NAtioNAl Merit AchieveMeNt - Westmont Hilltop School District
NAtioNAl Merit AchieveMeNt - Westmont Hilltop School District
NAtioNAl Merit AchieveMeNt - Westmont Hilltop School District
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<strong>NAtioNAl</strong> <strong>Merit</strong> <strong>AchieveMeNt</strong><br />
2 010 A c h i e v e m e n t A n d e x c e l l e n c e<br />
The National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholarship Program is an academic competition that<br />
started in 1995. Students qualify for this recognition by taking the Preliminary<br />
SAT/National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholarship Qualifying Test. National <strong>Merit</strong> Commended<br />
Students and Finalists are students who are recognized on a national level as<br />
having outstanding academic promise. Scholars earning this award are listed<br />
below.<br />
Congratulations to our National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholar, Megan Mulrooney.<br />
Mulrooney was chosen from 1,500,000 high scorers in the nation for this<br />
highly prestigious award. Megan Mulrooney also received the $1,000 Arthur<br />
Hagadus Memorial Scholarship from the Rotary Club of Johnstown.<br />
National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholarship corporation – Scholar<br />
Megan Elizabeth Mulrooney<br />
National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholarship corporation – Finalists<br />
Juliana Faith Bukoski<br />
Sara Margaret Rogerson<br />
National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholarship corporation – letter of commendation<br />
Rachel Ellen Wozniak<br />
National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholarship Corporation Finalist:<br />
Juliana Faith Bukoski<br />
National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholarship Corporation Finalist:<br />
Sara Margaret Rogerson<br />
National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholarship Corporation Scholar:<br />
Megan Elizabeth Mulrooney<br />
National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholarship Corporation Letter of<br />
Commendation: Rachel Ellen Wozniak<br />
The 2010 <strong>Hilltop</strong>per Highlights Achievement and Excellence, now entering its eleventh summer of publication, is a special summer edition<br />
of the <strong>Hilltop</strong> <strong>School</strong> News dedicated to recognition of the outstanding individual and collective accomplishments<br />
of our students within their school and community.
high <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
Students honored<br />
as top ten Scholars<br />
of 2010<br />
The “Top Ten” are <strong>Westmont</strong><br />
<strong>Hilltop</strong> scholars who rank<br />
academically in the Top Ten of their<br />
graduating class. Top Ten scholars<br />
are honored annually with a savings<br />
bond and plaque provided through a<br />
collaborative effort of the Treasurer<br />
of the Board of Education and<br />
the <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Education<br />
Association. This award is now<br />
sustained by the current Board<br />
Treasurer, Mr. Rooney Gleason, with<br />
leadership provided by the current Board<br />
President, Mr. Mitchell Azar, and the<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Education Association<br />
President, Mr. Stephen Lindberg. Each<br />
student of the Top Ten will receive an<br />
award in the form of a $100.00 savings<br />
bond. The students pictured in the<br />
photograph have contributed to the<br />
tradition of excellence that characterizes<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong>.<br />
Throughout the 2009-2010 school<br />
year, students in every grade and<br />
classroom have excelled in the areas<br />
of academics, arts, community service,<br />
and athletics. Examples of the service<br />
and accomplishments through which<br />
our students have honored their<br />
community, their parents, and their<br />
school, are contained within the pages<br />
of this newsletter, dedicated to the Class<br />
of 2010. The names of the following<br />
students will be inscribed on a plaque on<br />
permanent display in the lobby of our<br />
high school.<br />
Where is the<br />
class of 2010?<br />
The graduates of the Class<br />
of 2010 have declared plans<br />
to continue their education<br />
in the following institutions<br />
of higher learning:<br />
Allegheny College<br />
Allegany College of Maryland<br />
American University<br />
Arizona State University<br />
California University of PA<br />
Chatham University<br />
Clarion University of PA<br />
“High <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
the class of 2010 top ten<br />
Top Ten-Row 1: Juliana Bukoski, Christine Weidner, Catherine Polito, Rachel Wozniak, Megan Mulrooney<br />
Row 2: Sara Rogerson, Zachary del Rosario, Zachary Ryan, Kyle Kunkle, Margaret Atterbury<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> hilltop education<br />
Association top ten Awards<br />
(listed Alphabetically)<br />
Margaret Reed Atterbury<br />
Juliana Faith Bukoski<br />
Zachary Riggins del Rosario<br />
Kyle Charles Kunkle<br />
Colgate University<br />
College of Charleston<br />
Cone <strong>School</strong> of Histology<br />
Duke University<br />
Duquesne University<br />
Edinboro University<br />
George Mason University<br />
Harding University<br />
Indiana University of PA<br />
Juniata College<br />
LaRoche College<br />
Lincoln University<br />
Mansfield University<br />
Messiah College<br />
Mount Aloysius College<br />
Olin College<br />
PA Academy of Cosmetology<br />
Megan Elizabeth Mulrooney<br />
Catherine Elizabeth Polito<br />
Sara Margaret Rogerson<br />
Zachary David Ryan<br />
Christine Carroll Weidner<br />
Rachel Ellen Wozniak<br />
Penn College of Technology<br />
Penn Highlands Community College<br />
Penn State University<br />
Penn State Altoona Campus<br />
Pratt Institute<br />
Robert Morris University<br />
Saint Francis University<br />
Triangle Tech<br />
University of Delaware<br />
University of North Carolina at Greensboro<br />
University of Pittsburgh<br />
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown<br />
United States Air Force Academy<br />
West Virginia University<br />
Washington & Jefferson College<br />
Westminster College
Well Done, class of 2010!<br />
Before handing out diplomas and commending his fellow alumni of the Class<br />
of 2010, <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> <strong>School</strong> Board President, Mr. Mitchell Azar, annually<br />
reminisces with parents, families, and friends of the graduates about the highlights<br />
of their school year. Excerpts of the address are as follows:<br />
“You have certainly performed well academically. In a class of 125 students,<br />
roughly 45 of you have finished your high school years with a cumulative grade<br />
point average greater than 92%, and 10 of you have completed your high school<br />
years with a GPA of 100% or greater.”<br />
“You had a classmate who was a National <strong>Merit</strong> Commended Student, two<br />
classmates named National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholarship Finalists, and one received the<br />
honor of 2010 National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholar, which are tremendous accomplishments.”<br />
“Athletically, you celebrated your second consecutive undefeated season in<br />
Girls’ Swimming, sent nine students to the state track meet, and won the Laurel<br />
Highlands Athletic Conference Championship in Boys’ Soccer, advancing to the<br />
state quarterfinal game. But most importantly, beyond wins and losses, you represented<br />
your school honorably and were recognized as the winner of the 2010<br />
<strong>District</strong> 6 Sportsmanship Award. We thank the Class of 2010 for your leadership<br />
in making that happen.”<br />
“The Music and Arts programs at <strong>Westmont</strong> are always sources of great pride,<br />
and your class has been no exception. Your production of Anything Goes was<br />
phenomenal. You also have five classmates who will be furthering their education<br />
in the areas of art or music, which is just fantastic.”<br />
“Finally, I was particularly impressed with the tremendous effort you put into<br />
your senior projects. Doing things like organizing a benefit concert for pancreatic<br />
cancer, a charity basketball game for Special Olympics, collecting school supplies<br />
for children in underdeveloped countries, and raising more than $8,000 for the<br />
Four Diamonds Fund and the American Heart Association through a 12-hour<br />
dance marathon. These are not typical high school senior projects. You should all<br />
be commended for your hard work to benefit those who are less fortunate and for<br />
not taking the easy way out.”<br />
Richard Verma, <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Alumnus, honors the Class of 010 with his message and his presence.<br />
high <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
Always Part of the<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> hilltop Family<br />
Three retiring members of our<br />
faculty were honored by Board<br />
President Mitchell Azar, and the<br />
administration and faculty of the<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>District</strong>,<br />
at the Commencement Ceremony<br />
of 2010. The audience and Class<br />
of 2010 jointly acknowledged and<br />
thanked Colleen Goerlich, Debbie<br />
Facciani, and Patricia Molnar for<br />
their outstanding service to our<br />
district. These three women have<br />
more than 100 years of combined<br />
teaching experience and have<br />
guided our students from their earliest<br />
days at the elementary school<br />
to the celebration that we were<br />
experiencing in June of 2010.<br />
Sadly, we also paid tribute<br />
this year to the passing of two<br />
renowned former members of our<br />
faculty, Fred McLoota and Rich<br />
Puhala, who each served the<br />
district for more than 30 years<br />
while touching the lives of many<br />
students.<br />
Keynote Speaker<br />
richard verma<br />
On June 5 of 1986, a teenager named Richard<br />
Verma graduated from our school district. The<br />
alumnus who addressed the Class of 010 as keynote<br />
speaker now holds degrees from the Georgetown University<br />
Law Center, American University’s Washington<br />
College of Law, and Lehigh University.<br />
In April of 009, Mr. Verma became, and is<br />
now, the Department of State’s Assistant Secretary<br />
for the Bureau of Legislative Affairs, where he serves<br />
as the primary advisor to the Secretary of State on<br />
Congressional Affairs, and as the Department’s Chief<br />
Liaison to Congress. Between graduation and his<br />
current appointment, Mr. Verma served as a lawyer in<br />
private practice, became a veteran of the U.S. Air Force,<br />
worked in the House of Representatives, served as<br />
Senior National Security Advisor to the Senate Majority<br />
Leader, and served as a member of the Defense<br />
Department’s Transition Team. He is a member of the<br />
Council on Foreign Relations, was formerly an International<br />
Affairs Fellow of the Council, and has served<br />
on the National Academy of Sciences Panel of Critical<br />
Infrastructure Protection and the Law.<br />
“High <strong>School</strong> Achievement”
high <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
Student Speakers<br />
Margaret Atterbury, Student Council President, honored her school and<br />
community as she addressed the values of compassion, friendliness, and respect<br />
as follows: “Whether or not you are aware, most of you have developed personal<br />
values of compassion, friendliness, and respect as a result of your maturation<br />
within this small town community. To be compassionate is to be kind, caring,<br />
and aware of others’ distress. To be friendly is to be comforting and to have a<br />
warm and welcoming attitude towards all. To be respectful is to be polite and to<br />
show appropriate regard or consideration. It is easy to see how all of these values<br />
are applicable to our close-knit community.”<br />
Margaret Atterbury, Student Council President, speaks at<br />
Commencement 010.<br />
A disguised and bearded class president, Kyle<br />
Kunkle, poses as prophet for a portion of his<br />
address to the Class of 010.<br />
Kyle Kunkle, Class President of<br />
the Class of 2010, although prophesying<br />
that nobody would remember his<br />
graduation speech, was wrong about<br />
that, for he made his speech thoroughly<br />
unforgettable, donning a beard<br />
“High <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
Zachary del Rosario, Scholarship Representative,<br />
addresses the Class of 010.<br />
Scholar Zachary del Rosario<br />
regaled the audience with examples of<br />
the knowledge he has acquired through<br />
various experiences throughout his<br />
schooling, then summarized the greatest<br />
value of his educational experience with<br />
gratitude to his peers stating, “I’ve grown<br />
more in these past four years than I have<br />
through the rest of my short existence,<br />
and that’s in no small part due to the rest<br />
of you.”<br />
and wielding a staff as he presented the Ten Commandments of the Class of 2010.<br />
While those of us who were present in the audience will remember the commandments<br />
well into the foreseeable future, limitations of time and space in the <strong>Hilltop</strong>per<br />
Highlights will permit only the highlighting of one commandment. For this<br />
purpose, we have chosen Commandment #9 from the speech, as it exemplifies the<br />
flavor of Kyle’s address and discloses a snapshot of the character of the Class of<br />
2010. Commandment #9, according to Kunkle, is as follows:<br />
QUOTE: Thou shalt always have Swagger as a <strong>Hilltop</strong>per. To avoid confusion,<br />
I thought it best to first define swagger. After referencing the reliable and trustworthy<br />
resource, Urbandictionary.com, I define Swagger as confidence and respect<br />
that is earned over time from a positive impact. Swagger is not to be confused with<br />
cockiness. I would suggest that the Class of 2010, the smallest <strong>Westmont</strong> graduating<br />
class in the last eleven years, has earned the right to have Swagger for the<br />
following reasons:<br />
• We have done 3,569 hours, 21 minutes, and 47 seconds of community service.<br />
• 89% of our class will be going on to a higher education.<br />
• 5 students will be going into the military services to defend our freedom.<br />
• 40% of the class will graduate with an “A” average or better.<br />
• Another 40% of our class will leave here with 3 or more college credits.<br />
• We have a nationally recognized forensics team.<br />
• Our musical is one of the most respected and anticipated musicals in the area.<br />
• Among our ranks is a classmate who can fly a plane.<br />
• We have a YouTube video with one hundred eleven thousand, seven hundred and sixty seven views.<br />
• We have won 3 district titles and 4 LHAC championships.<br />
That’s Swagger. END QUOTE.
Academic Achievement and excellence<br />
Academic excellence is part of the culture at <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> High <strong>School</strong>.<br />
The President’s Award is presented at the high school to students who have<br />
maintained an outstanding academic record throughout the duration of their<br />
schooling. Earning recognition for their exemplary role models of excellence are<br />
the students earning the academic awards reflected within the pages that follow.<br />
President’s Award for educational excellence<br />
Margaret Reed Atterbury<br />
Juliana Faith Bukoski<br />
Luke Anthony Corona<br />
Zachary Riggins del Rosario<br />
Michael David Gorzelsky<br />
Kyle Charles Kunkle<br />
Julie Anne Mercik<br />
Megan Elizabeth Mulrooney<br />
Catherine Elizabeth Polito<br />
Academic letter Awards, class of 2010<br />
Margaret R. Atterbury<br />
Rebecca I. Barron<br />
Angela R. Battaglia<br />
Elizabeth M. Bingler<br />
Juliana F. Bukoski<br />
Rosemary K. Clark<br />
Luke A. Corona<br />
Shannon M. Costa<br />
Jason T. Dailey<br />
Zachary R. del Rosario<br />
Dillon P. Dorian<br />
Deanna J. Duncan<br />
Casey R. Eckenrod<br />
Matthew J. Gerber<br />
Andrea M. Ghezzi<br />
Michael D. Gorzelsky<br />
Haley N. Helmick<br />
Kirsten A. Hess<br />
Kyle H. Hopkins<br />
Ashley A. Irwin<br />
Nicole A. Kovach<br />
Kyle C. Kunkle<br />
Kelsey D. Layton<br />
Stephen F. Legath<br />
Melissa M. Lobb<br />
Nathan T. McHugh<br />
Julie A. Mercik<br />
Allison R. Mical<br />
Samantha R. Mikesic<br />
Samuel J. Moehler<br />
Sara Margaret Rogerson<br />
Anne Elizabeth Rummell<br />
Zachary David Ryan<br />
Norman Charles Sivi<br />
Nadin Suler<br />
Taylor Ann Walther<br />
Christine Carroll Weidner<br />
Rachel Ellen Wozniak<br />
Michael Joseph Young<br />
Anna M. Muchesko<br />
Megan E. Mulrooney<br />
Alexandra N. Mundy<br />
Paul Nathaniel<br />
Alli M. Paratore<br />
Nicolette M. Petrusic<br />
Catherine E. Polito<br />
Alan J. Prescott<br />
Sara M. Rogerson<br />
Michael A. Rudnac<br />
Anne E. Rummell<br />
Zachary D. Ryan<br />
Corey J. Salem<br />
Giancarlo A. Scuderi<br />
Norman C. Sivi<br />
Susan M. Specht<br />
Brittany E. Strelnik<br />
Nadin Suler<br />
Kayla A. Vliet<br />
Matthew T. Wagner<br />
Megan L. Walker<br />
Catherine A. Walsh<br />
Taylor A. Walther<br />
Christine C. Weidner<br />
Julia Wolfe<br />
Rachel E. Wozniak<br />
Shawnee V. Yoder<br />
Leah E. Young<br />
Luke J. Young<br />
Michael J. Young<br />
high <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
Academic Achievement Award<br />
class of 2010<br />
Margaret R. Atterbury<br />
Rebecca I. Barron<br />
Angela R. Battaglia<br />
Dominic F. Berardi<br />
Elizabeth M. Bingler<br />
Maximiliano E. Bressi<br />
Juliana F. Bukoski<br />
Kyra M. Burns<br />
Luke A. Corona<br />
Shannon M. Costa<br />
Jason T. Dailey<br />
Zachary R. del Rosario<br />
Dillon P. Dorian<br />
Deanna J. Duncan<br />
Casey R. Eckenrod<br />
Matthew J. Gerber<br />
Marissa L. Ghantous<br />
Andrea M. Ghezzi<br />
Michael D. Gorzelsky<br />
Haley N. Helmick<br />
Kirsten A.Hess<br />
Ashley A. Irwin<br />
Tyler A. Kleinmeyer<br />
Nicole A. Kovach<br />
Kyle C. Kunkle<br />
Halan Nu Lam<br />
Kelsey D. Layton<br />
Stephen D. Legath<br />
Melissa M. Lobb<br />
Nathan T. McHugh<br />
Julie A. Mercik<br />
Allison R. Mical<br />
Samantha R. Mikesic<br />
Samuel J. Moehler<br />
Miranda A. Moser<br />
challenge Program<br />
Megan E. Mulrooney<br />
Alexandra N. Mundy<br />
Paul Nathanial<br />
Alli M. Paratore<br />
Nicolette M. Petrusic<br />
Catherine E. Polito<br />
Alan J. Prescott<br />
Daniel S. Price<br />
Anthony J. Rievel<br />
Sara M. Rogerson<br />
Michael A. Rudnac<br />
Anne E. Rummell<br />
Zachary D. Ryan<br />
Corey J. Salem<br />
Sean M. Sapolich<br />
Giancarlo A. Scuderi<br />
Norman C. Sivi<br />
Ryan M. Snavely<br />
Susan M. Specht<br />
Adam J. Steinbring<br />
Aaron D. Stonecypher<br />
Nadin Suler<br />
Kelsey E. Suppes<br />
Kayla A. Vliet<br />
Matthew T. Wagner<br />
Megan L. Walker<br />
Catherine A. Walsh<br />
Taylor A. Walther<br />
Christine C. Weidner<br />
Katrina A. Wentworth<br />
Julia Wolfe<br />
Rachel E. Wozniak<br />
Shawnee V. Yoder<br />
Leah E. Young<br />
Michael J. Young<br />
Row 1 – Academic Excellence: Mark Nathaniel, Josh Polacek,<br />
Maggie Atterbury<br />
Row 2 – Perfect Attendance: Nicole Dorn, Leah Marko, Kelsey<br />
Suppes<br />
Row 3 – Most Improved: Jessica Coolbaugh, Halim Nu Lam,<br />
Hannah Winterscheidt<br />
Row 4 – Community Service: Lauren Matevish, Nicole Kovach,<br />
Gina Rievel<br />
“High <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
5
high <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
Academic Achievement Award<br />
class of 2011<br />
Brianna K. Alianiello<br />
Katelyn E. Arcurio<br />
Christina L. Atterbury<br />
Kasey L. Azar<br />
Matthew J. Bambino<br />
Jedediah M. Brandwein<br />
Daniel A. Brennsteiner<br />
Benjamin E. Bukoski<br />
Michael Burnheimer<br />
Kim A. Carney<br />
Christine J. Cassone<br />
Ian P. Clark<br />
Denae M. Dorian<br />
Zachary C. Drennen<br />
Annabeth R. Faucher<br />
Annie L. Fiffick<br />
Bryant W. Fisher<br />
Luke B. Gindlesperger<br />
Christopher M. Gnagey<br />
Sarah K. Godish<br />
Brianna N. Gordon<br />
Matthew S. Heider<br />
Andrew J. Herbert<br />
Tanner M. Hough<br />
Jamie M. Hudson<br />
Jamie L. Kessler<br />
Andrew J. Kilpatrick<br />
Julie R. Kittka<br />
Sarah A. Krupa<br />
Karlee M. Kucera<br />
Halim Nu Lam<br />
Madalyn Lenzi-Snopko<br />
Garrett J. Lucas<br />
6 “High <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
Jenna M. Magistro<br />
Devon K. Marshall<br />
Lauren M. Matevish<br />
Kara E. Matthews<br />
Maggie A. McNamara<br />
Aaron R. Miller<br />
Madelyn G. Miller<br />
Marinanicole D. Miller<br />
Daniel W. Oberst<br />
Alexander N. Parlock<br />
David F. Pepley<br />
Kelsey E. Petrusic<br />
Joshua M. Polacek<br />
Summer L. Reitter<br />
Joseph S. Rizkalla<br />
Grace J. Roddy<br />
Erica L. Rodgers<br />
Zachary J. Rummel<br />
Joseph S. Seigh<br />
Rebecca H. Shark<br />
Stephanie L. Shelhammer<br />
Patricia M. Spisak<br />
Sean A. Stephens<br />
Carly A. Stump<br />
Keegan C. Terek<br />
Riley B. Timbs<br />
Alex L. Trevorrow<br />
Sarah N. Walko<br />
Daulton V. Warshel<br />
Daniel P. Wolfe<br />
April L. Yanko<br />
Michael D. Zamias<br />
Ty C. Zatsick<br />
Academic Achievement Award<br />
class of 2012<br />
Blake D. Bernstein<br />
Trenten J. Boback<br />
Sarah M. Bunyea<br />
Christopher J. Campagna<br />
Carly E. Campbell<br />
Bradley W. Carney<br />
Brittany L. Carney<br />
Kayla M. Causer<br />
Daniel J. Dailey<br />
Brittany M. Davis<br />
Giana M. DeMarco<br />
Parag Dharbhamulla<br />
DeAnnah M. Dick<br />
Nicole L. Dorn<br />
Bryson C. Eplett<br />
Jonathan M. Findish<br />
Alyson S. Forman<br />
Meena K. Gella<br />
Joseph A. Glennon<br />
Ryan S. Glover<br />
Evan B. Good<br />
Caitlin T. Gutilla<br />
Devlin L. Hale<br />
Mustafa B. Hammudi<br />
Kelcy J. Harrison<br />
Autumn N. Helman<br />
Allison N. Henry<br />
Meredith W. Herman<br />
Kyra N. Hill<br />
Kelsey E. Hoover<br />
Row 1 – <strong>School</strong> Citizenship Awards – Freshmen: Stacee Glass, Taylor Davis, David Carney, Justin<br />
Gindlesperger<br />
Row 2 – WHEA Scholarship: Nicole Kovach; GJCTC Awards: Brice Morneau, Takesha Crutcher<br />
Row 3 – Sgt. First Class Raymond Buchan Memorial Scholarship: Michael Young; <strong>Westmont</strong><br />
Memorial Award: Luke Corona, Rebecca Barron<br />
Row 1 – National <strong>Merit</strong> Scholarship: Megan Mulrooney; National <strong>Merit</strong> Finalists: Juliana Bukoski,<br />
Sara Rogerson; National <strong>Merit</strong> Commended Student: Rachel Wozniak<br />
Row 2 – Class of 1947: Catherine Polito; <strong>School</strong> Citizenship Awards (Seniors): Christine Weidner,<br />
Brittany Strelnik, Megan Walker, Luke Young<br />
Nicole E. Kinley<br />
Cheyenne B. Kovach<br />
Kara A. Kovach<br />
Lyndsie N. Lampel<br />
Benjamin F. Legath<br />
Matthew M. Masiello<br />
Michael R. McDaniel<br />
Marissa R. Miller<br />
Robin C. Miller<br />
Samantha A. Morello<br />
Mark Nathaniel<br />
Naofa R. Noll<br />
Sophie A. Noonan<br />
Ileana Panebianco<br />
Ethan M. Policicchio<br />
Adam J. Pozun<br />
Amy R. Regan<br />
Gina C. Rievel<br />
Niza M. Scuderi<br />
Eric D. Sheehan<br />
Elizabeth A. Sherrier<br />
Nicole L. Simmons<br />
Britney A. Smith<br />
Carolyn V. Somerville<br />
Erin S. Suppes<br />
Lauren M. Taylor<br />
Kylie M. Truscello<br />
Andrew D. Varchol<br />
Hayle M. Walters<br />
Forest P. Whitlow<br />
Brittany C. Young<br />
Megan R. Ziemba<br />
Benjamin T. Zurilla
Row 1 –Fleet Reserve: Christina<br />
Atterbury, Jill Clark; Catherine Hubbard<br />
Memorial Award: Kelsey Layton<br />
Row 2 – <strong>Westmont</strong> Peace Award/<br />
APPLES Scholarship: Christine Weidner;<br />
American Red Cross Blood Drive:<br />
Nicole Kovach, Brittany Strelnik<br />
Row 3 – U.S. Air Force Appointment:<br />
Nicole Dorn, Leah Marko, Kelsey Suppes<br />
Row 4 – Community Service: Taylor<br />
Walther; Rudnac Leadership Award:<br />
Angela Battaglia, Kyle Kunkle<br />
high <strong>School</strong> Mathematics Achievement<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> High <strong>School</strong> had two student winners of the 2010 American<br />
Mathematics Competitions (AMC) 10 and American Mathematics Competitions<br />
(AMC) 12.<br />
AMC 10 Winner: Dan Durham<br />
AMC 12 Winner: Keegan Terek<br />
The American Mathematics Competitions (AMCs) are the first of a series of<br />
competitions in high school mathematics that determine the United States Math<br />
Team, which competes in the International Mathematical Olympiad.<br />
<strong>School</strong> Citizenship Awards<br />
Row 1 – Juniors: Jenna Magistro, Annabeth Faucher, Jamie Kessler, Julie Kittka<br />
Row 2 – Sophomores: Mustafa Hammudi, Mike McDaniel, Britney Smith, Ileana Panebianco<br />
Perfect SAt Writing Score<br />
Jenna Magistro, pictured above, had a perfect SAT score in writing.<br />
high <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
Academic Achievement Award<br />
class of 2013<br />
Elizabeth P. Atterbury<br />
Abbigail M. Bealonis<br />
Andrea L.Bealonis<br />
Jeremy W. Burnheimer<br />
David J. Carney<br />
Joshua J. Cavrak<br />
Jill A. Clark<br />
Sarah B. Clark<br />
Toni H. Costa<br />
Kirsten E. Coyle<br />
Taylor M. Davis<br />
Courtney L. Drennen<br />
Daniel B. Durham<br />
Christiana R. Faucher<br />
Kasia N. Foster<br />
Blaine P. Friday<br />
Tara L. Fritz<br />
Stacee D. Glass<br />
Karli M. Grow<br />
Kara A. Gvozden<br />
Devin R. Helmick<br />
Stephanie L. Hetrick<br />
Bryan R. Hoegg<br />
Dante Horvath<br />
James M. Kane<br />
Sara M. Kimmell<br />
Jill H. Kittka<br />
Lukas A. Kleinmeyer<br />
Seneca L. Koontz<br />
Ryan A. Koul<br />
Mariel N. Kramer<br />
Paige E. Lamberson<br />
Evan T. Louder<br />
Kathryn N. Lynch<br />
Shannon R. Marko<br />
Sarah G. Marley<br />
Mitchell A. McClintock<br />
Leah M. Mercik<br />
Kaitlin A. Mical<br />
Hannah G. Mills<br />
Meghan N. Mock<br />
Joel S. Neff<br />
Jeremy M. Nestor<br />
Margaret E. Oberst<br />
Victoria A. Parlock<br />
Tamires Pasquerilla<br />
Elizabeth A. Petrell<br />
Dominic R. Ramirez<br />
Seth J. Ray<br />
Andrew S. Rizkalla<br />
Erin C. Rodgers<br />
Sarah M. Rogers<br />
Rachel I. Roper<br />
Anthony J. Rosage<br />
Katrina L. Rosage<br />
Madeline N. Sanford<br />
Donald C. Shovestull<br />
Angela R. Sutt<br />
Allison R. Swadley<br />
Madalynn E. Swaltek<br />
Jessica M. Toth<br />
Robert J. Varner<br />
Michael T. Vliet<br />
Jonathan E. Wagner<br />
Melissa J. Walko<br />
Deana L. Werner<br />
Steven P. Zipf<br />
A Few More high <strong>School</strong><br />
Scholarship Newsflashes!<br />
Catherine Polito scored a PER-<br />
FECT 800 on the Critical Reading<br />
section of the October 2009 SAT!<br />
Christiana Faucher was recognized<br />
for outstanding SAT scores which<br />
resulted in invitations for a UPJ course<br />
and to apply for a Jack Kent Cook<br />
Scholarship!<br />
Christina Atterbury is going to<br />
Russia for 6 weeks this summer, and<br />
Keegan Terek is going to Egypt for 6<br />
weeks this summer, both trips sponsored<br />
in full by the U.S. State Department.<br />
These are immersion cultural<br />
exchange experiences.<br />
“High <strong>School</strong> Achievement”
high <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
And it should come as no surprise…<br />
Students of <strong>Westmont</strong> hilltop high <strong>School</strong><br />
rock in world languages too!<br />
At the Appalachian Language Educators’ Society, or APPLES, Foreign Language<br />
Festival held this year at St. Francis University, about 300 students from<br />
more than a dozen area school districts participated in this annual event. The<br />
following chart shows the place-winners.<br />
NAME LANGUAGE / LEVEL PLACE EVENT<br />
Jamie Hudson Senior High nd Construction Models<br />
Madalynn Swaltek Junior High 1st Art/Reproduction<br />
French 1st Composition<br />
nd Tie Listening Comprehension<br />
rd Speaking Proficiency<br />
Evan Louder French rd Tie Listening Comprehension<br />
1st Reading Comprehension<br />
1st Speaking Proficiency<br />
Anthony Rosage Spanish 1st Speaking Proficiency<br />
rd Composition<br />
Jill Clark Spanish 1st Reading Comprehension<br />
Kirsten Coyle Spanish 1st Listening Comprehension<br />
Erika Von Schrenkel Spanish 1st Literary Recitation<br />
Nicole Dorn Spanish rd Literary Recitation<br />
Marley Bonner Spanish rd Tie Reading Comprehension<br />
Robin Miller Spanish nd Speaking Proficiency<br />
nd Listening Comprehension<br />
rd Reading Comprehension<br />
rd Composition<br />
Juliana Bukoski Spanish- Adv. 1st Composition<br />
Spanish 5 1st Listening Comprehension<br />
1st Reading Comprehension<br />
Christina Atterbury Spanish 1st Listening Comprehension<br />
rd Reading Comprehension<br />
Sara Rogerson Spanish 5 nd Listening Comprehension<br />
Zachary del Rosario Spanish 5 rd Tie Listening Comprehension<br />
Luke Corona Spanish -5 nd Literary Recitation<br />
8 “High <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
Congratulations to all of you.<br />
Scholastic Quiz<br />
Coach John Wood recognized the<br />
WHHS Scholastic Quiz Team at the<br />
Academic Awards Ceremony of 2010.<br />
Excerpts of his acknowledgement follow.<br />
“<strong>Westmont</strong> Scholastic Quiz had another<br />
excellent season this year. <strong>Westmont</strong><br />
finished third out of 14 teams<br />
in the Central Western Quiz League<br />
and captured the championship of the<br />
annual Science Bowl Quiz competition<br />
held at St. Francis University, with the<br />
help of special advisor and science colleague,<br />
Mr. Stephen Lindberg.<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> Scholastic Quiz also had<br />
their best ever performance at a Saturday<br />
NAQT tournament this season.<br />
At the Battle of the Burgh tournament<br />
held on the campus of Carnegie Mellon<br />
University, <strong>Westmont</strong> finished in the<br />
top quarter of a very challenging field<br />
with an 8 and 3 record while collecting<br />
match wins over much larger schools<br />
such as Moon Area and Altoona High<br />
<strong>School</strong>.<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> also fielded a high<br />
school team for the first time in the fall<br />
and spring Knowledge Master Open<br />
Competitions. The Knowledge Master<br />
Open is a computerized academic<br />
competition in which hundreds of high<br />
schools nationwide compete and work<br />
as a team to answer a wide range of<br />
academic questions. <strong>Westmont</strong> finished<br />
first among schools of its size in Pennsylvania<br />
in the fall KMO competition,<br />
which was an excellent result for a first<br />
time participant.”<br />
The Scholastic Quiz Team<br />
co-captains Zachary del Rosario and<br />
Megan Mulrooney provided excellent<br />
leadership, and seniors Luke Corona<br />
and Emma Noonan were dedicated<br />
team members who contributed to the<br />
many recent successes of the <strong>Westmont</strong><br />
Scholastic Quiz Team.<br />
Row 1 – Kiwanis: Kyle Kunkle, Andrea Ghezzi; Gella Family Scholarship:<br />
Juliana Bukoski, Zachary del Rosario (West End Lions Club Honorees)<br />
Row 2 – Azar Scholarship: Mike Young; James Kocher Music: Matt<br />
Wagner; America’s 911 Foundation: Sam Moehler; Key Club: Stephen<br />
Legath
high <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
international classroom exchange with German classroom<br />
Mr. Yonko’s class participated in a<br />
pen pal experience and flag exchange<br />
with a teacher from Germany who<br />
visited the United States during the<br />
second semester of 2010. The teacher<br />
is Utz Kloeppelt from Quakenbruck,<br />
Germany. Now the German school’s<br />
homepage is linked to Mr. Yonko’s<br />
homepage and vice versa. Mr. Yonko’s<br />
class sent a United States flag, a Pennsylvania<br />
State flag, a copy of the United<br />
States Constitution, Bill of Rights, and<br />
letters and videos from our students<br />
to the German students. Pictured are<br />
Mr. Yonko’s students with the two<br />
flags that the group sent to Germany<br />
later on the day the photo was taken.<br />
In exchange, the German class sent a<br />
German flag, which is now displayed in<br />
Mr. Yonko’s classroom.<br />
German teacher Mr. Kloeppelt<br />
said that his class was so grateful for<br />
this first-hand information that they<br />
asked to rename their existing English<br />
Club (the German version of a Foreign<br />
Language Club) to its current new<br />
name, “American Club,” in honor of Mr.<br />
Yonko’s class.<br />
Students display the American Flag and Pennsylvania State Flag that they sent to their German pen pals.<br />
Row 1 – Metz Scholarship: Halan Nu Lam;<br />
Community Arts Center Scholarships: Hannah<br />
Winterscheidt, Jordan Kohler<br />
Row 2 – Unsung Hero: Phil Keilman, Susan Specht;<br />
Challenge Program Ambassadors: Zach Drennen,<br />
Sarah Walko (Absent from Photo – Allied Artist<br />
Scholarship: Allie Mundy)<br />
Row 1 – National <strong>School</strong> Choral Award: Christine<br />
Weidner, Ashley Schafer; Monstar Music Award: Luke<br />
Young, Annie Rummell<br />
Row 2 – Director’s Award: Josh Slocum, Matt<br />
Wagner, Kirsten Hess, Nick Adams (Orchestra Award),<br />
Jason Dailey<br />
Row 3 – Ken Null Award: Adam Steinbring; Rhythm<br />
and Groove Award: Kyle Hopkins; Samuel Hillard<br />
Award: Michael Gorzelsky (John Philip Sousa<br />
Award), Becca Seigh, Vanessa Stofko.<br />
“High <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
9
middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
Academic Best Awards at the<br />
Middle <strong>School</strong><br />
The Academic “Best” Award is for<br />
Grade 8 students only. To be eligible,<br />
students must have attended the<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Middle <strong>School</strong> for all<br />
four quarters of the Grade 8 year. A $100<br />
Savings Bond is awarded to the “Best”<br />
named student in the categories listed<br />
below. Winners are named in the picture<br />
captions and listed in each category below<br />
as well. The money for this award has<br />
been donated by Mr. Abe Beerman. Before<br />
his death in June of 2007, Mr. Beerman<br />
had established an Endowment Fund<br />
to support the Best Awards in memory<br />
of his beloved wife Janet. Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Beerman were obviously very committed<br />
to bringing out the “best” in the young<br />
people of our community.<br />
Row 1 – Carli Huber, Madison Milligan, Alyssa Miller,<br />
Ashlyn Bulas<br />
Row 2 – Aaron Marko, Dorothea Oller, Sydney Ruis,<br />
Rachel Mural, Natalie Fiorica<br />
Science: To qualify for the Science Award,<br />
the student must have an “A” average for<br />
three quarters, participate in all aspects<br />
of class (lectures, labs, question/answer,<br />
discussions), demonstrate leadership,<br />
respect for others, responsibility,<br />
reliability, and a mature attitude.<br />
Civics: The student must demonstrate<br />
scholastic high achievement, citizenship<br />
through school and community<br />
service, responsibility, dependability,<br />
cooperation with others, and initiative<br />
through class participation.<br />
Mathematics: To qualify for the Best<br />
Award in Mathematics, the student<br />
must demonstrate high scholastic<br />
achievement and positive classroom<br />
10 “Middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
performance. The outcomes of any<br />
appropriate challenges and achievement<br />
opportunities will be considered.<br />
Art: The selected student must display<br />
good citizenship and class participation,<br />
have a positive effect on peers, exhibit<br />
the use of all directions provided with a<br />
high level of creativity, and demonstrate<br />
a significant level of improvement or<br />
achievement.<br />
Foreign Language: The academic best in<br />
this category must attain high scholastic<br />
achievement, demonstrate excellent class<br />
participation and a positive classroom<br />
attitude, and demonstrate classroom<br />
leadership and reliability.<br />
Music: Participation in at least one<br />
ensemble is required for this award,<br />
along with superior grades in general<br />
music class; the student must possess<br />
leadership, responsibility, a positive<br />
attitude, and dependability.<br />
English: The student in this category must<br />
demonstrate scholarship, leadership,<br />
a positive attitude, class participation,<br />
responsibility, accountability,<br />
dependability, and initiative.<br />
Physical Education: The student selected<br />
in this category must display a<br />
positive attitude toward physical<br />
education, participate to the best of<br />
his or her ability in all activities at all<br />
times, score, at the least, the average<br />
requirement on the National Physical<br />
Fitness Test for Fitness, maintain or<br />
improve his/her score each time he/she<br />
is tested, demonstrate self-discipline,<br />
display sportsmanlike behavior, and<br />
demonstrate responsible, respectful<br />
behavior to peers as a team player.<br />
Academic “Best” Awards Recipients<br />
English – Dorothea Grace Oller<br />
Math – Carli Lynne Huber<br />
Science – Aaron Douglas Marko<br />
Civics – Natalie Anne Fiorica<br />
Foreign Language<br />
French – Alyssa Kali Miller<br />
Spanish – Madison Justine Milligan<br />
Art – Sydney Rhea Ruis<br />
Music – Rachel Andrul Mural<br />
Physical Education – Ashlyn Marie Bulas<br />
President’s Award<br />
for educational<br />
excellence<br />
Honoring student achievement<br />
and hard work is the purpose of the<br />
President’s Educational Excellence<br />
Award Program. To be eligible for this<br />
award, students must score 92% or<br />
above in grades 5, 6, 7, and the fall<br />
semester of Grade 8 and score at the<br />
advanced level in math or reading on<br />
the Grade 7 PSSA. Students receiving<br />
this award are listed below.<br />
Chelsea Balon<br />
Nicole Barnhart<br />
Colin Barron<br />
Timothy Barry<br />
Ashlyn Bulas<br />
Ian Campbell<br />
Erica Claycomb<br />
Rex Cosgrove<br />
Hannah Dorian<br />
Mattison Evans<br />
Grant Gagnon<br />
Lindsay Geiser<br />
Alex Hockensmith<br />
Carli Huber<br />
Brittany Irwin<br />
Isaac Joseph<br />
Braden Junker<br />
Benjamin Katz<br />
Kayla Lamison<br />
Tori Lehman<br />
Aaron Marko<br />
Alyssa Miller<br />
Spelling Bee<br />
Andrew Miller<br />
James Miller<br />
Madison Milligan<br />
Courtney Morder<br />
Rachel Mural<br />
Dorothea Oller<br />
Rachelmae Pulliam<br />
Sebastian Ragno<br />
Sean Robb<br />
Sydney Ruis<br />
Cody Sabo<br />
Abbigail Smajda<br />
Timothy Smith<br />
Abigail Stern<br />
Emily Strandquest<br />
Eric Thomas<br />
Molly Thomson<br />
Emily Ward<br />
Matthew Wehner<br />
Ruby Whorl<br />
Bailyn Yost<br />
Ashley Young<br />
The annual Scripps’ Regional Spelling<br />
Bee was held this year on January<br />
30th at St. Francis University. Two<br />
middle school girls competed this<br />
year. They are Grade 6: Madison<br />
Hrin (first time competitor) and Grade<br />
8: Dorothea Oller (who has competed<br />
at the regional bee for three years<br />
while attending the middle school).<br />
Dorothea won the regional bee in<br />
Grade 6 and competed at the state<br />
level.
Principal’s<br />
excellence Award<br />
The Principal’s Excellence Award<br />
is presented to Grade 8 students who<br />
meets the following criteria: Students<br />
must have an academic average of<br />
92% or higher each quarter of grades<br />
5, 6, and 7 in subjects qualifying for<br />
the honor roll. Students must have an<br />
academic average of 92% or higher for<br />
quarters 1 and 2 of Grade 8. Principal’s<br />
Excellence Award winners at the<br />
middle school are:<br />
Nicole Barnhart<br />
Ashlyn Bulas<br />
Rex Cosgrove<br />
Lindsay Geiser<br />
Carli Huber<br />
Isaac Joseph<br />
Alyssa Miller<br />
Madison Milligan<br />
Matthew Wehner<br />
Johns hopkins Young<br />
Students talent Search<br />
The Johns Hopkins University<br />
Center for Talented Youth (CTY)<br />
conducts national and international<br />
talent searches to identify outstanding<br />
academic talent. Through the Talent<br />
Search, high-performing students take<br />
a test designed for older students. This<br />
above-grade-level testing can reveal<br />
more about the academic talents<br />
of students. Students who exhibit<br />
outstanding academic talent are<br />
eligible for nomination by educators<br />
and parents. Nomination is an honor<br />
in itself. Below are the honorees.<br />
Grade 5: Venkat Gella earned High<br />
Honors in Verbal and Math Sections<br />
Grade 7: Tristan Aiken, Colleen<br />
Mulrooney - Distinction in Reading,<br />
Nicholas Sturniolo - Distinction in<br />
Math, John Williams<br />
Grade 8: Isaac Joseph, Benjamin Katz,<br />
Rachel Mural, Matthew Wehner<br />
- Distinction in Reading and Math<br />
middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
Principal’s Excellence Award<br />
Row 1 – Lindsay Geiser, Nicole Barnhart, Ashlyn Bulas, Isaac Joseph<br />
Row 2 – Matthew Wehner, Carli Huber, Alyssa Miller, Madison Milligan, Rex Cosgrove<br />
c-Mites of carnegie Mellon<br />
C-Mites is a program conducted by Carnegie Mellon University for<br />
academically talented students in Grades 3 through 6. Students across<br />
Pennsylvania took the EXPLORE test in late January to qualify for<br />
membership in C-Mites and were distinguished as follows:<br />
Grade 5: Megan Carbaugh, Dodge Kudrna<br />
Grade 6: Rita Bekhash, Bryce Kramer<br />
correction corner<br />
“At the source of every error which is blamed on the computer, you will find at<br />
least two human errors, including the error of blaming it on the computer.” (Author<br />
Unknown)<br />
In the previous edition of the <strong>Hilltop</strong>per Highlights, Brady Shriver should<br />
have been acknowledged for achievement in Continental Math League, and<br />
Riley Shriver should have been honored for the Language Arts Olympiad.<br />
We applaud these two students.<br />
“Middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
11
middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
Middle <strong>School</strong> Students Strengthen their<br />
Minds and Bodies through exercise<br />
Competitions such as National Current Events Team, Knowledge Masters,<br />
Word Masters, Spelling Bee, and Continental Math League are offered to students<br />
at the middle school as a way to test their skill against their peers on local, state<br />
and sometimes national levels. Medals and Certificates are signs of outstanding<br />
academic performance in these competitions.<br />
Knowledge Masters<br />
Congratulations to the Knowledge Masters Open Team! In the spring KMO<br />
competition, the Grades 7-8 Team ranked 10th in the STATE of 61 schools. The<br />
Grades 5-6 Team finished 13th of 30 schools in Pennsylvania. They are growing<br />
strong. These highly competitive teams include the following members:<br />
Grade 5:<br />
Brock Bernstein, G. Thomas Brill, Kyle<br />
Drennen, Venkat Gella, Elle Goldblatt,<br />
Daniel Kevenk, Matthew Mostoller,<br />
Laura Mulrooney, Taylor Smitherman,<br />
Rachel Toth, Meredith Trio<br />
Grade 6:<br />
Rita Bekhash, Emily Brazill, Zoe<br />
Goldblatt, Mitchell Hochfeld,<br />
Madison Hrin, Megan Huber,<br />
1 “Middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
Sarah Kilpatrick, Ashley Kush,<br />
Monica Lough, Sarah Minnick, Bryan<br />
Mock, Jenna Paratore, Erik Wehner<br />
Grade 7:<br />
MaryJo Beckhash<br />
Grade 8:<br />
Rex Cosgrove, Carli Huber, Isaac<br />
Joseph, Dorothea Oller, Niccolas<br />
Shorto, Matthew Wehner<br />
technology club Participated in computer Fair<br />
There was a new club formed this year at WHMS: Technology Club. Any<br />
student in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade who is interested in technology was able to join<br />
the club. The students worked by themselves or with one or two other students<br />
to create projects for the PA Regional Middle <strong>School</strong> Computer Fair, which is held<br />
in March at the Penn State, Altoona Campus. The students worked on projects in<br />
the following categories: Computer Fair Logo, Desktop Publishing, Digital Movie,<br />
Graphic Design, and Multimedia. All students chose the category and the topic<br />
for their projects. There were 21 students from WHMS who attended the fair:<br />
Computer Fair Logo Category<br />
Lauren Fregly – 7th grade - 1st Place<br />
Lauren was able to advance to the<br />
state competition held on May 26th at<br />
Dickinson College.<br />
Jonas Geisel, Dylan Kmecak, and Ben<br />
Wiesenbach – 7th grade – 2nd Place<br />
David Williams and Erik Wehner<br />
– 6th Grade<br />
Desktop Publishing Category<br />
John Minnick – 7th grade – Coney<br />
Island Lunch Flyer<br />
Caitlyn Miller, Michelle Concannon,<br />
and Jenna Paratore – 6th grade<br />
– Technology Club brochure<br />
Digital Movie Category<br />
Erica Claycomb and Mattison Evans<br />
– 8th grade - “Save the Animals” – 3rd<br />
Place<br />
Corrin Claycomb, Maiya Mastovich,<br />
and Mariah Kozak – 7th grade -<br />
“Childhood Obesity”<br />
Veronica Petrus – 6th grade –<br />
“Bullying for Bad Grades” – 2nd Place<br />
Graphic Design Category<br />
Zoe Johnson – 7th grade – “CAOW<br />
– Children Are Our World” – 1st Place<br />
Zoe was able to advance to the state<br />
competition held on May 26th at<br />
Dickinson College.<br />
National current<br />
events teams<br />
Students in National Current<br />
Events League commit to seven<br />
months of extensive study of<br />
current events in the news and<br />
weekly discussion meetings on<br />
current events topics. Four times<br />
per year, students across the<br />
country then take a test requiring<br />
analysis and evaluation. Listed are<br />
the students who participated in<br />
this rigorous study.<br />
Grade 5:<br />
medal and certificate<br />
Mitchell Hochfeld<br />
certificates<br />
G. Thomas Brill, Lauren Criswell,<br />
Venkat Gella, Elle Goldblatt,<br />
Joseph Hlivko, Daniel Kevenk,<br />
Laura Mulrooney<br />
Grade 6:<br />
certificates<br />
Rita Bekhash, Zoe Goldblatt,<br />
Megan Huber, Ashley Kush,<br />
Monica Lough, Sarah Minnick,<br />
Erik Wehner<br />
Grades 7-8<br />
medal and certificate<br />
Devon Gilbert<br />
certificates<br />
Timothy Barry, Mary Jo<br />
Beckhash, Rex Cosgrove, Carli<br />
Huber, Emily Kilmartin, Tori<br />
Lehman, Andrew Miller, Emily<br />
Strandquest, Matthew Wehner<br />
Jordan Brant and Ryan Adams – 6th<br />
grade – “Brant’s Driving <strong>School</strong>” – 3rd<br />
Place<br />
Multimedia Category<br />
Natalie Fiorica – 8th grade – “How<br />
to Choose the Right Path” (College<br />
Admission – PowerPoint)<br />
Claire Gagnon – 6th grade – “Bullying”<br />
(PowerPoint)<br />
Erik Wehner and David Williams<br />
– 6th grade – “The Pittsburgh Zoo”<br />
Powerpoint
WordMasters challenge at the<br />
Middle <strong>School</strong><br />
The WordMasters Challenge<br />
is a national language arts<br />
competition. The challenge has<br />
been administered for the past<br />
21 years and is dedicated to the<br />
inspiration of high achievement<br />
in American schools. The process<br />
involves exercises in critical<br />
thinking and the development<br />
of vocabulary through the use of<br />
words that are higher than grade<br />
level expectations in the form<br />
of analogies. Students are tested<br />
on their comprehension of the<br />
definitions and on their ability to<br />
analyze these words in analogies.<br />
Our students consistently excel<br />
in these challenges of learning<br />
new words as they solve logical<br />
puzzles. This year three fifth grade<br />
students earned 20/20 on the final<br />
challenge: Michael Roper, Venkat<br />
Gella, and Matthew Mostoller. On<br />
this particular test 36,980 students<br />
participated and only 140 scored<br />
20/20. In fifth grade there was a tie<br />
for the medal for highest overall<br />
score – Brock Bernstein and<br />
Venkat Gella. The medal winner in<br />
6th grade with the highest overall<br />
score in her grade is Madison Hrin.<br />
She missed only five of 60 analogies<br />
all year. Students who have become<br />
expert “WordMasters” are listed by<br />
grade level. Pictured are the newest<br />
WordMasters in the middle school.<br />
Grade 5: medal and certificate<br />
Brock Bernstein, Venkat Gella<br />
certificates<br />
Brock Bennett, Kyle Drennen,<br />
Victoria Geiser, Daniel Kevenk,<br />
Matthew Mostoller, Michael Roper,<br />
Taylor Smitherman, John Weidner<br />
Grade 6: medal and certificate<br />
Madison Hrin<br />
certificates<br />
Jamie Geiser, Mitchell Hochfeld,<br />
Megan Huber, Bryce Kramer,<br />
Sarah Minnick, Erik Wehner,<br />
David Williams, Zachary Vliet<br />
Grade 7: medal and certificate<br />
Emily Kilmartin<br />
certificates<br />
Baylee Bortz, Nicholas Mical,<br />
Francesca Ramirez, Thomas<br />
Hutzell<br />
Grade 8: medal and certificate<br />
Dorothea Oller<br />
certificates<br />
Ashlyn Bulas, Rex Cosgrove, Alex<br />
Hockensmith, Brandon Hunsinger,<br />
Isaac Joseph, Alyssa Miller ,<br />
Courtney Morder, Abigail Stern,<br />
Matthew Wehner<br />
WordMasters Grade 5 Team Row 1: Victoria Geiser, Venkat Gella, Brock Bernstein,<br />
John Weidner, Matthew Mostoller<br />
Row 2 – Daniel Kevenk, Taylor Smitherman, Brock Bennett, Kyle Drennen, Michael Roper<br />
middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
interscholastic<br />
reading team<br />
Achievements<br />
One of the best ways to qualify for<br />
any of the awards and recognitions<br />
contained within this newsletter is<br />
to READ, READ, READ! The middle<br />
school students on our reading<br />
teams understand the importance of<br />
reading. The following students have<br />
earned distinction for their reading<br />
achievement.<br />
Grade 6: certificates<br />
Megan Huber, Sarah Kilpatrick<br />
Grade 7-8: certificates<br />
Natalie Fiorica, Lindsey Geiser, Carli<br />
Huber, Ellis Kane, Emily Kilmartin,<br />
Dorothea Oller, Molly Thomson<br />
Reading Competition Team Grades 7/8<br />
Row 1 – Lindsay Geiger, Sarah Kirkpatrick, Ellie Kane,<br />
Megan Huber<br />
Row 2 – Molly Thomson, Natalie Fiorica, Carli Huber,<br />
Dorothea Oller<br />
Geography Bee<br />
Through Geography Bee, students<br />
learn about the whole wide world<br />
through a study of the multitude of<br />
characteristics of our planet.<br />
<strong>School</strong> Champion:<br />
Matthew Wehner<br />
Grade 7-8: finalists<br />
Devon Gilbert, Alex Hockensmith,<br />
Carli Huber, Alexander Roper,<br />
Niccolas Shorto, Nora Springer,<br />
Charlie Warner<br />
Geography Bee Grade 5: finalist<br />
Aunna Yingling<br />
Grade 6: finalists<br />
Nora Springer, Erik Wehner<br />
“Middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
1
middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
Middle <strong>School</strong> Mathcounts<br />
At the middle school, math COUNTS!<br />
Eight students competed in the Regional<br />
MathCounts competition at UPJ.<br />
Participants were Carli Huber, Dorothea<br />
Oller, Hunter Williams, Rex Cosgrove,<br />
David Ketenheim, Baylee Bortz, Sam<br />
Barry, and Sarah Minnick. There<br />
were 18 schools and 132 contestants<br />
1 “Middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
at the competition. And we are proud<br />
to say that for the second year in a<br />
row <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> has won the<br />
REGIONAL competition. Carli, Dorothea,<br />
Hunter, and Rex all placed in the top<br />
20 and represented <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong><br />
at the State Competition in Harrisburg,<br />
on March 27th. These four were also<br />
Middle <strong>School</strong> MathCounts<br />
Row 1 – Bryan Mock, Sam Barry<br />
Row 2 – David Ketenheim, Hunter Williams, Sarah Minnick, Kyleigh Smith, Ashley Kush, David<br />
Williams, Megan Huber<br />
Row 3 – Dorothea Oller, Carli Huber, Rex Cosgrove, Jillian Foster, Mitchell Hochfeld, Baylee Bortz<br />
continental Math league Award<br />
Continental Mathematics League is<br />
a national competition with the goal<br />
of helping students improve problem<br />
solving skills by challenging them<br />
with complex multi-step problems. The<br />
following students earned distinction:<br />
Grade 5: medal and certificate<br />
Justin Bulas, Venkat Gella, Daniel<br />
Kevenk, Brionna Lehman, Matthew<br />
Mostoller, Rachel Toth<br />
certificates<br />
Brock Bernstein, Victoria Geiser,<br />
Mathilda Santee<br />
Grade 6: medal and certificate<br />
Samuel Barry, Sarah Minnick,<br />
David Williams, Hunter Williams<br />
certificates<br />
Lindsey Aman, Zachary Vliet<br />
Grade 7: medal and certificate<br />
Drake Dorian, Nicholas Mical,<br />
Bridget Moyer, Aidan Winterscheidt<br />
invited to attend the PSPE (Pennsylvania<br />
Society of Professional Engineers) annual<br />
banquet.<br />
Grade 6: participation certificate<br />
Mitchell Hochfeld, Megan Huber,<br />
Ashley Kush, Bryan Mock, David<br />
Williams<br />
Competed on the school team, regional<br />
competition certificate and red ribbon<br />
Hunter Williams<br />
Regional Competition certificate and<br />
white ribbon<br />
Samuel Barry, Sarah Minnick<br />
Grade 7 & 8: participation certificate<br />
Jillian Foster, Kyleigh Smith<br />
Regional Competition certificate and<br />
white ribbon<br />
Baylee Bortz, David Ketenheim<br />
Competed on the school team, regional<br />
competition certificate and red ribbon<br />
Rex Cosgrove, Carli Huber, Dorothea<br />
Oller, Hunter Williams (6th grade)<br />
certificates<br />
Noah Gordon, Alexander Roper,<br />
Kyleigh Smith, John Williams<br />
Grade 8: medal and certificate<br />
Lindsay Geiser, Carli Huber,<br />
David Ketenheim, Dorothea Oller,<br />
Brady Shriver, Miranda Shriver<br />
certificates<br />
Grant Bernstein, Brandon<br />
Hunsinger, Matthew Wehner<br />
Middle <strong>School</strong> Continental Math League Team<br />
Row 1 – Lindsay Geiser, Drake Dorian, Zach Vliet,<br />
Victoria Geiser, Mathilda Santee, Venkat Gella, Brock<br />
Bernstein, Matthew Mostoller, Rachel Toth, Brionna<br />
Lehman, Sam Barry<br />
Row 2 – Sarah Minnick, Justin Bulas, Daniel Kevenk,<br />
David Williams, Nicholas Mical, Lindsey Aman, Hunter<br />
Williams, Kyleigh Smith, David Ketenheim, Miranda<br />
Shriver, Aiden Winterscheidt<br />
Row 3 – Brandon Hunsinger, Noah Gordan, Brady<br />
Shriver, Matthew Wehner, John Williams, Grant<br />
Bernstein, Carli Huber, Dorothea Oller, Alex Roper,<br />
Bridget Moyer
the President’s Physical Fitness Award<br />
Winners at the Middle <strong>School</strong> Are . . .<br />
Students in the fitness photographs<br />
are those who have won the President’s<br />
Physical Fitness Award for the first<br />
time at the middle school in Grade 5<br />
and those who have won the award<br />
during all four years at the middle<br />
school. All winners are listed below.<br />
Grade 5<br />
Michael Crans<br />
Brennan Hearn<br />
Allison Hlivko<br />
Josiah Jones<br />
Dodge Kudrna<br />
Michael Lamison<br />
Brionna Lehman<br />
Nicholas McQuillan<br />
Alexander Miller<br />
Jocelyn Pawcio<br />
Alexis Pollock<br />
David Valcheff<br />
Kayla Vizza<br />
Aunna Yingling<br />
Grade 6<br />
Trent Blackburn<br />
Quinn Callihan<br />
Chase Davis<br />
Austin DeGrange<br />
Evan Dluhos<br />
Katherine Flick<br />
Megan Graham<br />
Lacey Grassmeyer<br />
Chad Held<br />
Leah Hockensmith<br />
Kohl Henry<br />
Tristin Kresak<br />
Victoria Louder<br />
Monica Lough<br />
Katheryn Marley<br />
Sara Minnick<br />
Kyler Pyshnik<br />
Collin Schafer<br />
Connor Schafer<br />
Alana Somerville<br />
Joshua Straw<br />
Sara Stumpo<br />
Grade 7<br />
Alexis Albert<br />
Victoria Bertovich<br />
Sadie Carney<br />
Margaret Clark<br />
Stephen DeMarco<br />
Drake Dorian<br />
Alexandria Edwards<br />
Sarah Fisher<br />
Lauren Fregly<br />
Kyle Geibig<br />
Maura Glennon<br />
Kaylee Grassmyer<br />
Taylor Kaseler<br />
Kaylee Keefe<br />
Emily Mayket<br />
Adam McQuillan<br />
Nicholas Mical<br />
Cameron Nulton<br />
Kaitlyn Pawcio<br />
Kyleigh Smith<br />
Sara Suler<br />
Sara Trio<br />
Lily Whorl<br />
Megan Zolnosky<br />
Grade 8<br />
Chelsea Balon<br />
Nicole Barnhart<br />
Logan Blackburn<br />
Lewis Buchkovich<br />
Ashlyn Bulas<br />
Tristin Butz<br />
Chris Campigotto<br />
Alex Hockensmith<br />
Shyleigh Hughes<br />
Kayla Lamison<br />
Tori Lehman<br />
Bradon Lovenduski<br />
Noah Marley<br />
Cullen McQuillan<br />
Alyssa Miller<br />
Liam Moran<br />
Colton Moser<br />
Alexandra Mostoller<br />
Nollaig Noll<br />
Shayla Salter<br />
Timothy Smith<br />
Taylor Somerville<br />
Robert Whitlow<br />
Bailyn Yost<br />
Cody Zimmerman<br />
middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement<br />
Grade 5 President’s Physical Fitness Awards (First Time Winners)<br />
Row 1 – Kayla Vizza, Allison Hlivko, Alexis Pollock, Jocelyn Pawcio, Brionna Lehman<br />
Row 2 – Aunna Yingling, Nicholas McQuillen, David Valcheff, Michael Lamison, Brennan Hearn<br />
Row 3 – Alexander Miller, Dodge Kudrna, Michael Crans<br />
Grade 8 President’s Physical Fitness Awards (All 4<br />
years at the MS)<br />
Row 1 – Nollaig Noll, Lewis Buchkovich, Liam Moran<br />
Row 2 – Shyleigh Hughes, Logan Blackburn<br />
“Middle <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
15
elementAry Achievement<br />
continental Mathematics league top Scorers<br />
The picture captions in the<br />
elementary academic sections of the<br />
<strong>Hilltop</strong>per Highlights will identify<br />
students who were competitive at<br />
their grade levels and within their<br />
Continental Mathematics Grade 3: Amelia Aiken, Jonathan Heider, Francis<br />
Durand, Jonathan Barnhart ( nd place local medal; nd place IU 08 medal), Moses<br />
Zeidan (1st place local medal; 1st place IU 08 medal; 1st place national medal)<br />
WordMasters<br />
16 “Elementary <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
Continental Mathematics Grade 4: Leo Cosgrove ( nd place local medal),<br />
Ethan Dubnansky, Grayson Moyer (1st place local medal, nd place IU 08 medal),<br />
Ariana Santos, Vaughan Kramer<br />
The WordMasters competition is all about vocabulary. WordMasters is designed to increase students’ vocabulary<br />
as they study a different list of words and their meanings weekly.<br />
Front row – Moses Zeidan (1st place local medal), Susie Williams, Mark Oller,<br />
Kayleigh Noll, Maeve Milligan, Rebekah Kevenk<br />
Back row – Anna Gagnon, Amelia Aiken, Austin Gibson, Kyle Gordon<br />
divisions in science, language arts, and<br />
mathematics at both the intermediate<br />
unit and national levels in Continental<br />
Math League Competition and<br />
in the Olympiads. The variety of<br />
WordMasters, Grade 3 WordMasters, Grade 4<br />
competitions offered at the elementary<br />
school will encourage students to<br />
gauge their performances on a level<br />
that challenges them beyond the<br />
confines of the school walls.<br />
Front row – Leo Cosgrove (1st place local medal), Simon Joseph, Ethan<br />
Dubnansky, Patrick Brown, Ariana Santos<br />
Back row – Hannah Davis, Mackenzie Dunn, Madison Reitter, Vaughan Kramer,<br />
Grayson Moyer
Science and language Arts olympiads<br />
Students in Grades 2, 3, and 4<br />
participated in the Science and Language<br />
Arts Olympiads. Both of these contests<br />
are based on multiple-choice questions,<br />
which are administered to grade level<br />
groups. Each contest has a time limit<br />
language Arts olympiad top ten Grade 4:<br />
Front row – Patrick Brown, Clinton Sparling, Ethan Dubnansky, Meredith<br />
Winterscheidt, Ariana Santos (1st place local medal; 1st place national medal)<br />
Back row – Vaughan Kramer, Elli Hrin, Hannah Davis, Grayson Moyer, Mackenzie Dunn<br />
language Arts olympiad top ten Grade 3:<br />
Front row – Amelia Aiken, Rebekah Kevenk, Moses Zeidan, Sophie Hochfeld, Kyle<br />
Gordon, Susie Williams (1st place local medal; 1st place national medal)<br />
Back row – Julia Bingler, Jonathan Barnhart, Carissa Casale, Maeve Milligan<br />
language Arts olympiad top ten Grade 2:<br />
Front row – Gabrielle Angeletti, Zachary Connor, Michael Buchkovich, Vincent Tabib,<br />
Kara Lynch, Joshua Elders Back row – Grace Misner, Greta George, Lauren Botteicher,<br />
Dylan Roberts-McDonald (1st place local medal; 1st place national medal)<br />
of 35 minutes. There is no limit to the<br />
number of students who may participate.<br />
The sum of the top ten scores for<br />
each competition is the school’s team<br />
score. Questions for the Language Arts<br />
Olympiad are based on the following<br />
Science olympiad top ten Grade 4:<br />
elementAry Achievement<br />
Front row – Leo Cosgrove, Kaitlyn Poad, Clinton Sparling, Simon Joseph, Vaughan<br />
Kramer (1st place local medal), Jacob Law<br />
Back row – Weston Porter, Luke Schrum, Ariana Santos, Patrick Brown<br />
Science olympiad top ten Grade 3:<br />
Front row – David Fleming, Lee Santee, Moses Zeidan, Joshua Reitter, Austin Gibson<br />
Back row – Miracle Kaminsky, Kyle Gordon, Julie Duong, Amelia Aiken, Jonathon<br />
Heider (1st place local medal winner)<br />
Science olympiad top ten Grade 2:<br />
topics: spelling, vocabulary, reading<br />
comprehension, analogies, and grammar.<br />
Science Olympiad questions are based on<br />
factual knowledge, as well as students’<br />
understanding of scientific processes.<br />
Front row – Max Yonko, Gavin Scott, Adam Raneri, Conrad Suppes, Malcolm<br />
Milligan Back row – Dylan Roberts-McDonald, Grace Misner, Danielle Kramer, Pierce<br />
Martin, Jonathan Kane (1st place local medal; 1st place national medal)<br />
“Elementary <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
1
elementAry Achievement<br />
Perfect Attendance<br />
It is an outstanding feat when<br />
a student earns an annual perfect<br />
attendance certificate. The following<br />
elementary school students attended<br />
school every day of the 2009-2010<br />
school year.<br />
Perfect Attendance Grade 2: Max Wilkinson,<br />
Janette Nowak<br />
hilltopper heroes<br />
18 “Elementary <strong>School</strong> Achievement”<br />
Grade 3 Perfect Attendance: Natalie Morman, Alex Miller, Christopher Durham, Paul Nowak,<br />
Sydney Podrebarac, Madison Brant, Casey Moskal, Lindsey Pullin<br />
Perfect Attendance Grade 4: Kennedy Welsh, Blake Cassick, Leo Cosgrove, Arianna Santos, Luke<br />
Schrum<br />
These students were identified by teachers and staff for exemplary HERO (which stands for “Helping Everyone by<br />
Reaching Out”) behaviors as part of the elementary school’s Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.<br />
<strong>Hilltop</strong>per Heroes:<br />
Front row – Jonathan Heider, Nicole Gawel, Blaise Bloom, Jacob Allen,<br />
Maggie Crawford, Grace Gardill, Jillian Andolina, Tanner Civis, Ian Buday,<br />
Jordan Faust, Lauren Lavis<br />
Back row – Jenna Zatsick, Sean Hegadus, Christian Assad, Adam Kush,<br />
Griffin Slagel<br />
<strong>Hilltop</strong>per Heroes:<br />
Front row – Austin Gibson, Leilani Zimmerman, Mya Wilt, Maeve Milligan,<br />
Macey Morrell, Luke Schrum, Arianna Santos, Ethan Binnachio<br />
Back row – Natalie Morman, Alexis Nibert, Tyler Geary, Amelia Aiken, Devin<br />
Boxler, Casey Moskal
citizenShip & community recognition<br />
Senatorial Good citizenship Award<br />
The Senatorial Good Citizenship Award was provided by Senator John Wozniak for elementary students who met the<br />
following criteria: 1) superior academic achievement, 2) leadership capacity, 3) consistent work habits, 4) positive self-image,<br />
and 5) the ability to interact positively with others. Students are nominated by the classroom teacher, guidance counselor,<br />
and principal to receive this honor. Recipients of this award for kindergarten through Grade 4 are presented below.<br />
Senatorial Good Citizenship Award Kindergarten: Front row – Parker Marion,<br />
Norah Panek, Judith Oller, Noah Moser, Julia Kleinmeyer Back row – Liam O’Neil, Ella<br />
Rozich, Penny Lee, Allenna Shellenberger, Felice Panebianco, Ethan Kravitz<br />
Senatorial Good Citizenship Award Grade 2: Front row – Jessika Magulick, Max<br />
Wilkinson, Meghan Smitherman, Malcolm Milligan Back row – Hannah Zalesky, Kara<br />
Lynch, Cassidy Weir<br />
Senatorial Good Citizenship Award Grade 4: Front row – Jenna Zatsick,<br />
Christopher Hasse, Meredith Winterscheidt, Megan Reitz, Luke Schrum<br />
Back row – Olivia Friday, Griffin Slagel, Hannah Davis, Sam Henry, Garrett Crans,<br />
Zoey Zentkovich<br />
Senatorial Good Citizenship Award Grade 1: Aiden McNulty, Lauren Mock,<br />
Madison Knupp, Connor Toth, Amaya O’Donnell, Gavin Cramer, Kallie Williams, Will<br />
Weinzierl<br />
Senatorial Good Citizenship Award Grade 3: Front row – Emily Barkhimer,<br />
Caitlin Short, Sydney Podrebarac, Julie Duong, Casey Moskal Back row – Tyler<br />
Geary, Alexis Nibert, Anna Gagnon, David Leiden, Tristan Rodak<br />
hilltoppers for haiti<br />
With the leadership of AmeriCorp Instructional<br />
Support Aide Kourtney Penatzer, students at the<br />
elementary school participated in a “<strong>Hilltop</strong>pers for<br />
Haiti Red and Blue Day!” On January 28, <strong>Hilltop</strong>pers<br />
for Haiti had raised $1,368.55. The children wore red<br />
or blue shirts, the colors of Haiti’s flag, and brought<br />
donations to help the victims. Contributions were<br />
designated to be used to buy food, medical supplies,<br />
and other necessities for the Haitian people. The Red<br />
Cross issued a certificate of<br />
appreciation to our students.<br />
This poster of the Haitian Flag advertised<br />
the focus of the day. Students also studied<br />
the location, population, vegetation, and<br />
geography of Haiti.<br />
“Citizenship & Community Recognition”<br />
19
citizenShip & community recognition<br />
elementary<br />
Math-A-thon<br />
Math-A-Thon is a fundraiser<br />
which benefits St. Jude Children’s<br />
Research Hospital. Encouraged by<br />
Jamie Petrunak, who coordinated<br />
the initiative at the elementary<br />
school, and Sydney Distefano, who<br />
provided inspiration and leadership<br />
for the students, our elementary<br />
students contributed to the hope<br />
that is so important to the children<br />
who are patients at St. Jude.<br />
American legion<br />
Awards<br />
The American Legion Award is<br />
presented by the American Legion<br />
Auxiliary to a boy and a girl in Grade<br />
8. Students earning the award for 2010<br />
are Matthew Wehner and Bailyn<br />
Yost. The criteria used to select the<br />
recipients are listed as follows:<br />
Honor: Strength and stability of<br />
character, high standards of conduct,<br />
keen sense of what is right, adherence<br />
to truth and conscience, and devotion<br />
to duty.<br />
Scholarship: Scholastic attainment,<br />
evidence of industry, and application<br />
in studies.<br />
Service: Kindness, unselfishness,<br />
willingness to lend a helping hand,<br />
protection to the weak, and deference<br />
to the interests and welfare of<br />
associates without hope of personal<br />
reward.<br />
Americanism: Active interest in<br />
promotion of love of country.<br />
Leadership: Ability to conduct the<br />
duties of leadership assigned to one as<br />
exemplified in the holding of an office,<br />
participation in committees,<br />
and exhibition of a team attitude.<br />
Courage: The capacity to show moral<br />
courage to stand up for what is right.<br />
0 “Citizenship & Community Recognition”<br />
Senatorial Good citizenship Award<br />
Each year at the middle school,<br />
Senator Wozniak provides special<br />
recognition to one middle school<br />
student who demonstrates the<br />
following indicators of outstanding<br />
citizenship: superior academic<br />
achievement, leadership capacity,<br />
consistent work habits, positive selfimage,<br />
and ability to interact positively<br />
with others. Molly Rita Thomson has<br />
made us proud.<br />
Senatorial Good Citizenship Award: Molly Thomson<br />
Jefferson Award and Prudential Spirit of<br />
community Award<br />
Conner Hagins was recognized<br />
by Secretary of Education Dr. Jerry<br />
Zahorchak at the Pennsylvania<br />
Council of Social Studies and was<br />
subsequently awarded the Jefferson<br />
Award for Community Service. Conner<br />
participated in the Jefferson Awards<br />
Youth Summit held in Cincinnati<br />
this year. He attended on a grant<br />
provided by Secretary Zahorchak.<br />
Representative Frank Burns<br />
presented Conner with a citation<br />
for community service from the PA<br />
House of Representatives at the Middle<br />
<strong>School</strong> Awards Ceremony. Conner<br />
also received the Prudential Spirit of<br />
Community Award.<br />
The Prudential Spirit of<br />
Community Award represents the<br />
largest youth recognition program<br />
based solely on volunteer service<br />
in the United States. Conner has<br />
collected stuffed animals for<br />
hospitalized children over a period of<br />
five years. The initiative has helped<br />
the Alternative Community Resource<br />
Program, the Women’s Help Center,<br />
and Good Samaritan Nursing Care<br />
Center.<br />
Conner Hagins receives a citation for community service<br />
presented by State Representative Frank Burns.<br />
American Legion Award: Matthew Wehner American Legion Award: Bailyn Yost
A Safe, Nurturing<br />
environment<br />
The <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Middle<br />
<strong>School</strong> continued its efforts to<br />
maintain a positive, safe, and<br />
respectful WHMS. During the 2009-<br />
2010 school year, we reinforced that<br />
mission, beginning with a “RESPECT<br />
Kickoff and Drug-Free Awareness<br />
Week.” RESPECT stands for “Remember<br />
Every Single Person deserves Equal<br />
Caring Treatment.” The RESPECT<br />
program is a component of the WHSD<br />
Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.<br />
Highlighting the offerings were<br />
presenters from the Johnstown Police<br />
Department, Victim Services, and Mr.<br />
Tim Piccirillo, a nationally recognized<br />
motivational speaker. Students were<br />
given opportunities to work in groups<br />
to promote school pride. The week<br />
concluded with a student and staff<br />
assembly encouraging students to<br />
continue to build on the positive<br />
atmosphere that they created through<br />
their hard work and dedication during<br />
the week.<br />
Tim Piccirillo and a th Grade student, Tristan Aiken,<br />
from the Middle <strong>School</strong> RESPECT Kickoff Program.<br />
citizenShip & community recognition<br />
“<strong>Merit</strong>orious Attitude & effort” Awards<br />
Each year, <strong>Merit</strong>orious Attitude and Effort Awards are given to several<br />
students in each grade. This award is given to students who exhibit a positive<br />
and commendable attitude and give continuous effort in their educational<br />
endeavors. Work ethic is one of the foremost qualities that future employers seek<br />
in prospective employees. Our students are developing excellence in work ethic at<br />
the middle school. Recipients are as follows:<br />
Grade 5<br />
Madelyn Bridges<br />
G. Thomas Brill<br />
Michael Roper<br />
Grade 6<br />
Ryan Adams<br />
Emily Brazill<br />
Inez Panebianco<br />
Grade 7<br />
Baylee Bortz<br />
Noah Gordon<br />
Emily Kilmartin<br />
Kyleigh Smith<br />
Grade 8<br />
Hannah Dorian<br />
Devon Gilbert<br />
Brandon Leech<br />
Alexandra Mostoller<br />
<strong>Merit</strong>orious Attitude and Effort Awards: Row 1 – Tom Brill, Ryan Adams, Madelyn<br />
Bridges, Devon Gilbert Row 2 – Inez Panebianco, Hannah Dorian, Alexandra Mostoller,<br />
Michael Roper Row 3 – Kyleigh Smith, Baylee Bortz, Noah Gordon, Brandon Leech, Emily<br />
Brazill (Absent from photo Emily Kilmartin)<br />
National<br />
Multiple Sclerosis<br />
Society read-Athon<br />
Devon Gilbert was recognized<br />
at the Middle <strong>School</strong> Awards<br />
Ceremony for his service to the<br />
Multiple Sclerosis Society. The<br />
Multiple Sclerosis Society hosts a<br />
special event called the MS Read-<br />
A-Thon, a program that helps fund<br />
research for treatments and a cure<br />
for multiple sclerosis, a disease of<br />
the central nervous system.<br />
Fleet reserve Award<br />
At the middle school, a $50<br />
savings bond was presented to Serena<br />
Irene Ramirez on behalf of the Fleet<br />
Reserve Association, a nonprofit<br />
organization comprised of enlisted<br />
personnel of the United States Navy,<br />
Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.<br />
Fleet Reserve Award Recipient Serena Ramirez.<br />
“Citizenship & Community Recognition”<br />
1
citizenShip & community recognition<br />
Perfect Attendance Award<br />
A student with a strong work ethic may not be able to achieve perfect<br />
attendance for many valid reasons; but students with perfect attendance have<br />
certainly demonstrated their determination to succeed through strong evidence<br />
of work ethic and enthusiastic participation. At the middle school, students who<br />
were awarded the Perfect Attendance Award were never dismissed from school<br />
(except for school-related events) and these students were never tardy coming to<br />
school. Punctuality is a noteworthy achievement in addition to their outstanding<br />
attendance records, and it provides an acknowledgement for pre-high school<br />
students who have already developed an important skill that employers will<br />
value upon graduation. The students in the accompanying picture have earned<br />
the perfect attendance award.<br />
Grade 5<br />
Aunna Yingling<br />
Grade 6<br />
Michelle Concannon<br />
Alec Geibig<br />
Gregory Heider<br />
Alana Somerville<br />
Middle <strong>School</strong> Perfect Attendance: Row 1 – Devon Gilbert, Alana Somerville, Aunna Yingling, Greg<br />
Heider, Alec Geibig Row 2 - Ashlyn Bulas, Taylor Somerville, Aaron Marko, Michelle Concannon, John Minnick<br />
Key club Award<br />
“Citizenship & Community Recognition”<br />
Grade 7<br />
John Minnick<br />
Grade 8<br />
Ashlyn Bulas<br />
Devon Gilbert<br />
Aaron Marko<br />
Taylor Somerville<br />
Stephen Daniel Legath<br />
This year’s Key Club award goes to Stephen Daniel Legath. Key Club, under<br />
the capable leadership of high school teacher Janice Layton, is dedicated to serving<br />
our school and community. This year, Key Club was led by officers Stephen Legath<br />
(President), Andrea Ghezzi (Vice President), Britney Smith (Secretary), Kyle Kunkle<br />
(Treasurer), and Nicole Simmons (Webmaster). The year began with participation<br />
in the 2nd annual Homecoming Community BBQ with hot chocolate sales and the<br />
hit of the night—the fish bowl game. Key Club members served the Senior Citizens’<br />
Luncheon in November. In December, Key Club members baked cookies to raise<br />
money for Cookies for Kids Cancer. Over the winter months, Key Club assisted with<br />
the elementary school blood drive, and sold candy bars for Valentine’s Day with all<br />
of the profits going to a “No-Kill” Animal Shelter. This spring, Key Club participated<br />
in Daffodil Days, assisting in daffodil sales to raise money for the American Cancer<br />
Society. Key Club also assisted in the Spring Campus Clean-up, where members suited<br />
up in safety gear and walked around the high school campus and neighborhood<br />
picking up trash and litter that was left from the winter months. Key Club had a very<br />
successful year and plans to grow in the coming years at <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> High<br />
<strong>School</strong>.<br />
Bullying Prevention is a<br />
community initiative<br />
The WHSD invited the community<br />
to an event highlighting the bullying<br />
prevention programs available district<br />
wide (along with issues connected to<br />
cyber-bullying). The district hosted the<br />
event at the middle school entitled “ABC<br />
Night.” ABC stands for Anti-Bullying<br />
Community. Highlighting the evening’s<br />
activities were presenters Karla Good,<br />
the elementary and middle school’s<br />
Olweus Bully Prevention Program<br />
coordinator, and Detective Julie Wagner<br />
of the Johnstown Police Department.<br />
We invited our entire community<br />
to become an ABC (Anti-Bullying<br />
Community).<br />
Westy’s Angels<br />
At the middle school, Westy’s<br />
Angels also participated in the<br />
American Cancer Society’s Daffodil<br />
Days. The Angels sold bunches of<br />
daffodils, potted daffodils, and the<br />
Boyd’s Bear with daffodils to benefit the<br />
American Cancer Society. This was only<br />
one example of the fine philanthropic<br />
services that this group is involved with<br />
under the direction of their advisors,<br />
Mrs. Denise Cunningham and Mrs.<br />
Barbara Miltenberger.<br />
Math-A-thon<br />
at the Middle <strong>School</strong><br />
Grade 5 students at the middle<br />
school raised a total of $4,311.00 this<br />
year alone, and since 2005, the students<br />
have raised $20,574.25 for the patients of<br />
St. Jude’s.<br />
Middle <strong>School</strong> collects<br />
Food for the Needy<br />
The Middle <strong>School</strong> collected over 750<br />
cans of soup, boxes of cereal, and other<br />
canned goods for a local food pantry<br />
and the Women’s Help Center. The food<br />
collection was run in conjunction with a<br />
faculty versus student basketball game,<br />
which was played December 23, resulting<br />
in fun for the middle school and food for<br />
the hungry. Middle school students helped<br />
to collect food daily, count items for the<br />
inventory, and box it for delivery, under<br />
the direction of Miss Jodi Hillegass.
community recognition of Scholarship,<br />
citizenship, and Service<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> students honor their parents, school, and community<br />
through academics and service. The community, in turn, recognizes and honors<br />
our students for scholarship, service, and citizenship. Examples of the generosity<br />
and support of the community follow as depicted in the awards and picture<br />
captions on the pages that follow.<br />
United States Air Force<br />
Academy Appointment<br />
Taylor Ann Walther<br />
Sergeant First Class Raymond<br />
Richard Buchan Memorial<br />
Scholarship<br />
Michael Joseph Young<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> Peace Award<br />
Christine Carroll Weidner<br />
American Red Cross<br />
Blood Drive Scholarship<br />
Andrea Marie Ghezzi<br />
American Red Cross<br />
Making a Difference<br />
Educational Scholarship<br />
Nicole Ann Kovach<br />
Brittany Elizabeth Strelnik<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Educational<br />
Association Scholarship Award<br />
Nicole Ann Kovach<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Student<br />
Memorial Scholarship Awards<br />
Rebecca Isabell Barron<br />
Luke Anthony Corona<br />
Catherine Hubbard<br />
Memorial Award<br />
Kelsey Danielle Layton<br />
<strong>School</strong> citizenship Awards<br />
Grade 12<br />
Brittany Elizabeth Strelnik<br />
Megan Louise Walker<br />
Christine Carroll Weidner<br />
Luke Joseph Young<br />
citizenShip & community recognition<br />
Metz & Associates Scholarship<br />
Halan Nu Lam<br />
Michael J. Rudnac Scholarship<br />
Angela Rose Battaglia<br />
Kyle Charles Kunkle<br />
Mitchell and Rebecca Azar<br />
Family Scholarship<br />
Michael Joseph Young<br />
A new award in 2009 is based on<br />
high academic scholarship as well<br />
as a student’s intent to attend one<br />
of four colleges from which Rebecca<br />
and Mitchell Azar have graduated.<br />
Students are awarded a monetary<br />
scholarship. Michael Joseph Young is<br />
the recipient of the 2010 Azar Family<br />
Scholarship Award.<br />
Gella Family Scholarship<br />
Juliana Faith Bukoski<br />
Zachary Riggins del Rosario<br />
A new scholarship was offered<br />
this year for the students of highest<br />
academic standing in mathematics<br />
and science. Juliana Faith Bukoski and<br />
Zachary Riggins del Rosario are the<br />
2010 recipients of the Gella Family<br />
Scholarship Award.<br />
Grade 11<br />
Annabeth Rodgers Faucher<br />
Jamie Lee Kessler<br />
Julia Rose Kittka<br />
Jenna Marie Magistro<br />
Westwood Kiwanis Club<br />
Scholarship<br />
Andrea Marie Ghezzi<br />
Kyle Charles Kunkle<br />
Grade 10<br />
Mustafa Hammudi<br />
Michael Robert McDaniel<br />
Ileana Panebianco<br />
Britney Alyssa Smith<br />
Watson Unsung Hero Awards<br />
Susan Michelle Specht<br />
Phillip Keith Keilman<br />
Class of 1947 <strong>Westmont</strong>/Upper<br />
Yoder Endowment Fund<br />
Catherine Elizabeth Polito<br />
Greater Johnstown Career and<br />
Technology Center<br />
NOCTI Awards<br />
Takesha Lynn Crutcher<br />
Brice Anthony Morneau<br />
The Challenge Program Award<br />
for Academic Excellence<br />
Margaret Reed Atterbury<br />
Joshua Michael Polacek<br />
Mark Nathaniel<br />
The Challenge Program Award<br />
for Community Service<br />
Nicole Ann Kovach<br />
Lauren Marie Matevish<br />
Gina Carmela Rievel<br />
The Challenge Program Award<br />
for Most Improved in Grade<br />
Hannah Katherine Winterscheidt<br />
Halim Nu Lam<br />
Jessica Lynn Coolbaugh<br />
The Challenge Program Award<br />
for Attendance<br />
Kelsey Elizabeth Suppes<br />
Leah Marie Marko<br />
Nicole Lindsey Dorn<br />
West End Lions Club<br />
Scholastic Awards<br />
Juliana Faith Bukoski<br />
Zachary Riggins del Rosario<br />
Rachel Carson Book Award<br />
Sarah Nicole Walko<br />
Grade 9<br />
David James Carney<br />
Taylor Morgan Davis<br />
Justin R. Gindlesperger<br />
Stacee Danielle Glass<br />
“Citizenship & Community Recognition”
citizenShip & community recognition<br />
Senior Project—Basketball for<br />
Special olympics<br />
The senior project of John Valcheff and Rosie Clark with the support of<br />
Americorps Student Aide and advisor, Martin Vrabel, was to raise money for Special<br />
Olympics through basketball. The project raised over $2,200 for Cambria County<br />
Special Olympics. Numerous individual corporate sponsors helped to make this<br />
donation total so high. The group had a HORSE contest and three-point shootout<br />
contest before the game. Angela Battaglia won the HORSE, and Casey Craig and<br />
Ryan Durham were the co-champions of the three-point shootout.<br />
Advisor Martin Vrabel described the most significant action of the game as<br />
follows: “The coaches were down 60-57 with 3 seconds left when Dave Roman drew<br />
up a play for Danny to take the final shot. Jordan DeMarco inbounded the ball to<br />
Danny who made a three-point shot in the corner as time expired to tie the game at<br />
60. The moment was so special that the seniors graciously wanted the game to end at<br />
a 60-60 tie. The coaches and seniors carried Danny off the court!”<br />
Left to right: Michael Oberst, Rosie Clark, Martin Vrabel, John Valcheff, Daniel Oberst, Patricia<br />
Oberst, Maggie Oberst<br />
Basketball for Special Olympics: (left to right) Tony Battaglia, Ryan Durham, Coach<br />
Bradley Carney, Coach Bryant Fisher, Coach Jodi Hillegass, Daniel Oberst, Coach Dave Roman Jr.,<br />
Jeffrey Papcun, Michael Oberst, Casey Craig, Thomas Callihan, Martin Vrabel, Henry Eisenhuth<br />
“Citizenship & Community Recognition”<br />
thoN<br />
Norman Sivi<br />
Rachel Wozniak<br />
Norman Sivi and Rachel Wozniak cochaired<br />
the THON event and collaborated<br />
to make this year’s THON a huge success,<br />
with the support of the High <strong>School</strong><br />
Student Council and Margaret Atterbury<br />
as president. Proceeds were split between<br />
the American Heart Association and the<br />
Four Diamonds Fund.<br />
Student Council led the fundraising<br />
for THON under the direction of<br />
President Margaret Atterbury and<br />
THON chair, Norman Sivi. Rachel<br />
Wozniak also based her senior project<br />
on THON. Rachel and Norman worked<br />
together to make the project a success.<br />
THON raised a little over $7,500 this year<br />
for the American Heart Association.<br />
Senior Project—<br />
Golf for critical care<br />
Although the Golf Team will be<br />
featured in the sports section of this<br />
newsletter, <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Golf Team<br />
Seniors Mac Wolfe, Matthew Ponzurick,<br />
and Phillip Keilman deserve honorable<br />
mention for Community Service through<br />
Golf. The students collaborated on a<br />
Senior Project, in the form of a golf<br />
outing at Berkley Hills, for the purpose of<br />
raising funds for the Critical Care Unit of<br />
Conemaugh Health System. More than<br />
25 teams participated in this event. The<br />
three WHSD alumni were featured in<br />
the May 11, 2010 issue of “Care Notes,”<br />
a newsletter of the Conemaugh Health<br />
System, where they were recognized<br />
for their contribution of $2,000 for<br />
Conemaugh Health Foundation’s<br />
Critical Care Unit Campaign. They<br />
will be recognized at a luncheon at the<br />
hospital on August 2, 2010, when their<br />
contributions will be acknowledged by<br />
Mr. Scott Becker, CEO of Conemaugh<br />
Memorial Medical Center.
Music and the Arts<br />
The <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>District</strong> is committed to academic excellence,<br />
community service, athletics, and the arts, as the interconnections among<br />
the three realms are mutually supportive in the holistic development of the<br />
intellectual, emotional, and interpersonal capacities that enrich our lives. Within<br />
the pages of the <strong>Hilltop</strong>per Highlights, we emphasize that commitment through<br />
recognition of the involvement of our students as scholars, citizens, artists, and<br />
athletes. In this section, you will note evidence that <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> students<br />
have excelled in Chorus, Band, or Orchestra, and in some cases, all of the above,<br />
and in the visual and performing arts.<br />
The graphic illustrates the philosophy mutually shared<br />
by WHSD personnel in academics, athletics, community<br />
service, and the arts.<br />
the following students were recognized by their school<br />
and community for outstanding performance and<br />
capacity in the arts:<br />
James Kocher<br />
Memorial Music Award<br />
Matthew Thomas Wagner<br />
Community Arts Center<br />
Jordan David Kohler<br />
Hannah Katherine Winterscheidt<br />
Allied Artists Award<br />
Alexandra Noel Mundy<br />
National <strong>School</strong> Choral Awards<br />
Ashley Anne Schafer<br />
Christine Carroll Weidner<br />
Music Monster Awards<br />
Anne Elizabeth Rummell<br />
Luke Joseph Young<br />
National <strong>School</strong><br />
Orchestra Award<br />
Nicholas Alexander Adams<br />
Director’s Award for Band<br />
Nicholas Alexander Adams<br />
Jason Timothy Dailey<br />
Kirsten Alexandra Hess<br />
Joshua Ryan Slocum<br />
Matthew Thomas Wagner<br />
Samuel Hillard Outdoor Award<br />
Michael David Gorzelsky<br />
Ken Null Memorial Award<br />
Adam James Steinbring<br />
John Philip Sousa Award<br />
Michael David Gorzelsky<br />
Rhythm & Groove Award<br />
for Jazz Studies<br />
Kyle Harmon Hopkins<br />
performing ArtS<br />
county chorus at<br />
the Middle <strong>School</strong><br />
This is the first year since 1993 that<br />
Cambria County has offered a middle<br />
school level county chorus festival.<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Middle <strong>School</strong> had<br />
14 students participate in a wonderful<br />
two-day festival in November that<br />
concluded with an outstanding evening<br />
performance. Our students experienced<br />
nationally recognized conductors and<br />
brought back to our school a new world<br />
of choral experiences. What an honor<br />
for them! This year’s Cambria County<br />
Chorus Festival participants were:<br />
Grade 6<br />
Laken Burkhardt<br />
Leah Hockensmith<br />
Sarah Kilpatrick<br />
Erik Wehner<br />
Grade 7<br />
Maura Glennon<br />
Amanda Martella<br />
Grace McIlhenny<br />
Colleen Mulrooney<br />
Young Artists<br />
exhibition<br />
Grade 8<br />
Nicole Barnhart<br />
Devon Gilbert<br />
Madison Milligan<br />
Rachel Mural<br />
Emily Ward<br />
Matthew Wehner<br />
The following students’ artwork was<br />
chosen to be displayed at the Greater<br />
Johnstown Young Artists Exhibition.<br />
Artistic Awards were presented by Allied<br />
Artists of Johnstown and the Community<br />
Arts Center.<br />
Grade 6<br />
Quinn Callihan<br />
award winner<br />
Monica Lough<br />
award winner<br />
Chad Held<br />
Ashley Kush<br />
Veronica Petrus<br />
McCabe Rakvin<br />
Emmy Rice<br />
Helen Stern<br />
Gina Yonko<br />
Zachary Yost<br />
Grade 7<br />
Margaret Clark<br />
Grade 8<br />
Brandon Hunsinger<br />
Courtney Morder<br />
Serena Ramirez<br />
Sydney Ruis<br />
Leah Steinbring<br />
Eric Thomas<br />
Ashley Young<br />
“Performing Arts”<br />
5
performing ArtS<br />
rotary<br />
World Peace Art contest<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Middle <strong>School</strong><br />
students Kasey Helmick (Grade 7) and<br />
Monica Lough (Grade 6) won first and<br />
second place awards respectively for<br />
their entries in the Rotary World Peace<br />
Art Contest in April. The students, along<br />
with family members, were invited to the<br />
Rotary Recognition Breakfast to receive<br />
their awards.<br />
Kasey’s entry depicts a flower where<br />
each of the leaves on the stem represents<br />
one of the continents with all of them<br />
coming together to form one world in<br />
peace. Each leaf/continent has the word<br />
“Peace” written in a different language.<br />
Monica’s entry shows the world in<br />
puzzle pieces. The caption underneath<br />
the puzzle states: “World Peace: It’s No<br />
Puzzle.”<br />
Kasey’s painting was selected as<br />
one of the top four in the Rotary district,<br />
making her eligible to win the top prize<br />
at the <strong>District</strong> Awards Banquet.<br />
A Few More Musical “Notes!”<br />
The Chamber Singers secured First<br />
Place in the Madrigal Singing Competition<br />
of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire…a<br />
first for <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong>!<br />
Ten of our students qualified for<br />
<strong>District</strong> Chorus this year at the high<br />
school. They are as follows: Kim Carney,<br />
Marissa Ghantous, Julie Kittka, Julie<br />
Mercik, Sara Rogerson, Annie Rummell,<br />
Ashley Schafer, Keegan Terek, Christine<br />
Weidner, and Luke Young.<br />
At <strong>District</strong> Chorus in Hollidaysburg,<br />
five WHHS students qualified to attend<br />
Regional Chorus: Kim Carney, Julie<br />
Mercik, Annie Rummell, Ashley Schafer<br />
and Luke Young.<br />
Participating in All-County Band at<br />
the middle school were Grade 7: Sadie<br />
Carney, Jenna Kutchman, and Heaven<br />
Wiley. Grade 8: Aaron Marko, Rachel<br />
Mural, Matthew Wehner, and Robert<br />
Samuel Whitlow.<br />
Congratulations to the Indoor Color<br />
Guard for taking home 1st place out of 8<br />
groups at the Windber Competition!<br />
In the middle school, Georgann<br />
Carnevali, Bryan Mock, Jenna Paratore,<br />
Jarod Shark, Jenna Toth, Erik Wehner,<br />
and Hunter Williams were selected<br />
for an elite Grade 6 concert band called<br />
6 “Performing Arts”<br />
Musical<br />
Anything Goes<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> went full steam<br />
ahead with the musical production<br />
of Cole Porter’s Anything Goes. Each<br />
year, it is difficult to imagine a musical<br />
being any better than the show of the<br />
year at WHSD. The musical of 2010<br />
was no exception. It was spectacular!<br />
With talented students in the cast, and<br />
Ms. Beth Good in charge of pulling<br />
it all together, how can the musical<br />
fail to live up to expectations as a<br />
premier production? Congratulations<br />
to Ms. Good, who was recognized as<br />
the Pennsylvania Music Educators’<br />
Association honoree for <strong>District</strong> VI in<br />
2010.<br />
Pictured is the cast of Anything Goes. Each and every member of the cast and crew provided the perfect<br />
ingredient for an amazing production, resulting from teamwork and collaboration!<br />
theatre club<br />
The Theatre Club experienced well-deserved applause and ovations this<br />
year for entertaining the community with inspiring and enjoyable theatrical<br />
performances. In the fall, the group attended Western Division of the<br />
Pennsylvania High <strong>School</strong> Speech League Competition located in Pittsburgh, and<br />
performed The Sandbox by Edward Albee. The performers were Edward Dreikorn<br />
as the lifeguard, Annabeth Faucher as Grandma, Christine Weidner as Mother,<br />
and Andrew Kilpatrick as Father. Under the direction of Mrs. Jacqueline Flack,<br />
the Club performs three one-act plays and one full-length play annually. The fulllength<br />
play of 2010 was American Daughter by Wendy Wasserstein.<br />
The cast of American Daughter.<br />
“BandFest.” These students rehearsed with<br />
students from 25 other school districts<br />
and performed in a concert.<br />
The <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Chamber<br />
Singers were invited to perform with<br />
the American Idol Holiday Tour at the<br />
Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center<br />
on the UPJ campus in December. It<br />
was a terrific performance as well as a<br />
wonderful experience for our students<br />
who performed two a cappella numbers<br />
on their own and also backed vocals with<br />
the stars who were selected for the finale<br />
of American Idol.
2010 outstanding Male Athletic Award<br />
Kyle Kunkle<br />
Kyle Kunkle earned nine varsity letters as a student-athlete at <strong>Westmont</strong><br />
<strong>Hilltop</strong> – four in soccer, four in track and field, and one in basketball. As senior<br />
captain on the 20–2 <strong>Hilltop</strong>per soccer team, Kyle led his team to the Laurel<br />
Highlands Athletic Conference Championship, the <strong>District</strong> 6 Championship,<br />
and to a berth in the PIAA State Soccer Tournament. As an individual, Kyle was a<br />
four-year starter and a two-year captain. In both the 2008 and 2009 seasons, he<br />
was named the Corona & Grady Coaches’ Outstanding Boys’ Soccer Player and<br />
selected to the LHAC All-Conference Team as a center-midfielder.<br />
During the basketball season, Kyle won a varsity letter as a senior captain<br />
and helped lead his team to the <strong>District</strong> 6 semi-finals and a 3rd place finish,<br />
qualifying <strong>Westmont</strong> for PIAA State playoffs. The team finished with a 15–13<br />
overall record. As a defensive specialist, Kyle was routinely responsible for<br />
guarding the opposing team’s most dangerous outside scoring threat, which<br />
earned him the John Khuri Memorial Award.<br />
Kyle earned letters in each of his four years in track and field. As a middledistance<br />
runner, he qualified for the PIAA State Track Meet as a freshman on the<br />
4 X 800-meter relay team and as a senior in the 800-meter run after placing 3rd<br />
at the 2010 <strong>District</strong> 6 Track Meet. Kyle set the school record his senior year in the<br />
800-meter run with a time of 1:59.7 at the <strong>District</strong> 6 Meet in Altoona. During his<br />
career he was twice named a member of the LHAC All-Conference Track Team,<br />
and was the recipient of the Herdman-Daily Outstanding Boys’ Track Award in<br />
2008.<br />
Kyle was the Senior Class President, a member of <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong>’s National<br />
Athletic recognition<br />
Honor Society, and was in the Top Ten of his graduating class. He will attend Duke University in the fall, where he will<br />
pursue his education and continue his love for sports, participating in club soccer and becoming a Cameron Crazie,<br />
cheering for the Duke Basketball Team.<br />
2010 outstanding Female Athletic Award<br />
Kayla vliet<br />
Kayla Vliet earned eleven varsity letters as a student-athlete at <strong>Westmont</strong><br />
<strong>Hilltop</strong>–four in soccer, four in basketball, and three in track and field. During her<br />
senior year, Kayla served as a captain in both soccer and basketball.<br />
In soccer, Kayla was a three-year starter and was named to the Laurel<br />
Highlands Athletic Conference All-Conference Team following her sophomore<br />
season. In basketball, Kayla started for 3 years. As a senior, Kayla was selected<br />
to the Ameriserv Financial Senior Showcase All-Star game held at the University<br />
of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. As a freshman, she was a member of the <strong>Westmont</strong><br />
<strong>Hilltop</strong> girls’ squad that played in the Western Conference championship game<br />
in the AA Division. In track and field, Kayla qualified for and competed at the<br />
<strong>District</strong> 6 Meet in Altoona as part of the 4 X 100 Relay Team.<br />
Kayla will attend West Virginia University in the fall to further her education.<br />
2010 Outstanding Female Athletic Award:<br />
Kayla Vliet<br />
2010 Outstanding Male Athletic Award:<br />
Kyle Kunkle<br />
“Athletic Recognition”
Athletic recognition<br />
Sports recognition and Awards<br />
SPoNSorShiP hoNor reciPieNt<br />
David Coulson Award Outstanding Football Player casey Katzenstein<br />
David J. Murphy Award Outstanding Hockey Player corey Schafer<br />
Claycomb Coach’s Award Outstanding Wrestlers Joshua Duplin<br />
tanner hough<br />
Joshua Polacek<br />
Skip Pristow Award Outstanding Boys’ Basketball Player A.J. rievel<br />
Khuri Family Fund John Khuri Memorial Award Kyle Kunkle<br />
William A. Askey Outstanding Volleyball Player rebecca Barron<br />
Herdman-Dailey Award Outstanding Boys’ Track Jason Dean<br />
Herdman-Dailey Award Outstanding Girls’ Track Brittany Davis<br />
Lori Blackburn Memorial Award Girls’ Track Team Dedication Miranda Moser<br />
rachel rajter<br />
WHSD Boys’ Track Team Dedication ryan Kesslak<br />
Herdman Family Herdman Scholarship Jason Dailey<br />
Outstanding Runner<br />
Robert A. Gleason Award Outstanding Boys’ Tennis Players Parag Dharbhamulla<br />
Aaron Miller<br />
Adele Dovey Award Outstanding Girls’ Tennis Player rachel Wozniak<br />
leah Young<br />
John P. Horty Award Outstanding Softball Player Angela Sutt<br />
Ellwood Ailes Award Outstanding Baseball Player Benjamin legath<br />
Dr. Michael Sewak Award Outstanding Girls’ Basketball Player Sara rogerson<br />
Ginger Bezek Ginger Bezek Scholarship Sara rogerson<br />
WHSD Outstanding Boys’ Cross Country Jason Dean<br />
WHSD Outstanding Girls’ Cross Country rachel rajter<br />
Dr. William J. Hargreaves Award Outstanding Male Golfer Mac Wolfe<br />
Dr. William J. Hargreaves Award Outstanding Female Golfer Brittany carney<br />
Julia Wolfe<br />
Corona & Grady Coaches’ Award Outstanding Boys’ Soccer Player Kyle Kunkle<br />
John Saracena Coach’s Award Outstanding Girls’ Soccer Player Jamie Kessler<br />
WHSD Outstanding Girls’ Swimmer Nicole Kovach<br />
WHSD Outstanding Boys’ Swimmer ray Ward<br />
Karen Askey Owens Pote William A. Askey Scholarship Margaret Atterbury<br />
PIAA <strong>District</strong> 6 <strong>District</strong> 6 Sportsmanship Award - Female Nicole Kovach<br />
PIAA <strong>District</strong> 6 <strong>District</strong> 6 Sportsmanship Award - Male Kyle hopkins<br />
WHSD Outstanding Female Athlete Award Kayla vliet<br />
WHSD Outstanding Male Athlete Award Kyle Kunkle<br />
Milt Lantz Family Milt Lantz Scholarship trevor Kushner<br />
8 “Athletic Recognition”<br />
Row 1 – Outstanding<br />
Hockey Player: Corey Schafer;<br />
Outstanding Girls’ Basketball<br />
Player: Sara Rogerson;<br />
Outstanding Female Athlete:<br />
Kayla Vliet; William A. Askey<br />
Award: Margaret Atterbury;<br />
Outstanding Softball Player:<br />
Angela Sutt<br />
Row 2 – Outstanding Baseball<br />
Player: Benjamin Legath;<br />
Outstanding Boys’ Basketball<br />
Player: A.J. Rievel; <strong>District</strong> 6<br />
Sportsmanship Award: Kyle<br />
Hopkins, Nicole Kovach<br />
Row 1 – Outstanding Girls’ Track: Brittany Davis;<br />
Outstanding Male Athlete/Outstanding Boys’<br />
Soccer/John Khuri Scholarship: Kyle Kunkle<br />
Row 2 – Track Team Dedication: Rachel Rajter,<br />
Miranda Moser, Ryan Kesslak<br />
Row 1 – Outstanding Girls’ Cross Country: Rachel<br />
Rajter; Outstanding Boys’ Track/Outstanding<br />
Boys’ Cross Country: Jason Dean; Outstanding<br />
Girls’ Golfer: Julia Wolfe, Brittany Carney<br />
Row 2 – Herdman-Dailey Award: Jason Dailey;<br />
Outstanding Boys’ Golfer: Mac Wolfe; Outstanding<br />
Girls’ Soccer Player: Jamie Kessler; Outstanding<br />
Football Player: Casey Katzenstein<br />
Row 1 – Outstanding Boys’ Tennis: Aaron Miller,<br />
Parag Dharbhamulla; Outstanding Girls’ Tennis:<br />
Rachel Wozniak, Leah Young<br />
Row 2 – Outstanding Wrestler: Joshua Duplin<br />
(absent: Joshua Polacek, Tanner Hough); Milt Lantz<br />
Scholarship Award: Trevor Kushner; Outstanding<br />
Volleyball Player: Rebecca Barron; Outstanding<br />
Boys’ Swimmer: Ray Ward; Outstanding Girls’<br />
Swimmer: Nicole Kovach
WhSD Aced the Game of Golf this Year—<br />
As Usual!<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Golf Teams have had 27 undefeated seasons since 1960. This<br />
year, the <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Golf Team of Andrew Herbert, Phillip Keilman, Patrick<br />
Lennon, and Mac Wolfe placed FIRST in the Anderson Memorial Tournament.<br />
The team of Andrew Herbert, Phillip Keilman, Patrick Lennon, Daniel Wolfe,<br />
and Mac Wolfe placed FIRST in the PIAA Western Sectionals. Patrick Lennon had<br />
the lowest score in PIAA Western Sectionals and was the medalist in the Anderson<br />
Memorial. The WHSD Golf Team placed second in the Wheeling Tournament and<br />
third in the Laurel Highlands Championship.<br />
Mac Wolfe has completed his final year on the golf team and has excelled as a<br />
medalist many times over in the tournament events in which he has participated.<br />
The teams to which he contributed have been Sectional Champions and Laurel<br />
Highlands Champs, and those teams have historically been champions of the<br />
Anderson Memorial and the Wheeling Tournament. This year, Mac qualified for<br />
PIAA Western Regionals. He was recognized for outstanding representation of the<br />
school district in Sectionals and <strong>District</strong> Level Golf competition.<br />
Julia Wolfe will be missed as one of four girls on the <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Team and<br />
was named outstanding female golfer of 2009-2010, along with Brittany Carney,<br />
who will return next year.<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Golf Team: Anderson Memorial Champions, Laurel Highlands<br />
Conference Champions, 9-1 Season Record<br />
Sports Newsflashes<br />
A Brief list of Notable Accomplishments<br />
by Some of our Athletes<br />
Boys’ Soccer<br />
The Boys’ Soccer Team won the LHAC<br />
Athletic Conference Championship and<br />
the <strong>District</strong> 6 Championship.<br />
Kyle Kunkle was named the LHAC All-<br />
Conference Selection Winner in Boys’<br />
Soccer.<br />
Zachary Ryan was the LHAC All-<br />
Conference Selection Winner in Boys’<br />
Soccer.<br />
The Boys’ Soccer Team advanced to state<br />
level competition.<br />
Girls’ volleyball<br />
Rebecca Barron was the LHAC All-<br />
Conference Selection Winner and an<br />
Athletic recognition<br />
All-<strong>District</strong> Team choice in Volleyball.<br />
She led the team with the highest hitting<br />
percentage, the most kills, the most<br />
service aces, and the most blocks.<br />
Boys’ cross country<br />
Jason Dean was the LHAC All-<br />
Conference Selection Winner in Boys’<br />
Cross Country.<br />
Girls’ cross country<br />
Rachel Rajter was the LHAC All-<br />
Conference Selection Winner in Girls’<br />
Cross Country and advanced to state<br />
level competition.<br />
Girls’ Soccer<br />
Jamie Kessler was named LHAC All-<br />
Conference Selection Winner in Soccer.<br />
Nadin Suler was the LHAC All-<br />
Conference Selection Winner in<br />
Girls’Soccer.<br />
Girls’ tennis<br />
Rachel Wozniak was the LHAC All-<br />
Conference Selection Winner in Girls’<br />
Tennis.<br />
Football<br />
Garrett Lucas has been invited to play in<br />
the 7th Annual 2011 All-American Bowl<br />
Game Classic on December 31, 2010 in<br />
Daytona Beach.<br />
hockey<br />
Andrew Herbert and Corey Schafer<br />
were selected to play in the PIHL All-Star<br />
Game in January.<br />
Wrestling<br />
The Varsity Wrestling Team won the<br />
Team Title in the Annual Conemaugh<br />
Township Wrestling Tournament.<br />
The following wrestlers qualified for the<br />
PIAA State Wrestling Championships<br />
in Hershey: Joshua Polacek, Tanner<br />
Hough, Trevor Kushner, Ryan<br />
Burnheimer, and Joshua Duplin.<br />
Polacek and Hough finished 4th in the<br />
state, and Duplin finished in 5th place<br />
“Athletic Recognition”<br />
9
Athletic recognition<br />
thanks to the varsity cheerleaders<br />
0 “Athletic Recognition”<br />
Supporting all sports through all<br />
seasons are the <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong><br />
Cheerleaders! Pictured is the<br />
Varsity Team of 2009-2010.<br />
Row 1 – Catherine Walsh, Brittany<br />
Strelnik<br />
Row 2 – Carly Stump, Nicolle Komara,<br />
Lynn Kimmell, Tracy Yanosky<br />
Row 3 – Cheyenne Kovach, Madalynn<br />
Swaltek, Victoria Albert, Amber Harden,<br />
Alicia Feight (coach)<br />
Swimming<br />
The Girls’ and Boys’ Swim Teams made a big cool splash this year, as usual.<br />
There were fifty-three swimmers on the team this year, and the girls won the<br />
CWACC with a perfect 13-0 record. This is the second consecutive year that the girls<br />
have had an undefeated season. The girls’ team of fifteen swimmers and one diver<br />
continued their success by winning the <strong>District</strong> 6/9 Regional Competition at Penn<br />
State. Congratulations to the Girls’ Swim Team on their first place finish at Regional<br />
Competition and to the Boys’ Swim Team for their 4th place finish in the conference<br />
and 5th place in Regional Competition, all under the coaching of Mr. Jay Hicks.<br />
The team sent 8 girls and 4 boys to States at Bucknell. The <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong><br />
Swimmers were the <strong>District</strong> 6 Champions and topped that by becoming the North<br />
Central Region Champs! State level competitors were: Marinanicole Miller for the<br />
200 and 500 Freestyle; Nichole Kovach for the 50 and 100 Freestyle; Naofa Noll for<br />
the 200 Individual Medley and 100 Butterfly; Kara Kovach for the 100 Freestyle;<br />
Julia Wolfe, Kara Kovach, Nichole Kovach and Kasey Azar for the 200 Freestyle<br />
Relay; Elizabeth Atterbury, Ashley Schafer, Naofa Noll and Nichole Kovach for<br />
the 200 Medley Relay; Naofa Noll, Nichole Kovach, Marinanicole Miller and Julia<br />
Wolfe for the 400 Freestyle Relay; Ryan Koul for the 50 Freestyle; Ray Ward for the<br />
200 Freestyle; and Paul Nathaniel, Robert Nickels, Ryan Koul and Ray Ward for<br />
the 200 Freestyle Relay.<br />
The <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Swim Team with Coach Jay Hicks<br />
thank You, coach<br />
Sue Minchau<br />
Mrs. Sue Minchau retired as Girls’<br />
and Boys’ Tennis coach in 2010,<br />
concluding nearly three decades of<br />
dedicated service to the district. Mrs.<br />
Minchau put <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Tennis<br />
“on the map,” beginning with the Girls’<br />
Tennis Team in 1981. Three years later,<br />
she became the Boys’ Tennis Team<br />
coach and served both teams until<br />
her retirement this school year. Every<br />
season was a winning season under Mrs.<br />
Minchau…for twenty-nine consecutive<br />
years!<br />
Mrs. Minchau has been supportive<br />
of the development of a team which<br />
displays fine sportsmanship. This is<br />
even more important to the development<br />
of young athletes than the impressive<br />
record of successful tennis that the<br />
district has attained because of the<br />
efforts of this devoted coach. For Sue<br />
Minchau, tennis is a life-long passion.<br />
It is not often that we have the<br />
privilege of thanking a coach for three<br />
decades of service to one district.<br />
This is the year we say “THANK YOU,<br />
Mrs. Minchau!” With the deepest<br />
gratitude, we thank Mrs. Minchau for<br />
understanding the connections among<br />
athletics, sportsmanship, academics,<br />
and honor. You have served us honorably,<br />
Mrs. Minchau, and we are deeply grateful<br />
for your service.<br />
Coach Sue Minchau (back row) with The <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> Tennis Team
Boys’ Varsity Soccer Team: Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference Champions<br />
Boys’ Varsity Soccer Team: <strong>District</strong> 6 Champions<br />
Kushner carries on<br />
2010 graduate Trevor Kushner<br />
will be wrestling for the West<br />
Virginia Mountaineers this coming<br />
season, carrying on quite a tradition<br />
for the <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> wrestlers<br />
under Coach Matthew Beaujon. Trevor<br />
is the sixth wrestler since 2007 to<br />
continue his wrestling career on a<br />
Division I level. Those other five<br />
wrestlers include the following:<br />
Kyle Patton (2007) - University of<br />
Pittsburgh<br />
TJ Polacek (2008) - University of<br />
Pennsylvania<br />
Michael Brant (2008) - US Naval<br />
Academy<br />
Zachary Bennett (2009) - University of<br />
North Carolina<br />
TJ Keklak (2009) - Kent State University<br />
Athletic recognition<br />
the lhAc<br />
Sportsmanship<br />
Award Winner is . . .<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> hilltop!<br />
Although the <strong>Hilltop</strong>per Highlights<br />
is dedicated to student achievement, it<br />
is necessary on occasion to recognize<br />
the wonderful men and women who<br />
nurture and teach our student athletes<br />
so that generations to follow will have<br />
the capacity to give back in kind.<br />
Thanks in particular are extended<br />
this year to all coaches who contributed<br />
to the district’s attainment of the<br />
LHAC Sportsmanship Award, and<br />
especially to Athletic Director Kathleen<br />
Masiello and Assistant Athletic Director<br />
Thomas Callihan for their leadership in<br />
Sportsmanship.<br />
• Coach Joseph Shorto was named<br />
LHAC Coach of the Year for Golf.<br />
• Coach Steve Meehan was named<br />
LHAC Coach of the Year for Boys’<br />
Soccer.<br />
• Nicole Kovach and Kyle Hopkins<br />
were the recipients of the PIAA<br />
“Sportsmanship: Let it Begin with Me”<br />
program. The students were selected<br />
as representatives of our district’s<br />
quest to honor our school through<br />
sportsmanship.<br />
Trevor Kushner will be wrestling for the<br />
West Virginia Mountaineers this coming<br />
season.<br />
“Athletic Recognition”<br />
1
generAl informAtion<br />
Sources of Funding<br />
The <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>District</strong> received funding from the<br />
following federal and state sources and publicizes receipt, as follows<br />
for the 2010-2011 school year:<br />
Title I: $207,212<br />
American Recovery & $ 118,046<br />
Reinvestment Act (ARRA)<br />
(divided over a 2-year funding period)<br />
Title II: $47,434<br />
Accountability Block Grant $126,307<br />
IDEIA $188,261<br />
IDEIA (ARRA) $ 198,992<br />
(divided over a 2-year funding period)<br />
Title I provides our elementary Title I program. Title II provides a<br />
portion of an extra teacher’s salary in the elementary school, which helps<br />
with class size reduction. The Accountability Block Grant funds early<br />
childhood initiatives and the implementation of full-day kindergarten.<br />
IDEIA Funding is dedicated to special education staffing and related<br />
support services for children.<br />
Senior residents<br />
have v.i.P. Status<br />
Each year we are pleased to<br />
acknowledge and thank senior<br />
residents for their contributions to our<br />
educational system. Our Senior V.I.P.<br />
community members cheer in our<br />
stadiums, encourage our youth, and<br />
support our educational processes in<br />
a myriad of ways. The V.I.P. program<br />
(Very Important Person) passes are one<br />
way we try to accomplish that goal.<br />
Seniors enjoy free admission to all<br />
school-related athletic events. The only<br />
exceptions are hockey games played<br />
at the Cambria County War Memorial<br />
and the annual musical. If you are a<br />
senior resident, age 62 or older, you<br />
are eligible to a V.I.P. pass. To obtain<br />
one, please contact the district office<br />
at 814-255-6751.<br />
“General Information”<br />
the vision<br />
The Mission Statement of the <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>District</strong> is regularly posted on mailings<br />
and online publications of the district. Whereas<br />
we frequently publish our mission, we speak less<br />
frequently of our vision, which embodies the<br />
principles that guide us in goal setting and action<br />
planning. We would like to take this opportunity<br />
to share the vision that the Strategic Planning<br />
Committee, comprised of students, teachers,<br />
administrators, board members, and business<br />
community leaders has established for the district.<br />
This vision will serve as our roadmap for the 010-<br />
011 school year.<br />
collectively, we envision a district . . .<br />
• where all students learn in a healthy, safe, and<br />
nurturing environment and where students are<br />
equipped with the knowledge that<br />
healthy lifestyle choices are essential<br />
in reaching their optimal learning potential.<br />
• where educators deliver the highest standards<br />
of teaching to maximize opportunities for<br />
student success.<br />
• where all stakeholders become increasingly<br />
aware of educational processes as well as both<br />
the protective factors and the risk factors<br />
inherent in the home, neighborhood, and<br />
school environments.<br />
• where students receive a well-rounded<br />
experience through involvement in the<br />
academics, the arts, and extracurricular<br />
experiences.<br />
• where students learn evaluative skills and<br />
develop increasing capacity to draw their own<br />
conclusions through effective application of<br />
higher order thinking and the development of<br />
problem-solving skills.<br />
• where all students assume a responsibility<br />
to learn, each having unique strengths and<br />
weaknesses, differing learning styles, and<br />
differing rates of retention.<br />
• where all teachers have a responsibility to<br />
differentiate instruction based on the varying<br />
needs of their students.<br />
• where a culture of continuous learning and<br />
improvement is fostered through quality<br />
leadership.<br />
• that values and models all aspects of lifelong<br />
learning, professional growth, continual<br />
improvement, and a commitment to researching<br />
and implementing best practice in our schools.<br />
• that encourages and rewards community service<br />
by providing a wide range of opportunities and<br />
recognizes students for their efforts in pro-social<br />
involvement and community service.<br />
• that provides mentoring and shadowing<br />
experiences via community partnerships that<br />
will enhance career exploration and through<br />
which students become aware of the high<br />
value that employers place on a strong work<br />
ethic, accountability, and ownership in<br />
the organization as a whole.<br />
• that prepares all students for successful<br />
integration into the global society<br />
through acquisition of technological<br />
competencies and facility in languages other<br />
than English.<br />
• that maximizes utilization of human and fiscal<br />
resources through artful use of infrastructure.<br />
• that continues to strive to upgrade its facilities,<br />
equipment, and personnel competence in order<br />
to provide a premier program where<br />
curriculum is rigorous and relevant with quality<br />
and effectiveness as high priorities.
generAl informAtion<br />
Annual PSSA Performance Posting<br />
Percentage of Students Proficient and Advanced<br />
The chart below indicates the<br />
percentage of <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> <strong>District</strong> students scoring in the<br />
advanced and proficient ranges relative<br />
to the 2003-2014 PSSA Target goals<br />
as established by the Pennsylvania<br />
Department of Education. This date is<br />
used to determine whether the district<br />
has met adequate yearly progress<br />
goals (AYP). The chart below presents<br />
a longitudinal picture of the district’s<br />
progress relative to the targets.<br />
Additional information for all<br />
parents will be forthcoming at the<br />
beginning of the 2010-2011 year. The<br />
following chart provides a district-wide<br />
picture of progress over time. Blank<br />
cells indicate that a particular grade<br />
level was not tested during the school<br />
year.<br />
Parents will receive more detail<br />
during a variety of opportunities<br />
throughout the current school year,<br />
beginning with back-to-school events.<br />
targets Percent of Grade Percent of Grade<br />
for Proficient Proficient<br />
Spring of: reading 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 Math 3 4 5 6 7 8 11<br />
Performances Performances<br />
target Goal Set target Goal Set<br />
by State by State<br />
2003 45% 64% 79% 69% 35% 67% 72% 63%<br />
2004 45% 64% 72% 81% 74% 35% 67% 70% 75% 62%<br />
2005 54% 77% 72% 83% 80% 45% 90% 78% 80% 75%<br />
2006 54% 74% 83% 77% 75% 85% 91% 78% 45% 91% 89% 76% 78% 93% 82% 70%<br />
2007 54% 88% 78% 75% 73% 78% 94% 83% 45% 91% 87% 85% 86% 81% 87% 73%<br />
2008 63% 90% 82% 78% 85% 94% 91% 78% 56% 92% 88% 96% 97% 92% 86% 66%<br />
2009 63% 87% 84% 72% 88% 84% 96% 83% 56% 95% 85% 86% 92% 94% 92% 71%<br />
“General Information”
generAl informAtion<br />
“General Information”<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> hilltop <strong>School</strong> <strong>District</strong><br />
2010-2011 <strong>School</strong> Year
Annual Public Notice 2010<br />
helping children with Special Needs<br />
The <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>District</strong> provides pre-referral and<br />
special education services to children<br />
with special needs. There are two<br />
important resources for parents and<br />
community members to help in<br />
deciding whether students need extra<br />
help or special services and, if so, what<br />
services are available and how to take<br />
advantage of them. The links to this<br />
information, along with a description<br />
of the type of information available are<br />
listed below.<br />
For more information, please call<br />
your school guidance counselors,<br />
nurses, or building principals as<br />
follows: High <strong>School</strong>—255-8726,<br />
Middle <strong>School</strong>—255-8704, or<br />
Elementary <strong>School</strong>—255-8707.<br />
At the link below, community<br />
members will find information about<br />
contact people, student support teams,<br />
signals that children may need special<br />
education, types of services available,<br />
Autism<br />
emotional Disturbance<br />
Deafness<br />
hearing impairment<br />
Specific learning Disability<br />
educational programs for parents, and<br />
helping children in crisis situations.<br />
You may access this site online from<br />
any public library computer, or call the<br />
school if you need online assistance:<br />
www.whsd.org/users/sja/SETraining<br />
The Intermediate Unit 8 provides<br />
an Annual Public Notice of Special<br />
Education Services and Programs<br />
in the State of Pennsylvania that<br />
is publicized in local newspapers,<br />
but also available at the following<br />
link: www.iu08.org:9080/iu8/<br />
departments/educational-programs/<br />
Announcements/annual-public-notice/<br />
Note: The district is in the process<br />
of a major website revision. If the<br />
address to this link changes, we will<br />
notify parents during the course of the<br />
upcoming school year.<br />
This site includes information<br />
regarding the Pennsylvania<br />
Department of Education’s<br />
Mental retardation<br />
Multiple Disabilities<br />
other health impairment<br />
orthopedic impairment due to<br />
chronic or Acute health Problems<br />
Speech and language impairment<br />
generAl informAtion<br />
responsibility to ensure that all<br />
children with disabilities residing<br />
in the Commonwealth, including<br />
children with disabilities attending<br />
private schools, regardless of the<br />
severity of their disabilities, and who<br />
are in need of special education and<br />
related services, are identified, located,<br />
and evaluated. This responsibility is<br />
required by a federal law called the<br />
Individuals with Disabilities Education<br />
Act Amendments of 2004 (IDEA<br />
‘04). It provides details about special<br />
education law, the Family Education<br />
Rights and Privacy Act, and the types<br />
of programs that are available for<br />
students who have been identified as<br />
being in need of specially designed<br />
instruction and have one or more<br />
of the following physical or mental<br />
disabilities:<br />
visual impairment<br />
including Blindness<br />
Deaf-Blindness<br />
traumatic Brain injury<br />
Developmental Delay<br />
The processes of early intervention, screening services, evaluation, and educational placement are explained along with<br />
the types of services and levels of support. Information regarding parents and students’ rights and protections are detailed<br />
including issues of privacy and confidentiality, and procedures to be followed if you feel that rights have been violated.<br />
“General Information”<br />
5
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>District</strong><br />
827 Diamond Boulevard<br />
Johnstown PA 15905<br />
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED<br />
<strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>District</strong> Directory Information 2010<br />
Board Of Education<br />
Mr. Mitchell G. Azar: President<br />
Mr. George P. Wolfe: Vice-President<br />
Mr Robert A. Gleason III: Treasurer<br />
Mrs. Phyllis G. Forman, Dr. Kamal V. Gella, Dr. Gary S. Kramer, Mrs. Diana L. Schroeder,<br />
Mrs. Leah S. Spangler, Mr. Joseph W. Veranese, Mr. Gregory T. Sanford: Secretary (Non-Member)<br />
<strong>District</strong> Administrative Staff<br />
Dr. Susan J. Anderson, Superintendent<br />
Mr. Steven D. McGee, Assistant Superintendent<br />
Mr. Gregory T. Sanford, Business Manager<br />
Mr. Joseph P. Molnar, Technology Director<br />
Mr. Daniel P. Ream, Facilities Manager<br />
Building Administrative Staff<br />
Mr. Matthew P. Thomas, High <strong>School</strong> Principal<br />
Mr. Thomas R. Mitchell, High <strong>School</strong> Assistant Principal<br />
Mrs. Nicole D. Kuzmiak, Middle <strong>School</strong> Principal<br />
Mr. Edward W. Benning, Assistant Middle <strong>School</strong> Principal<br />
Mr. Samuel J. Brunatti III, Elementary <strong>School</strong> Principal<br />
Administrative Offices<br />
827 Diamond Boulevard, Johnstown PA 15905<br />
Phone: 814-255-6751 Fax: 814-255-7735<br />
E-mail: Dr. Susan Anderson, Superintendent, sja@whsd.org<br />
Mission Statement<br />
The mission of the WHSD, in partnership with our community, is to prepare each student to be an informed,<br />
ethical, responsible adult in a changing and competitive global society, through high expectations and a<br />
challenging educational program offering knowledge and skills within a safe, nurturing environment.<br />
Civil Rights Statement<br />
The <strong>Westmont</strong> <strong>Hilltop</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>District</strong>, an equal opportunity employer, will not discriminate in employment, educational<br />
programs or activities, based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, ancestry or disability. Publication of this<br />
policy in this document is in accordance with state and federal laws including: The Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended,<br />
Title IV, Title VI, Title VII, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 & 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of<br />
1973, and the American Disabilities Act of 1992.<br />
Printed on recycled paper<br />
Elementary <strong>School</strong><br />
Middle <strong>School</strong><br />
High <strong>School</strong><br />
NON-PROFIT ORG<br />
US POSTAGE<br />
PAID<br />
JOHNSTOWN PA<br />
PERMIT #142