The article discusses a new program where high school students give presentations to elementary school students about not smoking instead of adults giving the presentations. The program uses animal puppets to teach the children reasons why different animals don't smoke, such as sharks not smoking so their teeth won't turn yellow. Initial feedback shows the elementary school students are really engaging with and learning from the high school student presentations.
1. May 2011
Volume 2 Issue 5
P
T
H
S
gnals
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Photo by Andrew Rich
2.
3. Photo by Gwen Wodjewaka
Smoke Signals
Volume2 Issue 5
Peters Township High School
264 East McMurray Road
McMurray, PA 15317
Phone: 724-941-6250
www.ptmedia.net
4. Meet the Staff
Managing Editor-In-Chief: Mike Schuck
Online Editor-In-Chief: Katie Denning
Layout Editor-in-Chief: Matt Sikora
Period 1 Editor-In-Chief: Erin Masta
.
Period 3 Editor-In-Chief: Gabrielle Brinsky
Layout Editors: Val Gobao and Joe Grossi
Entertainment Editor: Conor Jackson
Life & Style Editor: Molly Doehring
Special Features Editor: Christine Manganas
Sports Editor: John Galatic
People Editor: McKenzie Fritz
PT Focus Editor: Amanda Moore
Staff Writers: Layout Staff:
Carly Beck
Lexi Miller
Melina Sopko
Jessica Kleja
Hardy Kern
Valerie Kotar
Madison Mincone
Sean Sickmund
Katie Shultz
Matt Lison
Julia Gauthier
Kenzie Stepanik
Jake Achenbach Katie Finn
Greg Marsh
Denee Renz
Savanna Schweitzer Kurt Werner
Steph Hammell
Nikki Happe
Allie Schlafman
Mission Statement:
Smoke Signals is produced five times a school year by the students of the Media II, III,
and IV Journalism staff at Peters Township High School. Staff Advisor is Mrs. N.
Sitler. Commentaries, reviews, and opinion columns are the express opinion of the author and not of Smoke Signals, its advisor, or the Peters Township School District.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
“Flordia”
“Outer banks”
-Lexi Miller
“Brent Mueller’s basement”
-Val Kotar
-Jake Achenbach
5. -Kenzie Stepanik
4-5
Table of Contents
“The Bahamas”
6-7
8-9
10-11
“Florida”
-Melina Sopko
12-13
14-15
16-17
“ Wildwood, New
Jersey”
-Denee Renz
18-19
20-21
“Nurburgring Race
Track, Germany”
-Greg Marsh
22-24
PT Focus
Animals Don’t Smoke
Sports
Competitive Cheerleading
Blurring the Lines
Teacher Retirements
Life & Style
Closet Makeover
Special Features
Senior Collage
People Features
Jackie LaRosa’s Trip
Seasonal
Senior Superlatives
Entertainment
Summer Concerts
News Features
How to Donate to Japan
College List
Plans of Class 2011
6. 4
May 2011
Being part of a young,
impressionable age group, kids
today have just about heard
it all. There are countless programs set up to persuade our
world’s youth not to use drugs
and it seems that it will never end. Washington County
Health Partners, though, are
developing a new approach on
stopping drug abuse. They are
setting up a program where
instead of adults lecturing the
children, high school students
from around the area will be
giving the presentations. They
believe that by doing this the
children will have a high regard
for the “big kids” and listen
more understandingly.
“It was amazing how
much all of the little kids looked
up to us,” said sophomore Lau-
Peters Township High
School has been my home
for seven hours a day for 180
days each for the past four
years. By graduation day, that
will amount to approximately
5,040 hours spent in PTHS,
which is equal to 210 twentyfour hour days. Having spent
so much time in this building,
I would like to reflect on my
high school experience for the
benefit of the Peters Township
community.
Coming from a private school, the sheer size of the
student body was intimidating.
Even compared to other public schools, the student body
of Peters is huge, especially for
Summer 2011
Why Animals Don’t Smoke
JuliaGauthier.StaffWriter
ra Purkey, “They were so excited to have
us work with
them.”
T h e
program
is
called ‘Why
Animals Don’t
Smoke.’ It involves a high
school student
using animal
puppets and
giving
reasons why that
particular
animal does
not
smoke.
For example, the student will
hold up a shark puppet and
say ‘I don’t
smoke
because then my
teeth would
turn yellow’.
By using the
puppets, the
children are
able to learn
and have fun
at the same
time.
“The kids
absolutely
loved it when
we took out
all of the different animals and talked
with them, especially when
we changed our voices,” said
sophomore Hannah Jacobs.
The current group
giving presentations in Peters
has already visited Pleasant
Valley Elementary and plans
on visiting Bower Hill and
McMurray Elementary soon.
It is not hard to get involved,
all one has to do is go to the
high school guidance office
and ask to participate. They
are always looking for more
people to help. This new
program has set out to stop
America’s youth from smoking and, based on a survey at
the end of each presentation,
is doing well. Just remember,
if animals don’t smoke then
why should you?
Photo by Julia Gauthier
School Review: PTHS
MichaelSchuck.ManagingEditor-in-Chief
the size of the building. However, this size brings with it an
incredible variety of personalities and abilities. It may sound
like a college brochure, but
there really is a place for everyone. Classes accommodate even
the super-genius valedictorians.
If a student needs something to
fill spare time, there are enough
groups and functions to completely eliminate the possibility
of lying around at home. At the
same time, there is also a niche
for those who only want to be
here when they have to.
The students themselves never fail to amaze me.
My only criticism in this regard
is that it is hard to see the talent of the school as a whole
unless one is directly involved
with sports, theater, music, art,
science, math, and media all at
once. There are professionals
in training all over. Though the
opportunity to get involved is
always present, having a schedule filled with rigorous courses
makes free time scarce.
There are often changes made and measures taken by
the administration that I do not
agree with. The most important
thing, however, is students being free to learn and teachers
being free to teach. Whether
both are currently met is a
nearly unanswerable question.
The biggest danger is having
students memorize material
for four years instead of learning it. Every student and every
teacher need to make an effort
each class period to fulfill their
purpose here.
For the most part I
have learned. I can’t deny that
I am prepared for college. Peters Township has moved me
closer to where I want to be. I
even enjoyed high school every
so often. This school is nowhere
near perfect, but exceptional
students and skilled faculty
push it that much closer to perfection.
7. PT Focus
5
Tips to Find Your College Match
The SAT results
have just arrived and now it
is time for juniors to start or
resume looking at colleges.
Looking at colleges may
seem like an extensive and
difficult task, but by starting
now, the college selection
process can be completed before senior year even starts.
First, make a list of
attributes that you are looking for in a college. Some options to include are the type
of college (public or private),
size, location, majors offered,
StephanieHammell.StaffWriter
and cost. All these factors are
important in choosing a college, and should be discussed
with your parents before you
begin to look more seriously.
Second,
juniors
need to start a college list.
This can be easily done by
logging on to the College
Board website with the SAT
username and password.
From there, students can use
the College Matchmaker survey. This simple survey can
help narrow down college
choices. Then, go through
and place colleges that interest you in the virtual college
list. A good rule of thumb is
to try to narrow down the
college list to three or five, so
that visiting colleges will not
take forever.
Now that your college list is completed, you
are ready to start visiting
colleges. Scheduling college tours can be done on
the college’s websites. Before
scheduling a tour, try to pick
a date when college classes
are in session. By going on a
day when students are there,
it can help you get a feel for
the actual college experience.
Before visiting, be sure to
ask to meet with someone if
you are interested in a sport,
specific major, or their honors program. Be sure to take
notes about the college and
write down your impressions
of the school. After the visit,
file the notes for future reference when making a final
decision about the college.
It’s a Hockey Night in Peters
Over the last two
years, several videos have
surfaced on YouTube and
Pittsburgh news stations
such as WPXI, WTAE and
KDKA. They all seem to be
the same; high school students making music videos
of themselves dancing to
popular songs, dedicated to
the Penguins and Steelers.
Some of the most popular
videos are made by students
from Plum, Char Valley, and
Baldwin. Now it is our turn.
When the Media IV
public relations students first
presented the idea, it was
rejected because of copyright issues. Then, the idea
surfaced to write an original
Penguins fight song, and the
LexiMiller.StaffWriter
students decided to follow
through with it. Along with
the help of Mr. Cygrymus and
Mr. DiFillipo, from McMurray Elementary, as well as Mr.
Barney and Mr. Perrotte from
the high school, the students
wrote “Hockey Night in Pittsburgh.”
The excitement does
not stop there. Mrs. Sitler
took a group of twenty students downtown to film the
music video on Thursday,
March 31.
“We shot the music
video at Consol Energy Center, the Roberto Clemente
Bridge, and PNC Park,” said
senior Kyle Sossi.
The students were lucky
enough to have Keith Sey-
mour, a professional cinematographer, to help out with
the project.
“Consol was my favorite place to shoot at because we had a professional
track and sled to use [to videotape],” stated senior Mike
Czajkowski.
Consol Energy Center was a
vital part in the project because it allowed the students
to use shots around the arena
for the video.
The goal is to produce a copyright free work
and also achieve a learning
experience. It seems that the
students at Peters Township
High School will achieve
their goal.
Photos by Kari Hartbauer
8. 6
May 2011
Head Shots: To Ban or Not to Ban
MattLison.StaffWriter
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Matt Cooke is a prime
example of why the NHL wants
to ban head shots. From his
blindside hit on Marc Savard
last year to his recent, blatant elbow to Ryan McDonagh’s head,
Cooke has been a focal point of
the NHL’s conversation on head
shots. Cooke may have ended
Savard’s career, considering he
still is suffering from concussion-like symptoms, which is an
example of why these hits are
so dangerous. The NHL does
suspend players if they feel that
the hit was intentional, but they
have not banned head shots
completely.
Banning head shots in
the NHL seems like a safe idea.
However, hockey is one of the
fastest and most physical games
on the planet and the ban would
ultimately change the nature of
the game. Although intentionally hitting a player in the head
is not right, the ban would just
change the way the game is
played and would be difficult
for some players to adjust to.
Players like Cooke
make their living off antagonizing the opposing team. Every
team in the NHL has an agitator
and he has become a part of the
game. His job is to walk the line
of what can be considered illegal and play a little dirty. Head
shots clearly cross that line.
The only ruling the
NHL has about head shots is
thus: “a lateral or blindside hit
on an opponent in which the
head is targeted or it’s the main
area of impact will not only be
subject to supplemental discipline, but a major penalty and
ejection from the game.”
The NHL will hand
out suspensions after they review the hit, but the longest
suspension after a head shot
was Cooke’s (ten regular season
games and the first round of the
playoffs).
Some have argued
that these suspensions are not
long enough and they have
not taught the offender a lesson. Cooke is a repeat offender
and is forfeiting $219,512.20
in salary over his most recent
suspension. That amount of
money to a player like him is
a big deal, and it has caused
him to admit he has a “problem
and needs to change” (PostGazette). He cannot change the
style of hockey he plays and no
one, besides the team the Penguins are playing, wants him to
change. He just needs to control himself and not cross that
line.
Will the most recent Cooke incident be the
last the fans see of head shots?
No. Head shots are just something that happens in hockey.
Whether it is intentional or
not, players are going to get
hit in the head, players are going to get injured, suspensions
will be given out, and the NHL
will have the same redundant
debates about banning head
shots.
Pittsburgh Pride Shines
words, is the flips,
while stunting is
when the girls are lifted
into the air. Throughout the season,
these components are put together in
order to create a routine. A routine is
a specific performance of all the skills
put to music and is meant to be shown
at competitions. The same routine is
perfected and changed all year long in the
hopes of becoming more and more successful at competitions. The difficulty of the
routine is based on the skill level of the girls
on the team. There are five levels, level five
being the hardest. The cheerleaders travel to
local, national, and even world level competitions, to compete against other teams in
the same division. A panel of judges is present during all of the routines and they judge
the team based on a standard score sheet. A
score sheet somewhat resembles a requirement list. The team that receives the highest
score is the winner of the competition.
Pittsburgh Pride has been doing
just this for ten years. With seven cheer
teams, it provides an opportunity for children, ages four to eighteen, to participate
in competitive cheerleading. The most talented of the athletes in the gym are placed
on the level five team. This team has worked
KatieFinn.StaffWriter
Cheerleading was once regarded as
a girly, non-athletic activity, but over the past
few years a new sport has emerged from that
stereotype. Competitive cheerleading has
changed the classic definition of cheerleading drastically, and has become one of the
most popular and dangerous sports that an
athlete can participate in. Pittsburgh Pride
Allstars, owned by Chrissie Bianco, provides
an opportunity for athletes to participate in
this sport and to be able to do what they
love. Five students at PTHS participate in
this program and
are on the level five
team: Val Mikec,
Katie Finn, Ali Bianco, Sydney Scott,
and Nina Leven.
Competitive
cheerleading consists of tumbling,
stunting, and many
other components.
Tumbling, in other
Photo by Matty Smith
Summer 2011
Photo by Katie Finn
to achieve the tumbling and stunting skills
needed to be successful. They do this by
practicing four days a week for around
two hours each practice. Practice involves
working on new tumbling skills, perfecting
stunts, performing the routine, and conditioning.
Cheerleader Ali Bianco says, “We
work really hard at practice because we
know that if we don’t we will not be able to
beat teams or be considered good.” For the
past three years, this team has traveled to
Disney World to compete in the Cheerleading Worlds. The team has competed against
the 70 best teams in their division from all
around the world, and was able to place in
Finals in 2009.
“It’s the best feeling to know that all
our hard work has paid off and that we have
had the chance to compete against these
amazing teams,” states freshman Val Mikec.
9. Sports
7
Under Review: Pirates vs. NBA Team in Pittsburgh
JohnGalatic.SportsEditor & JakeAchenbach.StaffWriter
JG: Given the hypothetical choice between keeping the Pirates
in Pittsburgh or selling the franchise in order to make way for an
NBA team, most people would probably choose the latter. The Pirates have been terrible since the Clinton administration. Even the
diehard fans are still only remotely interested in this awful mess
of a team. In a city that prides itself in having elite sports teams,
there is no room for failure. Although there is no guarantee that
a new NBA franchise in Pittsburgh would succeed, it would probably have a better chance than the Bucs ever will. Professional baseball is a game that requires financial support from its hometown,
something Pittsburgh is unable and unwilling to provide. Perhaps
a basketball squad could eliminate the stench of perpetual loss that
emanates from the Pirates.
JA: First of all, the Pirates have played too large a part in the
history of the MLB to be removed from the city of Pittsburgh.
Even with their seventeen straight losing seasons, people still
enjoy going out to PNC Park to watch the Bucs play. Also, the
idea of an NBA team in town does not seem to appeal to Pittsburghers. Traditionally, basketball has not been a big influence
in the athletic spectrum of Western Pennsylvania. Sports here
have predominantly been football and baseball, due to the success stories of locals making it to the NFL and MLB respectively.
Since the drafting of Mario Lemieux, hockey has also become a
large part of the face of Pittsburgh. Never has basketball been
eminent in our region nor will it ever stretch beyond the boundaries of the Petersen Events center.
JG: Do you know why PNC Park is filled up to a whopping third
of its capacity on most games? It is because ticket prices are ridiculously low. The ticket office sells them for as low as nine dollars, and scalpers sell them for even less. On Saturday, April 8,
you could have gotten a ticket to see the game, popcorn, and a
hot dog for a buck. Personally, I would rather buy a candy bar
than sit through nine innings of Pirates baseball. There is simply
not enough interest in the organization. Perhaps the Bucs were
relevant at some point in the distant past. However, Pittsburgh
is hardly a baseball city. Pitt basketball has created much more
of a buzz than the Pirates have in decades. Adding an NBA team
would add to a solid foundation of the Steel City’s interest in basketball.
JA: Walk around and talk to people. I would bet a good sum of
money that the majority of people would still prefer to keep the
Pirates around. Pitt basketball only appeals to Pitt fans. Even
then, we really do not hear that much buzz from them. As far
as the cheap ticket prices go, Pirates fans love it. Honestly, how
many times do you and your friends get in a big group, hop on
the T, and go downtown for an afternoon baseball game over
the summer? Taking baseball out of Pittsburgh just subtracts
from the already significantly low number of things to do for
entertainment around the city.
Best Spring Sports Photos
PhotosBy: AllieSchlafman.MattySmith.DanTatman.TaraKonopka.GabePritz.
10. Retirement:
Goodbye Tension,
Hello Pension!
Time to Sleep In, Mr. Suszinski
KurtWerner.StaffWriter
Layout Design by Denée Renz
This June, as the
2011 school year comes to
a close, so does the career of
English department teacher,
Mr. Suszynski.
Departing after twenty-five years
at PTHS, he joins Mr. Luxbaucher and Mr. Scott in
officially announcing their
retirements this year.
Mr. Suszynski thoroughly enjoyed his work
here and reminisced that it
“doesn’t get any better than
teaching favorite courses.”
These courses happen to
be Humanities and Movies
and Meaning, classes that
Mr. Suszynski himself developed. For years, Mr. Suszyn-
ski has been viewing and discussing many of his favorite
movies in the course Movies
and Meaning. He explained
that all of the movies are personal favorites of his, including Dr. Strangelove and On
the Waterfront. Twelve years
ago, Mr. Suszynski created
Humanities, which covers
many of his favorite subjects
(philosophy, history, art history, etc.) in a relaxed discussion based, Socratic seminar
setting.
In anticipation for
his retirement, Mr. Suszynski listed what he hopes to
do. First and foremost, Mr.
Suszynski made intentions
to sleep in past 5:30 A.M.
very clear. In addition to
much rest, he plans to travel
to New England next fall and
to Greece and Sicily the following spring. He also wishes to read much more and
has several writing projects
to work on. Mr. Suszynski is
anxious to return to his hobbies of painting and piano
playing which he says have
been “put-off ” for some time.
Mr. Suszynski concluded his
interview by saying that he
“likes the way things have
turned out” at Peters Township High School.
11. Losing a De-Lux Sense of Humor
JakeAchenbach.StaffWriter
There is always that
one teacher students hope to
get: A teacher who is influential and knowledgeable, yet
sensible and humorous.
Now that this man
has sent in his retirement
papers, he deserves nothing
less than a standing ovation.
Students know this man to be
none other than the legendary Mr. Jerry Luxbacher.
“When I first started
teaching here, the high school
was still being renovated so
I was actually teaching in a
classroom up at PV,” stated
Mr. Luxbacher.
Students often refer to
him as “Mr. Lux” or simply just
“Lux,” considering him both a
friend and mentor. What some
people do not know is that he is
actually a graduate of PT rival
Upper St. Clair.
“I also got my BA in
History of Geography from Pitt
and my Certificate of Education
from Edinboro State College,”
said Luxbacher.
A long-time educator
at Peters Township, Mr. Luxbacher enriches the minds of
students in two different fields:
AP European History and AP
Pyschology.
A Legendary Teacher
SavannahSchweizer.StaffWriter
If you have been to
Peters in the past 33 years,
then there is no doubt that you
have met, or at least heard, Mr.
Scott. You know that he is in
the building when you can hear
his booming voice
throughout the halls.
The Thiel college graduate has been a teacher, track
and football coach here for
many years. Even though he
majored in business, he finished
with a minor in education, for
which we are all thankful.
“My favorite part
about teaching is seeing the
freshmen come in and then
turn into, most, fine young men
and women,” stated Mr. Scott.
His enthusiasm about
teaching creates a fun learning
environment for his students.
He pours his heart and soul into
everything he does whether it
is coaching or teaching and he
will certainly be missed by us
“I have always had a
great interest in both the history of Europe and psychology.
The content is great and the students who take the classes are
always interesting,” stated Mr.
Luxbacher.
Now that his tenure
in teaching is soon coming to a
close, Mr. Luxbacher will finally
take some time to go on some
fascinating explorations.
“In June I am going
biking in New York, I am taking a vacation to Florida in July,
and hiking through Maine in
August. In September I’m flying to London and taking a trip
to the base camp at Mt. Everest
in the winter of 2012,” said Mr.
Luxbacher.
After he explained his
exciting summer I had the one
question on my mind that every
retiree hears numerous time:
will you be moving to a warmer
climate?
“No way, I love Western PA and the four seasons.
Also, after all of my trips, who
knows, I might have to go back
to get another job because I
might be out of money,” he
joked.
Thank you greatly for
you humor, help, and guidance, Mr. Luxbacher. You will
be missed throughout the hallways.
all. All of his students adore
him and really enjoy his teaching style.
Those who have not
had the opportunity to be in his
class probably know him as one
of the track coaches. He has
been participating in track for
42 years, and has never missed
a season since eighth grade.
“My favorite part of
coaching this sport is going to
the meets where it’s nice out
and everyone is cheering and
screaming and just having a
good time,” said Scott.
He is well known for
his witty comments during
practices such as “get rid of
those muffin tops,” and “if you
cheat now, you’ll cheat when
you’re married,” as motivation
to push harder toward the end
of the workouts. His athletes
get a kick out of them because
it provides a bit of humor.
We are all deeply saddened that he will be leaving us
at the end of this year, but his
presence will always live on in
the halls of PTHS. Everyone
that has had the opportunity
to have him as a teacher knows
that no one will ever be able to
replace him.
Mr. Scott loves teaching, and adores his students,
and wishes them all the best in
the future.
“Do what you have to do, so you
can do what you want to do,”
said Mr. Scott.
Those are the words
that he leaves his beloved students with. He will miss them
terribly and we will miss him
equally in return.
12. 10
May 2011
Summer 2011 Essentials:
MollyDoehring.StyleEditor
Summer will soon be
here which means its time to refresh your wardrobe. These key
pieces will help you get started.
Platform Wedges: A classic that
seems to reemerge season after season, never going out of
style. Wedges are a great asset
because you get the height and
slimming illusion of heels without the sore feet afterward! Invest in a neutral colored pair so
that they go with the majority
of your wardrobe. Steve Madden has the biggest selection
and not to mention, the cutest
wedges this season.
White Jeans: White
signifies the summer season in
the fashion world, so that’s why
white jeans are the epitome of
the season. They can be worn
casually or dressed up, depending on the occasion, and go
with almost any top imaginable.
Ripped styles seem to be especially popular in the 2011 season. American Eagle and Lucky
Brand feature many variations
of white jeans for this summer.
Sundresses: Embrace
your girly side! Sundresses are
versatile and are flattering on
almost everyone. Also, they are
super comfortable, which is always a plus. Bright colors are
the new black this season, so
try to find a floral print, or patterned dress with a vibrant pallet. Lilly Pullitzer is the guru of
brightly patterned sundresses.
However, if you don’t want to
break the bank, look at J. Crew
or Banana Republic.
Navy and White
Stripes: Go nautical! Whether
it be a cute shirt, a sundress,
or even a pair of espadrilles,
make sure to keep this timeless pattern in your closet this
summer. To compliment your
Photos By Molly Doehring
The most essential gear in the summertime is Oakley sunglasses.
If you’re not rockin” a pair of Oakley’s then forget it. Just think
about it, you use them all of the time when you’re outside stuntin.
You’re standin around the pool with your bros flexing, but there’s
only one thing missing; Oakley’s. Make sure to check them out at
Macy’s Sunglass Hut, they got the whole lineup. Get yourself a pair
of broakley’s and transform into a stunner. If you cannot visit the
store, contact Ciaran Reilly, South Hills Village Sunglass Hut store
manager, at 412-954-6800 Ext. 2622.
Summer 2011
ensemble, incorporate a touch
of red or yellow with your accessories. Tommy Hilfiger and
Ralph Lauren have made this
traditional look famous.
Rompers: The 1970’s
are making a huge comeback
this season and the romper
trend is proof. You can wear
this trend almost anywhere
whether it be to the beach or a
night out on the town. Match
your accessories accordingly to
establish the formality of your
look. Rompers can be found in
almost any store selling trendy
clothing this season.
13. Life & Style
11
Spring Cleaning: A Closet Makeover
CarlyBeck.StaffWriter
A new season is here,
which means two dreaded
words are back yet again:
spring-cleaning. One of the
trickiest spots to keep organized always seems to be the
closet. Whether it is a small
corner or a walk-in, this space
turns into a tornado of clothes,
accessories, and shoes. With
a few simple steps, this problem area can soon become the
most clutter-free spot in your
room, providing easy access to
all of your essentials.
The first step in organizing your closet is clearing
out the clutter. Spring-cleaning means a fresh start. The
best way to start this process
is weeding out all of the unnecessary items that pile up
over time. As a general rule of
thumb, anything that has not
been worn or used in over a
year should be disposed of. Extra clothing can be donated to
Salvation Army or Goodwill.
Other items, which are in better
condition, can be sold to a consignment shop. Personal possessions that no longer have a
use can be hard to simply throw
away. In this situation, memory boxes are a great, quick fix.
Designating a few containers
to place those belongings keeps
things neat and easily accessible.
Step number two in
the closet make over is assessing the available space. Once all
of your possessions have been
sorted through and cleared out,
take a minute to figure out what
kind of organizers will best fit in
your space. Those with limited
room should invest in over the
door shoe holders, hooks on
the interior walls, and stackable
containers. While these organizers work equally as well for
closets with more space, there
are more elaborate ways to
manage everything. There are
plenty of custom closet sets that
allow you to choose hangers,
drawers, and shelves.
Once these tools are
in your possession, it is time to
take action. Store away all out
of season clothing to cut down
on used space in your closet.
Decide on the best location for
your items based on what you
use the most. The key to spring
cleaning is maintenance. Falling into old habits will only
land you back where you started. If these guidelines are followed, your closet will forever
stay an organized space instead
of a cluttered mess.
Photos by Carly Beck
Green Graduation Parties
HardyKern.StaffWriter
In the summer, it
gets increasingly difficult for
environmentalists to stay on
the straight and narrow. Days
are longer and lazier, and
they tend to lose sight of their
green priorities amongst all of
the fun in the sun. However,
for graduating seniors, and
those who know any, having a
“green” graduation party is one
of the easiest, most interesting,
and most helpful ways to stay
green.
In planning an environmentally friendly grad party, simpler is better. Start with
the venue in which you plan
to hold the party. Barring any
freak weather, outdoor parties
are best for saving on energy.
Minimal lighting and electricity are needed, no air condi-
tioning is required, and it is always better to get some fresh air
flowing through your lungs.
Tent rental companies
are very easy to find, and usually do all of the work for you.
All your party planner needs
to worry about is supplying the
food and entertainment.
When it comes to
green graduation party food,
it is difficult to stay within a
reasonable budget. While organic catering is available, such
as Whole Foods markets, the
cost tends to be pretty high
when supplying food for a large
amount of people. Therefore,
focus more on the food containers and utensils, rather than the
food itself. Use washable plastic containers instead of aluminum or Styrofoam. Also, pro-
vide biodegradable silverware
and flatware, both of which are
readily available at Giant Eagle.
As for drinks, in place
of countless containers and
seemingly endless metal cans
and plastic bottles, provide your
guests with large coolers. One
may be for cold water, another
for lemonade, and another for
soda. Biodegradable and even
edible cups are available at most
grocery stores, and online.
In addition to large
garbage cans, provide recycling and compost bins for your
guests. Just the availability of
separate containers will push
people into doing more than
just throwing away all of their
used items.
Finally, gifts are something to think about. Money
is an ideal gift: it uses minimal
amounts of paper, fits inside
of a small envelope, and never
goes out of style.
For more tips and
products to make your Green
graduation party a feasible success, visit http://www.ecoproductsstore.com . Remember, it
only takes a little effort to make
a big difference for our earth.
Photo by Hardy Kern
14.
15.
16. 14
May 2010
Jackie LaRosa Makes 8,400 Mile Cultural Connection
ElsaZollars.GuestWriter
PTHS
Senior
Jackie LaRosa had many
“what if ” questions as she
prepared for her second
mission trip to the Nyadire
United Methodist Mission
in rural Zimbabwe, Africa.
She was a part of a team
made up of Mark LaRosa,
her father, Drew Harvey,
and Mary Beth Zollars. The
three adults had been members of the original mission
team that visited in 2006.
Jackie’s dad wanted her to
“experience the joy of the
people” in Nyadire.
That joy has moved the
original team to form an
organization, The Nyadire
Connection (TNC), a group of
volunteers that seeks to keep
the mission operational during these very difficult times.
Zimbabwe is the second poorest country in the world with
95% unemployment, rampant
spread of HIV-AIDS, and one
fourth of its children orphaned.
The mission can be likened to a
college campus, with a hospital
and nursing school at one end
and a church and teachers’ college at the other. In between is
The Home of Hope, an orphanage, a large school system, and
homes of those who work at the
mission.
During her trip, Jackie
discovered many aspects of
the Zimbabwean culture. The
warmth and acceptance of the
people was more than she anticipated. Taking a walking tour
of the mission on her first day,
Jackie met Tawanda. The fouryear-old took one look at Jackie
and ran home shouting, “I just
saw the whitest person I have
ever seen!”
Countless other people
stared; some even approached
her, wanting to touch her and
her long, blonde hair. Children
in Zimbabwe have their hair
shorn when they enter school,
making it hard sometimes to
recognize girls from boys.
“As soon as I addressed people
with their traditional morning
‘Mangwanani’ (meaning good
day), smiles appeared,” she
said.
When she visited and
played with the twenty-six children at the Home of Hope, she
quickly lost her stranger status.
She spent hours joining the
children as they played, asking
them about themselves, and
helping them with their chores.
Despite the distance
between cultures, communication was not hindered. English
is the official language of Zimbabwe, once a colony of Great
Britain called Rhodesia. Children are taught English once
they are in school, but speak
Shona, one of two traditional
languages, socially and among
their families.
Jackie had learned several
greetings and essential Shona
words and phrases, enabling
her to play with the children of
the Home of Hope orphanage,
participate in service projects,
and attend school.
Through this opportunity,
Jackie’s knowledge and love
of the culture grew. She confirmed that youth of any age
can make a difference.
“I saw joyfulness everywhere despite their desperate circumstances. The people
have fewer distractions and
their lives are much simpler.
The best part of the trip was
the relationship I had with the
people in Nyadire. That relationship will last longer than
the paint I put on the orphanage walls,” she said.
Photos by Elsa Zollars
Cox: The Epitome of Team
MattLison.StaffWriter
Junior Taylor Cox received the Channel 4 Athlete
of the Week for his impressive play on the hockey team. He
led the team with 44 points and 25 goals and has already
guaranteed a Penguins Cup championship for next season.
However, he could not accept the award alone.
“I called my team up to accept my award with
me because I could not have done it without them,” Cox
recalled.
Summer 2011
Junior Taylor Cox is receiving the Athlete of the Week award presented by John Meyer of WTAE. When referring to his teammates, Taylor
Cox stated “I can’t do anything without them.”
Photo by Victoria Zeffiro
17. People Features
15
TVT Awards
Mrs.Frick.GuestWriter
Photos by Mrs. Frick
On Wednesday, April
13th the Media Department
took part in the Television and
Video Teachers Consortium
Festival held at Robert Morris
University. 450 students
attended from twenty eight
different schools. There were
awards given for outstanding
videos.
Congratulations for
the PT Media Department
receiving the following five
awards:
Public Service Announcement
-Best of Category (Cyber
bullying)
-Highlight-Best of Category
(Cheerleading Highlight)
Magazine
-Award of Excellence
(Skaumentary-A Look at Skasage)
Digital Cinema
-Award of Excellence (The
Awakening)
-News Package-Award of
Excellence (Cyber bullying)
Congratulations Peters Township School District
ShellyBelcher.GuestWriter
The Pittsburgh Business Times has ranked Peters Township School District among the top 10 Districts across the state.
The publication profiles area school districts to determine how
local districts compared to the other districts in the region an
across the state. Their formula for the ranking takes into account
three years of PSSA tests scores. Peters Township ranks 5th on the
Business Times Honor Roll their ranking of district’s in our seven county region, and 10th overall in the state (up from 13th last
year). Peters also earned top 5 rankings in 7th, 8th and 11th grades
as well.
Correction: Please note that Shelly Belcher took the photo of the Letter of Intent signing day photo in the April issue of Smoke Signals.
Disney Mania
KatieShultz.StaffWriter
Wondering where
half the school disappeared to
the week after spring break?
The PT Music Department
traveled to Walt Disney World
in Orlando, Florida from April
26th- May 1st to compete in
Festival Disney.
The music department
consists of the marching band,
jazz band, wind symphony,
symphony orchestra, concert
band, symphonic choir, concert
choir, mixed choir, silks, and
band front. These talented
students are led by music
teachers Mrs. Fox, Mr. Barney,
and Mr. Perrotte.
The bands and choirs
had been working since
December on their pieces for
Disney.
“After spending hours
upon hours practicing, it was
really quite exciting to be able
to share your interpretation
of different songs with those
outside of the Peters Township
area and to prove to yourself
and your peers that all the hard
work paid off,” stated senior
H.B Hull.
“This is the hardest
material we had ever done
for choir in competition,”
said Mr. Perrotte. “The music
ability of the choir this year is
outstanding.”
The choirs, as well
as the bands, were in front
of a panel of judges who are
professionals in their specific
area. After a 25-minute
performance, the judges
came up and gave them
suggestions for improvement
in a ten-minute adjudication
workshop.
The judges not only
gave critique, but also ranked
them against all the other
groups who competed for first
place. Schools from across
the country and even other
schools in Pittsburgh came to
compete for Superior ratings.
Both choirs, drill team, and
silks got this highest honor
while the other groups
received excellent. All the
hard work paid off- good job!
20. 18
May 2010
Sounds of the Summer
MckenzieFritz.StaffWriter
With the school year quickly coming to a close, it is time to break out your calendars and start planning your summer concerts.
This year, there are acts coming to Pittsburgh for everyone. From country crooners Tim McGraw and
Brad Paisley to pop princess Katy Perry, everyone will have something to look forward to.
Start raiding your little sibling’s piggy banks now and begging your parents for cash because, this is a
summer concert season you will not want to miss.
Sugarland
Brad Paisley
Weezer
Panic! At the Disco
Michael Buble
New Kids On the Block-Back Street Boys
Elvis Costello and the Imposters
Sade with John Legend
Taylor Swift
Katy Perry
The Clarks
Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown Band
Vans Warped Tour
Tim McGraw
Journey
May 15 Niagara Pavilion
May 28 Heinz Field
May 29 Stage AE
June 3
Stage AE
June 11 Consol Energy Center
June 15 Consol Energy Center
June 16 Trib Total Media Amphitheater
June 18 Consol Energy Center
June 18 Heinz Field
June 23 Petersen Events Center
June 25 Stage AE
July 2
Heinz Field
July 22
First Niagara Pavilion
July 30
First Niagara Pavilion
August 27 First Niagara Pavilion
Top 4 Amusement
Parks
MadisonMincone.StaffWriter
With summer vacation just around the corner,
everyone’s wondering what
to do. After the excitement of
sleeping in dies off, boredom
tends to set in, so this summer be sure to take a road
trip to one of these amazing
amusement parks.
park, and is located along a
sandy beach. Cedar Point’s
eleven year old steel beast, the
Millennium Force, has been
ranked the number one steel
coaster in the world multiple
times. And if roller coasters
are not your thing, there are
many other attractions.
Ranked the best
amusement park in the world
for the past thirteen years,
Cedar Point in Sandusky,
Ohio is the place to go. Cedar Point has seventeen roller
coasters, 52 other rides, an
outdoor and indoor water
Next, be sure to visit
Kings Island in Mason, Ohio.
Kings Island includes ten roller coasters, five thrill rides, a
Snoopy themed kids’ area, and
thirteen family rides. Kings
Island is an awesome park for
people with different taste. Its
Summer 2010
roller coasters are not record
breaking, but they are something different from the usual
Kennywood coasters.
The
drive to Mason is a little farther than the drive to Cedar
Point, but it is worth the trip.
Hersheypark is home
to eleven coasters, fourteen
water rides, and nineteen family friendly rides. It features
The Boardwalk, which is their
water park, and Hersheypark’s newest steel coaster is
the Fahrenheit, a steel coaster,
which features a 90 degree ascent, a 97 degree descent, and
some loops and corkscrews.
The drive to Hershey is about
four hours, but for some awe-
some summer fun, the car ride
should not be an issue.
Finally, no summer
is complete without a visit
to Kennywood Park in West
Mifflin. Close to home, Kennywood is a classic-themed
family entertainment park
with various surprises. Kennywood’s six roller coasters,
three water rides, nine thrill
rides, ten classic rides, three
dark rides, and fourteen Kiddieland rides make it the perfect place to go on short notice
to spend a day enjoying numerous attractions including
the new Sky Rocket coaster
that is similar to Hersheypark’s
Fahrenheit.
21. Entertainment
19
Shifting to a Higher Gear
GregMarsh.StaffWriter
Need for Speed (NFS) is to the racing genre as Call of Duty is to
the first-person shooter. In essence, it is well known by racing game enthusiasts worldwide, with the series’ first installment dating back to 1994.
This spring, the NFS franchise has released their most focused, polished,
and thrilling game yet.
Shift 2 emphasizes the intense thrill and challenge of racing that
many racing games lack. To achieve this, Shift 2 has some innovative features that, when combined, make for an exciting experience every race.
The first notable feature is the dynamic cockpit view. While
most cockpit views in racing games have the camera set constantly looking straight ahead, Shift 2 utilizes a moving camera that simulated head
movement which is influenced by g-forces and looking into turns while
steering. Another specialty is night racing. This creates a far more nerveracking and challenging experience as you race underneath blinding spotlights or venture into dark, unlit areas of the tracks with only the car’s
headlights to light up the way. Finally, factor in motion blur, explosively
powerful sound effects, spectacular crashes, up to sixteen cars on track at
once, and you have one of the most thrilling racing games in years.
A racing game’s car list is crucial; it must satisfy various types of
car enthusiasts, but also offer cars that fit the game
and are exciting to drive. While Shift 2’s list is not
particularly large, the selection of cars in the list could
not be any better. Customization is extensive, but
be prepared to spend most of your time behind the
wheel, which is a good thing.
Shift 2 is certainly more of a simulation-style
racing game, and while it is not as realistic as the Forza Motorsport or Gran Turismo series, it is as close as
any Need for Speed game has ever been. This title is a
no-brainer for any racing fan.
Cole Snyder’s
Ipod list
1.) “Your Love”- The Outfield
2.) “Higher”- J. Cole
3.) “Don’t break my heart”- B.O.B
4.) “Shark in the water”- VV Brown
5.) “Do you know” -Enrique Iglesias
Photo by Greg Marsh
Look Again by Lisa Scottoline
MelinaSopko.StaffWriter
Journalist and reporter
Ellen Gleeson came home to greet
her young son, Will, after a long
day of work. A few years previously she adopted Will when she
first met him abandoned and
awaiting heart surgery, while she
was researching a story at a local
Children's Hospital. After coming
inside, as usual, she checked the
mailbox and tossed the junk mail,
but for some reason she decided
to keep the "Have You Seen This
Child" flier. The flier truly served
no purpose, but something about
it made her look again. Undeniably, the boy in the photo looked
identical to her adopted son, Will.
In her heart, she knew her adoption
was lawful, so what did she have to
worry about? Her motherly instinct
told her to ignore the similarities between the two boys, but no mother
would be able to stop thinking about
the photo until she knew the truth.
“If Will rightfully belonged to
someone else, would I still be able to
keep him or would I have to give him
up?” was the question that tormented
Ellen. It’s not an everyday coincidence
that the child on the Missing Persons
ad looks just like the child you tuck in
every night. While fighting fear, pain,
frustration, and paranoia, Ellen had
to push all things aside, including her
job, in order to discover the truth
that once was swept under the rug.
She continues to investigate the situation and uncovers clues no one was
meant to discover. Eventually, she
digs too deep and ends up putting
her life in danger and also the life of
the son she loves. The flier that made
Ellen look again now serves a purpose.
I truly think everyone needs to
read this book, at least once. There is
never a point where you know what
will come next. While reading, you
almost feel as if you are there and,
best of all, the book has a wicked
twist at the end.
22. 20
May 2011
walking through the streets with
‘emergency’ hoods and lots of traffic,” said Ryanne. Emergency hoods
are gas masks which are made for
emergency personnel as well as civilians to protect them from any toxic
gasses or other harmful substances in
the air.
Although they were lucky enough
to evade the earthquake, the aftershocks,
and the tsunami, the leak in the nuclear reactors caused enough fear that the Konno
family temporarily moved back to their
home state of Illinois. It is very uncertain
when they will be returning to Tokyo.
“We won’t be going back for a
while,” Ryanne said. “People are still kind
of in panic mode. I’d say maybe a year?
Could be less could be more.”
She encourages everyone to donate and try to help the cause. This disaster is affecting the whole world, and we all
need to do our own part.
The Konnos’ Story
AmandaMoore.StaffWriter
Former
students of PTHS,
Ryanne, grade
11, and Michael
Konno, grade
Photo by Brenda Konno
9, moved to Tokyo, Japan in January, a mere two months
before the devastating earthquake. The
9.0 earthquake shook the island nation
and caused a disastrous tsunami which,
combined, left a layer of destruction over
everything. Due to the shaking, several
nuclear reactors began leaking near the
island’s capital, Tokyo.
The citizens had about 30 sec-
Saving Japan
onds of warning before the earthquake
that started it all. Ryanne Konno was in
school with just fifteen minutes before
dismissal. Once the shaking began, the
class huddled under a door frame until it
subsided enough to go outside and onto a
field.
“It was really disorienting. You
felt dizzy afterwards,” recalled Ryanne.
Fortunately, the family and their belongings were not damaged. The school stayed
standing and when they got home a few
things had fallen off the shelves.
“Nothing too terrible happened
to us personally. We did see some people
run organization,
the other 9 cents
goes toward adValerieKotar.StaffWriter ministration.
While
the
The devastating 8.9 American Red Cross is a fanearthquake and tsunami that tastic place to make your donahit Japan surprised the world. tion, it is not the only option.
As the shock factor provided Another online organization
by the news fades, Japan is is the Samaritan’s Purse. This
still recovering and needs a foundation’s mission is shown
tremendous amount of help. by how it received it’s name;
Many people fail to realize the story of the Good Samarihow easy it can be for the av- tan is a well-known story in the
erage person to lend a hand; Bible (Luke 10:25-37). Similar
thanks to the internet, dona- to the Samaritan’s good deed,
tions can even be made from the organization has succeeded
your home.
in meeting the needs of others,
The most obvious as well as spreading their messite to use is that of the Amer- sage, since 1970. Donations
ican Red Cross. Created in can be made through a variety
1881, this unbiased, humani- of different ways such as giving
tarian foundation is always money or buying apparel.
ready to lend a hand.
“Our Board has di
“An average of 91 rected that all contributions
cents of every dollar the Red designated for specific projects
Cross spends is invested in shall be applied to those projhumanitarian services and ects, and we may assess up to
programs,”(www.redcross. 10 percent to be used for adcom). It is important to know ministering the gift,” (www.
that the money you donate is samaritanspurse.org).
actually reaching the cause.
Both the American
Since the American Red Red Cross and the Samaritan’s
Cross is not a government- Purse use donations wisely and
Summer 2011
are equally access and wonderful options. The choice is given
to personal preference.
If you are feeling
creative, there are plenty of
other options right in front of
you. Have you been on iTunes
lately? They released an album
appropriately titled “Songs for
Japan.” By purchasing the entire album for ten dollars, you
may receive 38 tracks by numerous, well-known artists.
All proceeds go towards relief
in Japan. You are unable to
purchase individual tracks, but
why would you? With songs
by the Red Hot Chili Peppers,
ADELE, Bruno Mars, Lady
Gaga, Bob Dylan, and John
Mayer there is literally something for everyone’s interests.
Plus, you are helping out Japan.
Even Peters Township was able to lend a hand.
Students teamed up with DoSomething.org in their Paper
Cranes for Japan project. For
each crane made, two dollars
will be donated. The goal for
the organization is to have a
total of 100,000 cranes. That’s a
possible $200,000 that can help
out the victims in Japan. To
Photo by Mrs. Alexander
find out more on this project
go to DoSomething.org and
check out the instructions on
how to help.
Just because you do
not hear about the devastation
on the news, does not mean it
is over. People are still hurting
and in need. Find a donation
outlet and double check that
your money is going where it
should. I suggest using one of
these well-known sources to
avoid fraud. You don’t have to
give thousands of dollars to
make a difference.
23. News Features
Could you pass the US
Citizenship Test?
KatieDenning.Co-Editor-in-Chief
Every year, 400,000 immigrants take the US Citizenship
Test (NPR.com). However, there
has been a recent controversy as
to whether the questions are too
easy or overly difficult.
According to author
Solomon Skolnick, the questions
that appear on the US Citizenship Test are often oversimplified and leave out crucial information. Conversely, numerous
people who are already American citizens are unable to answer
these questions correctly.
Recently,
Newsweek
conducted a poll where they gave
1,000 people the citizenship test.
Only 62% of Americans quizzed
were able to pass the test.
To qualify for citizenship, six out of ten questions
must be answered correctly. The
ten questions asked are chosen
randomly from a list of one hundred questions. Could you pass
the US Citizenship Test? Take
the following quiz to find out.
Quiz:
1. Name one right guaranteed by
the first amendment.
2. In what year was the Constitution written?
3. How many amendments are
there?
4. Who wrote the Star-Spangled
Banner?
5. How many people are in the
House of Representatives?
6. Who becomes President of
the United States if the President
and the Vice-President should
become unable to lead?
7. Who is the Chief Justice of the
United States?
8. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S.
Constitution. Name one of the
writers.
9. What did Susan B. Anthony
do?
10. How many Supreme Court
justices are there?
What In the World?
ValerieGobao.PhotographyEditor
Devout, churchgoing women have a fun, new hobby: pole
dancing. “Pole Fitness for Jesus,” a new dance class in Old
Town Spring, Texas, is attempting to infuse stripper skills
with Christian morals. However, the founder, Tiffany
Booth, says that it is not about sex. Right. Apparently, the
point of this class is to celebrate the “gift of a woman’s body”
by utilizing poles and Christian music to exercise, all in the
name of Jesus. This “wholesome” crusade has “surprisingly”
been criticized by members of the community, who have
come to the studio waving Bibles in an attempt to ward off
the devilish influences. Who can blame them? One has to
wonder where Booth learned these skills, anyway.
Sammy Hagar, former lead singer for the band Van Halen,
was abducted by aliens. Or at least, he thinks he was. In an
interview with MTV for his book “Red: My Uncensored
Life in Rock,” he admitted that aliens “were plugged into
me…and uploaded something from my brain…from a
‘wireless connection.’” Well, that’s some darn good 4G coverage. No stranger to the paranormal, Hagar also believes
to have seen a flying saucer in a field near his house as a
four-year-old. This is especially shocking coming from
a man who spent most of the seventies and eighties in a
drug induced haze.
Photo by Matt Sikora
21
Photo by Matt Sikora
When Gertie the Hen stopped laying eggs, Jim and Jeannette Howard, her owners, just thought she had a bad
case of PMS. But that is when it got weird; she started
crowing, developed a scarlet cockscomb, and then began
bossing the other hens around. In short, Gertie the hen is
now Bertie the Rooster. Apparently, Bertie’s sex change is
not unique. Though the phenomenon is extremely rare,
some hens experience a spontaneous sex reversal due to
a malfunctioning ovary, but remain sterile, not truly male
or female. It’s a shim!
Answers:
1.
The rights to free
speech, press, religion, petition,
and assembly
2. 1787
3. 27
4.
Francis Scott Key
5. 435
6.
Speaker of the House
7.
John Roberts
8.
(James) Madison
(Alexander) Hamilton
(John) Jay
Publius
9.
Fought for women’s
rights
Fought for civil rights
10. Nine
24. Class of 2011 Post Graduation Plans
Achenbach, Jake W
Adams, Carley E
Albitz, Nathan J
Alescio, Carrie
Alexander, Lauren
Allen, Jonathan J
Allen, Lindsay M
Amelio, Michael
Arnita, Samuel
Aurin, Megan
Balash, Egan J
Ball, Brittany
Barford, Jessie
Beichner, Chelsea
Belack, Rachel
Berardino, Rebecca
Bertoni, Laura M
Bianco, Justin V
Bieda, Caitlyn L
Binotto, Sean
Blank, Aaron
Bogan, Griffith
Bollman, Marcus
Brace, Kaitlyn M
Brinsky, Gabrielle
Brown, Michael H
Brucker, James
Bucci, Joseph
Bukovich, Amanda
Burg, Jenna
Burgman, Antra
Burkhardt, Nicole R
Burns, Chloe
Burris, Nicolas
Buswell, Corey
Carbonara, Michael
Casaday, Victoria
Cashman, Allyson
Caso, Hannah E
Cassano, Lauren M
Castillo, Manuel
Caumo, Rachel L
Cavolo, Sara J
Cellini, Luke W
Chalifoux, Roxanne
Chamberlin, Michael
Chametzky, Nicholas
Chen, Chelsea
Chiste, Benjamin L
Chitsaz Zadeh, Andre
Ciancarelli, Larissa
Clark, Tyler
Clawges, Melissa
Cole, Shannon K
Collins, Taylor K
Collis, Alexander
Undecided
W & J College
Kettering University
Bella Capelli
Waynesburg University
Undecided
Johnson and Wales University
Junior Hockey
WYO Tech
Allegheny College
Undecided
Duquesne University
University of Richmond
Penn State-Altoona
Undecided
Undecided
Gannon University
University of Pittsburgh
West Virginia University
Penn State Behrend
Undecided
Gannon University
Bucknell University
Purdue University
Duquesne University
Penn State University
University Of Pittsburgh
Penn State University
West Virginia University
Ohio State Univesrsity
Rollins College
Penn State University
Edinboro University
Ohio State University
CCAC
Edinboro University
High Point University
Wake Forest
Undecided
Grove City College
University of Colorado
Duquesne University
CCAC
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Villanova University
Virginia Tech University
CCAC
Cornell University
Ohio University
CCAC
Mercyhurst College
Carnegie Mellon University
Undecided
CCAC
Slippery Rock University
University of Colorado
Corbett, Kaitlyn C
Corrigan, Kevin
Costanzo, Jacob
Cowler, Trevor
Cowler, William
Cox, Erin J
Craig, Natalie
Crall, Ryan
Cramer, Olivia
Crossman, Jessalyn
Crummie-Ducarme, Laura
Cushma, Katharine D
Czajkowski, Michael
Dachille, Benjamin
Dawson, Marrissa
DeAugustine, Connor
DeBolt, Jillian
DeBonis, Danielle
Dee, Christine M
Deer, Matthew R
Dellavalle, Jillian
Demeis, Leah
Dickey, Connor J
Dunleavy, Jessica
Dupree, Jessica M
Edgar, Sarah G
Edmunds, Hayden M
Egan, Elizabeth
Elderkin, Emmanuel
Ellis, Jenna
Esposito, Nicholas
Everson, Taylor
Fagella, Christina
Fecher, Elizabeth
Feeney, Justin
Ferchak, Breanna L
Ference, Kierstin O
Fick, John F
Fiscus, Caroline G
Fitzgerald, Elizabeth
Flaherty, Patrick
Fornear, Chance
Forse, Courtland S
Fortunato, Gregory M
Fortunato, Ronald N
Freely, Brendan
Full, Nicholas E
Gallaway, Shannon
Garrity, Sarah
Ghilani, Richard
Giannuzzi, Timothy
Glicksman, Michael S
Glovier, Scott
Goimarac III, Peter
Golias, Alexis
Goller, Carly
Undecided
Ohio University
Undecided
United States Navy
United States Air Force
Undecided
Clarion University
Penn State University
Slippery Rock University
University of Dayton
Wake Forest University
Gannon University
Penn State University
George Washington University
Duquesne University
Slippery Rock University
Undecided
Washington and Jefferson College
Washington and Jefferson College
Miami of Ohio University
Ohio University
Kent State University
Penn State - Schreyers Honors College
Penn State Behrend
Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science
CCAC
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Allegheny College
Undecided
Undecided
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
Duquesne University
Taylor University
Military
Slippery Rock University
Gannon University
Undecided
Ball State University
University of Dayton
College of William and Mary
Bradford School
California University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock University
University Of Pittsburgh
Virginia Tech
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
University of Kentucky
Undecided
Penn State University
Undecided
George Washington University
Penn State University
Bowling Green University
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Ohio Valley University
25. Gompers, Justin
Grachen, Angela
Gramling, Kyle
Greer, Mark E
Gregg, Justin
Greguric, Kayla
Gross, Juliann Margaret
Grossi, Joseph
Grzejka, Brittany
Hagman, Nevin
Hancock, Edward Austin
Happe, Nicole
Hardy, Sean
Hartbauer, Kari E
Hauck, Natalie F
Hinegardner, Lucas D.
Hiner, Nicholas
Hoffman, Brittany
Holcombe, Hunter R
Hou, Joy
Hrzic, Meaghan
Hull, Harrison B. (H.B.)
Hume, Danielle
Hunter, Harrison
Hunter, Kara
Ingram, Kyle
Jackson, Conor W
Jackson, Karen
Jacobs, Alessandra
Jasek, Michael
Johnson, Victoria
Jones, Steven Boyd
Karavolis, Meredith
Kasraie, Cameron
Kern, Edward H
King, Thomas
Kittelberger, Karlee
Kleja, Jessica
Kloss III, David R
Koch, Sarah K
Koerner, Matthew
Kraus, Blayne
Kronket, Matthew B
Kuhn, Taylor
Kuzy, Gregory H
Kyaw, Poe
Lacey, Brett
Lages, Anthony M
LaRosa, Jaclyn M
Laster, Taylor D
Lauter, Sarah
Lavella, Alexandria N
Lee, Rebecca
Legowik, Brian
Leon, Juliet
Lerario, Maria
Levine, Kathryn
Lewis, Carly E
Lewis, Jason C
Lindner, Matthew
Edinboro University
Duquesne University
Case Western Reserve University
University of Pittsburgh
Undecided
Undecided
Messiah College
Bowling Green State University
Penn State University
Bucknell University
Fordham University
University of Kentucky
Virginia Tech University
Penn State University
University of Kentucky
West Virginia University
Grove City College
New Jersey City University
Clemson University
New York University
CCAC & California University of Pennsylvania
Wake Forest University
Penn State University
University of Kentucky
University of Pittsburgh
Belmont University
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock University
Washington and Jefferson College
University of Pittsburgh
Penn State University
Liberty University
University of Dayton
Undecided
Ohio State University
Undecided
Bowling Green State University
University of Dayton
Undecided
Penn State University
West Virginia Wesleyan
Undecided
United States Marine Corps
Junior Hockey
University of Pittsburgh
Undecided
Undecided
United States Air Force Academy
University of Pittsburgh
Penn State University
Undecided
University of Pittsburgh
Douglas School of Education
Penn State University
Cornell University
Penn State University
Penn State University
West Virginia University
Clemson University
Bowling Green State University
Lison, Matthew
Locke, Jacob
Loether, Chad
Lovorn, Elena
Lowe, Randal
Luttner, Elizabeth
Luzier, Robert
Lynam, Brenna M
Macdonald-Hardie, Nina L
Mackay, John N
Madalena, Emily
Madler, Maxwell C.
Maggs, Katarina L
Makowski, Katie L
Malanos, Jenna
Undecided
Duquesne University
Penn State Behrend
US Army
Bowling Green State University
Undecided
West Virginia University
Kent State University
Carlow University
SUNY Fredonia
Wake Forest University
Undecided
Penn State University
University of Tennessee
West Virginia University
Manganas, Eleni
Mannering, Briana M
Maronde, Douglas
Marsh, Gregory
Martik, Macey
Martik, Tyler
Martonik, Jessa A
Masta, Erin E
Mauer, Matthew
May, William D
McClure, William
McGinnis, Jaimie
McKelvey, Nicholas
McKenzie, Regis
Medvid, Hannah C
Messerly, Andrew
Metz, Katherine
Meyer, Samantha
Mikec, Philip
Milavec, Daniel P
Miller, Jason D
Minteer, Ryan
Minton, Andrew
Mitchell, Evan
Moodispaugh, Robert T
Moran, Amanda
Morrow, Taylor M
Mortland, Nicholas A
Muchesko, Chad
Mueller, Brent
Mumbray, Ashley S
Nathanson, Dylan W
Nee, Nicholas
Nossokoff,Mike
O'Connor, Shannon
Olivo, Christopher R.
Orr, Joshua
Ortosky, Ashley E
Pachis, Matthew
Page, Connor
Parello, Ashley E
Paschl, Nicole
Pintar, Melissa
Pletz, Jacob D
Poole, Nicole M
Undecided
West Virginia University
University of Pittsburgh
Allegheny College
University of Pittsburgh
Ohio State University
Mercyhurst College
Virginia Tech University
Undecided
Robert Morris
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Kent State University
Lehigh University
Military
Slippery Rock University
Clarion University
West Virginia University
Bowling Green State university
West Virginia University
St. Lawrence University
Undecided
Heidelberg University
Ohio State University
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Juniata College
Saint Vincent College
University Of Pittsburgh
Undecided
Undecided
Undecided
Undecided
Undecided
Mount Union University
Penn State - Behrend
Long Island University
Ohio Northern
Undecided
Duquesne University
Waynesburg University
Temple University
Case Western Reserve University
Clarion University
Youngstown State University
Westminster College
Penn State University
26. Portz, Justin
Prykull, Cory J
Puhl, Ryan
Pusateri, Alexis C
Putt, Heather
Quarture, Alexandria
Ranallo, Christian
Rastogi, Nitish
Reeder, Terry
Relich, Caitlin
Relich, Susan
Rickman, Katherine
Rider, Shelley
Rigatti, Randy
Ritter, Dylan
Roach, McKenna
Roberts, Alex
Roberts, Michael
Rohn, Hailey
Rooney, Brendan M
Ross, Olivia M
Ross, Philip C
Rupprecht, Jennifer E
Sands, Gabriele
Sanfilippo, Jessica
Sarnicke, Melissa
Scabilloni, Max
Schaeffer, Garrett
Scheirer, Jesse
Schneider, Carlee
Schuck, Michael
Seibel, Bethany
Seman, Mitchell R
Seraly, Mark P
Serra, Aaron T
Sheets, Casey L
Sheetz, Brady
Shell, Christopher
Sherman, Lisa T.
Shope, Andrew T
Shultz, Katharine
Sickmund, Curt
Sickmund, Sean
Sikora, Matthew C
Simonson, Nika S
Sion, Lauren
Small, Dylan
Smith, Carlee
Smith, Matthew
Smith, Rhianna
Smith, Rhyan
Smith, Stephen M
Smore, Lindsay
Soff, Christina E
Solomon, Melissa
Sopko, Melina
Sossi, Kyle R
Spamer, Shelli
Speicher, Cody
Spinabelli, Lauren
Allegheny College
Syracuse University
Clarion University
Ohio University
Duquesne University
Point Park University
University of Pittsburgh
Penn State University
Edinboro University
Penn State University
James Madison University
Evergreen College
Kent State
Robert Morris University
Pitt - Greensburg
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Penn State University
Air Force
Duquesne University
Slippery Rock University
North Carolina State University
La Roche College
Duquesne University
University of Pittsburgh
Duquesne University
Washington and Jefferson College
Undecided
Penn State University
University of Vermont
West Virginia University
Emerson College
Clarion University
Undecided
Allegheny College
Virginia Tech
California University of Pennsylvania
University of Hartford
Undecided
CCAC & Berry College
West Virginia University
Waynesburg University
St. Bonaventure University
Mercyhurst College
University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
Bucknell University
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Undecided
Stephen F. Austin State University
Undecided
Undecided
University of Pittsburgh
University of Dayton
Washington and Jefferson College
Undecided
Washington Hospital School of Radiology
Washington and Jefferson College
North Carolina State University
Allegheny College
Penn State University
Stanchak, Hunter
Stasik, Samuel
Stein, Bridget
Steliotes, Alaina M
Steratore, Matthew
Sterling, Chelsea S.
Stephan, Blair
Stroyne, Laura
Sullivan, Shane
Summaria, Carlo J
Sypula, Joseph
Tatman, Daniel
Taylor, Dylan
Tenison, Brooke
Thomas, Ashleigh
Thomas, Mallory
Toscano, Angelo
Toscano, Rachel
Trier, Alyssa J
Tucker, Dustin W
Ulrich, Parker
Wagner, Matthew
Wallach, Jonathan
Werner, Kurt
Wetzel, Evan
Weyrick, Daniel
Wible, Nicholas
Wickstrom, Ross W
Wilcox, John B.
Wilson, Ashley
Woodrow, Sean
Woods, Cody
Wright, Alexander
Yeckley, Eric
Zeffiro, Victoria
Zubasic, Michelle
Grove City College
Penn State University
Ohio University
Ohio University
Undecided
Virginia Tech University
Undecided
University of Dayton
Ohio University
Clarion University
Ohio University
Columbia College
Penn State Behrend
Duquesne University
Liberty University
Penn State Altoona
Clarion University
Slippery Rock University
Capital University
Undecided
University of Pittsburgh
Undecided
College of Charleston
Gap Year
Undecided
Ohio University
University of Utah
The University of Xavier
University of Alabama
Loyola Marymount University
Penn State University
Pittsburgh Technical Institute
Villanova University
Undecided
Slippery Rock University
Gannon University
Best wishes,
Class of 2011!