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Sixteen Mountain View Elementary sixth grade students had the opportunity to experience the Chinese language in the online environment. This was made possible through the FLAP grant, Foreign Language Assistance Program, a three-year federal grant. This grant promotes the importance of world languages in the global environment, with a special focus on Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Hindi. A year ago, Russian was also offered to high school juniors and seniors.

Pictured (l-r) above, class participants: front - Monica Reich, Jamie Supancik, Krista Short, Kayla Mecca, Jessica Fanelli, Bridgette Reed; back - Jon Master, Izzy Ficarro, Nick Judd, Holly Stanziale, Tyra Gabriel, Chelsea Van Gorder, Kendra Sabuacek; missing from photo - Hunter Harris, Sara Harris, Jordan Kochmer.

Students participated in a live class with Laoshi Yan, an adjunct teacher from Seton Hill University, twice a week after school in the elementary computer lab. Students learned not only sounds, songs, vocabulary, and common expressions, but interesting aspects of the Chinese culture. They made lanterns for Chinese New Year and dragons. Each student also chose a Chinese name reflecting his interests and strengths. A highlight was participating in the Carnival of Chinese Opera offered by the University of Scranton this past April. The class culminated with a visit to a Chinese restaurant to sample Chinese food.

Elementary School

The Mountain View Chimette Choir (made up of 24 6th grade students) spread the joy of the Christmas Season through music to our community. The students did musical performances at the following places: Harford Village Apartments, NEIU Early Intervention, Meadowview Senior Living Center, Gracious Living Estates, Forest City Personal Care Center, Forest City Nursing Center, Barnes Kasson and the Harford Missionary Society. They were well received and did an outstanding job.

6th grade Peer Mediators assist students in important life skills in conflict resolution. Listening, problem-solving and negotiation are all important for resolving particular disputes. In peer mediation students learn a cooperative alternative to violence, equipping them with the tools they need to respond to conflict in a positive way. The students involved in Peer Mediation experience a respectful process in which they are listened to, asked what they need and how they would like to solve a problem, and agree to solutions. Peer Mediators receive intensive training in listening skills, problem-solving and decision-making, and in understanding conflict. These students and the Peer Mediation Teachers volunteered their time to help make Mt. View’s school climate and culture more positive and respectful.

Jewelry for Japan. The 3rd graders planned a fundraiser after learning about the tsunami and wanted to help. First, they were asked to brainstorm different ways they could raise money, taking into consideration the materials and time they would need. They presented their ideas to their peers in the form of posters and voted for one based on cost, time, and supply/demand concepts. They decided to make and sell braided red and white friendship bracelets to students in Grades 3-6 in order to raise money for the Red Cross. The 3rd grade class raised $450.

High School

Students, faculty and staff opened up their hearts and wallets for the needy children in Susquehanna County for an event called the Giving Tree. Seventh grade students set up a Christmas tree in the high school library and on the tree were tags with the age, gender and gift idea for a child. There were 75 children who benefited from this project.

The National Junior Honor Society also spent a lot of time in the community. They set up for the craft fair, sorted foods (Feed a Friend at Montrose Food Pantry) and shopped with the life skills class. The Honor Society also went caroling at the Veteran’s Center, participated in Read Across America (kindergarten and first grades), and collected food (fruit cocktail). In June the members will be painting the softball dugout.

The National Honor Society sponsored two American Red Cross Blood Drives which allows one student to receive a scholarship and be entered in the American Red Cross High School Challenge Scholarship Program which awards up to $2,500.

In October, The students in Future Business Leaders of America put together a Pink Hair for Breast Cancer fundraiser. Through donations and selling pink strips to be placed in student and faculty hair, the school raised $1900 in three short days which was donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Throughout the school year, FBLA participated in projects like 7th grade orientation, reading Christmas stories to the second grade, an Easter Egg Hunt for Kindergarten and the paper recycling in the high school. June brought penny wars. All money from this project is donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

In addition to these projects, Mountain View FBLA also made monetary donations to the Teen Challenge, the March of Dimes and the PA FBLA William Seldon Scholarship Fund earlier in the year. As individuals, the Future Business Leaders of America members have accumulated over 1400 hours of community services in various areas such as VFW, fire and ambulance companies, soup kitchens, churches and many other organizations.