June 2012 - Allegheny West Magazine

JROTC Unit Rated Outstanding on Inspection
The West Allegheny High School
JROTC unit received a “no findings”
(outstanding rating) on a mandatory
Commanding General’s Readiness
Inspection (CGRI), sponsored by the
Training and Education Command,
Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia
on April 2, 2012. Personnel, administration,
training, education, and logistics
were inspected.
While the entire corps of cadets
performed superbly, special recognition
was earned by the following students
for their leadership: Color Guard: Brad
Fratangelo (Commander), Nick Hower,
Meghan Boocks, Nick Mulik, Greg
Schaefer; Unarmed Drill Commander:
Science Classes Observe Earth Day with Solar House Project
High school students Lauren Botwright
and Sarah Davis demonstrate how the
house they designed and built uses
solar energy as a power source.
Honor Society Pageant Supports Make-A-Wish Foundation
Jared DiSanti was crowned Mr. West
Allegheny, and Levi Seifert won the title of
Mr. Congeniality.
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West Allegheny JROTC members (front)
Briana Bell, Amanda Cox, Meghan Boocks,
(back) Andrew Sheehy, Brad Fratangelo,
and Nick Hower volunteered to help at the
Gold Card Club breakfast earlier this year.
Meghan Boocks, Armed Drill Commander:
Brad Fratangelo, and Logistics and armory:
Dan Henry.
West Allegheny High School students
in James Hamilton's Honors Physical
Science class learned about solar energy
by constructing models of solar houses
at least one-half meter by one- half meter
in size as an Earth Day project in April.
Working in partner pairs, they were
required to design the inside as well as
the outside of the house to best accommodate
the use of solar energy as a
power source.
Once the construction process was
complete, the students used the houses
to conduct a series of experiments
The West Allegheny High School
Chapter of the National Honor Society
raised $700 for the local Make-A-Wish
Foundation by sponsoring its tenth
annual "Mr. West Allegheny" pageant on
April 20, 2012. West Allegheny High
School senior Jared DiSanti won the title
of Mr. West Allegheny, and senior Levi
Seifert was voted Mr. Congeniality.
The other contestants included Dylan
Bongiorni, Evan Story, Dave Kline, and
Nabeel Haque. Participants were judged in
a number of categories, including sports/
casual wear, formal wear, and talent and
answered questions during an interview.
Senior members of the National Honor
Society Laura Victorelli, Michelle Bartha,
The unit visited the Marine Corps Base in
Quantico, Virginia and Washington, DC on
April 12 to 14, 2012. The trip included a tour
of the National Museum of the Marine Corps
and a meal on Marine Corps Base Quantico as
well as a stop at the USMC War Memorial
(Iwo Jima statue), and a visit to Kings
Dominion Amusement Park.
In the 11 years West Allegheny has offered
JROTC at the high school, a total of 18 college
scholarships have been awarded to West
Allegheny unit members. With community
service a priority, members volunteer their
time to help at various events during the year.
Maj David Botizan and SgtMaj Robert Word
are the JROTC instructors.
related to solar energy. They learned about
the greenhouse effect and how light and
dark surfaces absorb heat. They also
studied the impact of solar water collectors,
reflectors, and insulation.
The projects were evaluated on a point
scale for four characteristics: realism,
neatness, creativity and solid construction.
Lauren Botwright and Sarah Davis earned a
perfect score on the construction of their
solar house by designing and incorporating
a solar windmill that utilizes wind and solar
energy.
Ethan Schweinsberg, Rebecca Will, and
Emily Murn coordinated the event. Their
promotional efforts included recruiting the
prospective contestants, publicizing the
event, obtaining an emcee to conduct the
program, and convincing business
sponsors to provide prizes and a crown for
the winner.
Several teachers and aides acted as
judges using a weighted scoring system
where entrants were able to earn more
points in the talent category, for instance,
than in the sportswear category. MW Tux
supplied the formal wear for the contestants.
Suzanne Lambert, biology teacher, is
the faculty sponsor for the National Honor
Society.