FALL 2024 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

Fall 2024 Guides

Educational Resources

Health & Wellness

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The official publication of the School District and Township of Upper St. Clair

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180 Fort Couch Rd, Upper St. Clair, Pa 15241 - 412-833-3600

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Monongahela, PA 15063

724-565-5164

Fall 2024 • Volume 30 • Issue 3

twpusc.org/usctoday • usctoday@usctoday.org

17 Dragon Boat Warrior

28 Commencement 2024

Features &

Around the

Township

10 The Days Are Long

13 Wingfield Pines & Beyond

77 Biomarker Testing Legislation

83 A Look Back

School District

27 High School Named Among

the Best

35 Bracelets For Charity

40 STEAM/STEM News

49 Pawprints

Township

62 Library News

66 MS4: Fertilizing Your Lawn

68 Recreational Fires

Guides/Directories

16 Pinebridge Commons

20 Health & Wellness

70 Educational Resources

Photo Ops

31 Elementary Schools Welcome

Their Graduating Seniors

44 Prom 2024

56 Community Day 2024

60 United Senior Citizens

34 Hi, Neighbor

The fall cover of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

highlights USC resident John Biedrzycki, the

Steel City Lawyer. Turn to page eight to read

about his team approach to school law, the PA

School Law Alliance.

You can purchase a TODAY cover!

Contact usctoday@usctoday.org for

specifications and rates.

67 Honoring Those on Flight 427

2 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY Fall 2024

Publishers

Matthew R. Serakowski, Township Manager

Dr. John T. Rozzo, Superintendent of Schools

The award-winning, official publication of the

School District and Township of Upper St. Clair

Upcoming Winter 2024 edition

includes Holiday and

Life Planning guides.

Deadlines:

Articles – September 19

Advertising – September 23

Website: twpusc.org/usctoday

Email: usctoday@usctoday.org

@usctoday

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY is a not-for-profit

community magazine dedicated to promoting

the Township and School District of

Upper St. Clair by recognizing the gifts

and contributions of the people who live

and work here. This year marks 30 years

of our publication.

The 119th issue of UPPER ST. CLAIR

TODAY magazine is made possible through

the combined resources of the staff and volunteers

of the Township and School District

of Upper St. Clair. Thanks are extended to

the staff and volunteers for their enthusiasm

and efforts on this continuing project.

Steering Committee

Mark S. Mansfield, Assistant Township Manager

Paul K. Fox, School District Representative

Editors and Staff

Terry Kish, Editor-in-Chief

Alex Pepke, Township Associate Editor

AnneMarie Kopach, School District

Associate Editor

Sarah Beitler, Office Manager,

Marketing & Advertising Executive

Colleen DeMarco, Advertising Executive

Kerry Turner, Advertising Executive

Dorothy Clark, Graphic Designer

Student Interns

Caleb Guarino

Isabel Vilensky

Mark Mansfield Paul Fox Terry Kish Alex Pepke AnneMarie Kopach Sarah Beitler Colleen DeMarco Kerry Turner Dorothy Clark

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY is a non-partisan

Township, School District and community

magazine. Political advertising and political

commentary are not accepted. The publishers

of this magazine reserve the right to reject

advertising or articles inconsistent with the

objectives, image and aesthetic standards of

the magazine.

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY is published and

mailed quarterly to residents and businesses in

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magazine are available at the Township of

Upper St. Clair Municipal Building and

Township Library. If you did not receive a copy

in the mail, call 412-851-2851.

Subscription Information

If you know someone living outside the

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official magazine, please send a $12

check payable to UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY,

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issues, with their name and address, including

zip code, to UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY, 1820

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$10 to cover international mailing.

The next issue of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY will

be the winter 2024 issue and will be published in

November 2024. Articles that were submitted but not

published in this issue are on file for consideration

in upcoming issues.

Articles and announcements may be sent to:

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UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY

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fax: 412-851-2592

Ad file submission: dclark@usctoday.org

Errata

The Boyce fifth grade Arts in Education first place

winner should have been listed as Allison Irvine.

Board of School Directors

Township Board of Commissioners

Jennifer A. Schnore, President

Daniel R. Paoly, President, At Large

Dr. Danielle Wetzel, Vice President Dante R. Plutko, Jr., Vice President, Ward 1

Barbara L. Bolas Pamela L. Enck, Ward 2

Dr. Daphna Gans Jason H. Graves, Ward 3

Kelly P. Hanna Todd D. Burlingame, Ward 4

Justin Lamber Ronald J. Pardini, Ward 5

Michael R. Mascaro

Richard I. Thomas, At Large

Angela B. Petersen

Hallie H. Snyder

Thank you to our volunteer contributors this issue:

Judge Ronald Arnoni, John Biedrzycki, Esq., Kristen

Culp, Lindsay Dill, Carolyn Jones Friedrich, Paul Fox,

Chris Gmiter, Caleb Guarino (intern & YWG),

Ted Hale, Wayne Herrod, David Kutschbach, Jay

Lynch, Geoff and Christine McQueen, Rep. Natalie

Mihalek, Rep. Dan Miller, Meghan Murray, EdD, Shiv

Singh, Joyce Soung, Isabel Vilensky (intern & YWG),

Tina Vojtko and Tom Yochum.

Young Writers Guild (YWG) promotes and encourages

young writers in the Upper St. Clair School District,

grades 8–12, to provide articles and artwork of

interest for our community magazine. Email

usctoday@usctoday.org to find out how your student

can contribute.

The 119th issue of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY is a

joint publication of the Township and School

District of Upper St. Clair.

Reproduction of this magazine, in print or web

version, in whole or in part, without the expressed

written consent of the Editor, is strictly prohibited.

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY



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Fall 2024 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY 5

A Fall Note From the Publishers

Matthew R. Serakowski

Dr. John T. Rozzo

As the vibrant colors of summer begin to fade, it is with a mixture of nostalgia

and anticipation that TODAY embraces the seasonal transition to fall.

For many, autumn is synonymous with back-to-school. The school

district section includes information for parents like the school district

calendar and the varsity football schedule, as well as coverage of the 2024

commencement ceremony and the many awards and honors garnered by

USC students.

Among the features in this issue is Tom Yochum’s article, “The Days are

Long,” detailing his family’s activity-packed calendars that are part of a new

school year. Does your family relate?

If you’re planning to work on your yard this fall, be sure to read David

Kutschbach’s article, “MS4 Education: Fertilizing Your Lawn,” in order to

avoid storm water pollution. His article can be found in the township section,

which also includes safety tips on the hazards of recreational fires from

the Upper St. Clair Department of Fire Protection, as well as information

on programs offered by the library and recreation department.

The change of seasons may inspire you to try something new! If so, consider

volunteering with one of the many organizations in Upper St. Clair.

From the Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair to Horses With Hope

to the Allegheny Land Trust (ALT), there are many opportunities to give

back to others while staying close to home.

With each cool breeze, we are reminded of the inevitable cycle of life

and the endless possibilities that come with each new season. Savor the

blue skies, crisp days and activities and glory that autumn brings — after

all, winter is coming!

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Matthew R. Serakowski

Township Manager

Dr. John T. Rozzo

Superintendent of Schools


twpusc.org/usctoday | usctoday@usctoday.org


PA School Law Alliance: A Novel Team Approach to School Law

John A. Biedrzycki III, Esq. and Meghan Murray, Ed.D.

One of the frustrating parts of my

20-plus years as a lawyer stems from

the representation of children and their

families involved in school-related issues,

many times involving disciplinary issues at

school. While I have had success defending

students being involved in fights, truancy

and other disciplinary matters, I’ve never

been able to solve the students’ underlying

problems that cause misbehavior when it

comes to the repeat offenders. Outside of

Upper St. Clair, I’ve encountered school

administrators who would rather expel

a troublesome student or place them on

permanent remote learning, as opposed

to advising the parents of their rights

to evaluation, added learning support,

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or

alternative discipline options that could

turn a bully into an A student.

Dr. Meghan Murrary and John A. Biedrzycki III, Esq.

Last year, I had a case involving such a situation, where a

student who was a regular disciplinary problem was acting up.

In my opinion, it was because the coursework was far below

their intellectual capacity; and as the saying goes, an idle mind

is the devil’s workshop. I had the criminal/disciplinary portion

of the matter well in hand, but I wasn’t sure of all the options

that were available under Pennsylvania law to have the student

properly evaluated and placed to provide an overall solution

so that the disciplinary problems ended. A colleague of mine

suggested that I speak with a friend of theirs that had extensive

experience serving in school and district administration, from

teaching to being a principal and ultimately the Director of Assessment

and Associate Dean of Academics for a local college.

This would be my introduction of Dr. Meghan Murray, and I’ll

let her take it from here.

When I started teaching, I knew there was a missing component

to education. From my work in Florida with English

language learners, I knew that at some point I would be a consultant-advocate

to serve families who didn’t know or understand

the school systems. As I worked through various administrative

ranks, I tried to bridge the gap in communications and support

between school and families, while ensuring students were

treated equitably by the school system. I worked on expanding

my networks and expertise to ensure that I knew how to best

serve students in whatever capacity I worked.

Then one day, consulting for a lawyer began. John called

me and gave me some insights to his case, checking what some

potential outcomes might be for a family he was working with.

Having experienced discipline from the school’s side of things


for more than a decade, I gave him a list of recommendations

that he could take to the district to help negotiate an appropriate

consequence for the incident, but also some follow up options for

the student to help recover from this incident and move forward

in a more constructive way — with the support of the family and

school — making sure everyone knew they were on the same

team. We worked within the district’s policies and school code

to come up with a plan that made everyone feel like they could

move forward after this.

What we thought would be a one-time thing turned into

multiple calls about school-related concerns that engaged both

of our experiences and skills to come up with some possible

solutions to ultimately, and most importantly, put the needs of

the student at the forefront.

From these experiences, we realized that having both an attorney

and educational policy and procedures expert working

together would be a superior team, as opposed to attorneys who

practice school law or non-attorney educational consultants.

We decided to form a new company in Upper St. Clair that has

the best of both worlds — an attorney with more than 20 years

of litigation experience and an educator with her doctorate and

over 20 years of experience in school law, policy, procedure and

advocacy.

Coupled with our connections to numerous mental health

and education professionals, we are ideally suited to address

everything from IEP plans for special needs and learning challenged

students, to GIEP plans for gifted students and 504 plans

for medical issues. We also handle contract negotiations and

employment issues for teachers, administrators and other education

professionals. Our reach and ability are not limited to K–12,

but include college and graduate issues, disciplinary, civil rights

and grade appeal issues, and contract advice for professors and

administrators.

Once we started working on what we wanted to become, we

knew that our goals were twofold: empowering families and students

to be self-advocates, and supporting the needs of schools in

an environment that all but forgot how agile, altruistic and selfsacrificing

educators became during a pandemic. We wanted to be

that mediator who can help the schools explain their regulations

and laws while also supporting students along the way. John and

I know from our experiences that when someone can remove the

emotional investment from a situation, better outcomes for the

students can be provided.

What we also know is that sometimes educators need support

and advice, as well. We both have experience with negotiations

and working with union contracts and employment concerns.

That’s really the beauty of bringing our skills together — we can

assist with all facets of education.

Penny Lane, who will be trained as an emotional support dog to comfort

students and their families during meetings at the office.

What we have also experienced are the complexities of law

and education, respectively. We know that both sectors are bound

in so much policy, procedure and case law that it would make

anyone’s head spin to be expected to know all of it. That’s where

we come in. We can translate the bureaucracy of both worlds and

make meaning for each situation brought to us, so our clients

know exactly what is happening and how to find a solution,

working amicably with the school systems while maintaining

the ability to commence litigation to enforce the client’s rights,

if necessary. n

For more information

or to schedule a free consultation, visit paschoollaw.com

or email john@steelcitylawyer.com or meghan@paschoollaw.com.

Offices are located at 1140 Boyce Road in Upper St. Clair.

Photos credit: Kaela Speicher Photography


The Days are Long

Tom Yochum

When teaching high school English, I would occasionally

have my students explore the meanings of idioms; proverbs that

were once shared-wisdom across generations. A highlight of this

exercise was distributing the list of phrases and hearing their

initial reactions: “‘a stitch in time saves nine’ — so, like, it’s better

to make a doctor’s appointment before you need more stitches?”

A few students landed on the occasional phrase recalled from

conversations with grandparents, but much of it was unfamiliar.

Most of this bygone wisdom about birds in bushes has gone the

way of the dodo…and cursive writing. Even John Hancock has

evaporated into the Cloud. On the increasingly rare occasions

when students must physically sign something, some now ask:

“Can I just print my name and put squiggly lines in between the

letters?”

I didn’t want to beat a dead horse, but felt that some connection

to the evolution of our language and culture was important. I

spend most days bombarded by 21st-century slang, and familiarity

breeds contempt — or at least confusion. Rizz, cap and drip.

This is not an attempt to update the Rice Krispies slogan, but a

sampling of words that have become ubiquitous in our middle

schools. C’mon, bruh. Anyone with teen-adjacent children encounters

such terms ad nauseum, and straight from the horse’s

mouth. (Another phrase foreign to Gen Z, along with any Mr.

Ed references!)

Even those fortunate enough to be detached from TikTok,

however, will occasionally encounter the new breed of maxims

and memes. One such axiom that’s pervaded the lexicon has an

antiquated feel, but rising popularity in the world of coffee-mug

kitsch and Etsy throw pillows: “The days are long, but the years

are short.” Many parents with young children have had this put to

them by well-meaning, generally older parents themselves, often

when your kids are in the midst of a full-blown meltdown in some

Archery attempts


Frannie with her soccer coach, aka, Dad

public setting. It’s a cliché, precisely because of the universal truth

it imparts. And, it stands as a good reminder to appreciate the

times (and tantrums) that are the briefest of seasons in our lives.

The homespun wisdom in this advice really takes hold when

your kids reach school age. Time collapses between first-and-lastday-of-school

pictures. Seasons and school years pass in the blink

of an eye. One day you and your child are chilling together with

board books and the next you have no chill because you won’t

get your eight-year-old an iPhone.

Before our oldest child was swept away to the sands of time

and social media, we wanted to embrace her first year in school

and give her all the experiences. So, we (I) signed her up (forced

her to participate in) just about every sport and leisure activity our

community offers six-year-olds. No more idle childhood with her

head in the clouds; it was time to put her nose to the grindstone.

The results were decidedly mixed, but our time together certainly

seemed to stretch. Amidst evenings rushing her from one activity

to the next, I found that the days are long, but so are the practices.

First up was kindergarten rec soccer in the fall. In addition to

her playing, I volunteered to coach the team. Having previously

coached high school soccer at USC, I imagined this would be a

breeze and a great bonding experience. Frannie got all the requisite

gear (always a high point of any season) and I actually brought

a 3x5 notecard with an outline of our drills to the first practice.

The naivete. God bless kindergarten teachers; 20 minutes into that

first practice, I was still attempting to corral the team in a circle.

Even Fran could sense I was in over my head and pulled me aside:

“Dad, you might want to try: ‘1-2-3, all eyes on me!’” It worked!

From there, I had four seconds of undivided attention to cover

everything: from the rules of the game to why we don’t eat grass.

The kids were great and I thought we were having fun. On

the way home from a midseason game, I asked Frannie what was

her favorite part. She responded, excitedly: “When I sat out!” At

the high school level, I was accustomed to managing player egos

and parental concerns about playing time. Now I had to bribe the

players with additional post-game snacks just to field a full team.

Overall, we did well on the pitch, but might have fared better

as a competitive-eating team. Adult leagues downing beers and

pizza after games have nothing on the number of Capri Suns and

Pirate’s Booty we went through.

Wanting Frannie to be well-rounded, we simultaneously

enrolled her in piano lessons during the fall. Mozart composed

his first minuet at the age of five, so we were already behind the

eight ball. Her teacher is fantastic and Frannie slowly began to

learn the keys and tentatively attempt almost-recognizable tunes.

I imagined I would have been more of a taskmaster at enforcing

practice, but your tune changes when the piano is situated in the

living room. The first hundred runs through “Row, Row, Row

Your Boat” are admittedly cute, but somewhere down the stream

you want to plug, plug, plug your ears. We might need to invest

in an electronic keyboard and headphones. She earnestly loves

piano, though, and I’d like her to continue even when the ship of

her enthusiasm has sailed. The best parental advice I ever heard

in regard to a child’s pleas to end piano lessons went: “Find me

an adult who says they’re glad they quit and then you can, too.”

Naturally, this person never found anything but regret from those

who stopped. She continued playing through high school and is

now a music teacher herself.

During winter, we got both our girls into swim lessons. By

vacation, they’d be free from the shackles of floaties and drawing

inspiration from the Summer Olympics. They seemed excited by

this prospect and agreed to dedicate themselves, with only one

caveat: we can’t get our faces or hair wet! A minor impediment to

the art of swimming. Fran, in particular, was a fish out of water as a

human in water. Ellis, our

three-year-old, has a bit

more of a daring streak,

which is frankly a mixed

blessing around pools.

Maybe we should have

enrolled them in one of

those enforced-dunking

classes when they were

younger, but it feels oddly

tortuous once they can

verbalize an objection.

No baptism by fire, nor

water, for us. Like two

peas in a blow-up pod,

our summer swims were

once again accompanied

by a flotilla of floaties and

innertubes (and goggles,

hats, water socks, swim

diapers, etc.). Infantrymen

in some countries

wear less gear than our

girls require for a visit to

the pool.

Frannie has her game face on!

Landside, Frannie and I also spent time in the frozen tundra

at the Y Princess Winter Campout. This is a wonderful organization

that provides an outlet for daddy-daughter bonding, away

from the watchful eyes of mom. No one is asking the girls how

many Oreos they’ve had, and no one is asking the dads what’s in

their Yeti. There’s occasionally time for a few activities in between

long stretches of consuming fried foods. The girls even learned

some archery, so we could have survived had the bags of Costco

nuggets and mozzarella sticks run out.

Spring, however, meant we were out of the frying pan and

into the fire: art lessons, golf, tennis, the kids marathon, softball

and cheer signups. Our garage looked like a miniature Dick’s

outlet, with VERY lightly-used equipment of all stripes. I coached

Frannie’s softball team, and snacks continued to be a highlight.

If you really want to lengthen the days with your children, a

three-inning softball game can feel like an eternity. We might

need to partner with MLB on a pitch clock next season. The girls

had fun, though, and half of our games were rained out, so all

in all it was a successful season. I’m somewhat ambivalent about

the new turf fields at Morton Fields Complex. It will be a great

complex and boon to the community, but might put a big dent

in 6U sports cancellations.

Moving forward, I suspect we might leave a stone, or sport,

unturned. I’ve gleaned from parents with older kids that this is

only the calm before the storm: specialization, private coaches

and thousand-dollar travel tournaments across the Midwest. I’m

glad, however, that she’s getting the chance to try her hand at

so many things before it all becomes too competitive, cutthroat

and cost-prohibitive. This summer the girls got to be kids: camp,

evenings outside with friends and time with family. We’ve got our

second wind and are ready for all the fall fun, come rain or shine.

The days might be getting shorter, but we’re going to make this

year our longest one yet! n

Proudly displaying their marathon medals


Remote Anxiety

Jay Lynch

“May each of your days begin with anxiety and end with guilt.”

It may sound like a parody of an old Irish-Catholic blessing,

but a few weeks ago, I was about to have such a day.

The morning started out quite normally as I was about to leave

the house for a meeting in downtown Pittsburgh. However, when

I pressed the wall switch to open the garage door, it rose a few

inches and stopped. After several more button presses and a few

invectives, the door still wouldn’t cooperate. I started to panic.

If I couldn’t get my car out of the garage quickly, I’d be late for

the meeting.

I disconnected the opener and tried to lift the door manually,

but it wouldn’t budge. Since it had opened somewhat, I guessed

that the problem was electronic, not mechanical. Of course, I

know nothing about electronics or mechanics, but that didn’t

stop me from opening the motor unit access door and fiddling

with every knob, slider and button I could find. I was hoping to

magically bring the door opener back to life with random acts

of desperation.

Of course, my efforts failed, and I remained perplexed until

I noticed an odd separation in the coil spring above the door. A

phone call and a few photos to my trusted garage door repairman

confirmed my suspicion. He came to the house, replaced the

spring and the garage door operated properly. The process took

a few hours, so I missed the meeting, but I felt some degree of

accomplishment in that I had solved the garage door problem.

Or had I?

That evening, my wife, Katie, and I were headed to dinner

with friends. We backed out of the garage and pressed the

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Stuck in the garage

remote-control button to close the garage door. The indicator

light came on, but the door wouldn’t respond. I had no time to

diagnose the problem, or I’d be late twice in the same day. So, I got

out of the car, went into the garage, pressed the switch on the wall

and ran out quickly to avoid being crushed by the closing door.

When I returned to the car, Katie asked how we’d get back

into the house. I thought it was an odd question, but she had

reason for concern. Like many suburbanites, we access the house

through the garage. I don’t keep a house key on my key ring, and

Katie doesn’t keep a house key in her purse. We keep them in a

“safe” spot inside the house. Yes, we both have college degrees.

I assured her that there was no need to cancel our evening with

friends, as I would crawl through an unlocked window when we

returned to the house. All was well until our drive home, when I

remembered that several months earlier, in a fit of environmental

responsibility, I had hired a home energy auditor. He told me that

our HVAC system would be most efficient if we securely latched

and locked our windows. All of them.

When we got home, I confirmed that, unfortunately, I had

dutifully followed his advice. We were locked out of our own

house. How embarrassing! Since we had our cell phones, I called

the expert who had fixed the door, thinking that his repairs may

have impacted the remote control, which he could easily rejuvenate.

He said, “Sorry, my friend. I never touched the electronics.

I can’t help with the remote ’til you get inside the garage.” Then,

I braced myself for his anticipated, yet embarrassing question:

“Don’t you carry a house key, Mr. Lynch?”

My next call was to the USC police, thinking they might have

a clever device to break into the house, like the one they use on

cars. In terse cop lingo, the dispatcher said, “Negative.” Then, he

offered an innocent public-service suggestion that I interpreted as

yet another well-deserved sarcastic jab: “Most township residents

carry house keys or have invested in electronic key pads.”

My next idea was to ask a neighbor for a hammer to break a

window, but Katie suggested a less violent approach. She called

an emergency locksmith, who picked the front door deadbolt

(and our pockets) like a safe cracker.

Although the episode was over, we still had a remote device

that wasn’t working. There was no explanation, until I took the

time to read the motor unit section of the user manual. It said,

“Caution: adjusting factory settings will require reprogramming

your remote.”

I didn’t tell Katie. n

Feedback and comments are welcome at bkefather@yahoo.com.

Wingfield Pines & Beyond: Allegheny Land Trust

Lindsay Dill, Senior Director of Marketing & Community Engagement, Allegheny Land Trust

To sum up the summer: Allegheny Land Trust (ALT) had a wonderful

time enjoying, improving and sharing the land with all of you! As

we head into fall, ALT is reflecting on a season of activity, continuing to

work hard on saving another plot of land near you and looking forward to

sharing nature knowledge with attendees of our upcoming environmental

education events.

If you’ve explored Wingfield Pines this summer, we hope you were

able to meet our 2024 John Hamm Conservation intern, Luke Haury. Luke

worked with ALT staff, partners and volunteers to maintain and improve

Wingfield’s habitat with effective fieldwork, and enhanced the visitor

experience by managing both events and features of the land. While his

internship will soon come to a close, we at ALT know that Luke will go

on to accomplish great things.

Beyond the borders of Wingfield and Upper St. Clair, we’ve been

working to conserve green space in the nearby communities of Collier

and South Fayette Townships. Our Panhandle Greenway Conservation

Project is a years-long, landscape-scale effort to proactively conserve highquality

green space and add to locally conserved lands like Settler’s Cabin

Park, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, Collier Township Park, South Fayette’s

Preservation Park, other public and privately conserved lands and the

Panhandle and Montour Trails.

To start with the good news — we did it! We saved local land! Together

with help from our supporters, we protected 91 acres of green space in

Collier Township in March of 2024. Thank you to all who supported the

project by donating and spreading awareness. This success serves to build

momentum in proactively conserving local land for the benefit of local and

downstream communities.

Now, for more good news — together, we can now save more local land.

This year, we’ll continue this landscape-scale effort by working to conserve

another 140 acres of the Panhandle Greenway project. These woodlands

are located in the rapidly developing and flood-vulnerable Robinson Run

Watershed along the scenic corridor of the popular Panhandle Trail.

Conserving this land will also contribute to the health and well-being

of our communities by protecting scenic beauty and wildlife habitat, absorbing

stormwater to prevent flooding and sustain water quality, filtering

pollutants to create cleaner air and conserving opportunities for close-tohome

outdoor recreation.

We need your help. We have a multi-pronged funding

plan in place to raise the necessary funds by this

year’s end that includes state, foundation, township and

corporate dollars. To unlock the state level grants by

demonstrating local support and fill our gaps, we need to

raise $75,000 from the community to make this project

happen. We’re already halfway there! We hope you’ll

support this effort and share the information with your

neighbors and friends who enjoy clean air and water,

regional trails and the high quality of life Pittsburgh’s

close-to-home green space helps in providing. n

Upcoming Nearby & Online Events

Aug. 17 | 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

Volunteer Workday: Invasive Removal

@ Wingfield Pines Conservation Area | Free to attend;

registration required

Wingfield Pines is a haven for birds and other wonderful

wetland organisms. Join ALT’s John Hamm

Conservation intern Luke Haury to identify the region’s

most aggressive invasive plants and safely remove

them from the area. This work is crucial to maintaining

a healthy ecosystem.

Sept. 19 | All Day

ALT 2024 Day of Giving

ALT’s Board of Directors is generously providing a

match pool during our annual Day of Giving! Double

your impact in support of our efforts to help local

people save local land. All gifts made on this date will

be matched by the ALT Board.

Sept. 27 | 5–7 p.m.

Beginner’s Mushroom ID Hike

@ Wingfield Pines Conservation Area | $5/person

Join ALT staff and Wingfield Pines Mushroom Club

Identifier Julie Travaglini for a mushroom hike and

ID table at Wingfield Pines. After a brief introduction,

guests will be looking for mushrooms on their own

before reconvening for an ID table and discussion at

the end.

Webinar Series

Learn more about the outdoors from anywhere with an

internet connection! ALT’s Senior Director of Education

and Curriculum Julie Travaglini will take learners of all

ages on a deep dive into various nature-based topics

to learn more about the environment around us. Attendance

is free.

• Sept. 4 | 5–5:45 p.m. | Vultures — Gross but Great

• Sept. 26 | 12–1 p.m. | Lunch and Learn: Phenology

Volunteer Info Session

• Oct. 2 | 5–5:45 p.m. | Awesome Opossums

• Oct. 16 | 5–5:45 p.m. | Nature’s Vampires and Zombies

For more information, visit alleghenylandtrust.org/panhandlegreenway/.

For more events, visit alleghenylandtrust.org/events.


TODAY’s Interns

TODAY extends a sincere thank you to

USCHS graduate Miriam Gutensohn. Miriam

worked as an intern with TODAY during

her senior year

of high school,

submitting several

interesting

articles on a variety

of subjects.

We are grateful

for her contributions

and wish

her the best in

her future endeavors!

Miriam

said that working

for TODAY gave her the opportunity to

enhance her writing skills, as well as being

able to share stories on topics that were important

to her, like music and culture. Miriam

will attend the Pennsylvania State University

(Penn State) Schreyer Honors College this

fall, majoring in biochemistry and molecular

biology on the pre-med track. She looks forward

to joining the university’s philharmonic

orchestra, club cross country team and a

research lab.

Returning as an intern for TODAY

is USCHS senior, Caleb Guarino.

Caleb is a varsity cross country and

track runner,

as well

as varsity inline

hockey

player for the

district. He

participates

in a number

of clubs and

extracurricular

activities

at the high

school, including

Natural Helpers, Junior

Mentors and Chief Science Officers.

His favorite subjects revolve around

engineering, biology and chemistry.

He looks forward to continuing

to learn and grow as a member of

TODAY, while engaging with the

township and community.

Joining the TODAY staff as an intern

this year is another USCHS senior, Isabel

Vilensky. Originally from New York City,

she and her

family moved

to Upper St.

Clair three

years ago.

This summer,

Isabel participated

in

the Hillman

Cancer Biology

Research

Academy. She

is the regional

director of a cancer nonprofit and volunteers

at Jefferson Hospital (AHN) and

Horses with Hope. Her hobbies include

public speaking and competitive singing.

More than anything, Isabel enjoys using

her leadership positions to help others

discover their passions and achieve success

in their desired areas. Isabel hopes to

become an anesthesiologist or politician

in the future. n

Miriam Gutensohn Caleb Guarino Isabel Vilensky

MT. LEBANON

RECREATION CENTER

ATTENTION UPPER ST. CLAIR RESIDENTS

Skate With Us at the

MT. LEBANON RECREATION CENTER

Open Year Round with Something for Everyone

Your Trusted Tree

Care Professionals

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Tree and Shrub Pruning | Tree and Shrub Planting &

Installation | Plant Health Care Monitoring Programs |

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davey.com

S Pittsburgh | (724) 734-2407

Friday Night Teen skate

(begins Sept. 6) from 7:40 - 10pm.

Learn-to-Skate Classes/ Beginner &

Intermediate Hockey Clinics

Youth Developmental &

Adult Hockey Leagues

Public Skating

Figure Skating Sessions Daily

Adult Skating & Instructional Programs

Broomball

Birthday Party Packages

Call the Recreation Center at

412-561-4363 for times and rates

Or visit us online at www.mtlebanon.org


TODAY Celebrates 30 Years

Residents of all ages turned out for UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY’s 30th anniversary

celebration on June 5! Township commissioners, Upper St. Clair school directors and

other local officials were in attendance, as were Township and School District staff and

many people who have worked with the magazine in various roles. Representatives from

Sen. Devlin Robinson, Rep. Natalie Mihalek and Rep. Dan Miller’s offices were also there

and presented proclamations recognizing TODAY’s 30-year history.

Upper St. Clair librarian Colleen Miles and her volunteers provided games for the

Township’s youngest residents, as well as organizing a very creative coloring contest for

the children.

TODAY extends a special thank-you to

Colleen and the library staff for their help

and to the Community Foundation of Upper

St. Clair for their financial support of the

event. Thanks to everyone who was able

to attend and help us celebrate 30 years of

highlighting the best of Upper St. Clair! n

Photos: Wayne Herrod

30 For 30

DID THE LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER DERAIL YOUR FITNESS GOALS?

LOOKING FOR A WAY TO MOVE MORE THIS FALL?

As part of TODAY’s ongoing 30th anniversary celebration, we invite

you to join TODAY staff members as we commit to walking 30 minutes

each day during the month of September.

To provide inspiration, each Tuesday in September from 5:30–6 p.m.,

USC TODAY sales executive Kerry Turner will meet anyone interested in

walking at the Washington Elementary School Trail lot (behind Al’s Cafe

and Rite Aid) for a casual 30-minute walk. Walks take place rain or shine,

and all ages are welcome. Lace up your shoes and mark your calendar for

Sept. 3, 10, 17 and 24 to join the fun!

If you’re not able to join Kerry, why not start a group in your

neighborhood? And please send a high-resolution digital photo of

your group to usctoday@usctoday.org with “30 for 30” in the subject

line. We’d love to feature you in a future issue of TODAY!


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AHN Pediatrics

All American Bistro

Cardinal Endocrinology

Design Image Salon

Emerick Financial Planning

Emma’s Kafe & Deli

Gallagher Wealth Management

Peter Gialames & Associates

Interior Designs/Furnishings

by Mary Kay Chaffee

Timothy Kerr, DMD &

Romana Pautler Kerr, DMD

Larry E. Manalo, DMD

Melissa D. Michel, LPC

Pediatric Dentistry South

Questa Petroleum Co.

Readwise, Inc.

Shawna Kelly, LLC and

Katherine Fletcher, LLC

Cindy Brophy, State Farm Ins.

Suburban Dry Cleaners

Travel Leaders, Kiernan Ent.

Dr. Brett Crell and Dr. Beth Troy

Orthodontics

Whole Plants Health, LLC

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Dragon Boat Warrior

Terry Kish

A little over a year ago during a routine mammogram, Upper St. Clair resident Shellie

Yeung received the diagnosis that no one wants to hear: she had cancer.

Like many women with breast cancer, her course of treatment included surgery,

chemotherapy and radiation. But, in addition to the recommendations of her doctors,

Shellie added an unusual component — dragon boat racing.

For those unfamiliar with the sport, a dragon boat team consists of 20 paddlers sitting

two abreast, a cox who steers the dragon boat from the rear and a drummer who

sits at the front. The team works in unison to propel the boat forward from a standing

start, the aim being to reach the finish line in the fastest time. Timing, strength, endurance

and most critically, teamwork, are key elements of a successful team.

Shellie got involved with dragon boat racing through Pittsburgh Hearts of Steel, a

support group open to all breast cancer survivors. According to the group’s website,

they: “provide a place where Breast Cancer Survivors of all ages and physical abilities

can gather to discuss and act to improve their overall sense of well-being. We do this

through physical activity, communication, support, friendship and giving back to our

community. Although the physical benefits of dragon boat paddling are an important

part of our organization, we all find the support, social and additional activities of the

group just as fulfilling. We embrace all members no matter what activities you choose

to participate in and encourage suggestions from all members.”

“The group changed my life,” stated Shellie. “You receive this terrible news, but

this activity gave me hope.”

She said that everyone has some degree of medical issues, and the group works to

accommodate what each person can do.

“Having goals was so motivating,” said Shellie, adding that it helped with her mental

strength during her cancer treatments.

Shellie said that her oncologist, Dr. Vincent Reyes (another Upper St. Clair resident),

encouraged her participation in the sport and even adjusted her chemotherapy

treatment so she’d be able to participate in a scheduled race.

In addition to the emotional support dragon boat racing provided, Shellie said there

are also physical advantages. One complication that cancer survivors face after lymph

node removal or damage during cancer treatment is lymphedema, swelling that occurs

when the lymph vessels are no longer able to

carry the lymph fluid away from that area. Exercise

and stretching are recommended to help

reduce the risk of developing lymphedema.

In a study conducted in Italy of 100

women, it was observed that lymphedema

Shellie Yeung (far right) with

some of her dragon boat team

incidence in the group of women who participated

in dragon boat racing for at least

six months was 4% (two of 50), whereas

in the group of women who participated in

other forms of physical exercise biweekly,

it was 26% (13 of 50).

Shellie continues to participate in

dragon boat racing and

is preparing for a race in

France in 2026.

“Breast cancer is so

prevalent, and many

women endure it by themselves,”

said Shellie. She

said that Hearts of Steel

is a way for them to reach

out to people who understand

what they are facing

because they have, or have

had, cancer. n

Shellie with her teammate, Sandy

Gardener, another USC resident

Shellie and her oncologist, Dr. Vincent Reyes

The 2024 Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival,

scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28, at North

Park Lake (10301 Pearce Mill Road, Alison

Park, Pa. 15101) will offer a day of great fun

and spirited racing for both recreational and

competitive teams. Created to showcase the

sport of dragon boat racing and to support

breast cancer survivors, it is a celebration of

dragon boat racing, culture, community and

survivorship. For more information, visit

heartsofsteelpittsburgh.org.


Here.

For You.

Consistently named a

Top Doctor in Plastic

Surgery by Pittsburgh

Magazine and one of

America’s Best Plastic

Surgeons by Newsweek

Edward Ruane, Jr., MD

Looking Good Goes

Beyond The Surface

St. Clair Medical Group Plastic Surgery provides

a full range of reconstructive and cosmetic

procedures, tailored to your individual goals,

in a comfortable and confidential environment.

Schedule a consultation today to learn how

Dr. Ruane and his team can help you look

good and feel good.

stclair.org/plasticsurgery

412.572.6164

Looking Good Goes Beyond the Surface

When most people think of plastic surgery, they often think of cosmetic

procedures such as breast augmentations and Botox. But there’s more

than meets the eye when it comes to plastic surgery. A big part of this specialty

is reconstructive surgery.

In fact, plastic surgery was rooted in reconstruction according to Edward J.

Ruane Jr., MD, of St. Clair Medical Group Plastic Surgery. It started after World

War I, with the need to restore normal form to disfigured soldiers as a service

to those men and women who served.

Reconstruction is the part of plastic surgery that Dr. Ruane was first introduced

to when a pediatric plastic surgeon and neurosurgeon collaborated on a

cranial vault reconstruction. The procedure addresses skull deformities in kids

where sutures on the skull might fuse too early, which could impact head shape

and brain growth.

Reconstructive surgery aims to restore normal appearance and bodily function

due to injury, medical conditions or congenital defects. This type of plastic

surgery not only significantly improves physical health, mobility and emotional

well-being, it also enhances overall quality of life.

“One of the things that has always appealed to me about plastic surgery is the

focus on quality of life. It is my pleasure to help patients restore both their normal

form and function,” shares Ruane. “The thing that I’m most proud of is getting

people feeling and looking their best and enjoying life to their greatest ability.”

While Dr. Ruane performs a variety of procedures, he specializes in reconstructive

surgery for women who have undergone breast cancer treatment.

“Having the opportunity to help women feel whole and like themselves following

any sort of cancer operation was a driving factor in choosing my focus

area,” he says.

Dr. Ruane takes a lot of factors into consideration when personalizing a

care plan that will set up the patient for the most successful reconstruction and

minimize the risk of complications. Whether the reconstruction can be done

in a single stage or if it takes multiple steps, Dr. Ruane often collaborates with

breast surgeons at St. Clair Health to care for breast cancer patients.

For example, Dr. Ruane may open the breast so the breast surgeon can perform

a lumpectomy before he completes a breast reduction or breast lift as part

of the reconstruction. All at once, the breast surgeon treats the cancer while Dr.

Ruane restores the function and appearance of the body parts affected by cancer,

helping a patient reclaim their confidence and achieve a better quality of life.

There’s nothing like the feeling you get when you not only feel good, but also

love what you see in the mirror. It’s a sense of confidence and well-being that

comes from within. It’s a feeling you can experience with help from Dr. Ruane

and the team at St. Clair Medical Group Plastic Surgery. n

St. Clair Medical Group Plastic Surgery provides a full range of reconstructive and

cosmetic procedures. The practice offers the finest quality surgical services tailored to

your individual goals in a comfortable and confidential environment at St. Clair Health’s

Village Square Outpatient Center located at 2000 Oxford Drive, Suite 410, Bethel Park,

Pa. 15102.

Edward J. Ruane Jr., MD, has been consistently named a Top Doctor in Plastic Surgery

by Pittsburgh Magazine and one of America’s Best Plastic Surgeons by Newsweek. To

learn more about Dr. Ruane or schedule a consultation to learn how his team can help

you look good and feel good, call 412.572.6164 or visit stclair.org/plasticsurgery. See ad

on page 18.

Dr. Edward Ruane Jr.

Common Types of

Reconstructive Surgery

Abdominal Wall Reconstruction

Body Contouring

Breast Reconstruction or Reduction

Burn Reconstruction

Cleft Lip and Palate Repair

Carpal Tunnel Release

Microsurgical Reconstruction

Panniculectomy

Scar Revision

Skin Cancer Removal

Wound Care


HEALTH & WELLNESS GUIDE

The Importance of Annual Physical Therapy for

Chronic Neurological Conditions

For individuals living with chronic neurological conditions

such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) and

chronic issues from prior strokes and spinal cord injuries (SCI),

managing symptoms and maximizing quality of life can be challenging.

Annual visits to a physical therapist (PT) are crucial in

adapting to any changes that may occur and slowing the progression

of these conditions. Visiting a PT at least annually is essential

for several reasons.

Monitoring and Adapting to Changes

Chronic neurological conditions can cause symptoms to

change over time. Regular PT assessments ensure that these

changes are monitored and addressed promptly. PTs can identify

new issues such as changes in walking, increased muscle stiffness,

or worsening balance and posture. By adjusting the treatment

plan, a PT can help manage these new symptoms effectively.

Addressing Secondary Deficits

Chronic neurological conditions cause a host of deficits that

make it difficult for individuals to exercise on their own, leading

to even more weakness, stiffness and balance problems from the

“if you don’t use it, you lose it” phenomenon. These are secondary

deficits from inactivity. This is both bad news and good news.

While the secondary deficits unfortunately compound issues from

the condition itself, the secondary deficits are more amenable

to therapy, making physical progress indeed possible. PTs can

address these secondary deficits by providing interventions that

help regain strength, motion, balance and more.

Slowing the Decline

Conditions such as Parkinson’s and MS are progressive and

lead to a gradual decline in physical abilities over time. Regular

PT sessions keep individuals strong and moving while minimizing

risk of secondary deficits, ultimately slowing the decline of

the disease and optimizing quality of life.

Preventing Complications

People with chronic neurological conditions are at higher risk

of complications such as falls, joint stiffness, pneumonia and

muscle atrophy. Regular PT can help prevent these complications

through targeted interventions, such as focusing on balance training

to decrease fall risk.

For individuals with chronic neurological conditions, seeing

a PT at least annually is crucial. Regular PT sessions help monitor

and adapt to mobility changes, address secondary deficits,

slow the decline in physical abilities, prevent complications and

ultimately improve one’s quality of life. n

If you or a loved one has a neurological condition and needs expert

physical therapy, consider Mobile Physio. Mobile Physio provides

outpatient care in the comfort of your home, specializing in neurological

conditions such as stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s and more. Visit

MobilePhysioPittsburgh.com to learn more. See ad on this page.



The Gold Team’s

Let

Experience

Work for You!

JOIN TODAY!

membershipsouthhills@jccpgh.org

412-278-1975

345 Kane Blvd., Scott Township

JCCPGH.org

We accept most insurance based

fitness memberships

Click HERE for more info

Each office is owned and operated independently

STRONGER

TOGETHER

Washington Health System is now

UPMC Washington.

For more information, visit WHS.org.

6917_upmc_washington_print_4.88x4.88.indd 1

7/8/24 9:22 AM



Dr. Manjari Kulkarni

Orthodontist

Located in the heart of the South Hills!

Specializing in customized care for

the whole family!

Call or text us today to set up your consultation!

Remember the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all

children see an orthodontist by age 7!

“ I know I want

to avoid a nursing

home. What

other choices

do I have?”

An Envisage membership

makes it possible to

age independently and

successfully in the place

you call home —today

and tomorrow.

www.Envisage.org

412.605.4197

➤

SCAN

W I T H

YOUR

PHONE

Learn more about

the smart way to

age at home.

InCommFoxChapel_Envisage_Feb24_7.5x4.875_QR_fc.indd 22 UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY 1Fall 2024

1/25/24 4:19 PM


WALKING IS A GREAT ACTIVITY THAT

WORKS FOR ALMOST EVERYONE!

Experience the Freedom of

Better Hearing

If you are looking for an easy way to track your progress,

consider downloading the StepUp app on your smart phone.

A free step challenge app for iPhone & Android, and syncs with most wearables.

Join the "USC TODAY Magazine" group

on StepUp, a fun step challenge app.

Following a comprehensive hearing evaluation, we invite you to to take

our Hearing Aid Test Drive – No Commitment or Deposit Required.

3 Locations Serving the Greater Pittsburgh Area

Washington • South Hills • North Hills

BBB Rating: A+

Care Credit accepted, and financing

options are available.

Call 412-851-9500 to schedule your risk-free Hearing Aid Test Drive

USC8/24

1

Download & set up

the StepUp app:

2

Join the USC TODAY

group using this link:

30 For 30

See page 15 for more details.

Hearing Loss in Young Adults

Hearing loss can have a major impact on young adult

life and manifests itself differently in those who have not yet

matured into middle age. This isn’t without an impact on wellbeing.

Patients are forced to cope with communication problems

during major life events and are more likely to have low employment

rates, lower worker productivity and high healthcare costs.

One of the most common causes of hearing loss among young

adults is noise exposure. Many Gen-Xers, Millennials and Gen-

Zers have been exposed to unsafe levels of noise pollution, not to

mention other risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure,

ototoxic medications, viral or bacterial infections and genetics.

The good news is that younger people have fewer reservations

about getting hearing aids to correct their conditions and

seem to be more accepting of hearing devices. They are used to

using air pods and Bluetooth devices, so hearing aids seem like

another listening device.

Young adults often find that untreated hearing loss is more

noticeable than the device used to correct it. Getting diagnosed

and treated early gives them an opportunity to protect what hearing

they have left, leads to fewer depressive symptoms, greater

social engagement and overall better quality of life. n

Source: “Healthy Hearing,” Joy Victory, managing editor (Last updated

August 24, 2021). Article provided by Swift Audiology.

See ad on this page.



Senior living that’s authentic, just like you.

Discover the unique lifestyle at Friendship Village of

South Hills, where there is something for everyone.

Call us today to discover more

888-899-7541 or visit us online

at friendshipvillagepa.com

HEAR FROM

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FRIENDSHIPVILLAGEPA.COM

Busting Six Common Myths of Senior Living

Friendship Village of South Hills

The terms “nursing home” and “senior living community”

are often used synonymously. However, the outdated associations

that many have with the term nursing home need to be put to rest.

Today’s senior living communities offer modern residences, resortstyle

services, amenities and robust social calendars.

Here are some common myths about the senior living experience

and the truths behind them.

1. “It’s a place for old people.”

Today’s seniors are healthier and more vibrant than ever, and

modern senior living communities have been built to cater to the

needs of this dynamic group of people. The most common age at

which communities qualify as senior residences is 62. With more

opportunities to connect with others, less home maintenance and

everyday stress, seniors have more time to savor what they enjoy and

to pursue their passions.

2. “I (or my loved one) will live in isolation.”

Community living is one of the best cures for isolation and depression,

which is shockingly common among older adults. As friends

and family move on, a large family home can become isolating. At a

senior living community, there are numerous ways to connect with

other like-minded adults, find a social club, enjoy a meal with a

neighbor or attend an on-site experience.

3. “There’s no privacy.”

Senior living residences provide plenty of privacy, as well as modern

finishes and conveniences. Residents have the freedom to engage

in community activities and events as much or as little as they wish.

4. “Care, cleanliness and meals are substandard.”

Luxury senior living communities offer resort-style experiences,


which include the same high standards you’d expect from an upscale

establishment. That means chef-inspired meals are always on the

menu, and expectations for care and cleanliness are higher than ever.

While these factors can certainly vary from community to community,

the increasing competition has contributed to increasing standards.

5. “There’s no freedom to do what you want.”

Residents at senior living communities have the freedom to come

and go as they please. Parking spaces are usually provided for those

who want to bring their own vehicles, and most also offer scheduled

transportation services and group outings. Visitors and overnight

guests are welcomed, and there are often pet-friendly policies that

ensure that your best friend can move in, as well.

6. “Senior living communities are all the same.”

The increasing number of older adults has led to a boom in senior

living options. This has created a rise in the number of niche communities

that cater to all types of situations and preferences. As you

start your search for a senior living community, you may find that

it’s harder to make your decision than you anticipated. Not because

communities are all the same, but because each will offer so many

amazing benefits. n

Explore Your Options at Friendship Village of South Hills

Friendship Village of South Hills is a Life Care community, which

features independent living, as well as assisted living, memory care and

skilled nursing residences for those who may need more support. Community

life empowers people to stay as engaged and connected as they

wish, with numerous opportunities for personal exploration, friendship

and wellness. See ad on this page.

Board of

School Directors

Jennifer A. Schnore

President

jschnore@uscsd.k12.pa.us

2025*

Barbara L. Bolas

bbolas@uscsd.k12.pa.us

2027*

Upper St. Clair School District

Dr. Danielle Z. Wetzel

Vice President

dwetzel@uscsd.k12.pa.us

2025*

Dr. Daphna Gans

dgans@uscsd.k12.pa.us

2025*

uscsd.k12.pa.us

@USCSchools

To reach personnel, call 412-833-1600, and follow the automated directions.

Administrator Secretary/Email Address Extension

Dr. John Rozzo...........................................................Sarah MacDonald.................................... 2218


smacdonald@uscsd.k12.pa.us

Dr. Amy Pfender.........................................................Mary Beth Harkleroad............................. 2214

Deputy Superintendent

mharkleroad@uscsd.k12.pa.us

Dr. Lou Angelo ..........................................................langelo@uscsd.k12.pa.us........................... 2272

Director of Operations & Facilities

Ray Berrott.................................................................rberrott@uscsd.k12.pa.us.......................... 2059

Director of Technology

Sean Bryson ...............................................................sbryson@uscsd.k12.pa.us.......................... 2560

Chief of School Police

Dr. Judy Bulazo .........................................................Mary Beth Harkleroad............................. 2214

Director of Curriculum and Professional Development mharkleroad@uscsd.k12.pa.us

Scott Burchill ............................................................Dawn Machi ............................................ 2220

Director of Business and Finance

dmachi@uscsd.k12.pa.us

Ray Carson, Jr............................................................Sarah MacDonald.................................... 2218

Senior Director of Operations & Administrative Services smacdonald@uscsd.k12.pa.us

Dr. Sharon Suritsky ..................................................Julie Karabinos......................................... 2116

Substitute Director of Special Education

jkarabinos@uscsd.k12.pa.us

Danny Holzer...............................................................Kimberly Valeriano.................................... 2260

Director of Athletics

kvaleriano@uscsd.k12.pa.us

Dr. Lauren Madia ........................................................Terri Lott .................................................. 2283

Director of Pupil Services

tlott@uscsd.k12.pa.us

Jonn Mansfield ............................................................jmansfield@uscsd.k12.pa.us ..................... 3450

Director of Transportation

Tina Vojtko ................................................................tvojtko@uscsd.k12.pa.us........................... 2215

Communications Specialist

Bradley Wilson ..........................................................bwilson@uscsd.k12.pa.us.......................... 3318

Director of Strategic Initiatives

School District Central Office Administration

Kelly P. Hanna

khanna01@uscsd.k12.pa.us

2027*

Justin Lamber

jlamber@uscsd.k12.pa.us

2027*

Dr. John Rozzo


Dr. Amy Pfender

Deputy Superintendent

Michael R. Mascaro

mmascaro@uscsd.k12.pa.us

2025*

Hallie H. Snyder

hsnyder@uscsd.k12.pa.us

2027*

*Date indicates expiration of term.

Angela B. Petersen

apetersen@uscsd.k12.pa.us

2027*

The list of the Upper

St. Clair Board of School

Directors 2023-2024 meeting

dates is available on

the District’s website:

uscsd.k12.pa.us/schoolboard.

Meetings typically begin at

7 p.m. in the district administration

building.

Upper St. Clair School District Annual Notices

The required annual notices to parents of children who reside

in the Upper St. Clair School District are available online. Visit

the district website at uscsd.k12.pa.us. Click on Information and

then select Compliance Notifications to view required state and

federal notices and information.

Scott Burchill

Director of Business and Finance

Dr. Judy Bulazo

Director of Curriculum and

Professional Development

Dr. Timothy Wagner

High School Principal

Dr. Daniel Beck

High School Assistant Principal

Cara Senger

High School Assistant Principal

Ray Carson, Jr.

Senior Director of Operations

& Administrative Services

Dr. Sharon Suritsky

Substitute Director of

Special Education

Dr. Lou Angelo

Director of Operations & Facilities

Dr. Lauren Madia

Director of Pupil Services

School District Building Administration

Erin Peterson

Fort Couch Middle School Principal

Gordon Mathews

Fort Couch Assistant Principal

Dr. Daniel O’Rourke

Boyce Middle School Principal

Dr. Christine Mussomeli

Boyce Assistant Principal

Ray Berrott

Director of Technology

Bradley Wilson

Director of Strategic Initiatives

Dr. Patrick McClintock-Comeaux

Baker Elementary School Principal

Mark Miller

Eisenhower Elementary

School Principal/Supervisor of

Elementary Education

Dr. Lindsay Klousnitzer

Streams Elementary School Principal


High School Named Among the Best

Upper St. Clair High

School ranks among the top

two percent of high schools in

the nation according to U.S.

News & World Report. According

to the report, Upper

St. Clair ranks 426th in the

nation, ninth in Pennsylvania

and second in the Pittsburgh

region. Pittsburgh CAPA 6–12

and Upper St. Clair are the

only schools in the region

to rank among the top 10 in

Pennsylvania.

The 2024 Best High Schools

ranks 17,655 out of nearly

25,000 public high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The

methodology takes a holistic approach to evaluating schools, focusing on six

factors: college readiness (30%), state assessment proficiency (20%), state

assessment performance (20%), underserved student performance (10%),

college curriculum breadth (10%) and graduation rate (10%). College readiness

measures participation and performance on Advanced Placement and

International Baccalaureate exams.

According to the U.S. News, “A great high school educates all of its

students from different social and economic backgrounds, exposing them

to challenging coursework on the path to graduation. The highest ranked

U.S. public schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best High Schools

rankings are those whose students demonstrated outstanding outcomes

above expectations in math, reading and science state assessments, earned

qualifying scores on an array of college-level exams, and graduated in high

proportions.” n

Matheny Qualifies for Olympics

Josh Matheny in his senior year at

Upper St. Clair High School.

Upper St. Clair

High School graduate

Josh Matheny finished

second in the 200-meter

breaststroke at the U.S.

Olympic swimming trials in

Indianapolis, qualifying for

the 2024 Olympic Games

in Paris this summer.

Congratulates to Josh on

his accomplishment — the

entire community cheered

for you! n

Photo credit:

The Almanac/Eleanor Bailey

Upper St. Clair

School District

2024–2025 Calendar

Aug 20

Aug 22

Sep 2

Oct 25

Nov 1

Nov 4–5

Grades 1–12 First Day of School

Kindergarten First Day of School

No School–Labor Day

No School–Teacher In-service



Nov 27–29 No School–Thanksgiving Recess

Dec 20

Half Day/Early Dismissal

Dec 23–31 No School–Winter Recess

Jan 1

Jan 20

Feb 17

Mar 28

No School–Winter Recess




Apr 14–18 No School–Spring Recess

May 20

May 26

Jun 5

Jun 6

Jun 9


No School–Memorial Day

High School Commencement

Last Day of School for Students–

Half Day/Early Dismissal

Teacher In-service

Monthly Calendar

The USC School District detailed monthly

calendar is available online, providing residents

with the most up to date information about events

in our township’s schools. To access the calendar,

visit the district website at uscsd.k12.pa.us

and click on the Calendar tab. In addition to

viewing events for the entire district, there is

an option to filter by specific school building.


USCHS Celebrates the Class of 2024

Upper St. Clair High School awarded diplomas to the 322 members

of the Class of 2024 during commencement ceremonies on Thursday,

June 6, 2024, in the high school’s stadium.

TODAY extends its best wishes to all the graduates!

See pages 28–30 for graduation speeches

from the school district’s superintendent,

board president and

student speakers’

excerpts. n

Photos: Tina Vojtko

USCHS 2024 Commencement Student Speakers’ Excerpts

What is special about our class is how we

have come together to support each other

over the years. Through each of our senior

events and milestones, we have become

closer and built our relationships stronger.

Daniel Seewald, student council president

As I walked through my Alma Mater, Baker

Elementary School, I couldn’t help but think,

man this place is smaller than I remember…

the place that seemed so large and confusing

appeared to us now as laughably small.

The school didn’t change though; we did. We

have risen literally and metaphorically in

these 12 years.

Greg Boughner, senior class president

People may not remember what you did in

high school, but they 100% will remember

how you made them feel. Don’t forget the

power of kindness as you find yourself in

new situations, new awkward scenarios,

new chances to make a difference and new

chances to stand up against what is wrong in

the world.

Isaac Bernstein, senior speaker

When I look ahead to the rest of this decade,

my hope is that we’ll remember it as the

“Resurgent ’20s.” It all begins with our generation’s

definition of “success.” There are so

many “successful” people on this earth; ask

yourself what it means to you.

Brian McFerran, senior speaker

Today, we are free

from our burdens.

It doesn’t matter

what others think

or what they may

say; go make that

graduation TikTok,

hug someone, tell

them how much they mean to you, watch the

sunset and go get that sweet treat. Cast your

worries aside; today we have all earned it.

Vir Kamat, senior speaker n

The complete text for all the graduation

speeches can be found on the TODAY website

at: twpusc.org/community/usc_today_

magazine/index.php#outer-341


Superintendent’s Speech

Dr. John Rozzo, Superintendent of Schools

One of my biggest pet peeves, and I am guilty of it at times,

too, is thinking too much about the future and not living in the present.

While looking ahead is important, tonight, I want to remind you

of the significance of appreciating the moment. This very moment.

In our fast-paced, goal-oriented society, the importance of living

in the present cannot be overstated. Being present means fully engaging

with the here and now, rather than being preoccupied with past

regrets or future anxieties. This mindfulness allows us to appreciate

the small joys and experiences that make up our daily lives, fostering

a deeper sense of gratitude and contentment. When we are fully

present, we are able to connect more authentically with others, savor

moments of happiness, and navigate challenges with a clearer, calmer

mind. This intentional focus on the present moment enhances our

overall well-being and enriches our life experiences.

Living in the present also empowers us to make more thoughtful

and intentional decisions. When we are not distracted by what has

been or what might be, we can respond to situations with greater

clarity and purpose. This presence of mind helps us to recognize and

seize opportunities as they arise, and to act in ways that align with

our true values and goals. Moreover, by embracing the present, we

reduce the stress and anxiety that often come from dwelling on uncertainties

and hypothetical scenarios. This practice of mindfulness

cultivates resilience, allowing us to remain grounded and balanced

amidst life’s inevitable fluctuations. In essence, living in the present

is a powerful tool for achieving a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Appreciating the moment means pausing to recognize and celebrate

where you are right now. It means being fully present, taking

in the sights, sounds and emotions of this significant milestone. Here

you are: dressed in your caps and gowns, surrounded by friends,

family and many others who are here to honor you. Take a deep

breath and appreciate everything that has brought you to this point.

Appreciate the elementary field days, the Boyce trip to Deer Valley, the

clubs and activities you participated in, the teams you were on, the

late-night study sessions, the good times and bad times you shared

with friends, the guidance from teachers and other staff members

and the unconditional support from your families.

Life is a journey, not a destination. This moment, right here and

now, is part of that journey. It is not merely a stepping stone to the

Dr. John Rozzo

next phase of your life, but a destination in its own right — a moment

to be cherished and remembered.

As you stand on the cusp of a new adventure, remember that the

future will come in its own time. There will be new challenges to

face, new goals to achieve and new dreams to pursue. But tonight,

please set all of that aside. Tonight is about celebrating you — your

hard work and your successes.

As you move forward, embrace each moment. Remember it is in

these moments — both big and small — that life actually happens.

Upper St. Clair Class of 2024, you have accomplished so much,

and there is plenty more to come. But for now, be present. Tonight,

the next couple of weeks, the next couple of months, will go by very

fast. Please do yourself a favor — try to enjoy each and every moment

— so that you do not have any regrets.

Congratulations, graduates. May you

continue to find happiness in your journey

and always remember to appreciate the moments

that make life truly extraordinary. If

you remember one thing from this speech it’s

this: learn from the past, plan for the future,

but live in the moment. n

USCHS Class of 2024 Academic Achievers

USCHS Class of 2024 Valedictorians

Congratulations to the 24 valedictorians of the

USCHS Class of 2024: Amanda Aidar, Ryan Arya,

Alexandra Berkoski, Isaac Bernstein, Matthew

Bordenstein, Natalie Campagna, Marco Carone,

Mustafa Disbudak, Boshi Dong, Joseph Donnelly,

Henry Ginsburg, Alexandra Kramer, Leah Levine,

Colin Liang, Hunter Maher, Anna Makoul,

William Manning, Leo Masse, Caroline Murphy,

Mahir Parmar, Rohit Sattuluri, Asha Segall, Irene

Yap and Isabella Zhang.

The Class of 2024 also included 10 International

Baccalaureate Diploma candidates: Natalie

Campagna, Theeya Chen, Joseph Donnelly,

Averi Elsbury, Alexandra Kramer, Stephen Meyer,

Henna Palosuo, Anisha Patel, Jan Sames and

Aahna Sinha.


Jennifer Schnore

I’m going to tell a very, very brief

story that many of you may already know.

This simple story is an allegory that is often

attributed to Cherokee tradition, but its

exact origins are uncertain. It is the story

of The Two Wolves.

An elder is teaching his grandson about

life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he

said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight, and it

is between two wolves. One is evil — he

is anger, envy, greed, arrogance, guilt and

resentment. The other is good — he is joy,

peace, love, hope, generosity and compassion.

The same fight is going on inside

you — and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a

minute and then asked his grandfather,

“Which wolf will win?”

The elder simply replied, “The one

you feed.”

This is a very simple story, but it offers

us a powerful lesson about the choices

we make every day. If you think about it,

every moment, we have the opportunity to

decide which wolf to feed.

Let’s talk about that evil wolf. Feeding

the evil wolf means giving in to negative


Board Response

Jennifer Schnore, President, Upper St. Clair Board of School Directors

emotions and destructive behaviors. It

means allowing anger, envy and resentment

to take root. Here are three ways to

avoid feeding your evil wolf:

Let Go of Anger. It is ok to get angry. It

is inevitable that you will feel anger sometimes.

But holding onto anger only harms

you. I’ll say it again — holding onto anger

harms you. Practice forgiveness and let go

of grudges. Freeing yourself from anger

allows you to experience peace. It allows

you to move forward unencumbered.

Avoid Comparison. This can be a hard

one, especially for your generation where

social media sets forth a false narrative of

perfection. I will say only this — comparing

yourself to others breeds envy and

resentment. Focus on your unique journey

and celebrate your own achievements.

Remember, each person’s path is different

— your path is different from everyone

else’s — and there is no single definition

of success.

Reject Negativity. Negative thoughts

and self-doubt feed your evil wolf. Try to

challenge these feelings. It sounds trite,

but replace them with positive affirmations

about yourself and your value. You

are valuable, important and loved. Believe

in your worth and your potential.

So how do we feed our good wolf?

Feeding the good wolf means nurturing

the qualities that lead to a fulfilling and

meaningful life. It means embracing joy,

embracing peace, showing love and having

hope. I share with you three examples to

feed the good wolf within you:

School Counselor Co-Authors Chapter of Textbook

Upper St. Clair High School counselor and high school

counseling curriculum leader, Dr. Jennifer Kirk, co-authored

a chapter of the sixth edition of the Fundamentals of College

Admission Counseling textbook, published by the National

Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

Jennifer, along with Karen Rubican, school counselor advisor for

the Pennsylvania Department of Education, wrote the book’s ninth

chapter, “College and Career Readiness Counseling in Schools.”

The “Fundamentals of College Admission Counseling” textbook

is a comprehensive resource for aspiring and existing school

counseling and college advising professionals as they strengthen

their understanding of how to support students and their families

in post-secondary planning and enrollment. The textbook is

widely used among college counseling graduate programs across

the country.

Jennifer, who has served as an Upper St. Clair school counselor

for 24 years, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees

from the University of Pittsburgh and completed doctoral studies

Cultivate Gratitude. Gratitude shifts

your focus from what you lack to what

you have. Appreciate and recognize the

good things in your life such as family and

friends, the simple beauty of nature or the

opportunities that you have. Cultivating

gratitude will open the door to more joy

and contentment.

Practice Kindness. Acts of kindness,

no matter how small, create ripples of

positivity. Kindness can be very simple

— lending a helping hand to someone,

offering a listening ear while reserving

judgement or simply sharing a smile are

small, but impactful, ways to be kind. Just

say “please” and “thank you.” Practicing

kindness enriches your life and the lives

of all of those around you.

Embrace Learning. This is something

you’ve done very well so far here at Upper

St. Clair! But moving forward, even beyond

academics, there is always something to

learn. Be curious, ask questions and seek

knowledge. The more you learn, the more

equipped you are to make a positive impact

in the world.

Every day, you have the power to

choose which wolf to feed. It’s not always

easy, and it requires mindfulness and effort.

But remember, the choices you make

shape who you are and the life you lead.

Feed your good wolf with intention and

dedication.

I hope this story reminds you that you

have the power to create a life filled with

joy, love and peace. Choose to feed the

good wolf! n

at Northeastern University. She was

named the 2014 Pennsylvania High

School Counselor of the Year by the

Pennsylvania School Counselors

Association (PSCA) and received the

2018 Chi Sigma Iota, Delta Upsilon

Chapter Outstanding Site Supervisor

Award from the Duquesne University

Counseling Program. In addition,

Jennifer is a 2019 College Board

Nationally Recognized Counselor

Dr. Jennifer Kirk

and a 2023 Claes Nobel Educator of

Distinction from the National Society of High School Scholars. An

active member of PSCA, Jennifer served as the association’s chair

of its board of directors during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school

years. She also serves as a program director for the NACAC’s

Professional Certificate — coordinating a Dynamic Postsecondary

School Counseling Program. n

Elementary Schools Welcome

Their Graduating Seniors

Members of the USCHS Class of 2024

walked the halls of their elementary schools as the

district hosted its first-ever Senior Parade on May

15. Clad in their caps and gowns, the graduating

seniors were greeted with cheers, signs and lots of

smiles and hugs from former teachers.

Organized by Brooke Tarcson, the high school’s

head of student activities, seniors headed to each

of the district’s three elementary schools — Baker,

Eisenhower and Streams. Students in kindergarten

through grade four lined the corridors with their

hand-made signs and eager high-fives. n

Outstanding

Young Citizens

This past spring, seven Upper St.

Clair High School graduates were selected

as 2024 Outstanding Young Citizens by

Trib Total Media. Isaac Bernstein, Leona

Chen, Boshi Dong, Hunter Maher, Anna

Makoul, Liam Park and Mahir Parmar

are among the 109 students from 47 area

schools honored in this year’s program.

In addition, Isaac Bernstein was named

one of 10 Outstanding Young Citizen Gold

Medalists.

“These exceptional students have been

selected for their remarkable achievements

and their strong commitment to

positively impacting their communities,”

said Lindsay Bock, Trib Total Media

Director of Marketing and Outstanding

Young Citizen program coordinator.

“The 2024 Outstanding Young Citizens

represent the very best of our young leaders.

They exemplify the spirit of service,

academic excellence and leadership that

the program has celebrated for nearly 40

years.”

The Outstanding Young Citizens

program recognizes high school juniors

and seniors from throughout western

Pennsylvania for their character and leadership,

dedication to community service

and outstanding academic achievement. n

Photos: Tina Vojtko


Best Community for Music Education

Upper St. Clair School District has been named among the 2024 Best

Communities for Music Education (BCME) for the ninth consecutive year. Sponsored

by the NAMM Foundation, the award program recognizes and celebrates

outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community

leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education.

Upper St. Clair is one of only 15 school districts in Allegheny County, 139 in

Pennsylvania and 975 in the nation to earn the distinction in 2024.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, USC officials answered

detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation,

instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community

music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed

by the Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas. n

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 15,000 global member companies and

individual professionals worldwide. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research,

philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, visit www.nammfoundation.org.

All-Eastern Honors Band

Upper St. Clair High School trumpet player Carlee

Santel was named first-chair at the Pennsylvania Music Education

Association (PMEA) All-State Festival and advanced to the 2025

All-Eastern Honors Band, sponsored by the National Association

for Music Education (NAfME).

In addition to participating in the high school’s band, Carlee

was inducted into the National Honor Society and performed

in the ensemble for the high school’s recent production of

“Newsies.” In addition, she is involved with Melody for the

Elderly, a musical club at USCHS that plays at nursing homes and

senior living facilities.

NAfME’s Eastern Region includes Connecticut, Delaware,

Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey,

New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, as well as

Washington, D.C. and Department of Defense schools in Europe.

Each of the state music educators’ associations

within the Eastern Division

oversee the selection process in its

respective state during the spring and

early fall of the year before the event and

compile ranked lists of recommended

juniors and seniors for consideration.

The method used to compile the lists Carlee Santel

varies from state to state, although all recommended students

must have participated or will be participating in their home

all-state festivals. n

The 2025 NAfME All-Eastern Honors Ensembles will perform during

the 2025 NAfME Eastern Division Conference, which is set for

April 24–27, 2025, in Hartford, Conn.

For more information, visit nafme-eastern.org.

Music Ensembles Earn Top Ratings

The Upper St. Clair High School’s Orchestra,

Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band all earned

Superior ratings, with the highest possible scores in

every evaluation category, during a Pennsylvania Music

Educators Association (PMEA) Music Performance

Assessment this April. The Fort Couch Symphonic

Winds earned an Excellent rating.

Music Performance Assessments are conducted by a

team of PMEA adjudicators who assess the overall performance

and assign a score from 1–15 for each of five

evaluation areas, including tone, intonation, accuracy,

technique and interpretation. The scores for each of the five evaluation

areas are added together to determine the total score, which is then converted

to a final rating of Superior, Excellent, Good or Fair.

Dr. John Seybert, USCSD performing arts curriculum leader and

director of high school bands, believes the PMEA Music Performance

Assessment is important because it provides a clear and concise process

for evaluating and improving the ensemble and students’ musical abilities.

“It helps us gauge their progress, identify areas for growth and enhance

instruction,” he said. “Additionally, assessments provide valuable feedback

for students, parents, guardians and educators, fostering a culture

of continuous improvement and accountability within the instrumental

music program.”

The goals of PMEA Music Performance Assessment are to provide

interscholastic, educationally-valid assessment contexts; to foster musical

achievement, to provide extrinsic recognition for the musical achievement

of individuals and ensembles, to enable directors to select repertoire most

appropriate for their soloists and ensembles from graded levels of music

and to provide students and directors the opportunity to hear performances

by ensembles and soloists from other schools, when possible. n


Artists and Writers Honored

Nine USCHS students earned recognition for 24 original pieces in the annual

Scholastic Art & Writing Competition.

Two works of art by senior Asha Segall received the program’s highest honor — the

Gold Key, which advanced her artwork to national level competition.

The following artwork and writing entries from Upper St. Clair High School

students earned regional recognition:

Art Competition

Lauren Babbitt, grade 12

• Honorable Mention, Painting, “Mutualism vs. Predation”

• Honorable Mention, Painting, “Unintended Consequences”

Julia Campagna, grade 10

• Silver Key, Fashion, “Charged Life”

• Honorable Mention, Painting, “Playing with Fire”

• Honorable Mention, Sculpture, “Bunting Dress”

Marianna Paradise, grade 12

• Honorable Mention, Drawing & Illustration, “1964”

Asha Segall, grade 12

• Gold Key, Design, “The Life of an Influencer”

• Gold Key, Drawing & Illustration, “Innocence in a Polluted World”

• Silver Key, Painting, “Exhausted at the Airport with Grandma”

• Honorable Mention, Drawing & Illustration, “Passing Time”

Emily Whiteford, grade 12

• Silver Key, Drawing & Illustration, “Sleepy Hollow”

• Silver Key, Drawing & Illustration, “Call Your Mother”

• Honorable Mention, Drawing & Illustration, “Harlowe”

• Honorable Mention, Drawing & Illustration, “Stop and Smell the Flowers”

• Honorable Mention, Drawing & Illustration, “Clocks”

• Honorable Mention, Portfolio

Writing Competition

Natalie Campagna, grade 12

• Silver Key, Personal Essay, “Sanctuary”

Frankie Dubreil, grade 11

• Honorable Mention, Novel Writing, “[Death is] a Small Price to Pay”

• Honorable Mention, Flash Fiction, “Take Care of Yourself”

• Honorable Mention, Short Story, “Fatal Mistake”

Thakuria Nikhita, grade 11

• Honorable Mention, Flash Fiction, “Wings”

Jenny Wang, grade 12

• Honorable Mention, Flash Fiction, “A Boy Can’t Tell”

• Honorable Mention, Poetry, “I Hate Her”

• Honorable Mention, Poetry, “Winter Incoming”

According to the program’s website, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is “the

nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens.”

Open to students in grades 7–12, the program recognizes student achievement in the

visual and literary arts in 30 categories, including editorial cartoon, poetry, digital

art, fashion, photography, sculpture, short story, poetry and more.

All works are evaluated through blind adjudication first on a regional level, where

works earn Honorable Mention, Silver Key or Gold Key distinction. Gold Key work

advances to the national level. At each level of judging, all works are reviewed based

on the same criteria that have represented the program since its founding in 1923:

originality, skill and personal voice or vision.

The Pittsburgh Region of the Scholastic Writing Awards is administered through

the Honors Program at Point Park University. The Pittsburgh Region of the Scholastic

Art Awards is organized by Megan Bonistalli, art teacher at Seneca Valley Senior High

School, with support from the Carnegie Mellon University School of Art. n

“Mutualism vs. Predation” by Lauren Babbitt

“1964” by Marianna Paradise

“Unintended Consequences” by Lauren Babbitt


Remake Learning

This May, the Upper St. Clair School

District hosted an evening filled with

numerous events and hands-on activities

in conjunction with Remake Learning

Days. Community members participated

in more than 15 different sessions, many

focused on STEAM (science, technology,

engineering, art and math).

The Remake Learning Day event at

Upper St. Clair was led by teacher Tracy

Smith and Sofia Alfredson-Themudo

(who is working toward her International

Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Program

(MYP) certificate).

“Sofia suggested getting involved

with planning this event for her IB MYP

Project,” said Tracy. “She spoke to the

High School teachers during a faculty

meeting and reached out to several

STEAM-related club leaders at the school

to ask if they were interested in getting

involved. In all, there were more than 40

people working together to coordinate

our Remake Learning evening of events.”

“These types of events are important

to expose children and adults to a variety

of STEAM applications,” said Tracey.

“These are low stress and low commitment

opportunities where the goal is to

learn something new and have fun.”

Remake Learning Days is an innovative

learning festival for families

and youth. Thousands of hands-on and

engaging events are designed for kids of

all ages at libraries, schools, technology

centers, museums, play spaces, community

centers and more. The 2024 festival

was held from May 2 through May 22.

Upper St. Clair High School student

Isabella Lin was selected to serve as a

Remake Learning Days Youth Ambassador.

In this role, Isabella helped promote

and cover the festival by producing event

promos, attending RLD events and producing

reviews of those events. n

Hi, Neighbor!

Sometimes the best ideas arise when you least expect them. The Hi,

Neighbor! project at Streams Elementary was sparked by a book recommendation

from a student. The project, which spreads kindness throughout the greater school

community, launched in March.

A third grader brought his copy of “I am

Mr. Rogers” by Brad Meltzer to share with

Leslie Smirniw, school counselor. He thought

that Mr. Rogers’ messages of kindness, and

validation that all feelings are important and

okay, would be something that she would

have a connection with and want to share

with other students.

“As I sat down to read the book, I quickly

realized that while the book taught important

ideas about kindness and feelings, it also addressed

ideas of acceptance, open-mindedness

and taking action in your community,” said

Leslie. “These themes are important components

in the PYP IB curriculum and our No

Place for Hate guidelines.”

Leslie reached out to the school’s

International Baccalaureate Primary Years

Program coordinator, Lauren Bogus. Together,

they developed the Hi, Neighbor! project.

The project began with Leslie sharing the

“I am Mister Rogers” book with each Streams

Elementary class during their guidance time.

Students discussed the book’s themes of kindness,

acceptance, open-mindedness and the

understanding that all feelings are okay.

Next, students met with their “Buddy

Classes,” which are a cross-grade level collaboration,

and discussed two specific quotes from Mr. Rogers:

• “Imagine what our neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter

of course, just one kind word to another person.”

• “All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving

help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of

the things that connects us as neighbors — in our own way, each one of us is a

giver and a receiver.”

Students then worked with classmates to create positive postcard images and

messages to deliver to a neighbor. Each postcard features a QR code that connects to

the Hi, Neighbor! webpage, where the recipient can learn about the project, share a

photo and download a postcard to share with another neighbor to spread kindness

even further.

“We hope that students understand and see the importance of connecting with

their neighbors. This can be the people in your neighborhood, the person sitting at

a neighboring table in a restaurant, or your desk neighbor in your classroom,” said

Leslie. “Mr. Rogers used his show to teach the message that all people have value,

and all people are important. We want our students to see and interact with people

the way Mr. Rogers saw and interacted with others.”

The goal for the Hi, Neighbor! project is for students to see how a small positive

action can make someone’s day a little brighter.

“While the act of delivering a postcard to a neighbor might seem small, kind words

and thoughtful gestures can have a big impact,” said Leslie. “Oftentimes people think

an action needs to be something big, or grand; but we want our students to see that

taking action in small ways can make a difference, too.” n


Bracelets for Charity

This April, Boyce students put their stamp on the Children’s

Home of Pittsburgh’s annual Spring Gala, as each attendee received

a friendship bracelet handmade by the

Upper St. Clair fifth and sixth graders.

Students volunteered during their free

time to reach their goal of making 500

bracelets. The service project was coordinated

by school counselors Amy Antonio

and Tonia Autieri.

“We emailed the fifth grade and sixth

grade students and asked if they would like

to volunteer to help; they could come down

during Pride Time, recess and Team Time,”

said Tonia. “Our Outreach Committee was

making bracelets before school during the

week to help out, as well. Kids that participate

in the IB program also used the time

they work on the bracelets as part of their

community service requirement.”

Boyce supported the Children’s Home

of Pittsburgh during the winter holidays

with the school’s annual Friendship Gift

Bag service project and students raised more

than $1700 for the organization through a

Valentine’s Day fundraiser.

“When we worked with The Children’s

Home for our holiday project, we were

discussing other opportunities for our kids to volunteer, which is

how we got involved with the Spring Gala in April,” said Tonia.

“The Children’s Home has been amazed at

how much our kids are doing to help their

programs and they were happy to have us

work with them again this spring.”

Tonia was amazed by the enthusiasm the

students showed for this project.

“They were happy and excited that actual

people who help The Children’s Home

would be wearing their bracelets at the

gala,” she said. “They were so creative and

genuinely happy to be making the bracelets.

Although 500 was a lot of bracelets to make,

they certainly brought some much-needed

stress relief for all of us!”

In addition to teaching the importance of

helping others, the bracelet project created

opportunities for students to broaden their

circle of friends.

“The kids met new people and socialized

with others who they may have never met

before if it hadn’t been for this project,” said

Tonia. “Honestly, watching them work on the

bracelets while helping each other out has

definitely filled my bucket!” n


Decision Day

The Class of 2024 proudly shared their post-graduation

plans on Decision Day, held this past May. Students sported

T-shirts and sweatshirts from colleges and universities from

throughout the country. Following a class photo in the stadium,

students took photos with their classmates and enjoyed donuts

from the Sinkers & Suds food truck. The athletic circle was

transformed with seating, music and cornhole games.

Decision Day was organized by the student activities office,

led by Brooke Tarcson. n

Gymnast Qualifies for

National Championships

Fort Couch student Avery Irvin

competed in the USA Gymnastics

Men’s and Women’s Development

Program National Championships,

held this May in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Avery competed against the top seven

girls from each of the eight regions in

the country.

To qualify, Avery placed among

the top seven in her age group at

the 2024 Level 9 & 10 Region VII

Championship gymnastics meet,

held in April at Pennsylvania State

University. Region VII encompasses

Delaware, Maryland, New

Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and

West Virginia.

Avery, who trains at X-cel gymnastics

club in Cranberry, was introduced to the sport of gymnastics at

age three and started competing at age five. She practices 20 hours a

week and competes in the all-around, which includes the vault, uneven

bars, balance beam and floor exercise. n


Four Advance to National Academic Bees

Bernard Huang Avik Pandey Artharv Pandey Arjun Kairi

Four USC students qualified to

advance to the national and international

levels of the History Bee, Geography Bee and

Science Bee competitions. The Southern

Pennsylvania Regional Finals for the

History, Geography and Science bees,

sponsored by the International Academic

Competitions, were held this March.

Bernard Huang, a rising eighth grader

at Fort Couch, placed second in the

Geography Bee and third in the History

Bee. In addition, he previously placed

first in the Junior Varsity division in the

History Bee in December 2023, in Buffalo,

N.Y. He has qualified for the national and

international competitions in all three

events. Bernard tied for 10th place in

the U.S. Geography Championships and

tied for seventh place in the U.S. Military

History Exams.

Siblings Avik Pandey, a rising eighth

grader, and Artharv Pandey, a rising

fourth grader, each placed second in their

respective divisions in the Science Bee,

advancing to the national and international

competitions. Avik placed sixth among 148

competitors in the National Science Bee

and was the first student from Pennsylvania

to reach the National Science Bee finals.

Arjun Kairi, a rising eighth grader, traveled

to Ohio to participate in the Dayton

Regional Finals in April, taking first place

in the National History Bee regional finals.

This year marked the fourth time that

Bernard qualified for the national level

academic competition. This was the third

year that Avik and Arjun advanced to

nationals. The bees are buzzer-based quiz

competitions for elementary, middle and

high school-aged students throughout

the United States. Each of the bees is

composed of three competition stages,

including the online regional qualifying

exam, the regional finals and the national

championships. n

2024 USCHS

Varsity Football Schedule

Date Opponent Location

8/23 Mt. Lebanon Home (Senior Night)

8/30 Canon-Mcmillan Away

9/6 Franklin Regional Home (New Family Dinner)

9/13 Hampton Away

9/20 McKeesport Away

9/27 Peters Township Home (Homecoming)

10/4 South Fayette Away

10/11 Bethel Park Away

10/18 Moon Home (Halls of Fame)

10/25 Baldwin Home (Youth Night)

All games start at 7 p.m. on a Friday


National Merit Finalists

Lucas S. Bishop, Leona Chen,

Hunter Maher, Caroline Murphy, Mahir

Parmar, Alex Sun, Arjun Suresh, Lauren

Tenney and Isabella Zhang were named

finalists in the 2024 National Merit

Scholarship Program, selected on the

basis of their SAT scores, grades, essays

and letters of recommendation. In

September 2023, these USC students

were named semifinalists in the competition

for scoring in the top one percent

of all juniors completing the PSAT in

October 2022.

As finalists, the students competed for three types of scholarships: National Merit $2500 Scholarships, Corporate-Sponsored

Merit Scholarships and College-Sponsored Merit Scholarships. Merit Scholar designees were announced between April and July. n

Future Problem Solvers

A USCHS team placed second at the Future Problem

Solving State Bowl this March. Prachi Chetlur, Anna Englemann,

Isabel Vilensky and Sydney Waldron advanced to the international

competition, which was held in June at Indiana University in

Bloomington, Ind.

Future Problem Solving is a research-based program introduced

by Dr. E. Paul Torrance that consists of a six-step process

through which students address complex issues and develop

solutions. The program teaches problem-solving strategies, collaboration,

critical and creative thinking, decision-making skills

and effective communication. n

USC’s Future Problem Solving team

Four Qualify for FBLA Nationals

Four USCHS students advanced to the Future Business

Leaders of America (FLBA) National Leadership Conference. To

qualify for nationals, the following students were among the top

performers at the Pennsylvania FBLA Leadership Conference,

held this April: Lylah Kateeb, third place, Introduction to Event

Planning; Abhi Kanini, fourth place, International Business;

Arjun Suresh, fourth place, Management Information Systems;

and Isabel Vilensky, fourth place, Business Management.

The Leadership Conference featured more than 50 individual

and/or team events on a range of topics, including accounting,

advertising, business law, economics, personal finance, graphic

design, social media strategies and more. The top four in each

event qualified for the FBLA National Leadership Conference,

which was held June 27–July 2, 2024, in Orlando. Patrick

Manion, social studies teacher, serves as FBLA adviser.

FBLA is a nonprofit educational association that prepares students

for careers in business by helping them develop leadership

abilities, and prepare for entry into, and advancement within, a

business or business-related occupation. n

Lylah Kateeb

Arjun Suresh

Abhi Kanini

Isabel Vilensky


STEAM

STEM

Four Complete Westinghouse

Science Honors Institute

Upper St. Clair High School students Shrida Devaki, Anna Fera,

Jiya Jithosh and Esha Lathia completed the Westinghouse Science Honors

Institute (WSHI), a program for high school juniors from throughout the

region who demonstrate a strong interest in science and engineering and

who are of high scholastic standing.

During Saturday morning

lectures from October

through March, WSHI provides

a forum for talented

high school juniors to gain

exposure to the latest advances

in science, technology and

engineering. Students have

the opportunity to network

with working professionals

and interact with students

from various schools who

also have the same abilities

and interests in science and

engineering. n

National Technical

Honor Society

Nathaniel Grabowski,

USCHS 2024, was inducted

into the National Technical

Honor Society (NTHS) at

Parkway West Career &

Technology Center this May.

A member of the National

Honor Society, Nate was

enrolled in the Power Motorsports

program at Parkway

West and named the program’s Nathaniel Grabowski

Student of the Month in May

2024 and October 2023.

To be eligible for induction in the NTHS, students

must have completed a full year at Parkway West, have

five or fewer unexcused absences, achieved an A average

in their tech program and a B or higher in their academic

classes, and successfully participate in an interview

process. Inductees should embody seven attributes:

leadership, scholarship, skills, honesty, citizenship,

service and responsibility. n

Odyssey World Finals Qualifiers

Two Upper St. Clair teams earned top marks at the

Pennsylvania Odyssey of the Mind 2024 State Finals and traveled

to Iowa State University to compete at the Odyssey of the Mind

World Finals this May.

The Streams team that included Ellie Finnegan, Roman Duffy,

Emily Michalak, Julia Ross, Ben Caesar, Quin Thorp and Cole

Hirzel solved the vehicle problem, “Drive-In Movie,” and earned

first place in division one. The team’s task was to design, build and

run a vehicle with a team-created rider that travels to a drive-in

theater. The team is coached by Brett Duffy and Nadine Michalak.

The Boyce team of Keira Mycoff, Lydia Calkins, Drew Holzer,

Caroline Fingal and Jacob Reinford solved the technical problem,

“AI Tech-No-Art,” earning second place in division two. The Boyce

team designed, built and operated an Artificial Intelligence device

that determined if a work of art is beautiful or not. John Reinford

and Josh Mycoff served as coaches. n

Boyce second place team

Streams first place team


STEAM

STEM

PA STEM Challenge

A team of Fort Couch students finished second among 394

middle school teams in the statewide STEM Design Challenge. The team,

coached by Jason O’Roark, gifted and accelerated math teacher, included

Sam An, Felix Chen, John Whitman and Joey Wyse.

Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific and the Allegheny Intermediate

Unit, the STEM Design Challenge was held in Harrisburg this May. This

year’s challenge tasked students with creating an agricultural robot or

other type of “high-tech farming” equipment to help Pennsylvania farmers.

Each year, in the fall, students are given a challenge. They have until

March/April to design a prototype using K’Nex in response to the challenge.

Along with a prototype, the teams need to create a blueprint, a design

notebook and a presentation. At competition, teams must rebuild their

structure from their blueprints within a two-hour time period. Once completed,

they present their design solution to a team of judges. Students are

judged on creativity, teamwork, challenge success, design and presentation.

“Our second-place team created a robotic apple picker that also sorted

Ready to present at the STEM Design Challenge

the apples, checked for fungus, applied any necessary

treatments and composted bad apples, while being

powered by advanced graphene aluminum batteries,”

said Jason. n

Boyce and Fort Couch Sweep Envirothon

This May, teams from Boyce and Fort Couch middle

schools finished first, second and third among 23 middle

school teams from throughout the region during the Junior

Envirothon held at South Park.

USC Envirothon Winners

Science Olympiad

This March, a team of USCHS students were top finishers in four of eight

events at the Pennsylvania Southwest Regional Science Olympiad. The team of

Sofia Alfredson-Themudo, Jamie Barrett, Augusta Bottonari, Rohan Inampudi

and Yuhong Shi earned medals in Forensics, Chemistry Lab, Write It Do It and

Astronomy.

Twenty-three high schools competed in events that covered a range of scientific

subject areas, including robotics, ecology, experimental design and optics. The

Upper St. Clair students were led by Casey Teagarden, gifted education teacher.

“The high school has not participated in the competition previously, so we

went in with the expectation of just trying some events and learning more about

the competition for future years,” said Casey. “The team was pleasantly surprised

to place in four of the eight events in which they competed. Now, they are even

more excited to prepare for and compete in tournaments next year!” n

Junior Envirothon is a natural resource environmental education

program that combines classroom learning and outdoor activities.

Modeled after the annual state-wide high school Envirothon, students

compete in small teams across five domains, or stations, including

Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils and Land Use, Wildlife and Current

Issues. This year’s Current Issues were renewable energy and resources.

The Boyce team of Brayden Wong, Alex Zhang, Mateo Lin, Yusuf

Unlu and Siddh Patel placed first and had the top overall score in the

Current Issues category. The Fort Couch team of Hope Waldron, Eliot

Kim, Cynthia Shen, Sunny Liu and Mira Murthy finished second with

the top overall score in the Soils and Land Use category. Placing third

was the Fort Couch team of Aanya Agrawal, Suhavi Singh, Ahana

Mendhi, Maria Alfredon-Themudo and Lindsey Fitzgerald.

While inclement weather kept the students inside, local environmental

experts were on hand to run the testing stations and a variety of

specimens were there for examination and identification. The students

completed multiple choice questions about the various categories and

identified bird and frog calls, plants, animal pelts and aquatic species.

The students were led by gifted education teachers Sherri Garvey

(Boyce) and Tom Yochum (Fort Couch). n

USCHS participants at the Science Olympiad


STEAM

PA Math League

Fort Couch Middle School seventh graders earned the

highest score among all 35 participating Pennsylvania schools in

the Pennsylvania Mathematics League (PML) contest. In addition,

Fort Couch eighth graders placed fourth overall among 37 participating

schools and second in the three-county region that includes

Allegheny, Butler and Cambria counties. Boyce sixth graders placed

fifth in Pennsylvania and second in the region.

Individually, several USC students were recognized as topscorers.

Eighth graders recognized included John Whitman,

Cynthia Shen, Raana Parchuri, Joey Wyse and Eliot Kim. Top

scoring seventh graders were Bernard Huang, Lyman Thomson,

Claire Dietiker, Owen Maher and Avik Pandey. Sixth grade students

included Brayden Wong and Mateo Lin.

Middle school students were given 30 minutes to solve 35 questions,

ranging from simple and straightforward to complex math

problems. The school’s team score, comprised of the school’s top

five scores, is reported to the PML. The PML specializes in conducting

math contests designed to stimulate student interest and

confidence in mathematics. n

STEM

High School Students Host

Coding Camp

Nine USCHS students, all members of the Spark

Students into STEM club, visited Boyce Middle School to share

their interest in computer programming. The club offered a

free, three-week Creative Computing Camp for Boyce fifth

graders, teaching them about coding using resources available

via code.org.

Spark Students

into STEM

Club members

included Amanda

Aidar, Ian Kirk,

Ryan LaRocco,

Maeryn Mannix,

Sam Berger, Nishma

Ghimire, Ryan

Hyatt, Meredith Huzjak, Mia Manalo and Tahir Disbudak. The

club receives guidance from advisers Dawn Mostowy, biology

USCHS Speech & Debate

Speech & Debate Team Shines at Nationals

This June, members of the USCHS Speech & Debate team were

among the top performers at the 2024 National Speech and Debate

Tournament. The world’s largest academic competition, the tournament

included more than 6700 students from more than 1500 schools.

Recent graduate Ashe Sobel-Drum reached the semifinals in the

House (Congressional Debate) and finished as the top National Forensics

League Honor Society point earner in Upper St. Clair team history with

2201, topping 2021 graduate Madeline Nolen’s previous high of 2122.

Priyasha Itani, a 2024 graduate, earned a spot in the octofinals (Top

60) and was one rank away from quarterfinals, finishing 31st in Original

Oratory. She also earned her fourth career nationals break, finishing in

the double octofinals in supplemental Impromptu Speaking to add to

her PHSSL state championship from earlier this season.

Rising senior Ishaan Sharma reached

the octofinals in Domestic Extemporaneous

Speaking for his third career nationals break.

This season, Ishaan was also a PHSSL state

champion and served as the team’s Extemporaneous

captain.

Rising junior Prachi Chetlur reached the

octofinals in International Extemporaneous

Speaking and made her third nationals break

by reaching the octofinals in supplementary

Commentary.

Tournament of Champions


USCHS Speech & Debate team at the 2024

National Speech and Debate Tournament

In April, three members of the USCHS Speech & Debate team

reached the top 15 in their respective events at the 53rd annual JW

Patterson Tournament of Champions. Ishaan Sharma advanced to the

semifinals in Extemporaneous Speaking, placing ninth. Ashe Sobel, who

advanced to the semifinals in Congress, placed ninth, and Aarav Patil

advanced to the quarterfinals in Original Oratory, finishing 15th.

This marks the first time that the students have competed in the

Tournament of Champions. In total, seven USC students qualified for the

Rising senior Isabel Vilensky went undefeated on the first day of the

supplemental Extemporaneous Debate, the largest event at the competition,

and advanced to the seventh round.

Recent graduate and Congressional Debate Captain Ujal Gautam was

121st in the Senate, one spot away from advancing to the quarterfinal

round.

Overall, 17 members of Upper St. Clair High School Speech & Debate

team qualified to compete at the NSDA National Tournament this year,

sweeping the Speech, Debate, Congress and Overall Sweepstakes awards

for the first time in team history.

Also qualifying were 2024 graduates Aarav Patil (Original Oratory),

Theeya Chen and Lucia Miles (Policy Debate), Shubham Patel (chosen

for Pittsburgh’s World Schools Debate Team) and rising seniors

Opal Miller (chosen for Pittsburgh’s World

Schools Debate Team), Rohan Mehta (Domestic

Extemporaneous), Roshan Mishra (International

Extemporaneous), Aaryan Kumar (Isabel Vilensky’s

partner in Public Forum Debate), Shreya Sriram

(Program Oral Interpretation), Manav Patel

(House) and George Abdel-Messih (House).

The Upper St. Clair High School team is

coached by teachers Ben Edwards and Dave

Watson, with outside consulting from Erin Wolf,

Oscar Heller and Saif Durrani. n

tournament. Ujal Gautam (Congress), Maxwell Gresh (Extemporaneous

Speaking) and Roshan Mishra (Extemporaneous Speaking) qualified and

competed. Priyasha Itani (Original Oratory) also qualified but declined

the invitation to attend.

“Qualification to the Tournament of Champions is very challenging

as a student must compete and win at specific tournaments determined

by the national organization to reflect an advanced level of competition,”

said team coach Ben Edwards. “Every competitor is among the

best nationally.” n

STEAM

teacher, and Steve Miller, math teacher. In addition,

Lin Dietiker serves at a parent volunteer for the afterschool

computing camp.

In addition to sharing their interest in computer

programming, the after-school computer camp

provided valuable opportunities for the high school

students to practice and demonstrate their own

leadership skills.

The high

school club held

similar coding

camps for

fourth graders

at Streams and

Baker elementary

schools last

year. They hope

to make the

camp an annual event. n

STEM

Fort Couch Dominates Math Competition

Students from Fort Couch excelled in both the individual and

team competition at the annual CalcuSolve event, held this May. CalcuSolve

is a math competition

where

students compete

individually and

as part of a team

of four students.

Finishing first with perfect scores in the individual competition were

Bernard Huang, Eliot Kim, Cynthia Shen, Lyman Thompson, Joey Wyse and

Sam An. Tied for second place was Raana Parchuri. Avik Pandey, Aaron Jiang

and Seth Pedretti finished tied for third.

In the team competition, Fort Couch swept all three top spots with a

narrow margin between all three.

• First Place: Aaron Jiang, Seth Pedretti, Cynthia Shen and Lyman Thompson

• Second Place: Sam An, Felix Chen, Raana Parchuri and Joey Wyse

• Third Place: Bernard Huang, Eliot Kim, Avik Pandey and John Whitman

The students were coached by Jason O’Roark, gifted and accelerated

math teacher. n

Speech & Debate Finishes

Sixth in Nation

The USCHS Speech & Debate team finished

sixth in the nation at the National Catholic Forensic

League (NCFL) Grand National Tournament. The national

tournament included 2227 student competitors, representing

427 schools nationwide.

“We finished sixth overall, our second-highest finish

at this tournament,” said team coach Ben Edwards. “Ten

students advanced to the second day of competition, the

most in team history. Thirty-one USC students qualified

through the qualifying tournament in March and were

among the largest squads at the tournament.”

Aarav Patil placed ninth in Original Oratory and made

the national semifinal round, which marked the secondhighest

placement by an Upper St. Clair speech competitor

in team history. Priyasha Itani earned 20th place in Original

Oratory, earning a spot in the quarterfinal round. Ashe

Sobel Drum (13th) and Ujal Gautam (19th) earned finalround

spots in the Congressional Debate. Ujal made the

final round for the second consecutive year.

Ishaan Sharma placed 47th in Extemporaneous Speaking;

Arth Italiya placed 20th in Declamation; Pritika

Gupta was 23rd in Lincoln-Douglas Debate; Anoushka

Barve took 29th in Original Oratory; Vincent Watson,

who made the second day in Declamation for the second

time, placed 44th; and Prachi Chetlur finished 48th in

Extemporaneous Speaking.

Founded in 1951, the NCFL creates speech and

debate opportunities for all secondary school students.

Every year the NCFL sponsors the annual Grand National

Tournament on Memorial Day weekend, offering six forensics

events and four debate events. n

Speech & Debate Wins Fifth State Title

This March, the USCHS Speech & Debate team won its third title in a row at

the 2024 Pennsylvania High School Speech and Language (PHSSL) state championships,

making the team a five-time state champion.

Competing in the large school division, the team also earned both Sweepstakes

Awards, awarded to the school that accumulated the most points for the speech events

and the debate events. This marks the second time that Upper St. Clair has swept all

three top team awards.

Individually, three Upper St. Clair students were crowned PHSSL state champions.

Earning first place finishes in their respective events were Priyasha Itani

(Persuasive Speaking), Ishaan Sharma (Extemporaneous Speaking) and Arnav Kumar

(Storytelling). Placing second were Ujal Gautam (Senate) and Vincent Watson

(Informative Speaking). n

2024 Speech & Debate Champs


Red Carpet Ready

Upper St. Clair High School

celebrated senior prom on June 4

at the Carnegie Museum of Natural

History in Oakland. Prior to the

event, the community was invited

to attend the Red Carpet on the high

school’s campus. Friends and family

captured photos of the seniors,

who were dressed to impress in their

formal wear. n

Photos: Tina Vojtko


Baker Welcomes Readers from

Friendship Village

Baker Elementary welcomed several special readers from nearby

Friendship Village this March, to help kick-off the school’s Read-a-Thon. This marked

the second year in a row for these special guests.

Students, dressed in their pjs for Pajama Day, were excited about the visiting readers.

The special guests read several books, including “Flat Stanley,” “Rainbow Fish,”

“The Big Cheese,” “I Wanna Iguana,” “Meet the Dollards” and “Chez Bob.”

Principal Dr. Patrick McClintock-Comeaux considers the partnership between

Friendship Village and Baker

Elementary a win-win.

“Our students adore the

readers and truly enjoy hearing

not only stories from books,

but the life experiences that are

shared,” he said. “The residents

also have said that they enjoy

the time with our students and

have fun sharing their love of

reading.”

Baker’s annual Read-a-Thon

challenges students to read

as many minutes as possible

during a 10-day window. Later

that evening, the school hosted

Baker Bedtime Stories and

Scholastic Book Fair. Several

teachers and other special

guests read stories during four

20-minute blocks. Students

could choose from among 21

different books to hear. n

FCCLA State

Conference

Three USCHS students earned

award medals at the Family, Career &

Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)

State Leadership Conference, which was

held this March. Sophie Einfeldt and Olivia

Fuscaldo earned gold medals in Fashion

Design, and Raegan Kuhn earned a silver

medal in the Repurpose and Redesign

category.

FCCLA is a national student organization

that helps young men and women

develop leadership while learning employability

skills in four career pathways:

Human Services, Hospitality and Tourism,

Education and Training, and Visual Arts

and Design. This is the first year for the

FCCLA chapter at USC High School. Nikki

Colella, family and consumer sciences

teacher, serves as the club’s adviser.

“FCCLA focuses on leadership and

life skills, including intrapersonal communication

skills, decision-making, goal

setting and problem-solving,” Nikki said.

“Students are involved in community service

and have the opportunity to compete

at the state and national level in a variety

of events.”

At the state leadership conference, students

had the opportunity to compete in

30 different STAR (Students Taking Action

with Recognition) events, which recognize

members for proficiency and achievement

in chapter and individual projects, leadership

skills and occupational preparation.

Events use a point system to award gold

and silver medals and bronze certificates. n

(l/r): FCCLA winners Sophie Einfeldt,

Raegan Kuhn and Olivia Fuscaldo


Spelling Bee Champ

Raana Parchuri was crowned

champion of the 74th annual Western

Pennsylvania Spelling Bee this March,

marking his third time winning the

regional event.

In addition to this year’s title, Raana

previously won in 2020 as a fourth

grader, and then again last year as a

seventh grader. In 2021, he finished

second. This is the first time a student

has become a three-time champion

since 1999.

Raana represented the Western

Pennsylvania region at the Scripps

National Spelling Bee in Washington,

D.C., in May, where he made it to the

quarterfinals.

Raana qualified for the regional

spelling bee by finishing first at the

school-level event. The Upper St. Clair

school-level spelling bees, open to

students in grades 4–8, are sponsored

by the USC Parent Teacher Council and

each school’s parent organization. The

Western Pennsylvania Spelling Bee is

open to students through grade 8 from

throughout a 26-county region.

Raana Parchuri

Esports Championships

Two USCHS students were

among the top finishers at the

Pennsylvania Interscholastic

Esports Association (PIEA) State

Championships. Auri Tarabishy

placed second and Jack Schalk

finished 11th at the event, held

this June.

Auri, a late addition to the

individual bracket, was offered a

scholarship to Wilkes University

to play for their Super Smash

Brothers Ultimate team.

USC’s esports team with coach Monica Erwin (right)

In team play, Upper St. Clair

lost to Nazareth Area High School in the semifinals. Team members include Auri

Tarabishy, Rocco Donahey, Sam Donahey, Jack Schalk and Ricky Crawford. The esports

team is led by science teacher Monica Erwin.

#HaveYouHeard?

Heard?

NSHSS

Tanvi Kallur, a rising junior, has

been selected as a member of the

National Society of High School

Scholars (NSHSS). The Society

recognizes top scholars who have

demonstrated outstanding leadership,

scholarship and community

commitment.

Tanvi Kallur

Published Poets

Original poems written by eight Fort

Couch students were selected for publication

in the 2024 spring poetry contest,

hosted by Creative Communications.

• Jillian Torres, “On the Edge”

• Calleigh Kunicki, “Angel of Death”

• Anna Barefoot, “Calvary Camp”

• Finley Garvey, “The Silver Snapper

Dragon”

• Sunny Liu, “Midnight Dream”

• Alexis Hettich, “Middle School”

• Kayla Fibbi, “Spring”

• Paige Senchyshak, “Realize”

All eight poems will be included in the

2024 Spring Contest Anthology, available

this fall. Less than half of all entries are

selected for publication.

Maya Bhandari placed third in the Keystone State Championship.

Wrestler Places Third

Streams’ student Maya Bhandari placed third in the 2024

Keystone State Championship youth wrestling tournament, held

this March. Maya, who is new to the sport and in her first wrestling

season, earned the bronze medal in the Girls 7–8, 45-pound

division.

Maya earned her spot at the Keystone State Championship

by placing first at the Keystone State Southwest Youth Qualifier.

The Southwest Region includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver,

Washington and Westmoreland counties as well as the River Valley

School District.


High School Student Council Earns National Award

For its exemplary record of leadership, service and activities

that improve the school and community, USCHS Student

Council was recently recognized as a 2024 National Gold Council

of Excellence by the National Association of Student Councils

(NASC). This marks the fourth year that USCHS Student Council

has earned this national recognition.

USCHS Student Council is made up of more than 70 students

in grades nine through 12 who help plan countless school and

community events and oversee the school’s 100+ clubs. Major

annual events include Homecoming Week, Winter Formal,

Prom, Rush (activities fair), Powder Puff football game, Halls of

Fame and Upper St. Clair’s Community Day. In addition, Student

Purchase 2024-25

Panther Pass Online

New this year, Panther fans can purchase their annual

athletic passes online and tickets will be distributed via the

Eventbrite mobile app.

The Panther Pass includes general admission entry to all

2024-25 home regular season athletic events, including football,

soccer, basketball, swimming, wrestling, lacrosse and volleyball.

Admission to post-season WPIAL and PIAA playoff games is not

included.

Physical athletic passes will not be issued this year. Instead,

Panther Pass holders will receive digital admission tickets for

each game approximately one week before the start of the athletic

season. Fall sports tickets will be distributed in August. Winter

and spring sports tickets will be forwarded in December and

March, respectively.

Tickets will be assigned to the name of the specific Panther

Pass holder. Families with multiple pass holders have the option

to send tickets to multiple emails or to receive all tickets and

notifications to one central email. n

The cost of Panther Pass is $50 per person and can be ordered online at

uscsd.org/pantherpass. Without the athletic pass, individual admission

to each home game is $5. Directions for accessing Panther Pass tickets

can be found at support.uscsd.k12.pa.us/kb/article/688-accessing-panther-athletic-pass-digital-tickets.

Council members serve as school ambassadors and tour guides

for numerous Open House and other events.

Upper St. Clair is one of only 11 Pennsylvania high schools

recognized as 2024 National Council of Excellence Award

Winners. Other Allegheny County schools include Elizabeth

Forward High School, Montour High School and South

Fayette High School. Nationwide, 411 high schools earned this

achievement.

The National Gold Council of Excellence program is supported

by its parent organization, the National Association of Secondary

School Principals (NASSP). n

Happy Hour

NEW Craft Cocktail Specials!

Plus special prices on

shareable appetizers & pizzas!

Monday - Friday from 4 - 6pm

24P7140


Manalo Raises

$10,000 for Charity

Upper St. Clair High School

senior Mia Manalo and her

team, Team Hope Heals, raised

$10,006 for the Leukemia

& Lymphoma Society (LLS)

during the organization’s 2024

Student Visionaries of the Year

program.

Student Visionaries of the

Year is a seven-week fundraising

challenge where high Mia Manalo

school student leaders raise

money and awareness for the fight against blood cancers.

The funds raised benefit the LLS mission: to find

a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and

myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients

and their families.

Mia is a member of the National Honor Society, Spark

Students into STEM and Stand Together. She is also a

member of the cheerleading and track teams. n

Junior Women of Achievement

This March, USCHS student Nikhita Thakuria was an honoree

at the 2024 Women of Achievement Awards, sponsored by

the nonprofit Cribs for Kids.

The Women of Achievement Awards is an annual ceremony

dedicated to highlighting the incredible feats and accomplishments

of women in the Pittsburgh region. The event serves as an annual

declaration, attributing the contributions of women to remarkable

successes in the city’s history.

Last year, Nikhita founded Quills and Keyboard, an international

writing contest for high school and college students. The contest

covers several categories, including Poetry, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Short

Stories, Personal Essays/Memoirs, Speeches, Journalism, Critical

Essays, Humor and Flash Fiction.

Coordinating a book drive had been a long-time goal for Nikhita,

and in late February, she hosted a two-day book drive to benefit

the Vietnam Veterans of American organization.

Proceeds from the event benefit Cribs for Kids, a National Infant

Safe Sleep Initiative founded in Pittsburgh in 1998. n

Chen Selected for Language

Exchange Scholarship

Leona Chen (USCHS 2024)

studied in South Korea this

summer on a National Security

Language Initiative for Youth

NSLI-Y scholarship. While in

South Korea, Leona lived with a

host family, immersing herself in

the local culture and host community,

and engaging with local peers

to enhance language learning and

build mutual understanding.

Leona Chen

NSLI-Y, a program of the U.S.

Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural

Affairs (ECA), promotes the study of Arabic, Chinese

(Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajiki),

Russian or Turkish. Scholarship recipients have the

opportunity to select a specific country/language to study.

“I chose to learn Korean because I’ve had an interest in the

language and culture since I was in middle school,” Leona

said. “As a Taiwanese American, I have an interest in exploring

East Asia and learning about the interconnected history.

Additionally, learning Korean complements my goal to study

computer science and work in the global technology sector.”

This fall, Leona plans to study computer science at the

Schreyer Honors College at Pennsylvania State University. n

Nikhita with her parents Soura Thakuria (left) and Runjun Baishya (right).


Pawprints...

PTC ... a USC Parent Teacher Council Feature

TODAY is pleased to introduce to you the presidents of the Upper St. Clair Parent Teacher Council and the PTSOs, PTOs and PTA

at our community’s schools. These dedicated individuals do so much to enrich the lives of our students, so please respond generously

when and if they call for volunteers during the 2024–2025 school year!

Donny Hamilton

Bharath Bangalore

Council

Donny Hamilton Jr., President

Spouse: Latifa Hamilton

Children: Dominic and Donovan

Occupation: Senior Project

Leader

Hobbies: Movies with family,

officiating sports, quiet morning

walks, reading autobiographies,

billiards, playing original

Nintendo NES and baking

Favorite Vacation Spot:

Disney World, Fla.

High School PTSO

Bharath Bangalore, President

Spouse: Deepthi Bharath

Children: Aadhi and Tarun

Occupation: CFO

Hobbies: Running, hiking and

sleeping


Lake Tahoe, Calif.

Amanda Palermo

Rebecca Thornsberry

Baker PTA

Amanda Palermo, President

Spouse: Frank Palermo

Children: Eleanor, Lucille and Frank

Occupation: Registered Nurse;

currently a stay-at-home mom

Hobbies: Reading, trying new recipes,

gardening, learning to play golf and playing

with my kids


Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Eisenhower PTO

Rebecca Thornsberry, President

Spouse: Mark Thornsberry

Children: Ansley (13), Caroline (10) and

Ethan (7)

Occupation: Chick-fil-A South Hills

Hobbies: Traveling, photography, event

planning and teaching Bible study


The beach, specifically Destin, Fla.

Justine Walker

Shelly Patel

Fort Couch PTSO

Justine Walker, President

Spouse: Jonathan Walker

Children: Evelyn, Grace and Lily

Occupation: Stay-at-home mom;

substitute for Upper St. Clair

Hobbies: Working out, tennis,

running, cooking and traveling


Maui, Hawaii

Boyce PTO

Shelly Patel, President

Spouse: Nikhil Patel

Children: Vinay and Biren

Occupation: Realtor

Hobbies: Reading, puzzles and

bird watching


Anywhere with sand between my

toes and the calming sound of

crashing waves

Sarah Tannenbaum

The USC Parent Teacher Council provides leadership and coordination for

all the PTA/PTOs/PTSOs in the district. What does Council do for you?

• Publishes the districtwide

student directory

• Coordinates district-wide

STEAM and wellness

programs

• Coordinates a districtwide

arts program—Arts

in USC—for students in

grades K–12

• Funds and manages the

Scripps Spelling Bee in

USC

• Provides timely emails

regarding PTA/PTO/PTSO

events and happenings at

the schools

Streams PTO

Sarah Tannenbaum, President

Spouse: Jared Tannenbaum

Children: Nikola and Isaac

Occupation: CPA

Hobbies: Reading and spending time

with family


New York City

• Provides support

to families of gifted

students through Gifted

and Talented Education

(GATE)

• Provides support to

families of special

education students

through Partners in

Education (PIE)

• Hosts an annual welcome

dinner for new families

entering grades 1–12

• Maintains the Upper

St. Clair Parent Teacher

Council Facebook page

that includes district and

community information

• Provides an annual

appreciation breakfast

for the central office

administrators and staff

• Provides leadership

training for PTA/PTO/

PTSO officers

• Maintains consistency

among the USC

volunteering units in

many areas


Kindness Rocks

Streams Elementary raised $3291.08 to benefit

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh during the school’s annual

Children for Children initiative. This year’s theme

was “Kindness Rocks,” and the effort was coordinated by

teachers Lauren Bogus, Jen Graceffo and Katie McIntyre.

As part of the Children for Children learning experience,

students participate in unique, hands-on lessons where

they learn about the organization and the importance of

taking action in the world around them. Each year, the

school selects a different charitable organization — the only

prerequisite is that the organization must help children.

To raise the money, students conducted a raffle during

the school’s S.T.A.R. Night open house. Student-made raffle

items included calendars, blankets, Japanese Taiko drums,

notecards and paintings. Students and families also had

the opportunity to win several teacher-experience raffles,

including Snack & Paint with the kindergarten teachers;

Popsicles on the Playground with the first grade teachers;

Mochi Making with the second grade teachers; Pizza Party

with the third grade teachers; Pizza Party with the fourth

grade teachers; Tie Dye Party with the School Counselor;

and a Pizza Party with the Principal.

The week before S.T.A.R. Night, students collected

change during special Kindness Rocks-themed days.

Families could also make donations directly to Children’s

Hospital of Pittsburgh through the organization’s Just

Giving page and/or could purchase a gift for a child in the

oncology wing from the hospital’s gift registry.

Since 2005, the Children for Children initiative has

raised more than $100,000 to benefit local, regional,

national and international organizations. Charities

have included Connecting Children with Champions,

UNICEF Tsunami Relief, Katrina School Fund, CORE

Organ, Dominican Republic Outreach Program, Heifer

International, National Military Family Association’s

Operation Purple, Casey’s Clubhouse, Jameson’s Army,

Grady’s All Stars, The Education Partnership, Global Links,

Our Clubhouse, South Hills Interfaith Movement, Beverly’s

Birthdays, Best Buddies, the Greater Pittsburgh Area Food

Bank, Canine Partners for Life and, this year, the Children’s

Hospital of Pittsburgh. n


CAPS Program Receives Grant

The Consuming and Producing Successfully (CAPS) program at

Boyce received a $5987 grant from the Community Foundation of Upper St.

Clair in support of its Virtual Reality Entrepreneur project.

Introduced at the start of the 2023–24 school year, the CAPS program is

part of the expressive arts curriculum for USC students in grades five through

eight. At Boyce, the program focuses on community, economy, financial literacy,

work and career readiness, and business management.

“In the inaugural year of our CAPS program, our fifth and sixth grade

students delved into a comprehensive curriculum focusing on community

dynamics, economic principles, financial literacy, as well as work and career

readiness,” said Dr. Kelly Pascarella, CAPS teacher. “The highlight was a handson

experience in Jr. Biz Town, where students managed and operated their

business storefronts for a day.”

Beginning this fall, the sixth grade CAPS curriculum will ask students to

analyze the USC community and select a location for a Main Street USC business

experience.

“Our sixth graders will embark on a deeper exploration of Upper St. Clair’s

business landscape, examining the factors contributing to the success of enterprises

in our town,” said Kelly. “Students will then conceptualize their own

storefronts, envisioning the kind of business they believe would thrive in our

community.”

The grant from the Community Foundation will enable the purchase of a

classroom set of virtual reality headsets, software and content creation tools.

These resources will enable Boyce students to design, build and manage digital

storefronts within a safe and controlled virtual space.

“Each student will craft a detailed business plan and bring their vision to

life through a 3D model of the storefront, utilizing cutting-edge technology

for an immersive VR walkthrough,” said Kelly. “This technological approach

will allow for a dynamic exploration of the proposed business, offering a

metaverse-like experience that enhances the understanding of its potential in

our local economy.” n

Founded in 1993, the Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair provides financial

support for special programs and projects within three focus areas — the arts, health

and wellness, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). For more

information about the Community Foundation, visit cfusc.org/.

Varsity Scorecard

2023–2024

Fall Team W L T Achievement

Cross Country

(Boys)

Cross Country

(Girls)

5 3 5th in WPIAL

7 1 5th in WPIAL

Field Hockey 5 10 1 WPIAL Semi

Finals

Football 8 2

Golf (Boys) 11 3 Section Champs/

WPIAL Semi-

Finals

Golf (Girls) 11 2

Soccer (Boys) 14 2 2 WPIAL Quarter

Finals/Section

Champs

Soccer (Girls) 16 2 WPIAL Semi

Finals/Section

Champs

Tennis (Girls) 8 6 WPIAL Quarter

Finals

Volleyball (Girls) 13 3 WPIAL Quarter

Finals

Winter Team

Basketball

(Boys)

Basketball

(Girls)

Wrestling (Boys) 9 12

Wrestling (Girls) 9 4

Swimming

(Boys)

Swimming

(Girls)

Rifle 4 10

22 5 WPIAL Champs/

State Quarter

Finals

12 11 WPIAL Quarter

Finals

9 1 7th in PIAA/

Section Champs/

WPIAL Runner Up

7 3 5th in WPIAL/13th

in State/Section

Champs

Ice Hockey 11 6 3 PIHL Quarter

Finals

Spring Team

Baseball 7 13

Softball 7 10

Tennis (Boys) 12 2 WPIAL Semi-

Finals/Section

Champs

Volleyball (Boys) 7 9 WPIAL Playoffs

Track (Girls) 4 1 WPIAL Playoffs

Track (Boys) 2 3

Lacrosse (Girls) 13 6 WPIAL Semi-

Finals

Lacrosse (Boys) 13 4 WPIAL Semi-

Finals


#MBCDreamHome

www.mcqueenbuildingcompany.com

Could the Basement Be Your New Favorite Room?

Geoff and Christine McQueen

When homeowners think about a

new living space they’d love to add to their

home, they often consider putting on an addition.

We work with many clients who do

that, and it can be great. But here’s something

that may surprise you: your house might

already hold the perfect, untapped space

that’s just waiting for you to make the most

of it. We help many clients transform their

basement — a space that usually doesn’t get

much attention — into one of their favorite

aspects of their home.

Many Pittsburgh-area homes have basements

with full access to the outdoors if the

backyard is at a lower elevation than the front

of the house. But even if your basement has

minimal daylight, that doesn’t have to be

a barrier, especially if you’d love to have a

next-level media room or a glamorous lounge

space with a bar where your favorite people

will want to congregate.

Here are just a few of the projects we do

with clients that make their homes more

valuable and give them a new space they love:

A spacious basement living room. So

many families love having a laidback space

with all the style of an upstairs living room,

where older kids can hang out with friends

(keeping the noise and chaos in your house

contained) and everyone can enjoy movies,

gaming and more. Add a kitchen area and

you’ll have the perfect destination for friends

and family.

A guest room with a full bath. We do so

many of these and homeowners love them.

A basement guest suite gives visitors a space

of their own, while that extra bedroom adds

to the resale value of your property.

An exceptional exercise and recreation

area. Many people want a home gym, but

how do you create one that doesn’t make

your basement feel small and cramped?

We’ve begun designing home gyms with glass

doors and glass walls instead of drywall. The

effect is fabulous: you’ve got a dedicated,

beautiful workout space, but your basement

still feels open.

Taking these spaces to another level,

we’ve also begun installing golf simulators.

Our clients love having a year-round space

to perfect their golf swing. You do need a 10-

foot ceiling for a golf simulator, but we can

make that happen. If your current ceiling is

too low, we can dig out the basement to gain

extra headroom.

A grownup entertaining space with

a great bar and wine storage. These days

we rarely do a basement without a beautiful

bar. A basement is also perfect for wine storage,

designed to visually feature your wine

collection while keeping it perfectly cool.

Especially if you have a walk-out basement,

you can create a really appealing indoor/

outdoor entertaining space.

What Matters Most

No matter how you want to use the lower

level of your home, the major goal is to make

your basement not feel like a basement.

Because if your downstairs level feels like a

basement, you won’t go down there. Here’s

how we do that for our clients:

• Use materials that are just as high-quality

as you see on other floors of your home.

We make sure to include details like

beautiful millwork on the ceiling, so the

basement has those impressive, first-floor

attributes.

• Make sure the staircase down to your basement

is fully finished and just as attractive

as the staircase to your second floor.

• Make a lighting plan that goes beyond

simple recessed ceiling lights. Our design

experts make sure to layer several types

of lighting to add warmth and a sense of

daylight, which is a huge step in making

a basement feel like other rooms in your

home.

• If your basement doesn’t have a door leading

outside, we add an egress window — a

large window that serves as a fire safety

exit. This involves excavating to dig out

a well around the window, which brings

the space up to code as a bedroom (adding

value to your house) and brings in lots of

natural light. n

Additional Tips:

• Consider moving your laundry room

up to your first or second floor, making

laundry easier while adding living

space on your lower level.

• If you’re creating a guest suite, the full

bath doesn’t need a tub or two sinks.

Eliminate those and use your budget

for things like a more lavish shower.

• Plumbing can be expensive in a basement

because you’re cutting troughs

in the concrete slab. But a wet bar or

kitchen is well worth the expense. The

same goes for electrical work: It can

be expensive in basements, but you’ll

want things like floor outlets (so you’re

not running cords across the floor for

table lamps) and USB charging outlets

for your devices.

• It’s always vital to assess the foundation

and address any issues with

drainage to eliminate any dampness

and be fully protected from flooding.

To learn more, visit mcqueenbuildingcompany.com or visit our social channels to view our latest projects. See ad for McQueen Building Company on previous page.


Township

Commissioners

Township Administration

Daniel R. Paoly

President

At Large

Day 412-831-9000

Evening 412-862-5995

2025*

Dante R. Plutko Jr.

Vice President

Ward 1

Matthew R.

Serakowski

Township Manager

Mark S. Mansfield

Asst. Township Manager &

Director of Administration

Mark P. Romito

Director of Finance

Adam A. Benigni

Director of Planning &

Community Development

Day 412-831-9000

Evening 412-389-5187

2027*

Pamela L. Enck

Ward 2

Ed Poljak

Director of Information

Technology

George Kostelich, Jr.

Director of Public Works

Christian Gmiter

Director of Library

Paul Besterman

Director of Recreation &

Leisure Services

Day 412-831-9000

2025*

Jason H. Graves

Ward 3

Public

Safety

Day 412-831-9000

2027*

Todd D. Burlingame

Ward 4

Day 412-831-9000

2025*

Ronald J. Pardini

Ward 5

Day 412-831-9000

Evening 724-941-1199

2027*

Richard I. Thomas

At Large

Day 412-831-9000

2027*

*Date indicates expiration of term.

All business regarding the operation of the Township is conducted

at the regular meetings of the Board of Commissioners.

Citizens are invited to comment on any Township matter.

Complete board minutes can be found on the website at

twpusc.org. For more information, call 412-831-9000.

Jonathan Wharton

Chief of Police

Administrator

Extension

Matthew R. Serakowski......................... 2160

Township Manager

Mark S. Mansfield.................................. 2190

Asst. Township Manager & Director of

Administration

Jonathan Wharton.................................. 2380

Chief of Police

Mark P. Romito....................................... 2180

Director of Finance

Adam A. Benigni..................................... 5010

Director of Planning & Community Development

Ed Poljak.........................................................

Director of Information Technology

George Kostelich, Jr................................ 2710

Director of Public Works

Christian Gmiter.................................... 2470

Director of Library

Paul Besterman....................................... 6250

Director of Recreation & Leisure Services

Ted Hale

Fire Chief

Keith Morse

Chief of Tri-Community South

EMS

To reach Township personnel, call 412-831-9000 and follow the automated directions.

Other Services

Police

Administration...........................412-833-1113

Tri-Community South EMS

Administration...........................412-831-3710

USC Volunteer Fire Department

Administration...........................412-835-0660

Animal Control.........................412-833-7500

Community &

Recreation Center...................412-221-1099

USC Cable.................................412-831-1030

Emergency–

Police, Fire, EMS....................412-833-7500

Check out the Township’s website

twpusc.org

Follow the Township of

Upper St. Clair on social

media for the latest news

and announcements.

2024 Township of Upper St. Clair Meeting Dates

• The Board of Commissioners meets at 7:30 p.m. The regular public meeting is held the first Monday of the month.

The informational and general affairs meeting is held the last Monday of the month.

• The Planning Commission meets the third Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m.

• The Parks and Recreation Board meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the C&RC;

no meeting in December.

• The Zoning Hearing Board meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at 8 p.m.

• The Civil Service Board meets as needed.

• The Building/Fire Codes Appeals and Advisory Board meets as needed.

• The Library Board meets as needed.

Meetings are held in the Municipal Building’s board room, unless otherwise indicated. Meeting locations are subject

to change; refer to the Township website at twpusc.org for more information.


Directory of

Important Numbers

Highlights of the Board of Commissioners’ Meetings

April 1, 2024

Approximately nine people attended.

Recognition

• Commissioner Pardini presented a Proclamation to

John Paul Rainone for attaining the rank of Eagle

Scout.

• Commissioner Burlingame presented a Proclamation

to Chris Gmiter, Library Director, in recognition of

National Library Week, April 7–13, 2024.

The Board

• Accepted the bid from GEMM Demolition, LLC, for

the demolition of 1600 Painters Run Road.

• Rejected Proposals for Municipal Building Site

Lighting & Signage.

Approval of Contracts

• Jeffrey Associates....................................$91,986.00

Indianola, Pa.

Clubhouse Playground Renovation

• Plavchak Construction Co....................$919,300.00

Elizabeth, Pa.

Morton Fields Complex—Contract 3—Electrical

• Aqua Pool, Inc.....................................$259,400.00

East Pittsburgh, Pa.

C&RC Outdoor Pool Re-Plastering

May 6, 2024

Approximately seven people attended.

Recognitions

• Commissioner Pardini presented a Proclamation

recognizing Jacob Lowe for attaining the rank of

Eagle Scout.

• Commissioner Thomas presented a Proclamation

to Keith Morse, Chief of EMS Operations for Tri-

Community South Emergency Medical Services,

recognizing May 19–25, 2024, as National

Emergency Medical Services Week in Upper St.

Clair with the theme “EMS Week:Honoring our Past.

Forging Our Future.”

The Board

• Adopted Resolution No. 1760 Re. Authorizing

the Appropriate Township Officials to Execute all

Documentation with Regard to an Amendment to a

Utility Relocation Reimbursement Agreement.

Approval of Contracts

• JB Mechanical, Inc...............................$211,125.00

Washington, Pa.

Community & Recreation Center Rooftop Units #4

and #7 Replacement

• Musco Sports Lighting, LLC.................$924,447.00

Oskaloosa, Iowa

Morton Fields Complex Lighting Equipment

• Shaw Field Turf through...................$2,863,828.69

Force Turf Solutions, Inc.

Indiana, Pa.

Morton Fields Complex Turf and Fencing

• RingCentral, Inc...................................$165,710.52

Belmont, Calif.

Three-Year Contract Extension for Township

Telephone System

June 3, 2024

Approximately 39 people attended.

Recognitions

• Commissioner Enck presented a Proclamation

recognizing the Upper St. Clair High School Speech

& Debate Team for their win at the Pennsylvania

High School Speech League Championship.

• Commissioner Graves presented Certificates of

Achievement to several members of the Upper St.

Clair High School Swim Team for their wins at the

Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League

(WPIAL) Championships.

• Commissioner Burlingame presented a Certificate of

Achievement to members of the Upper St. Clair High

School Boys’ Basketball team for their win at the

WPIAL Championships.

The Board

• Adopted Resolution No. 1761 for Re. Plan Revision

for New Land Development (Planning Module) for

PLC23-0012–McMurray Road Subdivision Plan–

Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval.

Approval of Contract

• Patton Building Services....................$1,551,394.03

Morgantown, W. Va.

2024 Janitorial and Custodial Services for Township

Buildings and Community & Recreation Center for a

three-year term plus one option year.

Accessibility Coordinators

The Township of Upper St. Clair has

five accessibility coordinators to further

enhance all visitors’ access to Township

facilities, parks, trails and programs. For

more information on accessibility, visit

twpusc.org/accessibility.

Currently, the Township of Upper St.

Clair’s accessibility coordinators are

• Jeremy Lemley, Buildings/Grounds

Administrator (for all Township

buildings): 412-831-9000, ext. 2710

• Ed Poljak, Director of Information

Technology (for Township website

and phone system): 412-831-9000

• Christian Gmiter, Director of

Library: 412-831-9000, ext. 2240

• Gary Schafer, Parks and Forestry

Administrator: 412-831-9000,

ext. 2710

• Paul Besterman, Director of

Recreation and Leisure Services

(for all recreation activities):

412-831-9000, ext. 6560

Stay up to date with all the news and

reminders around USC!

Sign up for the Township’s email list by

scanning the QR code.

Police/Fire/Ambulance

Emergency

412-833-7500

Township Offices are open 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

Monday–Friday

Administration/Township Manager

412-831-9000, ext. 2160

Community Development

412-831-9000, ext. 5010

Finance/Tax – 412-831-9000, ext. 2180

Recreation – 412-221-1099

Public Works – 412-831-9000, ext. 2710

Public Works Hotline

(Emergency After Hours) 412-833-7500

Police Administration – 412-833-1113

Animal Control

412-833-7500

Tri-Community South EMS

412-831-3710

Volunteer Fire Department

(Fire Station) 412-835-0660

Library – 412-835-5540

Frequently Called Numbers

USC Cable (Public Access Television)

412-831-1030

District Judge Ronald Arnoni

412-835-1661

League Of Women Voters

412-261-4284

Post Office – 1-800-275-8777

School District – 412-833-1600

South West Communities Chamber of

Commerce – 412-221-4100

Tennis Administration – 412-831-7556

Three-Hole Golf Course

412-831-7556

Utilities & Services

Xfinity

Sales, Service, and Billing

1-800-266-2278

Columbia Gas Company

724-416-6300

People’s Natural Gas Company

412-395-3050

First Energy – 1-888-544-4877

PA American Water Company

1-800-565-7292

Verizon – 1-800-VERIZON (837-4966)


Community Day ’24

2024 Upper St. Clair Community Day

Dog’s name

Upper St. Clair Community Day

Dog’s Breed

Htest Dog Ctest

Dog’s age

2024 Upper St. Clair Community Day

Details

Htest

2024 Upper St. Clair

Dog

Community Day

Ctest

Benefiting Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund

Details

Rules

Htest Dog Ctest

• Must be USC resident.

Htest Dog Ctest

When: May 18, 2024

Where: Main Stage

• Owners must provide proof of

Time: 12-1pm

Benefiting Children’s up to Hospital date shot records Free upon Care entry. Fund

Rules

All dogs get a treat for registering!

• You can register at the event.

Benefiting Children’s This year’s Hospital top dogs Free were: Care Fund

Best Tail Wag

Details When: May 18, 2024Zero—Owner: Justin

• Must

Hammett

be Rules

USC resident.

3 wa register

Where: Main Stage

1) Scan

Time: 12-1pm Best

the QR code

Costume

to register online • Owners must provide proof of

Details When: May 18, 2024 Rules • Must be USC resident.

2) Email this form to Robbinsbobbitt@howardhanna.com up to date shot records upon entry.

Where: $5 Main registration Stage3) fee Drop Baxter—Owner: completed registration form off at either Kayla of the following: Fibbi

• Howard Hanna Real Estate Services | 180

When: May 18, 2024

• Ft. Pets Couch must Road, be leashed.

Best • Trick Must be USC resident. • USC Owners 15241 must provide proof of

Time: 12-1pm

• Upper ST. Clair Library | 1820 McLaughlin Run Road, USC 15241

All dogs get a treat for registering!

Where: Main Stage

• You can up register to date the shot event. records upon entry.

$5 registration feeName

Charlie—Owner: • Owners must Aglae provide Rodrigues-Lavin

Signature proof of

Time: 12-1pm

Address

Parent/Guardian

Pet Owner up to date Look-Alike shot records • upon Pets must entry. be leashed.

Phone

$5 registration fee

if under 18

Email

All dogs get a treat for Baxter—Owner: registering! Michelle Fibbi

Dog’s name

3 wa register Cutest • Pets Puppy must (Tie) be leashed. • You can register at the event.

Dog’s Breed

Dog’s age

All dogs get a treat for registering! Rockstar

1) Scan the QR code to register • You online can register at the event.

Charlie—Owner: Aglae Rodrigues-Lavin

3 wa register

3 wa register

2) Email this form to Robbinsbobbitt@howardhanna.com

3) Drop completed registration form off at either of the following:

• Howard Hanna Real Estate Services | 180 Ft. Couch Road, USC 15241


The sun was shining and Upper St. Clair’s 2024 Community Day on

May 18 turned out to be a day in paradise!

1) Scan

Name

the QR code to register online

Signature

The day started at Veterans Park with the opening ceremony. 2) Email Residents

then took in the parade, Hottest Dog

Address this form to Robbinsbobbitt@howardhanna.com

Parent/Guardian

1) Scan

contest,

the QR

the

code

Toddler

to register

Trot, Phone

online

if under 18


plus other activities at the booth area along 2) McLaughlin Email this form Run to Road. Robbinsbobbitt@howardhanna.com

Email

There

Dog’s • name Howard Hanna Real Estate Services | 180 Ft. Couch Road, USC 15241

was a lot going on off-site, as well, as Gilfillan 3) Drop Farm completed and the registration Upper St. form off at either of the following:

Dog’s Breed


Clair Volunteer Fire Department hosted guests all • afternoon. Howard Hanna As always, Real Dog’s Estate age Services | 180 Ft. Couch Road, USC 15241

festivities concluded with • Upper everyone ST. Clair cheering Library | 1820 McLaughlin Run Road, USC 15241

for their adopted ducks during the Community Name

Signature

Foundation’s Duck Race.

Address

Parent/Guardian

Name

Mark your 2025 calendar for May 17 (tentative

date) to get Address together for our community’s Parent/Guardian

Signature

if under 18

Phone

Email

if under 18

annual outdoor celebration! Phone For more information

or to volunteer Email for 2025, contact the high

Dog’s name

school student Dog’s activities name office or Dog’s the Upper Breed St.

Clair Recreation Dog’s Department. Dog’s age

Breed

Dog’s age

1) Scan the QR code to register online

2) Email this form to Robbinsbobbitt@howardhanna.com


• Howard Hanna Real Estate Services | 180 Ft. Couch Road, USC 15241


Name

Address

Phone

Email

$5 registration fee

Signature

Parent/Guardian

if under 18

Benefiting Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund

• Pets must be leashed.


Photos: Terry Kish, Anne Kopach, Alex Pepke

Panthers in Paradise

2024 Community Day

Bake-Off Winners

Grades K–2

Favorite Book: Angela Zambri, Lady Pancake &

Sir French Toast

Favorite Movie: Hope Higgins, Sisu the Dragon

Baker’s Choice: Miriam Foil, Taylor Swift

Grades 3–5

Favorite Book: Cassidy & Kiersten King, The Wild

Robot

Favorite Movie: Giana Zambri, Encanto

Baker’s Choice: Hana El Nokali, Rubix Cube

Grades 6–8

Favorite Movie: Salome Macikowski, Rapunzel

Baker’s Choice: Anastasia Le, Beach/USC

Best in Show

Caitlyn Foil (4th grade), Planting a Rainbow

Sponsored by the

Upper St. Clair-Bethel Park Rotary, Breakfast Club.

Many

Thanks!

Thank you to everyone who helped make Community Day 2024 a great success! Multiple departments

at the School District and Township planned and organized the event, along with the volunteers,

students, community organizations and local businesses who worked to make the day enjoyable for

residents of all ages. A special thank you to the Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair, Emma’s

KAFE & DELI and Bonnie Loya from Coldwell Banker Realty for their sponsorship of the petting zoo,

and to Colussy Chevrolet for providing trucks and drivers for the parade. One final thank you goes

to Cub Scout Pack 366 for helping to clean up at the end of the parade.


USC Recreation and

twpusc.org

The most up to date details and registration information

for recreation programs can be found at

twpusc.org/recreationcenter.

Questions? Call 412-221-1099


Leisure Services

412-221-1099

Become a member at the Community & Recreation Center!

3-Month & Annual Contracts

Senior, Adult, Youth and Family Memberships Available

Questions? Contact the membership department at 412-221-1099 Ext. 6220


USC Recreation and

Upper St. Clair

United Senior Citizens

When did they ever have time to work?

The Upper St. Clair United Senior Citizens

jumped into spring and summer with a full

calendar of activities. Between presentations

on subjects ranging from service dogs and ski

trips, a performance from PSO cellist Kathleen

Melucci, celebrating Earth Day, Community

Day, birthdays and other special events, and a

field trip to the Frick Museums and Gardens,

this group is always learning or doing something

fun!

If you’re age 55 or older and retired,

consider joining the group, which meets most

Wednesdays at the McLaughlin Run Activity

Center (MAC), located at 1770 McLaughlin Run

Rd. Spouses of eligible members may also join,

even if under the age of 55. Informal activities

begin at 10 a.m., with members holding a brief

business meeting at noon, followed by lunch. In

addition, there are various outings throughout

the year. n

Celebrating the start of the

Pirates new season with trivia

and a batting contest.

These seniors finished

this 500-piece puzzle in

under two hours!

Solar eclipse party

Popup Easter Photo Booth

Pajama day included a

slipper toss contest.

Spring field trip

USC Township Silver Card

The Township Silver Card is free and available to

residents ages 62 and older. To obtain a Silver Card

and receive access to a select number of group

exercise classes, USC’s three-hole golf course,

as well as a complimentary summer tennis permit,

visit the Community and Recreation Center, 1551

Mayview Road.

Silver card applications are available 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.,

Monday–Friday. A valid photo ID showing USC

residency is required upon application. Residents

who acquired their Silver Card prior to 2019 are

encouraged to re-apply for and receive a new,

updated card.

USCSD Gold Card

Upper St. Clair residents who are age 62

or older are eligible to receive a Gold Card,

entitling them to free admission to plays and

musicals, as well as regular season home

athletic events and activities sponsored by

the USC School District. WPIAL and PIAA

playoff games are not eligible for free or

discounted admission.

To obtain a Gold Card, visit the high school

main office at 1825 McLaughlin Run Road.

For more information, contact Nancy Dunn

at 412-833-1600, ext. 2236, or email

ndunn@uscsd.k12.pa.us.

ACCESS Paratransit

and Pittsburgh Regional

Transit Senior Citizen

Connect Card

Applications for the Pittsburgh Regional Transit

Senior Citizen Connect Card and the ACCESS

65 Plus Coordinated, Shared-Ride Paratransit

Service are available at the C&RC. Applications

must be made in person at the C&RC during

business hours, Monday–Friday. Proof of age

(65) is required at the time of application.

For additional information about any older adult programming, contact the community programs department at 412-221-1099.


Leisure Services

Senior Spotlight: Tom and Diane Atkins

Tom and Diane Atkins met at a YMCA dance in

Milwaukee, Wis., and married on Sept. 21, 1963. Now married

60 years, they have three lovely daughters and six amazing

grandchildren.

With Tom’s business transfers, they lived in Wisconsin, New

Jersey and Tennessee before moving to Upper St. Clair in 1978

when Tom was offered a position as branch manager for Zurich

Insurance Company. Tom attended Pitt for classes and received a

UPCU designation in the field of insurance. He’s been president

of the Rotary Club and IIA Insurance Club, and treasurer and

president of the USC Seniors, as well as attending a PEA Business

Club and a men’s club. Tom enjoys golfing, tennis and bowling.

Diane attended Whitewater State Teacher’s College and taught

Sunday School in New Jersey and in USC. She was the head coordinator

for vacation bible school in New Jersey. Diane was a

supervisor and secretary to the resident manager for INA Insurance

Co., office manager for 800 Inc. and she owned her own

carpet cleaning business! Diane played tennis for 22 years and

captained a PTL Team in USC for six years. Musically, she won

medals and lettered while playing the clarinet, enjoyed playing

the accordion and reached

class A music on the organ. She

also played hand bells at USC’s

Westminster Church for 10

years. Diane has been a director

of USC Seniors for 13 years.

Diane’s hobby is oil painting,

and she enjoys painting winter

scenes.

Tom and Diane have housed

Diane and Tom Atkins with CoCo

six foreign exchange students

from France, Venezuela, Chile, Canada, Argentina and Ecuador.

Diane helps an African minister in Zimbabwe who named his

youngest daughter after her.

The couple’s favorite vacations were to visit their exchange

daughter and her family in Venezuela, a trip to England where

they were housed by their Rotary Club and two weeks in Hawaii,

where they visited Oahu and Maui and took a helicopter ride of a

lifetime! They have been blessed with a good life, special family

and many wonderful friends. n

Making a Splash:

Dunk Tank Raises Money for Scouting

Caleb Guarino, TODAY Student Intern

On May 18, the Upper St. Clair Township hosted its annual

Community Day celebration. Every year, the community comes

together to represent more than 50 organizations through the

parade and post-parade fair. Each group can sign up for a booth,

where they relayed information and culture regarding their focus.

This year, just like years past, the USC Boy Scout Troop 366

brought along a dunk tank. After participating in the parade, the

troop set up shop near the McLaughlin Run Activity Center, where

the scouts offered community members the chance to enjoy the

attraction. For five dollars, a player had three chances to hit the

red target in order to plunge a nervously waiting victim into the

cold water below. Often, the victim was one of the older scouts.

For example, Sawyer Wienmann, the Senior Patrol Leader of the

group, fell victim to the tank three times.

Although the Boy Scouts and their dunk tank have been present

at the fair for multiple years, the scouts have never been as successful

as this year. Unlike years past, the troop now allowed citizens

to pay to be dunked. This sparked a new interest and an additional

attraction to an already popular booth. An estimated 550 balls were

thrown (with about one-tenth of those throws being successful) to

knock down nearly 15 different people inside the tank. The dunk

tank alone raised around $1000 this year, and, thanks to the sale of

popcorn and cold drinks, the scouts raised a total of around $1500.

All proceeds went back into the scouts’ organization to help fund

camping trips and programs to sharpen their skills, food donations,

troop gear and community service activities.

The majority of the funds, however, helps the troop make material

purchases for Eagle Scout projects, where scouts plan and

develop an activity, event or

fundraiser to help support the

Upper St. Clair community. In

recent years, scouts have created

a sandpit and benches for

the Montclair Pool, repaired

and created bridges inside

Boyce Mayview Park, funded

food, clothing and book

drives, scheduled trash pickup

events for across the township,

initiated trail maintenance

dates, and

constructed and

purchased playground

equipment

for the youth of Upper

St. Clair. These

projects, among

many others, are

just one of the ways

the USC Boy Scouts

strive to better their

community.

So, next year, when your friend, neighbor or classmate starts

heckling you from inside the dunk tank at Community Day, take

a shot at knocking them down with the added benefit of knowing

your money is going toward a great cause. n


From the Director’s Desk

The Library — Your New Favorite Study Spot

Chris Gmiter

Greetings, residents and Upper St. Clair Township Library

users. Now that fall is here and school is beginning, I wanted

to give you a refresher on information regarding the library’s

study rooms. The rooms opened in early 2024 and have seen continuous usage

throughout the spring and summer.

The study rooms are located on the third floor of the library, and they are

an excellent venue to work on those school projects, study for a test, meet

with a group or study or work independently. We have five study rooms and

one conference room on-site. Each study room can accommodate up to four

people, and the conference room can fit eight people comfortably.

Since the rooms have been relocated to the third floor after renovations, we

have implemented a reservation management system for all of our third-floor

spaces. A link for registration can be found on the library’s website under

“Library Services,” and the URL is: twpusc.libcal.com/reserve/studyroom.

You may also scan this QR code to be taken to the signup page:

Users can reserve the spaces independently using their

phones, computers or tablets. Users will need a valid

Allegheny County Library Card to sign up for rooms,

and you can do that here at the library or online. There

is a 12-hours per week and/or four hours per day limit

for users in order to ensure that everyone will get a

fair chance to have a room on their preferred day and

time.

While reservations can be managed online, our staff is

always happy to help with reservations in person or over the phone.

Thank you as always for your patronage and support — we hope that you will

enjoy our study areas and the modern amenities of the township’s new flex

space and study rooms. n

Third-floor flex space

Conference room

USC Township Library Hours

Monday: 9:30 a.m.–7 p.m. The library will be closed:

Tuesday: 9:30 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2 for Labor Day.

Wednesday: 9:30 a.m.–7 p.m.

Thursday: 9:30 a.m.–7 p.m.

Outside book and video return available 24/7

Friday: 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Library hours are subject to change; please call or

Saturday: 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. visit the library’s website for hours of operation.

Everybody needs

a friend — be ours.

Scan the QR code

for more information

about the Friends of the

Library of USC.

412-835-5540 twpusc.org/library


Kids Library


Crafting Hour

Tuesdays, Sept. 3;

Oct. 1; Nov. 5;

Dec. 3

4:30–6:30 p.m.

Calling all knitters,

crocheters,

embroiderers and

fiber artists of every kind — come join the

library stitching circle! Share advice and

inspiration, chat with new friends and work

on projects in a supportive group setting. On

Nov. 5, this event will take place on the third

floor of the library.

Board Game Night for Adults

Thursdays, Sept. 5; Oct. 3; Nov. 7; Dec. 5

4:30–6:30 p.m.

Looking for some

fun? Whether you’re

looking to play an

old favorite or try

something new, join

the USC Township

Library for board

game night. Everyone

is welcome, regardless of skill level, so don’t

worry if you don’t know many games. The

game selection is based on the attendees’ interests

and the availability of board and card

games. Feel free to come and go as you please.

Bring your games to share or choose from the

library’s collection. On Nov. 5, this event will

take place on the third floor of the library.

Hidden Gems of Italy

Thursday, Sept. 5

6:30–7:30 p.m.

Join Dr. H.J. Manzari of Washington &

Jefferson College to learn about the “unsung”

places to visit in Italy. This talk will be fun,

informative and share tips about how to

avoid the crowds, when to go and how to eat

without breaking the bank! This event will


The Importance of Sleep

Wednesday, Sept. 11

6:30–7:30 p.m.

Can you sleep your way to better health?

This presentation aims to educate on the

physiology and function of sleep and provide

practical tips on how to optimize sleep

for health. This talk will specifically target

healthy sleep tips for dementia caregivers, as

sleep concerns are a major source of distress

for many. Resources for caregiving will also

be shared, as well as an opportunity to learn

about a study.

Adult Programs

Unless otherwise noted, all events are in-person and

take place in the library multi-purpose room.

Mushroom Hike with the Western PA

Mushroom Club

Saturday, Sept. 14

11 a.m.

Register to participate in September’s

Nature Treasure Hunt to receive a checklist

of clues and treasures. Join Western

Pennsylvania Mushroom Club’s Mushroom

Identifiers Josh Doty and Jared White and

explore the trails of Boyce Mayview Park,

beginning at Boyce Gardens parking lot.

An Evening with Brannon Lyons

Wednesday, Sept. 18

6:30–7:30 p.m.

Join the library

and enjoy an evening

of classical guitar

music with guitarist

and teacher, Brannon

Lyons. This event

will take place on the

third floor of the library.

Author Talk and Small Bites:

Maria C. Palmer

Thursday, Sept. 19

6:30–7:30 p.m.

Join author Maria Palmer for light Primadonna

restaurant-inspired treats and a

discussion of her debut narrative nonfiction

book, “On the Rocks: The Primadonna

Story.” This book chronicles the real-life

journey of restaurateur Joseph Costanzo Jr.,

from his rise to success in the 1990s as the

owner of the highly acclaimed Primadonna

restaurant, radio host, columnist and aspiring

politician to his sharp fall in the early 2000s.

There is a $10 per person fee and registration

is required. This event will take place on the

third floor of the library.

Who Knew? with Becky Carpenter

Wednesday, Sept. 25

6:30–7:30 p.m.

Join Becky Carpenter as she talks about

Pittsburgh. Interested in roaming around

Pittsburgh in search of something new? How

about an atom smasher in Forest Hills, a replica

of Central Park in Soho, the meditation

pools in South Park, the ghost towns of Lincoln

Way and Seldom Seen, the abandoned

coal mine “cathedral” in Yukon, the Parkway

shrine or the trolls under the Bloomfield

Bridge? All of these and many more are part

of “Who Knew?” an exploration of the most

interesting, odd and curious places in and

around Pittsburgh. This event will take place

on the third floor of the library.

Retrain Your Brain: How to Banish

Anxiety and Other Forms of Negative

Self Talk

Thursday, Sept. 26

1–2 p.m.

Your 60,000 daily thoughts are tremendously

powerful. They can create anxiety

or optimism…well-being or depression…

do good or do damage. In short, what you

think about, you bring about. The good

news — it is never too late to retrain your

brain and to take charge of your brain’s power

grid. When you change your thoughts, you

change your life!

Author Talk with Melissa Weisner

Wednesday, Oct. 2

6:30–7:30 p.m.

Join the library for an author talk with

Melissa Wiesner, who will share insights

into her writing journey that was shaped by

a decade-long career in social work. Melissa

approaches women’s fiction and romance

from a strength-based perspective, offering

narratives that celebrate the resilience,

growth and empowerment of her characters.

Attendees will gain insights into crafting

stories that inspire hope and connection that

will resonate deeply with readers.

Mindfulness:

The Art of Living in the Present Moment

Thursday, Oct. 3

1–2 p.m.

Learn to stop living in the past or focusing

on the future. Learn to see the extraordinary

in the ordinary and realize that now, this moment,

is where actual living occurs.

Haunted Pittsburgh

Wednesday, Oct. 9

6:30–7:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh has a North Side and a South

Side; Haunted Pittsburgh takes you to its dark

side. They are the curators of Pittsburgh’s

nightmares and of all things that go bump in

the night in Western Pennsylvania. They run

their ghost tours downtown each week from

spring to early November — but on Oct. 9,

they’re bringing the ghosts to Upper St. Clair

Library. Dive deep into Pittsburgh history to

unearth forgotten tales, all featuring a good

scare or two. Prepare to learn a few juicy

Steel City secrets. Join them as they dive deep

into Western Pennsylvania’s greatest tales of

ghosts and the unexplained. This event will



Adult Programs

The Oakmont Paranormal Society

Wednesday, Oct. 16

6:30–7:30 p.m.

Do you believe in ghosts and spirits?

Have you ever wondered what it is like to

be a paranormal investigator? Have you

ever had your own paranormal experience

that you would like answers to? If you answered

“yes” to any of the above, then join

the library for an evening with an Upper

St. Clair paranormal investigator and local

team members as they reveal the secrets and

deeper insight into the world of paranormal

investigations. They will be showcasing

equipment used in investigations, evidence

gathered from their investigations and

answer any questions you may have. This

event will take place on the third floor of

the library.

Fall Foliage Hike

Wednesday, Oct. 23

11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Join park rangers for a hike and experience

the changing of the seasons. Learn

why trees change color, what the different

colors mean and how other plant species,

like evergreens, prepare for winter. Meet at

South Park’s Oliver Miller Homestead Parking

Lot. Registration required. Limited to

20 participants.

The Lighter Side of USC with Jay Lynch

Wednesday, Nov. 6

6:30–7:30 p.m.

Spend an evening with USC resident Jay

Lynch, the author of “The Lighter Side of

USC,” a compilation of humorous short stories

that have appeared in TODAY magazine

for the past 10 years. Jay will share stories

and photos from his “Wonder Years” style

childhood in USC in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Even

if you didn’t grow up in USC, you’re sure to

get a giggle or two.

Family Preparedness: Getting a Plan in

Place for Transitions, Part One

Thursday, Nov. 7

11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Join Upper St. Clair Township Library and

Executor Services, LLC, for an informative

presentation in the first of a two-part series.

In this session, the importance of documenting

and capturing you or a loved one’s life’s

work and legacy will be covered. This critical

consolidation of records will provide a complete

picture of current assets and liabilities.

Having all your information in one safe and

secure location will give you a complete,

detailed portfolio and a clear path towards

future planning goals. Trying to figure things

out during a crisis adds significant stress

and unneeded anxiety. Get educated on the

components needed to get an accurate plan in

place for transitions, and why it is important

to get started right away.

Estate Settlement from the Executors

Perspective, Part Two

Thursday, Nov. 14

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Join the Upper St. Clair Township Library

and Executor Services, LLC, for the second

session in this two-part series. Session two is

designed to educate you and your family on

the issues that executors face when appointed

as the personal representative of an estate.

They will discuss the documentation, the

time the role requires and provide knowledge

that all executors should be aware of before

assuming the role. Estate settlement from the

executor’s perspective will provide you with

insight on how being properly prepared will

help you avoid estate pitfalls.

Try-It Tuesday

Try It Tuesday with local artist Judé Ernest is a regular monthly USC Library in-person,

adult art program. Limited to 15 registered participants. If you are unable to attend, please

cancel your reservation ahead of time. A $5 donation is suggested. These events take place

in the library multi-purpose room.

Bird Migration with the Audubon

Society

Wednesday, Oct. 30

6:30–7:30 p.m.

Did you know that Pennsylvania is home

to well over 300 species of birds throughout

the year, and over half of them migrate? This

program will look at some of the reasons

and purposes of bird migration, how they

do it and current research. Look at a broad

overview of migratory species and how to

find them in Western Pennsylvania.

Try-It Tuesday: Quilled Paper Icons

Tuesday, Sept. 10

11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Learn to make

iconic quilled designs

with colored

paper strips. Participants

can try

several quilling on

paper techniques in

a lively and supportive

adult setting. All

tools and supplies

will be provided.

Try-It Tuesday: Butterfly Spinner

Tuesday, Oct. 8

11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Learn to make butterfly spinners that

really fly. These little sweeties are delightful

to watch, and they run on a rubber band. All

tools and supplies will be provided.

Try-It Tuesday:

Wire Wrapped Bead Dangles

Tuesday, Nov. 12

11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Try a couple techniques for wire wrapping

beads. Learn to use the supplies and

tools provided to create lovely bead dangles

in a collaborative and supportive adult setting.

All tools and supplies needed for this

project will be provided.

Try-It Tuesday:

Fabric Gnome

Ornaments

Tuesday, Dec. 10

11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Make Gnome ornaments

with fabric scraps.

These handmade creations

are fun to make

with others and give as

gifts. All tools and supplies

will be provided.


MS4 Education: Fertilizing Your Lawn

David Kutschbach, USC Superintendent of Projects

The Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)

Program began as a federal program under the Federal Clean Water

Act. Pennsylvania implemented state regulation of the program in

2003. The goal of MS4 is to prevent storm water pollution from

entering the waters of the Commonwealth. In turn, municipalities

are required to develop a storm water management program

based on federal guidelines. MS4 programs are comprised of six

Minimum Control Measures (MCMs).

This public service announcement will cover MCM #1: Public

Education & Outreach. As the title suggests, the goal of MCM #1

is to educate the public on stormwater pollution and prevention.

Now is the perfect time of year to pass on information developed

by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture regarding the

use of fertilizer. Pennsylvania enacted a new law on July 11, 2022,

updating requirements for both manufacturers and applicators.

How does that affect you? The updated law defines a fertilizer

applicator as anyone who applies fertilizer, including lawn care

professionals, farmers and homeowners.

The first place to begin when considering the use of fertilizer

is to properly assess your lawn’s nutrient needs. Then, select a

fertilizer that is appropriate for your lawn. Follow the directions

on the fertilizer label to apply the correct amount of product, at

the correct rate, using a spreader that has been properly calibrated.

Using less or more than the optimum amount of fertilizer does a

disservice to your lawn, the environment and your wallet.

The Department of Agriculture recommends the following

best management practices:

• Use a properly calibrated fertilizer spreader to apply your

product.

• Do not apply if the ground is frozen or snow-covered.

• Do not apply if heavy rain is expected.

• Maintain a 15-foot buffer from waterways.

• Apply only to the intended application site.

• Do not apply near water, storm drains or drainage ditches.

• Sweep back onto the turf any fertilizer that lands on an impervious

surface like your sidewalk, driveway or street.

Follow the 4Rs of Nutrient Management: right source, right

rate, right time and right place. n

Sanitary Sewer Backups

and Your Homeowner's Coverage

The Township maintains over 158 miles of underground sewer

lines. There is no way to predict when the next sanitary sewer backup

will occur. And while only a handful of our residents experience a

significant sanitary sewer backup each year, we know that when it

does occur, it is a distressing situation. It can be even more devastating

if a resident is not insured for losses — losses that can easily

run into tens of thousands of dollars.

Sewer Backup Insurance

Homeowners can alleviate possible sewer-related damage

expenses by contacting their property insurance provider to verify

that they have sewer backup coverage. Most homeowners’ insurance

policies do not automatically include coverage for these occurrences.

Given the potential for significant loss, it would be advisable for

homeowners served by a public sewer system, particularly those

with finished basements, to obtain some level of coverage.

Lastly, if you experience a floor drain backup or otherwise suspect

a sanitary sewer problem, contact the township’s Public Works

Department immediately at 412-831-9000, extension 2710.

Holiday

USC

2024 Trash and Recycling

Holiday Collection

Collection Date

Labor Day............................... Thursday, Sept. 5

and Friday, Sept. 6

Thanksgiving.......................... Wednesday, Nov. 27

and Friday, Nov. 29

2024 Fall Yard Debris/Leaf

Waste Collection—Saturdays

Place your fall yard debris and leaf waste in compostable

bags, then place the bags at curbside by 6 a.m. the morning of

pick up. Collection will take place the following five Saturdays:

Oct. 26; Nov. 2, 9, 16, 30.


Honoring Those on Flight 427

Nearly 30 years ago, USAir

Flight 427 tragically crashed in Hopewell

Township, claiming the lives of all 132

people aboard. Among the victims were

10 Upper St. Clair residents, and this year,

on Sept. 8, three decades will have passed

since the USC community experienced this

unimaginable and sudden loss.

When tragedies like this happen,

people seek to honor and remember those

lost in various ways. Given the impact of

this event on the community, the Township

decided to create its own tribute, which led

to the Memorial Garden.

Nestled in a quiet, secluded corner

of the municipal building’s parking lot,

adjacent to Clair’s Kennel,

the garden was built in the

fall of 1995, a year following

the crash, as a lasting

memorial to the victims and

aiming to offer comfort to

their friends and families.

Designed as a peaceful spot

by McLaughlin Run Creek,

it features shade trees, perennial

plants, Nordic holly,

rhododendrons and a pathway

— a hidden gem of

beauty and tranquility near a busy, public

area.

Over the past 30 years, various residents

have volunteered to help with the

garden. Many have contributed

trees, bulbs and flowers to maintain

its appearance. Most notably,

the garden is home to a granite

memorial bearing the names of the

residents who were on the flight,

as well as three benches with messages

from the community. The

memorial was generously donated

by Gaydos Monuments.

Memorial Garden

The memorial states, “In memory of

the Upper St. Clair residents who lost their

lives on Flight 427, September 8, 1994, on

a wooded hillside 22.4 miles northwest

of this site: Robert J. Connelly; Bernard J.

Koch; Paul F. McSherry; David F. Musick;

Lee A. Weaver; The Weaver Family — Earl

L. III, Kathleen B., Brian P., Lindsay B. and

Scott J.”

Next time you’re at the municipal

building, consider visiting the Memorial

Garden. Take a book, watch the creek’s

water flow and spend a few moments reading

the memorial and benches. With each

visit, the names and memories of those lost

are kept alive and honored. n

Teaching the Teachers

Early in the 20th century, a young woman living

on Fort Couch Road decided to become a teacher. Regina

Hoffman (1893-1983), like many aspiring educators,

enrolled at the Indiana Normal School in Indiana, Pa.

Normal schools focused on preparing their students

for the classroom and were later considered teachers’

colleges. Her class notes in the Historical Society of

Upper St. Clair (HSUSC) Archives indicate that she

studied French, Latin, English literature, history and

ancient history, civics and pedagogy, among other

courses, while at the school, which is now the Indiana

University of Pennsylvania. When Regina attended the

school, the total charges for the full term of 1910–1911,

including enrollment, room and board, heating, lighting

and laundry, came to $166. Annual enrollment for the

1911–1912 term was 1202 students.

Described in “Instano,” Indiana Normal School’s

yearbook, Regina or “Jean” was a quiet and kind-hearted

graduate of the class of 1913. Shortly after graduation,

Hoffman signed her first teaching contract in South

Fayette Township, making $45 a month during the

nine-month school year. Other materials in the HSUSC

Archives place Regina back in Upper St. Clair, teaching

7th and 8th grade at McMillen School in 1935–1936.

Regina Hoffman’s teacher’s contract

Regina Hoffman (right)

Taken as a whole, these school-related materials in the Archives highlight

the journey aspiring teachers embraced when learning to lead classrooms

across Western Pennsylvania. n

Article courtesy of Carolyn Jones-Friedrich, historian,

Historical Society of Upper St. Clair.


DEPARTMENT OF FIRE PROTECTION

E-Bike and E-Scooter Safety

The popularity of electric bikes and electric scooters

(e-bikes and e-scooters) has taken off over the past few years.

Lithium-ion batteries are usually the source of power for both,

and if not used correctly or if damaged, these batteries can catch

on fire or explode. Whether you use e-bikes or e-scooters as your

main way of getting around or just for fun, there are important

safety tips to keep in mind when charging or storing these devices.

The Problem

• Damaged or defective batteries can over heat, catch fire or

explode.

• Lithium-ion battery fires give off toxic gases and they burn

extremely hot.

Safety Tips

• Only purchase and use devices, batteries and charging equipment

that are listed by a nationally recognized testing lab and

labeled accordingly.

Recreational Fires

We all enjoy a recreational fire on a mild fall or winter day.

They can be enjoyable and relaxing, but we need to be smart and

considerate about these types of fires. Residents must follow the

following guidelines when considering a recreational fire.

• Recreational fires are allowed in the Township, but they must

be placed at least 25 feet away from any structure.

• Fires in approved containers must be located at least 15 feet

from any structure. Any approved container should have a

screen to provide a spark arrester.

• The fire must be a minimum of 15 feet from your lot line.

Open burning is not permitted in the front yard.

• Be aware of overhead lines and vegetation.

• Fire pile size is required to be three feet or less in diameter

and two feet or less in height.

• Use seasoned, clean and dried firewood. You may not use the

fire for trash disposal of rubbish or brush.

• Fires must be constantly attended.

• Make sure your fires are completely extinguished when

activity is completed. You may use a fire extinguisher with

a minimum of 4-A rating, sand, dirt, water barrel or garden

hose.

• Always follow the instructions from the

manufacturer.

• Only use the battery and the charger that were designed for,

and came with, the device.

• Do not keep charging the device or device battery after it is

fully charged.

• Only charge one device or device battery at a time to prevent

overloading the circuit.

• Keep batteries at room temperature when possible. Do not

charge them at temperatures below 32° F (0°C) or above

105° F (40°C).

• Do not store batteries in direct sunlight or inside hot vehicles,

and keep them away from children and liquids.

• Store e-bikes, e-scooters and batteries away from exit doors

and anything that can get hot or catch fire.

• Only have device repairs performed by a qualified professional.

• Do not put lithium-ion batteries in the trash. Recycling is

always the best option. Take the batteries to a battery recycling

location or contact your local waste department for disposal

instructions.

Signs of a Problem

Stop using the e-bike or e-scooter if you notice any of these

problems with the battery: unusual odor, change in color, too

much heat, change in shape, leaking, smoking or not keeping

a charge.

If You See a Fire

• Leave the area immediately.

• Don’t try to fight the fire.

• Call 911.

To learn more, visit nfpa.org/ebikes.

• Open burning, including recreational fires, is not allowed on

Allegheny County Air Quality Action Days or upon drought

declaration by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental

Protection.

• Be a good neighbor! Enjoy your recreational fire, but be considerate

of your neighbors. Do not create smoldering fires.

If legitimate complaints are received, the police department

will order the fire to be extinguished.

• If you are building more than just a fire pit, such as an outdoor

mortared brick fireplace or grill, then zoning approval and a

building permit are required.

• The Township offers a bonfire circle at the McLaughlin Run

Recreation Center for use of small or large groups for a $10

fee through the Community & Recreation Center.

Visit Allegheny County Health Department’s website at

alleghenycounty.us/Services/Health-Department/Air-Quality/

Resident-Information/Open-Burning with more information on

open burning. n

Call the Upper St. Clair Volunteer Fire Department at 412-835-0660 if

you have any questions. To report an illegal burn,

contact the police dispatch at 412-833-7500.


We are honored to have our outstanding physicians recognized as

TOP DOCTORS 2024

Rami M. Ausi, MD

Tatyana P. Barsouk, MD

Stephen G. Basheda, DO

Bridget K. Beier, DO

Nicholas A. Bellicini, DO

Kevin P. Bordeau, MD

Stephanie S. Brown, MD

Raye J. Budway, MD

Daniel E. Buerger, MD

Camille M. Buonocore, MD

David J. Burkey, MD

David B. Catalane, MD

Mark A. Cedar, DO

Frank A. Civitarese, DO

Louis A. Civitarese, DO

Lori L. Cherup, MD

Robert J. Chiu, MD

Bridger Clarke, MD

M. Sabina Daroski, MD

Wayne A. Evron, MD

Mario J. Fatigati, MD

Elizabeth J. Froelich, MD

Michael A. Gaglia, Jr., MD

John P. Girod, DO

Amy A. Gosling, MD

Peter M. Grondziowski, MD

Maxim Hammer, MD

Michelle Harvison, MD

David J. Helfrich, MD

Scott A. Holekamp, MD

Andy C. Kiser, MD

Deborah A. Lenart, MD

David L. Limauro, MD

Jeffrey C. Liu, MD

Xuong Lu, MD

Jay A. Lutins, MD

James H. MacDougall, MD

Douglas H. MacKay, MD

Richard H. Maley, MD

Ashith Mally, MD

Christopher M. Manning, MD

Leo R. McCafferty, MD

Robert E. McMichael, DO

Leigh H. Nadler, MD

Lisa A. Oliva, DO

Amelia A. Pare, MD

Jeffrey A. Perri, MD

Brett C. Perricelli, MD

Kristen Peske, DO

Matthew G. Pesacreta, MD

Christopher Pray, MD

Raman S. Purighalla, MD

Robert C. Rankin, MD

Patrick G. Reilly, MD

Christie G. Regula, MD

Vincent E. Reyes, MD

Antonio M. Riccelli, MD

Edward J. Ruane, MD

Theresa Schuerle, DO

Robert N. Shogry, MD

Arthur P. Signorella, MD

Felicia E. Snead, MD

Michael J. Speca, DO

Arthur D. Thomas, MD

Nestor D. Tomycz, MD

Amy B. Turner, DO

Samuel Urick, DO

Justin J. Vujevich, MD

Jason G. Whalen, MD

Paul M. Willis, MD

Ryan W. Zuzek, MD

stclair.org

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES GUIDE

S U M M E R F U N T U R N I N G

T O F A L L E X C I T E M E N T

Fall Registration is Now Open

Imagine them leaping,

twirling and

smiling across

the dance floor!

Kindergarten-Plus

Before School

After School

Over 200 classes offered

18 months - 18 years old

Call or Visit us Online Today to Register

W W W . T H O M A S D A N C E . C O M

4 1 2 - 2 5 7 - 2 0 0 0

Baker

Streams

Eisenhower

Boyce

Register Online at

www.ExtendedDay.com

or call (412) 221-1980

Serving the USC community for 8 years

Everyone and Anyone

can learn to ride a bicycle safely

at a county park near you.

You can too!

Register for 2024

private and family lessons at:

Learn3Ride.com



All natural ingredients, no artificial dyes

Free local delivery to Upper St. Clair residents

Family owned Upper St. Clair business

Sensory

Dough &

Activities

wedontplaydough.com

@wedontplaydough

Use promo code USCTODAY10 for 10% off

Recreational

Music-Making

Paul K. Fox, Retired USC School Music Educator and

Artistic Director of the South Hills Junior Orchestra

The definition of a phobia is “an anxiety disorder

involving excessive and persistent fear of a situation or object.”

Exposure to the source of the fear may trigger an immediate anxiety

response. And, according to the National Institute of Mental

Health, approximately 12.5% of adults in the U.S. will deal with

a specific phobia in their lifetime.

But why on earth do we have a fear of amateur music-making?

I doubt there is any true, rational cause for anyone to be afraid

of picking up an instrument or singing in a group, except for a

touch of stage fright (if it’s in public) or that always-present fear

of failure. But making music or opening ourselves up to creative

self-expression is one of the greatest gifts we have to personally

experience and share. No one hesitates to play a game of cards,

catch a ball or swim with the kids, so why are some adults so

reticent about dusting off that old instrument in the attic, brushing

up on the fundamentals and playing a few notes?

We can and should be inspired by those breathtaking performances

of professional musicians, singers, dancers and actors

— their amazing artistry always looks and sounds so perfect! But

music is for everyone, offering meaningful life-long learning for

all ages, stages, past experiences and ability levels.

Truly, there are no valid excuses! We are fortunate to have

many amateur music ensembles in and around the Upper St.

Clair community. Visit your church and join the choir. Adults and

music lovers of all ages should drop-in to several free-trial, noobligation-to-join

rehearsals of the South Hills Junior Orchestra

(SHJO) on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. (SHJO begins its 42nd year on

Sept. 7.) Or come to a Community Band South practice (adults

only) on Monday evenings at 7:30 p.m. Both groups hold weekly

practices in the USCHS band room. (How convenient is that?)

The next time you host a dinner party, bring out that old song

book or pick up your fiddle or flute! Gather ’round the piano

and encourage your family and friends to join in a sing-along.

Hopefully it does not take a few glasses of wine before everyone

can shed their inhibitions, relax a little and enjoy the incredible

effects of communal music-making! What do you have to lose?

There’s no time like the present to stamp out the phobia of amateur

music-making! n

If you would like more advice on getting back to playing an orchestral

instrument or even borrowing a flute or clarinet to participate in SHJO,

contact Paul Fox at pfox@shjo.org. See ad on this page.



The Role of Coding in Todays Education

Shiv Singh, theCoderSCHOOL

Coding is becoming an increasingly essential skill for

children in today’s digital age. Introducing kids to coding at a

young age offers numerous cognitive and practical benefits that

prepare them for the future, including enhancing problem-solving

skills. Coding offers a multitude of benefits for those looking

to enter or advance in the tech industry. Introducing coding to

younger kids fosters creativity, improves communication, prepares

them for future careers and promotes collaboration through

hands-on learning.

Specialized coding school is an excellent choice for young

kids and aspiring coders. With its comprehensive curriculum

and focused project-based teaching methodology, coding school

covers a wide range of programming languages and frameworks

and ensure that students are well-versed in the latest technology

trends. Their teaching approach on how to code is highly

interactive, providing students with the opportunity to learn by

doing joint projects with their coaches. This hands-on method is

crucial for understanding complex concepts and understanding

coding paradigms.

Experienced instructors guide students through their learning

journey, offering support, answering questions and providing

valuable insights into the different facets of tech that is powered

by code. Coding larger software projects also places a strong emphasis

on community and networking. By fostering a collaborative

environment, students can build relationships with their peers,

instructors and fellow students.

theCoderSCHOOL McMurray is a locally-owned franchise

with a mission to bring STEM education closer to our community

and kids. Coding takes practice, and theCoderSCHOOL believes

that getting kids to code consistently throughout the year is the

only way they’ll really learn to code. theCoderSCHOOL’s afterschool

coding classes for kids revolve around this belief. Kids

partner with a long-term mentor, or “Code Coach,” who’s an

expert coder themselves. theCoderSCHOOL is partnering with

its schools in their STEM and Robotics initiatives and conducting

specialized sessions to prepare them better for their upcoming

academic year focused on STEM.

theCoderSchool McMurray offers programs for all levels in its

flagship after-school program, Code Coaching, which combines a

super-small 2:1 or 1:1 teaching ratio with individualized curriculum

so kids are able to move at their own pace, doing things that

interest them most. While Code Coaching is its premium program,

theCoderSCHOOL also offers a more traditional Code Class for

those looking for either software-driven or static-curriculum

teaching in a larger ratio especially during holiday breaks through

its Coding Camps. theCoderSCHOOL uses Unity to create games

for a variety of platforms, including PC, mobile, console and VR.

In the ever-evolving world of technology, theCoderSCHOOL is

excited about the endless possibilities that lie ahead for kids. It is

driven by a vision of a future where every child can learn to code,

as it is an investment in their future and the future of our increasingly

technology-driven society. n See ad on page 73.

The

Nutcracker

Register for the fall!

Featuring the South Hills’

largest production of

The Nutcracker!

Ballet Academy

of Pittsburgh

4100 Library Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15234

412-343-9333

www.balletacademypgh.com

info@balletacademypgh.com


Personalized coding

sessions

Tok Robotics

Creative outlet

Engaging spaces

Code coaching

Learn to code.change the world.

Silicon valley’s

#1 kids coding

program!

Scan QR code to start coding today!

Schools are starting and it’s a great time to get Kids enrolled in

our coding and robotics programs. Our programs leverage AI,

encourages creativity and innovation in kids, promotes teamwork

and collaboration which is essential in todays digital world.

3901 WASHINGTON ROAD, NEAR EAST MCMURRAY ROAD

(724)299-8005 ~ MCMURRAY@THECODERSCHOOL.COM

mcmurray.thecoderschool.com


Trustees Ryan Scureman and Justin

Schmidt with Kathleen Reyes, winner

of the “Why is the Great Duck Race

Mascot named Coach Artie?” Contest

Community Day

CFUFC Trustee

Dan Bellay

marching in

Community Day

Parade

Upper St. Clair Township

was named

in honor of

Revolutionary War

Major General

Arthur St. Clair.

The new CFUSC

Great Duck Race

Mascot, “Coach

Artie,” reflects the

historic name of

our community.

Who doesn’t love a duck?

And they’re off!

ONGOING CFUSC PARTNERSHIPS

SHOP @ USC (Showing How Opportunity Pays @ USC) is a

student-run business, housed within the InnovationHub at Upper

St. Clair High School. This program is the inspiration of Michelle

Zirngibl and provides the delivery of educational programming

to enable students with special needs to design and manufacture

products. CFUSC is proud to have a long-established partnership

with this enterprise and continues to provide opportunities and

experiences that fit the mission of SHOP @ USC. Students shown in

these photos are working on the adoption certificates for the annual

CFUSC Great Duck Race, which they print for a spring project.

In the fall, they print and prepare the annual CF Donation Drive

brochure for mailing.


CFUSC Applauds the 30th Anniversary of UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY Magazine

CFUSC is grateful for the long-standing partnership it has enoyed with UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY magazine. Over the

years, the Foundation has sponsored six magazine covers and appreciates the opportunity to be able to regularly share

CF news with residents in the community. Several Foundation Trustees, past and present, were in attendance at the

30th anniversary celebration at the Township’s flex space on June 5, which was designed for residents of all ages.

CFUSC Scholarships

Grace Larsen

DeBlassio Scholarship

Anna Makoul — Bennett Music &

Spirit of the Community Scholarships

Colin Liang

T.J. White Athletic Scholarship

Luke McDonough

Harshman Theater Scholarship

Marianna Paradise

Krishnan Scholarship

Rohit Sattuluri

Stroyne STEAM Scholarship

The Community Foundation facilitates scholarship grants for graduating seniors at Upper St. Clair High School.

If you are interested in creating a scholarship fund, contact CFUSC — 2585 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15241.

Visit cfusc.org to learn more about CFUSC.


State Representative

Dan Miller

Office of the House Democratic

Majority Whip

Harrisburg Office

121 Main Capitol, Harrisburg, PA 17120

(717) 783-1850

Looking to Get Away or Explore PA?

Stop by my office for a free Pennsylvania Travel Guide

Mt. Lebanon Office

650 Washington Road, Suite 102

Pittsburgh, PA 15234

(412) 343-3870

One of the great things

about our commonwealth is the

wide range of experiences and adventures

available in every corner of our state. From the shores of

Lake Erie to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, each region has

a unique story to tell and unique attractions that allow visitors to

explore the Keystone State, not to mention the thousands of small

towns — each with their own character and identity.

To help you explore our state, my district office (650 Washington

Road, Suite 102 in Mt. Lebanon) has free Pennsylvania Travel

Guides available; so please, stop by and pick one up!

These 120-page booklets have a wealth of information and

suggestions covering every corner of our state. Whether it’s a

simple day trip up Route 79 to McConnell’s Mills, an overnight

trip to Raystown or State College, or a multi-day family vacation

to explore the Poconos, this booklet is full of interesting and fun

suggestions for everyone.

One of the wonderful things about our state is you don’t

have to drive too far to find something interesting. Many of our

main streets and small towns, world class restaurants and bars,

renowned historical sites, thrilling outdoor recreation and top

tier events and sports can be experienced in an easy day trip,

especially in our own backyard of Allegheny County.

To help highlight what our state has to offer, this year Gov.

Josh Shapiro kicked off a new tourism marketing campaign,

called ‘Pennsylvania: The Great American Getaway.’ It includes

a revamped visitpa.com, which, if you’re looking for ideas, is a

great place to find regional guides and suggestions.

But all of this stretches far beyond our borders.

Tourism is a powerful engine that drives our state’s economy

and benefits our communities, small businesses and hundreds

of thousands of Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth

every day. According to a recent state report, in 2022, tourism

generated over $76 billion for our state’s economy and supported

more than 486,000 jobs across the commonwealth, with 192.4

million visitors exploring our state. Overnight visitor spending

alone increased by $4.8 billion, with more than 66 million trips

resulting in $28 billion in spending.

So, explore our state, and stop by my office for your travel

guide — and plan your Great American Getaway (even if it’s just

for an afternoon). And remember, if you have any questions or

need assistance with this or any other state program, service or

resource, call my district office at 412-343-3870. n

General Election — Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024

Polls Open 7 a.m.–8 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, is Voter Registration Deadline Date.

(Date subject to change pending Pennsylvania legislative action.)

If you have questions regarding the election, registration, or absentee ballots, call the Allegheny County Elections

Department at 412-350-4500 or visit twpusc.org. The Township library and the post office have voter registration forms.

Check the Township website to verify the location of the polling place closer to the General Election date.

Ward District Polling Place

1 1 Township Library Multipurpose Room–Lower Level–

McLaughlin Run Road

1 2 Baker Elementary School–Gymnasium–Morton Road

1 3 Fort Couch Middle School–Gymnasium

Miranda Drive entrance





2 2 Westminster Presbyterian Church–Washington Road





Ward District Polling Place

3 1 McLaughlin Run Activity Center–McLaughlin Run Road

3 2 St. Catherine Labouré church basement (rear),

(formerly known as St. Louise DeMarillac)–McMurray Road

3 3 McLaughlin Run Activity Center–McLaughlin Run Road

4 1 Baker Elementary School–Gymnasium–Morton Road

4 2 Boyce Middle School–Gymnasium–Boyce Road



5 1 Wesley Spectrum Services–Gymnasium–Johnston Road

5 2 Wesley Spectrum Services–Gymnasium–Johnston Road



State Representative Natalie Mihalek

40th Legislative District

1121 Boyce Road, Suite 2200A

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241

724-942-2045

www.repmihalek.com

Facebook.com/RepMihalek

Biomarker Testing Legislation

Will Improve and Expedite Care

Unfortunately, it seems news coming out of Washington,

D.C., or Harrisburg paints a picture of constant political divide

based only on partisan rhetoric.

But every so often in Harrisburg, we get it right and make important progress on an issue that

can improve lives. Though these instances rarely draw as much attention as the events shrouded

in conflict, they do, and this past June, amid budget discussions and political posturing, such a

bill was passed by the House.

House Bill 1754 would require insurance coverage of biomarker testing by both commercial

insurance and government-sponsored plans, subject to federal approval.

In the medical world, biomarker testing is a component of precision medicine which uses

genetic or molecular testing in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of different medical conditions.

Testing of biomarkers has already been helpful in the treatment of cancer. Such tests allow

doctors to look at an individual patient’s genes, proteins and other testing sources.

According to the National Cancer Institute, every patient has a unique pattern of biomarkers.

When doctors test those biomarkers in existing cancer patients, a treatment plan can be tailored

specifically for that patient.

The American Cancer Society notes as an example that patients with certain lung cancers

who received biomarker testing and then a targeted therapy saw a 31% reduction in risk of death.

This is not only because the treatment is better targeted for the individual patient, but because

biomarkers also provide information about how and if the cancer may spread.

Biomarker testing has also been used successfully in assembling treatment plans for rheumatoid

arthritis patients. The biomarker called anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides usually appear before

symptoms develop, which helps doctors diagnose the disease earlier and then develop a treatment

plan that is likely to be more successful than if treatment began after symptoms appeared.

It’s unfortunate, but similar to government, sometimes insurance standards work at a slower

pace than technology, which is why House Bill 1754 is necessary. By increasing access to more

expedient and efficient diagnoses, treatment costs are likely to decrease because doctors can be

more selective in choosing which medications and therapies to use.

As of submission of this article, House Bill 1754 has been passed by the Senate’s Banking

and Insurance Committee. If passed by the entire Senate without amendment, which may occur

prior to publication, it could be sent to the governor’s desk.

I consider this important legislation because patients, especially those facing serious diagnoses,

often must advocate for themselves. Therefore, if you or a loved one are facing a health

issue, I encourage you to familiarize yourself with this kind of testing and be ready to ask your

doctor questions.

This is not the first time during this legislative session that important progress was made

regarding medical screening.

In 2023, legislation sought by Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, to make the early

detection of breast cancer more available, was passed and signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro. The new

law removed out-of-pocket costs for genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer

syndromes, as well as supplemental breast screenings for women with a high lifetime risk of

breast cancer.

Ward underwent treatment for breast cancer in 2021.

High-risk conditions covered by the bill include dense breast tissue, personal and family

history of breast cancer, genetic predisposition and prior radiation therapy. Genetic testing for

hereditary cancers is an invaluable tool that often leads to early cancer detection. Such tests

provide the opportunity for earlier screenings and preventive treatments and procedures.

In addition to early detection for an individual, genetic testing also provides vital information

for family members of a person who’s been diagnosed with cancer, who could potentially

inherit the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation. Research shows a 50% chance of passing the gene

mutation to future family members.

Early detection of disease increases the likelihood of successful treatment and can save millions

of dollars by avoiding more costly treatments of advanced conditions. Therefore, these

changes are important advancements for a healthier commonwealth and a great reminder that,

despite differing political values, some legislation just makes sense. n

Selling

Pittsburgh

for Over 35 Years

I’m pleased to announce

my new affiliation with

Piatt Sotheby’s

International Realty!

Patty Meers

REAL ESTATE ADVISOR

ASSOCIATE BROKER

412.398.5181 (M)

412.822.6700 (O)

pmeers@piattsir.com

Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty

100 Siena Drive, Suite 240, Pittsburgh, PA 15241

Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.


RONALD A. ARNONI, DISTRICT JUDGE

District Court 05-2-20

Office: 412-835-1661

Fax: 412-835-4060

Hiras Professional Building

2414 Lytle Rd #200

Bethel Park, PA 15102

Outstanding

Citizens Award

It’s easy to be cynical today; to see

it, all we need to do is watch the news. I see crime, disputes,

negativity and despair in my courtroom every day. I think we all

could use a little positivity in our lives.

That is why I want to reward those who demonstrate the

good in our society. I want to honor people who strive to make

our communities better. I will be presenting two Outstanding

Citizens awards this coming winter — one will be for a Bethel

Park resident and one for an Upper St. Clair resident.

I need your help in identifying those individuals who possess

qualities that best exemplify an outstanding citizen. Please

take this opportunity to nominate someone who you believe

best meets the criteria by using the nomination form below. For

nominee consideration, a nomination form must be submitted by

Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. I will read all entries and choose the two

honorees, each being presented with a commemorative medal and

certificate. We will also pay tribute to the recipients with a photo

and an article about their accomplishments in a future edition of

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY, as well as on local channels, Comcast

channel 7 and Verizon channel 42.

Thank you, in advance, for your help in recognizing that

person who you believe to be an outstanding citizen worthy of

this consideration. n

Outstanding Citizens Award

Nomination Form

This award will be presented to an individual who has consistently:

• Demonstrated excellent community leadership

• Made significant contributions to our communities

• Positively impacted the residents of our communities

• Shown generosity and unselfishness through his or her actions

Nominees should meet the above listed criteria and have resided in Bethel Park or Upper St. Clair, respectively, for at least two

years. You cannot self-nominate.

Name of Nominee: _______________________________________ Email: _____________________________________

Address:________________________________________________________

Phone #:_________________________

Describe the attributes and qualifications of the nominee and the reason(s) why you believe this individual should be honored

(use a separate sheet of paper, if necessary).

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your name (nominator):_________________ Phone #:________________ Email: ________________________________

How you know the nominee: ___________________________________________________________________________

Return this application by Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, via mail to:

Judge Ron Arnoni

Hiras Professional Building

2414 Lytle Rd #200

Bethel Park, PA 15102 or

Fax your application to 412-835-4060 or send an email (with attachment) to heather.petronio@mdjs.pacourts.us.

I hope this inspires you to participate in the nomination process! Again, thank you.


Happenings!

Chicken BBQ

Bethel Park High School

Saturday, Oct. 26

11 a.m.–7 p.m. (drive-thru only)

Each year, the USC-BP Rotary Breakfast club hosts an annual Chicken BBQ

fundraising event to help support dozens of local charities. For $15 a dinner,

enjoy a fresh grilled ½ chicken, mouthwatering baked beans, zesty coleslaw,

plus cookies for dessert.

Advanced purchase is required by visiting uscbprotary.org.

50th Reunion for the USC Class of 1974

The USCHS Class of 1974 is

hosting a 50th anniversary reunion

the weekend of Sept. 27-29. Plans

include a USC football game, a meet

and greet at Primanti Brothers in Mt.

Lebanon, an evening of dinner and

dancing at St. Clair Country Club

and more!

For more information, email uschs74reunion@gmail.com.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program

Due to an expansion of the program this year, the Property Tax/Rent Rebate

Program will be bigger than ever, delivering the largest tax cut to seniors in

decades and allowing more than 175,000 additional Pennsylvanians to qualify

for a rebate in 2024.

This popular program benefits Pennsylvanians 65 or older, widows and

widowers 50 or older, and people with disabilities 18 or older, by giving them

an income-based rebate.

Thanks to Act 7 of 2023, this year the program was expanded to:

• Increase the maximum income limit from $35,000 to $45,000 for homeowners.

• Increase the maximum income limit from $15,000 to $45,000 for renters.

• Automatically increase the income limit to grow with inflation.

• Increase the maximum rebate from $650 to $1,000.

(Note: Only half of social security is counted toward the income limits.)

The deadline to apply for this program was initially June 30, but has been

extended to December 2024. More information about the rebate program is

available on the Department of Revenue’s website:

revenue.pa.gov/IncentivesCreditsPrograms/PropertyTaxRentRebateProgram/Pages/default.aspx.

Joy of Christmas Craft Show

The Laboure Ladies Guild will hold its annual “Joy

of Christmas” Craft show on Saturday, Nov. 23, from

9 a.m.–3:30 p.m., at St. Louise de Marillac School and

LeGras Parish Center, 320 McMurray Road, Upper St.

Clair. There will be 115 artists and craftsmen, Chinese

auction, and refreshments. The two-dollar admission

includes a ticket for the auction. Due to order of the USC

fire marshal, strollers are not permitted.

Pizzazz Boutique Shopping Benefit

The Garden Club of

Allegheny County (GCAC)

will present its 28th annual

Pizzazz boutique shopping

benefit Oct. 16-18, 2024,

at the Fox Chapel Golf Club, 426 Fox Chapel Road,

Pittsburgh. For more information and tickets, visit:

gcacpgh.org/pizzazz.

Sugarplum Artisan Marketplace 2024

Looking for a convenient way to refresh your home furnishings or

get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping? Shop local!

Celebrating its 50th year, the Upper St. Clair League for the Arts

invites you to this year’s Sugarplum Artisan Marketplace. First time

shoppers to this six-day sale will be amazed at the quantity of unique,

one-of-a-kind handcrafted gifts and fine art. Repeat customers, who

have made this sale an annual tradition will return this year for the

wide variety of high-quality items, all locally made.

Held in the MAC on McLaughlin Run Road, the sale features a

large gallery room showcasing wall art, including photography, prints

and paintings in a variety of mediums and styles.

The larger entry room is transformed into an artisan boutique,

filled with beautiful examples of local craftsmanship, including glass

art, pottery, woodcraft, fiber art, papercraft and much more.

Customers can choose from locally-made décor for Thanksgiving

and Christmas, tree ornaments, centerpieces, hand-beaded charcuterie

sets, greeting cards, crocheted animals, wooden walking sticks,

as well handcrafted jewelry, hats, scarves, purses and other fashion

accessories.

The 2024 Sugarplum Artisan Marketplace opens at 10 a.m. Thursday,

Nov. 7, and closes Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m.

In addition to providing a showcase opportunity for local artisans,

the Upper St. Clair League for the Arts provides college scholarships

for Upper St. Clair residents majoring in art-related fields. n

For shop hours and other details,

visit Upper St. Clair League for the Arts on Facebook.


Howard Hanna

Upper St. Clair Office

Cell 412-327-2194

Office 412-833-3600

Email amandanasman@howardhanna.com

www.amandanasman.howardhanna.com

Horses with Hope

Events

Thank you to all who attended the Horses with Hope

Belmont Jewel fundraiser in June at St. Clair Country Club!

Thanks to generous sponsors like Century 3 Chevrolet,

Washington Health System–Children’s Therapy Center,

St. Clair Health, Louis Anthony Jewelers, Tito’s Handmade

Vodka, Canon Hill Veterinary Clinic, Bonnie Loya–Coldwell

Banker Realty, Armful of Flowers and many in-kind supporters,

the evening was fun for all 220 guests in attendance

and made a difference for Horses with Hope!

There’s more excitement on the horizon! Save the date

for Sunday, Nov. 10, as Horses with Hope invites you to a

day filled with fun, bowling and delectable pizza at Meadows

Lanes. Visit the website horseswithhope.org, for details.

And, the cherished Belmont Jewel event promises to return

in 2025, packed with more fun, games, raffles and chances

to give back. n

Are you eager to make a difference in our community? Attention,

certified instructors, or those willing to become certified, with

a passion for equine-assisted services — Horses with Hope is

seeking dedicated individuals to lead therapeutic riding lessons,

craft engaging lesson plans and monitor rider progress. If you’re

interested, saddle up and connect with Horses with Hope today at

horseswithhope.org. Together, we can make a difference!


Profiles

of people with a USC connection

Know of a resident to profile? Send information to: Editor,

UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY, 1820 McLaughlin Run Road, Upper St. Clair, PA 15241 or

usctoday@usctoday.org.

ART by Becca Ward

Local mom, Becca Ward, opened her new Upper St. Clair art studio

this June. ART by Becca Ward is named after and influenced by Becca’s

children Asher, Roman and Theo (ART). With walls covered in Becca’s

most recent artwork for display and purchase, the studio is a gallery, a

place for classes and a place to host parties for any occasion.

An Upper St. Clair alumna, Becca started painting murals and selling

commission artwork at a very young age, which led to an art scholarship

at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She continued selling her

commission work after college,

During the Covid shut down, and inspired by her boys, Becca wanted

kids to be kids and have a creative outlet where they could enjoy themselves

and paint. She started leading children’s classes out of her home

and quickly became very popular.

Becca now teaches at various school districts in Pittsburgh, including

Upper St. Clair after-school extras programs and camps. She has been

a member of the Upper St. Clair League of the Arts and is currently a

chair for the Arts in USC at Upper St. Clair school district. Her work can

be seen in her studio, along with other galleries in the Pittsburgh area.

ART by Becca Ward is located at 24 Donati Road Pittsburgh, Pa. 15241, across

the street from South Hills Village. Visit their website at artbybeccaward.com.

ATTORNEY PHIL KONDROT

PARTNER

UPPER ST. CLAIR HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF ’01

LOCAL LAWYERS

HELPING LOCAL PEOPLE

1-800-9-4EDGAR EDGARSNYDER.COM

PITTSBURGH .

JOHNSTOWN .

ALTOONA

. HARRISBURG


Boom! Ahh! USMA Rah Rah, USMA Rah Rah!

Isabel Vilensky, TODAY Intern

These words were

not at all the ones that I had

expected to hear on the first

day of summer break, but

then again, nothing about

the following week was

expected.

The United States

military tends to have an

unfortunate stigma around it. Indeed, in

February, the Pew Research Center reported

that overall, 60 percent of Americans hold

positive views of the U.S. military, however,

only 43 percent of adults in the US ages 18

to 29 expressed positive views.

Part of the cause must be how mysterious

the military is; I mean, I barely knew

anything about it going into my first week,

as well.

The mission of the U.S. Military

Academy at West Point is to build, educate,

train and inspire the corps of cadets to be

commissioned leaders

of character committed

to the army values and

ready for a lifetime of

service to the army and

nation.

Based on my experience

at West Point, I

can conclude without

doubt that they accomplish

their mission to a

full extent.

I was accepted to

the West Point Summer

Leaders Experience, a

weeklong program that

immerses potential cadet candidates into

the academic, military, physical training

and social life of West Point cadets. The

first thing I heard as I stepped inside the

academy was, “Hurry up!” I was shocked

at how demanding the environment was

— absolutely everyone there was shocked.

We worked harder than we ever thought we

could’ve in the first place — and sometimes,

that still wasn’t enough. However, as the

Isabel (right) with other

potential cadet candidates

week progressed, we all slowly adapted to

the requirement of putting our full effort

towards everything we did, and things got

better.

The military isn’t all about hard work. A

much larger part of it, rather, is teamwork.

In fact, the honor code at West Point is, “a

cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate

those who do.” The last part is a large part

of the culture at the academy, because the

concept of “shared accountability” is absolutely

critical.

Every single success or failure we experienced,

even if it was caused by an individual,

was still experienced as a group (squad/platoon).

Accidentally locking your door out

could push the entire floor into pushups at

5 a.m.; but on the other hand, one question

correctly answered could also be the source

of dozens of proud smiles.

Walking through those gates, I had some

preconceptions regarding the military, such

as the mistreatment of minorities or a large

presence of discrimination. Instead, I found

the environment to be the most inclusive

that I had ever experienced. That is not to

generalize that all people there are perfect,

but rather, the way that the students handle

these issues minimizes them. n

Norwegian Holiday

The Beitler family — Rich, Sarah,

Josh and Matt — went to Guriset,

Norway this spring to visit family.

They stayed in a snowy cabin in the

mountains and enjoyed cross country

skiing around the many trails surrounding

the cabin, downhill skiing at

Hemsedal and many

outdoor meals around

the fire pit.

Instructions for Traveling with TODAY

Read the following criteria to find out how to submit information.

• Clear, close-up digital photo of USC resident(s) holding his or her TODAY

magazine.

• Attach jpg (at least 300 dpi) and send via email, including required information

(see below) in the body of the email.

• List name(s) of resident(s), group and specific photo location, and objective of

visit (leisure, volunteer, career, etc.) or stay-at-home project.

• Include email address or phone number should further contact be necessary.

• Email information to usctoday@usctoday.org, with “TODAY” listed in subject line.

Note: Submitted photos and information for this feature section will

remain on file for upcoming editions until published.


Shannon

Gallagher

Associate

Broker

Your Key to a New

Beginning

Phone: 412-561-7400

Mobile: 412-335-1712

Shannon.gallagher@howardhanna.com

A Look Back

Upper St. Clair schools

looked quite different 30

years ago! Special thanks

to Carolyn Jones-Friedrich,

Historical Society of Upper

St. Clair historian, for

providing the images and

photos. n


Fall 2024

* Affordable Decks & Additions LLC........................................................ 81

Angelo Associates Inc. ......................................................................... 80

* Arbor Tree Specialists Inc. .................................................................... 35

Ardolino’s ............................................................................................... 7

Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh............................................................... 72

Bath Pro of Western PA ........................................................................ 25

* Calabro Tire and Auto Service............................................................... 12

* Coldwell Banker–South Hills Office................................................... OBC

* Coldwell Banker–Lynn Dempsey.......................................................... 72

Compass–Jonette Shanahan.................................................................. 5

* Davey Tree ............................................................................................ 14

Edgar Snyder & Associates–Phillip E. Kondrot, Partner ....................... 81

Envisage/Presbyterian Senior Care Network ....................................... 22

* Extended Day Services ........................................................................ 70

Friendship Village ............................................................................... 24

* George Girty Landscape Design .......................................................... 83

Joseph Hegedus LPC .......................................................................... 21

Advertiser Index

twpusc.org/usctoday

KSG Orthodontics................................................................................. 22

Learn3Ride ........................................................................................... 70

* Larry E. Manalo DMD............................................................................ 16

McQueen Building Company............................................................... 52

Mobile Physio LLC. ............................................................................... 20

Mt. Lebanon Awning .............................................................................. 5

* Mt. Lebanon Recreation ....................................................................... 14

PA Law School Alliance/The Steel City Lawyer ................................. Cover

Phelps Nursery..................................................................................... 37

Piatt Southeby’s–Patty Meers................................................................ 77

* Pinebridge Commons .......................................................................... 16

Really Dough........................................................................................ 71

RE/MAX Select Realty–Amanda Walton................................................ 38

* Rusmur Floors ..................................................................................... IBC

* Scott Bros Windows & Doors .................................................................. 5

Simona V. Pautler MD ............................................................................ 3

* South Hills Endoscopy Center ................................................................ 1

TODAY thanks our advertisers for their support of our community magazine!

Please consider using their services whenever you are able.

Howard Hanna–Shannon Gallagher .................................................... 83

Howard Hanna–Amanda Nassman ...................................................... 80

* Howard Hanna–USC Office.................................................................. IFC

Isbir Construction & Landscaping Corp. ................................................. 7

Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh ............................... 21

Kathy’s Music LLC. ................................................................................ 70

* Keller Williams–Sandy Goldstein ........................................................ 21

* Kerr Dentistry ....................................................................................... 16

South Hills Junior Orchestra ................................................................ 71

* St. Clair Health ............................................................................... 18, 69

* State Farm Insurance–Cindy Brophy .................................................... 16

Swift Audiology .................................................................................... 23

The Coder School ................................................................................. 73

The Porch at Siena ............................................................................... 47

* Thomas Dance Studio .......................................................................... 70

* UPMC Washington .............................................................................. 21

Let

guide you in 2024 with

great ad placement.

Upcoming winter guides

include Holiday and

Life Planning

Place your ad

in our community’s go-to publication.

Contact 412-851-2851.

*The above advertisers, who are advertising in this issue,

have contributed their financial support for a

minimum of 50 issues.

YEARS

412-851-2851 | usctoday@usctoday.org | twpusc.org/usctoday

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South Hills Office

Break out your cozy

sweater and grab a

pumpkin latte! It’s time to

revel in the season and

connect with us to find

your perfect home.

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