In March, Middle School Band Director Maria Arneil and Middle School Chorus Director Joyce Covaleski hosted the annual Middle Grades Music and Art Festival here at Western Wayne. Middle School Chorus students who participated were (front row, L-R) Johnathon Maxwell, Sophia Johns, Hailey Bain, Jozlin Gonzalez, Kenna Steinmetz, Annalise Hapersberger, Makayla Franckowiak, Sophia Shehadi, and Haylee McCollum-Fitzpatrick. (Back row, L-R) Owen Rutkowski, Maria Shemanski, Haley Dougal, Jessalynn Carbone, Kenzie Gregory, Emilia Janusz, Rachel Erb, Gage Roberts, Nathan Peterson, and Gavin Zeiler.
Eighth Grade Chorus students Emilia Janusz, Haley Dougal, Oliver Harty, and Gavin Zeiler with Chorus Director Joyce Covaleski.Sixth Grade Chorus students Julia Kosciuk, Sophia Shehadi, and Haylee McCollum-Fitzpatrick.
Western Wayne Middle School was represented well at the annual PMEA Chorus Fest hosted at Honesdale High School in March.
Sadie Booths, winner of The Daughters of the American Revolution Award, and Kyle Matthews, winner of the American Legion Award.
At the annual 8th Grade Moving-Up Ceremony, held in the high school auditorium on Tuesday, June 4, Western Wayne Middle School Principal Mrs. Jennifer Bradley reminded eighth grade students that the older you get the faster time passes. She encouraged students to do their best in every step they will take in high school. “Your legacy is just as important at the beginning of an adventure as it is at the end,” Bradley said. Mrs. Covaleski then led the 8th grade chorus in their part of the program which included them performing “Seize the Day” from the Broadway musical Newsies which further inspired the students on a day about preparing for their upcoming high school journey. The featured event of the Moving-Up Ceremony was all 8th grade students receiving awards in various categories for excellence or improvement in all academic and unified arts classes. In addition, students received awards for good citizenship, excellent work habits, and for a variety of high academic achievements such as making the honor roll for 11 quarters in middle school from 6th through 8th grade. It is also a Western Wayne Middle School tradition for many years that two outstanding students, one male and one female, are recognized for their patriotism and leadership among other qualities. The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the local American Legion present these awards. The Daughters of the American Revolution Award was presented to 8th grader Sadie Booths. Sadie received the good citizenship medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution for being an outstanding student in the 8th grade class who exhibits the qualities of honor and honesty, service, courage, leadership, and patriotism. George Schaffer presented the American Legion Award to 8th grader Kyle Matthews. Kyle received this annual award for being an outstanding student in the 8th grade class who exhibits the qualities of honor, scholarship, Americanism, leadership, and courage. Both Sadie and Kyle felt extremely honored to receive their respective awards. They also both, at first, felt shocked to learn the Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Legion had chosen them for these high honors. Sadie, an honor roll student, is a hard-working young woman who especially loves to study math and participates in track, basketball, and soccer at Western Wayne. She aspires to be an Algebra teacher one day. “It is my favorite subject, and I want to be like the math teachers I have had in school.” Fellow classmate Kyle Matthews is also a hard-working individual and honor roll student. He enjoys studying math the most as well. Kyle is a member of the track team and aspires to be an engineer when he grows up. “I am most looking forward to experiencing new classes and learning new things next year,” Kyle said. To close the ceremony, students were treated to a beautiful slideshow of memories from their childhood, time in middle school, and special times spent with their families. Western Wayne faculty, administration, and staff wish the class of 2028 the best on their new journey to the high school.
Mental Health First Aid training is an 8-hour evidence-based curriculum created by the National Council for Mental Well-being. This course helps adults working with youth ages 12-18 to identify, understand, and respond to the early signs of mental health and substance use challenges using the ALGEE action plan.
For more details, please download the following flyer.
Save the date for The Western Wayne Drama Club’s performances of The Addams Family School Edition on Friday, April 12 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 14 at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, April 15 at 2 p.m. in the High School Auditorium. All ticket information on our flier.
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
ALL NEWS
Students Present Aquaponics Challenge Project at Regional BanquetMay 7, 2026On May 5, 2026, students from Western Wayne High School proudly presented their student-led environmental education project at the Community Connections to Our Watershed banquet, held at Montage Mountain. Their project, an Aquaponics Challenge System, was designed, researched, and implemented entirely by the student team.Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system that combines aquaculture (raising fish) with hydroponics (growing plants without soil). In this balanced system, fish waste provides essential nutrients for plant growth, while the plants naturally filter and clean the water for the fish. The Western Wayne team developed their system to demonstrate how this closed-loop approach can support both food production and water quality.As part of their project, the students raised trout from eggs to approximately three to four months old before preparing them for release into a local stream. A major focus of their work involved addressing water quality challenges, particularly nitrate buildup from fish waste. Through research and problem-solving, the team explored ways to improve natural filtration within their system, including redesigning components and upgrading equipment such as water pumps to maintain optimal conditions.The project also emphasized key components of the Aquaponics Challenge, including system design, environmental monitoring, and community outreach. Students utilized technology such as climate control tools and irrigation systems while also connecting with local organizations and professionals for support. In addition, they worked to share their knowledge beyond the classroom by engaging others in understanding sustainable practices and watershed stewardship.This presentation was the culmination of months of work as part of the Community Connections to Our Watershed program, a regional environmental initiative that has been in place for over 20 years. Each year, teams of five students and one teacher from schools across Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties participate in the program. Coordinated by the education teams at Lackawanna and Nescopeck State Parks, the program immerses students in watershed science through field experiences and collaboration with environmental professionals.Throughout the year, the Western Wayne students participated in field trips to Keystone College, Lackawanna State Park, the Old Forge borehole, the Anthracite Heritage Museum, Lacawac Sanctuary, Pennsylvania American Water treatment facilities, and the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail. These experiences deepened their understanding of how human activities impact local watersheds and helped inform their aquaponics system design, particularly in understanding the relationships between aquatic organisms, plants, and water quality.This year’s Community Connections to Our Watershed program included schools from across the region: Carbondale, Forest City, Lakeland, Mountain View, Old Forge, Riverside, Western Wayne, and Wayne Highlands in Lackawanna County; and Crestwood, Hanover Area, HAAS, HACC, Hazleton Area, Northwest, Tunkhannock, and Wyoming Area in Luzerne County.The program is made possible through the support of Pennsylvania American Water Company, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and the DCNRWatershed Education Program.Picture one, from left: Mark Nebzydoski Ph.D., advisor; Rhys Locklin, Noah Benson, Aidyn Graci, Aliyah Gregory, and Giana Graci.Picture two, the group from Western Wayne making their presentation, from left: Aliyah Gregory, Giana Graci, Rhys Locklin, Noah Benson, and Aidyn Graci. [...]
Science meets nature: Students release trout at Varden Conservation AreaMay 6, 2026Students in Wayne County are getting an up-close look at nature with an opportunity to study what’s right in their backyard.
https://www.wnep.com/video/news/local/wayne-county/science-meets-nature-students-release-trout-at-varden-conservation-area/523-3cf2ef49-624d-4f00-95cd-f2573064bf60 [...]
Western Wayne Hosts Prom with Support of Local BusinessesMay 6, 2026Western Wayne hosted their annual prom with “A Starry Night” theme at a new venue this year New Leaf Farm in Waymart on Saturday, May 2. The event focussed around local community businesses who hosted food trucks for the event including: Lupo Russo, 2 Ways One Passions, and Pop-Pop’s Grill and Catering. The students also enjoyed gourmet cupcakes from Ms. Michele Dugan along with cotton candy donated by Mrs. Paula Lamberton
There were 225 students and guests in attendance. Event sponsors included: Ariel View Inn (AVI), Leeward, Waymart Hotel, Iron Hill at 1940,and Meadowbrook Stables, and For the Birds, who provided flowers.
The students in attendance enjoyed this new experience. Senior Maggie Kotchessa thought this unique prom experience was a great idea.
“I really loved all of the food choices,” Maggie, who decided on a pulled pork sandwich from Pop-Pop’s, said.
Her classmate Norman Phillips’ grandfather owns Pop-Pop’s, and he was excited his family business could be a part of the event.
“It was really neat having my grandfather there doing what he loves,” Norman said. “He usually travels around to do a number of different gigs, and it was really neat having him at our prom.”
In addition to the variety of food items at the event, the students also were treated to a mocktail bar. Junior Madelyn McClure wrote a grant through the Wayne County Community Youth Advisory Committee and the district used the money to fund the mocktails for prom.
Also, the community donated a variety of gift cards for the students as prizes. Each student in attendance got a raffle ticket for a chance to win.
The 2026 Prom Court included: Vinny Baldini, King; Audrey Agnello, Queen; and
Mia Gifford, Hannah DeStefano, Olivia Haines, and Sofia Ochlan served as attendants.
The students enjoyed this unique prom experience and thank the district for their continued support of student events.
Picture one: Mr. Paul Gregorski, high school principal; Vinny Baldini, King; and Audrey Agnello, Queen.
Picture two:: Olivia Haines, Hannah DeStefano, Vinny Baldini, Audrey Agnello, Mia Gifford, and Sophia Ochlan. [...]
Scholarships & Career Opportunities – May EditionMay 4, 2026The May 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/2026/05/Scholarships-and-Career-Opportunities-May-2026.pdf [...]
Western Wayne Annual Art Exhibit & Spring Concerts on May 9May 4, 2026Western Wayne’s annual art exhibit and spring concerts will take place on Saturday, May 9.
The art exhibit will run in the high school gymnasium from 2 to 5 p.m. It will mainly feature high school artwork with special displays by our seniors. In addition, a select sample of middle and elementary student artwork will be on display.
The concert schedule is as follows: the sixth-grade concert will begin at 11 a.m.; the seventh- grade concert will begin at 1 p.m., the eighth- grade concert will begin at 3 p.m.; and the high school concert will begin at 5 p.m. with all concerts in the Veterans Memorial Auditorium at the high school.
There will be concessions for sale in the high school cafeteria throughout the day. All events are free of charge. Please join us in the celebrating the arts in our school. [...]
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.
