High School

Western Wayne High School Student Wins Poetry Contest By Jessica McLaughlin

Western Wayne junior Cassidy Asinski is the 2019 ACS Susquehanna Valley Section National Chemistry Week Poetry Contest 9th-12th Grade Winner. Cassidy’s poem was judged as being the best out of all 9th-12th grade entries received by our section.

The poem has successfully been submitted to the national competition for a chance to win up to $300. In addition, Cassidy, her parents, and her science teacher Maria Masankay are invited to the annual Susquehanna Valley ACS Awards Banquet in May. Cassidy will receive a $50 check and a certificate at the banquet.

Cassidy’s poem is titled “Rust.”  She explained that she chose this topic after doing some research.  Cassidy, who enjoys both science and English classes at Western Wayne, said she really wanted to make her poem stand out by personifying rust throughout it.  The poem is told in the first person point of view of rust itself.

“I wanted to make it really unique,” Cassidy explained. 

Cassidy is highly involved at Western Wayne High School.  She is a triple-sport athlete who is a member of the soccer, basketball, and track teams.  She just made the first team all-stars for soccer.  Cassidy, also, participates in FBLA and is a member of NHS.  She is keeping her options open for the future, and says she is interested in the study of forensic science.

She feels excited to have won the poetry contest and looks forward to representing Western Wayne at the awards banquet for it in May.

Western Wayne faculty, administration, and staff, are proud of Cassidy’s accomplishments and wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Western Wayne Students Attend FBLA Region 22 Leadership Workshop

            Western Wayne FBLA members joined with students from several area schools at the Woodloch Resort for the annual Region 22 Leadership Workshop.  Region 22 President and Western Wayne senior Ezra Tetreault presided at the opening and business sessions. 

            The workshop is a wonderful opportunity for students to get together and meet students from neighboring schools in a social setting rather than a competitive one.  Also attending were members from Carbondale Area, Delaware Valley, Honesdale, Mid-Valley, and Wallenpaupack Area,

            Ice skating was available before the sessions and a haunted hayride concluded the evening’s activities.

            Representing Western Wayne were Ezra Tetreault, Kate Mattern, Darlene Black, Lenny Maiocco, Landon Firmstone, Jacob McCormack, and James Fryzel.  Theresa Lubash, chapter adviser, accompanied the students.

Western Wayne Students Benefit from HOBY Leadership Seminar

Western Wayne juniors Brett Schane and Madison McGlone represented Western Wayne at the 2019 Central Pennsylvania HOBY Leadership Seminar at Shippensburg University held last May.
The students greatly enjoyed their experience. Brett and Madison were glad to learn leadership skills along with making lasting friendships with other students from across the state.
“This was a good experience not only to build leadership and character, but also to meet a lot of different people that I never would have had the opportunity to be friends with otherwise,” Brett explained.
Madison agreed stating that she still keeps in touch with many of the students she met at the seminar.
“I made a lot of life-long friends,” Madison, who aspires to study psychology after graduation, said.
Brett and Madison explained that they did many getting-to-know-you activities when they first arrived at the seminar. Then they also had the chance to do community service projects.
Madison’s group went to a local Boy Scout camp and worked on setting up tents and building other needed items for the camp. She explained how all of the students at the seminar were broken into different groups to work on various service projects.
Brett said along with the service aspect of the seminar he also enjoyed the time the students got to spend in Harrisburg in the capital building.
“We got to do a mock legislature and work to get a bill passed among our peers,” Brett, who aspires to major in journalism and write about political science, explained. “It was really great to get to sit in the room where real bills are passed in the state.”
Brett and Madison thought they benefitted so much from their experience at HOBY last year that they wish to apply to be student leaders at the upcoming HOBY Leadership Seminar this spring. Brett and Madison explained how as a part of the process they individually have to complete 100 hours of community service along with the application process. If chosen, they will help to set up and facilitate this year’s event, which would mean they would be working alongside this year’s chosen Western Wayne sophomores Bridget Oppelt and Rachel Tuman.
Oppelt and Tuman will represent Western Wayne at the 2020 Central Pennsylvania HOBY Leadership Seminar at Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, from May 14 through May 17.
Both young ladies are very accomplished at Western Wayne. Bridget is an honor roll student who enjoys being a part of the Western Wayne Marching Band where she plays the alto saxophone. She also does baton with the Double R Twirlettes and likes to ride horses in her spare time.
Like her classmate, Rachel also is highly involved in academics and activities. Rachel is a member of the Mock Trial Team, PJAS, Science Olympiad, FBLA, Spanish Club, and is the vice president of the sophomore class.
The girls were chosen for HOBY through essays they submitted about what leadership means to them.
“I wrote about how leadership is a role that you can use to guide and help others,” Bridget said.
Rachel agreed that helping others is a large part of leadership.
“I wrote about how there are two types of leaders: positive and negative ones,” Rachel explained. “Positive leaders help to develop tomorrow’s leaders.”
Both girls are very excited to attend the HOBY Leadership Seminar.
“I look forward to hearing what is said about leadership and meeting other students and hearing their experiences,” Rachel said.
Hoby will soon celebrate 50 years as the country’s top youth leadership development organization. Founded in 1958 by veteran actor Hugh O’Brian, HOBY’s mission is to provide lifelong leadership development opportunities that empower individuals to achieve their highest potential. O’Brian set out to help young people make a difference and become positive catalysts for change—in the home, school, workplace, and community. Now, with more than 355,000 alumni leading the way, HOBY is respected worldwide for its youth leadership programs.

Western Wayne High School AP Biology students visits Lacawac Sanctuary

On October 17, 2019 the Western Wayne High School AP Biology students visited Lacawac Sanctuary and Biological Field Station. Students had the opportunity to engage in field research in the area of Forest Ecology and Conservation Biology. During the course of the visit students collected and analyzed data from the Lacawac Forest including a comparison of biodiversity inside of Deer Exclosures as compared to the rest of the forest, tree identification, invasive species discussions and conservation ecology. These rich field experiences allowed students to really understand the characteristics of a stable forest ecosystem. Students learned about research that is happening at the collegiate level at Lacawac Field Station and about partnerships between Lacawac and various Universities. These students will return to Lacawac in the spring to conduct their own research in the area of aquatic ecosystems.

Middle School Annual Turkey Trot Run/Walk

When:  November 26, 2019

Time:  8:30 am to 10:00 am

Where:  Western Wayne Middle School

Distance:  1 mile

Price due the day of the race:  5 Cat Cash or

 2 food items (cans or boxes)(Donation to local food pantry)

Bring your entry fee to the track

Prize at finish line for all participants:  10 Cat Cash

Additional prizes for 1st and 2nd place finishers:

6th grade Male and Female

7th grade Male and Female

8th grade Male and Female

After the Turkey trot:  Pictures with the Turkey, drinks, refreshments, and raffle!

Turkey Trot participants will participate in the following:

8:15 am Wellness Discussion

8:40 am Morning Stretch

9:00 am Race/Walk

9:20 am Award Ceremony

9:30 am Cool Down

You can spend your cat cash to purchase the following:

9:45 am Pictures with the Turkey, Refreshments, and Raffle

Western Wayne High School Students Attend Transition Expo.

Western Wayne High School Students attended the Wayne County Collaborative Transition Expo. held on Oct. 22 at Ladore Lodge in Waymart.  At the event, they learned about college and career opportunities.  The event is designed to assist transitioning students with disabilities and their families.

          Senior Rebeccah King enjoyed the knowledge she gained from the event.

          “Representatives from different schools help you with your questions about college,” King, who aspires to study welding after graduation, explained.  “They offered scholarship help, and I also learned about opportunities for employment available to me now.  I learned that Woodloch Pines is hiring.”

          Rebeccah’s classmate Becca Boots also thought she gained some valuable insights from the expo.

          “I am very interested in culinary studies in college,” Becca explained.  “I spoke to someone representing Lackawanna College’s culinary program, and I learned that they have a separate building on campus for that major.  That made me even more interested in attending that school.”

          All of the students who attended the transition expo. were happy to gain more knowledge about fields they can pursue after their time in high school.

          Pictured are some of the Western Wayne High School students who recently attended the Wayne County Collaborative Transition Expo. held on Oct. 22 at Ladore Lodge in Waymart.  Front row, from left:  Jamie Newman, Mya Lukas, Amy Newman, Caleb Burns, Jordan Diaz, Braydon Christian, and Rebecca Weist.  Back row, from left:  Jack Klikus, Caleb Swingle, Becca Boots, and Rebeccah King.

Western Wayne High School learned leadership skills while attending the FCCLA Regional Leadership Meeting

Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) from Western Wayne High School learned leadership skills, organizational skills and project ideas while attending the FCCLA Regional Leadership Meeting on October 25th at Reading Area Community College.

            Members attended workshops on Leadership, Statewide Initiatives, Publicizing your Chapter, Safety, Family Consumer Sciences related topics, and State Officer Candidacy.  During the meeting, local chapter members also learned about the PA FCCLA outreach project and the membership campaign.

            Western Wayne members expressed enthusiasm toward returning to their chapter with great ideas and lots of motivation for a successful year.

WW Freshman, Ashley Small learned about FCCLA programs and competitions and stated “The workshop taught me about a useful planning process that will help me organize community events and achieve my future career plans.”

WW Sophomore Katarina Wood explained “I attended an FCCLA work session that gave me key strategies to balance my extracurricular and academic skills.”

Sinclaire Ogof, a WW Senior and Vice President of Membership, reported that “Twenty seven students attended the FCCLA Regional Leadership Meeting and our Western Wayne Chapter’s membership has tripled this year, totaling  52 students!”

            Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America is a dynamic and effective national student organization that helps young men and women become leaders and addresses important personal, family, work, and societal issues through Family & Consumer Sciences Education and Related Occupations. 

FCCLA is unique among youth organizations because its programs are planned and run by members.  It is the only national in-school organization with the family as its central focus.  Participation in national programs and chapter activities helps members become strong leaders in their families, careers, and communities.