Western Wayne Pride – Autumn Booths

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Autumn Booths is a graduate of Western Wayne High School, Class of 2014. She is the daughter of Joseph and Diane Booths, Lake Ariel, PA.

Autumn is currently attending Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA. She will be entering her senior year this coming fall. Autumn is majoring in Elementary Education (Prek-4) with a Dual Certification in Special Education: Visual Impairment (birth-21). She chose this field of study because she feels that “There are not many educators in the world who want to help students with visual impairments become more independent, empower them to achieve their goals, and become productive members of society.”

During her time at Western Wayne, Autumn was an active member for the High School Yearbook Committee, holding both President and Vice-President positions during her junior and senior years. She was also a member of the National Honor Society and graduated with Honors.

During her time at Kutztown University, Autumn has attained the honor of being named to the Dean’s List from Fall of 2014 through Spring of 2017 semesters. She currently holds an overall grade point average of 3.93. Autumn is also a member of the Braille Bears Club. The Braille Bears members adapt books, games, and cards for students with Visual Impairments and mail the finished products to students and schools in need who may not otherwise be able to afford these necessary materials.

To help better her understanding and education on visual impairments, Autumn has attended the National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPDS) Conference in March 2017. This is a national conference for future educators to better understand the field of education and how they can help improve it. Autumn presented her research on mathematics terms and how they may affect a student who is visually impaired in the classroom. She has also previously attended and presented at the PEN-DEL Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) Conference at the end of April 2016. She has completed observations at the Overbrook School for the Blind in numerous classrooms and with two separate Teachers of the Visually Impaired in Northeastern Pennsylvania school districts, one being Western Wayne.

Autumn is also a Kutztown University Admissions tour guide. She has spoken at numerous events including Open Houses and Accepted Students Days on behalf of the Vision Program. Autumn informs prospective students and families that Kutztown is only one in four universities that offer the Vision Certification as an undergraduate degree.

Throughout her freshman and sophomore years at Kutztown, Autumn volunteered her time in the local school district for the ENGAGE Program. During this time, she worked alongside a teacher and her class to help them each week. Through this experience, she gained an insight as to what it is like to be a teacher, prior to student teaching. Her ENGAGE experience has helped her understand why she wishes to be a teacher.

Autumn feels that she will be able to make a difference in the lives of students who are blind or visually impaired and their families when she graduates from Kutztown University in May 2018. She recently passed her Pennsylvania Vision Teaching Certification Exam in December 2016. Autumn was also awarded The Northeastern Region PSEA-Retired Scholarship in April 2017 for being an outstanding student and future educator.

Autumn would like to thank the Western Wayne Administration, faculty, family, friends, and community members for honoring her achievements and hopes that her story inspires other Wildcats to “take a leap of faith and follow their dreams.”

 

 

Western Wayne Pride – Beau Fuller – US Army

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On May 12th Beau Fuller will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. He has been attending Edinboro University in the ROTC program and will graduate the following day with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies.

Beau earned a German Armed Force  Proficiency Badge and also was a member of the Ranger Challenge team which competes every fall in Fort Dix, New Jersey.

Upon graduation and commissioning Beau will spend four months of training at the Army Logistics College in Fort Lee, Virginia and will then be reporting to his first duty station in Grafenwhor, Germany.

Beau is the son of Mary and Jerry Fuller. He has four siblings; Sasha, Casey, Morgan and Cole.

 

Western Wayne Pride – Bridget Quinn – United States Merchant Marine Academy

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On June 17th, 2017, Bridget Quinn will graduate from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. Kings Point is one of the five federal service academies. She will graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science for Maritime Logistics and Security, along with her United States Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credential to sail as Third Officer in the Deck Department. Her license is unlimited tonnage, all vessels, any oceans. Additionally, she will graduate with a commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve.

During her time at Kings Point, Bridget will have successfully completed 171.5 total credit hours. She earned several endorsements towards her license, including Vessel Security Officer, Advanced Firefighting Training, Medical First Aid, and Fast Rescue Boat. She was a member of the women’s basketball and volleyball teams, and served as a volleyball team captain her senior year. In her senior year, she served as the Chairman of the Human Relations Department, in her Regimental Command position as Regimental Human Relations Officer (RHRO). As RHRO, she provided trainings to the regiment regarding Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment, Bystander Intervention, and Conflict Resolution.

To complete her degree, her Capstone project is a thesis paper discussing the need for a U.S. flag Merchant Marine, how to reverse the decline and restore the fleet, and the budgetary, security, defense, and logistical implications of the restoration efforts. The project is presented to an audience of industry leaders/experts, and Kings Point faculty and staff.

Bridget sailed for a total of 330 sea days on three different vessels in the U.S Merchant Marine. During her time at sea, she was an apprentice Third Officer, tasked with leadership, navigational, and safety responsibilities vital to the proper shipboard operations. From July to November of her freshman year she was on the SS Horizon Enterprise, a 1980 built D7 class merchant container ship. Her port calls were Tacoma, WA, Oakland, CA and Honolulu, HI. From March to June of 2015, she was on the M/V Mississippi Enterprise, a 1980 built coal bulker, which carried coal from the Mississippi River to Tampa, FL. From August to October of 2015, she was on the M/T Maersk Michigan, a 2003 built handy-size, pumproom tanker. Her ports of call were: Yokahama, JP, Sasebo, JP, Yokosuka, JP, Subic Bay, PI, Apra, Guam, and Deasan, Ulsan, and Yeosu, Rebublic of Korea. While onboard, she earned her Tankerman Person in Charge endorsement.

She interned at the U.S. Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, MD, where she collaborated with members of the project teams to better understand the shipyard operations and management. Bridget employed her prior knowledge of shipboard operations and assisted in undocking the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa from dry-dock.

The United States Merchant Marine Academy was ranked second to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by Business Insider in the median annual earnings of graduates from four-year colleges. Regardless of future salary, the Academy produces leaders of exemplary character, who will serve America’s service and defense needs in peace and war.

Upon graduation, Bridget plans to sail commercially as a Third Officer and work to upgrade her license as quickly as possible. Her goal is sit for her Chief Mate/Master exam by 2022.

Bridget is the daughter of Michael and Noreen Quinn of Lake Ariel. She accredits her love for adventure to her two parents and her sister, Katie. Bridget stated that “I would not be where I am today without the support of my family, they taught me to listen to my heart and find my passion, and I’ve found it, it’s on the sea”.

She graduated from Western Wayne High School in 2013, where she was actively involved as a student, athlete, and member of several clubs/committees. She extends a special thank you to Greg Myers for his support and assistance for the past several years. She’d also like to thank the school board for honoring her for this achievement and hopes to inspire future prospective Merchant Mariners in the area.

Western Wayne Pride – Tyler Mae McKinney – USMA Class of 2017

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First Class Cadet Tyler McKinney is set to graduate in less than twenty days from the United States Military Academy at West Point on the 27th of May. McKinney graduated from Western Wayne in 2012, where she was accepted to the United States Military Academy Preparatory School and later attended the United States Military Academy. While at the Preparatory School, Tyler played volleyball and was recognized as one of the top performing female athletes, where she was awarded a General’s Award for Physical Excellence. Tyler also received the Humanitarian Service Medal for her volunteer help with the Task Force Hurricane Sandy Response in New York City. Tyler graduated with honors from the Preparatory School.

Before graduating from the Preparatory School Tyler was recruited as an outfielder to play Softball for Army. Tyler continued her athletic career at the Academy where she played Division I Softball in the Patriot League Conference all four years. During her time on the diamond, Tyler appeared in 176 games with 129 starts. Tyler was a defensive specialist and wreaked havoc on the baselines, where she had over 176 put outs, a 0.959 fielding percentage, and recorded thirty stolen bases and 44 runs. Tyler was named the team’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 and earned Patriot League Play of the week. Tyler was also named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. Additionally, Tyler volunteered each summer as a camper counselor/aid for the Softball team’s Youth Camps.

During her time at the Academy Tyler was named to the Dean’s List 6 out of her 8 semesters, where she will graduate in the top 15% of her class, of which she has received the Superintendent’s Award of Achievement. Tyler currently ranks in the top ten percent in her class for both physical and military performance. Tyler will graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology with a Civil Engineering concentration.

Militarily, Tyler has completed nearly 26 weeks of military field training during her summers at the Academy. Each summer Tyler underwent a variety of leadership trainings. During her junior year, Tyler served as a Squad Leader for the incoming New Cadets in Cadet Basic training, where she was recognized as one of the top performing squad leaders for her leadership skills. Tyler was a member of Golf Company, 2nd Regiment and served as the Company’s Executive Officer her senior year. Additionally, Tyler was given the opportunity to travel to Bangkok, Thailand for a three week leadership program, where she volunteered with Cross Cultural Solutions and taught English in two different elementary schools. Tyler has also volunteered within the local Hudson Valley Community at Food Pantries, soup kitchens, and Habitat for Humanity.

Tyler will graduate from West Point and commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Officer Corps. Tyler earned her first branch and post selection, where she will serve as a Quartermaster Officer and be stationed in Vilseck, Germany. Upon graduation Tyler volunteered to serve six weeks as a Junior Tactical officer for Cadet Summer Training at West Point. She will then attend the Basic Officer Leadership Course in Fort Lee, Virginia for Logistic Officers. Following her officer course, she will be stationed with the 2nd Calvary Regiment in Vilseck, Germany, where her unit’s primary mission will be deterring adversaries across the European Front, reassuring Allies, and enhancing the NATO alliance.

Tyler is the daughter of Roger McKinney Jr. and Lisa McKinney of South Canaan, Pa. Tyler would like to extend her gratitude to the Western Wayne Administration, faculty, coaches, family, friends, and members of the community for providing her the academic, athletic, and leadership tools in order to attend the United States Military Academy. “My time at the Military Academy was an incredible experience and I am beyond grateful for the continuous support I receive from the Wayne County community. I will cherish my time spent both at Western Wayne and the United States Military Academy, and will forever bleed Black and Gold.”

Western Wayne Pride – Lucas Karnick – Navy ROTC

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Lucas Karnick – Navy ROTC

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Lucas Karnick from Waymart, a 2013 graduate from Western Wayne High School, will commission into the United States Navy on Friday, 19 May 2017. During his time at Western Wayne he was a four year varsity member of the high school soccer, wrestling, and baseball teams. He received the District II PIAA Scholar Athlete Award during his senior awards night. As well as a member of the FBLA, NHS, and SADD organizations. Outside of school, Lucas is an active member of the Sons of American Legion, Post 807, Wayne County 4-H, and has volunteered with the Waymart Area Baseball Association.

He will graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Upon commissioning into the United States Navy, MIDN Karnick will report to Charleston, SC for Nuclear Power School.

Lucas is the son of Dan and Ann Marie Karnick.