A senior moment focusing on Cuba
A "very unusual post-trip party" found Joe and Dolly Michalczyk entertaining travelers and Marywood Lifelong Learning senior learners during a presentation on Cuba, Dolly said.
Cuban music in a room decorated with a photo gallery of Cuba scenes, shot by the late photographer Michael Coviello, and on loan from Marywood graduate Mary McGraw Coviello; books, magazines and the travelers' photos and albums were featured.
Sarah Kelly, executive chef of Marywood's Chartwells food service, prepared an authentic ethnic menu and meal including: arroz con pollo (marinated chicken with yellow rice), ropa vega (shredded beef and vegetable stew), black beans and rice, plantains with spicy dipping sauce, Cuban salad with lemon garlic vinaigrette, and tres leche cake (custard-soaked sponge cake with coconut).
The educational people-to-people trip featured meetings with a doctor, school and social service administrators, a tobacco farmer and his family, cigar makers, organic farmers, artists and artisans, musicians, and small business owners. Spanish teacher Pat Priolo assisted the group in communicating.
Mark Michalczyk's DVD shared photos of Old Havana, the lush Pinar del Rio Region, the coastal resorts, and colonial villages.
Travelers Mary Grace Giannetti, Mary Ann Leschingski, Linda Lynett, Sally McHale, Pat Priolo and Ella Rayburn participated in a question and answer session and offered their views on the experience. The group, which reunited following the class, sent well-wishes to their companion Joanne Stetz and Collette Vacations Vice President Kevin Kramich, who assisted with the Cuban journey.
Super students
Maria Vitovsky of Great Bend and Kimberly Walker of Olyphant have been inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society at Binghamton University. ... Misericordia University students David Dorbad of Exeter and Alice Messler of Waverly have been inducted into the Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) National Biological Honor Society. Shelby Giblin of Honesdale is the TriBeta chapter treasurer. Josh Krall of West Pittston is historian.
High notes
Local professionals were among the Keystone College alumni who returned to meet with students during an alumni career networking luncheon on campus. They included: Leigh Mannina Abromavage of Little Acres Learning Academy; Rob Booth of ESPN; Dan Duffy of Lackawanna College; Scott Gower of Scranton Prep; Maggie Calpin Hemak of Nibbles & Bits; Louise Stryjewski Henry of Northeast Counseling Center; Colette Hughes of C3 Concepts; Jamie Constantine Jennings of ParenteBeard LLC; Jim Mirabelli of Abington Heights School District; Anthony Pinto of Met Life; Trinka Ravaioli of Grapevine Design; Bernie Fawzon Ross, retired from Scranton School District; Nicole Sawicki of ArtWorks/AFA Gallery; James Silfee of CVS Caremark; and Kathleen Gallone Stout of Little Acres Learning Academy.