From left are some of the students who have qualified for District Chorus: Alex Taylor, Rhonda Fenkner, Lily Visceglia, Joanna Regalbuto, and Trinity Williams.
Western Wayne High School will send seven of their high school chorus students to the PMEA District 9 Chorus Festival to be held from January 15 through January 17 at Marywood University. The following Western Wayne students have all been accepted to District Chorus as either qualified or as an alternate. The students pre- auditioned to qualify for districts at Tunkhannock Area High School in October. These students include: Alexandra Solimine, 1st place, alto 2; Joanna Regalbuto, 2nd place, soprano 2; Dakota Beavers, 7th place, tenor 2; Trinity Williams, 14th place, alto 2; Brad Wood, 16th place, tenor 2; Alex Taylor, 16th place, bass 1; Rhonda Fenkner, 19th place, soprano 1; John Nichols , 22nd , 1st alternate; and Lily Visceglia, 23rd , 2nd alternate.
All
of the students involved are excited to represent Western Wayne at District
Chorus in January. The students will get
their audition music sometime in November.
Western Wayne junior Rhonda Fenkner explained that the students will
have at least seven songs to prepare.
“It
is exciting and stressful at the same time,” Rhonda explained. “Last year we had both a South African and
Korean piece to prepare for the audition.
Those pieces, of course, are more challenging because, along with
learning notes and lyrics, you also have to learn all of the correct
pronunciations.”
Western Wayne Administration, faculty, and staff all wish these students
the best at the District Chorus Festival in January.
Congratulations to Coach Darren Thorpe and the entire Girls Volleyball Team on the perfect season! Starters for the Lady Cats are Rebecca Klemovitch, Sydney Krompasky, Trina Barcarola, Sabrina Swoyer, Kaeli Romanowski, and Katherine Shepherd. The girls beat Crestwood in Round 1 of the play-offs and moved to the Semi-Final round where they will play Nanticoke at Berwick High School on 10/28/19.
Western Wayne High School students perform the “double hand turn” which they learned in Spanish dance class this fall from local dance instructor Mr. Vince Brust. Left to right: Kristin Hauenstein, Elizabeth Wasylyk, Kailey Tickner, and Alyson Buchinski.
From left: Julia Phillips and Ashley Small Bermudez practice their Spanish dance steps at Western Wayne High School.
From left: Julia Phillips, Ashley Small Bermudez, and Cassia Sheehan learn Spanish dancing at Western Wayne High School.
Freshmen Nate Irvine and Jaden Gregory practice the steps they have learned in their Spanish dancing class at Western Wayne High School.
From left: Samantha Scaduto, Alyssa Iovacchini, Kendra Oliver, and Nick Gombita learn Spanish dancing at Western Wayne High School.
Learning
rhythms, beats, steps, and choreography isn’t just work for the Rockettes and
Broadway stars, Western Wayne High School foreign language students have a
yearly tradition of learning Spanish dancing as a part of their curriculum each
fall.
Local dance instructor and studio
owner Vince Brust works with the Western Wayne students to teach a variety of
traditional Spanish dances such as tango, merengue, mambo, and salsa among others.
The students have a few weeks of
sessions with Mr. Brust in the fall
leading up to a performance for the community in early November.
Some of the students in the classes
with Brust have been working with him for four years. Seniors Nicholas Gombita, Kendra Oliver,
Samantha Scaduto, and Alyssa Iovacchini feel very excited to be working again
on their dancing skills this school year.
“The experience helps to immerse us in
both the culture of Spanish and dance,” Nick explained. “I have been learning
more this year about how to count different music when I dance. Some dances are counted in threes and others
in fours. Each dance is different.”
Another experienced dancer Kendra, who
helped to choreograph one of the dances performed for the community last year
in the annual Spanish dance performance, said she loves going to the classes
each year to learn more and more.
“The salsa and cha-cha are my
favorites,” Kendra said. “The steps are
faster and more challenging than some of the other dances.”
Students of all ability and experience
levels take Spanish dancing as a part of their Western Wayne foreign language
curriculum.
Two freshmen Jaden Gregory and Nate
Irvine have been enjoying learning this type of dance for the first time.
“It was hard at first to get
accustomed to dancing with each other,” Nate said. “But it got easier the more we learned.”
“My favorite part are the cross-body
leads,” Jaden explained. “They are a
very smooth part of the dances.”
Jaden’s classmates freshmen Julia
Phillips, Cassia Sheehan, and Ashley Small-Bermudez also have been enjoying
their first experience in Spanish dance with Mr. Brust.
All of the girls have a lot of fun
learning new steps each day. Julia likes
the spins and turning in dance. Cassia
thinks the cross-body leads are the most fun steps, and Ashley likes the
expression she gets to put into the hairbrush step.
“This connects really well with what
we are learning in the classroom,” Cassia explained. “It gives us a taste of what real Spanish
culture is like.”
Western Wayne High School students
in grade 9 experienced the THINK! ENERGY Innovation Program on Tuesday, October
22. This program is an interactive, hands-on presentation with a take home
energy efficiency kit for each participating student and teacher. The program
teaches the importance of energy, natural resources and environmental
resources, and gives each participating student’s family energy-efficient
technologies to install at home. Students and staff in the high school received
innovation kits on October 22. The kits included four LED light bulbs, a
water conserving shower head as well an advanced smart energy power
strip. Overall, 225 innovation kits were distributed. This comes to
4,632 new LED bulbs distributed to the Western Wayne School District since the
program’s launch in 2015. This program will also result in a number of
mini-grants for the teachers in the high school as well. The Think Energy
Innovation Program has been brought to the schools by the National Energy
Foundation, PPL Electric Utilities, and the Pennsylvania Department of
Education. For more information or questions, please contact National
Energy Foundation at 1-855-494-2942 or email stephanie.dorman@nef1.org.
From left: Dr. Mark
Nebzydoski, science teacher; Eugene Shultz and Robert Penkala, presenters; and
Paul Gregorski, principal.
From left: Western Wayne vice principal Mr. Matthew Barr, Bridget Oppelt, Rachel Tuman, and Western Wayne principal Mr. Paul Gregorski. Oppelt and Tuman will represent Western Wayne at the HOBY Leadership Seminar this spring.
Western Wayne sophomores Bridget Oppelt and Rachel Tuman have been chosen to present 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.
The National Honor
Society is conducting our annual food and toy drive for the upcoming holiday
season. Food and toy collection boxes are now in the various offices and
classrooms. Please drop off donations. Food donations go to the
Wayne County food pantry and the Ronald McDonald House. All toy donations
go to the Wayne County Christmas Bureau.
From left: Western Wayne sophomores Hudson Malinowski, Alexandria Bien-Aime, Rachel Tuman, and Mia Rovinsky.
Local students had the chance to work
hands-on with a 3D-printing machine, robots, and dissection tools among many
other things at the 5th annual Women in Science Symposium hosted by
the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance and the Lacawac Sanctuary& Biological
Field Station on September 17 at the Woodloch Pines Resort.
Western
Wayne was one of the schools present at the event along with Delaware Valley,
Wayne Highlands, Valley View, MMI Preparatory School, and Wallenpaupack Area. Over 300 students attended the event. The
keynote speaker this year was Dr. Katie Leonard, president of Johnson College.
The
purpose of the event was to give students, like women, minorities and other
underdeveloped groups, information on STEM career paths, which stands for
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education. Students met with
representatives from local colleges to discuss career options, hear
presentations from female, working professionals and had the opportunity to
speak with these professionals after the presentations finished.
Female
students from both the Western Wayne middle and high schools had the chance to
attend the event.
The
high school students from Western Wayne in attendance who have attended the
event for multiple years prior said this was the best symposium yet.
“It
was all very interactive and hands-on,” Alexandria Bien-Aime, a sophomore at
Western Wayne, explained. “I want to be
a surgeon so I was particularly interested in the station where I got to use
tools to dissect animals.”
Alexandria’s
classmate Hudson Malinowski also liked the unique hands-on stations at the
symposium.
“I
got to work with a robot and program it to play music,” Hudson, who wishes to
pursue a career in music, said.
The
students explained how there were many different colleges represented at the
event and that they were able to explore different majors.
Sophomore
Mia Rovinsky especially enjoyed the college fair portion of the event.
“It
was good to hear other students’ questions and concerns about the STEM field in
the question and answer sessions,” Mia, who wants to be a doctor, said.
Mia’s
classmate sophomore Rachel Tuman also enjoyed taking advantage of all of the
information about colleges and STEM at the symposium.
“I
think the experience helped us all to refine our knowledge,” Rachel, who wishes
to pursue a career in forensic science, said.
“I enjoyed seeing all of the people there willing to help propel us into
a science career.”
From left:
Western Wayne sophomores Hudson Malinowski, Alexandria Bien-Aime, Rachel
Tuman, and Mia Rovinsky.
Seniors Max Phillips, Matt Rosengrant, and Cooper Mistishin work with Keystone instructor Brandon Smith on a hands-on glass blowing demonstration at Western Wayne.
Western
Wayne students learned about the physics, artistic qualities, and chemical
properties of glass among many other things when the mobile glass studio based out
of Keystone College visited on Thursday, Sept. 26 and Friday, Sept. 27. Approximately 678 middle and high school
students viewed the mobile glass laboratory, and 49 students had the unique
opportunity of taking part in an individual hands-on demonstration.
The mobile glass studio is the only one of its kind in the
region and is sponsored by the Dorflinger Glass Museum and Keystone
College. Funding for the mobile glass
laboratory comes from donations to the Dorflinger Glass Museum by corporations
under the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development EITC
program. The companies get tax credits for donations that support innovative
educational programs such as the glass studio.
The glass studio last visited Western
Wayne in November of 2017 and the district was thrilled to host this experience
for its students again. Mark Nebzydoski, high school science teacher
at Western Wayne, played a key role in planning this event. He believes that Western Wayne science
students greatly benefit from unique educational opportunities such as this.
“It’s meaningful for students to learn
about glass through these visual and hands-on demonstrations,” Nebzydoski
said. “They get to have an educational
experience that they wouldn’t have anywhere else.”
Keystone faculty
member Brandon Smith, an advanced glass instructor and studio technician from
Factoryville, was one of the teachers from the college that led the Western
Wayne students through their experience with the mobile glass lab.
Smith explained how this glass lab is a part of Keystone’s
STEAM project and that he helped to build the lab with various students from
different parts of the world.
“The main goal of this project is to present information to
students,” Smith said. “We want to show
kids that with a single material you can drive yourself into many different
careers.”
Smith explained that students who study glass can go into
fields such as museum archaeology, architecture, chemical laboratory
work, laser technology work, and so many other areas.
Seniors Cooper Mistishin, Matt Rosengrant, and Max Phillips
had the opportunity to learn from Smith and Michael Swanson, who teaches an
introduction to glass course at Keystone College. The boys participated in the individual
hands-on glass demonstrations.
Cooper was surprised at the intensity of the heat used to
mold the glass.
“It was interesting to see the differences in the glass from
when it was really hot to when it cooled,” Cooper explained. “When it was warm it looked like all of the
glass was blended together and when it cooled you could see its shape better.”
Cooper, who plans to study computer science in college, was
glad to have this experience and especially liked molding the glass.
His classmate Matt Rosengrant also had fun molding glass
during the demonstration.
“I liked how hands on the demonstration was and how they
allowed us to shape the glass,” Matt, who plans to study electrical
construction after graduation, said.
Senior Max Phillips agreed that having this experience was
particularly helpful for him as a student because of everything he was able to
see and do.
“I’ve never done anything like this before,” Max, who plans
to study computer science in college, said.
“I enjoyed learning about the properties of glass and how it works.”
In addition, Keystone College admissions counselor Colin
Dempsey admitted three Western Wayne students to Keystone during the glass
blowing event at the school. He read
their transcripts and gave them admissions letters on the spot.
Nebzydoski and the Western Wayne community are excited for
the prospects of having the mobile glass lab return for future learning events
at Western Wayne.
In the meantime, Keystone College invites the public to their Keystone College Glass Harvest Sale and Glass Pumpkin Patch event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on October 12 at their campus lawn. There will be live glass blowing at this event.
Band Performs at GDS Fair and Meets Kurt AaronAugust 29, 2024Kurt Aaron and Michael Olivo
Band and Color Guard perform at the GDS Fair.
The annual Western Wayne Marching Band and Color Guard performance at the GDS Fair was especially eventful this year because on the day of their performance Wednesday, August 28, WNEP’s Kurt Aaron and his infamous dog Ranger were also there doing live spots. Aaron briefly interviewed Western Wayne band member Michael Olivo, a senior. Michael proudly told the viewing audience about Western Wayne’s upcoming performance at the fair.
“It was really exciting to get to promote our band to a TV audience,” Michael said.
The students were thrilled to perform their 2024-25 Boy Bands themed field show for the audience along with playing some fan favorite stand tunes.
Drum majors this year are seniors Lia Hartman and Kalob Franko. This is Lia’s second season as drum major.
“We are all so grateful to be able to perform for the local community who is so supportive of us,” Lia said.
The Western Wayne Band is under the direction of Mrs. Elaine Ort who is now in her 11th season with the district.
The entire Western Wayne Band and Color Guard invite the local community to attend the first home game of the season for varsity football against Lackawanna Trail on Friday, August, 30, at the Sharkey-Rosetti stadium. Western Wayne will have the pregame show starting at about 6:45 p.m.; kick-off is at 7 p.m. [...]
Western Wayne to Host Annual Car Show Saturday, Sept. 7—NEW RAIN DATE! August 27, 2024The Western Wayne Hot Rod Club and Drama Club will host their 2024 Annual Car Show on Saturday, September 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the high school parking lot, 1970A Easton Turnpike, Lake Ariel, PA, near the football stadium. Please note our NEW RAIN DATE is Sunday, September 15.Food to be sold at the concession stand. Registration fee is $10. Spectators are free. The Hot Rod Club will give prizes for best car, truck, tractor, motorcycle, and best in show.In addition, the Drama group will sell a variety of concessions. There will also be a raffle of baskets and gift certificates generously donated by businesses and families in the local community.Drama Club student Robert Scramuzza is excited to partner with the Hot Rod Club for the for the Car Show. He explained how the Drama Club students will be dressed in 50s attire for the event.“We wanted our presence at the event to go along with the variety of cars from the past that surely will be there,” Bobby said. “We hope that the public comes out to enjoy the cars and to have some good food and purchase some chances to win baskets and gift certificates.”Members of the Drama Parents Club are working to obtain a variety of items for the raffle at the Car Show from many very generous businesses and families in our Wildcat community. The students involved in the Hot Rod Club and Drama Club can use the funds raised from this event for their club activities.The Hot Rod Club meets on a regular basis to work on a variety of automotive projects after school and can use the funds for their projects among other activities.The Drama Club meets on a regular basis after school to work on a variety of projects and activities.“Drama Club gives students a place where they can express themselves,” club president Lillian Maros explained. “We are like one big family in our club and really enjoy coming together to work as a team on events such as the Car Show.”All of the members of the Hot Rod Club, Drama Club, and Drama Parents Club cordially invite the public to attend this fun-filled event on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the High School parking lot near the stadium. Come out and see some great vehicles, take some chances on our basket raffle, enjoy some food, and enjoy some time socializing. Rain date is Sunday, September 15. [...]
Freshman Orientation – Save the Date!August 8, 2024August 22, 2024 – 6:00-7:30pm – Veterans Memorial Auditorium, WWHS
Western Wayne High School welcomes the Class of 2028!
Information on the high school/ 9th Grade Transition
High School Survival Guide
Student’s class schedule
Tours
Refreshments [...]
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.