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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
What options exist both before and after graduation for individuals with special needs? Come learn about the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Job coaching, the Office of Developmental Programs waivers, PROJECT SEARCH, Community Participation Supports, Post Secondary options, ABLE accounts and other supports. For more information or help with the zoom link, contact James Furiosi jfuriosi@cmpmhds.org or 570-730-3981 or Traci Hall thall@waynecountypa.gov 570-253-9200
Ticket prices are 5.95 for Western Wayne students and senior citizens and 7.95 for the general public.
The students have been working on the musical since January and are excited to perform their show live via the internet.
The full-length classic tale of Cinderella finding her prince will be performed by our cast. The show is perfect for kids of all ages!
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to entertain the public in this new way,” senior Rhonda Fenkner, who plays Cinderella, said. “We are so grateful to have this chance to do what we love, and hope the public enjoys the show!”
Any questions on how to purchase a ticket, contact Mrs. McLaughlin at jmclau@wwsd.io
The Department of Social Work at Kutztown University is conducting a statewide study titled “Access to Mental Health in Rural Pennsylvania” and is seeking parent of school age children to complete and online survey which should take about 15 min. The survey explores the demand for and access to mental health services. You can enter a random drawing to win a $25 Walmart or Target gift card by completing this survey.
We are also seeking parents to speak more in-depth about their experiences.
Online Parent Interview:
We are also looking to interview parents of school-age children about their experiences seeking mental health or substance abuse treatment for their children. The interview will last about an hour and you are paid $10 for your time.
You are eligible to participate in the interview process if: 1) You are a parent of youth 18 2) You have experience accessing mental health services for your child 3) You live in rural Pennsylvania.
If you are interested in participating in an individual interview, please contact the Juliana Svistova at 610-683-4330 to schedule a date and time to complete the interview.
Band Performs at GDS Fair and Meets Kurt AaronAugust 29, 2024Kurt Aaron and Michael Olivo
Band and Color Guard perform at the GDS Fair.
The annual Western Wayne Marching Band and Color Guard performance at the GDS Fair was especially eventful this year because on the day of their performance Wednesday, August 28, WNEP’s Kurt Aaron and his infamous dog Ranger were also there doing live spots. Aaron briefly interviewed Western Wayne band member Michael Olivo, a senior. Michael proudly told the viewing audience about Western Wayne’s upcoming performance at the fair.
“It was really exciting to get to promote our band to a TV audience,” Michael said.
The students were thrilled to perform their 2024-25 Boy Bands themed field show for the audience along with playing some fan favorite stand tunes.
Drum majors this year are seniors Lia Hartman and Kalob Franko. This is Lia’s second season as drum major.
“We are all so grateful to be able to perform for the local community who is so supportive of us,” Lia said.
The Western Wayne Band is under the direction of Mrs. Elaine Ort who is now in her 11th season with the district.
The entire Western Wayne Band and Color Guard invite the local community to attend the first home game of the season for varsity football against Lackawanna Trail on Friday, August, 30, at the Sharkey-Rosetti stadium. Western Wayne will have the pregame show starting at about 6:45 p.m.; kick-off is at 7 p.m. [...]
Western Wayne to Host Annual Car Show Saturday, Sept. 7—NEW RAIN DATE! August 27, 2024The Western Wayne Hot Rod Club and Drama Club will host their 2024 Annual Car Show on Saturday, September 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the high school parking lot, 1970A Easton Turnpike, Lake Ariel, PA, near the football stadium. Please note our NEW RAIN DATE is Sunday, September 15.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 student Robert Scramuzza is excited to partner with the Hot Rod Club for the 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,” Bobby 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 obtain 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,” club president Lillian Maros 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. 7 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 15. [...]
Freshman Orientation – Save the Date!August 8, 2024August 22, 2024 – 6:00-7:30pm – Veterans Memorial Auditorium, WWHS
Western Wayne High School welcomes the Class of 2028!
Information on the high school/ 9th Grade Transition
High School Survival Guide
Student’s class schedule
Tours
Refreshments [...]
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.