January 2011 - Allegheny West Magazine

Montour
Fifth Graders Take Part in K’NEX Challenge
A team of four fifth grade students from the Montour School District participated in the Allegheny
Intermediate Unit 3 K’NEX Challenge. The students were Mitchell Bentley, Nicholas Nazak, Caitlyn
McCloskey, and Brian Duggan. The students needed to create a K’NEX structure that would move a
ping pong ball from one side of the table to the other lengthwise. Students were only permitted to use
K’NEX pieces for the challenge. The judging criteria used: creativity, teamwork, challenge success, and
design. Awards were given to the top three teams in grades 4-5. Montour “K’Nexperts,” team name,
earned a 2 nd place with their challenge project titled “The Spartan Express.”
Students Remember Military Overseas with Operation Shoebox
On December 22, Montour Upper Middle School’s Team Leadership Core (TLC) members and select
7 th and 8 th grade students visited the home and workshop of Summer Tissue, founder of Military
Connections. Military Connections is a nonprofit organization that provides care packages, equipment,
and various supplies to U.S. military soldiers (www.militaryconnections.org). Military Connections was
established in 2005 and, with 150 volunteers, is able to send approximately 20,000 packages to
soldiers overseas each year.
TLC sponsored a collection drive, “Operation Shoebox,” throughout the week of December 5 to
help with Ms. Tissue’s efforts. Students and staff were asked to donate any of the following: food,
healthcare, supply, and morale booster items. In a matter of only one week, TLC was able to collect
over 120 shoeboxes and more than 1,500 total items. The TLC members and select 7 th and 8 th grade
students worked tirelessly to pack and wrap each shoebox with at least one item from each category.
Team Leadership Core- TLC was developed by the Montour School District’s Middle School
Counselors as a program for students to create and promote service learning projects throughout
the school year.
High School Business Students Place 2nd in FedEx Junior Achievement
On December 3, seven teams from the high school business classes participated in the Fed Ex Junior
Achievement Titan Business Challenge against many other schools in the Southwestern Pennsylvania area. The Junior
Achievement Titan challenge is a business strategy tournament using the JA Titan program – an online business
simulation. The competition is uniquely designed to unleash student creativity, test leadership skills, and
demonstrate the competitive nature of the free enterprise system.
Under the direction and guidance of Montour High School business teacher Nate Galiyas and host-sponsor
consultants Jered Rollins and Cheryl Thomas from First Niagara Bank, the team of 11 th grade students Anthony
Zukowski, Vinny Depascale, and Quinn Taylor did exceptionally well. By making key management decisions in
running their business, the students finished in 2 nd place. Each student won $100 in prizes, and now will move on to
compete in the Junior Achievement Titan Business Challenge Grand Championship Event against teams from across
the state in May.
Forest Grove PTA invites all to attend their annual fashion show. Their main fundraising event, last year it
raised $18,000 and drew 300 attendees. Funds support the educational programs, the arts, and social
programs for the students. To donate, or to buy tickets, contact RaeAnn Gordon, (412) 327-8781.
Student Selected
for PMEA Honors Choir
Montour High School junior Olivia Barth
was chosen from Montour for the Pennsylvania
Music Educators
Association (PMEA)
Honors Choir. She
auditioned against 30
other schools.
Olivia memorized and
performed the song,
“Exultalte Deo” for her
audition. As a member of this
year’s Honors Choir, Olivia performed with
the group in October at Seton Hill University.
When not singing, Olivia is a majorette in
marching band, and she plays the flute and
piccolo.
After graduation, she hopes to include
musical theatre or choir as her minor.
32 Allegheny West Magazine January 2011