High School

Free Summer Lunch Program @The Cooperage Starts June 17th

Starting June 17, 2019, The Cooperage Project, in collaboration with the Wayne Highlands School District, will open its doors Monday through Friday from 11:00am to 1:00pm to kids ages 0-18 to receive FREE lunch. No income requirements or sign ups. The program will continue Monday through Friday through August 6, with the exception of July 4 & 5. Join in the fun with arts and crafts, story time, music and more!

For more information call 570.253.2020 or email info@thecooperageproject.org

Basic Info:

Kids Lunch Party

at The Cooperage — 1030 Main Street, Honesdale, PA

Monday through Friday | 11:00am to 1:00pm

June 17 through August 6 (No lunch July 4 & 5)

Free Lunch for ages 0 – 18

Games, activities, workshops, no income requirements, just summer fun!

STATE CHAMP!!!

Junior Trina Barcarola is the 2019 State Champ in the Pole Vault (clearing 12’6), and the 100 Hurdles. She finished 8th place in the 400 Hurdles and was part of the girls 4 x 400 Relay Team,

LIAA Scholar Athletes Honored

Pictured L to R: Dr. Matthew Barrett, Superintendent, Paul Gregorski, High School Principal, Vaeda Pontosky, Robert Carey, and Bob Black, Athletic Director

Senior’s Vaeda Potosky and Robert Carey were honored on May 29, 2019 at the annual LIAA Scholar Athlete Breakfast, held at Genetti’s in Dickson City,

Vaeda Pontosky, is the daughter of Richard and Marnie Pontosky and resides in Lake Ariel. She has played soccer and softball for 4 years and has been a basketball cheerleader for 1 year. In soccer, she was a captain. She received the Hustle Award and was named an LIAA First Team All-Star in Soccer. Vaeda is a member of the National Honor Society, Girls Lead, the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Sciences, Technology Student Association, and Student Council. She serves om the Wayne County Children and Youth Advisory Committee. She volunteers for the Steamtown Marathon, Santa’s Workshop, and assists elementary students in conducting science experiments. Vaeda has earned a Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Research Fellowship and has participated in the Pennsylvania State Police Camp Cadet. She will attend DeSales University in the fall where she will begin Medical Studies.

Robert Carey, son of Eugene and Christine Carey and resides in Moscow. He has earned 10 varsity letters; 4 in baseball, 3 in golf, and 3 in basketball. He has served as one of his baseball team’s captains. Robert is a member of the National Honor Society, TSA, and Student Council. He will attend West Virginia University in the fall where he will major in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Natural Gas.

Western Wayne Alumni Graduate from Prestigious Schools Prepared to Serve in Military

The Western Wayne School District is very proud of two of its 2015 alumni who soon will serve our country in the military.

Timothy Shaffer has been attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida and participating in Air Force ROTC Detachment 157 for the last four years.  He recently graduated as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautics.  He earned a pilot slot in his junior year and will be stationed at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, next year to begin pilot training.  Upon graduation of pilot training, he intends to fly an F-35.

His former classmate Kyle Coons attended the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) for 4 years, graduating as a Second Lieutenant in the Army with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. While at VMI, he marched in President Trump’s Inauguration Parade in Washington, DC along with the Governor of Virginia’s inaugural parade in Richmond, VA. He presented the colors at Martinsville Speedway for a NASCAR race and was part of a committee within the corps of cadets named the RDC, this group helps freshmen get accustomed to the VMI system.  He will be first stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma for training. His first duty station will be Fort Drum, New York.


Pictured is 2015 Western Wayne alumni Timothy Shaffer, who recently graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautics.

Both recent graduates credit their time at Western Wayne as one of the reasons they found success in their four years at their respective institutions. 

“All of my teachers were great at Western Wayne,” Tim said.  “The math and science departments in the high school especially prepared me for school. I have done really well in math and science in college.”

Kyle agrees that his time at Western Wayne helped to prepare him for his time at VMI.

“I learned leadership skills from serving as the captain of both the football team and volleyball team,” Kyle explained.  “Also, my AP classes taught me good study habits.”

Tim and Kyle had different collegiate experiences but each have the same end result of being prepared and ready to enter the military in their respective branches.

Tim’s experience at Embry-Riddle allowed him to have a normal university experience of attending his classes and being involved in other on-campus school activities along with his military training three days a week. He explained how it was a very equal blend.

Kyle’s experience was different in the respect that his college experience was immersed in military training every day in various ways.  He explained how the students dressed in military attire at all times while on campus along with training each day and going to their college classes. 

Pictured is 2015 Western Wayne alumni Kyle Coons, who recently graduated from the Virginia Military Institute as a Second Lieutenant in the Army with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.

These two, very accomplished, Western Wayne alumni have a great mutual respect for one another and are proud of each other’s college achievements.  They explained how they chose to pursue becoming service men through different avenues but that they both learned so much already and feel prepared to continue their military training.

Tim feels excited to start his journey at Columbus Air Force Base this spring.

“I am really proud to be able to do what I’m doing,” Tim said.  “I know a lot of other people would want to be doing it.”

He is eager to learn more about aviation and explained that the feeling he gets on a flight is incredibly exciting.

“I remember one solo flight I did in college that was special,” Tim explained.  “It was right before the sun came up.  I was flying from Daytona Beach south past Kennedy Space Center.”

In addition, Tim feels very excited to be able to use the skills he learned in college when he starts his pilot training for the Air Force.

“I have always had a love for aviation that I couldn’t explain,” Tim said.  “I have also always been fascinated, from when I was younger, with American history and events such as Pearl Harbor.”

Kyle also is eager to begin his field artillery training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.  His first duty station will be in Fort Drum, New York.  He feels he has learned a lot about leadership from his time at VMI that he will use in the future.

“VMI taught me that good leaders are confident with their decisions,” Kyle explained.  “I have also learned to lead by example.”

Western Wayne, faculty, administration, and staff wish Tim and Kyle the best with their future endeavors along with thanking them for serving our country.

Western Wayne’s Road Trip to Fashion Show a Success

Pictured are the student designers and student models from Western Wayne’s Road Trip to Fashion Show. From left standing: Erin Murphy, Gabby Tetreault, Noelle Orehek, Lily Visceglia, Emily Pavlicek, Victoria Petrosky, Isabel Valentin, Gabby Ostolaza, Shauna McAndrew, Abby Black, Rachel Hoch, Trina Barcarola, Maggie Millon, and Meghann Clark. From left, sitting: Mitchell Herzog, Alex Kuha, Johnny Barcarola, Leonard Johnson, Kobe Sauter, Ed Sledzinski, and Mrs. Colleen Carmody, show director and fashion teacher.

Western Wayne hosted its second annual community fashion show on Friday, May 31, in the Veterans Memorial Auditorium at the high school.  Two hundred dollars was raised from the event to benefit local food pantries and the Dessin Animal Shelter.

          The show titled Road Trip to Fashion featured the senior collections of students Victoria Petrosky, whose collection was titled “Elegance,” and Isabel Valentin, whose collection was titled “Inspiring Vintage.”

The show also featured pieces from students in textile, fashion I, and fashion II classes at Western Wayne.

Another main aspect of the fashion show was the competitive portion in which seniors Victoria and Isabel worked with teams of student designers and student models to create and showcase fashions for the theme Road Trip to Fashion.  Victoria’s team was called Border to Border Fashion and consisted of student designers, Abby Black, Shauna McAndrew, Noelle Orehek, and Emily Pavlicek; student models, Lily Visceglia, Gabby Tetreault, Leonard Johnson, and Johnny Barcarola.  Isabel’s team was called Rhapsody’s Caravan and consisted of student designers, Meghann Clark, Trina Barcarola, Maggie Millon, and Erin Murphy; student models, Rachel Hoch, Gabby Ostolaza, Kobe Sauter, and Alex Kuha.

 The week of the show the students learned the theme and pieces they needed to create for the competitive portion of the show.  For their Road Trip to Fashion themed collection each team had to create a variety of garments including:  a simple romper to capture the feel of the sea, water, warm climate or sailing as found on the Eastern Seaboard; bibbed joggers to capture a Midwestern appeal; a two-piece outfit: capris, vest, and scarf to portray life as a mountain climber in the Rockies; from sheer curtains provided, a wrap (only) style halter dress, cape overlay, and organic belt to depict Desert life; and with clear plastic, netting and white banding, and lights provided, they created either a one or two piece winter avant-garde gown to capture the glistening of the snow and northern light of Alaska.

This portion of the show was judged and Victoria’s team “Border to Border Fashion” won by six points.  Isabel’s team “Rhapsody’s Caravan” won the audience vote.

 As her senior project, sophomore Emily Pavlicek worked with show director and fashion teacher Mrs. Colleen Carmody to design the hallway leading to the auditorium and the set, along with collecting the money raised to go to local food pantries and the Dessin Animal Shelter.  Emily also designed a very special dress for the show. The dress was created to emphasize this year’s theme Road Trip to Fashion.  The dress consisted of a satin bodice and laminated skirt made from collected paper maps.   The collar of the dress was made of black vinyl and wire, the train of black and yellow tulle in combination with the vinyl was used to emphasize the roadways of the United States.  In addition, earlier this year, Emily was the proud recipient of the Wayne County Youth Advisory Grant, the funds bought supplies for present and future shows and displays.

Carmody feels very proud of all of her students’ accomplishments and looks forward to the event next year.

“It was wonderful to see everyone’s hard work come together in our show,” Carmody said. “It is great to see our students’ talent brought to life on stage.”

Athletes of the Year Announced

This year’s Male and Female Athletes of the Year are Kobe Sauter and Trina Barcarola. Senior Kobe Sauter, a 3-sport athlete, was a stand-out running back on the football team, rushing for over 1200 yards this year. He was a starter and key player on the Basketball team. The basketball team made the District 2 LIAA play-offs for the first time in school history. Finally, as a member of the Track & Field team he ran the 100, 4 x 100 relay team, and the long jump. Kobe will continue his studies at Lycoming College. Trina Barcarola, a Junior, is a 2019 Track & Field State Champion in the Pole Vault and 100 Hurdles and she metaled in the 300 Hurdles. As a member of the Indoor Track & Field team, where she excelled there as well. Trina, also a 3-sport athlete, is a member of the Girls Volleyball team too. From the Varsity Club the athletes each receive a plaque and a $250 gift card to the College they plan on attending. If they are not a senior, it is given to them later on when they are a senior.