On March 5th and 6th, Linton Middle School will be performing "The Nifty Fifties."  Adult tickets are $6 and students/seniors are $4.  Doors open at 7:00 p.m., and performances begin at 7:30 p.m.  There will be no reserved seating.  Tickets will be sold at the door.
 
"The Nifty Fifties" tells the tale of Gracie Stanley, who has gotten herself in hot water by promising to deliver a rock star for the high school dance.  Gracie and her friends attempt to devise a plan to produce a rock star double to fool the other students.  It won't be easy for Gracie to get away with this one with her rival, snooty Muffin Mansfield, watching her every move.  Loaded with the feel of the era and a fantastic score, you'll see why we call them the Nifty Fifties!  Additional photos can be viewed here.

Recognized in February as a KDKA Extra Effort Winner, Senior Chris Mannella was very surprised by the honor.  "I do not think that what I do as an athlete and a student is special or out of the ordinary," he said, adding he expects a high level of diligence from himself in both the classroom and pool, especially as team captain.  "Anything less is a failure in my eyes," he said.  He doesn't feel he is alone in this attitude, certain there are many more student-athletes in both Penn Hills and Western Pennsylvania that apply this same attitude to their endeavors.  While he was honored and feels lucky to have received the recognition, he said there is no award that compares to the feeling he gets from being a figure looked up to by his teammates.  He enjoys being able to give helpful advice to the younger students, especially in dealing with injuries and the mental makeup of the sport.  "One thousand awards could never top the smile that comes to my face when one of my swimmers calls me 'Dad,'" he said.
 
When asked what motivates him to be a leader and excel, Chris responded, "I would like to think that I have always been motivated to reach the goals that I set for myself, which in the case of school, is to become a successful architect--if possible, one of the most notable of my generation."  In swimming, the younger students on the team motivate him to be a hard-working leader.  Having been a member of bad teams in the past, Chris said it's the worst feeling in the world.  He has grown fond of his fellow teammates and wouldn't wish that feeling on any of them.  Because of that, he explained, "I try to set the best example that I can for them, while working with my coaches to bring about changes that will hopefully bring Penn Hills swimming back to the brilliancy it enjoyed in the 80s."
 
He would advise his fellow students in achieving their goals that, to quote Dewey Cox, "It's a long, hard walk."  Chris said he has pushed through everything from injuries to indifferent teammates, and it has not been easy.  "I believe that anyone can do it with persistence and a good group of support," he said, adding, "Keeping good company in your life can make all of the difference when you feel like giving up."  He credits great parents, great friends, and great mentors in his life who have picked him up when he has slipped.
 
Chris said there is a large group of extremely intelligent, extremely motivated kids who attend Penn Hills. However, students seem to be stuck with a negative stereotype that downplays their abilities and potential for future success. Subject for subject, he said, "I will put my senior classmates up against any student in this state."  While he acknowledges there are those students who simply will not be motivated to learn, he said he is looking forward to a number of his classmates having successful and enriching careers, "careers that I believe will overshadow those led by students at some of the area's more notable schools."
 
Chris dedicated his Extra Effort Award to teachers that he believes have succeeded in giving him the best education he could receive and have inspired him all along to be the diligent student he has tried to be.  In particular, he names Mr. Banks, Mr. Funair, Mrs. Folino, and Mr. Zera as having had a profound impact on his life.  He is involved in activities such as National Honor Society, Engineering and Robotics Club, and Spanish Club and serves as Assistant Manager and Projectionist at the Penn Hills Cinemas.  He will be attending Philadelphia University for Architecture in its Honors Program in the fall.  View the award presentation here.

The Indoor Track Team had a phenomenal performance on February 20th in Geneva, Ohio.  The boys' Distance Medley Relay of Dorian Rumble, Thorn Catlin, Tyree Squires, and Charles Anderson posted the second fastest time in the state, breaking a 40-year-old school record with the time of 10:32.09.  Charles also added another school record in his 800-meter race, running 1:59.5.

 

The relay teams of Iman Wilkerson, Deshaun Squires, Christina Roberson, and Jordan Lee set blazing times in the 800- and 1600-meter relays, running 1:42.77 and 3:52.49, respectively. Both times are the fastest in the state and 7th and 3rd in the nation.  The 1600-meter relay of Micah Murray, Thorn Catlin, Dorian Rumble, and Charles Anderson ran the second fastest time in the state and the 5th in the nation, breaking the school record in 3:22.33.

 

 

 

 

The District has received two awards in the 2009 Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association (PenSPRA) Excellence in Education Communications Contest.  Penn Hills Pride was recognized with an Award of Excellence for the Electronic Communication Category.  An Award of Excellence is given to the top entries in a category.   Penn Hills was one of three districts to receive this award.  The District's website was also recognized with an Award of Honor, which is presented to a high-quality entry with a score falling short of that earning the Excellence award.

The PenSPRA Excellence in Education Communications Awards were created to recognize outstanding school public relations efforts that address school-related issues with professional skill, creativity, and resourcefulness.

Two Senior High School German students were named finalists recently on the National American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) German Test.   Sophomore Andrew Christman scored in the 93rd percentile on the Level 3 exam, with a rank of 3rd among those who took the test in Western Pennsylvania.  Junior Chris Dumm scored in the 94th percentile on the Level 4 exam, placing him 5th in Western Pennsylvania. 
 
This test is given each year by the AATG.  There are 100 questions--50 listening and 50 reading/grammar.  Students must pay a fee to take the test, so only those students who elect to do so take it.  Those students scoring in the 90th percentile or above are considered Finalists and may go on to apply for the Western Pennsylvania study trip award to Germany.  Only one of these study trips is awarded in Western Pennsylvania, and it is very competitive.   Last year, Penn Hills student Erica Stevens received this prestigious award.
 
"This is a very difficult and highly competitive examination," German Teacher Robert Chaney said, adding that "both of these young men should be commended for their performance."  He pointed out that a high score on this national exam also looks good on a college application.  Both students will be recognized at the March 2nd Board workshop meeting.

On February 20th, Linton Middle School hosted Odyssey of the Mind Spontaneous Fun Day.  This is a regional event with over 500 students participating from approximately 16 districts and 37 individual buildings.  Teams were presented with a series of problems that had no correct answer, and they had no prior knowledge of the problems. A team of trained judges scored the teams on their solutions.

 

The District had three winning teams at the event, including students from the Senior High School, Linton, Penn Hebron, and Forbes.  Thirteen teams will be representing the District at the Odyssey of the Mind Southwest Regional Tournament on March 6th at Moon Area High and Middle Schools.  A complete list of winning District students from Spontaneous Fun Day can be found on the District website here.

On February 23rd, Leanne Boody, a fourth grader in Mrs. Boyd's class (Room 203), did a special presentation on the Chinese New Year. Leanne was born in China and is always seeking new knowledge about the land of her birth. She enjoys sharing that information with others. Leanne presented to her class during Social Studies with Mr. Joyce and then a second time to Mr. Joyce's class. That morning, Leanne returned to her former elementary school, Washington Elementary, and did three presentations to a first, second, and third grade class. Leanne dressed in traditional garb and had fact sheets for the students, as well as a small treat for each. The students really enjoyed the presentation and had many questions for the fourth grader.