< Previous Montour partnered with Primary Care Pharmacy Services in Kennedy Township to host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in the Athletic Center on Feb. 11. At- risk Montour employees and community members who fell into Phase 1A could sign up ahead of time to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. A limited number of West Allegheny employees who fell into Phase 1A could sign up as well. In all, 200 vaccines were distributed and each individual could return to campus for their second shot March 12. The effort was organized by Montour Superintendent Dr. Christopher Stone and Director of Human Resources Susan Sinicki. Throughout the pandemic, both West Allegheny and Montour have remained open as circumstances have allowed for five-day, in-person learning. Though both schools have taken significant precautions to protect students and staff, teachers as a whole are still considered at risk. The Centers for Disease Control is strongly encouraging states to prioritize teachers and support staff for vaccinations. Pennsylvania has placed educators in the Phase 1B category, meaning they are next in line to be eligible to receive vaccinations, but only after the current phase is complete. Each year, students at the high school raise money for the Nucci-Finny Scholarship Fund by organizing a two-on-two basketball tournament in the Athletic Center. Over the years, the effort has raised thousands of dollars for the fund, which was established in memory of Brandon “Nucci” Chiarelli and Brian “Finny” Finnegan. Those scholarship funds have gone to select graduating Montour student athletes who demonstrate leadership and character. This year marks the 20 th anniversary since the pair passed away in a tragic car accident while en route to their final basketball game of the season. Due to COVID-19, students were unable to host the tournament as they have in the past. Instead, they creatively developed a skill competition with a series of contests that allowed for social distancing without hampering the fun or the fundraising. “It wasn’t ideal, but we were satisfied with the chance to have anything at all and the outcome was better than expected with a total of 70 students participating,” says student Ava Scrabis, who helped organize the effort. Participants each paid an entry fee for the right to compete in the contest, which consisted of a three-point shot, a foul shot, a timed dribbling obstacle course and a half-court shot. The obstacle course winner was freshmen Keino Fitzpatrick and the half-court shot winners were Michael King, Caleb Williams, Aden Sauders, Alonzo Labrie, Isayah Mosley and Jordan Planey. Students were able to raise $818. “None of this would have been possible without the help of Mr. Price, my teammates or my friends, specifically Courtney Slesinger, Alexa Santucci, and Luke Persinger,” says Ava. She also credits the Montour girls and boys basketball teams, along with boosters, teachers, coaches, staff, and students at Montour with helping make the event a success. Donations to the Nucci-Finny Scholarship Fund can be made at any PNC Bank branch. Montour hosts COVID-19 vaccination clinic Christopher Tarquinio, Keino Fitzpatrick and Jaxon Camp came out on top of the skill competitions at this year’s Nucci-Finny Tournament. Medical personnel prepare to administer shots of the COVID-19 in the Athletic Center in February. Stay up to date at www.montourschools.com! Nucci-Finny tournament adjusts to again raise scholarship funds ADMINISTRATION (412) 490-6500 Dr. Christopher Stone Superintendent (412) 490-6500, ext. 6221 stonec@montourschools.com Dr. Eric Sparkenbaugh Director of Academic Achievement and K-12 Support Services (412) 490-6500 sparkenbaughe@montourschools.com Dr. Robert Isherwood Director of Special Education and Pupil Services 412-490-6500, ext. 6102 isherwoodb@montourschools.com Mr. Darryl Yonkers Director of Operations (412) 490-6500 x 6510 yonkersd@montourschools.com Mrs. Susan Sinicki Director of Human Resources 412-490-6500, ext. 6235 sinickis@montourschools.com Mrs. Anna Borsos Business Manager (412) 490-6500, ext. 6232 borsosa@montourschools.com Mr. Bob Wagner Transportation Director (412) 490-6500, ext. 4700 wagnerb@montourschools.com Mr. Lou Cerro Athletic Director (412) 490-6500, ext. 1627 cerrol@montourschools.com HIGH SCHOOL (412) 490-6500 Mr. Todd Price Principal (412) 490-6500, ext. 1612 pricet@montourschools.com Dr. Jason Burik High School Principal of Academic and Student Affairs (412) 490-6500 ext. 4312 burikjason@montourschools.com DAVID E. WILLIAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL (412) 771-8802 Mr. Dominick Salpeck Principal (412) 771-8802, ext. 2611 salpeckd@montourschools.com Mr. Michael Marvin Assistant Principal (412) 771-8802, ext. 2612 marvinm@montourschools.com MONTOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (412) 490-6500 Mr. Jason Shoaf Principal (412) 490-6500 ext. 4313 shoafj@montourschools.com Mr. Robert Carlisle Principal (412) 490-6500, ext. 1615 carlisler@montourschools.com 30 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2021 Each year, students in the Model UN club at the high school make their way to college campuses in the Pittsburgh area to participate in a series of mock government conferences. There, students from schools across the area “represent” different countries as they tackle a variety of global topics that can range from human trafficking, to drone warfare, to clean drinking water. The exercise requires students to research the positions of their representative countries on key topics and ultimately draft resolutions with preambulatory and operative clauses. Club sponsor and social studies teacher Joelene Hester says that, while that subject matter might sound a bit dry to some outsiders, it has proven to be very engaging for her students. “It’s very nerdy, but the kids love it,” she says. Hester says that even when students aren’t preparing for an upcoming conference, they still want to debate a topic when the club meets during their PLT. Typically, Model EU and Model UN conferences take place in ballrooms and conference centers, but this year the conferences have been held online due to COVID-19. Using a combination of video conferencing software such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, students have live streamed from their classrooms into meetings set up by the hosting schools. Thus far, club members have participated in two Model UN conferences hosted by the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University and a simulation of the European Union hosted by the University of Pittsburgh. They’re also hoping, at the time of this writing, to participate in a Model African Union conference that is regularly hosted by the University of Pittsburgh. To prepare for each conference, students conduct research so they are able to defend the position of their representative country in committees that they are assigned to by the hosting school. Sometimes, the conferences place students in historic situations. For example, at this past conference at Duquesne, one committee put students on opposing sides of the Iran hostage crisis. Hester says the club typically has 30 members but that numbers have been down this year due to COVID-19. However, she says numbers have been picking up more as students make their way back to school full time. Students learning remotely have also been able to keep up with the club and even stream directly into conferences. Model UN club attends conferences from a distance High school nominates Mike Waldron as its Keystone Technology Innovator Social studies teacher Mike Waldron has been nominated as Montour High School’s Keystone Technology Innovator. As such, Waldron will have an opportunity to apply to attend a Keystone Technology Innovator Summit, where attendees get the opportunity to network with other selected applicants from across the state. “Mr. Waldron uses technology as a means of enhancing learning experiences for his students,” said high school principal Todd Price, who nominated Waldron for the honor. “His students benefit from his willingness to explore and utilize tech tools in a skillful manner. Mr. Waldron very much represents what the Keystone Technology Innovators program is all about.” In Waldron’s classes, students utilize technology for a number of different purposes. In his honors global studies class, students use the program StoryJumper to create and design children’s books around themes from the French Revolution. They then vote on the best book from each class and the winners get to read their books to Montour Elementary School students. In his CHS cyberlaw class, Waldron’s students create digital posters and RSA animation videos. This year, they’re also making their own web pages. When Montour has switched over to remote learning, Waldron has utilized Flipgrid, which allows students to securely post videos to him and other students. His students have also used the breakout rooms feature in Google Meets to collaborate, and Padlet, a web-based app that allows students to post information in a gallery format. “The past 12 months have definitely been a challenge from an educational perspective, but I feel that all teachers in our building have risen to the challenge and found platforms that work for them,” he says. “There are so many great teachers that I work with who are more than worthy of being Keystone innovators.” In addition, Waldron is the sponsor of the new Cyberstart club, in which students utilize the free Cyberstart service to complete challenges aimed at preparing them for potential careers in cyber security. For more on that club, see page 33. Montour’s Model UN club hasn’t been able to attend conferences in person this year, but they are attending virtually and it’s hardly dampened their spirits. Mike Waldron March/April 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 31Strength and conditioning benefits to students: 1. Reduced injuries: Strength and conditioning can play a pivotal role in preparing young athletes for sports and minimize the incidence and severity of sport-related injuries common to young athletes. 2. Improved long-term athletic development: A combination of the right equipment and a qualified strength and conditioning professional understands the many variables that go into designing training-age–appropriate programs, and can produce more positive results. 3. Improved performance: Students who participate in a well- designed strength and conditioning program typically will be faster, stronger, more powerful, move more efficiently, and be more athletic than they would be without it. 4. Improved confidence: Students who invest time in strength and conditioning tend to develop confidence through changes in their body composition, as well as the knowledge that the development that occurs as a result of their training can give them an advantage in competition. 5. Improved overall health: In addition to increasing muscular strength, power, and muscular endurance, regular participation in a youth resistance training program has the potential to influence many other health- and fitness-related measures, and can play an important role in alleviating many health-related conditions. High school’s weight room to get new equipment in support of student health The Montour High School gym is getting a long overdue makeover. This spring, Montour will receive new, state-of-the- art Arsenal Strength equipment for its strength and conditioning programs at the high school. By equipping the gym with new training equipment, Montour is taking big strides to get students excited about physical fitness and their overall health. The benefits of new gym equipment extend far beyond specific sports training. A strong physical fitness program that utilizes strength training equipment helps students develop healthy habits that will accompany them well beyond their high school years. Strength and conditioning is the practical application of sports science to enhance movement quality. It is grounded in evidence- based research and physiology of exercise and anatomy. Whether playing sports or not, everyone can benefit from a better quality of movement. Student athletes who work hard and follow a strength and conditioning program will display more confidence in their sport and everyday life. “Strength and resistance training offers several key benefits for all ages that improves the participants’ overall quality of life,” says Lizzy Buckholt, Montour High School’s health and physical education teacher. “These include: improved metabolism, brain function, sleep, and muscle tone to prevent injury to ligaments, tendons and bones, as well as chronic disease prevention (such as type II diabetes and heart disease). As we age, regular participation in physical activity is the number one way to prevent disease.” She points out that the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest that both children and adolescents between the ages 6 and 17 should complete 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous activity seven days per week. At least three of those days should consist of muscle-strengthening activities. Realistically, sports will end one day for most high school students. However, through strength and conditioning training, Montour will have the privilege to help educate its athletes on how to continue living a healthy and fit lifestyle long after their days of being a Spartan. “We are incredibly excited to take our strength, training, and fitness opportunities for Montour students to the next level,” said Montour Superintendent Dr. Christopher Stone. “Our students will now have the ability to train and condition on equipment that is typically found in the best training facilitates in the country. Regardless if you are a student athlete, or simply a student who is interested in becoming more active, our new equipment will exceed expectations.” Montour Theatre productions has announced the lead roles for its upcoming spring musical, “The Addams Family.” Brendan O’Leary will play Uncle Fester and Melaina Merlo and Nia Del Santo will play Grandma. Chloe Domico and Marlo Cyanovich have been cast as Pugsley while Jacob Stetz will play the role of Lurch. Nino Ciaburri will play Lucas Beineke while Nicolette Lyscik and Hannah George will play Alice Beineke. Anderson Rushe has been cast as Mal Beineke. Rehearsals began on Jan. 12 and small audiences will be invited to attend performances between April 22 and 25. A streaming option will also be available. The musical comedy is based on Charles Addams’ characters from the classic television show, which has also been revived in a number of films in recent years. The plot revolves around Wednesday Addams as she falls in love with a boy from a respectable Ohio family that is very different from the Addams family. When the boy and his parents are invited to dinner at the Addams’ home to get better acquainted, hilarity ensues. The musical has a diverse score that includes a mix of various styles and many different characters. Cast announced for spring musical Want more good news about Montour? Search #MontourProud on Twitter. 32 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2021 A new club at the high school is allowing students to explore a potential career path in cybersecurity during their PLTs. In the club, students complete a series of challenges meant to mimic the kinds of logic puzzles that real world cybersecurity professionals encounter. Students complete the challenges online through the free service CyberStart America. “If they like it and play the game and enjoy it, then they’ll know that maybe a career in cybersecurity is a possibility,” says club sponsor Mike Waldron. “And there’s a tremendous demand right now for cybersecurity personnel. If you get your cybersecurity degree, you can pick where you want to go.” Waldron says the program is extremely challenging. Those who are able to complete just 20% of the challenges are able to go on and compete for $2 million in scholarships offered through the program. He also says, though, that students are enjoying the challenges and working extremely hard to reach that 20% threshold. Junior Om Aror-Jain is the exception, as he has thus far managed to complete 60% of the challenges. For that accomplishment, he was awarded the program’s gold badge. Om, who has taught himself HTML, CSS, SQL and Python, says that when he started the club he wasn’t entirely sure if it was something he wanted to pursue. Now that he’s been exposed to cybersecurity and is able to apply what he had only learned in theory, he thinks it’s a career path that he could follow. “It has been challenging as it requires the ability to effectively use all the resources available and to devise your own solution for the challenge,” says Om. “I do get stuck on certain challenges but then I try to look at the challenge from a different perspective to determine what the challenge entails and how to solve it.” Like many students in the club, Om says he’s learning quite a bit from the experience. “It’s one of these cool games where students are learning and they don’t even know it,” says Waldron. “It’s almost like a Rubik’s cube where you’re really trying to solve a puzzle but learning programming or coding along the way. That’s what makes it attractive to students and why they’re having fun with it.” Montour High School senior Katie Liu, who was named a semi- finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program last year, was informed in February that she had been named a finalist. As such, she is one of just 15,000 other students from across the country who have been chosen to advance in the program. She is now in the running to be considered for a Merit Scholarship award. Candidates in the National Merit Scholarship Program are chosen based on their PSAT/NMSQT scores and only students with the highest scores are chosen. Finalists must also receive a written endorsement from their school principal and submit a transcript showing their high academic performance. From among a pool of 15,000 finalists, only 7,600 students are chosen as winners. Those individuals are eligible to receive one of three awards: a National Merit Scholarship, a corporate-sponsored merit scholarship or a college-sponsored merit scholarship. In addition to that honor, Liu was recently selected as a candidate for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. First established in 1964 by executive order of President Lyndon Johnson, the award honors graduating students who demonstrate exceptional talent. Today, it can also recognize students who demonstrate talent in the arts and technical education. Only about 161 students are chosen each year for the honor. An accomplished student at Montour, Liu was named a National AP Scholar last spring and exceeded the 217 score required by Pennsylvania on her PSAT score to apply for the National Merit Scholarship Program. She is also a four-year member of Montour’s Science Olympiad team and has won two regional awards. During her sophomore year, she won gold and, her junior year, she won silver as part of a two-person team. Liu is also a prodigious musician and has been playing piano since age 4. She plays the violin as well. Last year, she performed at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in Perugia, Italy and at CIM’s Mixon Hall and Frost School of Music’s Gusman Hall. She was also among the youngest of 26 participants chosen to play at the 10th National Chopin Competition in Miami, Florida. She completed her fourth year in the U.S. Chopin Foundation Scholarship Program for Young Pianists last summer and was selected as one of six finalists of the Arthur Fraser International Competition, which was held at the University of South Carolina. Liu plays in the first violin section with the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra. Last year, she won the orchestra’s annual concerto competition and, were it not for COVID-19, she would have had the opportunity to perform at Heinz Hall and on a tour in Riga, Latvia. Evan Witcop and Dylan Mathiesen work on challenges through CyberStart America, a program that introduces students to concepts in cybersecurity. Katie Liu named National Merit Scholarship finalist, Presidential Scholars Program candidate Katie Liu New club allows students to explore careers in cybersecurity March/April 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 33 High school freshman Sophie Stophel has been chosen to take part in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Student of the Year 2021 Campaign. The seven-week fundraising competition, which runs through March 26, raises money in support of LLS. Sophie was nominated by Jen Miller of LLS and is now leading one of 17 teams from across western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She has also teamed up with fellow students Harley Kletz, Mikhala Kletz, Julian Kletz, Olivia Marshall, Leah Shrader and Marlo Cyanovich. Their team is called Team CureSurge. For Sophie, the effort is personal, as she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 3. During her treatment, she underwent chemotherapy and endured spinal taps. She has previously been named an LLS Girl of the Year and a Queen of Hearts for Vegas on the Mon. This April will mark Sophie’s ninth year of being cancer free and she says the entire experience has left a significant impact on her. “I had leukemia when I was little, and ever since I’ve wanted to help others like me,” she says. “I’ve made it my goal to become a pediatric oncologist, and it has been that way since I was 5 years old.” The students mentioned aren’t the only ones lending a hand to Sophie. She’s also receiving help from several parents, including Kim Castro, Amanda O’Leary, Stephen Stophel and Melissa Biondo-Walters. As well, spirit week efforts at both the high school and DEW helped collect funds. The high school hosted its spirit week the week of Feb. 8 and DEW hosted its spirit week the last week of February. For more on the effort at DEW, see page 35. Sophie has set a goal of raising $30,000 for LLS. She says she feels her experiences have helped personalize leukemia for those she’s touched in the school community. Sophie says she thinks that’s helped prompt others at Montour to jump on board with her effort. “This campaign is my chance to make a personal difference,” she says. Anyone who would like to donate can do so by scanning the QR code at right or by visiting events.lls.org/wpa/wpasoy21/mbiondowal. Montour rallies to support community member and cancer survivor National Honor Society members at the high school have been heading up two fundraising drives this year. For one of those drives, students partnered with the Pittsburgh Project to collect supplies for those in need in the area. In a second effort, NHS members teamed up with the Captain Sean M. Ruane Memorial Foundation to collect supplies and funds for military members serving abroad. NHS members collected supplies such as beef jerky, nuts, wipes, toothpaste, protein powder, books and playing cards. They also created personalized “thank you” cards to accompany the donations. As well, teachers participated in a patriotic-themed dress-down week, where they paid a fee each day to participate in that day’s theme. The effort resulted in the collection of $300 to purchase additional supplies. Those supplies were then combined with a parallel drive hosted by the Captain Sean M. Ruane Memorial Foundation. Lt. Col. David Kraft, who serves as vice president of the foundation, plans to personally fly those supplies to deployed military members serving overseas in March. The Capt. Sean M. Ruane Memorial Foundation is named after a Montour alumnus who was tragically killed in a helicopter training exercise in 2014. The foundation now annually offers scholarships to three graduating Montour students to aid in their post-secondary studies. It also awards donations to various organizations that share in the foundation’s values of service to students, community and the military. As well, members give back to their community through various volunteer and outreach efforts. In May, the foundation will host its annual golf outing to raise funds for its various philanthropic efforts. For more information, see below. NHS collects items to support troops Sophie Stophel National Honor Society members (pictured above) collected nonperishables and “thank you” notes for troops overseas. 34 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2021 David E. Williams Middle School counselors have been working with Parkway West Career and Technology Center in an effort to expose students to potential career paths and fields of study in the trades. On Feb. 17 and 18, students had the opportunity to tour PWCTC and shadow two trades programs for about an hour each. Through the experience, students were able to explore potential future career tracks in healthcare, construction trades, automotive technology, diesel technology, building trades, veterinary assistant technology, cosmetology, public safety and more. That Wednesday, students attended classes on their own under PWCTC instructors while trade students attended class asynchronously from home. On Thursday, the other half of interested DEW students attended, but this time alongside Parkway students. The unique opportunity allowed DEW students to speak with actual PWCTC students about their experiences. “Taking students off campus in small groups to explore Parkway’s programming felt like a small sense of normalcy had been restored,” said school counselor Andrea Verdream. “Seeing our students get the chance to step out of their surroundings and experience something new was invigorating! The smiles on their faces and excitement in their eyes reminds us how important it is to give our students the chance to be exposed to all different types of career pathways.” PWCTC exposes DEW students to trades DEW students had the opportunity to visit Parkway West Career and Technology Center and shadow different careers, including veterinary assistant technology and healthcare. DEW cheerleaders show how it’s done David E. Williams Middle School pitched in to help one of its former students during the last week of February. For a $1 fee per day, students could participate in a series of themed dress-up days and, in the process, raise money for cancer research. On Monday, students wore their favorite sports jersey in order to “Team Up Against Cancer” and on Tuesday students “Put Cancer to Sleep” by wearing pajamas to school. That Wednesday, students could “Make Waves Against Cancer” by wearing themed Hawaiian shirts and beachwear. On Thursday, which was themed “The Future is Bright with LLS,” students wore their brightest neon colors. That Friday, they wore red in honor of “Sophie’s Special Day.” In total, the effort raised $5,637.18, both from the $1 fees and additional donations. The school also hosted a competition among homerooms to see who could raise the most. Fifth-graders swept the top three spots, with Stuart Johnson’s classroom coming in first. Danielle Cenna and Pamela Muha’s classes took second and third place, respectively. The top two classes received a pizza party and the third a donut party. All funds raised were donated to LLS via Sophie Strophel, who is participating in the LLS Student of the Year fundraising competition. Sophie matriculated to the high school last year and is currently raising money for LLS through March 26. At age 3, Sophie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This April will mark her ninth full year of being cancer free. For more about Sophie and her fundraising effort, see the article at left. DEW shows support for one of its own David E. Williams Middle School cheerleaders perform in the gymnasium during this past winter sports season. Through ingenuity, vigilance and attention to detail, the seventh and eighth grade cheerleading squads haven’t missed a beat this year. After cheering throughout the entire football season, the squads headed indoors to cheer on winter sports teams starting in January. Head coach Rachel Schwartzmiller says she split her squad of 26 cheerleaders into two groups so they could continue to perform. She says the girls wore masks, social distanced on the sidelines and spaced out during their floor routines. She says her squad has not experienced a single case of COVID-19. Furthermore, she said being able to continue performing has helped lend some much-needed normalcy to their lives during this difficult time. March/April 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 35 Each month, students in each grade at David E. Williams Middle School are chosen as students of the month. These individuals exemplify the positive characteristics of a successful student. Students of the Month for December, January and February are pictured below. DEW Students of the Month D e c e m b e r DEW’s December Students of the Month were (from top left): fifth-graders Mia Pessy and Noah Halaja; sixth-graders Alexander Zychowski and Madelyn Mayer; seventh-graders Gwendolyn Benton and Darron Woodard; and eighth-graders Ava Stropkaj and Tyler Gabrielli. David E.Williams Theatre Productions has announced that it will perform “A Journey Through the Decade” for this year’s middle school musical. The show will be a cabaret-style showcase featuring a song from each of the last 10 musicals performed at the middle school, including “Beauty and the Beast,” “High School Musical,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Lion King” and “Annie.” Because the show includes many roles and songs from different shows, there will be several featured performers. Rehearsals began Jan. 7 and performances will take place March 25-27 at 7 p.m. and March 28 at 2 p.m. A live streaming option will also be available through the district’s YouTube channel. To donate, visit www.dewtheatreproductions.org. DEW announces spring musical selection F e b r u a r y J a n u a r y DEW’s February Students of the Month were (from top left): fifth-graders Isabella Dreger and Matthew Porto; sixth-graders Riley Dombrowski and Dennis O’Mara; seventh-graders Ava Martinec and Robert Scott; and eighth-graders Mia Pravlochak and Derek Lugaila. DEW’s January Students of the Month were (from top left): fifth-graders Sophia Blyzwick and Cameron Offner; sixth-graders Madison Daugherty and Ankit Joshi; seventh-graders Mika Scott and Piyush Joshi; and eighth- graders Olivia Caputo and Evan Bonato. Follow David E. Williams Middle School on Twitter @DEWMiddleSchool 36 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2021The third, fourth and fifth grade basketball teams all competed this past season. The fifth grade team (far left) consisted of Brooklyn Young, Brenna Flint, Alina Vlasach, Phoebe Satcho, Natalie Ciamacco, Grace Mackin, Mia Pessy, Irelynn Hobbs, Peyton Rose and Hailey Herbst. Fourth grade players (middle) were Maddie Keating, Abigail Garrison, Alina Sidick, Graysen Kissinger, Haley Medwid, Rylee Dwyer, Viviana Donovan, Reese Vojtecky, Alana Dawson and Brynn McGroarty. Playing on the third grade team (right) were Addison English, Kendall Tielsch, Cora Sidick, Ciara Davis, Caydence Johnson, Brooklyn Buechel, Mina Sikora, Bryn Hovanic, Sophia Dodd and Payton Wolbert. Despite all the complications created by COVID-19, the Montour Girls Youth Basketball Program was still able to get a season in this year. Last year, both the fourth and fifth grade teams won their championships. This season, they were back in the gym and building on that success. This season, the third grade team also played competitively for the first time and the squad has already shown a desire to win. The season started in January and wrapped up in February. Successful girls basketball program building at MES Kindergarten registration now open Children who will be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2021 are eligible to enter the full-day kindergarten program in the Montour School District for the 2021-2022 school year. Registration packets are available on the Montour School District website under the “Registration” link at www.montourschools.com. Completed registration packets should be returned to the Montour School District Administration Office at 225 Clever Road by April 16. Packets can be dropped off between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. or between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Please register early! Want more good news about Montour? Search #MontourProud on Twitter. Every month during the school year, students from each grade in either Team Curiosity or Team Discovery at Montour Elementary School are selected as Students of the Month. These students are chosen for exhibiting appropriate behavior, performing random acts of kindness, demonstrating improvement in academic areas and exhibiting self control. The honor can also recognize a deserving student with a quiet disposition. Students of the month for December are pictured below. MES Students of the Month MES Students of the Month for December were kindergarteners Ellie Kennedy and Emmie Baldauff; first-graders Sloane Massucci and Ryder Woods; second-graders Justin Puffer and Levi Turocy; third-graders Carter Kyle and Jihyo Bae; and fourth-graders Cecelia Kadlecik and Seth Baldauff. March/April 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 37Varsity Sports After a delayed start to the winter season, Montour’s wrestling, boys basketball and the girls basketball teams all had stellar regular seasons and reached the playoffs. For its part, the wrestling team had the added challenge this year of moving into Class AA for the first time, but still finished with an overall dual meet record of 7-3. The team also took second in its section after defeating Laurel in the section tournament. As well, seven wrestlers qualified individually for the post season. Peter Chacon advanced to the Southwest Regional tournament after finishing third in the 126-pound weight class at the WPIAL tournament. Henry Orlandini and Aiden DeLuca both took fourth place at the tournament in their respective divisions. Four others - Anthony Orlandini, Aaron DeLuca, Ben Lueck and Brandon Halbedl - also reached the post season in their weight classes. “I am very proud of how the team wrestled,” says head coach Zachary Tournay. “Making it to team playoffs was a huge accomplishment considering this was our first season wrestling in Class AA and all of the obstacles regarding the COVID situation.” The boys basketball team, meanwhile, battled through a tough non-conference schedule against some of the best teams in the WPIAL to finish 12-7. During a rough, seven-day series to close out the regular season, the team faced off against six different teams, including 5A opponent New Castle and Upper St. Clair, the top team in 6A. The team also won two conference games against Central Valley and Quaker Valley during that stretch to secure a third seed in the playoffs. Throughout the season, head coach William Minear says the team benefited from some excellent leadership from senior Luke Persinger and leaned on leading scorer Vason Stevenson, who averaged 15 points per game. Minear says that was a bit of a departure for the team, which has traditionally relied on a more balanced offense and strong defense. “Our biggest strength is probably our resilience through all the adversity this season has thrown at us,” he says. In the first round of the playoffs, the team defeated Beaver and, at the time of this writing, is preparing to take on Central Valley in the quarterfinals. At the same time, the girls basketball team finished its regular season with an 11-9 record to enter the WPIAL playoffs as a seventh seed. It was the most wins for the program since the 2010-2011 season. In the first round of the playoffs, the team defeated Belle Vernon to earn its first playoff win since 2010. During the regular season, Liv Lyscik led the team in scoring by averaging 15.2 points per game. Guard Raegan Kalecik averaged 9.7 points per game while forward Olivia Persinger, who also led the team in assists, registered 6.1 points game. Before standout freshman Jordyn Wolfe sustained a season-ending injury, she was averaging 13 points per game. Head coach Jennifer O’Shea says that seniors Alex Santucci and Rachel Faith stepped in to fill that void while fellow senior Courtney Slesinger lent critical leadership. Overall, the team averaged 50.4 points per game while holding opponents to 45.2 points, despite taking on some of the top teams in the state, including Beaver, Quaker Valley and Blackhawk. “We have outstanding senior leadership and the girls really get along,” says O’Shea. “The whole team works really hard and is very coachable. It’s maybe the most coachable team I’ve ever had.” At the time of this writing, the team is preparing to play Quaker Valley in the quarter finals. Three winter teams reach playoffs Letter of Intent signings Two senior Spartans from this past season’s football team have been selected to play in games featuring the state’s top players. Cam McLaurin will represent Montour in the Big 33 Football Classic in Harrisburg on Memorial Day. The game pits Pennsylvania’s all-star players against an all-star team from Maryland. Every Super Bowl has featured at least one player who once played in this all-star game. Jaiden Hill will represent Montour in the East/West All-Star Game, which is scheduled for May 5. The game features the best players from the eastern and western parts of Pennsylvania. Both players also recently signed letters of intent to continue playing in college. For more on that, see below. Football players selected for all-star games Members of the wrestling team celebrate after competing at the WPIAL tournament. Nelson Berfield, Kayla Williams, Sarah Vietmeier, Alex Leise, Cam McLaurin and Jaiden Hill celebrate signing letters of intent Feb. 19. Six senior athletes signed letters of intent to continue their athletic careers at the post-secondary level Feb. 19. They, their sports and their schools of choice are as follows: Nelson Berfield - Football - Livingstone College Alex Leise - Volleyball - Daeman College Jaiden Hill - Football - Notre Dame College Cam McLaurin - Football - Duquesne University Sarah Vietmeier - Golf - Bloomsburg University Kayla Williams - Softball - Robert Morris University 38 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2021Y Robinson Twp. Historical Society Robinson Twp. Historical Society When entrepreneur Louis Fleck opened the first Red Bull Inn in Carnegie in 1964, he envisioned an English pub with lots of rich, dark wood, a large friendly bar, and a good share of ambiance. The resulting inn, the Red Bull, did it all to perfection. Known “For Good Cheer and a Hearty Meal,” The Red Bull became so popular that, during the 1970s and 1980s, more than 20 others appeared in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. The restaurant became a favorite venue for special occasions like anniversaries or birthdays. Robinson Township’s Red Bull Inn, which was located on Campbells Run Road near the Parkway, was known for a lively Octoberfest and specialties like a lobster pot, chicken cheddar salad, the Little Red Bull ribeye steak, an appealing salad bar with their signature salad dressing, and much more. Louis Fleck himself was known to visit and greet guests as he moved from table to table. One Robinson diner spoke highly to him of a particular soup, and soon the waitress brought her a take-home carton of it with his compliments. Fleck liked interacting with staff and customers. Said his son Dan, “My dad liked to get up every day and go into the restaurant and say hello to everybody. He was the ultimate shopkeeper.” Louis Fleck passed away in 2004 and the last of the Red Bull Inns closed in 2007. In 2010, more than 35 former employees held a lively reunion at Downey’s House on Route 60, where they shared fond memories of a much-loved restaurant. Remembering the Red Bull Inn A postcard advertises the Red Bull Inn and its motto. COURTESY ROBINSON TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY SUBMITTED BY THE ROBINSON TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY March/April 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 39Next >