The Western Wayne High School received a 500 dollar 2025 ExxonMobil Educational Alliance Grant to support STEM education. ExxonMobil and Onvo present these grants to various area schools each year. The check was awarded to Western Wayne recently. Western Wayne Administration and staff are excited to use these funds to better the educational experiences of their students. The District intends to use these funds to enhance students’ experiences in STEM related studies. From left: Mr. Paul B. Gregorski, high school principal; and Mike Kizis, Onvo District Manager.
Jesse Weinberger, former programmer, nationally recognized speaker and author of The Boogeyman Exists: And He’s in Your Child’s Back Pocket, 2nd ed., will be presenting to Parents/Guardians Only on March 26th from 6-8 PM at the Wallenpaupack Area High School Auditorium!
High School Picture 1 Middle School Picture 2Winner Picture 3
Victims’ Intervention Program of Wayne & Pike Counties held their annual February Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) art contest recently and Western Wayne sophomore Elizabeth St. Louis was one of four winners who will have their art work displayed on billboards in the local community to raise awareness for this cause. Elizabeth was the only winner from Western Wayne with other winners coming from neighboring schools of Wayne Highlands and Lehman Intermediate. The winners also received Amazon gift cards and other prizes.
Debbie Cosentino, Children’s Program Manager, Victims’ Intervention Program of Wayne & Pike Counties, explained that the artwork for the contest fit the theme of “What does respect look like in a relationship?”
“The contest is allowing them to have a voice and an opportunity as a young adult to express how they experience and understand these relationships by knowing red flags early,” Cosentino explained.
She also discussed how the Victims’ Intervention Program hosts a yearly program at some local high schools including Western Wayne in which they meet with students in groups to discuss healthy relationships.
Cosentino was thrilled to be able to meet all of the Western Wayne students in the high school and middle school who entered the teen dating violence art contest.
One such student, freshman Layla Persaud explained that her entry which had puzzle pieces on it had a symbolic meaning for teen dating awareness month.
“It is about putting a relationship together on an emotional level,” she explained. “All of the pieces come together and have a role and meaning.”
Western Wayne winner of the contest Elizabeth St. Louis agrees that there are many pieces to a healthy relationship and that communication is key when putting it all together which is what she revealed in her winning art submission.
“When a couple talks, they should take the communication to heart instead of letting it go in one ear and out of the other,” Elizabeth, honor roll student and wrestling team member, explained. “Instead my picture shows how what is said should go straight to a person’s heart, because everything said in a relationship has great value.”
Elizabeth, who wishes to pursue elementary education in college, was surprised and honored to receive this recognition. She was inspired to pursue art from a young age by her mom. She especially enjoys painting, sketching, and water color with a focus on landscapes and nature overall.
“I hope that the billboard of my artwork inspires others my age to listen in their relationships.”
High School Pic One:
Back row from left: Mrs. Jessica Gregorski, Family Consumer Science teacher; Khloe Mistishin, Phoebe Schmitt, Sophia Franchak, Ellyana Armstrong, Abigail Brown, Liliana Hayes, Holly Kellogg, and Mr. Paul B. Gregorski, High School Principal.
Front row, from left: Morgan Malloy, Emaan Tanveer, MaKennah Holbert, Debbie Cosentino, Children’s Program Manager, VIP; Julia Hart, Lily Kieva, and Layla Persaud.
Middle School Pic Two:
From left: Cayden Clever, Mrs. Devon Farley, middle school art teacher; Mackenzie Hoke, and Aubrey Hendricks. Not pictured, middle school participant: Trinity Leonard.
Winner Pic Three:
From left: Debbie Cosentino, VIP; Elizabeth St. Louis, High school winner; and Mrs. Jessica Gregorski.
Jersey Mike’s recently made a donation to the Western Wayne School District. They held a fundraiser during their grand opening which resulted in a donation of over $3,600 to the district. The district is very grateful to the restaurant chain for their generous donation in support of our school community.
Pictured left to right: Casey Newcomer – WWMS Principal; Mike Tirko – Jersey Mike’s Regional Director; and Paul B. Gregorski II – WWHS Principal.
Western Wayne FBLA recently attended the Regional Leadership Conference at The University of Scranton. Students participated in competitive events and attended workshops with local business leaders. Twenty-two Western Wayne Students qualified to compete in the State Leadership Conference in April. Students who qualified are as follows:
Clare Coccodrilli, Isabella Kolp, Avery Ullner – 1st Place, Intro to Social Media Strategy
The Western Wayne School District would like to congratulate high school band director Mrs. Elaine Ort on being the recipient of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 9 Citation of Excellence. Mrs. Ort is the only band director in District 9 to be chosen for the award this year. This award is given to music educators who demonstrate high musical standards both inside and outside the classroom. She will attend an awards banquet at the PMEA State Conference in April to receive the official recognition. In addition, Mrs. Ort has had the honor of being a member of America’s Bands Directors with her most recent appearance with this group at the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The district is proud of Mrs. Ort’s past and most recent accomplishments. Pictured is Mrs. Ort at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Please also enjoy this link to an appearance Mrs. Ort made on PA Live last year to discuss her accomplishments in music.
Western Wayne High School’s Watershed Group is proud to announce the acceptance of a grant to sponsor a fourth-grade field trip to the Varden Conservation Area this spring. This initiative, led by students, exemplifies their commitment to fostering environmental stewardship and creating meaningful educational opportunities for younger learners.
Sophomore Aliyah Gregory wrote the grant and is thrilled to have been given it to use to help the younger students at Western Wayne have this unique educational experience.
“I really enjoy helping environmental causes,” Aliyah said. “I also aspire to be a teacher one day and think that working with the fourth graders later this year will be a good experience in leading others.”
The program, Community Connections to Our Watershed, has a legacy spanning over two decades. Each year, education staff from Lackawanna and Nescopeck State Parks collaborate with local schools to engage students and educators in an environmental forum. Participants explore local parks and public lands while learning from conservation professionals who work tirelessly to ensure equitable access to clean water—a resource vital for both human and ecological health. An overview of the 2023-2024 program, including information, pictures, and highlights from field trips, is available athttps://tinyurl.com/CCTW2024
This year’s participating schools include:
Lackawanna County Teams: Carbondale, Forest City, Lackawanna Trail, Lakeland, Mountain View, Old Forge, Riverside, Western Wayne, and Wayne Highlands.
Luzerne County Teams: Crestwood, Hanover, HAAS, HACC, Hazleton, Northwest, Tunkhannock, and Wyoming Area.
Western Wayne High School students have already participated in enriching field trips to Lackawanna State Park, Keystone College, the Old Forge borehole, and the Alliance Landfill. These experiences provided hands-on lessons in understanding healthy watersheds, monitoring their condition, and implementing solutions to maintain water quality. These activities were made possible through support from Pennsylvania American Water Company, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and DCNR’s Watershed Education Program.
Sophomore Dakota Douglas greatly enjoyed the trip to Keystone. Part of the experience that day was the students doing a simulated bird watching activity where they used binoculars to look at pictures of birds on trails and then identify them.
“The bird watching activity was really fun,” she said. “I love science and hope to study psychology one day in college.”
The program will culminate on May 6, 2025, with a student presentation banquet at Montage Mountain. Western Wayne students will present their project, which involves designing and implementing a field trip for fourth-grade elementary students to the Varden Conservation Area. Drawing from their own learning experiences, the high school students crafted ecology-based activities to inspire and educate their younger peers.
To fund this initiative, the students successfully applied for a grant through the Wayne County Community Foundation (WCCF). The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) reviewed and approved their mini-grant application, which secured funding for transportation and programming costs.
The Wayne County Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a charitable reserve for the current and future needs of Wayne County. Through its grant programs, the Foundation empowers community organizations to grow, thrive, and achieve sustainability. For more information about the Foundation, visit their office at 214 Ninth Street, Honesdale, PA 18431, call 570-251-9993, email info@waynefoundation.org, or visit https://www.waynefoundation.org.
Western Wayne High School is deeply grateful for the support that made this student-led program possible. This grant underscores the power of youth initiative and collaboration in promoting environmental awareness and education within our community.
From left, kneeling: Aliyah Gregory and Kyleigh Turner. From left, standing: Dakota Douglas, Jerrah-Ann DeBree, Mark Nebzydoski Ph.D. advisor; and Giuliana Velazquez.
Curriculum Night will be held Wednesday, January 29, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00. Administration, Guidance and the Department Heads will go over the curriculum, graduation requirements and the scheduling process.
Wester Wayne FBLA members attended the Regional Leadership Workshop held at Woodloch Resorts this past December and had a great experience learning at and participating in this event. Back row, from left: Khloe Mistishin, Cameron Press, Jared Goldman, and Madelyn Vinton. Front row, from left: Phoebe Schmitt, Olivia Gries, Ms. Brooke Hochreither, Western Wayne FBLA adviser; Colette Schmitt, and Madelyn McClure.
This December 13th the Western Wayne High School Band and Chorus held their annual holiday concert. The night opened with the High School Chorus under the direction of Mr. Taber Starnes singing a variety of holiday songs. Then the High School Band performed under the direction of Mrs. Elaine Ort and entertained the audience with many holiday classics. As an added treat, the closing numbers of the show included band and chorus alumni who were invited to the stage and welcomed to join the current students in making music. This tradition started a few years ago to honor the Western Wayne School District’s 50th Anniversary, and it was so popular that alumni look forward to it each year. The current students and alumni loved making music together and can’t wait to do it again next year. The High School Chorus, Band, and Western Wayne music programs alumni wish the community the happiest of holidays this season!
Row Four, back, alumni in attendance, from left: Hope Jezorwski, class of 1997; Connor Michaud,; class of 2024; Caden Wilson, class of 2024; Joey Regalbuto, class of 2024; Logan Jerzorski, class of 2024; Seth Lamberton, class of 2018; and Damon Martzen, class of 2020. Row Three: Phil Erb, class of 2001; Mason Coccodrilli, class of 2018; and Thomas Roberts, class of 2017. Row Two: Candice Zeiler, WW alumni; Alecks Fullone, class of 2022; Amanda David, class of 2023; Jennifer Hall, class of 2023; Kristin Shandor, class of 2015; Noah Shandor, class of 2015; and Kat Moore, class of 2019. Row One: Kathy Schaffer, class of 1974; Erica Arre, class of 2003; Becky Rinella, WW band parent; Mrs. Elaine Ort, band director; Tyler Velez, class of 2018; and Alana Lamberton, class of 2022.
ALL NEWS
Students Present Aquaponics Challenge Project at Regional BanquetMay 7, 2026On May 5, 2026, 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, an Aquaponics Challenge System, was designed, researched, and implemented entirely by the student team.Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system that combines aquaculture (raising fish) with hydroponics (growing plants without soil). In this balanced system, fish waste provides essential nutrients for plant growth, while the plants naturally filter and clean the water for the fish. The Western Wayne team developed their system to demonstrate how this closed-loop approach can support both food production and water quality.As part of their project, the students raised trout from eggs to approximately three to four months old before preparing them for release into a local stream. A major focus of their work involved addressing water quality challenges, particularly nitrate buildup from fish waste. Through research and problem-solving, the team explored ways to improve natural filtration within their system, including redesigning components and upgrading equipment such as water pumps to maintain optimal conditions.The project also emphasized key components of the Aquaponics Challenge, including system design, environmental monitoring, and community outreach. Students utilized technology such as climate control tools and irrigation systems while also connecting with local organizations and professionals for support. In addition, they worked to share their knowledge beyond the classroom by engaging others in understanding sustainable practices and watershed stewardship.This presentation was the culmination of months of work as part of the Community Connections to Our Watershed program, a regional environmental initiative that has been in place for over 20 years. Each year, teams of five students and one teacher from schools across Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties participate in the program. Coordinated by the education teams at Lackawanna and Nescopeck State Parks, the program immerses students in watershed science through field experiences and collaboration with environmental professionals.Throughout the year, the Western Wayne students participated in field trips to Keystone College, Lackawanna State Park, the Old Forge borehole, the Anthracite Heritage Museum, Lacawac Sanctuary, Pennsylvania American Water treatment facilities, and the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail. These experiences deepened their understanding of how human activities impact local watersheds and helped inform their aquaponics system design, particularly in understanding the relationships between aquatic organisms, plants, and water quality.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 Area, HAAS, HACC, Hazleton Area, Northwest, Tunkhannock, and Wyoming Area in Luzerne County.The program is made possible through the support of Pennsylvania American Water Company, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and the DCNRWatershed Education Program.Picture one, from left: Mark Nebzydoski Ph.D., advisor; Rhys Locklin, Noah Benson, Aidyn Graci, Aliyah Gregory, and Giana Graci.Picture two, the group from Western Wayne making their presentation, from left: Aliyah Gregory, Giana Graci, Rhys Locklin, Noah Benson, and Aidyn Graci. [...]
Science meets nature: Students release trout at Varden Conservation AreaMay 6, 2026Students in Wayne County are getting an up-close look at nature with an opportunity to study what’s right in their backyard.
https://www.wnep.com/video/news/local/wayne-county/science-meets-nature-students-release-trout-at-varden-conservation-area/523-3cf2ef49-624d-4f00-95cd-f2573064bf60 [...]
Western Wayne Hosts Prom with Support of Local BusinessesMay 6, 2026Western Wayne hosted their annual prom with “A Starry Night” theme at a new venue this year New Leaf Farm in Waymart on Saturday, May 2. The event focussed around local community businesses who hosted food trucks for the event including: Lupo Russo, 2 Ways One Passions, and Pop-Pop’s Grill and Catering. The students also enjoyed gourmet cupcakes from Ms. Michele Dugan along with cotton candy donated by Mrs. Paula Lamberton
There were 225 students and guests in attendance. Event sponsors included: Ariel View Inn (AVI), Leeward, Waymart Hotel, Iron Hill at 1940,and Meadowbrook Stables, and For the Birds, who provided flowers.
The students in attendance enjoyed this new experience. Senior Maggie Kotchessa thought this unique prom experience was a great idea.
“I really loved all of the food choices,” Maggie, who decided on a pulled pork sandwich from Pop-Pop’s, said.
Her classmate Norman Phillips’ grandfather owns Pop-Pop’s, and he was excited his family business could be a part of the event.
“It was really neat having my grandfather there doing what he loves,” Norman said. “He usually travels around to do a number of different gigs, and it was really neat having him at our prom.”
In addition to the variety of food items at the event, the students also were treated to a mocktail bar. Junior Madelyn McClure wrote a grant through the Wayne County Community Youth Advisory Committee and the district used the money to fund the mocktails for prom.
Also, the community donated a variety of gift cards for the students as prizes. Each student in attendance got a raffle ticket for a chance to win.
The 2026 Prom Court included: Vinny Baldini, King; Audrey Agnello, Queen; and
Mia Gifford, Hannah DeStefano, Olivia Haines, and Sofia Ochlan served as attendants.
The students enjoyed this unique prom experience and thank the district for their continued support of student events.
Picture one: Mr. Paul Gregorski, high school principal; Vinny Baldini, King; and Audrey Agnello, Queen.
Picture two:: Olivia Haines, Hannah DeStefano, Vinny Baldini, Audrey Agnello, Mia Gifford, and Sophia Ochlan. [...]
Scholarships & Career Opportunities – May EditionMay 4, 2026The May edition of Scholarships & Career Opportunities is now available. All grades should read this document to get information on college, careers, important dates, SAT/ACT exams and of course…scholarships!
Click here: https://ww3.westernwayne.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Scholarships-and-Career-Opportunities-May-2026.pdf [...]
Western Wayne Annual Art Exhibit & Spring Concerts on May 9May 4, 2026Western Wayne’s annual art exhibit and spring concerts will take place on Saturday, May 9.
The art exhibit will run in the high school gymnasium from 2 to 5 p.m. It will mainly feature high school artwork with special displays by our seniors. In addition, a select sample of middle and elementary student artwork will be on display.
The concert schedule is as follows: the sixth-grade concert will begin at 11 a.m.; the seventh- grade concert will begin at 1 p.m., the eighth- grade concert will begin at 3 p.m.; and the high school concert will begin at 5 p.m. with all concerts in the Veterans Memorial Auditorium at the high school.
There will be concessions for sale in the high school cafeteria throughout the day. All events are free of charge. Please join us in the celebrating the arts in our school. [...]
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.
