Abington Heights
An 11th-grader honed her skills through a community education and leadership training program.
Brooke Chapple received a certificate for graduating from Tomorrow's Leaders Today, Leadership Lackawanna's teen program.
The group was made up of juniors at high schools in Lackawanna County, or in the Lackawanna Trail or Western Wayne school districts.
Brooke said the group received about $7,000 in grants, which they distributed among three local nonprofits: Boys and Girls Club of NEPA, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen and Friends of the Poor.
"It was really cool to see how a group of kids from across our area were able to come together and work on community projects," she said.
miorfino@timesshamrock.com
Blue Ridge
As part of the Hexagon Project, students from Blue Ridge Elementary's fifth-grade art club held a fundraiser.
The students in Sarrah Dibble's after-school art club created donation containers and placed them in area businesses. The students raised $219.41 to donate to Susquehanna County Interfaith. In the fall, the containers will be a part of the Interdependence Day Art Exhibit. Gabe Waldowski, fifth grade, made a donation container in the shape of an igloo and represented the Arctic.
"It's important to help someone out if they can't afford something," said Gabe.
kbolus@timesshamrock.com
Carbondale Area
This month, two sophomores represented the district at a leadership conference.
Melissa Morgan and Madison Algayer were chosen to attend the 2013 Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Seminar by their teachers because of the character they have shown at school.
There are about 70 leadership seminars held throughout the U.S. and Canada. Two students from each site are then chosen to attend the World Leadership Congress.
"I was surprised and honored that my teachers selected me to be the alternate HOBY representative for my class," Melissa said. "I'm looking forward to meeting new people and getting new ideas that I can bring back to offer my school community."
rbrown@timesshamrock.com
Delaware Valley
Senior Matthew Protsko is an involved member of the Delaware Valley community.
He holds memberships in the National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, political awareness club, Model United Nations, junior historians and geo-caching.
"Being involved in the school with more than just the academic school day has taught me a lot about time management and responsibility," Matthew said.
He also volunteers with the Boy Scouts and United Way's Day of Caring and has done work repairing paths at Pocono Environmental Education Center with his church. In addition, Matthew donates time, money and resources at the Pike County Humane Society.
Matthew will further his education at Lock Haven University in the fall.
lzaccagnino@ timesshamrock.com
Dunmore
Sarah Ross, a junior at Dunmore High School, is helping to organize the Nancy McCormick Memorial Volleyball Tournament for her senior project.
The competition, which will be at 9 a.m. on Saturday, will benefit the Nancy McCormick Memorial Fund, an organization that donates to other organizations and funds a scholarship.
The event will include recreational and competitive volleyball tournaments, raffles and refreshments.
"I wanted to involve some type of service with my senior project," Sarah said of helping organize the event. "It feels great to give back to this organization, and it truly benefits many people."
kwind@timesshamrock.com
Elk Lake
Senior Kati VanEtten was selected as this year's prom queen on May 4.
"I was thoroughly surprised. I just didn't expect it. I went with Mason Maye as my date, and when Mason got it and then I did, it was so coincidental," she said.
Kati is involved in track, volleyball and swimming, a member of student council, ski club and prom steering, and serves as class secretary.
Kati hopes to one day have a career as an environmental education specialist.
lzaccagnino@ timesshamrock.com
Forest City Regional
Two sophomores will represent the district at the upcoming Rotary Youth Leadership Awards.
Alan Brucher and Katelyn Zembrzycki were selected by their teachers, and the trip was paid for by the local Rotary.
The leadership training program focuses on citizenship and personal growth.
rbrown@timesshamrock.com
Lackawanna Trail
A Lackawanna Trail student who is an aspiring professional dancer auditioned for a spot in an intensive New York-based dance workshop.
This spring, Colin Bolthouse auditioned for the Ailey School summer intensive workshop.
The training program runs from late June to early August,
"My love for dancing started when I would watch old Shirley Temple movies with my mother, and we would dance along to the show," he said.
miorfino@timesshamrock.com
Lakeland
The Naval Academy invited a Lakeland student to participate in the 2013 Naval Academy Summer Seminar program.
Gavin O'Donnell will participate in the program's session No. 1, held the first week in June.
The academy invites about 2,550 young men and woman worldwide to attend the program, which helps educate, motivate and prepare rising high school seniors considering applying for admission to the USNA.
Gavin works as a certified lifeguard for the Big Bass Lake Community.
miorfino@timesshamrock.com
Mid Valley
Students faced off against their peers from surrounding districts to test their knowledge of the environment recently.
Junior Justin Craven was one of 10 Mid Valley students who participated in the Envirothon, a field testing competition at Keystone College. He said the toughest competitors were students in more rural areas.
"It's hard against all the country schools, because they grew up with that," he said.
Attending last year's competition, though, he had an advantage.
"I'll be more prepared knowing what's going on," he said.
Dave Peters, Joe Palickar, Nick Benzeleski, Chad Marushock, Frank Fornaszewski, Tim Peters, Adam Buchinski, Ed Kalinoski and Tyler Collins also competed.
rbrown@timesshamrock.com
Mountain View
Ali Virbitsky's student government districts presentation was based on the book "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."
However, Ali's presentation was titled "The Perks of NOT being a Wallflower."
After reading the coming-of-age novel by Stephen Chbosky, Ali decided to present on the benefits of not being like the suffocatingly shy and introverted main protagonist, Charlie. Ali used the 25-minute presentation to inform students in seventh and eighth grades about the good that can come from stepping outside your shell, being more comfortable with yourself and not holding everything inside. During districts, Ali also played icebreaker games.
A member of Science Olympiad, Envirothon and chorus, Ali, a sophomore, also plays soccer and runs track and field.
kbolus@timesshamrock.com
North Pocono
Justin Gensel, a junior at North Pocono High School, will attend science and leadership programs when school is out this summer.
Justin is one of 60 students across the state who has been chosen to attend the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Sciences, which is hosted at Carnegie-Mellon University.
He will attend the program from June 30 through Aug. 3 for education and research in the sciences.
Justin will also be sponsored by the Gouldsboro American Legion post to attend Keystone Boys State, a leadership and citizenship program, at Shippensburg University from June 23 through 29.
kwind@timesshamrock.com
Old Forge
Three seniors participated in Fox 56 WOLF-TV's Celebrate Safe Campaign.
Brittany Souryavong, Ariana Argust and Brian Finnerty were part of a commercial taping meant to spread the word to high school students to stay safe and sober as they celebrate prom and graduation. The commercials will run on Fox 56, the CW and My Network TV during prom and graduation season.
Riverside
Tera Sheerin has talent.
She took first place in the musical performance category at the Riverside's Got Talent competition earlier this month.
The event raised $1,075 for the Riverside Student Help Fund.
Tera played the guitar and sang a song she wrote. She has been playing and singing since she was 13 and she was honored to take first place among her talented peers.
"I'm always singing at my house, so I knew it like the back of my hand already," she said. "I was very happy and surprised that I won."
Junior Alejandra Mainetto won in the vocal category. Kelsey Robinson, an eighth- grader, won the dance category. Sophomore Lacee Collins took home the first-place award for the variety category.
rbrown@timesshamrock.com
Scranton
West Scranton High School's chorus club took first place in the mixed chorus division on May 10 in the "Music in the Parks" competition in Richmond, Va.
The club performs under the direction of Karen Lotz. Chorus members are seniors Marion Coyne, Joe Devine, Shannon Dermont, Kara Fahey, Pat Gerrity, Brandon Oleski, Kelsey Maconeghy, Tom McDonald, Tiffany Salmons, Kaylyn Schmidt and Chelsea Schultz; juniors Alivia Auriemma, Abby Beidler, Gary DiBileo, Louie DiBileo, Paul Emiliani, Cullen Fanning, Cassi Gruzesky, Justyne Hallock, Jane Joyce, Jeff O'Hara, Marissa Pazzaglia and Issac Charleston; sophomores Jerry Coyne, Emily Gerrity, Allison Hill, Brad Killian, Cara Lutchko, Sarah Purawic, Andrew Simpson, Morgan Sledzinski and Taylor Syzmanski; and freshmen Ema Bonafede, James Dommes, David Lutchko, Victoria Miller and Sequoia Monahan.
shofius@timesshamrock.com
Scranton Prep
Sophomore Mary Lundin's performance on the National French Exam can be called "magnifique."
Mary, who has studied French since third grade, placed fourth regionally and ninth nationally, she said.
"I just thought it was a beautiful language," she said.
She will use her language skills this summer during a trip to France. At Prep, Mary is on the cross country and winter and spring track teams.
shofius@timesshamrock.com
Valley View
Last month, Donavan Darienzo and Luke Prusinski sang with some of the most talented students in the state.
The two juniors, under the direction of Z. Randall Stroope, participated in the All Eastern Honors Chorus Festival in Hartford, Conn.
Donovan said the best part of the experience was working with Dr. Stroope, one of "the famous directors of our time," particularly singing a song Dr. Stroope wrote called "Song to the Moon."
"It was just a great experience, a lot of fun, and I'm just so glad that we were able to be chosen," he said. "It was a great honor."
rbrown@timesshamrock.com
Wallenpaupack Area
Kyle Dowling has been selected as a winner in the 2013 National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awards in Writing competition.
Aside from being one of seven Pennsylvania students awarded, Kyle, a junior, was the only student honored from Northeast Pennsylvania.
kbolus@timesshamrock.com
Wyoming Seminary Lower School
Eighth-graders Reeya Lele and Connor McGowan of Pittston were on the MathCounts team that took first place in the Keystone Northeast Chapter MathCounts competition at the Martin Mattei School in Pittston.
Connor took first place on the written exam and the countdown round. Ethan Tost of Scranton, a sixth-grader, is also a member of the team.