The Mt. View Elementary School is proud to announce the following students that achieved academic excellence for the 1st marking period of the 2011-2012 school year.

Fourth Grade: Ainsley Allen, Dakota Alvord, Aidan Bickerstaff, Alyssa Bollard, Kristofer Boswell, Jarrett Corker, Matthew Dougherty, Kaylee Evans, Michael Fanelli, Josef Kuhar, KayLee LeMaster, Frank Levai, Andrea Ofalt, Grace Rosecrans, Sofie Swetter, Tajah Thomas, Grayson Crea, Christopher DeManicor, Joseph Ferrell, Brianna Hildebrand, Jacob Housel, Heather Johnson, Bryce Norman, Alyza Ransom, Tosha Shay, Kathryn Tracy, Shayla VanVleck, Victoria Wakalowski, Tyler Zech, Olivia Ainey, Piper Clark, Tyler Henke, Bethany Latwinski, Christopher Rogenkamp, Caden Scott, Kayla Ward, MacKenzie Wilbur, Emma Zipprich.

Fifth Grade: Sarah Alessi, Jacob Andzulis, Sean Argust, Mackenzie Bell, Hope Bruzgulis, Devin Burney, Miranda Button, Scarlett Catalfamo, Evan Clarkson, Cameron DeManicor, Alexandria DeWolfe, Josephine Evans, Alyssa Evans, Cameron Ferguson, Rodney Ferrell, Cody Flynn, Travis Getz, Robert Gray III, Madysen Hall, Crystal Horrocks, Justin Kelley, Selena Knowlton, Brian Kozloski, Todd Landis, Ethan Mack, Morgan MacNew, Christopher Master, Abigayle Mazzocchi, Amy Oakley, Lena Penny, James Penny, Hope Perez, Leah Saam, Katelyn Satunas, Madison Schermerhorn, Michael Schermerhorn, Kailee Schlegel, Matthew Schwarztrauber, Aidan Sekely, Kurstian Stankiewicz, Daniel Tran, Tia Ulbaldini, Lily Virbitsky, Aaron Weida, Alexus Wilbur, Robert Wilcox, Brooke Wilder, Caitlyn Williams, Abigail Wormuth.

Sixth Grade: Lucy Adams, Jamie Barhite, Sierra Barnes, Hunter Bomersheim, Sarah Carpenetti, Emma Demark, Alexis Diaz, Jacelyn Evans, Sophia Ficarro, Erika Freely, Benjamin Galvin, Matthew Gates, John George, Derik Gorton, Kaleigh Hamil, Delancy Heller, Douglas Higgins, Samantha Jones, Kerstin Kupiec, Alexander MacDonald, Genavieve Maloney, Ryan Martin, Stephen Mordent, Kelsey Murphy, Anthony Neri, Holly O'Brien, Nicholas Pellew, Austin Rudock, Gerald Rusek III, Alexander Showalter, Kyle Streich, Denise Vonada, Nicholas Wilmarth.

WILKES-BARRE, PA - Brittany Ely of Montrose was one of sixteen students from Wilkes University's chemistry, biochemistry, and pharmacy programs selected to have lunch with renowned scientist Paul Wender, Wilkes University class of 1969. Wender, of the department of chemistry and the department of chemical and systems biology at Stanford University, gave the inaugural Catherine H. Bone Lecture at Wilkes on Oct. 27. He spoke on "Molecular Frontiers and Future Transformative Therapies for AIDS, Alzheimer's, and Resistant Cancer."

Ely is a senior majoring in chemistry. She is the daughter of Connie and Bud Ely.

On November 11 the Blue Ridge Middle/High School Leo Club and the Blue Ridge Elementary School combined their efforts to recognize local Veterans. The Leo Club recognized and thanked local Veterans by providing a breakfast prior to the Veteran's Day assembly, put on by the Blue Ridge Elementary School. Pictured above, Blue Ridge Elementary principal, Mr. Matthew Button, addresses the elementary school and local Veterans.

For the second consecutive weekend, the Elk Lake Forensics Team placed all of its Lincoln-Douglas Debaters.

At Abington Heights High School on November 12, three Elk Lake debaters brought home awards from the Comet Classic Tournament.

EL Forensics Team place-winners at Comet Classic Tournament: Kenneth Brittingham, 4th place in Novice LD Debate; Austin Cohen, 2nd place in Varsity LD Debate; LaAnna Farnelli, 2nd place in Novice LD Debate.

Leading the team, once again, was junior Austin Cohen, who compiled a 3 win and one loss record during the preliminary rounds of Varsity LD Debate by defeating debaters from Abington Heights and Meyers high schools. His only loss came to Ayush Mittal from Danville High School.

In the final round, Cohen lost to Krysti Oschal from Dallas High School and placed second in Varsity LD Debate.

In only the second tournament of her career, eighth grader LaAnna Farnelli compiled an undefeated 4 win and 0 loss record during the preliminary rounds of Novice LD Debate by beating debaters from Abington Heights, Shikellamy, and Pennsbury high schools.

In Finals, she lost a split decision to Connor McFadden from Pennsbury High School and placed second in Novice LD Debate.

Eighth grader Kenneth Brittingham placed 4th overall in the tournament by compiling a 2 win and 2 loss record during the preliminary rounds. His wins came to debaters from Shikellamy and Abington Heights high schools.

“This was another strong performance for us. Austin (Cohen) has continued his success and our eighth graders have continued to work hard and are gaining more confidence every week,” commented EL Forensics Director Keith Brosious.

Mr. Charles Pirone, Elementary Principal of the Elk Lake School, is pleased to announce the October 2011 student of the month award winners.

Pictured (l-r) above: 1st row - Kalinia Gerchak, Elizabeth Davidson, Abby Pettyjohn, Cheyanne Krauss; 2nd row - Matthew Orr, Ariona Richards, Charity Kasson, Kayleigh Mayer, Jasmine Wood.

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.

Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership (HOBY) is one of the nation’s best youth leadership organizations. It’s purpose is to inspire our young community of volunteers and scholars to a life dedicated to leadership. It provides outstanding high school students with an opportunity to learn how to lead and make a difference in the world today. The students will attend this 3 day program at Millersville University May 17- 20.

Interested 10th grade students had to submit an essay to the school explaining why they would like to attend the HOBY conference and why they feel they would be a good candidate. With names being anonymous, the faculty at Susquehanna Community High School votes on the essays. This year, it will be Ashley Miller, daughter of Pete and Michelle Miller of Starrucca. Congratulations and best of luck to Ashley!

Margaret A. Smith of Harford, enrolled at Binghamton University, State University of New York, recently received the Dr. G. Clifford and Florence B. Decker Foundation Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to students within a 60-mile radius of Binghamton, New York to help them complete their goals in higher education. This endowment also helps to fund faculty research and professional development at the doctoral level, and it supports the school’s accelerated baccalaureate program.

The Reading Recovery staff at Mountain View recently presented a professional development session through the Northeast Pennsylvania Reading Association (NPRA). The session included a presentation of the overall program by Karen Voigt, Director of Curriculum and Instruction/Federal Programs, and Mary Harrison who is the first Reading Recovery Trainer in the area. They described specifics of the program while those in attendance watched a Behind the Glass lesson presented by Maureen Beamish, a Reading Recovery teacher, working with one of her students. Maureen demonstrated a typical lesson beginning with the student reading familiar books, reading the previous day’s new book while the teacher takes a running record, working with letters and/or words using magnetic letters, writing a story, assembling a cut-up story, and reading a new book.

Mountain View’s Reading Recovery staff members Mary Harrison, Teacher Leader; Maureen Beamish, Reading Recovery teacher; and Karen Voigt, Director of Curriculum and Instruction/Federal Programs present a session as a part of the Northeast Pennsylvania Reading Association’s (NPRA) program of professional development scheduled offerings for 2011-2012. On the far right is Mountain View Reading Recovery teacher, Brandi Miller. Displayed are the resource materials, student journal, leveled books, and the letter sort magnetic board which are key elements of the program.

Mountain View was fortunate to have received a grant which it utilized to train Mary Harrison and to install the Behind the Glass which is a critical part of the Reading Recovery training. The program was first initiated in the district 15 years ago and presently has 3 Reading Recovery teachers on staff. Reading Recovery is an early intervention strategy for first graders, delivered by specifically trained teachers. Daily 30-minute lessons are individually designed and individually delivered with teachers using a wide range of procedures. The teachers make moment-by-moment decisions within each lesson to support the individual child for 12-20 weeks. It is a research-and evidence-based intervention that brings 75% of the students with full intervention to the average performance of their grade level. Students who make progress but do not reach grade-level expectations are evaluated to determine what future support may be needed.

Reading Recovery was originally designed by Marie M. Clay in New Zealand 30 years ago and is now utilized internationally with great success. In 1984, she and Dr. Barbara Watson came to Ohio State University and began training teachers in the United States. Marie Clay died in 2007, and Dr. Barbara Watson is now director of the program. Mountain View had the recent opportunity to have Dr. Watson visit for a full day at the school providing professional development for the staff. When she worked with the Behind the Glass at Mountain View she stated that it was “the most magnificent in the world” and she felt that Karen Voigt was probably one of the most informed site coordinator that she has dealt with in the United States. This is a credit to Mountain View.

Reading Recovery teachers are highly qualified and attend on-going professional development with trainers and leaders in order to maintain the fidelity of the program. Reading Recovery is also an ideal fit in the RTI - Response to Intervention - framework in accordance with IDEA regulations. To date, over 300 Mountain View first grade students have benefited from the program.

Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania (NAP), a non-profit foundation created to recognize and retain nurses in Pennsylvania, announces the availability of scholarship funds for individuals pursuing an education in nursing. The scholarships will be awarded in Spring 2012 and are available to be used for tuition, books and/or educational fees for that same term.

To qualify, an applicant must 1) be a resident of Pennsylvania, 2) be admitted to a nursing school in Pennsylvania which prepares the student to become a licensed practical nurse, a registered nurse or working toward an advance degree in nursing to practice in a new, advanced role in nursing, 3) have a current minimum grade point average of “B” according to the school’s standards, 4) have completed or be currently enrolled in at least one course designated as “Nursing,” and 5) have not previously received a Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania Scholarship.

Scholarship recipients will be selected based on their academic achievement, leadership potential as evidenced by special honors and/or special recognition, community service, and personal commitment to the profession of nursing.

The deadline for applying for a scholarship is January 31, 2012.

For more information, or to download an application, visit the NAP website www.nightingaleawards.org or contact the Nightingale Awards office.

Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Inc. welcomed its first group of JA Finance Park students for the 2011-2012 school year on October 21. Fourteen ninth grade students completed four weeks of lessons surrounding personal finance taught by Mr. Lawrence Tompkins. Following these essential life lessons, the students traveled to the JA Mericle Family Center for Enterprise Education where they put into practice the skills they learned by participating in the on-site JA Finance Park program. While at the Center, each student received a personal life scenario by which they had to complete a monthly budget, and learned to live within their means.

Pictured (l-r) above: front - Olivia Rockwell, Susie Chamberlain, Ana Smith, Nicole Barnes, Christian Miller, Justin Acone, Kasey Burdick, Luke Falletta; back - Mr. Robert Goodrich, Brianna Graves, Nicole Shay, Felicia Hines, Luke Brinton, Tony Petronaci, Brady Towner, Mr. Lawrence Tompkins.

Susquehanna Community High School has been offering the JA Finance Park program for three years. Teacher Lawrence Tompkins stated, “this program is eye-opening for my students. They really understand what salary level it will take to afford all of the things they want, and are now more aware of how to make sound financial decisions.”

All Junior Achievement programs focus on financial literacy, work-readiness, and entrepreneurship. If you are interested in learning more about Junior Achievement, please contact Paul Francis at 570-602-3600 or e-mail pfrancis@janepa.org.

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Tim Decker of Susquehanna was among those graduating from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania at the end of summer semester classes (September 30). Tim earned a Bachelor of Science in Safety Management.