trout Unlimited Chapter, the Charlie Bright Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, dedicated service, and meaningful contributions to cold-water conservation. The award is named in honor of Charlie Bright, a beloved long-time Trout Unlimited member and owner of the Charlie Bright Fly Fishing Shop in Rowland, located on the banks of the Lackawaxen River, which he operated for more than 40 years.“It was truly a humbling experience to be recognized for my work in watershed education and cold-water conservation,” Dr. Nebzydoski said. “I am deeply grateful for this kind gesture.”Dr. Nebzydoski leads the Trout in the Classroom (TIC) program at Western Wayne High School, where students raise rainbow trout from eggs provided by the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. Throughout the school year, students care for the trout and learn about aquatic ecosystems, biology, and the importance of clean, cold water for trout survival. The program culminates in a spring field trip to the Varden Conservation Area, where the trout—now fingerlings—are released into the wild. Wayne Pike Trout Unlimited proudly partners in this annual release, helping to connect students directly with conservation in action.This recognition highlights Dr. Nebzydoski’s commitment not only to science education but also to fostering environmental stewardship in the next generation.
Picture Caption: (Left to Right: Vice President Wayne Pike TU – Tony Capitano; President Wayne Pike TU- Paul Ranello; Western Wayne Science Teacher, Dr. Mark Nebzydoski; Wayne Pike TU Youth Advisor – Don Strathy) [...]
Independent Order of Odd Fellows Freedom Lodge #88 Donates Bench to WWHSApril 15, 2025Western Wayne junior Connor Buchinski is in The Independent Order of Odd Fellows Freedom Lodge #88 in Honesdale. Connor has been a part of this organization for about a year now. Membership in The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is somewhat of a legacy in his family with his grandfather Dennis Buchinski being a member along with his father Doug Buchinski and other family members.
One of the community outreach efforts of Freedom Lodge #88 is collecting soft plastic. There is even a collection bin in the office of the Western Wayne High School. Once 1,000 lbs. of plastic is gathered the organization recycles with the Trex Bench program and donates a Bench to a non-profit organization. It was Connor’s idea to donate one of the benches this year to Western Wayne High School.
“I thought students would enjoy it during their lunch periods,” Connor said. “I really like working with this organization because of the new people I get to meet and the members of the community that I get to help.”
On Monday April 14th Freedom Lodge #88 members donated the Trex Bench to Western Wayne High School.
Freedom Lodge #88 also donated a history book to the Western Wayne High School Library on the Pennsylvania history of The Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Connor plans to work to collect more plastic and donate another bench to the Western Wayne High School before his senior year is over.
From left, standing: Sarah Rickert, high school teacher; Dennis Hiller, Lodge #88; Mr. Paul B. Gregorski, high school principal; Dennis Buchinski, Lodge #88 member; Maria Phillips, high school teacher; and Forrest Goodenough, Lodge #88 member. From left, seated: Doug Buchinski, Lodge #88 member; and Connor Buchinski, Lodge #88 member and Western Wayne junior. [...]
High School’s Student Council attends Student Council ConferenceApril 4, 2025Western Wayne High School’s Student Council was invited to attend the annual Pennsylvania Association of Student Council’s Region H Conference, hosted by Lakeland Jr./Sr. High School, on Friday, March 28th. Several of our students joined the 535 delegates, presenters, and advisors for a day of networking and learning more about what it means to be an effective leader in school and how to become one! Our students were thrilled with the opportunity to attend and left energized to put much of what they learned into practice here at Western Wayne! Pictured from left to right are Autumn Sawicki, Leah Reeger, Sadie Booths, Dakota Douglas, Madison Forgione, Raegan Fox, Makenzie Chearney, and Madie Kizer. [...]
Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention
program run by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
The program teaches youth and adults how to recognize
warning signs and signals, especially within social media,
from individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others
and to “say something” BEFORE it is too late.