The Montrose Area High School Advanced Placement Biology Class and their teacher, Mrs. Teri Evans released nearly 50 fingerling brook trout into Fall Brook at Salt Springs Park in late May. This is the third year Mrs. Evans’ classes have participated in “Trout in the Classroom”, which is sponsored by Trout Unlimited and the PA Fish and Boat Commission. Teri attended a training day at the Fish Commission’s Fisherman Paradise facility at Bellefonte when she first started the program. With this training, much trial and error and the capable help of her AP Biology students, Mrs. Evans has successfully raised nearly 150 brook trout from fertilized eggs provided by the PA Fish and Boat Commission to fingerlings over the last three years. While raising these fish her students have learned the importance of clean, clear and cold water to brook trout, Pennsylvania’s state fish. They also learned the web of life in these cold water streams and trout’s place at the top of the food chain.

Audra Everitt prepares to release a cup full of trout

AP Biology Teacher Teri Evans practices fly casting as instructor Wes Congdon looks on and her students critique her form

On “release day” the class carefully transported the fish to Salt Springs Park and Fall Brook, the fingerlings new home. Each student dipped a few fish in a cup and said good bye as the fish entered the stream. The trout quickly sought cover in the rocks on the creek bottom as their instincts took over.

After releasing the fish, the class was given a demonstration in fly fishing by Susquehanna County Conservation District technician, Wesley Congdon. Under Wes’ experienced eye several of the students and Mrs. Evans tried their hands at casting on the lawn. Wes then moved to a nearby pool in Fall Brook and quickly hooked two rainbow trout in front of the students.

The class went on to search for insects and other life in the rocks and gravel of the stream with “D-nets”. Turning over rocks and kicking gravel upstream of the nets, they were able to capture many species of life from the stream. Mayfly nymphs, stonefly nymphs, crayfish and sculpins (a small bottom dwelling fish found in cold, clear creeks) were just some of the species identified.

After a quick lunch, the class was led on an extended hike of the Park’s trails by Salt Springs’s Environmental Educator, Concetta Schirra.

The class would like to thank Trout Unlimited, PA Fish and Boat Commission, Susquehanna County Conservation District and Salt Springs Park for a very educational and entertaining day.

Pictured is the entire Blue Ridge Elementary School fifth grade class who created "Motivational Murals" in Mrs. Sarrah Dibble-Camburn's art class, with some accompanying research done in Mrs. Janelle Tench's library class. The project was generously funded by BR's PTO. 24 murals were created over about 12 weeks.

Blue Ridge Elementary held its annual oral spelling bee for fourth and fifth grade students on Monday, June 1st.  Eighty-six fourth and fifth graders chose to take the written qualifying test that was held on May 26th.  After the qualifying round, ten fourth graders and twelve fifth graders placed to compete in the oral bee.  At the conclusion of 20 rounds, a winner was declared. The top spellers were Trista Stone- honorable mention, Hannah Gallagher- runner up, and Danielle Tierney- champion.  Congratulations to the winners and also to all of the fourth and fifth grade students who competed.

Pictured (l-r) are Blue Ridge Spelling Bee winners: Danielle Tierney (Champion), Hannah Gallagher (runner up), Trista Stone (honorable mention).

Canine Companions for Independence – a national non-profit organization that provides assistance dogs for children and adults with disabilities – is proud to announce that the Montrose School District has recently received a Canine Companions Facility Dog.

Montrose Special Education Director Kelly-Jo Riker was matched with Hingst, a two-year-old Labrador retriever who has been trained to respond to over 50 commands. Hingst can turn light switches on and off, open and close doors and retrieve dropped objects. However, his new job will be assisting Kelly-Jo as she works with special needs students and will be an integral part of a student’s therapy plans.

Kelly-Jo Riker and Hingst

Kelly-Jo and Hingst returned to Montrose after completing Canine Companion’s recent Team Training Class, an intense, two-week course held at the organization’s Northeast Regional Center in Medford, NY – one of six such centers nationwide. The Northeast Regional Center serves a 13-state area from Maine to Virginia.

Each student who attends Team Training – held at each center four times a year – is paired with a fully trained, working assistance dog, like Hingst, and is taught to work with his/her canine companion. The training course consists of daily lectures, exams, practice and public outings.

Kelly-Jo and Hingst are settling into a routine back home at the Montrose School District. Kelly-Jo says, “Hingst is a very special dog and he is already making a tremendous difference in children’s lives.”

For more information about Canine Companions for Independence, contact the Northeast Regional Center at 1-800-572-BARK or visit us at www.cci.org.

The teachers of the Elk Lake Education Association held their 31st Honors Banquet on Wednesday May 20th. Over the past 31 years the teachers have raised and spent over $330,000 on the students of Elk Lake by sponsoring this banquet, an Elementary Honors Program, and a VIP Picnic.

Pictured (l-r) are: front row Blaise Cleveland, Keely Carney, Tyler Brewer, Lauren Vermulen, Kyrston Swingle, Megyn Stevens, Haley Skinner; back row Mercedes Spickerman, Leah Olfalt, Mackenzie Jones, Makenna Ellis, Christopher Cook.

To be eligible for the honors banquet, the students must make the honor roll each of the first three marking periods of the current school year. Each year at the banquet, the ELEA awards three $1000 scholarships to very deserving seniors.

Pictured (l-r) are: Mrs. Marie Smith, Lauren Vermulen, Kyrston Swingle, and Mrs. Melissa Sherman.

In addition, any senior who has made the honor roll consistently and has been invited to the banquet for six consecutive years, receives a $100 cash award.

Pictured (l-r) are: General Academic Scholarship recipient, Lauren Vermulen; Educational Scholarship recipient, Megyn Stevens; Vocational Scholarship recipient, Makenna Ellis.

This year’s scholarship winners are: General Scholarship, Lauren Vermulen; Education Scholarship, Megyn Stevens; Vocational Scholarship, Makenna Ellis. Six year honor students include Haley Skinner, Kryston Swingle, Jennifer VanEtten, and Lauren Vermulen.

Claire Williams O’Neil (1928-1980) was a teacher in the Susquehanna Community School District for over twenty years. Because of her dedication to education and the community, the Claire Williams O’Neil Foundation, a non-profit institution that sponsors educational and charitable initiatives on a community level, awards this scholarship to reflect her belief in the importance of education, both to the individual and to the community. The Scholarship is awarded to a Susquehanna Community High School student who has achieved a cumulative average of 90% at the end of eleventh grade, and who also possesses a sincere desire to pursue high quality university studies with the potential to contribute meaningfully to the community. The student can be awarded anything up to about $80,000 for four years. To date, this award has totaled over $475,000.

The Claire Williams O’Neil Scholarship has created an incentive for all seniors in our small, rural, and economically disadvantaged school district to look well beyond the typical college options by applying to America’s best colleges and universities.

This year, Ivy Christensen has been named the recipient of the CWO Scholarship, in the amount of $80,000.

Ivy Christensen

Ivy is the daughter of Rachael O’Dell of, Thompson, PA. During her high school career at Susquehanna, Ivy has participated in a variety of clubs, sports and activities. She is currently the President of the 2015 graduating class. Ivy was an active member of the Student Council, Prom Committee, National Honor Society and the Art Club. Ivy also excelled athletically by participating in Track and Cross Country all throughout high school. During her senior year, she was a member of the Scholastic Bowl Team. She also used her leadership skills and academic excellence by volunteering her time as a student mentor.

Ivy plans on furthering her education at Syracuse University in the fall, majoring in Bioengineering.

Mr. Bronson Stone, Superintendent of the Susquehanna Community School District, announces the “Student of the Month” for May, 2015 for Grades Kindergarten, First, Second and Third.

Pictured are Coral Zepkowski, Cassandra Cottrell, Thomas Wayman, Zoey Theobald; second row - Grace Hendrickson, Madison Butts, Mason Opalka, William Towner; third row -Tayla Bedford, Ariana Houser, Nathan Oropallo, Isabella Bishop, Mr. Stone. Absent – Parker Valenti.

And for grades fourth, fifth and sixth ...

Pictured are Lauren Brown, Allison Jenkins, Kerstin Dooley; second row - Collin Smith, Grace Kocak, Jackson Batzel; third row - Val White, Jayden Morrison, Mr. Stone. Absent – Kayla Sheldon and Sebastyan Major.

The Natural Gas Technology Scholarship is sponsored by the Claire Williams O’Neil Foundation, and is fully funded by Bluestone Gathering (a unit of DTE Energy Company). This is the second year awarding this scholarship to a Susquehanna senior who plans on attending Lackawanna College in the fall, majoring in the Natural Gas and Petroleum Program.

Adam MacDonald has been awarded the 2015 scholarship in the amount of $10,000. Adam is the son of Jeff and Terri MacDonald of Susquehanna, PA.

Adam MacDonald

Adam participated in both football and baseball throughout high school. During his senior year, he volunteered as a student mentor by helping younger students meet their academic goals. Outside of school, Adam has a strong passion for the outdoors. Not only is he an avid hunter, but he also currently works for a company in which he stacks stone; and operates machinery.

Adam plans on furthering his education at Lackawanna College, specifically majoring in Compression Technology or Natural Gas Measurement.

Three Mountain View High School 2015 Seniors received a $650 (each) scholarship from Kingsley Civic Clubs funds invested in the Community Foundation of Montrose.

Sabrina

Recipients were Sabrina Fallon, Kyle Heide and Emily Tracy.

Although the club no longer meets, for years they sold pizza at a Harford Fair Stand.

The Juniata College Dean's list recognizes grade point averages of at least 3.6 out of a possible 4.0 The following local students achieved Juniata's dean's list for the spring semester of 2015:

Ashlynn Nicole Cobb of Montrose, daughter of Brian and Kristine Cobb and a 2013 graduate of Montrose Area Senior HS.

Kevin Paul McCarey of New Milford, son of William and Mary Ellen McCarey and a 2012 graduate of Blue Ridge High School.