Cheers filled the Western Wayne Middle School Gym during the annual Student vs. Faculty Basketball Game on the morning of Friday, February 16.
This year as a special treat both the middle school principal Mrs. Jennifer Bradley and the middle school assistant principal Mr. Matthew Barr participated in the game. The event was a morale booster for both students and staff.
The entire middle school student body and staff enjoyed watching the friendly yet intense game and are excited to attend the event again in years to come.
Picture One: Mrs. Jennifer Bradley, middle school principal, plays on the court with her students and staff.
Picture Two: The Western Wayne Junior High Cheerleaders entertain the crowd at the game.
Western Wayne High School has six students who are state finalists in a Prevent Suicide Contest. We are asking the local community to help make them winners!
During the month of February, Art students from all four Western Wayne schools are participating in the 1st Wayne County Arts Alliance Student Art Exhibition! The opening for the show was well attended on Friday February 2nd, where students, their teachers and families enjoyed light refreshments and viewing the art from other participating Wayne County School Districts. Student work was selected based on a variety of criteria. Hopefully this show will become an annual event in the future! The show will be on display at the Wayne County Arts Alliance Gallery at 959 Main Street Honesdale through February 24, 2024. Congratulations to the participating artists; From Robert D. Wilson Elementary: Reaghan Sheehan, Nathan Klimczak, Felix Klimczak, Andie Trapper, Billie Joe Burnham, Orson Farley, Alice O’hora, Jameson Constantine, Luca Ferraro, Keira Marcel, Paige Weist, Zoe Borzek, and Caleb Tedesco. From the High School: Peyton Cook, Lila Rusin, Carly Schott, Kiersten McDonald, Aurora Morris, Cassidy Zeiler, Leo West and from the Middle School Teena Zotynia, Mackenzie Warnock, Abigail Wasman, Ava Borzek, Jailah McRae, Isabella Jason, Kenna Steinmetz, Jasmine Yamamoto, Makayla Franckowiak. EverGreen: Brooklyn Gill, Rayven Ford-Hetzel, Leiana Vetrano, Jereni Strocchia, Khloe Elias Lucy Olszyk, Mia Padula Emma Dougher, Nathanial Huff, Tucker Bell , Lillian Elders, Aria Takacs.
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Nearly 100 fourth through eighth-grade students from schools in Lackawanna, Wayne, and Susquehanna County put their building skills to the test for the annual Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit 19’s Stem Design Challenge.
Putting stem skills to the test.
On Tuesday Johnson College hosted and sponsored the NEIU 19’s 2024 Stem Design Challenge. the builds are made entirely of K’nex Construction toys.
“We built an agricultural robot, but it’s built out of K’nex pieces, and it has an arm and it rotates up and it’s supposed to move forward and help farmers,” said Sadie Booths a Western Wayne student.
This year’s theme is agriculture.
Working in teams, students had two hours to put their heads together to create prototypes of equipment designed to help farmers with their jobs.
“So it’s called the poop-en-a-tor. It cleans up chicken poop and turns it into fertilizer and it helps farmers because farmers spend a lot of money on fertilizers and they also spend a lot of time cleaning up chicken poop,” says Sadie Malamud a Lackawanna Trail student.
“So we built a solar-powered tractor with a solar-powered sprayer, and the sprayer is for irrigation,” added Cody Maros a Western Wayne student.
Students from King’s College and Johnson College help judge the projects.
The builds are judged based on creativity, attention to detail, and theme. Organizers say STEM and events like these teach kids valuable problem-solving skills.
“It also helps students that sometimes struggle in the traditional route to the kind of really showcase their talents which may not be necessarily just on facts and components like that, but it really gives them a different mindset and almost like a creative mindset also,” explained Stephanie Williams MIS coordinator in NEIU 19′
Teams from the Wayne Highlands school district took first prize in both divisions of elementary and middle school.
Those teams will go on to compete at the state competition in Harrisburg in May.
Guiding Good Choices for 4th-6th grade parents and caregivers. Attend this FREE VIRTUAL five-session program to help your youth navigate the pressures and expectations of life during their teen years to succeed and achieve a brighter future. Parents and caregivers can enhance their parenting skills by learning how to:
Promote health and well-being during the teen years.
Develop health beliefs and clear standards for behavior.
Deal with anger in a positive way and manage family conflict to strengthen bonds with youth.
Protect their children from substance abuse and other problematic behaviors.
Strengthen family bonds and increase youth’s involvement in the family through the teen years.
Youth attend session 4 with their parents and caregivers. The program will be held on five Tuesdays: February 6, 13, 20, 27 and March 6 from 6 to 8 PM via Zoom. For more information or to register, e-mail or call Karen Thomas at kat1@psu.edu or 570-878-2385
Curriculum Night will be held Wednesday, January 24, 2024, from 6:00 to 7:30. Administration, Guidance and the Department Heads will go over the curriculum, graduation requirements and the scheduling process.
Officer Urban giving the presentation to the entire Western Wayne Middle School grades six through eight.
Western Wayne Middle School students attended a school-wide presentation on the dangers of bullying, specifically cyberbullying, on Wednesday, December 13, in the Middle School Gym, given by TFC. Robert M. Urban, Community Services Officer, Public Information Officer, at Troop R. Dunmore. Officer Urban gave the students a lot of important information on how not to be a bystander in a bullying situation along with explaining the importance of being kind to others, and a discussion of the legal repercussions that a person could face if the bullying they partake in leads to another person hurting themselves. The district is thankful to Officer Urban for taking the time to discuss these important issues with their students.
The first season of Girls on the Run at Western Wayne Middle School has been declared a success by students, coaches, and parents! Sixteen of our students joined hundreds of girls at Keystone College for a celebratory 5k event on November 15th.
Girls on the Run/Heart and Sole is a nationwide after school activity which offers a 10 week curriculum based program based around running. Western Wayne has been awarded full scholarships to make the program accessible to all. Each week’s activities have a different theme, like friendships, emotions and building connections in our community. The students play games, have discussions and then tackle a strength training and running workout as a team.
Coach Rachel Fitzmorris said, “We are grateful for the support of parents in our District, and also to the coaches, Rachel Dennis, Amanda Steinmetz, and Bernadette Metschulat for their time. We are already planning a Spring season, this time on a Saturday morning. We are also planning to offer the program to the Elementary grades 3-5. Parents have reached out to tell us the program helped their students develop confidence and make friends, as well as becoming more interested in fitness.”
Mrs. Elaine Ort, high school band director, conducts her band at the Veterans Day assembly.North Pocono alumni Kariem Withers, United States Marine Corp. enlistee; Nathaniel Swingle, United States Marine Corps. enlistee; Luke Janiszewski, United States Marine Corp. enlistee; and George Schaffer, United States Air Force.From left: Western Wayne alumni Nathaniel Swingle and Luke Janiszewski, United States Marine Corp enlistees who have completed their first round of basic training.Junior Lilly Maros plays “Taps” to close out the assembly with senior Summer Paugh, not pictured.From left, Major Shane Grodack USMC retired, Western Wayne social studies teacher; and James English, United States Marine Corp.Mr. Taber Starnes, high school chorus teacher, conducts his singers at the Veterans Day assembly.Elwood Merring, who earned the Silver Star Medal; Bronze Star Medal; and three Purple Hearts for his service in Vietnam.From left: Frank DiRosa, United States Marine Corp.; and his granddaughter, sophomore, Sydney Sosa.From left, Frank DiRosa, United States Marine Corp.; George Schaffer, United States Air Force and National Guard; and Bryan Strubel, United States Navy.
As a tradition for many years, Western Wayne administration, faculty, staff, and students joined together on Thursday, Nov. 9, to celebrate veterans in the community with a special in-school event that featured music from the high school band and chorus, a video presentation about Veterans Day, and a question and answer session with the veterans. Many local veterans attended the presentation at Western Wayne, some of which had special connections to district faculty and students. One such veteran at the assembly who has a connection was James English who served in the Marine Corps. English served with Major, USMA retired, Shane Grodack’s father, Sergeant Chester J. Grodack, USMC United States Marine Corp. Major Grodack, a Western Wayne Middle School history teacher, organizes the Veterans Day assembly each year and was glad that an old friend of his father’s could participate. English recalled that his best duty in the service was flying helicopters for the White House under presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. He fondly remembers traveling for this assignment to places like South America, Camp David, and Venezuela. “At times we would go by sea and take the planes on ships,” he recalled. “It was amazing to get to see the world.” English is now the Deputy Commander of the American Legion 15th District. “I hope that the veterans presence at today’s assembly inspires others to go in the service and do good for others,” he said. Fellow veteran Frank DiRosa had ties to two special students at the assembly. He had the pleasure of having his granddaughter sophomore Sydney Sosa help escort him. Sydney is a member of the Western Wayne Student Ambassador Program that helps to facilitate events of this nature at the school. His granddaughter Sophie Burian, 8th grade, was also at the assembly. DiRosa left his senior year of high school early to become a Marine. He earned his GED while in the service which he spent six years in. DiRosa hopes the middle and high school students who attended the event learned something from seeing the veterans there. “Commitment is something that I think young people can learn from veterans,” he explained. “Too many times nowadays people start something and give up.” Sydney is proud of her grandfather’s commitment to the service. “I want him to be appreciated,” she explained. “I am glad that his friends who are veterans are here this morning, and I hope they all feel some joy.” Sydney really enjoys spending time with her grandfather and learning from him. “We play chess and golf together,” she said. “He loves history, and, sometimes, we just sit and talk about it.” Fellow veteran and friend of DiRosa, Bryan Strubel also wished for the students at the assembly to feel inspired by the program. “Patriotism is what I think they should gain from today,” he explained. Strubel spent six years total in the Navy; four years active and two years reserve. He worked in a training squadron with trainer pilots. He also worked with F9s and FA4s. His job was being a jet mechanic working with A frames and quality control, among many other things. He is originally from New York and later moved to Waymart. Currently he is a member of the American Legion 889 in Waymart. His friend George Schaffer, an Air Force member, was also in attendance. Schaffer spent four years in the Air Force. He was also a part of the National Guard. In the service, his duty was a cook. Later he worked for 35 years as a Tobyhanna Army civilian doing electrical/ mechanical work. He is also a member of the 899 Legion in Waymart. “I hope that students gain a respect for service people from the presentation,” he explained. “Maybe some will go into the Marines or the guard.” DiRosa, Strubel, and Schaffer are grateful to still be friends and active in their American Legion years after their time in active service. In comparison, Western Wayne Alumni from the class of 2023 Nathaniel Swingle and Luke Janiszewski are equally grateful for their friendship that blossomed at Western Wayne and led them to joining the service as a part of the buddy system. The two recent Marine Corps enlistees completed their first round of basic training together and will go on to join a fleet at an undisclosed location some time in the near future after additional training. The two served as squad leaders at their boot camp on Parris Island, South Carolina. Swingle and Janiszewski became friends with North Pocono graduate Kariem Withers after bootcamp. The three servicemen currently are working for the Scranton Recruiting Office. They go to local high schools and interact with students to inspire them to sign-up for military service. “I joined the military to improve myself,” Withers explained. “I feel a lot more disciplined now even just having a short time in so far.” Withers explained that he really enjoyed working with Swingle and Janiszewski. “They are motivators,” he said. Janiszewski aspires to attend college after his time in the service and become a secondary social studies teacher. Swingle can see himself studying business in college and aspires to open a sporting goods store one day. A veteran at the event whose service is inspiring to all there was Elwood Merring. Merring earned the Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and three Purple Hearts for what he did in combat in his service to the Army in Vietnam. Merring is a member of the American Legion 807 in Hamlin. He is an extremely humble, decorated serviceman. “I hope the students learn about the history of what veterans went through,” he explained. The Western Wayne School District is proud to host veterans on their campus in remembrance of Veterans Day as a yearly tradition since 1982. The entire District thanks all of the veterans who took the time to attend the assembly and especially sends well wishes to all Western Wayne alumni who have served or are currently serving.
Guiding Good Choices for 4th-6th grade parents and caregivers. Attend this FREE VIRTUAL five-session program to help your youth navigate the pressures and expectations of life during their teen years to succeed and achieve a brighter future.
Parents and caregivers can enhance their parenting skills by learning how to:
Promote health and well-being during the teen years.
Develop health beliefs and clear standards for behavior.
Deal with anger in a positive way and manage family conflict to strengthen bonds with youth.
Protect their children from substance abuse and other problematic behaviors.
Strengthen family bonds and increase youth’s involvement in the family through the teen years.
Youth attend session 4 with their parents and caregivers. The program will be held on five Tuesdays: February 6, 13, 20, 27 and March 6 from 6 to 8 PM via Zoom. For more information or to register, e-mail or call Karen Thomas at kat1@psu.edu or 570-878-2385
ALL NEWS
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. [...]
RECYCLE YOUR ELECTRO JUNK – APRIL 26March 31, 2025Join the Y, Honesdale National Bank, Wayne County Fair Association and Advanced Recycling in beingenvironmentally active & recycling your broken & unwanted household or business electronic junk.Special thanks to The Fair Association for allowing us to use their location.
All funds raised will support our financial assistance program for our community.Cost: Households: $25 per household. Additional $20 for each item with Freon (such as air conditioners)Business, Schools, Gov’t Agencies: Pre-registration required with Tina at the YMCA570-253-2083
We accept: computers, servers, monitors, printers, keyboards, VCRs, CP batteries, cell phones,terminals, cables, wires, power supplies, fax machines, radios, modems, CTRs, corded & cordless phones, TVs,
CPUs, copiers, scanners, cassette/CD/DVD players, typewriters, stereo equipment.We don’t accept: Wooden TV consoles, glass, lightbulbs, cassette/video tapes, alkaline or cadmium batteries
Stay in your vehicles: We handle all removal.WHEN: Businesses & Households: Sat, April 26, 2025 9:00 AM-2:00 PMLOCATION: The Wayne County Fairground 270 Miller Drive Honesdale, PA 18431FOR MORE INFORMATION: Wayne County YMCA• 570-253-2083 • wcymca.com [...]
Ag Literacy WeekMarch 24, 2025EverGreen Elementary participated in Ag Literacy Week with 4H Penn State Extension of Wayne County. Students in grades kindergarten to second grade participated with classroom readers. Pennsylvania Ag Literacy Week is an important annual event that aims to educate young students about the significance of agriculture in their daily lives. In essence, Pennsylvania Ag Literacy Week is a valuable educational endeavor that fosters a greater understanding of agriculture and its vital role in society. This year’s book is “The Soil in Jackie’s Garden” and will teach children the importance of gardening, soil secrets and the magic of composting. [...]
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.