The Blue Ridge Education Association (BREA) has once again shown their commitment not only to their students, but to the community. The professional educator’s union donated funds that were given to the United Way of Susquehanna County’s Flood Relief Fund. In total they were able to raise $1,650.00 that will go to local flood victims within the school district. The flooding in September caused much devastation and affected many in the community. The school was even used by the Red Cross as a shelter for those who had to leave their homes during the flood. The Blue Education Association’s donation was then used to purchase building supply gift cards that will go to local flood victims.

Pictured above, Melody Pauly, Blue Ridge Education Association President, Joel Levy, United Way Volunteer, and Richard Mackrell, Treasurer of the Blue Ridge Education Association, present a check to the United Way of Susquehanna County.

In addition to this generous donation, the BREA also hosts a backpack program every year called “Good Start.” It is the intention of these teachers and additional professional staff to help their students start each year with the resources needed to enable them to be as successful as possible. According to one parent whose children received backpacks, “it has been a difficult year, yes my children could have used their backpacks from last year, but they were so excited about the supplies and in turn even more excited about returning to school.”

According to Ruth Donnelly the Executive Director of the United Way of Susquehanna County, “we are pleased to once again partner with the Blue Ridge Education Association. For the past 10 years the Blue Ridge educational staff has generously given to the United Way’s Annual Campaign. This is just one more way we are proud to partner with them.”

For more information about the United Way please visit www.UnitedWayofSusquehannaCounty.org.

Mr. Charles Pirone, Elementary Principal of the Elk Lake School, is pleased to announce the September 2011 Student of the Month award winners.

Pictured above: 1st row - Azalea Martinez-Casas, Destanee Colwell, Lacie Konczyk, Brian Cruz, Kelsey Lawrence; 2nd row - Theron Anderson, Dylan Sharer, Cade Orlandini, Zachary Salinas, Mason Johnson, Miranda Andrews, Miya Rogers; 3rd row - Kyleigh Strohl, Blaine Burnett, Jenna Daye, Todd Snyder, Noah Kaulfers, Carli Sherman, Jocelyn Simmons, Jayde Cook.

Students in kindergarten, first, and second grades were selected by their homeroom teachers. Students may be selected as student of the month from four different areas. Those four areas are academic achievement, attendance, citizenship and most improved.

Elk Lake is proud of their students and congratulates them for their accomplishments.

Elk Lake Junior High School Principal Brain Mallery has announced the September 2011 Students of the Month for grades seven through nine. Pictured above are: front - Phil Cussins, Trevor Crawford, Courtney Shafer, Cydney DeWitt, Jenny Grosvenor, Julie VanEtten, Rachel Zayleskie; back - Cory Wood, Haley Skinner, Dan Bell, Jonathan Baltzley, Junior High Principal Brian Mallery, Colin LaRue, Ben Townsend, Kyle Day, Shelby Valvano, Allyssa Hewitt.

Ethan Mansfield of New Milford attended (WLA) Pennsylvania Bucktails field school to study white-tailed deer. Wildlife Leadership Academy is a cooperative education initiative equipping future leaders with a better understanding of wildlife and conservation. The five-day event took place at Stone Valley Recreation Area in Huntingdon County, PA.

The week involved extensive hands-on learning about the biology, ecology, and management of the well-known white-tailed deer. Activities consisted of a deer necropsy, use of radio telemetry along with GPS systems, habitat evaluations, nature photography, plant collections, and target shooting. Speakers included leading wildlife professionals from the state representing a variety of conservation agencies and organizations. Among them were Dr. Gary Alt, Kip Adams and Tim Smail, to name a few.

The field school is administered by the Pennsylvania Institute for Conservation Education (PICE), which is committed to creating a more ecologically literate population. Ethan received a scholarship to attend this camp through the Susquehanna Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association.

Students in Mrs. Singer's second grade class at Mt. View Elementary School recently presented a Halloween program entitled "The Trunk Full of Treats," an adaptation of a story by Judith Stamper. The play is performed each year by Mrs. Singer's class as a gift to the kindergarten classes at Mt. View.

Pictured (l-r) above: front - Stephanie Nichols, Ragan Poplawski, Kathryn Long, Makenzie Lowrie, Dominick Jones, Cheyenne Ball, Matt Pachuta, Jack Sillaman, Kevin Noldy; back - Emily Streich, Ben Burman, Megan Zipprich, Sophia Striefsky, Zachary Johnson, Robert Pissott, Sabastian Neary, Billie Joe Pittsley-Rhodes, Keila Zick, Owen Sabin, Tori Pellew.

The story begins with a narrator pointing out the trunk full of treats. The other narrators then introduce a series of very scary characters that guard the trunk and its delicious contents. The audience is finally introduced to a ghost who proceeds to frighten all the other scary characters away so that he can have the treats all for himself.

The play was narrated by Emily Streich, Megan Zipprich, Sophia Striefsky, Ragan Poplawski, Stephanie Nichols, Ben Burman, and Kathryn Long. The witch was played by Makenzie Lowrie. Robert Pissot played the role of the bat, and Matt Pachuta was the very scary skeleton. Monsters included Billie Joe Pittsley-Rhodes, Keila Zick, Tori Pellew, Cheyenne Ball, Dominick Jones, Kevin Noldy, Owen Sabin, and Sabastian Neary. Jack Sillaman was the Zombie, and Zachary Johnson played the ghost.

With a kettle on his head, a burlap potato sack shirt, a basketful of nature’s bounty, and a walking stick, Johnny Appleseed (Robert Fisher, elementary teacher) visited Mountain View Elementary to celebrate his birthday, September 26, 1774. Johnny Appleseed visited with the Kindergarten and Pre-K children. He was warmly welcomed by the students who had been anticipating his visit.

Pictured (l-r) above: Aaron Tomanchek, Mr. Rob Fisher (Johnny Appleseed) and Ranger Ransom.

Johnny Appleseed told the story of how he became a pioneer nurseryman. He was named John Chapman by his parents. As he grew older, his father, Nathaniel Chapman, apprenticed John to a Mr. Crawford, who had apple orchards. Johnny learned all he could from Mr. Crawford about being an orchardist.

Pictured above, the Kindergarten classes (Mrs. Earley, Mrs. Light, Mrs. Barlow, and Mrs. Borgna) and the Pre-K class (Mrs. Decker). The three adults are, from left to right, Joy Bognatz, Rob Fisher (Johnny Appleseed), and Jenny Keating.

Johnny’s love for nature and animals grew as he worked in and learned more and more about the great outdoors. Mr. Fisher’s accounting of the life of Johnny Appleseed explained how this American legend traveled in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois planting apple seeds and teaching others how to tend the apple trees to make them produce delicious fruit.

Johnny’s basket contained fruit, vegetables, and berries. The children were given basic safety rules to follow, such as, ask an adult to positively identify any wild berry before you pick or eat it. While some berries are delicious and good for you, others are not. Johnny’s safety rule: “Remember that just because animals eat it doesn't mean that it's safe for you!.”

Johnny also brought a little visitor nestled in the stem of a goldenrod. The children were delighted as he cracked open a gall to reveal the larvae of the Goldenrod Gall Fly nestled inside.

In conclusion, the children enthusiastically joined Johnny in an action poem; Way Up High in the Apple Tree and the Johnny Appleseed Song.

Alice M. Davis, Ph.D., Administrative Director of the Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center (SCCTC), is proud to announce the SCCTC’s “Students of the Month” for September 2011. Pictured (l-r) above: Kristy Monks, Diana Root, Erin Walker, Ford VanWert, Carly Herman, Tyler Perkins, Mary Filer, Dan Goff, Megan Lee, Jacob Wells, Dr. Alice M. Davis and Dave Henry; absent - Jordan Wallen, Austin Sampson, Austin Conrad, Elizabeth Acosta, and Jeff Crass.

Mr. Robert Keyes, Principal of Susquehanna Community Elementary School, announces the “Students of the Month” for September 2011 for Kindergarten through Sixth Grade.

Kindergarten, First, Second and Third

Pictured (l-r) above: row 1 - Cooper Payne, Austin Wayman, Bradley Wolfe; row 2 - Lauren Brown, Amy Dahm, Adam Payne, Luke Hilling; row 3 - Torin Osterhout, Seth DeLong, Elizabeth Weibel, Megan Decker, Meghan Kiernan; row 4 - James Simpson, Jasmine Funk, Raya Vermilyea, Cole Soden.

Fourth, Fifth and Sixth

Pictured (l-r) above: row 1 - James Clark, Mackenzie Steele, Meaghan Towner, Kaylie Towner; row 2 - Matthew Baker, Kaylee Landry, Adam Rockwell, Mason Deakin; row 3 - Christian Good, Elizabeth Delaney, Breanna Treible, Edward Wilber.