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True to the everchanging unique time the 2020-2021 school year was tonight’s graduation had a surprise rain shower as students processed onto the field in their caps and gowns.  Many say that rain is a sign of good luck or a blessing when it falls on an important day, and this graduation day for a class that had their senior year during a global pandemic was truly blessed with the love of all of the families of the graduates in attendance who cheered them on through rain and shine from the stands.  Students each had a limited amount of tickets to give to family members for tonight’s event to lessen the crowd.

Senior Madison McGlone, president of the Class of 2021, gave the Welcome Address.

“Once a Wildcat always a Wildcat,” she told her fellow classmates about how she knows they will always feel welcome back at the district in the future when they stop for a visit.

McGlone then presented the Class Mantle to Morgan Coccodrilli, junior class president.

Senior Celeste Orchard was then named salutatorian with a GPA of 101. Celeste gave a speech on the importance of words.“Words have power over us,” she said.  “Seldom do people celebrate themselves and it is important to celebrate our own value.  I have nothing but pride for myself and for my class.”

Next senior Leonard Maiocco III was announced as valedictorian with a GPA of 101.5.

“It is an honor and a privilege to give the final farewell to the class of 2021,” Maiocco said.  

He discussed the unique school year had by all. “We have faced challenges that no other class has ever had to face,” Lenny continued.  “We persisted and we are here tonight with our family members in the stands.”

The Honesdale National Bank presented the Western Wayne Education Association with a check for 1,600 this past spring. The money is given through EITC, Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program. The money then funds enrichment at the district for needs of students outside of the traditional curriculum such as field trips, equipment, etc. Most recently the money was used to fund a ninth grade science camp field trip and a photography project done by high school students. The Western Wayne School District is extremely grateful for the generosity of HNB. From left: Tim McClure, high school social studies teacher; Robert Ferraro, a branch manager from HNB; Maria Masankay, high school science teacher; and Paul Gregorski, high school principal.

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For the first time in over a year the Western Wayne Marching Band was able to participate in a parade performance. The band marched in the annual Waymart Pride & Patriotism Parade on Saturday, June 12.
The group was met with much applause from a very supportive community who missed seeing a lot of the pride of Western Wayne this year due to COVID-19.
The students were thrilled to be out playing for the public again.
“It was an awesome way to end my senior year as a drum major,” Rhonda Fenkner, who will attend Marywood University in the fall, said. “When I was first announced to be one of the drum majors at our live meet band banquet [on the internet] last spring, I had no idea what our performance season would actually look like. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunities I had this year to perform for a live audience safely. This final parade was an excellent experience I wasn’t sure I would even be able to have.”

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Western Wayne Fashion students created their first-ever virtual fashion show this year, appropriately themed “Do What You Can.”

        In the words of Bon Jovi from the song “Do What You Can” which he wrote with some help from his fans to inspire others to carry on during the pandemic: “If you can’t do what you do, do what you can.”

        Colleen Carmody, show director and fashion teacher, said she thought the song made for perfect inspiration for the theme of this year’s fashion show that is much different from the Catwalk fashion show that is usually put on, but needed to be done in a new way due to COVID-19.

        “This year’s fashion show is dedicated to a year of challenge, perseverance, and change for all of us both teacher and student,” Carmody noted.  “Through equipment and supply exchanges, adjustments in schedules, and cameras, we made it.”

        Students in grades 9 through 12 had their pieces featured in the show.  The Introduction to Sewing class had featured purses, bulletin board research projects, and visual design projects.  The Textile and Design classes modeled pajamas, skirts, and bags.  While the Fashion and Design class showed bucket hats, skirts, dresses, and jackets in the show.

        Senior Maggie Millon was the only four-year fashion student in the show this year. 

        Millon started sewing in 8th grade after going to an after-school art club where other students were creating sewing and fashion projects.  She just knew she wanted to get involved in the fun after seeing upperclassmen at Western Wayne doing it.

        Maggie’s senior fashion collection is titled “Golden Rosebud of the 70s”.

        “My middle name is Rose, and my dad calls me Rosebud, so I just took my inspiration from there,” Maggie explained. “Of course, I also am very inspired by fashions from the 1970s era.”

        She has a number of beautifully designed pieces in her senior collection.  One is a tank top with paint and embroidery.  The tank top has the classic Beatles’ song lyric “Here comes the sun,” a song lyric from a modern band called AURORA that is “Drinking your eyes” from their song called “The River” along with a Hindu symbol that means peace embroidered on it.  She also has a stunning red outfit made of corduroy–this ensemble is her favorite.  It includes a fashionable blazer with snakeskin lining and bell bottom pants. In addition, she has some funky pants made from bean sacks that appropriately have lettering that says “Bada bean, bada boom.”

        Maggie is pleased with all the pieces in her collection and feels so happy to share them with the school and the community through the fashion video.

        In addition to working on her senior collection this year, Maggie also completed her senior project which also involved sewing in a unique way.

        Maggie made about 20 dresses out of recycled pillowcases for Little Dresses for Africa, a non-profit 501c3 Christian organization.  She spent time gathering pillowcases from the community and especially liked the beautiful pillow cases she got from some older women she knew in Wayne and Lake Ariel.

        She then shipped the dresses to the organization and is thrilled that girls in Africa have gotten to wear them.

        “I really like to help people,” Maggie explained.

        She hopes to make more dresses for Little Dresses for Africa after graduation.

        Maggie had a lot of fun in her fashion and design classes throughout high school.  She especially enjoyed working with her teacher Colleen Carmody on fashion projects through the years.  Maggie is considering pursuing a career that involves design or art in some way in the future.

        “I like being able to put pieces of myself into whatever I make,” Maggie explained.  “I can take a basic pattern and make it my own through creativity.  I am inspired by past fashion and use old movies for reference as well.”

        Fellow senior Lily Visceglia has done fashion and design classes at Western Wayne for the past three years.

        She also had a variety of pieces in the fashion video.

        One is an up-cycle denim outfit with a cheetah bell sleeve.  She also had a bucket hat in the show along with a cardigan with a butterfly and ladybug print.  In addition, she had a green suede skirt.

        Lily plans to attend Wilkes University in the fall to study early childhood education with a minor in the arts.  Lily loves many fields in the arts including fashion design, band, and musical theater.  She hopes as a teacher of young children that she can incorporate all of her passions into her career.

        “I like making my own designs,” Lily explained.  “When I put it on paper and see it, I feel accomplished.  The creation process can be difficult, but the end product is always great.”

        Western Wayne administration and staff congratulate the students on their fashion video that was made in a year of uncertainty and many challenges.  These students truly did what they could for the “Do What You Can” fashion show, and they exceeded all expectations.  The district looks forward to their annual Catwalk Fashion Show next year.

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The Hollywood Sign, spider legs, murals, and whimsical-themed pieces were just a few of the things featured through art at Western Wayne High School’s Annual Art Show that took place on Saturday, June 5, in the high school library.
The students and their teachers faced many challenges in their preparations for this year’s show, but they put together a magnificent presentation of the art work they worked so hard to create this year under challenging circumstances due to COVID-19.
Students from grades 9 through 12 had artwork displayed with seven featured senior art displays. The featured senior artists included: Noelle Cruz, Emma Pontosky, Cori Talarico, Cailie Thoman, Courtney Petrilak, Miranda Kubilus, and Maggie Millon.
The featured seniors had a variety of different themes for their displays.
“Mine focused on unfinished sketches,” Emma, who plans to attend West Chester University in the fall to study secondary education English, explained. “I usually fall in love with my sketches before I finish, so I decided to feature my favorite unfinished pieces for my display.”
One of Emma’s favorite unfinished pieces was of an actor from the television show Looking for Alaska based on the popular novel of the same title by John Green.
Senior Courtney Petrilak also had a reference to popular culture as the theme of her senior display. One of her larger pieces was a painting of the Hollywood Sign. Courtney, who plans to attend Penn Tech in the Physician’s Assistant Program, explained how her art work centered around a Hollywood Walk of Fame for ordinary people that she chose to create pictures of.
“Art is like therapy for me,” Courtney said. “It is very relaxing.”
Fellow senior featured artist Cori Talarico agrees that art helps her to feel calm.
“I use the time I create my art as an escapism period where I have peace and quiet time,” she explained.
Cori’s senior display was centered around a favorite mural picture she created from something she drew in her sketchbook. Her mural is of a girl in a blue outfit looking out a window. Cori explained that the other pieces in her display matched the color scheme from her mural. Cori is thinking about studying art in college in the future after taking a gap year.
Senior Maggie Millon also intends to take a gap year and do some online classes upon graduation. She explained the theme of her senior art display as whimsical. Her favorite picture is of an African American woman that she painted using blues, oranges, and browns among other colors.
“Making art allows me to be creative,” Maggie explained. “It helps me to stretch my limits and skill through the pieces I make.”
Fellow senior artist Miranda Kubilus also feels enabled to take on challenges through creating her artwork.
“I love art because there is no right way to really do it,” Miranda explained.
For her senior display, Miranda, who will attend SUNY Oswego to major in creative writing, decided to combine all of her favorite pieces together with no particular theme. Her favorite piece is called “Legs”. She explained how spiders were the inspiration for her piece. She isn’t a fan of the tiny creatures. However, she is fascinated with their legs hence why they inspired one of her favorite pieces of art.
Western Wayne administration and staff congratulate these senior artists and all of the other art students who displayed work in the June art show. They look forward to another fabulous show next year.

The Rotary Club of Hamlin/ Lake Ariel had an essay contest this past spring where students were asked to write about how they can help and improve the environment.

Western Wayne High School students placed in the competition. Bridgette Flannery, junior, took first place; Jamie Bryan, senior, placed second; and Carter Swingle, senior, placed third. Flannery also placed second in the District which is comprised of 41 Rotary Clubs.

Flannery along with writing is involved in a variety of activities at Western Wayne High School including: band, vice president; drama club, graphic design officer; anime club, secretary; and chorus, secretary. She is also a part of National Art Honors Society, The National Society of High School Scholars, and Northeastern Youth Wind Ensemble. 

Flannery discussed the enjoyment she found in writing the essay for the Rotary Contest.

“My favorite part of writing the essay was to show how I can help the environment around me,” Flannery explained.  “ I didn’t realize how much I have done for the environment because it was just second nature.”

In her winning essay, Flannery, who aspires to study music therapy and education in college, describes how she feels she can make a difference in the environment by doing tasks that seem small but actually help the environment in a big way such as recycling and walking instead of driving places.

To close her essay, Flannery reflects on how helping the environment has helped her to grow as a person emotionally.

“I never realized how much I affect the environment, but I also never realized how much the environment affects me. I thought that only I could affect the environment around me, but the environment can shape a person as well. I also didn’t realize how depressed I was by not taking care of the environment around me,”  Flannery writes in the closing of her winning essay. “ By planting flowers that help produce oxygen and making the place I live a little brighter, I became a happier person. Everyone needs to do their part to make this world a cleaner and safer place to live.”

Western Wayne High School celebrated their Prom the evening of Saturday, May 1, at the Anthracite Hotel in Carbondale outside under a tent.  The students were thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate their Prom and followed COVID guidelines for the event.