Senior Lillian Maros and junior Nicholas Fisichella were recognized by the Western Wayne School Board at the May 7th meeting for their outstanding excellence in band this year for earning places to perform at All-State Band.  It has been four years since a Western Wayne student achieved this honor.  Their band director Mrs. Elaine Ort was also recognized with her students for helping them achieve this high honor.

From left Mrs. Elaine Ort and Lillian Maros.  Nicholas Fisichella absent from photo.

The Western Wayne School Board recognized the cast, crew, and directors of Mamma Mia! for their excellence this season in their vocal, visual, and overall performance.  Lead performers, stage crew members, and directors attended the meeting. The board acknowledged the growth of the program over the years and gave well wishes for future performances and to graduating seniors.  The Western Wayne Drama Club is thankful for the support of the School Board and looks forward to their next projects and performances.  From left: Mrs. Elaine Ort, pit director; Johnathon Maxwell, supporting role; Colette Schmitt, five-year senior, public relations officer, lead role; Kallie Wehrmann, senior, stage crew leader; Jason Vass, creative team member, lead role; Jade Wetherington, lead role; Lillian Maros, five-year senior, student director, drama club president, lead role; Mrs. Jessica McLaughlin, musical director; Stephanie Maxwell, five-year senior, student costume mistress, lead role/ understudy.  Absent from photo: Robert Scramuzza, five-year senior, student director, lead role; Owen Obloshny, drama club vice president, lead role; and Scott Kurent, lead role.

This year the Western Wayne High School Marching Band and Color Guard went to Virginia Beach and surrounding areas for their annual field trip this May. The band had an amazing trip where they went to the beach, Busch Gardens and a symphony! Every year Mrs. Elaine Ort, Western Wayne High School band director, carefully crafts a trip for these students to make memories they will have for a lifetime. Pictured is the Western Wayne Marching Band and Color Guard in Colonial Williamsburg.

On May 6, 2025, students from Western Wayne High School proudly presented their student-led environmental education project at the Community Connections to Our Watershed banquet, held at Montage Mountain. Their project—a hands-on ecology field trip to Varden Conservation Area for Western Wayne’s 4th grade students—was designed, researched, and organized entirely by the high school team.

This presentation was the culmination of months of work as part of the Community Connections to Our Watershed program, a regional environmental initiative that began over 20 years ago. Each year, groups of five students and one teacher from schools across Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties participate in the program, which is coordinated by the education teams at Lackawanna and Nescopeck State Parks. The goal is to engage students in meaningful learning about watershed science and conservation through outdoor field experiences and professional mentorship.

Western Wayne students applied their knowledge by creating an original educational experience for younger learners. They began by researching costs for transportation and supplies, identifying local agencies that could provide environmental programming, and crafting a detailed plan for the trip. The students collaborated with representatives from Lacawac Sanctuary, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the National Park Service, and the Wayne County Conservation District to develop engaging, standards-based ecology activities. They then proposed the idea to their principal and worked with school administrators to schedule the trip, which will take place later this month.

To fund the initiative, the students successfully applied for a mini grant from the Wayne County Community Foundation. Their proposal was approved by the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) and presented to the Foundation’s Board for final approval. The grant provides funding for transportation and program costs to make the field trip possible for all 4th grade students at Western Wayne Elementary.

During their presentation at the banquet, the Western Wayne team shared how their participation in field trips to Keystone College, Lackawanna State Park, the Old Forge borehole, Alliance Landfill, the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania American Water Treatment and Sewage Treatment Facilities, and the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail shaped their understanding of watershed science. They explained how those experiences informed their vision for teaching younger students about local water ecosystems.

This year’s Community Connections to Our Watershed program included schools from across the region: Carbondale, Forest City, Lakeland, Mountain View, Old Forge, Riverside, Western Wayne, and Wayne Highlands in Lackawanna County; and Crestwood, Hanover, HAAS, HACC, Hazleton, Northwest, Tunkhannock, and Wyoming Area in Luzerne County.

The program is made possible with the support of Pennsylvania American Water Company, DCNR, and the DCNR Watershed Education Program.

To learn more and view highlights from the 2023–2024 program, visit: https://tinyurl.com/CCTW2025

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

On 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)

Western 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.