GMS's Rohan Shah Scores National Math Honors

Rohan C. Shah, a 7th grader at Gateway Middle School, scored a 19 (out of a possible 25) on the AMC Mathematics Competition test. The AMC test is a national competition sponsored by the New York Metropolitan Division of the Mathematical Association of America. Nineteen was the highest score achieved at Gateway Middle School, with 16 students taking the test. Additionally, the score of 19 entitles Shah to be a part of the AMC National Mathematics Honor Roll.

GHS Students Calculated Win At Math Competion

Math skills of our GHS students were showcased at the recent CalcuSolve Competion. Gateway 's CalcuSolve Teams placed third overall last week in the competition hosted by Robert Morris University. Michael Kelly, Michael Richards, Haley Clinton, and Brian Wallace earned third place out of 32 teams in the 9th and 10th grade competition. Brian Wallace earned third place individual in that competition. Matt Lambert, Audrey Chiao, Yatindra Patel, and Katia Parmonova earned third out of 36 teams in the 11th and 12th grade competition. Josh Phillips earned third place individual. Congratulations to these excellent academic competitors !

4 GHS Students Selected for PA Music Assn Honors Jazz Band

Four Gateway High School music students were selected for the The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Honors Jazz Band. Students selected include Michael Murray, Alto Saxophone - placing 1st chair; Ethan Wightkin, Trumpet - placing 2nd chair; Kimberlyn Bloise, Vocalist - placing 1st chair; and Nick Diana, Bass - placing 1st chair. Michael Kelly also auditioned on trumpet and placed 12th. The students selected performed in the Honors Jazz Band concert at Kiski Area High School. Faculty advisor for this event was Robert Read.

A Day in the Life at GHS

I always find it fascinating to see how much goes on at Gateway High School. Here is a sampling taken from one day's Morning Announcements (todays, actually):
"There will be a Beta Club meeting on Wednesday, November 5th after school in room 1132. We will be signing up for elementary school readings for later this month. Please bring your pretzel money!
--Club Culture will be completing its second community service project on November 14th. Members of the club are to pick up their permission slips in Mr. Taylor's office and return to him no later than Monday, November 10th.
--There will be a Science Club meeting on Thursday, November 6th after school in room 1134.
--Attention all Spanish Club members who are NOT currently participating in our dance practices: We will be having a meeting this Thursday November 6th in room 1132 to discuss our upcoming projects.
--All Video Enthusiasts are encouraged to attend a reorganization meeting for the high school's video club on Wednesday, November 5th after school in the LGI. We will be video taping our first commercial for November's "Blood Drive."
--"Unleash your talents!" All YEARBOOK MEMBERS must attend a mandatory meeting after school in the computer lab on Thursday, November 6th.
--So what in the world do you want to do with your life? You mean, you haven't figured it out yet?! "The Future is Mine" can help! TFIM is a new organization at Gateway that is committed to helping kids in grades K-12 to find their passion and pursue their dreams in an informed way. Please see Mrs. Weiss with any questions about "The Future is Mine."
--The Community Service Program is looking for leaders for the PALS leadership program. These students will help to coordinate service projects and lead the A MUST program. Please see Mrs. Weiss for more details on how to get involved! Sign up sheets are now posted in the Community Service Center, room 234. There are many great volunteer opportunities to get involved!
--TEEN OASIS is OPEN with even more hours now! The teen center is open Monday-Thursday from 2:30-8pm and Friday-Saturday from 2:30-10 p.m. All Gateway High School students are invited to stop in and see what's new!
--COLLEGE VISITS: Slippery Rock University will be at Gateway on November 5th. If interested, please sign up in the Guidance Office. California University will be here on November 7, 2008.
--The Gators opened their 2008 playoff run with a dominating 42-0 shutout of Mt. Lebanon.
--D.J. Krystek finished in 4th place this past Saturday in the AAA Division of the PIAA STATE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS held in Hershey.
--Former Harlem Globetrotter, Seth Franco, will be the guest speaker at Youth Alive today, Wednesday, November 5th
--Senior Class Council is holding a ticket design contest for the Flashback Dance. Please submit a design drawn on the ticket/program design papers
--There will be a Robotech Gamemasters practice on Wednesday, November 5th during periods 3, 4, and 5.

All this, and time for school too !

Americorps' Public Allies Program Advances Leadership at Gateway

On Monday, Nov. 10th at 10:30 am Gateway will host a speaker from Public Allies, a 10-month Americorps program that advances new leadership to strengthen communities, non-profits and civic participation. For ten months, Allies serve their community by being placed in full-time paid apprenticeships in a local non-profit organization. Allies work in direct service to their communities in areas such as youth development, public health and safety and the environment. Seniors who would be interested in this type of work starting next September, should plan to attend this presentation. Students who are chosen for the Public Allies program will receive on-going support and training and are eligible for benefits as well. For more information on this great post-high school opportunity, please sign up in the Guidance office or see Mrs. Weiss in the Community Service Center, room 234 to receive a pass to attend the presentation. See also http://www.publicallies.org/ .

Harlem Globetrotter speaks to GHS 'Youth Alive 11/5.

Former Harlem Globetrotter, Seth Franco, will be the guest speaker at Youth Alive, Wednesday, November 5th. The meeting will be held at 2:35 p.m. in the #2 Press Box.

GHS FBLA Students Selected To Participate in PA Leadership Conference

Gateway High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) students, Gabe Bloomfield and Patrick Glass, recently met up with 500 other FBLA members from across the state to participate in the 2008 FBLA Fall State Leadership Conference conducted at Penn State University, Main Campus. The students attended leadership workshops along with opening and closing sessions. The conference gives students a chance to explore business related topics and workshops, while getting to connect with other business students from across the Commonwealth. Faculty sponsor for the event was Andrea Campbell.

Winners in National Literacy Project Contests

The National Literacy Project in place at Gateway Middle School has announced the winners of the motivational Slogan and Poster contests. Congratulations to Montae Nichols for his winning slogan entry, "Books are the Gateway to our future". Congratulations to Kayko Ohkawa for the winning entry in the National Literacy Project poster contest. The National Literacy Project works to improve the reading and writing skills of children in the middle, intermediate and high school levels. More information is available at: http://www.nationalliteracyproject.org/ .

CalcuSolve Competition Heats Up

The 9th and 10th graders at GHS who qualified for the Calcusolve Competition will enter their battle arena on November 3, 2008. This is a mathematical competition involving problem-solving varying in content and difficulty. Good Luck...more info to follow, I hope.

GHS Marching Band Readies for National Championships

Gateway High School's Marching Band is now in final preparations for their performance in the Bands of America National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana. The band will be leaving on November 12th and will return on November 16th.

National Merit Scholars Students 'Merit' High Praise !

Congratulations to the following Gateway High School students for outstanding performance in the National Merit Scholarship Competition:
Semi Finalists: Mohamed Koubaa, Martin Culig
Commended Students Luke Ament, Aaron Crittenden, Christina Douglas, Aaron Eisenberg, Katherine Kromka, Matthew Lambert, Matthew MacMurchy
Outstanding Participant Avionna Baldwin
Rensselaer Medal Award for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Brianne Garness

More than 1.5 million juniors in over 21,000 high schools entered the 2009 National Merit Program by taking the 2007 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.
To become a Finalist, a Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. The Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s self-descriptive essay and information about the Semifinalist’s participation and leadership in school and community activities.

GHS Students Host Fashion Showcase For Charity 10/26

This Sunday, Oct. 26th is "National Make a Difference Day" . Student leaders from Gateway are hosting "Walk On. . . a Hollywood Fashion Showcase". The event will be held at 1:30 p.m. this Sunday at Teen Oasis. Tickets are on sale for $5 general admission and $20 VIP. Come and see our models walk the runway for a great cause! The event will also include student performances, a Chinese auction, t-shirt sale and more! All proceeds will benefit Healthy Teens Inc. and Autism Speaks. Tickets can be purchased during lunches or stop by to see Mrs. Weiss in room 234 or buy your ticket at Teen Oasis. You do not want to miss this event!

Gateway Foundation Donates Money for District Enhancement

Unknown to many, the Gateway School District Foundation raised money to help support district activities and needs which might otherwise not be addressed by the school budget. Some of its funds are given to individual teachers who present interesting or unique projects for their classes which require funding, up to $500.00. Other money is provided for a dummer program to aid pre-kindergarten children get ready to start school, and to provide extra after-school tutoring. These types of activities might be difficult to justify in ordinary school district budgeting, and the Gateway Foundation provides flexibility to meet these needs. I just thought you should know it existed !

Ramsey Elementary Families Raise Money To Fight Autism

Throught the efforts of the Spirit Committeee at Ramsey Elementary, students and families are contributing to raise money to support Austim Speaks. (I note that Mark Wallace, PA Teacher of the Year in the area of History, is very active in this organization too). Under leadership of members of the school's PTO, the Spirit Committee has re-energized Red Ribbon Week, including anti-drug themes, and a charitable focus. This year, the group Autism Speaks was selected as the targeted charity, and the school has already raised over $1,700 dollars with a basket raffel during the school's Open House, with more fundraising events planned though the comming school year. Anna Majocha and Linda Botti, along with the rest of the Spirit Committee and PTO are to be applauded for these efforts.

Ramsey Elementary Families Raise Money To Fight Autism

Throught the efforts of the Spirit Committeee at Ramsey Elementary

Edline.net Usage For School-related Communication Explodes

Edline.net, an online resource for communication about all-things-school related, seems to really be blossoming this year. Students and their parents district wide have been provided with access passwords and information about the site. Assignments, up-to-date grades, lesson plans, school calenders, classroom notes, attendance information and more is all available 24 hours a day. While Edline.net has been available at Gateway for several years, the 08-09 academic year is the first time its use has been mandatory for faculty, which has greatly expanded its usage. To be honest, I've mostly just checked my kids grades, but I see them using it for much more. Between this and Moodle, the level of communication available between the district and the home seems to be moving now at a rate befitting he 21st century. I congratulate Gateway School District for being at the forefront in adopting this internet technology.

Gateway Teachers Training in State-of-the-Art Methods

The administration at Gateway School District has, is, and will spend substantial time and financial resources to bring its teachers all up to speed on the best teaching practices, as the district moves forward with implementation of its differentiated instruction models. Sarah Lampe, with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum has been helping the teachers all learn how to best reach all of the students individually, whether the students are behind, at grade level, or advanced in each subject. Ms. Lampe notes that what sets Gateway apart from other districts is the investment is is willing to make in its teachers, which she finds the most important link. I have witnessed how this process has sharpened the curriculum and teaching practices in many of the grades and classes already, and look forwards to the district reaching its goal of reaching all of the students and teacher. See further at : http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/history-teacher-honored-best-state

GHS Quasics Robot Team Again Tackles The Challenge

As a follow up to a prior post here, I note that the Quasics Robotics Team is again entering the national FIRST Robotics Competion. In their last project, they finished in first place in the rookie division, and 10th in the overall competition. Mathew Kohler, a chemistry and physics teacher at GHS who mentors the team, said the last team was only assembled about a month before the competition. Ed Sentor, another chemistry and physics teacher mentoring the GHS team, noted that last years expenses were largely borne by the team members. It is hoped that the District will provide the modest funding necessary for this great project in the years ahead. For more, check out their web site, http://www.quasics.com/. Also, see: http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/high-school-robotics-team-seeking-10-000-district-funds-board

GHS Students Stitch Dignity Robes for Cancer Patients

Under the tutelege of Tracy Ricciardi and Mary Lou Van Orden, who teach clothing construction at Gateway High School, dozens of students are working to make 'dignity robes' which will be presented to breast cancer parients at Forbes Regional Hospital. The specially designed robes have velcro seams for 'ease of access' without undue exposure, and provide privacy and comfort to women undergoing radiation or chemotherapy treatments at the hospital. Notes Ricciardi, "it's our philosophy to teach the kids that it's important to be a part of your community and give back!" Instead of wearing a re-used, thin hospital gown, the women now receive their own, custom designs, lush robe. Grant money from the local Gateway Foundation is helping this project to continue helping local women. Read more at: http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/students-sewing-skills-bring-comfort-breast-cancer-patients

GHS Marching Band Takes 1st Place in Contest

The Gateway High School Marching Band, under the direction of Robert Read, played a happy tune when it took 1st Place at the recent Norwin High School Band Contest. Gateway also won top awards in the categories of High Music, High Visual, and High General Effect in Class "AAAA". The band earned a score of 84.90.

GHS Marching Band Excels in Competition Again

The Gateway High School Marching Band is on a roll. After two first-place finishes in competitions in western Pennsylvania, Gateway traveled to theBands of America (BOA) Regional Championships in Massillon, Ohio, onSaturday, September 27, 2008 where it captured sixth-place overall. Held in the historic Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, the contest attracted 22 marchingbands from eight states. In addition to winning sixth-place overall, Gatewayreceived the Highest Achievement Award for Outstanding Music Performance forClass AA bands and was the Second-Place Award winner in Class AA. "This outstanding showing is the culmination of months of hard work andpreparation," said Robert A. Read, director of the Gateway High School Marching Band. "BOA attracts the best in marching band talent. This is our highest placement todate at BOA and the first time Gateway has received honors in Class AAcompetition." Gateway plans to build on the success it achieved in Massillon. "Weconstantly strive to improve, and that philosophy will help us prepare forour remaining contests in the season," noted Mr. Read. The upcoming events include the 2008 Pennsylvania Interscholastic MarchingBand Association (PIMBA) Championships on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at the Antimarino Stadium in Monroeville. Twenty-four marching bands from throughout western Pennsylvania will compete in five divisions at the PIMBA Championships. On Nov. 12-16, Gateway will compete at the BOA Grand National Championships in Indianapolis.

Multicultural Festival 11/18

November 18, 2008
Multicultural Festival
November, 18, 2008, Gateway High School Auditorium, 7-10 pm

Tickets: $5 students; $6 adults; children under 10 are FREE. Money raised will benefit Pennies for Peace. Bring a new or gently used book to donate to For the Love of Books and receive $1 off admission. Group discounts are available. Call 412-858-1054 for tickets.

Each year, this event promotes cultural awareness and tolerance in the Gateway community by allowing students the opportunity to share their cultural heritage with others. Colorful, ornate costumes, delicious delicacies, and energetic student performances bring people of all races, shapes, sizes, and abilities together for an evening of fun cultural exploration.

7th Annual Gateway Band Craft Show 11/1

November 1, 2008
7th Annual Gateway Band Craft Show
Saturday, November 1, 2008, Gateway High School Cafeteria, 10 am - 3 pm
More than 60 crafters and vendors will participate. This is a great opportunity to shop for the holidays. Admission is FREE. Raffles, concessions, and a bake sale will also be offered. Hand crafted items include pillows, pet accessories, lighted bottles, glassware, holiday items, wood products, flora wreaths, ceramics, dip mixes, cookbooks, jams and jellies, purses, and many other selections.

GHS's Mark Wallace Wins Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Award

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in New York City and the White House's Preserve America initiative selected GHS's own Mark Wallace as Pennsylvania's History Teacher of the Year ! Jeff Zeiders, of the PA Department of Education is reported as saying that "We looked for a personal connection with the students...That connection is what yields a response and turns out a good grasp on history." Wallace is also a committee member of the group Autism Speaks. His own son, Matthew, 16 years old, is autistic. This award is an incredible achievement which speaks volumes about a wonderful teacher. One of my son's had Mr. Wallace several years ago, and he awoke a love of history and world affairs in my son which I had never seen before. Congratulations Mr. Wallace! For more, see : http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/east/s_588509.html http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/history-teacher-honored-best-state

Watch Gateway High School Compete on KDKA Hometown High Q this Saturday

The AIM Department (for gifted and talented students) at Gateway High School asks you to tune into KDKA TV this weekend to watch Gateway High School compete against Baldwin and McGuffy High Schools on the KDKA Hometown High Q Show. The team will appear on KDKA (Channel 2) on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 11 a.m.

Moodle Interactive Program Use Widens in Gateway Classrooms

The http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/more-students-teachers-moodling

October 14-18 TEEN READ WEEK BOOK FAIR

October 14-18
TEEN READ WEEK BOOK FAIR
Oct. 14-18, Gateway High School Library, 7:30 a.m - 4 p.m.

Besides favorite fiction and non-fiction, students will have the opportunity to purchase graphic novels, college guides, and SAT, ACT, and AP exam study guides.

Evergreen Elementary Library : It's a Jungle !

Librarian Janet Niethamer has transformed the library at Evergreen Elementary into an inviting tropical jungle. Just to get in, the children have to duck under hanging snakes, walk past jungle cats, and wade through a 'swamp' of sorts. She created a jungle them to excite the kids about the library experience, and from what we hear, it is working! Read more: http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/evergreen-elementary-library-its-jungle-there

Gateway Students Explore Interests in "The Future Is Mine".

So what in the world do you want to do with your life? You mean, you haven't figured it out yet?! "The Future is Mine" can help! TFIM is a new organization at Gateway that is committed to helping kids in grades K-12 to find their passion and pursue their dreams in an informed way. Join us for our first meeting on Wednesday, September, 10th after school in the Community Service Center, room 234.

GHS Multicultural Festival date set.

UNITE OUR WORLD MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL! The festival will be held on Tuesday, November 18. More info to follow when I get it.

Leadership Selection for Community Service Program at GHS Underway

The Community Service Program is seeking responsible students to apply for its Leadership Program. If you are interested in being selected as a leader for this year’s PALS Program or A MUST Program, you must submit an application right away! This is a great opportunity for YOU to get involved! HURRY! Applications are due on Monday, September 22nd and interviews will be held on one-day only, Tuesday, September 30th. Please see Mrs. Weiss in room 234 with any questions or stop by the high school office to pick up an application.

Gateway High School Marching Band Craft Show Announced

The Gateway High School Marching Band is sponsoring their 7th Annual Craft Show on Saturday, November 1, 2008, in the Gateway High School cafeteria from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. With more than 60 crafters and vendors, this is a great opportunity to shop for the home and holidays! Admission is free! Raffles, concessions, and bake sale will also be available.Hand-crafted items include pillows, pet accessories, lighted bottles, glassware, holiday items, wood products, floral wreaths, ceramics and dip mixes, cookbooks, jams and jellies, wreaths, purses, microwave heat wraps, cooling neckties, lighted trees, antique papers, towel crafts, chimes, lamps, cozy cuddlers, Corian cutting boards, suncatchers, baskets, nature and wildlife photography, candy, cross-stitch, decoupage, hand painted furniture, framing, calligraphy, silk flower arrangements, dog biscuits, body scrubs, tote bags, Table runners, stockings, mantle scarves, napkins, placemats, baby blankets, machine embroidery, fused glass holiday pins and ornaments, and much more!Retail vendors will include Tupperware, Morgan Dane Jewelry, Tastefully Simple, Partylite, Silpada Jewelry, Mary Kay, Parklane Jewelry, Home Interiors, Lia Sophia Jewelry, Avon, Pampered Chef, Cookie Lee Jewelry, and more.

College Visits to GHS begin to take shape

Gateway High School is pleased to present the most up-to-date listing of college visits from September - November 2008. All meetings will take place in the High School Guidance Conference Room.
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Thiel College -- September 11, 2008 -- 10:00 AM
West Virginia Wesleyan -- September 15, 2008 -- 8:15 AM
Lake Erie College -- September 15, 2008 -- 1:00 PM
Ohio University -- September 16, 2008 -- 1:00 PM
Otterbein College -- September 17, 2008 -- 8:15 AM
Geneva College -- September 17, 2008 -- 10:00 AM
University of Akron -- September 17, 2008 -- 1:00 PM
U. of Pittsburgh - Johnstown -- September 18, 2008 -- 8:30 AM
Case Western Reserve -- September 19, 2008 --11:30 AM
Ohio State University -- September 23, 2008 -- 8:15 AM
Rochester Institute of Tech. -- September 24, 2008 -- 1:00 PM
Allegheny College -- October 1, 2008 -- 8:30 AM
Westminster College -- October 1, 2008 -- 11:30 AM
Mt. Aloysius College -- October 3, 2008 -- 10:00 AM
Juniata College -- October 3, 2008 -- 1:00 PM
Seton Hill University -- October 20, 2008 -- 9:00 AM
Indiana University of PA -- October 23, 2008 -- 8:30 AM
Waynesburg College -- October 23, 2008 -- 10:30 AM
U. of Pittsburgh - Bradford -- October 29, 2008 -- 1:00 PM
Clarion University -- October 30, 2008 -- 9:00 AM
Duquesne University -- November 12, 2008 -- 8:15 AM
U. of Pittsburgh (Oakland) -- November 17, 2008 -- 1:00 PM

300 attend Gateway's Teen Oasis Battle of the Bands

In a crowded field of 12 contestants, local band Now its the Last, won the Teen Oasis Battle of
the Bands on Saturday, May 31. 300 total local residents and fans of the bands attended the daylong festival. Several local groups had tables at the event including Pitcairn Camp G, the
Gateway Key Club, Relay for Life, and Moe's Southwest Grill. .We were glad to have hundreds
of fans here to cheer on and support our teen musicians., said Program Director Jeanne Lewis.

Local band Rocketili was the Band of the Year.

2nd Annual Teen Leadership Banquet Honors Gateway Teens

Over 150 members of the community attended the 2nd Annual Teen Leadership Banquet on May 20 at the Pitcairn Park Building. The event, coordinated by Healthy Teens, Inc., raised $2,000 for Teen Oasis. "It was such a terrific evening and a great chance to recognize our local teen leaders for all of the amazing things that they are doing through their service involvements within their schools and the community," said Executive Director Tom Baker.
Gateway High School Principal Bill Short received the Honorary Alumnus Award and another 30
awards were distributed to the teen leaders. Each award winner received a $50 scholarship from
sponsors and honorary certificates from Congressman Tim Murphy, Senator Sean Logan, and
Representative Markosek. Eighth grader Tony Griffin said, "It felt great to be recognized as a
teen leader. I really enjoy helping out in the community and it was nice to be noticed for giving
back."

The Teen Leadership Banquet winners this year were:
Marshall Bond Student Leadership Award- Evan Rosenberg
Faces of Innovation Award- Samantha Mabe
Representative Markosek Student Government Award- Todd Slobodnyak
Monroeville Chamber Business Legacy Award- Jordan Tobe
Young Law Enforcement Award- Steve Cuccaro
Minuteman Press Creativity Award- Madison Castagnero
Mayor Betsy Stevick Award- Hannah Peters
Student Assistance Peer Leader Award- Elaina Laughlin
Wes and Cindy Blaha Healthcare Award- Cassie Buxter
Pitcairn Womens Club Leadership Award. Flavia Silva
YMCA East Healthy Teen Award- Jack Charles
Darlette Tice Health Care Aspiration Award- Avionna Baldwin
Councilman Jack Bova Leadership Award- Matt Mullen
Paving Your Path Award-Nasia Flood
Strength of Steel Award- Mara Polnar
Senator Logan Excellence in Leadership Award- Christine Yeh
Gateway High School PTO Service Award- Plachette Corlew
Monroeville Chiropractic Balanced Leader Award- Ally Burgess
Andrew Griffin Preferred Reality Entrepreneur Award- David Stasa
S.eclairer Award- Ramiz Chaudhary
NAACP Leadership Award- Sennya Watkins
Monroeville Public Library Award- Ga-Lim Kim
Healthy Teens, Inc. Leadership Award- Brea Hogan
Teen Oasis Emerging Leader Award- Tony Griffin
Gateway Community Service- Megan Peterson
Teen Oasis Band of the Year- Rocketeli
(Aaron Rodden, Corey Strittmatter, Johnny McGuire, Evan Meindl)

Matt Lipner, GHS Valedictorian 2008

Gateway valedictorian Matthew Lipner plans to attend Denison University in Grandview, Ohio, where he likely will major in a science before attempting medical school. "I volunteered a lot in high school. I like helping people," he said. Matthew hopes to become a doctor in the fields of cardiology or radiology. See Matthew's full article in the Times-Express regarding his involvement in Key Club, Boy Scouts, Junior Classical League, and more at http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/valedictorian-credits-hard-work-family-success

Update : Evergreen Elem.'s Children for Change raise $2835 for Charity

Twenty-two students in grades one through four volunteered to help address poverty, hunger and limited access to education for people at home and abroad. They sold lollipops, bookmarks and Valentine candygrams to raise money. They put on a talent show at the high school. They collected bags and bags of clothes for Monroeville Clothes Closet and 600 pounds of food for Garden City Food Bank. In the end, the 22 students, some of whom barely can see over their desks, managed to raise $2835 over several months. "Holy moly, the goal was $2,000," said Janet Niethamer, teacher and leader of this Evergreen Elementary group as she totaled the contributions. The Times-Express article is at http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/kids-raise-3-436-fight-poverty.

Even More Art Awards for Gateway Students

The Monroeville Arts Council and Biondi Motors visited Gateway Middle School to present two checks for the school’s outstanding performance at the recent Monroeville Art Show. Mr. Aaron Johnson, Principal of Gateway Middle School, graciously accepted a $100 check from Dan Biondi, President of Biondi Motors, for the school’s ongoing support of the arts within the Monroeville community. Also receiving a $40 check from Isabelle Ross and Vera Perry, of the Monroeville Arts Council, was Bria Williams, an eight grade student, for winning Best of Show at the Monroeville Art Show. Faculty sponsors for the event were Greta Severson and Richard Seech.

GMS Artists win Trophy and $100

In the Iron Crafter regional art competition, sponsored by Pat Catans Craft Centers, GMS eighth graders Joy Nosbisch, Tarnjit Kaur, Elaine Sung, and Deepshikha Sharma, competed against other local area high schools. The team earned a trophy and a $100 gift certificate to spend on art supplies.

GHS Senior Scholarships and Awards List

This absurdly long list of names is still probably incomplete in some respects, but an amazing number of our seniors have shown what they are made of.
The following is a list of scholarships and awards won by members of the Gateway High School Class of 2008, according to school officials...

AJC Louis Caplan Human Relations Award, Madison Castagnero; Amanda Jane Price Scholarship, Rebekah Polemba; Bill Belardi Scholarship, Lori Stover; The Cedars of Monroeville Scholarships, Anne Fallon, Matthew Lipner; Chic Marston Memorial Scholarship, Madison Castagnero; Cody Moy Memorial Hockey Scholarship, Joseph Hudec.
Demi Cuccia Scholarships, Marisa Brady, Madison Castagnero; Evergreen Elementary PTO Scholarship, Natalie Episcopo; Forbes Road Career & Technology Center Awards, Christina Lippke, Jessica Mountain, Kenneth Sherman, Brandon Sherry.

Furrie Scholarships, Madison Castagnero, Joseph Kromka, Thomas Wirbicki; Pitcairn Woman's Club Scholarships, Christopher Bowser, Jordan Oswald; Garden City Women's Club Scholarships, Caitlin McDonald, Lauren Wagener; Gateway Band Boosters Scholarships in Memory of Noah Gray, Karyn Drombosky, Andrew Imblum, Sean McMaster, Sarah Parker.
Gateway Education Association Scholarship, Christine Thompson; Gateway Education Association Eunice Tarr Scholarship, Jessica DiVittorio; Gateway Education Association John Galagaza Memorial Scholarship, Seth Wermager.
Gateway Hockey Scholar Athlete Scholarship, Seth Wermeger; Gateway High School Baseball Boosters Scholarships, Adam Felton, Chris Vergos; Gateway High School Cheerleading Booster Scholarship, Elisa Falvo; Gateway High School Family & Consumer Sciences Award, Kariann Durst; Gateway High School PTO Scholarships, Anthony Barone, Adam Hoffman, Matthew Lipner, Kathryn Myser.
Gateway High School Soccer Booster Scholarships, Natalie Episcopo, Andrew Smith; Gateway Social Studies Department Award, Aleksandra Pomiecko; Gateway Swimming/Diving Team Boosters Scholarships, Margo Davis, Todd Slobodynak.
Gateway High School World Language Department Leadership in Excellence Awards, Karyn Drombosky (French), Lisa Sprowls (German), Andrew Imblum (Latin), Kelly Rerko (Spanish); Jewish War Veterans Ladies Auxiliary Scholarship Award, Christina Radzevick; John Phillip Sousa Award, Karyn Drombosky.
Jon Houy Spirit of Gateway Scholarship, Andrew Estok; Jon Houy Teamwork Award, Joseph Kromka; Julia C. Vanovitz Scholarship Award. Andrew Estok; Kevin M. Murtha Memorial Scholarship, Lori Stover; Leaders of Tomorrow Award, Matthew Lipner; Learning Achievement Award, Gina Farally; Marjorie Anne Hawkins Scholarship, Kelly Rerko.
Monica Horak Schuckers Memorial Nursing Scholarship, Anne Fallon; Monroeville Arts Council Scholarships, Elizabeth Costello, Rebecca Lehner; Monroeville Lions Club Scholarships, Christopher Balcik, Raquel Ludinich; Monroeville Rotary Club Scholarships, Renae Watt, Alecia Wilson, Shaina Wood.
Moss Side Elementary PTO Scholarship, Thomas Wirbicki; National Merit Commended Students, Megan DeWitt, Andrew Imblum, Erica List, Edward MacMurchy, Elizabeth Parker, Sarah Parker, Lori Stover; National Merit Finalists, Matthew Lipner, Vikram Rajkumar, Lisa Sprowls; National Merit Winners, Matthew Lipner, Lisa Sprowls.
National Society of High School Scholars Award, Thomas Wirbicki; Penn State-Greater Allegheny Campus Chancellor's Awards, Rachel Grasso, Rayanda Jackson, Mark Kopaczynski, Sarah Wiesenbach; Penn State-New Kensington Campus Chancellor's Awards, Frank Caputo, Gabrielle Van Horn; Penn State-New Kensington Campus Blue & White Scholarship, Dustin Czyzewski, Joshua Nosbisch.
Pitcairn Elementary FTO Scholarship, Madison Castagnero; Pitcairn Lions Club Scholarship, Madison Castagnero; Ramsey Elementary PTO Scholarship, April Rombout; Richard Siegel Memorial Scholarship, Stephanie Martin; Robert D. Douds Award for Social Activism, Aleksandra Pomiecko; Teen Oasis Starfish Service Award, Cara Shaffer.
Tilbrook Award, Todd Slobodynak; U.S. Air Force Science Awards, Matthew Lipner, Vikram Rajkumar; University Park Elementary PTO Scholarship, Ryan Kandrack; Weiss-Felsenthal Family Scholarship, Douglas Biel; Westinghouse Family Scholarships, Adrian Fontes, Matthew Lipner.
Gateway High School Community Service Awards:
Presidents Volunteer Service Awards (100 or more service hours in senior year), Madison Castagnero, Todd Slobodynak; Gateway Service Awards (50 or more service hours), Allison Burgess, Madison Castagnero, Wayne Chiang, Elizabeth Costello, Andrew Estok, Elisa Falvo, Adam Felton, Angela Kinnunen, Joe Kromka, Matthew Lipner, Samantha Mabe, Caitlin McDonald, Shequaya Mitchell, Caitlin Murtha, Steven Paccio, Ranjeet Pandey, Lina Park, Alexsandra Pomiecko, Cara Shaffer, Todd Slobodynak, Lori Stover, Christine Thompson, Jakub Toman, Mica Winchester.
President's Education Awards, Gold Recipients: Anthony Barone, Douglas Biel, Natalie Biondo, Marisa Brady, Allison Burgess, Madison Castagnero, Michael Castiglione, Brittany Chelkis, Wayne Chiang, Christopher Chough, Michael Cimba, Casey Connelly, Elizabeth Costello, Andrew Coulter, Nicholas Davic, Margo Davis, Megan DeWitt, Caitlin Dunn.
Natalie Episcopo, Anne Fallon, Elisa Falvo, Karyn Drombosky, Adam Felton, Adrian Fontes, Michael Garfolo, Megan Graham, Rachael Grasso, Adam Hoffman, Lindsey Houser, Joseph Hudec, Andrew Imblum, Ga-Lim Kim, Mark Kopaczynski, Joseph Kromka, Brooke Kuehn, Kimberly Lesterick, Benjamin Levine, Matthew Lippner.
Erica List, Nicholas Lubic, Raquel Ludinich, Samantha Mabe, Edward MacNurchy, Shannon Markewinski, Stephanie Martin, Sean McMasters, Elizabeth Parker, Sarah Parker, Mayank Patel, Daniel Petersen, Nicholas Plate, Rebekah Poklema, Aleksandra Pomiecko, Elizabeth Pungitore, Christina Radzevick, Kelly Rerko.
April Rombout, Nathaniel Rosko, Rohan Shah, Lisa Sprowls, Lori Stover, Kristen Swaney, Christine Thompson, Jakub Toman, Vikram Rajkumar, Lauren Wagener, Seth Wermager, Sean Wilson, Mica Winchester.
President's Education Awards, Silver Recipients: Kayla Byrne, Patrick Howell, Britta Krentz, Amanda Krystek, Alex Mazon, Kaitlin McDevitt, Faith Miller, Brandon Sherry, Ashley Steele.

Gateway Students Win In Monroeville Art Show

Congratulations to the winning participants of the Monroeville Art Show. Elaine Sung was awarded 1st place, Bria Williams 2nd place and Best of Show, and Brian Carey, Joy Nosbisch and Max Merola were awarded Honorable Mentions. All of the art is on display outside of the auditorium lobby. Please stop and take a look.

GMS French Students Earn Top Medals for Le Grand Concours

Seven Gateway Middle School students earned top rankings in Le Grand Concours (The National French Exam) by competing against 100,000 national competitors. Placing Nationally were Dilafruz Khakimora, 4th place; Jessica Coulter, 5th place; Anny Park, 7th Place; and Meryl Gottlieb, Sara Mascaro, Tarun Guhanand, and Dallas Newcomb, 8th Place. Faculty sponsor for the test was Susan Poljak.

Le Grand Concours is an annual competition sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. Students of French in grades 1-12, in all 50 states and abroad, compete against each other for prizes. Students take a written test and compete against students with similar educational background for prizes including certificates, medals, books, DVDs, trips, and scholarships. Pictured (from left) are the Gateway Middle School National French Exam winners who placed in the top 10 nationally: Dilafruz Khakimora, Anny Park, Meryl Gottlieb, Sara Mascaro, Jessica Coulter, Tarn Guhanand, and Dallas Newcomb.

Gateway 8th Grader Ranks First in Poetry

Dilafruz Khakimova took First Place honors in the Eastern Suburbs Special Programs Association (ESSPA) Poetry Contest for middle school students. The competition was hosted by Highlands School District this year and was a mail-in competition between eastern area schools. The title of the winning poem was, “The Story of the Unforgotten.” Faculty sponsor for the contest was Jodi Piacenti.

Middle School Spanish Students Earn Medals on National Exam

Five Gateway Middle School students earned top medals after taking the National Spanish Exam. Earning Silver Medal certificates were Chavana Swaminathan (88th percentile) and Joshua David (85th percentile). Earning Bronze medal certificates were Karlaysia Callaway (82nd percentile), Regina Nefjodova (83rd percentile), and Christine Ritter (82nd percentile). Faculty sponsor for the test was Susan Poljak.

The National Spanish Examination is an online, standardized assessment tool given by over 3000 teachers throughout the United States to measure proficiency and achievement of students who are studying Spanish as a second language. The National Spanish Examination is the most widely used test of Spanish in the United States.

GHS Band Names

Drum Majors Selected to Head Gateway Marching Band

As the school year begins its official wrap up, the Gateway High School Marching Band is already getting in step for next season. The Marching Band begun its process by selecting next year's leaders, Drum Majors Nick Diana, Dan Romagno, and Mike Murray, who will all be seniors next year. The band will once again be under the direction of Mr. Robert Read who is hoping to march a total of 120 including Color Guard."Our big performances this year will be the Bands of America Regional Championships in Massillon, Ohio - and the Grand National Championships in the new Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana," said Read. "The National Championships will take place November 12 - 16, 2008. There will be 140 bands at the Grand National Championships this coming year, so it is going to be very competitive."The Gateway Marching Band will also be hosting a band contest on Saturday, September 20, 2008, as well as hosting the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Championships on Saturday, October 25, 2008. There will be approximately 24 bands in the Championship show.

Gateway to Receive Awards for Student Efforts for Susan G. Komen Foundation

Teams from both Gateway Middle School and Gateway High School will be participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Mothers' Day (May 11, 2008) at Schenley Park in Pittsburgh. Gateway will be honored at the event by McDonald's with the School Challenge Award. Awards will be presented on the main stage at 10 a.m. Recognition will be given to one of our students for his work in organizing, "Dance for the Cure," and the High School will be recognized for its ongoing commitment to the Komen.

Ramsey Elem's Samantha Memije is W-I-N-N-E-R of Spelling Bee

I had the privilege of watching 60 or so children compete in the Gateway Spelling Bee last night, and Samantha Memije, from Ramsey Elementary, squeaked by Noaha Rose to win the competition. The top spellers from every third and fourth grade classroom in the district were present for the competition, competing for the top spelling title. The two hour event continued through approximately 9 rounds until only Samantha and Noaha remained. When Noah made a mistake on 'souvenir' (I didn't know how to spell it either, despite 21 years of education), Samantha was able to correctly spell it, along with "recommendation" (as I recall) for the win. Congratulations go to Samantha, and Noaha, and all the spellers.
As an interesting note to me, the Final Five in the competition was an interesting cross-section of the district. On the stage at that point, after about 7 rounds, stood an Indian male, Spanish female, Caucasian male, Black male, and a Caucasian female. I'd challenge some of our surrounding districts to demonstrate such depth of diversity in their academic achievers.

Children participating in the event included:
RAMSEY ELEMENTARY: Chad Brennan, Matthew Coulter, Rebecca Dawson, Luke Haley, Kaden Jobe, Kayla Johnson, Maureen Kirkpatrick, Michael Klopicki, Nancy Levin, Juliet Lomeo, Ryan Mahokey, Samantha Memije, Payton Otterman, Nolan Seifert, Audrey Wohlfarth, and Mitchell Wohlfarth.
UNIVERSITY PARK: Mark Blubaugh, Michael Connelly, Hannah Frost, Jessica Guido, Jake Haberle, Anabella Lassiter, Kevin Marston, Abby Mayhue, Savannah Mynahan, Maria Olive, Rachel Perconte, and Jason Sarar.
EVERGREEN ELEMENTARY: Clara Bailey, Adam Clark, Ross Diggs, Clarisa Espinoza, Nick Falvo, Dominic Fultz, Breanna Funaro, Sidney Hillwig, Joel Miller, Darus Ramavarapu, Kelsey Schaller, Arvind Swaminathan, Ryan Taylor and Adam White.
MOSS SIDE ELEMENTARY: Phillip Allerton, Kyrie Bernardl, Jaquuan Brisker, Matthew Conley, Abigail Fabrizi, Cassondra Hanna, Max Herman, Zachary Isett, Michael Kim, Noah Liang, Destiny Owens, Joaha Rose, Anthony Scalise, and Anu Timple.
PITCAIRN ELEMENTARY: Holly Bihary, Rachel Borst, James Bradley, Kara Burke, Zach Burkey, Tiffany Cronin and Kayla Stallworth.

Gateway Students Score Big Wins at Pittsburgh Science Fair

Luis Espinoza-Delgado, a student at Gateway Middle School, received 1st place in the Earth/Space/Environmental Intermediate Division of the Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair held at Heinz Field. Gateway High School student, Rebecca Stabile, won Honorable Mention during the Fair and received a sponsor award from IBM, a $20,000 scholarship to Point Park University and a full scholarship to the Pre-college Advanced Placement Program at Carnegie-Mellon University this summer. Her category was the Senior Physics Division, and her project was entitled, “On Optics as a Grand Unified Theory and Source of Quantum Gravity.” Also earning awards at the Fair were Middle School students, Ben Weiner, who received a Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Scientific Method as part of the Intermediate Division; and Evan Meindl, who received an affiliate award in the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services Division. Other students selected for attendance included Jessica Coulter and

Ramsey Elem Teacher Named Finalist for PA Teacher of the Year

Stephanie Ruby, a special education teacher at Ramsey Elementary School, has been named one of only twelve finalists for the 2009 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year. Ruby, who has worked for Gateway School District since 2001, will now move onto the final round of competition. A winner will be declared in October 2008. According to the National State Teacher of the Year Organization (NSTOY), which sponsors the award, the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year must be articulate with strong verbal and communication skills. The Teacher of the Year Selection Committee will meet at the Department of Education to review and score each finalist. Finalists will be honored on October 5, 2008 at the Annual Pennsylvania Teacher Forum and Teacher of the Year Ceremony to be conducted in Harrisburg. Ruby holds her Masters in Education from the University of Pittsburgh and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Duquesne University. She also earned board certification in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis from the Pennsylvania State University.

Gateway Latin Students Sweep Medals in 2008 National Latin Exam

Gold and silver medals were the hallmark of the day, when 72 Gateway High School and Gateway Middle School Latin students scored at award winning levels on the 2008 Latin Exam. Twenty Two students won gold medals indicative of high achievement in Latin, with Nicole Marrow, scoring a perfect paper.The National Latin Exam is a competitive national academic test given in March of every year to measure achievement in Latin. The exam consists of 40 multiple choice questions on Latin grammar, vocabulary, derivatives, culture, mythology, and history. High performance on the exam is a measure of achievement recognized by colleges and universities throughout the nation.

Students winning Latin Awards are: Gold Medal (Summa Cum Laude): Nicole Marrow (perfect paper), Abhinav Kalavar, , Hnnah Dixon, Michael Kelly, Marissa Gogniat, Kunal Shah, Hayley Fedorek, Kelly McMasters, Brian Wallace, Kelly Guerrieri, Apeksha Vora, Joshua Phillips, Hannah Peters, Paul Halapin, Audrey Chiao, Avionna Baldwin, Michael Castiglione, Arah Cho, Elaine Sung, Shannon Lambert, Ashely Vojtek, and Jessica Cole. Silver Medal (Maxima Cum Laude): Grigoriy Mishkov, Thomas Randall, Brandon Kandrack, Saniya Sabnis, Tim Connolly, Shalini Shah, Awaiz Khan, Michael Obusek, Jessica Haley, Kim Miller, Yatindra Patel, Shivani Patel, Smtoj Singh, Elyse Horomanski, Chris Urban, Rebecca Stabile, Jim Castiglione, Kelly Miller, Jessica Giles, Stuart Herrmann, Robert Anderson, Eric Lopiccolo, Samir Kalavar, Tyler Hart, Stephen Liu, Lisa Cross, Nathan Phillips, Sophia Erb, Marissa Getty, Ryan Walters, and Ashley Giles. Magna Cum Laude: Jesse DeFazio, Christina Pendice, Zach Tolbart, Daniel English, Lori Stover, Andrew Coulter, Andrew Imblum, Will English, Ryan Donnelly, Daniel Wightkin, and Megan Geiselhart. Cum Laude: Deepshikha Sharma, Matt Lipner, Ryan Kandrack, Katie Myser, Beth Parker, Aaron Eixenberg, Ryan Gongloff, and Alicia Baughman

GHS Students Raise Funds for Charitable Local Projects

Gateway High School's sports marketing classes will hold events aimed at raising money for charities during volleyball, baseball and softball games next week. Proceeds will benefit Autism Speaks, Cody Moy Foundation, Pitcairn Food Pantry and Plum house explosion victims.
The events are:
• Raffles, contests and prizes during the boys volleyball game against Norwin at 7 p.m. next Tuesday, which will be followed by a volleyball game pitting seniors against juniors.
Tuesday also will be Chick-Fil-A Night at the Gateway sports complex.
• A raffle with gift certificates donated by Monroeville businesses as prizes during the baseball game against Central Catholic at 7 p.m. next Wednesday. The game is critical for playoff positioning.
• Tailgate party sponsored by Moe's Southwest Grill and others at 6 p.m., leading up to the softball game against Kiski Area at 7 p.m. Both teams are atop section standings. There will be a variety of fan activities and gift certificates as prizes.

May 14 - Evergreen Elementary Students Charity Talent Show !

Oprah’s Angel Network & Free the Children formed O Ambassadors- a program that inspires young people to become active, compassionate, & knowledgeable citizens. They called on great teachers like Janet Niethamer at Evergreen to apply & form clubs! Children for Change, is a group of Evergreen students who are making a difference in the world! Yes, kids can make a difference! They're hosting a Talent Show! The show will be Wednesday, May 14th 2008 at 6:30pm at Gateway High School’s Auditorium. You must come see talented Evergreen students sing, dance, jump, jam & play! Admission is $5. There may be a surprise guest star appearance! No confirmation as of the publication of this she's workin’ on it! See ya’ at the show!

The Ambassadors meet often to learn about poverty, education, health, & sustainable development. CfC’s job is to raise awareness of these challenges & raise money to help. The Ambassadors made posters on effects of poverty that were hung around the school to teach others. CfC raised $717 by having a bookmark sale in December & a Valentine Candy-Gram sale in February! They will sell freeze-pops the last week of April & in May, host a Talent Show! They are hopeful these events will raise a lot of money to help our assigned region, South Asia!
CfC has also helps local people in need! In January they held a food drive, which collected about 600 pounds of food for the Garden City Food Bank of Garden City United Methodist Church! At the end of March, they held a Clothing Collection! Bags and bags and bags kept pouring in for the Clothes Closet of Monroeville Community Church! Awesome!
I thank you, Evergreen families, for making your generous contributions! I thank you, Ms. Niethamer and the CfC Ambassadors, for your work and compassion!

Gateway Students Named Outstanding Young Citzens

This year Gateway School District had two students named as the Trib Total Media's Outstanding Young Citizens. Zakera Barnes and Stuart Herrmann were among 50 Pittsburgh area students selected for this honorable aware. Their photographs and brief biographies appeared in a special section in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review last Sunday, April 13th. Of the 50 selected students, 10 were chosen by a panel of judges to receive Gold Medals. Academics, community service, and extracurricular activities were common threads for these shining citizens. April 17th, during a banquet at the Churchill Country Club, both Zakera and Stuart received the Gold Medal. Gateway School District has much to be proud of in these Outstanding Young Citizens.

GHS Student Receives Girl Scout's Americanism Award

Vanessa Gerber, of Senior Girl Scout Troop 771 at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Monroeville, received an Americanism Award at the 11th annual Youth Achievement Dinner, held at Soldiers & Sailors Military Museum and Memorial in Oakland. The award, which was presented by Mary Connell, former American Legion Auxiliary president, recognizes scholarship and community service that leads to the Girl Scout Gold Award. For her Gold Award, Gerber worked with East Suburban Citizen Advocacy to introduce other teens to the idea of advocating for people with disabilities. She has volunteered with East Suburban Citizen Advocacy for eight years.

GMS Students Selected for Regional Math Competition

Six students were selected for a team that will represent Gateway Middle School at the MathCounts Pittsburgh Regional Competition at Robert Morris University.
On the team are Bhavana Swaminathan (captain), Lisa Choss, Jordan Doman, Sam Becker, Yume Choi and Elaine Sung, who were selected from among the 40 students in the school's Math Club.
The team members, who had the highest scores in the school's MathCounts competition in December, will compete against 190 other students in the regional event. Faculty adviser for the event is Janice Stricko.

GHS Junior Spearheads 4/11/08 Charity Event For Local Children

Elaina Laughlin, a Gateway High School student, will host a Dance for Life charity event on April 11, at Monroeville Sports Center to benefit two charities that will help two special little girls.
People of all ages are welcome, and the cost of admission is $10 per person.
The night will also consist of entertainment by DJ Natro, arts and crafts, massages, caricatures, balloon art and more.
Laughlin organized the fundraiser because she wanted to help two girls she teaches at Ken and Jean's Dance Studio in North Versailles.
The girls, Quinn Anlauf, 8, of North Huntingdon and Sierra Barbarino, 5, of North Versailles, have serious medical conditions, and Laughlin said she wanted to help out.

Check out the full article in the Times-Express at http://www.yourmonroeville.com/timesexpress/article/gateway-student-sponsors-special-benefit

Wow ! 50 GHS Students Inducted to National Honor Society !

During a candlelight ceremony, 50 Gateway High School students were officially inducted into the National Honor Society (NHS) for 2008. The hour-long program was coordinated by Gateway High School NHS Co-Sponsor, Mark Spinola and Jeffrey Biros. NHS Officers Edward MacMurchy (President), Lori Stover (Secretary), Andrew Coulter (Vice-President : YEA !), and Sean McMasters (Treasurer) presented the four standards of NHS: Service, Scholarship, Leadership, and Character. Featured speaker, Gateway Superintendent, Dr. Cleveland Steward, Jr., also offered a passionate speech about how students should embrace the standards set forth by NHS and the high expectations involved with being inducted into such a prestigious organization. Taking the NHS pledge and receiving their official NHS pins were: Avionna Baldwin, Douglas Biel, Bethany Bloise, Jennifer Broderick, Cassandra Buxter, Nicoletta Ciampa, Danielle Cole, Nicholas Davic, Joseph DeFazio, Nicholas Farina, Brianne Garness, Eric Geiselhart, Jessica Giles, Susan Gogniat, Brandon Gorski, Rachael Grasso, Stuart Herrmann, Bruce Howard, Amber Jackson, Karen Johnson, Hannah Kendig, Katherine Kromka, Alyssa Kuzins, Hyunna Lee, Benjamin Levine, Kevin Lenart, Natalie Lomeo, Matthew MacMurchy, Abigail Manning, Megan Mastalski, Kelly Miller, Ashley Owoc, Cassandra Palmer, Ceara Parks, Dana Pascoe, Eric Pelkey, Meaghan Polnar, Anika Rose, Brian Ross, John Sarandis, Jaclyn Seward, Amy Svoboda, Kristen Swaney, Laura Thorn, Lauren Vitt, Lauren Wagener, Ashley Whalen, Mica Winchester, Rachel Yarros, and Christine Yeh.

2008-2009 School Calendar Posted

The Gateway Board of School Directors at their Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Regular School Board Meeting approved the 2008-09 School Calendar.

The calendar can also be located by visiting the Gateway School District's web site at www.gatewayk12.org and clicking on the calendar link located on the home page.

Gateway Gator Baseball Team Plays at PNC Park

The Gateway Gator Baseball Team will be playing at PNC Park on Friday, April 18, 2008 at 3 p.m. against Connellsville. Admission to the game is free.

Gateway Marching Band to Host Three Rivers Championships

The Gateway High School Marching Band is hosting the Three Rivers Winter Ensemble Association (TRWEA) Championships on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 1 p.m. in the Antimarino High School Stadium. The show features over 40 units (majorettes, percussion, color guard) from area middle schools and high schools. "This is a very prestigious band event, and I'm honored we have the opportunity to showcase our facilities and hospitality here at Gateway," said Robert Read, Band Director.Tickets can be purchased at the door.

Gateway High School's Junior Class Walks Against Domestic Violence

Gateway High School's (GHS) Junior Class Council is sponsoring a 5K Walk against Domestic Violence at Boyce Park Cub Pavilion #1 on May 4, 2008 starting at 10 a.m. Proceeds will benefit the GHS Junior Class Council and the Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh (domestic violence). Registration is $20. Those who register by April 15, 2008 will receive a free t-shirt. Refreshments will be provided and there will be a self-defense demonstration immediately following the walk. T-shirt pick up will be May 1- 2, 2008 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. outside Gateway High School's main office. Registration forms are now available at the Gateway High School main office, located at 3000 Gateway Campus Boulevard in Monroeville

University Park's Family Fun Night Set 4/4/08

The University Park Elementary School PTO will host its Family Fun Night tonight, Friday, April 4, 2008 at Gateway Middle School in the Cafeteria from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Community businesses and individuals have generously donated many items that will be raffled off this evening. Over 30 gift baskets and other prizes will be available.
The event is open to University Park students, parents, and guardians.
Please mark your calendar and plan to attend this wonderful event.

Students Experience Civil War Artifacts at Ramsey Elementary

As part of a Civil War unit, Ramsey 4th grade teacher, Brian Werner, and Penn State student teacher, Sarah Crider, inspired students to create a Civil War Museum. Compliments of Crider’s father-in-law, students were able to see and touch items from the Civil War era including shells, uniforms, canon balls, a newspaper, canteens, lanterns, and currency. All 4th grade classes were given a chance to tour the museum to enhance their learning process and experience the Civil War up close.

More Colleges Visit GHS Juniors

Attention Juniors, there will be representatives from West Virginia University and the Art Institute of Pittsburgh visiting within the next two weeks to discuss their various programs. If your student is interested in attending, please have him/her sign up in the Guidance Office.

There will be student representatives from the University of Pittsburgh at Gateway High School on Friday, April 4th at 9:00 am to discuss student life at Pitt. Any Senior planning on attending the University of Pittsburgh next year should plan to attend. If your student is interested in attending, please have him/her sign up in the Guidance Office.

MMS Students Discover Importance of Individual in Society

Sixth graders at Moss Side Middle School know what it's like to be stranded on a deserted island. Used as an interdisciplinary unit to help develop students' problem solving skills through various activities, the faux island community of Terra was created. Students were shown a video demonstrating what it is like to be stranded on an uninhabited island with no conventional way of gathering food, getting water, or finding shelter.Students were given a series of activities that allowed them to create the environment in which they wished to live in, create laws to govern their community by, select appropriate housing units, etc. The goal of Terra is to strengthen students' critical thinking skills so they can learn to become productive citizens. Students reported that they learned the importance of every member of a society can make a difference.As a culminating activity, various guest speakers were invited to Moss Side Middle School to speak about various real-life elements that impact communities like Terra. Speakers, and their area of expertise, included: Monroeville Police Chief George Polnar (law enforcement), Cheryl Richards (engineering), Jay Winter (geology and wet lands), Jim Lazor (information technology), School Director Joseph Wightkin (bee keeping), Pitcairn Mayor Betsy Stevick (local government), Monroeville Chamber President Chad Amond (economic development), Debbie Balcik (nursing), Rabbi Ron Symons (worship), School Director Tom Wilson (community volunteering), Pam Washington (flight attendant), School Director James Rosipal (law enforcement), School Director William Bailey (math education), Senator Sean Logan (government), and Christy Fusco (information retention, organization and retrieval). Moss Side Middle School FTO (Faculty Teacher Organization) provided financial support for the Terra program. Coordinating teacher for the event was Rebecca Smillie with assistance from the 6th grade teaching team including Jermaine Bracy, Susan Emery, Caryn Fleming, Carmelita Gigliotti, Lisa Kuster, Joy Mattis, Carla Moio, Jamie Molitierno, Maria Ripper-Dulemba, Susan Seigh, , and Kerry Yacamelli.

Pittsburgh Symphony benefits Gateway Foundation

The Gateway Foundation is proud to announce its new Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) Community Partnership. This exceptional pairing links our Foundation with one of Pittsburgh's premier performing arts organizations, and opens the door to helping our Foundation raise funds that will ultimately benefit the students in the Gateway school system. Through several Gateway Foundation initiatives, including the very successful mini-grant program, teachers and students are able to receive funding for many worthwhile educational projects that help expand our students' minds and abilities.

On Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 8 p.m., the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will host its 5th Annual Community Partners Concert. This year, the PSO will perform, under the direction of Associate Conductor, Lawrence Loh a mini concert featuring the 2008 Sphinx Competition winner, violinist extraodrinare, Danielle Belen Nesmith. The second half of this exciting evening will feature Grammy Award winning entertainer, Issac Hayes, who will perform with the PSO. To purchase tickets on behalf of The Gateway Foundation, call the Heinz Hall box office at 1-800-742-8560 or order tickets online at www.pittsburghsymphony.org. When making your ticket purchase, please indicate you would like the proceeds to benefit The Gateway Foundation partner #6654

GHS Teacher Receives Apple Award from NSTOY

Shawn Whelan, a social studies teacher at Gateway High School, has received the Apple Award from the National State Teachers of the Year Pennsylvania Chapter (NSTOY-PA).** *The NSTOY-PA Apple Award program is intended to recognize teachers outside of the NSTOY-PA organization for their teaching excellence.
"Shawn is a great teacher who challenges his students with engaging lessons," said Gateway colleague Mark Wallace. "In addition, he sponsors a very active Interact Club that plans and conducts many service projects. These projects range from feeding the homeless in Pittsburgh to benefit concerts to a huge "Walk for Autism" research."

Gateway Band Members Selected For Honors

At the PMEA (Pennsylvania Music Educators Association) Region Band event, held at Belle Vernon High School on February 20 - 22, the following Gateway High School music students auditioned and finished at the top of their section to be selected for the PMEA STATE BAND: Michael Murray, Alto Saxophone; Ethan Wightkin, Trumpet; Daniel Romagno, French Horn. Guest Conductor for the Region Band was Dr. Dennis Fisher from the University of North Texas.
The following Gateway High School music students participated in the PMEA District Band: Erika Eichenmiller, Flute; Ashley Owoc, Clarinet; Averie Shaughnessy, Clarinet; Karen Drombosky, Oboe; Michael Murray, Alto Saxophone; Bernie Metro, Bass Clarinet; Ethan Wightkin, Trumpet; Daniel Romagno, French Horn; Mark Solomon, Euphonium; Chris Hartnett, Euphonium; Jordan Rininger, Trombone.
At District Band, the following students auditioned and finished at the top of their section to be selected to participate in Region Band: Karyn Drombosky, Oboe; Michael Murray, Alto Saxophone; Ethan Wightkin, Trumpet; Daniel Romagno, French Horn; Jordan Rininger, Trombone; Chris Hartnett, Euphonium.
PMEA JUNIOR BAND. The following students participated in the PMEA Junior High District Band held at Plum High School: Nicole Marrow, Bassoon; Allison Brown, Bassoon; Lauren Abel, Flute; and Emily Kinnunen, French Horn.
PMEA HONORS JAZZ BAND. The following students will be participating in the PMEA Honors Jazz Band: Ethan Wightkin, Trumpet; Sean McMasters, Guitar; Nick Diana, Bass; and Jordan Rininger, Trombone.

GHS Robotics Team Heads To U.Pitt. Competition

A team of 10 Gateway High School students and two teachers has been working for two months on a robot that will compete in the First Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition, which will be held at University of Pittsburgh's Petersen Events Center from March 13 to 15.
Dubbing their team "Quasics," the students, led by co-captains Katia Paramonova and Becky Stabile, have spent many days after school, huddled in the science room, where they worked on programming, melding, sawing and improvising to get their robot done.
In the competition, teams will line up their robots outside a carpeted, 27-foot-by-54-foot, race-track-shaped field on which their robots will need to cross a finish line.
At the center of the track, suspended more than 6 feet above the floor, will be an "overpass" holding four 40-inch-diameter "track balls."
The robots must not only cross the finish line, but move the balls along with them.
If a robot can pick up a ball and raise it above the overpass before passing the finish line, the team gets bonus points.
The robots also will earn bonus points if they take the balls off the overpass before the race begins and if they place them back on the overpass when it ends.
"I thought it was a good opportunity," said Ed Senor, physics and chemistry teacher, about the robotics project.
"And we didn't want to sleep for ... a few weeks."
Though the teachers have been helping out, they have kept the project as student-focused as possible and have tried to work in more of an advisory role.
That means the students had to select from approximately $4,000 worth of gadgets they got from the program -- which include plywood, elastic bands, motors, Styrofoam and car batteries, among others -- to build their robot and get it to work. The robot grew from what amounted to plywood on wheels to a person-sized machine that looks almost like a catapult. The robot has an arm that can extend to the ground, slide beneath a ball and hold the ball.
Robotics is something that has fascinated 14-year-old Christian Richardson, a member of the team, from an early age.
"I took apart a telephone when I was 4. I think that's what sparked it," said Christian. "I wanted to know how things worked."
Nick Grieco, 16, got in-volved with them team after his teacher showed him a video of a robotics competition online. Nick programmed the team's robot and hooked up its sensors.
"I just wanted to see an epic win," said Nick, when asked why he got involved in the project. The students have their own Web site, designed by senior Anirudh Channarasappa, that can be viewed at http://www.quasics.com/.
The students received sponsorship for the robotics project from Adara Tech.
The competition in March is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, Heinz Endowments, Pittsburgh Technology Council and Catalyst Connection. (source: Monroeville Times Express)

Gateway Students at MMS Win First Stage of National Geographic Bee

The winner of the Moss Side Middle School's National Geographic Bee was Jared Ranallo, Grade 6. The runner-up was Jeremiah Osibodu. Ranallo qualified to move to the state level competition.The National Geographic Bee occurs in three stages, beginning at the school level. Schools that register for the Bee receive materials to hold their competitions. Each school winner takes a written test, and the top hundred scorers in each state and territory compete at the state level. The 55 state and territory winners meet at National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., for the national competition

Gateway Students from MMS Advance to Regional Finals of Spelling Bee

The winner of the Moss Side Middle School Scripps Howard Spelling Bee was Danielle Kochka, Grade 6. The words that put Kochka over the top were" zenith" and "hazard." She will be competing in the Scripps Howard Spelling Bee Regional finals at the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland. The runner-up for the Spelling Bee was Alap Kichambare, Grade 6.

MathCounts Winners from GMS Math Club go to Regionals

Six students were selected to be part of the student team that will represent Gateway Middle School at the MathCounts Pittsburgh Regional Competition at Robert Morris University. Students earning a spot on the team are Bhavana Swaminathan (captain), Lisa Choss, Jordan Doman, Sam Becker, Yume Choi, and Elaine Sung. The students were selected out of 40 students in the Gateway Middle School Math Club. They earned the highest scores in the MathCounts school competition held in December. The students will compete against 190 other students from across Western Pennsylvania at Regionals. Faculty advisor for the event is Janice Stricko

GHS Hosts Bolivian Students - a U.S. First.

Twelve Bolivian students ages 15 to 17 got a chance to tour parts of the United States, with Gateway High School among the stops. The trip was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs.
The goal of the program was to have a cultural exchange between Bolivian and U.S. teens, said Jeanne Cooper of Magee Wom-ancare International, who is working with the State Department on the program. One huge difference was evident to the exchange students the moment they walked into the high school.
"I've never seen schools like this in Bolivia," said Caballen Sanchez, 17, of Santa Cruz.
Cabellan said Bolivian schools usually encompass what would be considered two or three classrooms at Gateway High School.

"I would like that my country would have this high organization and great school system," said Ulloa.
The Bolivian students got to tour Gateway High School with a partner from one of the school's Spanish classes and got to sit in with their partner for seventh- and eighth-period classes.
After the tour, they played soccer at the Gateway sports center and later went to Teen Oasis to play some games and have dinner. Cooper says it's the first time the program has brought students to the United States. Other such programs included adults from Eastern Europe, particularly from states from the former Soviet Union. "They are totally amazing -- their ideas, sense of wonder and willingness to leave their comfort zone," she said. (information from Monroeville Times Express).

GHS Students Receive Prestigious National Merit Finalist

Three National Merit Finalists and seven Commended students have been named for Gateway High School. Seniors Matthew Lipner, Vikram Rajkumar, and Lisa Sprowls all became National Merit Scholarship Finalists. They will now be considered for one of the National Merit $2500 Scholarships. Students were presented with a Certificate of Merit by Gateway High School Assistant Principal Anthony Aquillio.Also name as National Merit Commended Students were Megan Dewitt, Andrew Imblum, Erica List, Edward MacMurchy, Elizabeth Parker, Sarah Parker, and Lori Stover.

To become a Finalist, a Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic recordthroughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal, and earn SATscores that confirm the student’s earlier qualifying test performance. The Semifinalist and a school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s self-descriptive essay and information about the Semifinalist’s participation and leadership in school and community activities.

Evergreen Elementary Students part of Children for Change

22 students at Evergreen Elementary are participating in Children for Change, a program promoted by Oprah Winfrey which inspires children to help the less fortunate in the world through education and activism in areas of hunger, poverty and limited education. Teacher Janet Niethamer initiated the program at Evergreen, and organizes the childrens' efforts. Students at Evergreen have collected food for the Garden City Food Pantry, made posters about poverty to publish in the school, and sold bookmarks they designed to raise funds for their goals. Currently, the class has elected to focus on South Asia as their target, and their fundraising proceeds will go to Free the Children to aid that area. Principal Karen Shiner is excited for her students and Ms. Niethamer. As Ms. Niethamer herself noted of her students' efforts, "They Make me a better person !". (reported in 2/6/08 Monroeville Times-Express)