This year, both Linton and the Senior High traveled to mystical lands for their spring musicals.  For Linton students, it was a journey under the sea in "The Little Mermaid, Jr."  With Ariel, Sebastian the Crab, Prince Eric, and Ursula, audience members were treated to the story of a how a young mermaid was willing to give up everything for the love of a prince.  Beautiful costumes and impressive sets brought the story to life in vivid color for both young and old.  (additional photos are available in the Linton Photo Gallery)

The KNEX Project 2014 was about a team of 230 District fourth graders who built and became the owners of an amusement park.  The project's culminating activity was Opening Night on April 10th.  Overall, the evening included:

• 48 amusement park rides built with KNEX pieces running in Penn Hebron's multipurpose room  
• 18 PhotoStories with project images, student narrations, and carnival music broadcasting in the halls and main room
• 20 poster finalists displayed in the main hall
• A website hosting all of the KNEX project digital resources accessible in the hall; these resources included the student PhotoStories, eBooks, links to interactive websites, a glossary of science terms, and a history of the KNEX Project.

• 4th Grade Owners studied the science concepts of forces and motion, including: 
• Hands-on science activities on friction and potential and kinetic energy
• Kennywood Assembly with video clips of their roller coasters and the science behind the rides
• Carnegie Science Center Assembly with activities supporting Newton's Laws
• Many reading resources

• 4th Grade Owners completed the math needed in a purchase order and an expense ledger

• 4th Grade Owners learned to build the rides with an emphasis on teamwork, such as: 
• Every 4th grader practiced with simple KNEX models
• Forty 4th graders worked after school as a part of the KNEX Student Leadership Team

• 4th Grade Owners promoted the park with a poster design, commercial, and PhotoStories - Every 4th grader designed a poster and learned to use the PhotoStory application

• 4th Grade Owners learned some of the jobs needed in an amusement park, i.e.: 
• As engineers, they studied various KNEX structures to determine the most stable
• As mechanics, they learned to troubleshoot the rides if they stopped running  
• As tour guides, they became familiar with the stations in the amusement park - 43 percent of the 4th graders were at opening night with family and friends; these 4th graders conducted the tours of their amusement park

• 4th Grade Owners maintained KNEX Journals with written accounts of their journeys in the creation of the KNEX Kingdom.

The KNEX Project 2014 was also about a team of 4th grade teachers, the art teacher, building administrators, computer technicians, instructional aides, and a "ringer" (a third grade teacher from Washington School).  This team worked tirelessly with the 230 fourth graders to create a positive experience in the ownership of the KNEX Kingdom.  If you attended the evening of April 10th, you witnessed a program totally operated by students.  They were the owners and they took ownership!

The KNEX Project was funded by a Grable STEAM Grant during its first two years.  To qualify for this grant, connections to Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics were needed.  This was the third year and that specific Grable Grant was not available.  However, with this project's strong connections to our 4th grade curriculum, Mrs. Renel Williams budgeted its core needs through the District's elementary science budget.  (additional photos are available in the Penn Hebron Photo Gallery)

In the winter of 2013 when the new high school opened, students in Mr. Anthony Kobus' entrepreneurship class wanted to own and operate their own business within the school.  A group of students came up with the idea of a coffee shop.  This group wrote up a business plan and presented it to Principal Eric Kostic.  Mr. Kostic was very excited about the project, but securing funds was a major obstacle. 

When school opened back up in the fall of 2013, they were able to secure some money to buy a used kiosk from Monroeville Mall and order the supplies to start the coffee shop.  It officially opened three days before Thanksgiving Break to students who had study halls in first, second, and third periods.  The students sell coffee, hot chocolate, orange juice, apple juice, cinnamon rolls, honey buns, and muffins.  The charge is $1.00 for all of the products. 

"The students are doing an excellent job at running the coffee shop," Mr. Kobus stated.  The life skills classes set up the coffee shop in the morning by making coffee and hot water for hot chocolate and tea.  They also clean up when the coffee shop closes after third period.  Students in entrepreneurship and accounting classes act as baristas and cashiers, serving coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and pastries to students.

Local Winners for 6th Grade

1st Place - Aleah S. Ansari

2nd Place - Arianna Robinson

3rd Place - Tileya Norris-Donald

Honorable Mention - Ashley Lloyd, Atalia Pleskovitch, Katelyn Russell, Charlei Washington, Michael Oliveri

 

Local Winners for 7th Grade

1st Place - Rashai Jackson

2nd Place - Tyler Kenny

3rd Place - Marshall McArthur

Honorable Mention - Brooke Snyder, Autumn Blair, Alexia Bigenho, Kristen Schrantz, London Wright

 

Local Winners for 8th Grade

1st Place - Emily Deighan

 

Regional Winners for 6th Grade

1st Place - Amanda McCann

2nd Place - Aleah Ansari

3rd Place - Tileya Norris Donald

Honorable Mention - Nick Anglin, Ashley Lloyd, Arianna Robinson, Katelyn Russell, Charlei Washington

 

Regional Winners for 7th Grade

1st Place - Rashai Jackson

2nd Place - Marchall McArthur

3rd Place - Tyler Kenny

Honorable Mention - Brooke Snyder, Blake Miller, Kristen Schrantz

In March, Star Wars landed at Linton for the second year as a special event to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  Visitors had the opportunity to meet some of their favorite Star Wars characters, from villains to heroes and those somewhere in the middle.
 
Events and offerings included concessions, "jail and bail," t shirt sales, Chinese auction, coloring contests, Star Wars Jeopardy, vendors, and more.  Approximately 250 people were in attendance and $800 was earned for Make-A-Wish.  (additional photos from the event can be found in the Linton Photo Gallery)

L-R: Glenn Hanna (student helper), Principal Shaun Cooke, Loujaue McPherson (event organizer), Andrea (Make-A-Wish), and Clay Bishop (trivia contest winner)

On March 20, the Senior High Library welcomed Major Edward Dice, a 1997 Penn Hills graduate, to tell the story of his time in the Iraq War.  Major Dice, son of Science/Biology Teacher Claire Dice, earned a Purple Heart for wounds received in battle in 2013.  He was wounded during a convoy mission when it was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED). The blast threw Dice against the turret of the vehicle he was riding in, causing a concussion.  While telling his own story to students, he helped connect it to the novel, "The Things They Carried," by Tim O'Brien.

Major Dice taught the students that our country's soldiers carry much more than just supplies; they also carry burdens, fears, and--most importantly--hope.  He presented pictures of his time in Afghanistan, where he helped build schools in rural areas. He noted that one of the schools was an all-girls school, built in a nation where girls were only recently permitted to be educated.  Major Dice encouraged the students to be proud of their country and not take their educational opportunities for granted.  He also emphasized the importance of patriotism, explaining the value of saying the Pledge of Allegiance with pride and supporting our troops.

Student speakers Sabritta, Angelica, Tyree, and Douglas stand with Major Dice

"The Things They Carried" is considered one of the finest books about the Vietnam War. It was selected to be the focus of The Big Read in Pittsburgh for 2014. The Big Read is a nationwide initiative to increase literacy and a love of reading in America's youth. Dr. Barbara Evans, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at CCAC and Big Read Project Director, attended the event to show her support. She also filmed the event and interviewed participating students. Librarian Dorothy Coleman, who organized the event, considered it a great success. "The Penn Hills School District is proud to be a new Big Read partner for 2014," Mrs. Coleman stated, emphasizing, "Students were truly at the center of the project, doing everything from creating programs and posters to introducing and thanking Major Dice."

Many students at the Senior High worked hard to make The Big Read a success. Student speakers included library assistants Angelica Walker, Douglas Remmick, Sabritta Ditumona, and Tyree Mitchell. "We've been preparing for this day for many weeks," said Angelica, "and we're all so glad that it's finally here!"

Library assistants Lauren Williams and Cassidy Wigham worked as ushers, handing out student-designed bookmarks and programs. NJROTC Cadets Jaylin Clark, Lucas Baird, Cory Umshied, Donaven Johnson, Jake Russel, and Alex Main preformed a sword arch ceremony as Major Dice entered the library under the supervision of Commander Robert Morabito. Video Production students Anthony Brunn and Nicole Besterman filmed the event with the help of their teacher, Mr. Andrew Marinzel. Needless to say, this event would not have been possible without the generous help of our students.

Prior to the event in the library, Major Dice met with students from Dr. Therone Wade's Library Science classes.  Students had thought of various ways to honor Major Dice, and this resulted in the presentation of proclamations from Allegheny County Council and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.  Mrs. Dice and other family members were on-hand for the presentations.  A luncheon in the cafeteria followed.

"As an educator, I have the obligation to inspire each generation beyond themselves and affect the lives of others," Dr. Wade said.  "At the luncheon, Penn Hills High School students gave the Dice family a moment in their history that they will forever cherish."  (additional photos are available in the Senior High Photo Gallery)

Five of the District's Odyssey of the Mind teams advanced to the State competition on April 12th after receiving awards at the regional competition held in March. Three high school teams, one Linton team, and one Washington team represented Penn Hills at Berwick High School.  The results were as follows:
 
Senior High, "Not So Haunted House," 7th Place, Division III, Coach Amie Lubawski - Placed 1st at Regional Competition

• Jes DeBasi
• Adam Rayan
• Lezlee  Fuchs
• Brett Mercurio
• DJ Remmick

Senior High, "Not So Haunted House," 11th Place, Division III, Coach Laura White - Placed 4th at Regional Competition

• Natalie Harrington
• Jacob Russell
• Azure Johnson-Payne
• Joshua Russell
• Bri Kulwik
• Emily White

Senior High, "Seeing is Believing," 7th Place, Division III, Coach Diane Kun - Placed 1st at Regionals and Received Runatra Fusca Award for Exceptional Creativity

• AnnaMarie Kun
• Kelsey Doherty
• Brieann Cook
• Camille Hickman
• Erin Slagle
• Patrick Campbell
• DaeMon Palmer

Linton, "Seeing is Believing," 4th Place, Division II, Coach Amie Lubawski - Placed 2nd at Regional Competition

• David Lubawski
• Katie Russell
• Ben Davidson
• Evan Buckman
• Madison Banks
• Logan Depew
• Sophia Corona

Washington, "Seeing is Believing," 5th Place, Division I, Coach Gail Russell - Placed 2nd at Regional Competition

• Talia Russell
• Erin Ryan
• Samantha Yee
• Onnikka McArthur
• Eric Walker
• Clare Ryan

As part of Read Across America, former Steeler Quarterback Charlie Batch visited students at Washington to share some Seuss with them.  Mr. Batch spent time reading and interacting with the students.  Additional photos from the event can be found in the Washington Photo Gallery, while video clips can be accessed at one, two, three, and four (please be patient while videos load).

In April, the Senior High Bible Club hosted Brenda Roethlisberger (stepmom to Steeler Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger) for a Lunch and Learn for our female students. Over 40 girls attended the gathering and were inspired by the uplifting and affirming words of Mrs. Roethlisberger. She told those in attendance, "God placed you here for a purpose. You are special and loved."  Club Sponsor Therone Wade said that 70 to 80 students "attend Bible Club each Friday to be affirmed of their worth. Today, Brenda was a big part of that." 

Jane Marra and Michele Shimko of the High School PTSA provided the refreshments.

This year's Super Saturday event was another huge success.  Course offerings were open to any child in Kindergarten through Grade 6.  The goal of the event was to provide learning in a small-group, hands-on setting, covering topics where kids might not normally have exposure.  It was a day of creative and interactive learning and included offerings such as: 

• Kitchen Experiments run by Nutrition, Inc., where students learned the science behind creating homemade lava lamps
• Computer Kids, with student helpers being robots following the code written by students in the class
• Art Exploration, exposing students to cartooning and shrink art
• Physics - "Keep It Dry?" and what students should do to keep their boat afloat and cargo dry
• Create Your Own Nature Journal, which allowed students to explore the great outdoors
• And more.

Super Saturday was a truly interactive event in many regards, Organizer and Parent MJ Gula said.  "The kids were engaged and excited, she explained, adding, "It was nice to see kids of various ages able to experience a course together--and come out talking as new friends."  The presenters were amazing in the amount of energy and thought they put into their courses, she stated, from our own teachers and Senior High students to a community member who presented that day.  The Gifted Support Coordinators and Special Education Director Cathy Guzzo all helped in some way, from presenting to just talking with parents and answering questions.  Parents, NJROTC, and Key Club volunteers helped to keep the day running smoothly.  One parent even donated a wide array of books for participants to select from and keep to encourage reading. 

In order to offer the Physics, Art, and Computer sessions at this year's Super Saturday event, 3 high school teachers and 11 high school students graciously offered their time, knowledge, and effort, Gifted Coordinator Joshua Willy explained.  To prepare for their sessions, the high school students brainstormed ideas and created activities based on lessons they had learned in their high school classes.  As the students planned their sessions, their teachers made suggestions and offered advice.  Specifically, Mr. Jason Korpa advised the Art students, Ms. Lisa Frye helped prepare the Physics students, and Mr. Ted Gabrielson worked with the Computer Programming students.  The high school teachers and students were eager to participate and volunteer, Mr. Willy said, adding that they were enthusiastic about converting what they had learned into activities for the elementary participants.  They were also proud to promote the classes that they have enjoyed and value to our District's younger students, he stated.  

With English Teacher Ali Balint, the Movin' and Groovin' participants got to experience a taste of yoga, ballet, aerobics, jazz, and step.  They even played a healthy competitive game of "Freeze Dance" suggested by one of the participants.  At the end of the session, she said they enjoyed sampling five different kinds of fruit as they cooled down and prepared for their second session.

The best feedback Mrs. Gula heard was people already talking about planning for next year.   With hopes of being able to hold the event at the new elementary in order to encourage more students to attend, she said they are always looking for new ideas and volunteers to present.

Parents and students alike left with smiles on their faces, and the presenters commented on how engaged the kids were.  It was also a great way for course teachers to see the impression they make on young students as well as the enthusiasm for learning that they brought to the kids.  (additional photos from the event are available in the Linton Photo Gallery)

Click image for printable pdf. 

 

Sixth grade students at Linton participated this year in the 22nd Annual Battery Car Race at North Allegheny under the guidance of Teachers Barry Plowman and Tracey Johnson.

 

As part of the challenge, the students had to design and build a battery car.  The Linton team took first place overall and recorded the fastest time of the day with their entry, competing against 61 other teams.

 

"In the four years that we have been participating in this event," Mrs. Johnson said, "We have had a winning team each year in one of the two grade divisions."  This year's winning team included Jacob Lach, Darian Mallory, and Atalia Pleskovitch.

 

A special thank you also goes out to Richard Getkin and the Linton PTA for the $100 grant that went toward transportation costs.

In early March, Linton Teachers Tracey Johnson and Barry Plowman took students in Grades 5-8 to the STEM Design Challenge at Duquesne University.  This was the second year that District students participated in this event.

The students had to design and build a prototype for an environmentally friendly people mover that would travel at least four feet across a table, overcoming one obstacle.  The students had two hours at the competition to build their design from scratch utilizing their blueprint.

The 6th grade team consisting of Isacc Bradley, Darien Mallory, Joel Schwartz, and Julianna Westin received an Honorable Mention for their top 6 finish out of a field of 45 teams.

Mrs. Johnson said that participation in the event would not have been possible were it not for the approximately $378 that was donated from eight donors via a website called donorschoose.org to purchase the KNEX kits needed for the competition.  There were donors from the Pittsburgh area as well as other parts of Pennsylvania and New York.  This included Linton teacher Kristen Postava.  In addition, the Linton PTA provided a $100 grant used toward to the cost of transportation.

In celebration of Earth Day 2014, a group of students at the Senior High School, under the guidance of Science/Biology Teacher Claire Dice, took on the project of cleaning up all of the litter on their school campus.  The message after the project was completed . . . Take PRIDE in your school and PLEASE don't litter!