Bethel Park School District

October 2014 Highlights

Please enjoy reading about the outstanding achievements of our students and staff!

Five BPHS Seniors Named Commended by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation

BPHS seniors Joseph Beaver, Aaron Coplan, Alexander Fleming, Jessica George and Giffin Werner were named Commended Students by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in its 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program. Their scores on the PSAT, which they took as juniors, placed them among the top 50,000 scorers in the country. While their scores were not high enough to be named Semifinalists in this competition, they did receive a letter from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in recognition of their outstanding academic achievement.

30 BPHS Students Named AP Scholars The College Board named 30 Bethel Park High School students Advanced Placement Scholars, in recognition of their exceptional achievement on college-level AP Exams, which they took last spring.

NATIONAL AP SCHOLARS • 2014 Graduate Jarrod Cingel

(currently attending Stanford University)

• 2014 Graduate Christian Hokaj (currently attending the University of Notre Dame)

National AP Scholars earned an average score of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, with scores of 4 or higher on eight or more AP Exams taken.

AP SCHOLARS WITH DISTINCTION • 2014 Graduate Jonathan Anischenko

(University of Chicago) • 2014 Graduate Kevin Fleischmann

(University of Pittsburgh) • 2014 Graduate Hayley Lazzari (Colgate

University) • 2014 Graduate Ryan Matthews

(University of Pittsburgh) • 2014 Graduate Logan Tuite (University

of Pittsburgh) • Senior Steven Davis • Senior Adithya Krishnachand AP Scholars with Distinction earned an average score of 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, with scores of 3 or higher on 5 or more exams.

30 BPHS Students Named AP Scholars AP SCHOLARS WITH HONOR • 2014 Graduate Benjamin Brownfield (University of Pittsburgh) • 2014 Graduate Jamie Cavrak (Bucknell University) • 2014 Graduate Steven Ervard (Ohio State University) • 2014 Graduate Rachel Gaddis (Pennsylvania State University) • 2014 Graduate Jason Harnack (Case Western Reserve University) • 2014 Graduate Victoria Jakicic (Indiana University of PA) • 2014 Graduate Benjamin Muscato (University of Pittsburgh) • 2014 Graduate Kaileigh Poe (Dennison University) • 2014 Graduate Rachel Unger (Coastal Carolina University) • 2014 Graduate Liam Wolf (University of Virginia) • Senior Adam Ackerman • Senior Sean Becker AP Scholars with Honor earned an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on four or more exams.

AP SCHOLARS • 2014 Graduate Katerina Kimes

(University of Pittsburgh) • 2014 Graduate Richard Pfeuffer

(John Carroll University) • 2014 Graduate Michael

Stephenson (University of Pittsburgh)

• 2014 Graduate Sean Varley (University of Pittsburgh)

• Senior Kelly Tamburo • Senior Giffin Werner AP Scholars earned scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.

Approximately 18 percent of the more than 1.8 million high school students world-wide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to earn an AP Scholar Award. Students who score high enough on AP Exams are eligible to earn college credit, advanced placement or both.

Hawk Eye Earns 29 Awards In Newspaper Competition

GOLD AWARDS

• 2014 Graduate Chris Geikler (2 Gold)

• 2014 Graduate Zach Laufer

• 2014 Graduate Aaron Modrak

SILVER AWARDS

• 2014 Graduate Chris Geikler

• 2014 Graduate Luke Hatfield (2 Silver)

• 2014 Graduate Zach Laufer (2 Silver)

• 2014 Graduate Katie Zilcosky (2 Silver)

• Senior Paul Dunn (3 Silver)

• Junior Claire Makowski (2 Silver)

• Sophomore Santino Bonaccorsi

BRONZE AWARDS

• 2014 Graduate Luke Hatfield (4 Bronze)

• 2014 Graduate Adam Larson

• 2014 Graduate Zach Laufer

• 2014 Graduate Aaron Modrak

• Junior Claire Makowski (2 Bronze)

• Sophomore Santino Bonaccorsi

• Sophomore Michael Musciano (2 Bronze)

Hawk Eye, the BPHS student online newspaper, earned 29 Awards from the PA School Press Association’s 2014 Summer Newspaper Contest. The newspaper also earned a Silver Award.

11 BPHS Juniors to Participate in Westinghouse Science Honors Institute

Eleven BPHS juniors successfully applied and have been accepted to participate in the prestigious Westinghouse Science Honors Institute. Approximately 600 area juniors are accepted into this 10-week program, held on Saturday mornings, to expose students to a series of lectures on selected science and engineering topics presented by area professionals. Students also have the opportunity to tour Penn State University’s Breazeale Nuclear Reactor.

• Julia Angotti • Adella Antkowiak • Sara Amato • Jefferson Belback • Brandon Brown • Joshua Kimes

• Macie McKitrick • Akhil Rajasekar • Emily Russell • Maria Vighetti • Carl Zazac

31 BPHS Students To Participate In Apprenticeship Programs

This year 31 Bethel Park High School students will participate in an Apprenticeship Program sponsored by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit. They will have an opportunity to work with local professionals in hands-on experiences to gain a greater understanding of career opportunities and responsibilities.

• Tarush Bahl (International Affairs) • Megan Barr and Kelsey Tischler (Nursing) • Jefferson Belback, Walter Donellan and Joseph Wasko (Blended Learning-Gaming) • Madeline Boucher (Green Design) • Bryce Carter, Tayler McGurk-Mannarino, Shannon Muesser and Jordan Myers (Engineering) • Natalija Djordjevic, Francesca Galietta, Kristen Kohler and Michael Musciano (Zoo Animal Care) • Sarah Eiben, Kaitlyn Ellsworth and Macy Hall (Education) • Matthew Harney (Astronomy)

• Amelia Heastings (Acting) • Evan Hostuttler (Robotics) • Annelise Hudson (Visual Arts) • Cassie Jameyson (Business) • Carolyn Kerr and Joseph Nagel (Architecture) • Zachary Kraska (Marine Biology) • Macie McKitrick (Filmmaking) • Daniel Sedor-Franzak (Broadcast Journalism) • Jodi Shaffer (Musical Theater) • Natalia Young (Journalistic Writing and Reporting) • Zach Zerby (Blended Learning-Engineering)

13 BPHS Musicians To Play In Honors Band

Thirteen BPHS musicians successfully auditioned and have been selected to play in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s Honors Band Concert, which will be held on Sunday, November 23 at the Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland.

• Joe Beaver (Trumpet) • Chris Bright (Percussion) • Emma Davin (Clarinet) • Alex DeRose (Clarinet) • Daniel Gillece (Trombone) • Caroline Greiner (Clarinet) • Austin Habbyshaw (Trumpet)

• Rachel Kinlan (Clarinet) • Cory Kroboth (Clarinet) • Macie McKitrick (Flute) • Matea Pranjic (Clarinet) • David Uhlmann (Percussion) • Joe Wasko (Tuba)

Athena Kalogeris and Matea Pranjic Named

September Rotary Students of the Month

BPHS seniors Athena Kalogeris and Matea Pranjic were named the September Students of the Month by the Rotary Club of Bethel Park for their extensive involvement with student life at Bethel Park High School, including serving as the Homecoming Co-Chairs as well as their involvement with Student Government and National Honor Society. Athena is also the Goalie of the BPHS Girls Soccer Team, and Matea is involved with the German Club and Bethettes.

Each month the Rotary Club recognizes outstanding Bethel Park High School students who have demonstrated a strong commitment to school and/or community service.

BPHS Team Wins First-Round

Hometown Hi-Q Match

The Bethel Park High School Hometown Hi-Q Team—juniors Jack Brownfield, Billy dePoutiloff and Max Reese--defeated teams from North Allegheny and Fox Chapel High Schools to win their first round match on KDKA TV’s Hometown Hi-Q quiz program. Their episode will be aired Saturday, November 1 at 11 AM and Saturday, November 8 at 11:30 AM on KDKA.

Their victory advances them into the Playoffs, with opponents and air dates to be determined.

BPHS Students Take The X The TXT Pledge

Bethel Park High School and Mt. Lebanon High School students participated in Allstate Insurance Company’s X The TXT safety campaign to not text and drive. Students from both schools took turns in Allstate’s Reality Rides Driving Simulator to experience what really happens behind the wheel when you text and drive. Bethel Park High School received $4,500 from Allstate for participating in this program.

Additionally, BPHS students Greg Duane, Zach Fullerton, Carolyn Hancock and Bailey Lawrence earned $250 gift cards from Allstate for getting the most “likes” on Facebook of their “selfie” pictures with the X the TXT Banner.

Two Bethel Park Students Honored By

Chamber Of Commerce

Bethel Park High School senior Renno Young and Neil Armstrong Middle School Sixth Grader Collin McCormick were honored by the Bethel Park Chamber of Commerce at its 2014 SHINE Awards. The students received Certificates of Appreciation for putting others before themselves.

Renno pulled his elderly neighbor to safety from her burning house and Collin coordinated a year-long pop tab collection at Franklin Elementary School, which netted over 278,000 pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House.

NAMS Students To Have Chromebooks By End Of

October

All Neil Armstrong Middle School fifth and sixth graders will have their own Chromebooks to use in their classrooms by the end of October, as part of the District’s One to One Technology Initiative.

Thanks to a grant from the Pittsburgh Penguins and EVERFIT, 700 headphones were donated for the students to use with their Chromebooks. The grant was obtained by NAMS Principal Michael Brookie, NAMS Administrative Intern Joe Rosi and Director of Secondary Education Janet O’Rourke.

NAMS Teachers received training from EVERFIT regarding excellent teacher and student resources obtainable via the Chromebooks.

NAMS Students Decorate Paper Plates With Messages About Hunger

Neil Armstrong Sixth Graders decorated over 110 paper plates with messages about the importance of helping the hungry and sent them to the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank.

The Food Bank will send these plates to members of Congress who serve on key committees that impact nutrition programs, such as the National School Lunch Program.

This effort was coordinated by NAMS Teacher Laura Zupan.

Thank You, Rotary Club Of Bethel Park

The Rotary Club of Bethel Park once again donated a copy of A Student’s Dictionary to every Bethel Park School District Third Grader to keep as their own personal dictionary.

The dictionaries will come in handy as the students begin to prepare for the Third Annual Bethel Park Rotary Third Grade Spelling Bee, which will be held in either January or February 2015.

Organizations Help Make William Penn

A Beautiful Place

Members of Cub Scout Pack 600 and their families cleaned up the grounds around William Penn on Bethel Park’s Fall Clean Up Day. Thanks to Scouts Garett Lindsey, George Danchik, Austin Sweitzer, Josh Zahniser, Jeremy Blocklin, Ethan Quinn, T.J. Edkins and Sean McGowan.

Members of New Song Community Church spent one of their monthly “Church Without Walls” Sundays at Penn, clearing the overgrown brush and debris from one of the school’s Evacuation Paths.

Thank you!

Dr. Jansante Named 2014 PA High School Principal Of The Year

Bethel Park High School Principal Dr. Zeb Jansante was named the 2014 Pennsylvania High School Principal of the Year by the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals. He received his award at a banquet held at the Sheraton Station Square.

Providing the entertainment for the dinner were the members of the Bethel Park High School Orchestra, under the direction of Stephanie Glover.

Three BPSD Educators Presented With Champions Of

Change Award

BPHS Science Teacher Lee Cristofano, IMS Principal David Muench and Technology Director Ron Reyer were presented with 2014 Champions of Change Awards from the Allegheny Intermediate Unit and Common Sense Media.

Mr. Cristofano was recognized for his work to obtain two GoPro Camera Grants for his physics students and for his work with the Big Data Project.

Mr. Muench and Mr. Reyer were recognized for successfully rolling out the One to One Chromebook Initiative to IMS students and the continuation of the program throughout the District.

BPHS To Stage “Peter Pan” November 13-15

Bethel Park High School will stage the children’s classic, “Peter Pan,” Thursday and Friday, November 13 and 14 at 7:30 PM and Saturday, November 15 at 2 PM in the BPHS auditorium. The characters will be available for photos with children after the Saturday matinee.

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door on performance evenings or between 9 and 11 AM at the High School on November 6, 7, 10 and 11.

Come out and enjoy this theatrical classic! Break a leg to the cast and crew!

Nominate Deserving BPHS Alumni for the 2015 Great Alumni Hall of Fame

Bethel Park High School is accepting nominations for the 2015 BPHS Great Alumni Hall of Fame.

The induction honors Bethel Park alumni who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments either personally or professionally after graduating from Bethel Park High School.

If you know alumni who have significantly improved the lives of others, contributed significant volunteer or community service, or achieved significant advancement in their professional field, please consider nominating them for this award. Nomination forms are available at http://www.bpsd.org/protected/ArticleView.aspx?iid=4U00Y&dasi=2PB .

The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, October 31. The Class of 2015 inductees will be honored at the halftime of a BPHS Boys Basketball Game. Please note, this Hall is separate from the Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Mission of the Bethel Park School District is to lead an educational partnership with the community, maintaining an environment that challenges all students to reach their potential as lifelong learners and responsible members of

society.

The Bethel Park School

District Where Futures Begin