Members of the class of 2023 gathered on the football field on the first day of school to reminisce while the sun rose on the start of their senior year. Senior class advisors Ms. Helene Tscheschlog and Ms. Carrie Wittenbrader worked to plan the event. Seniors Evan Peirce, Tommi Vizcaino, and Ava Daniels made the senior class banner that was displayed at the field for the event which made a perfect place to take pictures. The idea of the event is to symbolize a good start to the school year with all of the seniors who wanted to participate together at the beginning of the first day. Following the sunrise, students enjoyed a pancake and sausage breakfast. Most of the breakfast was graciously donated by Weis Markets, Hamlin. In addition, a coffee bar was donated by the High School PBIS team. A great time was had by all!
It’s never too early to try out a future Wildcat activity. Western Wayne cheerleaders, football players, and the band showed their Wildcat Pride through hosting young Wildcats at the home game on Friday, Sept. 16, versus Abington Heights at the Sharkey Rosetti Stadium. Junior Wildcat players and cheerleaders got a taste of what it is like to play and perform under the Friday night lights. In addition, the band hosted students from 8th grade considering joining the high school marching band. They got to play stand tune music with their assigned band buddies during the game. All of the young cheerleaders, football players, and band students had an excellent experience and look forward to possibly participating in their respective activities in high school.
On Homecoming Day, September 30, 2022, we are planning a school-wide event to assemble students at the Sharkey Rossetti Stadium to form the letters “WWHS” on the field. We will use a drone to take a photograph of the student body in formation as a fundraiser for our high school PBIS team. PBIS is a nation-wide evidence-based program that is used in all Western Wayne buildings. PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, and it is a team of students and teachers that function to support our student body by rewarding good behaviors to improve the climate of the school.
The cost of the photo will be $15.00 for an 8×10 image. All checks can be made out to WWHS PBIS. Cash will also be accepted. Please send your cash or check to the high school Guidance Office to complete your purchase. Checks can be mailed to: WWHS Guidance 1970A Easton Turnpike, Lake Ariel, PA 18436.
All money is due prior to your order being placed. Orders will be accepted and money collected until November 1, 2022. An email will be sent to the address you provide when the orders have arrived. Orders are expected to be fulfilled in November.
Jenna Kwiatkowski, Evan Peirce, Eleanor Black, and Kylie Merring
Western Wayne High School students Eleanor Black, Evan Peirce, Jenna Kwiatkowski, and Kylie Merring have earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. These National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students with academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications and connect students with universities across the country, helping them meaningfully connect to colleges and stand out during the admissions process. Colleges and scholarship programs identify students awarded National African American, Hispanic, Indigenous and/or Rural/Small Town Recognition through College Board’s Student Search Service. All of the Western Wayne students who were recognized received the National Rural and Small Town Award.
The Western Wayne students who achieved this honor are excited to be recognized and are pleased to be back in school experiencing their senior year and look forward to attending college next fall.
Eleanor Black plays soccer and is a member of FBLA, student council, and the literary magazine. She is also a member of NHS and NAHS. She intends to study English or design in college.
Fellow senior Evan Peirce is also a member of the student council and NHS. In addition, he is one of the drum majors for the Western Wayne Wildcat Marching Band. He also is a tutor through Khan Academy. He plans to join the Naval Academy upon graduation.
In addition, Jenna Kwiatkowski is highly involved in school. She is a member of FBLA, envirothon, science olympiad, and CATS Club, along with being a member of NHS. She aspires to study biochemistry in college.
Finally, Kylie Merring also has many accomplishments. She is a member of FBLA, FCCLA, and Spanish Club along with being a member of NHS. She hopes to attend Marywood University in the fall to study mathematics.
“We’re thrilled that our students have earned this recognition. We are very proud of them for their achievements in their classrooms and on College Board assessments,” said Paul Gregorski, Western Wayne High School principal. “These programs help students from underrepresented backgrounds stand out to colleges during admissions.”
Students who may be eligible have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams; and are African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigenous, and/or attend school in a rural area or small town.
Eligible students will be invited to apply during their sophomore or junior year and will be awarded at the beginning of the next school year. Students will receive their awards in time to include them on their college and scholarship applications.
“We want to honor the hard work of these students through the College Board National Recognition Programs. This program creates a way for colleges and scholarship programs to connect directly with underrepresented students who they are hoping to reach,” said Tarlin Ray, College Board senior vice president of BigFuture. “We hope the award winners and their families celebrate this prestigious honor and it helps them plan for their big future.”
For the first time since 2019, the FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) National Leadership Conference was an in-person event. Held in Chicago, Illinois, this conference brought together more than 12,000 members, advisers, and guests, including nearly 600 members of the Pennsylvania delegation.
Besides informative workshops and exciting campaigns for national offices, students had the opportunity to participate in a competitive events program consisting of more than 70 different business/business-related events.
This year 12 students represented Western Wayne High School including Gavin Murphy and Morgan Coccodrilli, Sales Presentation; Lou Azzato and Stevie Wilkinson, Public Service Announcement; Alex Chapman, Kaeli Romanowski, and Jenna Kwiatkowski, Parliamentary Procedure; Rachel Tuman, Entrepreneurship; Adrian Agnello and Weston Nugent, Intro to Business Presentation; and Rhayni Carroll and Emily Romanowski, Intro to Parliamentary Procedure.
At the Awards of Excellence Program held over two evenings, Western Wayne rising junior Rhayni Carroll captured a seventh-place award in Intro to Parliamentary Procedure. In addition, Theresa Lubash, local chapter adviser, was recognized as Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Adviser of the Year.
While in Chicago, the students had the opportunity to see many of the sights including “The Bean” in Millennium Park, the Navy Pier, a boat cruise focusing on the unique architecture of the city and a visit to the top of the John Hancock Building and the Willis Tower to take in the beautiful scenery.
Accompanying the students were Theresa Lubash, business teacher and FBLA local chapter adviser, and former adviser, Fran Vitovsky.
Makayla, Madelyn, and Hannah look forward to using the skills they learned at the conference as they begin their new journey in high school. From left: Makayla Moser, Hannah DeStefano, and Madelyn Vinton.
Western Wayne students attended the Junior National Youth Leadership Conference held this past July in Washington, D.C. Freshmen Makayla Moser, Madelyn Vinton, and Hannah DeStefano were recommended to attend the conference by their middle school guidance counselor Mr. Totsky. The outstanding students did a lot of fundraising to be able to have this experience including selling handmade blanket baskets, having a small basket raffle, and reaching out to the local community and businesses like The Grim Foundation which helped tremendously. All three students greatly enjoyed their experience at the conference.
Madelyn explained how her favorite part was a museum called Planet World that they saw. She was also thrilled to meet many new friends from across the country.
“I think what I learned at this conference will help strengthen my leadership qualities by making me work hard and fast while working with everyone,” Madelyn said. “It made me realize I’m not by myself, and I could never do it by myself.” Madelyn intends to pursue either law or pediatric audiology in the future.
Makayla agreed that getting to tour the monuments and historic places in Washington, D.C. was her favorite part of the experience along with meeting new people.
“I especially liked visiting Arlington National Cemetery and learning about its history,” Makayla explained. “We even got to see the changing of the guard. Another enjoyable part was how the new friends I made helped push me to achieve my goals at the conference.” Makayla aspires to study forensic psychology and criminal profiling in college.
Fellow classmate Hannah’s favorite part of the experience was the guest speakers. Her favorite was a speech given by Anthony Robles, a NCAA wrestler who was born with one leg.
“ We got to speak with him, and his speech was very moving,” Hannah explained. I learned that there are no excuses for things you can or cannot do.” Hannah is interested in a career in the medical field and has been researching careers like a travel nurse and anesthesiologist.
The supplement to the ’22 WWHS yearbook is available for pickup in the high school office. There is no charge for the supplement as it is built into the cost of the yearbook. Stop by the office to get your copy.
ALL NEWS
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. [...]
Western Wayne Students Shine in Energy Efficiency Competition!April 4, 2025A group of ninth-grade students from Western Wayne High School earned a prestigious Honorable Mention in PPL Electric Utilities’ THINK! ENERGY Innovation Challenge—a competition that challenged students to create interactive presentations on energy conservation, natural resources, and environmental issues.Aidyn Graci and Mitchell Ferraro, students in Dr. Mark Nebzydoski’s General Science class, took home the Honorable Mention award for their creative and engaging video on energy efficiency. Their project, which can be viewed on the Western Wayne website, used humor and storytelling to highlight the importance of saving energy. Throughout the video, the students repeatedly urged their teacher with the catchphrase, “Come on, Mr. Nebz!”, reminding him to be mindful of energy consumption in the classroom. https://youtu.be/EDmCGFHw4Lk“I really enjoyed making the video and getting to boss Mr. Nebz around a little!” said Mitchell Ferraro, who aspires to become a social studies teacher. Fellow creator Aidyn Graci, who hopes to pursue a career in business, added, “It was a relief to see our hard work pay off.”As part of the competition, Dr. Nebzydoski registered all Western Wayne students for free energy conservation kits, which included compact fluorescent light bulbs, a smart energy power strip, a shower timer, a faucet aerator, and a water-saving showerhead. Students installed the devices in their homes and measured their energy savings—applying science in a real-world, hands-on way.“The creativity and enthusiasm in these projects were incredible,” said Dr. Nebzydoski. “Seeing students learn about energy efficiency and apply it to their daily lives is exactly what education should be about. These high school students are tomorrow’s homeowners, so reinforcing energy conservation now is essential.”For their outstanding work, Aidyn and Mitchell were each awarded Beats wireless earbuds, and Dr. Nebzydoski received $250 for classroom supplies.PPL Electric Utilities, in partnership with the National Energy Foundation (NEF) and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), sponsors the THINK! ENERGY program to promote energy education among students. This initiative provides free resources to help young people develop a deeper understanding of energy conservation and efficiency.For more information on the THINK! ENERGY Innovation Challenge, visit THINK! ENERGY. https://thinkenergy.org/ppl-innovation/teachers/Caption: (LtoR) Mike Touey, PPL Electricity; Paul Gregorski, High School Principal; Aidyn Graci, Student; Mitchell Ferraro, Student; and Dr. Mark Nebzydoski, Science Teacher. [...]
Scholarships & Career Opportunities – April EditionApril 1, 2025The April 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/2025/04/Scholarships-and-Career-Opportunities-April-2025.pdf [...]
Kindness is keyMarch 31, 2025The kindness club at R.D. Wilson aims to spread kindness for both students and staff. The winter kindness club completed two important projects. First was the Coffee Cart which provided staff members with free coffee and hot cocoa. Each cup had an uplifting message written on it. Next, they designed a bulletin board in the cafeteria. Their goal was to motivate kids to be friends and include others. The kindness club members hope their projects made a lasting impact.
Kindness Club Members (Bulletin board photo, left to right): Elisabeth Burry, Keagan Quinn, Mrs. Germani, Veronica Miller, Ben Vinton, and Colby Doud [...]
Western Wayne 9th Graders Dive into Trout Conservation with FUDRMarch 31, 2025Western Wayne High School’s 9th-grade students recently had a unique opportunity to learn about trout, stream ecology, and watershed conservation through an engaging presentation by Taline Almasian and Ciara Gunderson, outreach coordinators for the Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR). The non-profit, based in Hancock, NY, is dedicated to protecting and restoring the Upper Delaware River watershed for the benefit of local communities.
The presentation covered the biology and ecology of trout, including their role in aquatic ecosystems, economic significance, and the importance of conservation efforts. Students learned about habitat restoration, sustainable fishing regulations, and ways to become stewards of local waterways. Almasian and Gunderson also shared insights into FUDR’s mission and projects, demonstrating the impact of their conservation work.
This experience also deepened students’ understanding of Dr. Mark Nebzydoski’s Trout in the Classroom (TIC) program, where students raise rainbow trout eggs provided by the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. These trout will grow into fingerlings before being released during a field trip this spring to the Varden Conservation Area. The presentation reinforced the importance of trout conservation and gave students a broader perspective on how their classroom efforts connect to real-world ecological preservation.
To reinforce their understanding, students participated in a Jeopardy-style quiz, testing their knowledge on topics covered in the presentation. The interactive format made learning fun and encouraged deeper engagement with the subject matter.
“This was an excellent opportunity for our students to connect classroom learning to real-world environmental issues,” said Dr. Mark Nebzydoski, Western Wayne High School science teacher. “FUDR’s work is essential in protecting our waterways, and our students now have a better understanding of how they can contribute to conservation efforts.”
The event highlighted the importance of preserving healthy aquatic ecosystems and inspired students to take an active role in environmental stewardship. To learn more about FUDR and its conservation efforts, visit www.fudr.org. [...]
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.
