Students in Greater Latrobe Senior High School meet every Tuesday in a newly formatted class, aptly named Compass, which features a curriculum boosting social, emotional and academic skills. Students learn essential life skills that will help them succeed inside and outside of the classroom. In the photo, students in Jessica Pellegrino’s classroom update their information in the Pathway Manager software program during Compass class recently. Students took a career assessment survey and updated their career profile in the program, which is an innovative tool that allows students to explore different careers and build a profile based on their interests. Students update their profiles yearly and are encouraged to utilize this tool to research different careers and relevant job data. Pathway Manager is also a resource for available job shadow and mentorship opportunities with community partners that students can view at any time. This list of opportunities is constantly growing and will expand to fit the needs of our students’ interests as well as the needs of the regional economy. If you are interested in becoming a community partner, email the career pathways coordinator at jessica.yetter@glsd.us to learn more.

Baggaley Elementary School students Kylie Gentilo, Madison Gradischak, Lucas Gross, Camden Flynn, Nolan Dempsey and Broc Archer are shown using block coding to program their Dash and Dot robot in the recently renovated makerspace area of the school library’s media center, headed by librarian Sarah Rosa. Makerspaces are part of what educators call the maker movement which started in the early 2000s. The maker movement emphasizes hands-on discovery in a world that has become increasingly automated. Makerspaces allow students to explore, create new things, or improve things that already exist.

Jon Mains, grade 11/12 principal at Greater Latrobe Senior High School, recently announced that Emma Greathouse and Clayton Sakalousky have been named Commended Students in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Greater Latrobe Senior High School students were recently given the opportunity to learn more about clubs that are available to them. French Club members Madison Rasefske, Cameron Hayes and Elaina Schrack talked with Molly Bobik about the French Club. Clubs represented were the Ski Club, SADD, French Club, Global Scholars, Reading Competition Team, Dance Club, FBLA, Ushers Club, FCA, Letterman’s Club, German Club, Chess Club, Aevidum, Pep Club, Interact Club, Key Club, SAGA, Matheletes and Spanish Club. All students were encouraged to attend the fair to learn about their school community.

Greater Latrobe Senior High School senior Jonah Lotz was recently recognized by grade 11/12 principal Jon Mains as a Semifinalist in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program.

St. Vincent College (SVC) has announced the 10 seniors voted to the 2019 Homecoming Court.

Derry Area teacher Leanne Lentz’s (second row, right) AP Spanish and Spanish IV classes, along with teacher Florence Prato’s (first row, left) Business Apps III class, recently joined the Pulsera Project as a co-curricular activity. Students participating include Chyanne Coleman, Claire Dillon, Allison Johnston, Addy Hildebrand, David McElfresh, (second row) Jessica Palko, Abigail Kubiak, Jesse Watt, Serena Slusarcyk, Gianna Copelli, Amber Sterrett, Lissette Foster, Ekaterina Trimble, Kylie Sliva, Jenna Kuba, (third row) Darius Hudspath, Elijah Penich, Jared Blystone, Emily Bolish and Aidan Bushey. Not in the photo are Anthony Gray, Garret Lenhart, Kyrsten Noftz, Rylee Ellis, Damian Morales-Brice and Joshua Wyant. The Pulsera Project is a fair-trade nonprofit organization that educates people in the U.S. and Central America through the sale of colorful handwoven bracelets, or “pulseras” in Spanish, and “bolsas” (purses). The Derry Area students are hosting a sale which began Sept. 30 and will run through Oct. 10. Join Derry Area students in this global citizenship effort by purchasing a bracelet through the students seen in the photo. The money received will be sent back to Nicaragua to enhance the lives of artists. Visit www.pulseraproject.org for more information.

The Greater Latrobe Senior High School “Hometown High Q” team recently competed at the KDKA-TV studios in Pittsburgh. Shown are host Rick Dayton with Cameron Hayes, Keeley Thomas and Isaac Krom. The Greater Latrobe team’s segment will air on Oct. 26.

Greater Latrobe’s “Hometown High Q” team includes Cameron Hayes, Keeley Thomas, team advisor Liz Prady and Isaac Krom.

The Greater Latrobe Wildcat Marching Band, under the direction of band director Timothy Sheridan, is taking audiences on a trip around the world with its show “Lands of Adventure” featuring musical selections “Estancia,” “Land of Make Believe,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.” The 102-member marching band will perform its show at nine football games and three local band festivals, including the Kiski PIMBA Festival, the Hempfield Area Band Festival, and the Laurel Highlands High School Band Festival.

Students and staff who recently took part in a trip to the Flight 93 memorial from Latrobe Elementary School (LES) include: Aiden Vennum, Hayleigh Redman, Lincoln Orzehowski, Sian Braucher, Conner Nett, Emily Dingman, Keyland Henderson, Ashlyn Powell, (second row) Sebastian Storms, Andrew Dingman, Chloe Miller, Lyric Eller, Erika Plows, Mitchell Showers, Marty Cramer, (third row) Mr. Williams, Mrs. Dowling, Mrs. Amy Showalter, Ms. Gump, Mrs. Cowan, Mrs. Henderson, Mrs. Cindy Planinsek and Mr. Ringler. Planinsek and Showalter’s classes from LES make the trip each year. Planinsek has been taking students to the memorial since 2002. Students and staff visited the Flight 93 Memorial Chapel, Tower of Voices, Memorial Plaza and Visitors’ Center. This year students and staff also heard a talk given by park ranger Gregory Zaborowski. The talk included stories about various passengers who were aboard Flight 93.

Greater Latrobe students from Brad Wetzel’s Vietnam class recently visited the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh to experience its newest exhibition about the nation’s most controversial conflict, the Vietnam War. Shown exploring the exhibits are Jacob Horner, Josh Maust and Ethan Grangeorge. The groundbreaking exhibit uses powerful photography, fascinating artifacts and more than 20 audio/visual displays to tell the stories of the men and women who were impacted by the war, from the home front to the front lines. Students were able to peer into the cockpit of the largest and most iconic artifact, a UH-1H “Huey” helicopter used by the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1970 as well as watch news reels in a re-created 1960s living room. Students also honored the region’s fallen veterans at the exhibit’s replica of the Vietnam War Memorial that includes the names of Americans killed during the war from eight counties in western Pennsylvania.

Greater Latrobe Senior High School music students recently enjoyed two concerts in the Center for Student Creativity performed by Evan Drachman (cello) and Wan-Chi Su (piano) from the Piatigorsky Foundation as part of the McFeely-Rogers Performance Series.

Kindergartners Lillian Saffer, Adelyn Schuck and Eloise Gadzhiyev enjoy the warm weather at recess dressed in their Wildcat best. Each Greater Latrobe School District student receives their very own “I’m a Wildcat Now” T-shirt when they enter kindergarten.

Greater Latrobe Senior High School student Dominic Panichelle is learning how to use the laser cutter/engraver with the assistance of librarian Kimberly Riebel for a project in his Principles of Marketing class. The lasercutter/engraver is part of the Library Media Center’s Makerspace area which includes a 3D printer, littleBits, Makeys MaKeys and other STEM resources. Dominic is taking advantage of the 65-minute Lunch & Learn period in the school day to get a jump start on his project. GLSD is thankful to the Greater Latrobe Partners in Education Foundation for providing grant funding to develop this Makerspace.

This summer, 34 Greater Latrobe Senior High School students received scholarships to attend Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week on the campuses of Lycoming College or Pennsylvania College of Technology, both located in Williamsport. Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week is a week-long economic education program that offers students an inside look at the private enterprise system and the way the free market functions.

Second-graders Davey Klimchock, Olivia Bauer and Max Siemon each hold a Painted Lady caterpillar. As part of their first science unit, Environments for Living Things, all second-grade students in the Greater Latrobe School District (GLSD) spend time raising Painted Lady caterpillars. Students prepare habitats for their caterpillars that provide food, water, shelter and air. By the end of the unit, children are able to describe the parts of a caterpillar as well as the purpose they serve. They also study the life cycle of a butterfly and release their butterfly friends back into nature at the end of the unit.

Greater Latrobe seventh- and ninth-grade students recently were welcomed back to school by their WEB and Link Crew leaders as part of the WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) and Link Crew transition activities.

Kindergarten students Caroline Jarnot, Jackson Fullmer and Mason Shivetts were welcomed to Mountain View Elementary School by the school’s mascot, Matt the Wildcat, on the first day of kindergarten on Aug. 26.

The Greater Latrobe Senior High School Student Council officers for the 2019-2020 school year include president Sarah Fetter, vice president Sydney Quinn, secretary Sadie Wetzel and treasurer Reese Petrosky.

The Greater Latrobe Junior High School Student Council officers for the 2019-2020 school year include president Belle Blossey, vice president Regan Reilly, secretary Sarah Hoffman and treasurer Sam Kiesel.

(Metro) — High school students have a lot on their plates. Today’s parents often lament that kids’ schedules are far more hectic than their own schedules were when they were teenagers. But for many high school students, a familiar foe their parents have no doubt encountered is proving a considerable source of stress.

1st Summit Bank recently visited Latrobe Kinder-Schull to make a generous donation of backpacks and school supplies to the school. Pre-K Counts teachers and 1st Summit Bank employees participating in the presentation of the items included: Hannah Cerk, Angie Beukema, Becky Oplinger, Chris Cawood, Kelly Karaschak, (back row) Tammy Clark, Molly Monz, Stephanie Kline, Joyce Czyrnik, Megan Gregg, Erin Schellenberger, Hannah Mead and Nancy Zufall. Donations were made through the Red Wagon Project and were presented by Gregg and Czyrnik. Latrobe Kinder-Schull was chosen as a recipient of this project based on the needs of the Pre-K Counts families served at the school. Students and teachers thanked bank manager Ellie Bucchi, 1st Summit Bank employees and their customers for this generous donation.

(Metro) — It is common for children to backslide during summer vacations as they get further away from their daily school year routines. The rigors of schoolwork may come as a shock as children return to school and must reacquaint themselves with studying and doing their homework. But there are some steps students can take to keep their minds sharp as they ease back into school.

(Metro) — As children head back to school, they and their parents have lots to do to be ready for the first days of school. Clothing and supplies may be top priorities, but families also should focus on safety as the first day of school draws close.

Members of the Greater Latrobe junior varsity and varsity basketball teams are continuing their Summer of Service initiative.