in-mars-area-summer by IN Community Magazines

SUMMER 2011

ars Area COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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Mars Area

Mars Area | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 3

ars Area SUMMER 2011 Welcome to the SU MMER issue of Mars Area magazine. As I write this, I ’ m thinking back to the time I spent with my family during Easter, and wish that that togetherness could be something shared yearlong. I suppose it’ s the holidays that make family time seem more special, which would mean that the other days of the week are taken for granted. I think that’ s true for most of us. Y ou can’ t treat every s it-down meal like it’ s Easter brunch, not when there are sports practices to drive to, homework assignments and piano lessons. Sometimes the best q uality time we can have as a family is passing the happy meal to the back of the caravan so the kids can eat before they get dropped off yet again. But keep in mind, that before we know it, these summer days will be winding down into fall and we’ ll have misse d the season that’ s best for spending time with our families – outside of holidays. My wish for everyone is to hold onto what’ s dear, and make the most of your summera

I N Mars Area is a non-partisan community publication dedicated to representing, encouraging and promoting the Mars area and its comprising municipalities by focusing on the talents and gifts of the people who live and work here. Our goal is to provide readers with the most informative and professional regional publication in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PUBLISHER

Wayne Dollard M A N AG I N G E D I TO R

Marybeth Jeffries marybeth@incommunitymagazines.com R E G I O N A L E D I TO R

Dana Black-McGrath d.mcgrath@incommunitymagazines.com O F F I C E M A N AG E R

Leo Vighetti leo@incommunitymagazines.com STA F F P H OTO G R A P H E R

Jack Megaw j.megaw@incommunitymagazines.com WRITERS

Jonathan Barnes Kelli McElhinny

Wayne Dollard Pu bli sher

Pamela Palongue

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Cassie Brkich Sharon Cobb Susie Doak

Jan McEvoy Joe Milne Tamara Tylenda

P H OTO G R A P H E R S

Rebecca Bailey Garyyonphotography.com One Way Street Productions A DV E RT I S I N G S A L E S

I n this edition of Mars Area magazine we thought it would be interesting to feature an historic building in the community. A building you might drive by occasionally and never really knew the historical significance. The Mars Station came first to our minds. The train station seems to be the cornerstone of the community, and provides visitors with a lovely view of days gone by. I would encourage you to read about this interesting building on page 26. I know that I have driven by that building numerous times and never realized the rich history behind those walls. As you start formulating your summer plans, I hope you will take time to catch up with what is happening in the community. Enj oy the warmer days ahead and don’ t forget to let us know what is happeninga We are always interested in residents or organizations and what they are doing in the Mars community. Y ou can email me at the magazine, marybeth@ incommunitymagazines.com.

Derek Bayer Brian Daley Gina D’Alicandro Tina Dollard Rose Estes John Gartley Jason Huffman Lori Jeffries Rita Lengvarsky Connie McDaniel Brian McKee

David Mitchell Tamara Myers Gabriel Negri Robert Ojeda Annette Petrone Vincent Sabatini Michael Silvert RJ Vighetti Nikki CapezioWatson

This magazine is carrier route mailed to all district households and businesses. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Copyright 2011. CO RRESPO NDENCE All inquiries, comments and press releases should be directed to: I N Com m unity Magaz ines Attn: Editorial 603 East McMurray Road McMurray, PA 15317 Ph: 724.942.0940 Fax: 724.942.0968

Fall content deadline: 7/10 www.incommunitymagazines.com

Marybeth Jeffries M a n a g i n g E d i tor

Please recycle this magazine when you are through enjoying it.

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Mars Area

Contents Mars Area | SUMMER 2011 |

26 Publisher’s Message

Butler County’s Only Rails-to-Trails Project

Mars Area School District Quarterly Newsletter | 8

The Mars Station

Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival

IN Kids

Real Estate in Mars Area

Older Adults in Mars Area

On the Road to Recovery

Summer Camps

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

How is Infertility Evaluated? By Kerri L. McIntyre, D.O. | 29

ON THE COVER

The Mars Station.

COMMUNITY INTEREST

FEATURE

26 |

30 34

| |

44 |

                            

t’ s common for parents to support their children’ s activities, but Chris Ziegler took her involvement to a whole new level. When Chris’ two sons were seeking Eagle Scout proj ects, they looked no further than their backyard. That’ s because the ButlerFreeport Community Trail runs along the rear of their property. I n j ust six short years, Ziegler went from helping her sons enhance the 20-mile biking and walking trail with new benches, picnic tables and signage to becoming president of the 200-member Butler-Freeport Community Trail Council. I n her role as “ chief volunteer,” Ziegler organizes workdays, initiates new improvements, networks with representatives from other regional trails and acts as the trail’ s welcoming committee. I t’ s easy for her to do because she has a daily presence on the trail, biking 8-12 miles every day. This spring, all maj or construction at the trail is nearly complete. Ziegler estimates that it will be finished by the end of April, right in time for the peak trail season to begin. “ They’ re really close to being done. I t’ s so hard to estimate with contractors and construction and the weather. G etting a definite time pinned down is hard,” she said. “ But we will have a June 4th G rand O pening of sorts for sure. We don’ t know if it will be a trail ride or walk. The details are still forthcoming and people should go to our website for the most up-todate information – www.butlerfreeporttrail.org.” Ziegler said the maj ority of trail users also volunteer their time to help maintain the trail, whether it’ s mowing, landscaping, pruning trees or planting flowers.

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The Butler-Freeport Trail, like many regional biking and hiking trails, is located on an old railroad bed. Ziegler said the trail offers a wide variety of scenic views including the meandering Little Buffalo Creek on the southern end, acres of farmlands near the midpoint and more populated areas as the trail reaches the City of Butler. U sers also can see remnants of the area’ s past. Ruins from Ford Motor Company’ s sand mining operations can still be observed as well as “ G reat Belt,” which at one time was the region’ s highest producing oil well. Closer to Butler, a portion of the trail appears to have been sprinkled by fairy dust, but it’ s actually the remains of V enezuela I ron O re that was spilled when a coal company operated near the site. Ziegler said that people should be aware that there also is some construction between Cabot and Sarver for the installation of sewer lines. The trail is open, but has limited parking in the two areas.

Mars Area

“ That should be done by the end of May,” she said. “ They’ re a mile in, and they have a mile to go.” Ziegler also is ex cited about the possibilities that will ex ist when a new bridge crossing the Allegheny River is completed in 201u. “ When that bridge is finished, our trail will be connected to at least five other regional trails. U sers will be able to go to Pittsburgh and points east as well as north to Erie along the trail network. While our trail is primarily used by Butler County residents right now, it will be a regional asset and attract out-of-town visitors in j ust a few more years,” she said. Ziegler and her enthusiastic group of volunteers have a list of new proj ects they hope to complete in the near future. They’ d like to establish a primitive camping site at the north end of the trail and eventually hold nature programs such as orienteering and tree identification.

     They also hope to create a bike route that links the trail to Butler’ s schools, parks and Pullman Park, home of the Butler BlueSox . Plans also are in the works to connect the trail to Moraine State Park. Community service is a real passion for Ziegler, and she feels strongly that everyone should find a way to improve their communities. “ People should really make a conscious effort to make a difference where they live,” she said. “ I t doesn’ t take a huge amount of time or a long-term commitment to see results. When you give to others, you ultimately give back to yourself.” For more information, go to: www.butlerfreeporttrail.org.

Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 7

M ARS ARE A SCHOOL DI STRI CT 545 Route 228 • Mars, PA 16046 (724) 625-1518

Board of School Directors Kimberly Geyer, P resident J. Dayle Ferguson, Vi ce Pres ident Rebecca B rown Rita Dorsch Gordon Marburger H. Ross McConnell Christian Ola Christine Vereb B onnie L. Weaver

District Information Web site ............................................................ www.marsk12.org The eCommunicator ................................. Subscribe online at www.marsk12.org Mars Area School District -TV .................... Cable Ch. 50; Digital Cable Ch. 209 Community Information Line .................... (724) 625-1581 Sports Information Line .............................. (724) 625-1581

Administration Dr. William Pettigrew ...................................... Superintendent Matthew Friedman ......................... Assistant Superintendent Jill L. Swaney.................................................. B u si n ess M a n a g er Frank Randza..................................... Maintenance Supervisor Jeffrey Bitzer ......................................... Director of Technology Josh Schwoebel.......................... Director of Communications Jane Roth .................................... Transportation Coordinator Scott Heinauer................................................ Athletic Director Liz Peters ..............................Food Service Director, Nutrition Inc.

Mars Ar ea High School Todd Kolson ................................................................ Principal Dale Sleva Jr. ............................................... Assistant Principal

Mars Ar ea Middle School Richard Cornell............................................................ Principal

Mars A rea Centennial School Todd Lape .................................................................... Principal

Mars A rea E lementary School Robert Zaccari.............................................................. Principal

Mars Ar ea Primary Center Dr. Elizabeth McMahon............................................. Principal

O ffice of Special Ed ucation & Pupil Services Dr. Susan Cunnup................... Director of Special Education Deborah Adams ............. Asst. Director of Special Education Anna Saker ....................................... Director of Pupil Services Scott Semow....... School Psychologist, Intermediate Unit IV Richard Glosser....... School Psychologist, Intermediate Unit IV

Mars Area

School Board Approves 2011y2012 School Calendar Mars Area School Board voted 6-2 to approve Mars Area School District’s 2011-2012 School Calendar. The calendar sets the first day of school on Tuesday, Sept. 6. The later start date was selected to accommodate expansion projects at both Mars Area Elementary School and Mars Area Centennial School, said Dr. William Pettigrew, superintendent. Work on the Mars Area Elementary School project began in February and is expected to be completed before the start of the 2011-2012 School Year. The Mars Area Centennial School project will begin this summer and continue through December 2011. New to the School Calendar for 2011-2012 are five prescheduled two-hour delays on Monday, Sept. 26; Tuesday, Oct. 25; Wednesday, Nov. 30; Thursday, March 29; and Friday, April 20. The five days will include structured time to review student achievement data with teachers and staff members and to set a course for enhanced student learning, said Matthew Friedman, assistant superintendent. Mars Area School District is working to improve student achievement through data analysis and continued professional development, he said. The 2011-2012 School Calendar sets Thanksgiving Break from Thursday, Nov. 24, through Monday, Nov. 28, and Winter Break from Monday, Dec. 26, through Monday, Jan. 2, with an Act 80 Day on Friday, Dec. 23. Spring Break will be from Friday, April 6, through Monday, April 9, with an Act 80 Day on Thursday, April 5. And, the last day of school is on Tuesday, June 5, with z ero snow days. (Snow days will made up on June 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11). To view the 2011-2012 School Calendar as approved by Mars Area School Board, visit www.marsk12.org.

Parents Reminded N o Food Permitted on School Buses Mars Area School District has had several reports of students eating food on the District’s school buses. Parents and students are reminded that eating food and open food containers are not permitted on school buses at any time, as some students suffer from severe allergies to certain foods. Students who violate this restriction will be subject to disciplinary action. The District appreciates all parents and students cooperation in this matter. For more information, contact Jane Roth, transportation coordinator, at (724) 625-1507.

Construction crews have b egun to ex cavate the site of Mars Area E lementary School’s two- story, eight- classroom ad d ition, which will b e located at the rear of the b uild ing.The proj ect is ex pected to b e completed prior to the start of the Photo by Josh Schwoebel 2011- 2012 School Y ear.

Work Begins on E lementary School E x pansion Proj ect Construction on a $3.4 million expansion project at Mars Area Elementary School began in March. Crews have excavated the site, installed forms and poured footers for the school’s new eight-classroom wing at the rear of the building, says John Hays, construction manager with Thomas & Williamson Program Management. Work is now continuing on the main structure’s cement block walls. In addition, a temporary partition was erected between the school’s existing cafeteria and its exterior wall, which was removed to allow for a 1,000-square-foot addition, says Hays. All foundations for the cafeteria addition are also completed. The project will also include two more two-story, twoclassroom additions, which will be constructed in separate corners of the school’s interior courtyard. Construction on the courtyard additions will begin immediately following the last day of school and will continue throughout the summer. The project is expected to be completed prior to the start of the 2011-2012 school year. Mars Area Elementary School is currently at capacitywith every available space in use by students and teachers, says Dr. William Pettigrew, superintendent. The school houses more than 700 students in second through fourth grades. For more information, call (724) 625-1518.

Mars Area School District Taxpayer Bill of Rights Notice You are entitled to receive a written explanation of your rights with regard to the assessment, audit, appeal, enforcement, refund and collection of certain School District taxes. The written explanation is titled Mars Area School District Taxpayer Bill of Rights Statement. Upon receiving a request from you, the School District will give a copy of the Disclosure Statement at no charge. You may request a copy in person or by mailing a request to: Mars Area School District; 545 Route 228; Mars, Pa. 16046. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on any weekday other than a holiday. A copy will also be mailed to you if you call the School District at (724) 625-1518. M a r s A r ea School D i str i ct i s a n eq u a l op p or tu n i ty ed u ca ti on i n sti tu ti on a n d wi ll n ot d i scr i m i n a te on the ba si s of r a ce, color , n a ti on a l or i g i n , sex a n d ha n d i ca p i n i ts a cti v i ti es, p r og r a m s or em p loym en t p r a cti ces a s r eq u i r ed by T i tle V I , T i tle I X a n d Secti on 5 0 4 .

d i stri c t n e w

M AFE E Passes Torch to Foundation

Donations/Grant Applications

O rganiz ation Served Mars A rea Com m unity f or MoreT h an 2 5 Y ears After more than 25 years serving Mars Area’s schools and the community, Mars Area Foundation for Educational Excellence (MAFEE) dissolved to make way for Mars Area School District’s newly founded Mars Planet Foundation. “Mars Planet Foundation will pick up where MAFEE left off,” said Bonnie Weaver, former MAFEE member and Mars Planet Foundation board president, noting that MAFEE’s decision to disband was a result of the organiz ation’s dwindling membership. MAFEE has transferred more than $43,000 from its coffers to Mars Planet Foundation. The funding is earmarked to benefit activities that were previously funded by MAFEE such as Mars Area High School’s Academic Excellence Banquet, Mars Area Middle School/Mars Area Centennial School’s Geography Bee, Mars Area Elementary School’s Science Fair and Author Days, Mars Area Primary Center’s Read Across America Celebration and more. Friends and supporters of the Mars Area school system established MAFEE in 1985 with the goal to enhance and enrich the educational opportunities offered to students. The non-profit organiz ation was the first school-based foundation in Pennsylvania, said Ralph Terrell, former MAFEE chairman, noting that the original foundation’s structure was based on similar organiz ations in Ohio. MAFEE was governed by a volunteer board of trustees who met twice a year, operated independently from Mars Area School Board and were responsible for determining guidelines for project funding, selecting targeted projects and dispensing funds. The trustees of the foundation generated financial support for creative activities that inspired teachers and students to expand their educational horiz ons and surpass their own expectations. Through individual grants, the foundation funded enrichment projects and programs in the arts and sciences for students at all grade levels. Grants were made available for research programs or equipment, special materials or teaching aids, said Terrell. Such curriculum-enhancing projects are not in the

Cosmonaut Sergei K rikalev talks with stud ents at Mars Primary Center, d uring a visit to the D istrict in 19 8 9 . The “ Mission to Mars,” which also includ ed a visit from N ASA Astronaut Mario R enco, was organiz ed b y Mars Area F ound ation for E d ucational E x cellence.

District’s operating budget, which is designated for specific needs. Since its inception, MAFEE provided grant funding for a “fine arts” display case and the purchase of a new piano at Mars Area High School; new computers at Mars Area Middle School; and a sound amplification system for Mars Area Primary Center. The foundation also sponsored concerts and other performances including visits from the Duquesne University Tamburitz ans and the Civic Light Opera MiniStars. In 1989, MAFEE organiz ed a visit by Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev and NASA astronaut Mario Renco to the District. The spacemen visited with Mars Area students on what was dubbed their “Mission to Mars.” In 1994, the foundation supported Mars Area Middle School’s participation in the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment Mission. Selected students were able to talk via ham radio with Krikalev and American astronauts during the Space Shuttle Discovery’s STS-60 mission, the first joint Russian-American mission. Mars Planet Foundation will serve in many of the same capacities as MAFEE. As the organiz ation grows, it will continue to provide all Mars Area students with additional educational opportunities that go beyond the classroom. For more information about Mars Planet Foundation or to make a donation, contact Anna Saker, Director of Pupil Services/Grant Writer, at (724) 898-1561, opt. 2.

School N urse E arns E x cellence Award Lynn Fey, school nurse at Mars Area Primary Center and Mars Area Elementary School, received the School Nurse Excellence Award for the Southwest Region of the Pennsylvania Association of School Nurses & Practitioners (PASNAP). Fey was nominated for the award by her peers for her outstanding service to the students and staff members of

Mars Area School District. She was honored at the annual PASNAP awards banquet, held on April 1 at the Radisson in King of Prussia, Pa. As an award-recipient, Fey will be considered to represent Pennsylvania at the 2012 National Association of School Nurses Conference as PASNAP’s School Nurse of the Year. For more information, visit www.pasnap.org.

Mars Planet Foundation is seeking donations that will be used to enhance educational opportunities and supplement classroom learning for all Mars Area students. Donations may be applied in one or more of the following areas: 1. Technology to supplement and enhance technology available to teachers and students; 2. Literacy to provide additional instruction, assistance or materials beyond what would otherwise be available; 3. Scholarships for college-bound Mars Area students; 4. Projects/Programs designed to assist teachers in providing educational opportunities beyond the regular curriculum; 5. Professional/Non-Professional Staff Development beyond what would otherwise be available through the District; or 6. Other Activities that fit within Mars Planet Foundation’s purpose to provide additional educational opportunities for Mars Area students. As Mars Planet Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organiz ation, all individuals, organiz ations or businesses that make a donation will receive a letter acknowledging the contribution as well as tax exemption information. In addition to donations, the Foundation is seeking applications from District teachers, administrators and community members for “Teaching Enrichment Grants” for projects that will enhance student learning in Mars Area’s schools. Applicants are required to submit a detailed budget and project outline along with the educational objectives of the project. ( N ot e: F und i ng w i ll not ap p ly t o t r ans p or t at i on or s ubs t i t ut e t eac h er c os t s . ) The foundation requests that all applications be submitted a minimum of three months in advance to allow sufficient time for consideration. Mars Planet Foundation is dedicated to enriching, enhancing and supporting Mars Area School District’s endeavor in providing a challenging educational experience that maximiz es the learning potential of every student and prepares them to succeed in the 21st Century. The Foundation Board usually meets once a month on Tuesdays. All meetings are open to the public. For more information or to make a donation, contact Anna Saker, Director of Pupil Services/Grant Writer, at (724) 898-1561, opt. 2.

M ars Area eN ewsletter Subscriptions Available Looking for the latest news about Mars Area School Districtp Subscribe to Mars Area School District’s weekly eNewsletter, T h e eC ommuni c at or . The publication, which features District news and information as well as upcoming events and activities, is sent via e-mail at approximately 3 p.m. every Thursday. To subscribe, visit www.marsk12.org.

Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 9

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School activities, fund-raisers aid local charities Students at Mars Area School District strive each year to make a difference in their local community. Through a variety of fund-raisers, charitable contributions and other activities, Mars Area students and staff members continue to work to help those in need. Mars Area High School’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Team, the “Mars Schools Miracle Marchers” held a Pink Point Challenge during the 2010-2011 High School Basketball Season. As part of the fund-raiser, which benefited the 19th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Sunday, May 8, the team sought monetary pledges from local businesses and community members based on points scored by Mars Area High School’s Boys Varsity Basketball Team. Students were also asked to make a pledge of “a penny a point” or to make a flat donation. At Mars Area Middle School, members of the school’s Host & Hospitality , Spirit, Charity and Library committees created valentines that were sent to local veterans through Jane C. Orie’s annual Valentines for Veterans program. The program collects valentines from local schools, groups and organiz ations, then distributes the cards to veterans throughout the community on Valentine’s Day. Donation of books, puz z les, games, sports apparel, hygiene products or DVDs are also accepted. The students crafted cards replete with pink and red

Stud ents make d onations to Mars Area Centennial School’s “ J ammies for J apan” fund - raiser to b enefit the resid ents of J apan who are recovering from the March 11 earthq uake and tsunami. At right, stud ents at Mars Area Mid d le School count change collected through the school’s participation in O live G ard en’s annual “ Pasta for Pennies” fund - raiser to b enefit the W estern Pennsylvania Chapter of the L eukemia & L ymphoma Society. Photos by Josh Schwoebel

Mars Area

Mars Area E lementary School stud ents j ump a long rope in their physical ed ucation classes as part of the school’s annual “ J ump R ope for Heart” fund - raiser to b enefit the American Heart Association. Below, a Mars Area Mid d le School stud ent crafts valentines for Sen. J ane C. O rie’s Valentine for Veterans program.

hearts as well as Valentine’s Day messages and limericks. In addition, members of the school’s Spirit Committee held a Valentine Exchange during all lunches Feb. 7-10. The committee sold pre-made valentines to benefit the Valentines for Veterans program. Mars Area Middle School students collected $4,067.65 to benefit the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through the school’s participation in The Olive Garden’s 17th annual “Pasta for Pennies” fund-raiser, held Feb. 22-25. During the fund-raiser, students were asked to collect spare change, which was counted in the students’ mathematics classes on Feb. 25. Students in Melissa Ola’s fourth period mathematics class collected the most money, earning a pasta party courtesy of Olive Garden in Cranberry Township. Ola’s eighth period class raised the second highest amount and will be treated to a piz z a luncheon. At Mars Area Centennial School, students collected $3,286.65 through the school’s annual “Pennies for Patients” fund-raiser to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, held Feb. 22-25. During the fund-raiser, students were asked to collect spare change, which was weighed on Feb. 25. Students in Katelyn Derringer’s fifth grade class and Megan Balawejder’s sixth grade classroom collected the first and second heaviest amounts of money, respectively, earning a healthy snack. Mars Area Centennial School students also collected $2,673.41 through the school’s “Jammies for Japan” fund-raiser on March 25 to benefit the residents of Japan who are recovering from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

The idea for the fund-raiser came from sixth-graders Abby Gloninger and Nicole Lally, who last year participated in a similar drive to benefit Haiti and wanted to do something to help the Japanese people. As part of the fund-raiser, students were asked to make a donation in return for an opportunity to wear pajamas to school on March 25. The donations were sent directly to Japan through Brother’s Brother Foundation, a Pittsburgh-based international aid organiz ation. In addition, Mars Area Centennial School held a “Souper Bowl” Food Drive, March 31-Feb. 4, to benefit The Lighthouse Foundation food bank in Middlesex Township. Mars Area Elementary School’s “Mars Stars” Jump Rope Team raised $16,407 to benefit the American Heart Association as part of the school’s annual Jump Rope for Heart fund-raiser, held Feb. 22-25. As part of the fund-raiser, students in second through fourth grades were asked to collect pledges for the number of times they jump a rope in their physical education classes. “Mars Stars” Jump Rope Team has been the top Jump Rope for Heart fund-raiser in Butler County for the past 19 years. Mars Area Primary Center students raised $901.05 as part of the school’s “A Quest for a Million Pennies” fundraiser to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The fund-raiser, held March 14-18, asked students to donate spare change to aid the hospital in reaching its goal of raising one million pennies. Students and staff members at all of Mars Area’s school buildings are committed to serving the community and doing what they can to help those in need. For more information about upcoming charitable events or activities, contact the individual school building.

h a t’ s h a ppe n i n g

Schools to Hold Concerts in May Mars Area School District will offer a variety of spring concerts in May. Performances will include: Monday, May 9 — High School Band & Orchestra Concert, 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 10— High School Chorus & Middle School Eighth Grade Chorus Concert, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 11 — Middle School Wind Ensemble, Orchestra & Seventh Grade Chorus Concert, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 17 — Centennial School Chorus, Band & Orchestra Concert — Fifth Grade, 6 p.m.; Sixth Grade, 7:30 p.m. All performances will be held in Mars Area High School auditorium. For more information, call the individual school building.

Kennywood Day Ticket Sales Mars Area School District will hold its 2011 School Picnic at Kennywood Amusement Park on Wednesday, June 15. Tickets are $22 per person and will be available for purchase on Thursday, May 12, at each Mars Area school building. Times are as follows: 8 a.m. — Mars Area High School 8:45 a.m. — Mars Area Middle School 9:30 a.m. — Mars Area Centennial School 10:30 a.m. — Mars Area Primary Center 11:30 a.m. — Mars Area Elementary School

Marching Band Boosters to Hold Third Annual 5K Run/Walk Mars Area High School Marching Band Boosters is taking registration for its third annual “Mars Band on the Run” 5K Run/Walk, to be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, at Mars Area High School. Awards will be presented to the top three male and female overall runners; the top three male and female masters (age 40 and above); and to the top three male and female runners in various other age groups. The top three teams of three to five runners and the top male, female and coed teams will also be awarded. All runners ages 14 and younger will receive finisher ribbons. The race, which begins and ends at Mars Area High School, will be timed by Miles of Smiles timing service and all results will be posted online at www.smileymiles. com and www.marsband5K.com. A Post-Race “Out of This World” Party will include refreshments, music, priz es and an awards ceremony. This year, a non-competitive 1K Children’s Fun Run

Only cash or money orders will be accepted. No personal checks. Tickets are also available for purchase at participating Giant Eagle locations for $25.99 each. Regularly priced Kennywood FunDay tickets are $35.99 for adults and $22.99 for kids under 46 inches. NightRider tickets are $20.99 after 5 p.m. For more information, call the individual school building or visit www.kennywood.com.

will be offered for children ages 11 and younger. The event will take place immediately following the 5K Run/Walk. Children’s Fun Run registration is $8 in advance or $10 on race day. All participants will receive a t-shirt. Cost to register for the 5K is $22 per runner through Monday, May 16, for mail-in registration or Thursday, May 19, for online registration. Registration will also be available for $22 per runner from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 20, at Up-NRunning Specialty Running & Walking Center on Route 8 and race day registration is $25 from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, at Mars Area High School. All proceeds benefit Mars Area High School Marching Band, which will provide entertainment along the 3.1-mile race route. Registration forms and information are available in each Mars Area school building as well as online at www.marsband5K.com.

Last Day of School The last day of the 2010-2011 School Year for students in Mars Area School District is Monday, June 13. The 2011-2012 school year will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 6. The later start date was selected to accommodate the ongoing construction projects at Mars Area Elementary School and Mars Area Centennial School. For more information, call (724) 625-1518.

events at a g l ance MAY 17

MAY MAY 4 MAY 5 MAY 6

MAY 7 MAY 9 MAY 10

MAY 11

MAY 12

MAY 13

MAY 16

Primary Center Teacher Appreciation Luncheon Elementary School Teacher Appreciation Luncheon Middle School Parent Advisory Board Meeting, 9:15 a.m.; Coffeehouse Gallery Art Showcase, 6 to 9 p.m. @ High School SAT Test Date @ High School High School Band & Orchestra Concert, 7 p.m. @ Auditorium High School Chorus & Middle School Eighth Grade Chorus Concert, 6:30 p.m. @ High School Auditorium; School Board Regular Meeting, 7 p.m. Middle School Wind Ensemble, Orchestra & Seventh Grade Chorus Concert, 6:30 p.m. @ High School Auditorium; AFS/MISA Chapter Meeting, 7 p.m. @ High School Kennywood Day Ticket Sales @ All Schools; High School Mock Accident Assembly, 9:30 a.m.; Centennial School Student Art Show, 6 to 8 p.m.; No School — Act 80 Day (Staff Development); High School Senior Prom Walk, 6 to 7 p.m.; High School Senior Prom, 8:30 p.m. @ Heinz Field Centennial School Parent Coffee Talk, “Summer Skill Building,” 9 to 10 a.m.; Middle School Medieval Fair, 4 to 6 p.m.

MAY 18 MAY 19 MAY 20 MAY 21 MAY 25 MAY 26 MAY 30 MAY 31

Middle School Medieval Fair, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Centennial School Band, Orchestra & Chorus Concert (Grade 5 —6 p.m.; Grade 6 — 7:30 p.m.) @ High School Auditorium High School Academic Banquet, 6:30 p.m. @ Four Points Sheraton North; Market Day Pick-up, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. @ Elementary School High School Renaissance Breakfast, 7:52 to 8:30 a.m. “Night of Jaz z ” Concert, 7 p.m. @ Middle School Mars Band 5K/1K Children’s Fun Run, 9 a.m. @ High School Primary Center First Grade Parent Picnic Primary Center “Watermelon Welcome” Kindergarten Preview, 9:30 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 2:30 p.m. No School — Memorial Day Centennial School/Middle School “Transition Days”

JUNE JUNE 1-2 JUNE 2 JUNE 3 JUNE 7

Centennial School/Middle School “Transition Days;” Fall Sports Physicals, 8 a.m. @ Middle School, 1 p.m. @ High School Primary Center Olympic Fun Day Centennial School Student Talent Show, 1:15 p.m. Centennial School Student Fun Day, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Middle School Eighth Grade Recognition Ceremony, 6 p.m.; School Board Work Session, 7 p.m.

JUNE 8-10 JUNE 10 JUNE 13 JUNE 14

Elementary School World Record Field Days, noon to 3:15 p.m. High School — Class of 2010 Commencement Ceremony, 6:30 p.m. Last Day of School for Students In-Service Day— Clerical Day; School Board Regular Meeting , 7 p.m.

JULY JULY 19

School Board Regular Meeting, 7 p.m.

AUGUST AUG. 2 AUG. 9 AUG. 18-19 AUG. 29 AUG. 30 AUG. 31

School Board Work Session, 7 p.m. School Board Regular Meeting, 7 p.m. New Teacher Induction In-Service Day — Staff Development In-Service Day — Staff Development In-Service Day — Clerical Day

SEPTEMBER SEPT. 5 SEPT. 6 SEPT. 13 SEPT. 26

No School — Labor Day First Day of School for Students; School Board Work Session, 7 p.m. School Board Regular Meeting, 7 p.m. Pre-Scheduled Two-Hour Delay — Staff Development

Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 11

BUILDING BRIDGES

Guidance Counselors Striving to Support, Motivate Students to Succeed In addition to the many academic and extra-curricular opportunities available to Mars Area students, the District is continuing its efforts in all areas to help all students reach their full potential and to be successful. Mars Area School District’s guidance program provides both direct and indirect services to help students to manage behavior, social and emotional issues; achieve academic success; and plan for their future. Direct services include individual counseling, group counseling, support groups, classroom guidance, assessment, educational and career planning, advising, post-intervention programs, and collaboration. Indirect strategies include consultation (teachers and parents), coordination, case management, individual/class advocacy, parent education, in-service education, peer-helping programs, information dissemination, crisis management, referral and follow-

G uid ance counselors Colleen Tosad ori and Tanis R ose review SAT and ACT information with Mars Area High School stud ents. A variety of testing and college planning resources are availab le in the G uid ance O ffice as well as online at www.marsk12.org.

Mars Area

up, educational placement, job placement, program and strategy evaluation, management activities, school leadership, professional advocacy, and school citiz enship activities. “(Guidance counselors) are in a unique role because we are not a parent or teacher so we are able to work differently with the students. We are a supporter, motivator, encourager and resource,” says Tanis Rose, Mars Area High School ninth grade guidance counselor. “We are sometimes the bridge between student and parent, student and teacher, student and student. We help students set goals for their futures and get to watch them grow and achieve.” At Mars Area Primary Center and Mars Area Elementary School, the guidance counselor is available to assist students in achieving social, career, and academic success. Guidance resources for students may include classroom meetings, group and individual counseling, or meetings with staff from the Center for Community Resources, which offers a variety of educational and support for students and families. For students in kindergarten through fourth grade, the guidance counselor focuses on helping students with social skills and addressing appropriate be-

havior, says Amanda J. Stahovic, Mars Area Primary Center and Mars Area Elementary School guidance counselor. Guidance activities for younger students in kindergarten and first grade often incorporate play or artwork. All students at Mars Area Primary Center are introduced to the guidance counselor during the school’s annual Red Ribbon Week celebration, as they join in a lesson on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. Students at both Mars Area Primary Center and Mars Area Elementary School participate in small group meetings such as Friendship or Lunch Bunch groups. Struggling or gifted students may also be referred to the Guidance Office to receive additional help. At Mars Area Centennial School, the guidance counselor works closely with each student, his/her teachers and family members to develop a plan for improving the student’s success in school. Students who are struggling academically or gifted students in need of enrichment may also be referred to the Elementary Student Assistance Program (ESAP), through which they will meet with a school social worker, who may provide students and parents with school and community resources that provide additional support for students. Students may be referred to the guidance counselor to address attention or motivation issues, academic problems or social/emotional needs, says Lesley Kennedy, Mars Area Centennial School guidance counselor. In fifth grade, students may need help with grieving over the loss of a pet or establishing friendships, while in sixth grade, students struggle with age-appropriate behavior as well as gossip and bullying issues. Through Mars Area School District’s Olweus Bullying Provention Program, Kennedy meets with students daily to address any bullying issues. Kennedy also holds weekly student lunch groups to discuss topics such as friendship-building, organiz ation skills and studying techniques. Throughout the school year, Kennedy regularly communicates with individual parents regarding student needs and she offers group presentations for parents on stress management, study skills, summer skill building and other issues a student may face. The school also offers an after-school tutoring program. Other school activities include a Career Month and Fitness Month, both of which bring parents and students together in learning about

Mars Area Centennial School stud ents talk with guid ance counselor L esley K enned y as part of a lunch- time O rganiz ation G roup. K enned y hold s weekly stud ent lunch groups to d iscuss topics such as friend ship- b uild ing, organiz ation skills and Photos by Josh Schwoebel stud ying techniq ues.

career opportunities and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And, fifth- and sixth-graders also have access to online career software that enables them to create portfolios and to explore career options. At Mars Area Middle School, the guidance counselor works to meet all of the students’ needs, which may range from academic issues such as trouble in a specific subject area to social problems including difficulty with peer pressure or relationships, says Eileen Deklewa, Mars Area Middle School guidance counselor. The guidance counselor acts as a liaison between students, parents and teachers and works with other District staff members as part of the SAP (Student Assistance Program) Team to provide students who need more than a temporary solution with access to all available school and outside resources. In addition, the guidance counselor is in place to aid students in preparing for ninth grade at Mars Area High School. At Mars Area High School, various guidance resources are made available to students including academic planning; SAP; English as a Second Language (ESL) services; personal counseling; EX PLORE, PLAN, PSAT and ASVAB testing; SAT and ACT test preparation; a field trip to Butler Area Vocational-Technical School; post-high school planning and career counseling; resume-building; job-shadowing and employment opportunities, summer program and scholarship listings; college search information; and visits with college representatives. Throughout each school year, the Guidance Office also offers a College & Career Fair and Financial Aid Night for both parents and students as well as a “Succeeding in High School” assembly for freshmen; “Getting into College” assembly for juniors and “Adjusting to College Life” assembly for seniors. At the high school level, one guidance counselor is assigned to each class; therefore, the same counselor remains with the same group of students from when they come to the high school as freshmen until they graduate. Beginning in ninth grade, the counselor meets with each student individually to discuss their interests and career plans and to make the appropriate course selections, says Rose.

Throughout their four years of high school, the students are encouraged to continue their exploration of various careers/ fields using computers available in the school’s Guidance Office. Counselors closely monitor students’ academic progress every four weeks to identify any students who are not achieving at their full potential. Counselors then work closely with each student, their teachers, administrators and parents to develop ways to assist those students in the learning process. In ninth grade, the focus is on helping students from Mars Area Middle School and local parochial schools to make the transition to high school where they will face new, higher expectations with regards to their academics, says Rose. Ninth-graders experience more classes; the expectation for self-advocacy with coming to the teachers for help or missing work; mid-terms; finals; and more rigorous classes. Students also become involved in sports, clubs and other activities, so they must also learn how to manage their time. And, students must adjust to the social changes that come with being with upperclassmen and making new friends. Ninth grade is also a transition year for their parents as they too must learn the ins and outs of high school and change from their elementary and middle school mindset, says Rose. In 10th grade, students begin to focus on career exploration, says Colleen Tosadori, Mars Area High School 10th grade counselor. Students are introduced to the PA Career Z one Web site (www.pacareerz one.com), which offers information about specific careers including job descriptions, salary, level of education and related college majors as well as inventories that may suggest different careers based on the student responses. Students also access the Web sites of the Butler County Chamber and The Chamber of Commerce Inc. in Cranberry Township to identify job-shadowing contacts. Students are encouraged to schedule a variety of job shadowing experiences in addition to remaining committed to their academics, being involved in activities and volunteering in the community. Sophomores are also encouraged to take the PSAT and PLAN tests to practice for SAT and ACT tests, respectively, says Tosadori.

In 11th grade, the Guidance Office reviews the studentsP self-discovery information that was collected in interest inventories taken in ninth and 10th grades (as a component of the EX PLORE and PLAN tests) as well as the students’ findings in their career exploration and helps students to find a possible college major that supports both their interest and aptitudes. Once a student has decided upon majors of interest, the focus turns to college exploration, says Dr. Tina Bigante, Mars Area High School 11th grade guidance counselor. Students engage in individual and group counseling meetings to start the college search process via Web sites such as CollegeBoard (www.collegeboard.org) or Discover Colleges (www.discovercolleges.com), which help to determine each college’s different points of interest including location, major, selectivity, price, related programs, etc. Mars Area High School’s Guidance Office offers various activities to aid students and parents in the college selection process, including a College & Career Fair, a Financial Aid Night, College Admissions programs, and Dual Enrollment courses. Dual Enrollment courses are “College Within the High School” classes that offer juniors and seniors an opportunity to be concurrently enrolled in a college course while receiving college credit from both Butler County Community College and Mars Area High School. Current subjects include Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, General Psychology, Introduction to Microcomputing, Marketing, and Microeconomics. In 11th grade, the importance of timely and adequate (SAT and ACT) test-taking is stressed, says Bigante. In addition, as the students transition to their senior year, they are reminded of the timeline expectations for college and financial aid/scholarship applications. At the onset of a student’s senior year, the primary focus of the guidance counselor is facilitating the college application process, says Mark Varlotta, Mars Area High School 12th grade guidance counselor, noting that the counselor has an active part in each student’s application. “Sometimes it can be as simple as readying an official transcript, while other times it could involve writing a letter of recommendation; completing student evaluation questionnaires from specific colleges; brainstorming, proof reading and editing college essays; or contacting schools to verify admissions criteria,” says Varlotta. As the year progresses, the counselor also helps to facilitate financial aid and scholarship opportunities for interested students. And, evening Financial Aid programs are held for students and their parents to ensure proper exposure to the information that will best position students for college aid. In addition to helping students to prepare for their next step beyond high school, guidance counselors at all levels continue to facilitate students’ relationships and to help them in all areas (academic, behavioral, social/emotional) that will best allow them to find success in their futures, says Varlotta.

Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 13

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Art students E arn Scholastic Awards

Tyler O d om, Mars Area High School senior, receives a congressional nomination to attend a U .S. Service Acad emy from U .S. Congressman J ason Altmire ( D - 4 ) .

Senior Receives Congressional Honor Mars Area senior Tyler Odom received a congressional nomination from U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire (D-4) to attend one of the five United States Service Academies. Odom, who also received a nomination from former U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (D), was accepted to and plans to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He, along with several other high school seniors, was honored at a ceremony, held on Jan. 9 at Cranberry Township Municipal Building. In 2010, Odom, son of Robert and Heidi Odom of Gibsonia, was selected to participate in the Congressional Page Program at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. As a Congressional Page, Tyler served as support staff for the United States House of Representatives, delivering legislative correspondence and monitoring phones off the House floor. During his time in the nation’s capital, Tyler lived in the Page Residence Hall and attended the House Page School, which offers classes similar to those at Mars Area High School, as well as Washington seminars, field trips and guest speakers. In addition, Odom volunteers at Butler Veterans Administration Medical Center and as a leader of the AWANA program and Sunday School volunteer at his church, Christ Church at Grove Farm in Sewickley, Pa. In 2010, he was also Boys Roman Captain at Summer’s Best Two Weeks, and, in 2009, served as a Rotary short-term exchange student to Spain. At Mars Area High School, Odom serves on Class Council; is a member of National Honor Society, REACH (Responsible Educated Adolescents Can Help) and Ski Club; and is captain of the Boys Varsity Swimming Team. For more information, visit http://altmire.house.gov.

Mars Area

Mars Area senior Cara Bishopreceived a Silver Key at the 2011 National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards in New York, N.Y. Bishop earned the award for her cut paper piece, “Suppressed Housewife Goes Shopping.” She was recogniz ed at a ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Her work was selected from more than 9,000 artworks that advanced to the national competition after receiving Gold Key awards at the 2011 Pittsburgh Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Numerous other Mars Area High School students received awards in the regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, held Feb. 6-18 at La Roche College’s Cantellops Art Gallery. In the Mixed Media category, Bishop received a Gold Key; freshmen Maddie Salapow and Hailey Zock earned Gold Keys; and senior Jacob Brown and freshmen Henry Barron, Dylan Evans, Lauren Schaper and Josie Shebat earned Honorable Mentions. In the Photography category, senior Bernie Jonesearned a Gold Key; seniors Shannon Johnson and Jones received Silver Keys; and senior Alanna Haefner earned an Honorable Mention. In the Painting category, senior Alexa Seibert earned a Gold Key and senior Corinna Luschini earned a Silver Key. And, senior Elyse Doverreceived seven Portfolio Honorable Mentions through Cherry Court Studio. The Pittsburgh Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards had been without a regional affiliate in the Pittsburgh area for 10 years. The program returned through the sponsorship of La Roche College with support from North Allegheny School District. For more information, visit www.artandwriting.org.

Art Show Awards Four Mars Area High School art students received awards in the 2011 North Hills Art Center Junior/Senior High School Show. In the Fine Art Category, freshman Brittany Gaunt earned second place for her mixed media piece, “Peace. Love. Dance;” and freshman Henry Barron received an honorable mention for his untitled drawing.

Senior Participates in Glassblowing Class Mars Area senior Brooke Finneyreceived a half-scholarship to participate in Pittsburgh Glass Center’s afterschool High School Glassblowing Class. The class, which met once a week on Tuesdays earlier this spring, offers students an opportunity to learn the basic skills of gathering and blowing glass. “It’s such a great way to learn,” says Jason Forck, Pittsburgh Glass Center youth education coordinator and hot glass instructor. “It’s a rare opportunity to work with a medium (such as hot glass) at the pre-college level.” Pittsburgh Glass Center is one of only a few facilities across the country that offers a program for high school

Mars Area senior G reg L eysens received an honorab le mention in Pittsb urgh Technical I nstitute’s Art, D esign & F ilm F estival Visions & Voices High School Stud ent Show.

In the Photography Category, senior Shannon Johnson received an honorable mention for her shadow box piece, “Cereal Killer;” and junior Ivy Kuhrman earned an honorable mention for her photo series, “Urban.” The students’ works were on exhibit at North Hills Art Center in April. For more information, visit www.northhillsartcenter.com.

PTI Art Show Mars Area senior Greg Leysens received an honorable mention in Pittsburgh Technical Institute’s Art, Design & Film Festival Visions & Voices High School Student Show. Leysens earned the award in the Fine Art 2D Category for his piece, “I Have No Idea.” His work was selected from more than 700 pieces submitted to the show by 389 students at 70 high schools in Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. All artworks in the show were on display in the Gallery at Pittsburgh Technical Institute’s North Fayette Campus in April. For details, visit www.pti.edu/events/visions-voices-20 11.

Very Special Art E x hibit An artwork by Mars Area senior Jacob Brown was selected to be featured on the poster for the 2011 Very Special Art Exhibit. The exhibit, which featured artworks by students in 27 school districts located throughout Butler, Lawrence and Mercer counties, was on display March 21-April 8, at Grove City College’s Pew Fine Arts Center Gallery. The event was sponsored by Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV. For more information, visit www.miu4.k12.pa.us/ arts/annual_ vsa.asp. students, says Forck. Students who participate in the program are first encouraged to get comfortable in the new environment to overcome any fear of the heat. Then, students begin by learning how to gather the glass, which is heated to a temperature of around 2,000 degrees. Once the students learn the basics, they move on to blowing the hot glass and eventually to making cups and different shapes and adding color. The High School Glassblowing Class offers students an “early foot in the door” when it comes to their knowledge of working with glass as an art form, says Forck. The class also provides students with unique pieces that they can add to their art portfolios. For more information, visit www.pittsburghglasscenter.org.

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Students in Gabrielle Hock’s English 9 classes at Mars Area High School welcomed family members and other guests at the culmination of a special writing project on memories. As part of a project, students read the novel, “The Giver” by Lois Lowry, which incorporates “memory” as a significant theme, says Ellie Haiz lett, student teacher, who led the project. On that same theme, students were asked to interview a family member or other acquaintance over the age of 60; to write a two-page paper about a specific memory that is significant to their subject; and to bring in an artifact that represents the memory. Students were given two weeks to interview their subject and one week to write their articles. The students also participated in a workshop to establish a draft paper and used the school’s computer lab to organiz e and write their papers. “At first, the students were nervous about interviewing family members, but the more they learned about the project, the more they enjoyed it,” says Haiz lett.

Numerous Mars Area High School students were inducted into the National Honor Society on April 14. Students are seniors Kevin Kalan and Courtnie Nolan; juniors Bailey Bernard, Samantha Brueckner, Allison Franco, Taylor Franco, Taylor Giel, Emily Kella, Ivy Kuhrman, Kara Lamantia, Nicholas Luce, Kristen McKenzie, Haley Milcic, Laura Pappas, Michael Prij atelj , Maura Randolph, Ashley Starr, Q uentin Torgerson, Caleb Tresky, Garret White, Miranda Williamsand Elliot Woodward; and. Sophomores Charles Amurgis, Sara Anderson, Stacy Arner, Luke Barbour, Hanna Baum, David Bednar, Cole Bocheff, Kaitlyn Craig, Gina Crawford, Emily Diefenbacher, Sarah Doyle, Jake Dufford, Samantha Eckstein, Olivia Erickson, Hayley Esterline, Kevin Giallonardo, Patricia Glavin, Adam Golden, Margaret Gruber, Annie Horvat, Kayla King, Gino Lamantia, Jackson Mettus, Christianna Riley, Jendiss Robinson, Anna Rosswog, Taylor Rotz, Erica Schwab, Scott Slaney, Taylor Spurlock, Alanna Stolzand Emily Valentine. Throughout the school year, National Honor Society members participate in a variety of service-related projects.

PM E A District Band Several members of Mars Area High School Band were selected by solo audition to perform in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 5 Band Festival, held Feb. 9-11, at Hickory High School in Hermitage, Pa. Students are seniors Christi Blahnik, clarinet; Kylee O’Donnell, flute; and Abby Iksic, trumpet; as well as juniors Michael Prij atelj , trombone; Sam Concelman, tuba; and Sara Chodkowski, bass clarinet. Jack Anderson, University of Pittsburgh director of bands, served as guest conductor.

PM E A District Orchestra Several members of Mars Area High School Orchestra were selected by solo audition to perform in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 5 Orchestra Festival, held Jan. 2729 at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center in Midland, Pa. Students are seniors Christi Blahnik, Cassandra Kruland Audrey Whartenby; junior Ashley Starr; and sophomore Taylor Spurlock.

PM E A Regional Chorus Two members of Mars Area High School Chorus were selected by solo audition to perform in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Regional Chorus Festival, held Feb. 23-25 at Pine-Richland High School. Students are senior Christiana Blahnik and junior Phillip Lowry.

Photo by Josh Schwoebel

Writing Proj ect Culminates in ‘ Family Reunion’ E vent

Stud ents in G ab rielle Hock’s E nglish 9 class share artifacts that represent the memories they chose to d ocument as part a special writing proj ect.

“It was a great opportunity for students to learn about their own uniqueness, based on their memories and lives.” For extra credit, the students invited the subjects of the papers for a “Family Reunion” on April 7. The students and their guests shared their memories and artifacts with the class.

Dr. Paul Rardin, University of Michigan associate professor of choral conducting, served as guest conductor.

Mars Area sophomore, Maggie G rub er is collecting used SAT and ACT materials as part of a “ College Bound Collection.”

PM E A Regional Orchestra Several members of Mars Area High School Orchestra were selected by solo audition to perform in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Regional Orchestra Festival, held March 9-11 at Bellefonte Area High School in Bellefonte, Pa. Students are seniors Christiana Blahnik, Cassandra Krul and Audrey Whartenby; and sophomore Taylor Spurlock. Teresa Cheung, Altoona Symphony Orchestra director, Empire Opera of New York City conductor and American Symphony Orchestra assistant conductor, served as guest conductor.

PM E A Regional Band Four members of Mars Area High School Band were selected by solo audition to perform in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Regional Band Festival, to be held Wednesday through Friday, March 23-25, at Butler Area Senior High School. Students are seniors Christi Blahnik, clarinet; Kylee O’Donnell, flute; and Abby Iksic, trumpet; and junior Michael Prij atelj , trombone. Dr. Stephen Gage, Youngstown State University instrumental music coordinator and director of bands, served as guest conductor.

Sophomore Begins ‘ College Bound Collection’ Mars Area sophomore Maggie Gruber is seeking donations of SAT and ACT study materials to be included as part of a “College Bound Collection” at Mars Area High School. Gruber is collecting and redistributing the unwanted or unused SAT and ACT materials to students who are unable to afford the study guides. A collection box is located in Mars Area High School’s Guidance Office. For more information, contact the Guidance Office at (724) 625-1581.

VoyTech Principal’ s L ist Several Mars Area High School students were selected to receive the Butler County Area VocationalTechnical School Principal’s List Award for the second nine weeks of the 2010-2011 school year. Recipients are junior Melisa Perkins and sophomores Milinda Homison, Lauren Knights, Alexandria Westbrook and Michael Y oung. Students who are selected must maintain an “A” grade average, have exceptional attendance, no discipline and are recommended by their trade area teacher.

Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 15

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Mundy), who is only interested in the good-looking Michael Feldman (Dominic Cosentino). Things only become worse when Michael steals Corey’s bid for class president and makes Tiffany his vice president. The show features the music of the ‘ 80s including the songs “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cindy Lauper, “Material Girl” by Madonna and “You Give Love a Bad Name” by Bon Jovi. Other cast members were Chris Blahnik as Alf Bueller; Zachary Herrmann as Kirk Keaton; Alex Manaloas Cyndi Gibson; Melissa Marshallas Mel Easton; Ali Zortman as Kim Easton; Matthew Lofstrom as Billy Arnold; Phillip Lowry as Lionel Astley; Zach Dorsch as Huey Jackson; Troy Giel as Feargal McFerrin III; Michelle Flynn as Eileen Reagan; Abbi Wright as Laura Wilde; Maria Albensi as Debbie Fox; Kathleen Kraus as Sheena Brannigan; and Nicholas Ashmore as Steven “Stevie” Cocker. Featured Singers are Christi Blahnik, Jamie Drennen, Angela Hay, Elizabeth Meyer, Carly Rodriguez, Lindsay Seipp, Maddie Smith and Michaela Valenta. Featured Dancers are Shelby Ainsworth, Gretchen Bleakney, Elena Daskivich, Emma Robash, Samantha Rumbaugh and Ashley Starr. Ensemble members are Gregory Campbell, Bethany Catanzaro, Ariel Clifford, Mac Clyde, Callie Drennen, Olivia Erickson, Gabriella Fabish, Andy Fredley, Katie Gable, Jasmine Jockel, Julie Koenig, Olivia Laughlin, Sara Lofstrom, Abby Michalowski, Grace Morgan, Catherine Paletta, Kate Rodriguez, Kaitlin Rymer, Jessie Smelscer, Cassidy Vinson, Clare Walters and Kyra Walters.

Photos by Josh Schwoebel

Michael F eld man ( played b y D ominic Cosentino) and Corey Palmer ( Mark G aynord ) vie for the attention of Tiffany Houston ( Paige Mund y) in Mars Area High School’s prod uction of Back to the ‘ 8 0s. At left, the 3 0- something Corey Palmer ( R yan Miller) recalls his teenage years at W illiam O cean High School.

High School Presents M usical Back to the ‘ 80s Mars Area High School students took to the stage with a performance of the musical, B ac k t o t h e ‘ 8 0 s by Neil Gooding on March 18-19. The musical tells the story of the senior class of William Ocean High School that graduated in the 1980s, as remembered by 30-something Corey Palmer (played by Ryan Miller). The 17-year-old Corey (Mark Gaynord) is madly in love with his popular neighbor, Tiffany Houston (Paige

Guidance Office 2014 Class Counselor — Tanis Rose 2013 Class Counselor — Colleen Tosadori 2012 Class Counselor — Dr. Tina Bigante 2011 Class Counselor — Mark Varlotta Student Assistance Coordinator — Tanis Rose Guidance Secretary — Diane Truver Guidance Secretary — Laurie Dufford Phone —(724) 625-1581, opt. 1 Web site — www.marsk12.org

SAT Test Dates SAT Test Dates June 4*

Registration Deadlines May 6

Late Registration Deadlines May 20

Registration Deadlines May 6

Late Registration Deadlines May 20

ACT Test Dates ACT Test Dates June 11*

* Test will be held at Mars Area High School For a complete list of upcoming events at various colleges and universities as well as additional guidance resources, visit the Mars Area High School’s “Guidance” page at www.marsk12.org.

Mars Area

Senior N amed N ational Scholar Mars Area senior Michelle Flynnwas selected for membership in The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). The Society recogniz es top scholars as well as those who have achieved academic excellence. Membership in NSHSS entitles qualified students to a variety of scholarship opportunities, academic competitions, resources and publications. At Mars Area High School, Flynn has been a member of National Honor Society, Women’s Ensemble Chamber Ensemble, Strings Orchestra, French Club, Future Teachers of America and the Girls Varsity Tennis Team. She has also participated in PMEA (Pennsylvania Music Educators Association) Honors and District Chorus as well as in Mars Area High School’s plays, musicals and Orchestra “Side-by-Side” program. In addition, Flynn volunteers for St. Kilian Youth Ministry and Music Ministry as well as for Comtra Summer Community Theatre. She has accepted a scholarship to attend Glauser School of Music at Kent State University, where she plans to study voice and piano as a music major, with a minor in theater. For more information, visit www.nshss.org.

‘ Students of the M onth’ Three Mars Area students were selected as Rich-Mar Rotary “Students of the Month.” Seniors Tyler Odom, Carly Clark and Carly Rodriguez were selected for the honor based upon their academic performance as well as their commitment to community service and civic spirit.

Senior Prom, Prom Walk Set for M ay 13

approximately 5 a.m. on Saturday, May 14. For more information, call (724) 625-1581.

Mars Area High School will hold its 2011 Senior Prom at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, May 13, at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. This year’s prom theme is “Night at the Oscars.” The event will begin with a prom walk from 6 to 7 p.m. at Mars Area High School auditorium. Parking for parents and other visitors who plan to attend the prom walk will be available at Mars Area Middle School and Mars Area Primary Center, where shuttle buses to and from the high school will be provided from 5 to 8 p.m. Parking at Mars Area High School will be reserved for students attending the prom. Parking passes are req uired. At 7:30 p.m., all prom-goers will board buses to Heinz Field, where activities will include dinner, dancing, casino games, photo booth and priz es. The after-prom will be held from 12:30 to 4:15 a.m. aboard the Empress Gateway Clipper, where activities will include a continental breakfast and handwriting analysis. Students are expected to return to the high school at

Academic E x cellence Banq uet Mars Area High School will recogniz e numerous students at the school’s 20th annual Academic Excellence Banquet from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18, at the Four Points by Sheraton in Warrendale. The program will honor those students receiving scholarships, community awards, school-related awards and other recognition. For more information, call (724) 625-1581.

Renaissance Breakfast Mars Area High School will hold a Renaissance Breakfast from 7:52 to 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 19, in the cafeteria. The event will honor those students with perfect attendance and positive school behavior during the fourth nine weeks of the 2010-2011 school year. Activities will include a continental breakfast, guest speakers and door priz es. For more information, call (724) 625-1581.

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AFS/M I SA Chapter Welcomes Foreign E x change Students Mars Area High School’s AFS/MISA (American Field Service/Mars International Student Association) Chapter welcomed foreign exchange students from around the globe as part of the school’s annual “International Days,” held March 9-11. Exchange students Greta Volpedo and Dennis Riosa of Italy; Diana Gretz er of Austria; Kunal Ochani of India; John Petersen of Germany; and Constanca Nunes of Portugal spoke with students at Mars Area High School and Mars Area Middle School about their home countries and about adapting to America culture. The students answered questions about overcoming language barriers and making friends at their host schools as well as what are their favorite foods, music, television shows, etc. Questions also centered around what the students liked most about school in America and how it differs from school in their home countries. The goal of the annual event is to help students to understand that there are people in the world with who they are both alike and different and that understanding those differences can help them to better understand what is going on in the world.

Journalism Symposium Two Mars Area High School students competed in Robert Morris University’s Journalism Symposium on March 21. Senior Adam Langerwon first place in the Features Article category for a piece he wrote on Baldinger’s Food from All Nations in Z elienople, Pa. Junior Domeniq ue Roach took first place in the Sports Article category for an article she wrote on Mars Area High School Boys Varsity Hockey Team’s Outdoor Charity Game on Jan. 21 to benefit the Hillman Cancer Center for Brain Cancer Research. Both students are writers for T h e Planet Pr es s , in which their articles were featured.

Hometown HighyQ A team of students from Mars Area High School placed second in KDKA-TV’s Hometown High-Q on Feb 12. Mars Area’s team, comprised of seniors Kevin Shebek and Ali Zortman and junior Jacob Landau, participated in the televised academic quiz competition against student teams from Ligonier Valley and Yough high schools. Alternates were senior Han Gao, junior Q uentin Torgerson and freshman Maggie McKernan. The show aired on KDKA-TV Channel 2 on March 5.

Outstanding Y oung Citiz ens Numerous Mars Area students were nominated for Trib Total Media’s 2011 Outstanding Young Citiz en award, sponsored by the Pi t t s bur gh T r i bune- R ev i ew . Nominees are seniors Jill Cassidy, Mikal Daskivich, Tyler Dean, Meghan Diefenbacher, Alexandra Douglass,

D iana G retz er of Austria, G reta Volped o of I taly and Constanca N unes of Portugal talk with stud ents at Mars Area Mid d le School d uring Mars Area High School AF S/ MI SA Chapter’s annual “ I nternational D ays.” Photo by Josh Schwoebel

Mars Area’s AFS/MISA Chapter is an international exchange program that welcomes high school students from around the world as well as offers scholarships to eligible students who are interested in traveling abroad. The program has been active in Mars Area School District for more than 40 years. The chapter usually meets on the second Wednesday

Michelle Flynn, Robert Ford, Eric Guzak, Stephanie Karavlan, Meghan Kelly, Ellen Limback, Aaron Lozzi, Melissa Marshall, Roberta Mettus, Paige Mundy, Tyler Odom, Cameron Ozarski, Samantha Rosswog, Shane Smith, Nicole Soose, Kaela Wnorowskiand Alexandra Zortman; juniors Nicole Ford, Randi Francis, Ivy Kuhrman, Kara Lamantia, Elizabeth Parsons, Michael Prij atelj , Maura Randolph, Salina Smialekand Garrett White; sophomores Charles Amurgis, Luke Barbour, Hanna Baum, Samantha Eckstein, Kevin Giallonardo, Patricia Glavin, Adam Golden, Kayla King and Anna Rosswog; freshmen Gregory Campbell, Tessa Cybach, Lydia Dennis, Julie Lenoirand Breanna Titchen. All nominees were honored in the T r i bune- R ev i ew ’ s 2011 Outstanding Young Citiz ens Special Section as well as at a banquet on April 13 at the Four Points Sheraton in Warrendale, Pa.

German Field Trip Members of Mars Area High School’s German Club participated in a Uwe Kind Field Trip on April 13 at Fox Chapel High School. Uwe Kind is an international communicator who escaped from East Germany to the West in 1960. As a German teacher at The New School in New York City, Kind created the SingLing language learning technique based on familiar tunes and, most recently, he developed LingoTech, music that combines melody, rhythm, drama, movement and language phrases. Following the presentation, the students enjoyed a German buffet-style lunch at HofBrauhaus Pittsburgh in Southside Works.

of each month during the school year. The chapter’s next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 11, at Mars Area High School. Families interested in learning about other cultures by hosting students from other countries during the 20112012 school year are encouraged to attend. For details, call (724) 625-1581.

E vent to Showcase Student Artworks Mars Area High School will host its fifth annual Coffeehouse Gallery Art Showcase from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 6. The event, a juried art show, will feature artworks such as paintings, ceramics, sculptures and drawings created by students in seventh through 12th grades. Festivities will also include entertainment, refreshments and other activities. One student will be selected as the winner of the second annual Robinson Purchase Priz e, sponsored by Robinson Family Industries. The student’s work will be framed and displayed in the lobby of Mars Area High School’s auditorium. Admission is free. For more information, contact call (724) 625-1581.

Class of 2011 Commencement Mars Area High School will hold its Class of 2011 Commencement Ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 10, in the auditorium. Class of 2011 officers are Sasha Mathews, president; Alex Perri, vice president; Meghan Kelly, secretary; and Zachary Dorsch, treasurer. N ot e: M ar s A r ea H i gh S c h ool d oes not announc e i t s v aled i c t or i an and s alut at or i an unt i l af t er t h e las t d ay of s c h ool w h en all f i nal gr ad es h av e been t abulat ed . T h er ef or e, t h os e s t ud ent s w h o ar e i nv i t ed t o s p eak at gr ad uat i on may not be t h e v aled i c t or i an and s alut at or i an. For more information, call (724) 625-1581.

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Mars Area Mid d le School stud ents ( from left) N icholas Pecora, Megan K owalewski, N icholas D eL eone, Maisy Snyd er and Brend an Murphy were selected to compete in BASF Corporation’s 2010- 2011 “ Y ou Be the Chemist” Challenge.

Students N amed Finalists in Chemistry Challenge Three Mars Area Middle School students were named finalists in BASF Corporation’s 2010-2011 “You Be the Chemist” Challenge, held on Feb. 19 at Cranberry Township Municipal Building. Nicholas DeLeone, eighth-grader, took first place and will advance to the State “You Be the Chemist” Challenge,” to be held on Saturday, May 7, at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa. Eighth-graders Megan Kowalewski and Nicholas Pecora earned fourth and sixth place, respectively. Other participants were seventh-graders Brendan Murphyand Maisy Snyder, who served as an alternate. The students, who were selected based on their recogniz ed potential within the area of science, competed against students from Seneca Valley School District. The question-and-answer competition engages students in fifth through eighth grades in learning important chemistry concepts, historical discoveries and safety awareness.

DAR E ssay Contest Several Mars Area Middle School eighth-graders received certificates of participation in The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Kushkushkee Trail Chapter’s “Memoirs of Paul Revere” Essay Contest. Students are Amerah Abouzaki, Lucy Alexander, Nate Bayuk, Angela Botti, Madelyn Brake, Alaina Byers, Lexi Campbell, Sydney Cole, Brendan Ford, Sara Getsy, Randy Hoffman, Brandt Kepreos, Brendan Knox, Kristina LaRocca, Tyler Latch, Molly Lennen, Richie Mamaj ek, Reed McDonough, Megan McLaughlin, Nick Pecora, Kaylee Perovich, Jessie Pettinato, Zachary Regan, Katie Resosky, Abigail Richard, Geena Richards, Jake Rosswog, Torrey Shields, Dylan Sitterly, Katie Thomas, Lyle Thomas and Bonnie Workman. The essay contest, open to students in seventh and eighth grades, asked participants to put themselves in the role of Paul Revere as he looks back on his life.

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Posters Selected in Annual Alliance Contest Mars Area Middle School selected five entries to be submitted to The Alliance (Against Highly Addictive Drugs) Seventh Grade Anti-Drug Poster Campaign. The school’s winning posters were created by seventhgraders Elena Bilotto, Taylor Black, Rebecca Dvorak, Morgan Kellaand Olivia Orban, all of whom will attend a special awards luncheon with the program’s honorary chairperson and Pittsburgh Steeler Heath Miller in June. Mars Area Middle School’s entries will advance to The Alliance’s poster contest, which will include posters from the organiz ation’s more than 17 participating school districts. The winning entry will be printed and distributed to all participating schools for display during the 2011-2012 school year. The contest was open to seventh-graders at Alliance-member schools and all entries are judged on creativity, originality, artwork, clarity of the message, and whether the message reached its intended audience. Numerous entries were submitted at Mars Area Middle School, each featuring a different variation on this year’s theme, “Welcome to My World — What Adults Need to Know About Drugs, Bullying and The Code of Silence.” This year’s entries could also include an essay, poems or lyrics related to the theme. For more information, visit www.drug-alliance.org.

Junior High Chorus Festival Several members of Mars Area High School’s Ninth Grade Chorus and Mars Area Middle School’s Eighth Grade Chorus were selected to perform in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 5 Junior High Chorus Festival, held Feb. 4 at Hickory High School in Hermitage, Pa. Ninth Grade Chorus members Jasmine Jockel, Hannah Clifford, Allen Shaffer, Lindsay Seipp, Valerie Cesare, Dalton Smith and Sara Lofstrom were directed by Edgar Groves, retired high school chorus teacher and college professor. Eighth Grade Chorus members Abigail Richard, Mara Flaherty, Caroline Case, Erin Wolfer, Madison Brown, Jake Haser and Cole McManus were directed by Heather Groves, Slippery Rock High School music teacher.

School to Offer ‘ N ight of Jaz z ’ Mars Area Middle School will host a “Night of Jaz z ” Concert at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 20, at Mars Area Centennial School. The event will feature performances by the school’s Jaz z Band, Concert Band and Wind Ensemble. For more information, call (724) 625-3145.

E ighth Grade Recognition Mars Area Middle School will hold its annual Eighth Grade Recognition Ceremony at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7, at Mars Area High School auditorium. Eighth-graders will be honored for their contributions

Photo by Josh Schwoebel

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Seventh- grad ers ( from left) Morgan K ella, E lena Black, R eb ecca D vorak, Morgan K ella and O livia O rb an’s entries were selected b y Mars Area Mid d le School to b e sub mitted to The Alliance Anti- D rug Poster Contest.

PM E A M iddle School District Band Several members of Mars Area Middle School Band were selected to perform in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 5 Middle School Band Festival, held on April 8 at Mars Area High School. Eighth graders Logan Gavala, trumpet; Leo Lamantia, alto sax; Ben Luce, tuba (first chair); Angelica Miller, clarinet; Megan Moser, timpani; Nick Pecora, trumpet (first chair) and Andee Reynolds, trumpet; and seventhgraders Kylie Concelman, flute (first chair); and Maggie Stokes, bass clarinet; performed alongside 100 middle school students from Beaver, Butler, Lawrence and Mercer counties. John Hendricks, West Virginia University director of bands, served as guest conductor.

State Geography Bee Mars Area eighth-grader Richie Mamaj ek participated in the Pennsylvania State Geography Bee, held on April 1 at Pennsylvania State University’s University Park Campus. After earning first place in Mars Area Middle School/Mars Area Centennial School’s 2011 Geography Bee Final Round Qualifier on Jan. 7, Mamajek completed a written exam to qualify for the Pennsylvania State Geography Bee. The National Geographic Society sponsors the contest. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee.

and achievements at the middle school. The event will be followed by a dance in The Commons at Mars Area Middle School. For more information, call 724-625-3145.

M edieval Fair Mars Area Middle School will hold its annual seventh grade Medieval Fair from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday, May 16, and from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17, in the gymnasium. Students will dress in period clothing and offer presentations and demonstrations on life during the Middle Ages. The students will also sit down to a medieval dinner and offer play performances on Monday. For more information, call (724) 625-3145.

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More than 265 fifth-graders at Mars Area Centennial School graduated from the school’s 2010-2011 DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program on April 7. This year, the DARE program was taught by Butler County Deputy Sheriff Harry Callithen. The program was previously offered by Adams Township Assistant Police Chief Edward T. Brooks, who passed away suddenly on Oct. 1, 2009. Brooks had served as Mars Area School District’s DARE officer for 10 years. Fifth-grader Abigail Stewartopened the annual ceremony by singing the S t ar - S p angled B anner . Callithen then spoke to students and parents in attendance about what students learn through the DARE program . DARE is meant give students the skills they need to recogniz e and resist the pressures that may cause them to experiment with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or inhalants or become involved in violent activities. Thecurriculum emphasiz es decision-making skills and helps students to define a problem and assess their choices. As part of the program, students are asked to complete assignments; to write a pledge statement about their commitment to remaining drug free; and to write an essay about what they have learned. At the ceremony, awards were presented to those students who have excelled in their DARE classes. First place winners are Nikki Czachowski, Adison Staskiewicz, Daria Hockenberry, Taylor Paga, Natalie Abouzaki, Caileigh Seskey, Alicia Fenton, Grace Rihs, Reagan Wheeler, Luke Nanna and Bria Cratty; second place winners are Maria Rosenberg, Paige Snyder, Emily Neugebauer, Lindsey Hayes, Jessica Schultheis, Sophia Avery, Britney Ortiz,

Six thygrader Q ualifies for Junior Olympics Mars Area sixth-grader Rachel Honchorek, a second degree black belt at Z ANG Tae Kwon Do in Wexford, qualified for the 2011 Junior Olympics, to be held June 28July 1 in San Jose, Calif. Rachel qualified for the Junior Olympics after earning a gold medal in the 12- to 13-year-old Black Belt Female Board Breaking and a silver medal in the 12- to 13-year-old Junior Black Belt Female Sparring at the 2011 USAT Ohio State/Regional Tae Kwon Do Championship on March 19 in Columbus, Ohio. In addition, Rachel will compete in USA Tae Kwon Do National Qualifier, to be held May 21-22 in Buffalo, N.Y. For more information, visit www.z angtkd.com.

M athCounts Finals Mars Area Middle School’s MathCounts Team participated in the Pennsylvania MathCounts Midwestern Chapter Regional Competition, held Feb. 12 at Grove City College. The team of eighth-graders Taylor Campbell, Jenna Odom, Lucy Alexander, Nick Pecoraand Cole McManus placed second in the overall competition. McManus scored eighth overall in individual competition.

Photos by Josh Schwoebel

Fifthygraders Graduate from DARE Program

F ifth- grad er N ikki Cz achowski read s an essay she wrote as part of the D rug Ab use R esistance E d ucation program d uring the annual D AR E grad uation ceremony on April 7 . At left, Butler County D eputy Sherrif Harry Callithen presents the D AR E program to fifth- grad ers at Mars Area Centennial School.

Owen Corsi, Jeffrey DeSantis, Emily Weis and Rachel Pasko; and third place winners are Abigail Stewart, Alex Hornfeck, Erin McChesney, Richie Kaminski, Natalie Welsh, Cody Hertzler, Austin Spaun, Madysen Schaefer, Landri Shannan, Juliet Thomasand Sharon Jayamohan. And, fifth-grader Nikki Czachowski was selected from among the winners to read her DARE essay aloud during the event. Guest speakers at the ceremony included Nicole Soose and Preston Brown, co-presidents of Mars Area High School’s REACH (Responsible Educated Adolescents Can Help) program; Butler County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton; and

Butler County Sheriff Michael T. Slupe. Other guests were Butler County Commissioners James Lokhaiser and James Kennedy; District Judges Sue Haggerty and Wayne Seibel; Beth Efenfried-Neveux of Butler County Drug & Alcohol Program; Butler County Deputy Sheriffs Mark Peffer and Jason Young; Adams Township Police Chief Bill Westerman; Officer Conrad Pfeifer of Middlesex Township Police Department; Mars Area School Board president Kim Geyer and vice president Dayle Ferguson; Anna Saker, Director of Pupil Services/Grant Writer; and representatives of State Sen. Jane C. Orie and State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe’s offices. For more information, call (724) 625-2601.

Parent Coffee Talk

Track & Field Day

Mars Area Centennial School will host a Parent Coffee Talk program from 9 to 10 a.m. on Monday, May 16. The program, “Summer Skill Building,” will introduce various activities that parents can do with their children during the summer to strengthen the skills they have learned in school. For more information, call (724) 625-2601.

Mars Area Middle School will hold its annual Track & Field Day on Friday, May 27, at Mars Athletic Complex. Students in seventh and eighth grades will participate in numerous running events as well as long jump, high jump, discus toss and more. The studentsPscores will be compared to records from previous years. In the event of inclement weather, Track & Field Day will be rescheduled for Tuesday, May 31. For more information, call (724) 625-3145.

Student Art Show Mars Area Centennial School will offer its second annual Student Art Show from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 12. The event will feature a display of artworks by fifth- and sixth-graders as well as interactive photo displays, balloon animals, face painting and crafts. For more information, call (724) 625-2601.

Annual Talent Show Mars Area Centennial School will hold its third annual Student Talent Show at 1:15 p.m. on Friday, June 3, in the gymnasium. The show will feature various acts including dance routines, vocal performances and other acts. For more information, call (724) 625-2601.

‘ Transition Days’ Mars Area Middle School will welcome sixthgraders from Mars Area Centennial School as part of the schools’ annual “Transition Days” to be held Tuesday through Thursday, May 31-June 2. Eighth-grade student mentors will offer sixthgraders, who will be graduating to the middle school next year, a tour of the building and will also discuss dayto-day activities at the middle school. For more information, call (724) 625-3145.

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Skype Offers Students Opportunity to M eet Authors

Students Place in K nowledge M aster Open Students at Mars Area Centennial School placed eighth among 28 Pennsylvania schools participating in the national “Knowledge Master Open” academic competition on March 23. The team also placed 38th out of 290 participating schools from across the United States and around the globe. As part of the program, members of the team, comprised of fifth- and sixth-graders, are asked to answer 100 questions on varying topics from current events to the fine arts.

Photos by Josh Schwoebel

Students N amed Winners in PL CB Poster Contest

Mars Area E lementary School stud ents d emonstrate various scientific ex periments d uring the school’s annual Science F air.

Students Showcase Scientific K nowledge More than 170 students in second through fourth grades put on their lab coats and set to answer a variety of scientific questions as part of Mars Area Elementary School’s Science Fair on March 24. Project topics ranged from “Growing Rock Candy Crystals” and “Visible Magnetic Fields” to “Dog Tails & Why They Wag” and “Which Plant Grows Faster.” The goal of the science fair was to stimulate imagination and independent thinking; increase students’ knowledge in a variety of scientific areas; teach the use of the scientific process; train students in organiz ation and major task completion; and provide an opportunity to enjoy science. The event also featured the program, “Fractured Physics,” presented by Carnegie Science Center. 20

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Several Mars Area Elementary School students were selected as winners in the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s 2010-2011 Alcohol Awareness Poster Contest. Fourth-grader Claire Valentine, third-grader Luke Harvey and second-grader Catie Schneider were named Grade Winners and will each receive a $50 United States Savings Bond. Students selected to receive Special Recognition are fourth-grader Hannah Pasq uini; third-graders Kiara Khemani and Emily Kuntz; and second-graders Madelyn Chamblin, Allison Luskand Jessica Paul. The winners were selected from more than 900 entries in the contest, which challenged students to create a poster with a message that discourages underage drinking. All winners were honored at a ceremony on April 20, at the State Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg, Pa. The winning posters were on display in the Capitol Rotunda, April 18-22.

M ath Olympiad Several fourth-graders at Mars Area Elementary School competed in Math Olympiad competitions on Jan. 11 and Feb 8. On Jan. 11, fourth-graders Nicholas Ryan, Claire Staudacher and Gillan Wing answered three out of five questions correctly and Madison Ceasar, Cole Baughman, Aditi Edlabadkar, Daniel Phillips and Andrew Pierre answered two out of five questions correctly. On Feb. 8, fourth-graders Shea Moffa and Jessica Pengilly answered three out of five questions correctly and

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Photos by Josh Schwoebel

Mars Area Centennial School stud ents answer q uestions in the national “ K nowled ge Master O pen” acad emic competition on March 23 . Photo by Josh Schwoebel

Students at Mars Area Centennial School and Mars Area Elementary School had unique opportunies to meet children’s book authors via Skype earlier this year. Fifth-graders at Mars Area Centennial School met children’s book author Marsha Diana Arnold of California . As part of the school’s “Planet Peace” anti-bullying program, the students read Arnold’s book, “Heart of a Tiger.” “The kids pulled a lot from the story,” says Tammy Mitchell, fifth grade teacher. “Some of the responses from our discussion were, ‘ Don’t try to be someone else, because you are great the way you are,’ and ‘ You can’t judge someone on what they are on the outside; you have to look inside to get to know someone.’” Stud ents at Mars Area Centennial School talk with chilThe book is about a cat named Four, who has to d ren’s b ook author Marsha D iane Arnold from her home Photo by Josh Schwoebel choose a name based on his own characteristics and per- in California via Skype. sonality, says Mitchell. In correlation with the book, the stu- to not only walk again, but to compete in the World dents identified the meaning and origin of their own names. Championship Sled Dog Race in Anchorage, Alaska. And, in their math classes, the students counted the For 17 years, White lived in Alaska where he raced sled number of letters, vowels and consonants in their names dogs with his daughter, Kelly. He retired from sled dog racand are collecting data and writing fractions identifying ing in 1995. mean, median, mode and range. All of the information was During his virtual visit, White showed students videos of displayed on a graph in the classroom. the real Foxy and of his daughter’s achievements in sled dog Students at Mars Area Elementary School spoke with racing. His presentation offered students an inside look at Edward White, author of “Foxy’s Tale: The True Story of the challenges he faced as a musher and as a first-time author. a Champion Alaskan Sled Dog.” In the book, written from The students completed journal questions and particiFoxy’s perspective, Foxy comes back from a serious injury pated in group discussions about the book.

Third - grad ers at Mars Area E lementary School make b lueb ird b ox es with some help from parents as part of a Pennsylvania G ame Commission presentation.

Baughman and Staudacher answered two out of five questions correctly. Math Olympiad, a national competition open to students in fourth through seventh grades, asks students to answer a series of complex math questions.

Junior Wrestling Championship Three Mars Area students competed in the 2011 Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling State Championship, held March 25-26 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. First-grader Brandon Krul received eighth place in the Ages 8 & Under 45-Pound Weight Bracket and third-grader Mitchell Wrightearned eighth place in the Ages 8 & Under 70Pound Weight Bracket. Fifth-grader Alex Hornfleck competed in the Ages 11-12 70-Pound Weight Bracket. The Mars Youth Wrestling Team placed second in the North Hills Wrestling League. For more information, visit www.marswrestling.com.

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Students, Parents I nvited to Screening of M ars N eeds M oms

Photos by Josh Schwoebel

Mars Area E lementary School teacher Stephanie Cooper read s to visitors at the school’s annual F amily L iteracy N ight. At right, teachers present a skit b ased on the b ook, “ Miss D aisy is Craz y” b y D an G utman.

E lementary School Offers L iteracy N ight Mars Area Elementary School welcomed countless students and parents to the school’s annual Family Literacy Night on March 10. “Our purpose here tonight is to celebrate literacy and to celebrate families,” said Robert Z accari, principal, who kicked off the event reading Robert Munsch’s book, “Something Good,” with some help from his daughter, Kristen. Teachers then took center stage as they performed a skit based on the book, “Miss Daisy is Craz y,” in the M y W ei r d S c h ool series by Dan Gutman. Following the opening festivities, event-goers were invited to participate in various reading activities. This year’s sessions included an “Author Study — Chris Van Allsburg,” “Battle of the Wills,” “Dr. Seuss’ Butter Battles,” Campfire Stories,” “Constellations,” “Dr. Seuss’ And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” “Family Newspaper,” “Homophones Bingo,” “Reading Restaurant,” “Road Trip,” “St. Patrick’s Day Limericks,” “Poetry” and “Where the Wild Things Are.”

Primary Center to Offer First Grade Parent Picnic Mars Area Primary Center will hold its annual First Grade Parent Picnic on Wednesday, May 25. Students and parents will enjoy a picnic lunch on the school’s lawn. For more information, call (724) 625-1588.

‘ Watermelon Welcome’ Mars Area Primary Center will hold a “Watermelon Welcome” Kindergarten Preview from 9:30 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 26. The event is open to all students who are registered to attend the school’s kindergarten program for the 20112012 school year and their parents. Participants will meet the school’s kindergarten teachers, join in computer lab activities, and play on the school’s playground.

Mars Area Elementary School students and their families were invited to a free premiere screening of the Disney film, M ar s N eed s M oms , on March 5 at Cinemark IMAX Theatre at the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills. A representative of The Walt Disney Company contacted the school about the film premiere after seeing a piece on Mars, Pa., on M S N B C around the time of the Steelers trip to Super Bowl X LV, said Robert Z accari, principal. The school held a random drawing to fill the 349 available seats in the theatre. Those selected to attend the screening received a small popcorn, bottled water and an “I’m from Mars” t-shirt. M ar s N eed s M oms tells the story of 9-year-old Milo who finds out just how much he needs his mom when Martians kidnap her with plans to steal her “momness.” The film opened nationwide on March 11.

Photos by Josh Schwoebel

A Mars Area High School stud ent read s to kind ergartners d uring Mars Area Primary Center’s R ead Across America celeb ration. At left, a firstgrad er j oins in a craft proj ect as part of “ L aughter & L iteracy” D ay. Below, musician J ustin R ob erts entertains stud ents.

Students Portray Presidents, First L adies

School Holds Annual Read Across America E vent

Third-graders in Jennifer McClelland and Colleen Hinrichsen’s classrooms at Mars Area Elementary School offered a look into American history as part of an annual Wax Museum activity on Feb. 18. Each student chose and researched an American president and first lady. The students then invited parents and other family members to the Wax Museum, where they offered a short biography about their chosen luminaries. At the conclusion of the activity, the students offered a presidential rap.

Mars Area Primary Center invited students to join in the school’s annual Read Across America Week celebration, held Feb. 28-March 4. On March 2, the school offered a “Literacy & Laughter Day,” during which students rotated between classrooms, participating in reading activities and corresponding craft projects. The school welcomed children’s musician Justin Roberts on March 3. Roberts has produced various CDs of children’s music including “Jungle Gym,” “Pop Fly,” “MeltdownJ” and “Yellow Bus.” And, on March 4, guest readers including Mars Area school board members, teachers, students and community members read their favorite stories to kindergartners and first-graders at the Primary Center. Each student also received an “I’m a Star Reader” tshirt, provided through a PA Accountability Grant.

The purpose of the program is to aid students in making the transition into the Mars Area Primary Center Kindergarten Program. To RSVP, call (724) 625-1588.

Students will participate in various non-competitive track and field events and other activities. The event will conclude with a Sixth Grade Graduation Ceremony followed by a tug-of-war competition. For more information, call (724) 625-2601.

Olympic Fun Day Mars Area Primary Center will hold its annual Olympic Fun Day on Thursday, June 2. Students in kindergarten and first grade will participate in a variety of activities including a three-legged race, an obstacle course, potato sack race, tug of war and more. For more information, call (724) 625-1588.

Student Fun Day

World Record Field Days Mars Area Elementary School will hold its annual World Record Field Days from noon to 3:15 p.m., Wednesday through Friday, June 8-10. Students will participate in a variety of games from a jump rope contest and potato sack race to a beanbag toss and tug of war. For more information, call (724) 625-3161.

Mars Area Centennial School will hold its annual Student Fun Day on Tuesday, June 7, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 21

sports Wrestlers Compete in Regional Tournament

Hockey Team Wins Class A Penguins Cup, State Title

Several members of Mars Area High School Boy Varsity Wrestling Team competed in the 2010-2011 WPIAL Class AAA Southwest Regional Tournament, held March 3-5 at Canon-McMillan High School in Canonsburg, Pa. Senior Ronnie Dakan competed in the first round of the 171-pound weight class competition. Senior Chris Boggs (160), junior James Flinn (140) and sophomores Ryan McMahon(145) and AndySelker(130) each competed in the preliminary round of their respective weight class competitions. The wrestlers qualified for the regional tournament after placing at the WPIAL Wrestling Class AAA Sectionals on Feb. 26 at Fox Chapel High School. Other outstanding wrestlers this season included senior Cameron Cress(285) and Shane Smith (189); junior Blake Bernard (135); sophomores Chad McDade (125) and Austin Bitzer (215); and freshmen Jimmy Ronczka (103), Jake Snyder(112) and Kevin Gannon(119). The Fightin’ Planets Boys Varsity Wrestling team ended the 2010-2011 regular season with an overall record of 8-7 and 2-3 in Section 3A-AAA competition.

Mars Area High School’s Boys Varsity Hockey Team won the 2011 Pennsylvania State Class A High School Hockey Championship on March 26, defeating the Springfield-Delco Cougars 5-2. The win earned the team its second consecutive state title. The Fightin’ Planets advanced to the state championship after winning the 2011 PIHL Penguins Cup Class A Championship for the third consecutive year. The team shut out the Hampton Talbots 5-0 in the final game of the Penguins Cup Championship on Mars Area High School’s Boys Varsity Hockey Team pose for a picture with the 2011 Pennsylvania State March 20; topped the Westmont-Hilltop Hilltoppers 4- Class A High School Hockey Championship trophy. 1 in the semifinals on March 15; and slew the South Junior Allie Misenhelterplaced seventh (316.35) in the Fayette Lions 5-0 in the quarterfinals on March 9. The team ended its regular season with an overall One-Meter Diving competition. Junior Jocelyn Lemay record of 20-1 and a 6-0 record in Section 2-A of the placed 18th (1:05.62) in the 100-Yard Butterfly and senior Corinna Luschini placed 16th (1:14.54) in the 100-Yard PIHL Southwest Conference. Outstanding players this season included seniors Breaststroke. Freshman Amanda Alikhani placed 13th (5:39.43); Blake Friday, Kevin Leslie, Chris Greco, Ryan Magdinec, Hunter Sacchini, Robbie Sigurdsson, sophomore Phoebe Pierre placed 14th (5:39.67); and junTyler Thomas, Tyler Stepke, Walker Enstad and Colt ior Kelsey McDonough placed 19th (5:45.99) in the 500Berneberg; juniors Joe Bender, Nick Blaney, Robert Yard Freestyle. Freshman Caroline Pacey placed 29th Foley, Greg Makozy, Rusty Miller, Bryan Thomasand (58.17) in the 100-Yard Freestyle. Lemay placed 16th (2:23.10) and Luschini placed 23rd Elliot Tisdale; and sophomores Max Master and (2:29.36) in the 200-Yard Individual Medley. Alikhani placed Austin Heakins. 23rd (2:07.66) in the 200-Yard Freestyle. For more information, visit www.marshockey.org. The relay team of Lemay, Gruber, Alikhani and Pacey placed fifth (3:48.42) in the 400-Yard Freestyle Relay and Coed Varsity Swimming & Diving placed sixth (1:55.19) in the 200-Yard Medley Relay. Three members of Mars Area High School’s Boys & The relay team of Pierre, senior Shelby Ainsworth, junGirls Swimming & Diving Team competed in the 2010ior Salina Smialek and sophomore Olivia Webb placed 2011 PIAA Swimming & Diving Championship, held 22nd (1:52.81) in the 200-Yard Freestyle Relay. March 15-19 at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa. Georgiadis placed fourth (2:01.25) and Muehlheuser Sophomore Maggie Gruber earned first place in the placed sixth (2:04.19) in the 200-Yard Individual Medley. 100-Yard Butterfly with a time of 54.98. In the preliminary Muehlheuser also placed fourth (54.31) in the 100-Yard round of the 100-Yard Butterfly competition, Gruber set a Backstroke. new PIAA record with a time of 54.84. Gruber also placed secGeorgiadis qualified to compete in the 200-Yard ond (55.46) in the 100-Yard Backstroke. Individual Medley and Muehlheuser in the 100-Yard Junior Jack Muehlheuserplaced seventh Backstroke at the PIAA Swimming & Diving (53.59) in the 100-Yard Backstroke and 21st Championship. (2:04.84) in the preliminary round of the 200Georgiadis placed fifth (4:52.9) and freshman Yard Individual Medley. Freshman Christopher Thomas Pierre placed 17th (5:12.98) in the 500-Yard Georgiadis took 12th place (2:03.28) in the 200-Yard Freestyle. Pierre placed 21st (1:56.15) in the 200-Yard Individual Medley and 17th place (4:53.37) in the 500-Yard Freestyle and senior Kevin Shebek placed 18th (149.65) in Freestyle. the One-Meter Diving competition. Gruber, Muehlheuser and Georgiadis qualifier for the The relay team of Muehlheuser, Georgiadis, Pierre and PIAA Championships at the 2010-2011 WPIAL Class AA senior Tyler Odom placed 13th (3:33.79) in the 400-Yard Swimming & Diving Championships, held March 3-4 at the Freestyle Relay and placed 11th (1:47.56) in the 200-Yard University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool. Medley Relay. At the WPIAL Championship, Gruber took first place in The relay team of Odom, seniors Jacob Hunter and the 100-Yard Butterfly and 100-Yard Backstroke, setting a Jason Turkovich and junior Alec Brand placed 30th new WPIAL record in each event with times of 54.63 and (1:49.50) in the 200-Yard Freestyle Relay. 56.00, respectively.

Girls Varsity Basketball MarsArea HighSchoolGirlsVarsityBasketballTeamended its season in the preliminary round of the 2010-2011 WPIAL/ McDonald’s Class AAA Girls Basketball Championship. The Lady Planets took on the Laurel Highlands Mustangs in the preliminary round of the WPIAL playoffs on Feb. 19, but were defeated 46-39. The team ended the 2010-2011 regular season with an overall record of 14-8 and 8-2 in Section 1-AAA. Outstanding players this season included seniors Alexa Lee, Meghan Kelly, Kelsey Pelles, Carly Clark and Lizz Tumminello; juniors Brinsley Evanson and Randi Francis; sophomores TeresaDallatoreand AlyssaMathews; and freshmen Ally Bucklewand Gabby Kosobucki.

Boys Varsity Basketball Mars Area High School Boys Varsity Basketball Team ended its season in the first round of the 2010-2011 WPIAL/ McDonald’s Class AAA Boys Basketball Championship. The Fightin’ Planets took on the Uniontown Red Raiders in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs on Feb. 23, but were defeated 59-42. The team ended the 2010-2011 regular season with an overall record of 18-4 and 11-3 in Section 1-AAA. Outstanding players this season included seniors Christian Locher, Brad Weischedel, Brandon Eckstein, Jake Leeand Andrew Moraca; sophomores Mitch Buzzard, Garrett Ashbaugh, Adam Bayuk, Josh Goetz, Jake Dufford, Ben Erdahl, Matt Getsy, Alex Locher, Zach May and Josh McAuley; and freshman Owen Nearhoof.

Mars Area

District to Offer Fall Sports Physicals Mars Area School District will offer physicals for 2011 Fall Sports, beginning at 8 a.m. at Mars Area Middle School and 1 p.m. at Mars Area High School on Thursday, June 2. Cost is $15 per student. The Pennsylvania Interscholastic

Athletic Association (PIAA) process and forms required for athletic physicals have changed. All student-athletes interested in participating in athletics are required to undergo one comprehensive physical evaluation per year. To obtain the necessary forms, visit the “Athletics” page on the District’s Web site, www.marsk12.org, and click on the “Athletic Physicals” link. For details, call (724) 625-9380.

sports Fall Sports 2011 Boys Varsity Football 08/20/11 — Beaver Falls (scrimmage), 10 a.m. 08/26/11— Elizabeth-Forward(scrimmage), 6 p.m. 09/02/11 — Moon Area, 7:30 p.m. 09/09/11 — Pine-Richland, 7:30 p.m. 09/16/11 — Hampton*, 7:30 p.m. 09/23/11 — Indiana*, 7:30 p.m. 09/30/11 — Kittanning*, 7:30 p.m. 10/07/11 — Highlands*, 7:30 p.m. 10/14/11 — Butler, 7:30 p.m. 10/21/11 — Valley*, 7:30 p.m. 10/28/11 — Knoch*, 7:30 p.m.

Boys JV Football 09/03/11 — Moon Area, 10 a.m. 09/10/11 — Pine-Richland, 10 a.m. 09/17/11 — Hampton*, 10 a.m. 09/24/11 — Indiana*, 10 a.m. 10/01/11 — Kittanning*, 10 a.m. 10/08/11 — Highlands*, 10 a.m. 10/15/11 — Butler, 10 a.m. 10/22/11 — Valley*, 10 a.m.

Boys 9th Grade Football 09/01/11 — P-R (scrimmage), 4 p.m. 09/08/11 — Ford City*, 3:30 p.m. 09/15/11 — Hampton*, 4 p.m. 09/21/11 — Valley*, 6 p.m. 09/29/11 — Highlands*, 6 p.m. 10/06/11 — Burrell*, 6 p.m. 10/13/11 — Kitanning*, 6 p.m. 10/20/11 — Knoch*, 6 p.m. 10/26/11 — Butler, 7 p.m.

Boys 7th/8th Grade Football 08/31/11 — Freeport (scrimmage), 4 p.m. 09/07/11 — Hampton*, 3:30 p.m. 09/14/11 — Indiana*, 4 p.m. 09/15/11 — North Allegheny*, 3:30 p.m. 09/20/11 — Knoch, 6 p.m. 09/21/11 — Seneca Valley (Black), 3:30 p.m. 09/27/11 — Fox Chapel, 3:45 p.m. 09/28/11 — N.A. (Marshall), 6 p.m. 10/05/11 — Pine-Richland (Green), 3:30 p.m. 10/06/11 — North Allegheny (Carson), 4 p.m. 10/12/11 — New Castle*, 7 p.m. 10/18/11 — Fox Chapel, 3:30 p.m. 10/19/11 — Knoch* 10/25/11 — Seneca Valley (Blue), 3:30 p.m. 10/26/11 — N.A. (Ingomar), 6 p.m.

Boys 7th Grade Football 09/15/11 — North Allegheny*, 3:30 p.m. 09/20/11 — Knoch, 6 p.m. 09/27/11 — Fox Chapel, 3:45 p.m. 10/06/11 — North Allegheny (Carson), 4 p.m. 10/12/11 — New Castle*, 7 p.m. 10/18/11 — Fox Chapel, 3:30 p.m. 10/25/11 — Seneca Valley (Blue), 3:30 p.m.

Boys Varsity Soccer 08/20/11 — S.V. (scrimmage), 9 a.m. 08/24/11 — N.A./Blackhawk (scrimmage), 6 p.m. 09/03/11 — Southmoreland, 8 p.m. 09/06/11 — Deer Lakes*, 7 p.m. 09/08/11 — Hampton*, 7 p.m. 09/13/11 — Shady Side*, 7:30 p.m. 09/15/11 — Freeport*, 7 p.m. 09/16/11 — Pine-Richland Tourn., TBA 09/17/11 — Pine-Richland Tourn., TBA 09/20/11 — Highlands*, 7 p.m. 09/22/11 — Kittanning*, 7 p.m. 09/24/11 — Knoch*, 10 a.m. 09/27/11 — Deer Lakes*, 7 p.m.

09/29/11 — Hampton*, 7:30 p.m. 10/04/11 — Shady Side Academy, 7 p.m. 10/06/11 — Freeport*, 4 p.m. 10/11/11 — Highlands*, 7 p.m. 10/13/11 — Kittanning*, 5 p.m. 10/15/11 — Seneca Valley, 10 a.m. 10/18/11 — Knoch*, 7 p.m.

Boys JV Soccer 09/08/11 — Hampton*, 5:30 p.m. 09/13/11 — Shady Side*, 6 p.m. 09/15/11 — Freeport*, 5:30 p.m. 09/22/11 — Kittanning*, 5:30 p.m. 09/27/11 — Deer Lakes*, 5:30 p.m. 10/04/11 — Shady Side Academy, 5:30 p.m. 10/11/11 — Highlands*, 5:30 p.m. 10/18/11 — Knoch*, 5:30 p.m.

Boys 7th/8th Grade Soccer 08/29/11 — N.H. (scrimmage), 3:30 p.m. 08/31/11 — Butler (scrimmage), 3:30 p.m. 09/06/11 — Valley, 3:30 p.m. 09/09/11 — Shady Side Academy, 3:30 p.m. 09/12/11 — North Hills*, 4 p.m. 09/14/11 — Seneca Valley*, 3:30 p.m. 09/16/11— NorthAllegheny(White)*,3:30p.m. 09/19/11 — Pine-Richland*, 3:30 p.m. 09/21/11 — North Allegheny (Gold)*, 3:30 p.m. 09/23/11 — Butler*, 3:30 p.m. 09/26/11— EdenChristianAcad*,3:30p.m. 09/28/11 — North Hills*, 3:30 p.m. 09/30/11 — Seneca Valley*, 3:30 p.m. 10/03/11 — N.A. (White)*, 3:30 p.m. 10/04/11 — Valley, 4 p.m. 10/05/11 — Pine-Richland*, 3:30 p.m. 10/07/11 — N.A. (Gold)*, 3:30 p.m. 10/10/11 — Butler*, 3:30 p.m. 10/11/11 — Shady Side Academy, 3:30 p.m. 10/12/11 — Eden Christian Acad.*, 3:30 p.m.

Girls Varsity Soccer 08/20/11 — Shaler (scrimmage), noon 08/30/11 — Blackhawk (scrimmage), 6 p.m. 09/03/11 — Southmoreland, 6 p.m. 09/05/11 — St. Vincent-St. Mary, 1 p.m. 09/07/11 — Valley*, 7 p.m. 09/10/11 — Butler, 6:30 p.m. 09/12/11 — Highlands*, 3:30 p.m. 09/14/11 — Indiana*, 7 p.m. 09/17/11 — Hampton, 7 p.m. 09/19/11 — Burrell, 7 p.m. 09/21/11 — Deer Lakes*, 7 p.m. 09/24/11 — Freeport*, 1 p.m. 09/26/11 — Knoch*, 5:15 p.m. 09/28/11 — Valley*, 7 p.m. 10/01/11 — Highlands*, 2 p.m. 10/03/11 — Indiana*, 7 p.m. 10/05/11 — Burrell*, 5:30 p.m. 10/10/11 — Deer Lakes*, 7 p.m. 10/12/11 — Freeport*, 5:30 p.m. 10/17/11 — Knoch*, 7 p.m.

Girls JV Soccer 08/20/11 — Shaler (scrimmage), noon 08/30/11 — Blackhawk (scrimmage), 6 p.m. 09/03/11 — Southmoreland, 6 p.m. 09/05/11 — St. Vincent-St. Mary, 1 p.m. 09/10/11 — Butler, 5 p.m. 09/14/11 — Indiana*, 5:30 p.m. 09/17/11 — Hampton, 5:30 p.m. 09/19/11 — Burrell, 5:30 p.m. 09/24/11 — Freeport*, 3:45 p.m. 09/26/11 — Knoch*, 5:15 p.m. 10/03/11 — Indiana*, 5:30 p.m. 10/05/11 — Burrell*, 4 p.m. 10/10/11 — Deer Lakes*, 5:30 p.m. 10/12/11 — Freeport*, 4 p.m. 10/17/11 — Knoch*, 5:30 p.m.

Home games are in Bold

* denotes conference game

Girls 7th/8th Grade Soccer 09/01/11 — Butler (White), 3:30 p.m. 09/06/11 — N.A. (Marshall)(Black), 3:30 p.m. 09/08/11 — N.A. (Marshall)(Gold), 3:30 p.m. 09/13/11 — Deer Lakes*, 3:30 p.m. 09/15/11 — Burrell*, 3:30 p.m. 09/16/11 — Highlands, 3:30 p.m. 09/20/11 — N.A. (Black), 3:30 p.m. 09/23/11 — Springdale*, 3:30 p.m. 09/27/11 — Seneca Valley (Black)*, 3:30 p.m. 09/29/11 — P-R (White)*, 3:30 p.m. 09/30/11 — N.A. (Gold), 3:30 p.m. 10/03/11 — Riverview*, 4:30 p.m. 10/05/11 — Knoch*, 3:30 p.m. 10/07/11 — Deer Lakes*, 3:30 p.m. 10/10/11 — Riverview*, 3:30 p.m. 10/11/11 — Burrell*, 3:30 p.m. 10/13/11 — Highlands, 3:30 p.m. 10/18/11 — Pine-Richland (White)*, 3:30 p.m. 10/19/11 — Springdale*, 3:30 p.m. 10/20/11 — Knoch*, 3:30 p.m. 10/21/11— SenecaValley(Black)*,3:30p.m.

Boys Varsity Golf 08/18/11 — North Hills, 3 p.m. 08/23/11 — Shady Side Acad.*, 3:15 p.m. 08/24/11 — Kiski*, 3:15 p.m. 08/26/11 — Valley*, 3:15 p.m. 08/29/11 — Hampton*, 3:15 p.m. 08/30/11 — Moon Area, 3:15 p.m. 09/01/11 — Kittanning*, 3:15 p.m. 09/06/11 — Highlands*, 3:15 p.m. 09/07/11 — Deer Lakes, 3:30 p.m. 09/08/11 — Knoch*, 3:15 p.m. 09/13/11 — Shady Side Academy*, 3:30 p.m. 09/15/11 — Kiski*, 3:15 p.m. 09/19/11 — Section Qualifier, 10 a.m. 09/20/11 — Valley*, 3 p.m. 09/22/11 — Hampton*, 3 p.m. 09/27/11 — WPIAL Indiv. Semifinals, TBA 09/28/11 — Kittanning*, 3:30 p.m 09/30/11 — Highlands*, 3:30 p.m. 10/03/11 — Knoch*, 3:15 p.m. 10/05/11 — WPIAL Indiv. Finals, TBA 10/11/11 — WPIAL Team Semifinals, TBA 10/13/11 — WPIAL Finals, TBA 10/24/11 — PIAA Championships, TBA 10/25/11 — PIAA Championships, TBA

Boys JV Golf 08/18/11 — North Hills, 3:15 p.m. 08/19/11 — Freeport, 3:15 p.m. 08/22/11 — Hopewell, 3:15 p.m. 08/24/11 — Fox Chapel, 3:15 p.m. 08/25/11 — North Allegheny, 3:30 p.m. 08/29/11 — Hampton, 3:15 p.m. 08/30/11 — Moon Area, 3 p.m. 09/08/11 — Knoch, 3:15 p.m. 09/12/11 — Freeport, 3:15 p.m. 09/13/11— ShadySideAcademy,3:15p.m. 09/20/11 — North Allegheny, 3:15 p.m. 09/23/11 — Hampton, 3:15 p.m. 09/26/11 — Butler, 3:15 p.m. 09/27/11 — Fox Chapel, 3:30 p.m. 09/29/11 — Hopewell, 3:15 p.m. 10/03/11 — Knoch, 3:15 p.m.

Girls Varsity Golf 08/19/11 — Blackhawk, 9 a.m. 08/22/11 — Pine-Richland, 3:30 p.m. 08/25/11 — Seneca Valley, 3:15 p.m. 08/29/11 — Kiski*, 2:30 p.m. 08/31/11 — Ford City*, 3:15 p.m. 09/02/11 — Indiana*, 3:30 p.m. 09/07/11 — Kittanning*, 3:15 p.m. 09/09/11 — St. Joseph’s*, 3:30 p.m.

09/12/11 — Butler, 3:15 p.m. 09/14/11 — Kiski*, 3:15 p.m. 09/15/11— MACTourn.@Blackhawk,9:30a.m. 09/16/11 — Blackhawk, 3:15 p.m. 09/19/11 — Ford City*, 3:15 p.m. 09/21/11 — Section Qualifier, 10 a.m. 09/22/11 — Indiana*, 3:15 p.m. 09/26/11 — Kittanning*, 3:30 p.m. 09/28/11 — St. Joseph’s, 3:15 p.m. 10/04/11 — Division I-II Indiv. Finals, 9 a.m. 10/10/11 — WPIAL Team Semifinals, TBA 10/13/11 — WPIAL Team Finals, TBA 10/24/11 — PIAA Championships, TBA 10/25/11 — PIAA Championships. TBA

Girls Varsity Tennis 08/22/11 — Vincentian, 3:30 p.m. 08/23/11 — Shaler, 3 p.m. 08/24/11 — Seneca Valley*, 3:30 p.m. 08/26/11 — Butler*, 3:30 p.m. 08/29/11 — Knoch, 3:30 p.m. 08/30/11 — Montour, 3:30 p.m. 09/01/11 — North Allegheny*, 3:30 p.m. 09/06/11 — Hampton*, 3:30 p.m. 09/07/11 — Vincentian, 3:30 p.m. 09/08/11 — North Hills*, 3:30 p.m. 09/12/11 — Pine-Richland*, 3:30 p.m. 09/14/11 — Seneca Valley*, 3:30 p.m. 09/15/11 — Sect. Singles @ N.A.,TBA 09/16/11 — Sect. Singles @ N.A., TBA 09/19/11 — Butler*, 3:30 p.m. 09/20/11 — MAC Tourn., TBA 09/21/11 — Montour, 3:30 p.m. 09/22/11 — WPIAL Section Singles, 3:30 p.m. 09/23/11 — WPIAL Section Singles, 3:30 p.m. 09/26/11 — North Allegheny*, 3:30 p.m. 09/27/11 — Vincentian, 3:30 p.m. 09/28/11 — Hampton*, 3:30 p.m. 09/30/11 — Section Doubles, 3:30 p.m. 10/01/11 — Section Doubles, 3:30 p.m. 10/03/11 — North Hills*, 3:30 p.m. 10/05/11 — Pine-Richland*, 3:30 p.m. 10/06/11 — WPIAL Sect. Doubles, 3:30 p.m. 10/07/11 — WPIAL Sect. Doubles, 3:30 p.m. 10/17/11 — WPIAL Team Champ., 3:30 p.m.

Girls JV Tennis 08/24/11 — Seneca Valley, 3:30 p.m. 08/26/11 — Butler, 3:30 p.m. 08/30/11 — Sewickley Academy, 3:30 p.m. 09/01/11 — North Allegheny, 3:30 p.m. 09/06/11 — Hampton, 3:30 p.m. 09/07/11 — Vincentian, 3:30 p.m. 09/08/11 — Hopewell, 3:30 p.m. 09/12/11 — Pine-Richland, 3:30 p.m. 09/14/11 — Seneca Valley, 3:30 p.m. 09/19/11 — Butler, 3:30 p.m. 09/21/11 — Sewickley Acad., 3:30 p.m. 09/26/11 — North Allegheny, 3:30 p.m. 09/27/11 — Vincentian, 3:30 p.m. 09/28/11 — Hampton, 3:30 p.m. 10/03/11 — Hopewell, 3:30 p.m. 10/05/11 — Pine-Richland, 3:30 p.m.

Girls Varsity Volleyball 08/20/11— Schenley/Gateway/Kittanning (scrimmage),10a.m. 08/27/11 — Ford City/Penn Hills (scrimmage), 10 a.m. 09/02/11 — North Catholic, 3:30 p.m. 09/06/11 — Hampton, 6 p.m. 09/08/11 — Franklin Regional, 6 p.m. 09/10/11 — Shaler Tournament, 8 a.m. 09/13/11 — Freedom*, 6 p.m. 09/15/11 — New Brighton*, 6 p.m. 09/20/11 — Knoch*, 6 p.m. 09/21/11 — Pine-Richland, 6 p.m.

09/22/11 — Deer Lakes*, 6 p.m. 09/24/11 — MAC Tourn. @ South Side, TBA 09/27/11 — Ambridge*, 6 p.m. 10/04/11 — Freedom*, 6 p.m. 10/06/11 — New Brighton*, 6 p.m. 10/11/11 — Knoch*, 6 p.m. 10/12/11 — South Fayette, 6 p.m. 10/13/11 — Deer Lakes*, 6 p.m. 10/18/11 — Ambridge*, 6 p.m. 10/20/11 — Hampton, 6 p.m. 10/22/11 — North Allegheny Tourn., 8 a.m.

Coed Varsity Cross Country 08/22/11 — Brush Creek Invit. (scrimmage), 4 p.m. 08/30/11 — Central Valley (scrimmage), 4 p.m. 09/07/11 — North Hills, 4 p.m. 09/08/11 — Blackhawk, 4 p.m. 09/10/11 — Red, White & Blue Invitational @ Schenley Park, 8 a.m. 09/14/11 —Indiana/Ford City, 3:30 p.m. 09/20/11 — N.A.*/Hampton*, 3:30 p.m. 09/27/11— P-R*/S.V.*,3:30p.m. 10/04/11 — Butler*/Shaler*, 3:30 p.m. 10/11/11 — North Hills*/Knoch*, 3:30 p.m. 10/13/11— MACTourn.@BrushCreek,3p.m. 10/20/11 — TSTCA Invit. @ Cooper’s Lake, 4 p.m. 10/27/11— WPIALChamp.@Cooper’sLake, 3p.m. 11/05/11 — PIAA State Championship, TBA

Coed Junior High Cross Country 09/02/11 — North Allegheny/Shaler, 3:30 p.m. 09/06/11 — Moon Area, 4 p.m. 09/08/11 — Blackhawk, 4 p.m. 09/14/11 — Hampton/Knoch/P-R, 3:30 p.m. 09/17/11 — Slippery Rock Invitational, 10 a.m. 09/23/11 — Northern Invitational, 3 p.m. 09/26/11 — North Hills, 4 p.m. 09/29/11 — South Side Beaver/Ringgold @ South Side Beaver, 3:30 p.m. 10/03/11 — Shady Side Academy, 3:30 p.m. 10/06/11 — Pine-Richland, 3:30 p.m. 10/11/11 — North Allegheny Invit., 3:30 p.m. 10/13/11 — MAC Tourn. @ Brush Creek, 4:15 p.m.

Girls 7th/8th Grade Basketball 08/31/11 — P-R (scrimmage), 3:30 p.m. 09/06/11 — Kittanning, 3:30 p.m. 09/07/11 — North Hills, 3:30 p.m. 09/08/11 — Butler (Gold), 3:30 p.m. 09/12/11 — N.A. (Marshall), 3:30 p.m. 09/13/11 — Manchester Charter, 3:30 p.m. 09/15/11— EdenChristianAcad.,3:30p.m. 09/19/11 — N.A. (Carson), 3:30 p.m. 09/21/11 — N.A. (Ingomar), 3:30 p.m. 09/23/11 — Hampton, 3:30 p.m. 09/26/11 — Pine-Richland, 3:30 p.m. 09/27/11 — Deer Lakes, 3:30 p.m. 09/29/11 — Knoch, 3:30 p.m. 10/03/11 — Manchester Charter, 3:30 p.m. 10/04/11 — Kittanning, 3:30 p.m. 10/05/11 — Eden Christian Acad., 3:30 p.m. 10/07/11 — N.A. (Carson), 3:30 p.m. 10/11/11 — N.A. (Ingomar), 3:30 p.m. 10/13/11 — Hampton, 3:30 p.m. 10/17/11 — Deer Lakes, 3:30 p.m. 10/19/11 — Knoch, 3:30 p.m. 10/20/11 — N.A. (Marshall), 3:30 p.m. All sports schedules are subject to change. For sports schedules, call Mars Area School District Athletic Office at (724) 625-9380 or visit www.highschoolsports.net.

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tepping inside the Mars Station is like stepping back in time to a more gentile age. Constructed in 1897, the station was established as a stop along the Pittsburgh and Western Railroad and was the midway point between Pittsburgh and Butler. Passengers and freight passed through the station for nearly 50 years. The bustling station was knocked off its foundation in the 1920s when a freight train derailed and crashed into the building, but it was rebuilt and continued to serve the community. While the Mars Station is steeped in history, one of its most notable events was the passing of U .S. President Warren G . Harding’ s funeral train as it made its way to Washington, D.C. Crowds gathered at the station to pay respect to the 29th president as his body was transported from San Francisco, where he died after an ill-fated trip to Alaska, to the nation’ s capital. As the railroad industry declined, the station was shuttered in the early 1960s and remained closed for nearly 40 years. I t may have disappeared altogether if not for the efforts of local volunteers who banded together to preserve this j ewel of community heritage. O ne of those volunteers is Bill Swaney, who served on Mars Borough Council during the 1970s and 1980s. A toy train enthusiast, Swaney stepped up when the station was scheduled to be dismantled and destroyed. He and a group of volunteers established the Mars Area History f Landmark Society and struck a deal with the railroad to rent the building with the intention of restoring it and removing it from the original site. As a result, the Mars Station is the last station still standing of the Pf W Subdivision railroad line. Eventually the group purchased the station from the railroad, and began the task of lovingly restoring the depot, cleaning away years of grime while respecting its authentic character. “ We want to share information and history,” Swaney says of the station and its ex hibits. “ We try to make things self-ex planatory.” The building was relocated in 2000 after the society secured the property where the station and other buildings are currently located. Property was donated to the group to house the station, but because that property was located

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Mars Area

outside Mars, the group decided to sell it and use the proceeds to purchase property inside the borough. N ow situated behind 111 Brickyard Road, j ust off Route 228 in Mars Borough, the site houses the station (which measures nearly 70 by 25 feet) along with a red caboose circa 1906, and the Adams Station of the Butler Short Line Trolley Route – a 10-foot octagonal street car station that once served the route from Pittsburgh to Butler. An 8-foot sq uare building was converted into restrooms. The group also acq uired a McDonald Party Trailer, a former hot dog place that once played host to birthday parties, and converted it into a gift shop. I t is still on wheels until its permanent place on the property is determined. To keep operations out of the station itself, and establish a true museum for visitors, the volunteers’ work details were moved out of the depot and into a 40- by 60-foot work building that houses a machine shop and break room. “ We felt that it’ s a museum; let’ s keep it like that,” Swaney says of the station building. Currently the station is open to the public on Friday mornings from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and other times by appointment. The group is preparing to have the station open on Saturdays and Sundays as well, tentatively from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., from Memorial Day to Labor Day, according to Swaney. The Mars Area History f Landmark Society’ s efforts are supported by donations but, Swaney says, “ We don’ t go begging for money.” Local events such as the annual Apple Fest, held the first Saturday in O ctober, help to bring in money to keep the operations going. Last year the station hosted a car show during the event. Swaney says the monies help to cover the cost of electricity. Heat comes from a wood burning stove as it did more than a century ago.

 “ We are pretty frugal,” Swaney says. “ Members contribute their time and effort.” For more information or to plan a visit to the Mars Station, visit www.marshistory.org, email marshistory@ gmail.com, or call 724.474.9588.

Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 27

         

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Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 29

R E A L E STAT E

MARS AREA

AN EN JO Y ABLE LI V I N G SPACE

IS AS CLOSE AS YOUR

by Pamela Palongue I f you’ re looking for ways to increase your property value, aWract buyers or j ust improve your way of life, you may Tnd the answer is in your yard. Figures in the last two years suggest that the landscaping of your home is worth somewhere between 5e and 15e of the total home value. We’ re all familiar with the term “ curb appeal,” which basically means that buyers must be aWracted to the outside of the house before they will ever see the inside. I f your yard is unappealing, it may kill the sale of your home in the Trst few seconds. And the new outdoor room is increasingly appearing on the list of “ must-have” features for new homebuyers. Today, landscaping is more than j ust plants and bushes. Some of the features you may want to consider in making your space more aWractive are lighting, color, foliage, fencing and water features. Lighting goes a long way in deTning an outdoor space for nighWime enj oyment, but it’ s also a wise investment for security. Motion detector lights can illuminate pathways and deter crime. S ey are inex pensive, and solar-powered models are available that are wireless. For more subtle lighting, wall sconces can create ambience in heavily-used areas. For dining spaces, outdoor chandeliers come in a variety of styles from old world to contemporary. N ex t, try adding some color. Pick a shade that will coordinate with the color and hue of your home, but add some contrast. S e color theme can be achieved through the use of chair cushions, throw pillows, table umbrellas, canopies and Rowering plants. Keep in mind that wooden patio furniture can also be painted to further carry out the theme. Trees, bushes, plants and Rowers can breathe new life into a barren space. Trees increase in value over time as they grow. Bushes and hedges can be used to add beauty and also to add security. S orny rosebushes or holly bushes with their pointy leaves can be strategically planted in front of ground Roor windows to discourage would-be intruders. Lavender bushes generally grow fairly q uickly and will add a wonderful scent to your outdoor area. S ey are also a good deterrent for spiders since they avoid the lavender scent.

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When choosing plants and Rowers, keep in mind that most people prefer low maintenance if you are planning on selling your home. Some good low-maintenance Rowers for our area, Zone 6, are Shasta daisies, irises, coneRowers and peonies. S ese perennials come in a variety of colors to highlight your yard and your color scheme. Don’ t forget the lawn. I t’ s the foundation for your landscape. Be sure to replace all the “ bald” spots with new sod to cover these worn areas. Consider using paving stones for heavy traP c areas. I f your grass is brown in spots and you are having a party or open-house showing, consider using a green lawn spray that is specially made to dye your lawn, giving it a lush, verdant look. S e dye is permanent and will last until you mow the lawn. Although fencing may be one of the more ex pensive improvements to your landscaping proj ect, it is also one of the most aWractive and eP cient. A fence deTnes property lines, and adds privacy and security. A laWice fence is a less-ex pensive option and lends a coWage Rair to most yards. I t may be purchased in sections for fairly q uick installation. Chain link fencing is a sturdier but more ex pensive option. Fencing is generally available in brown, green or black to blend in more easily with natural surroundings. Split rail fencing adds a rustic feeling and may be lined with chicken wire to keep small pets secure. Water features are ex tremely popular and oMer the greatest opportunity for creative ex pression in your landscape design. S ey can be as complex as a custom-designed waterfall and as simple as a birdbath. Keep in mind that still water breeds mosq uitoes. I f your water feature is not going to be aerated with a circulation pump, it will need to be Rushed out and cleaned weekly or you can add Tsh which will eat the mosq uito larvae. Many solar-powered pumps are available for use with water fountains which eliminate the need for electricity or cords. Most come with a backup baWery for cloudy days and nighWime use. An outdoor space is a great place for the entire family to spend time and enj oy nature while adding to the value to your property.

R E A L E STAT E

by Pamela Palongue Once upon a time, young people bought a house and lived there happily ever after. End of story. Now an individual or couple may buy four or five different houses in a lifetime and even more if they are working in an industry where transfers happen frequently. In today’s real estate market, is it smart to buy and sell so many times? Or is it safer to buy a dream home and remain there for life? According to Kevin Mihm, a Pittsburgh native and real estate agent for 28 years, it all depends upon the individual and the situation. Decades ago, people stayed in the same job for their entire lives. Now people may switch companies or relocate across the country for job opportunities. Corporate executives may be transferred within their company 10 or more times in a 25-year period. People are also basing their housing choices on their immediate needs, rather than long-term requirements. People begin their home-buying adventure in a starter home, which may have only two bedrooms and one bath. Then when they start a family and are more stable in their careers, they will advance to a mid-range home to accommodate the growing number of children. Eventually they may upgrade

MARS AREA

to an even larger, more luxurious home if that you are not over-improving for your particular neighborhood if you hope to get a good return on income allows. your investment. Check comparable home prices in Are they making money by investing in a house, renovating and selling? The surprising your area before making remodeling choices. answer is “Yes!” Mihm explains that the Mihm also points out that Pittsburgh’s growing Pittsburgh housing market has been fairly stable elderly population has created a need for housing compared to other urban areas around the that is sensitive to the mobility problems of this age country. “We don’t have a housing shortage group. Retirees are empty-nesters that don’t need here created by the influx of as much space as a growing famIncrease in Average Square Feet new residents. It’s actually a ily. They also don’t need stairs. A very stable market here.” type of dwelling called a “flat” has There are a few key become popular. A typical flat has 2000 2,200 sq . ft. considerations to look at when no basement, and the kitchen, 1970 buying a home and upgrading it as bathroom and master bedroom are 1,500 sq . ft. an investment. Most importantly, all located on the ground floor. The 1950 1,000 sq . ft. when selecting a neighborhood in upstairs may include one or two which to live, take special notice bedrooms and a bath for their adult of the school district. Because children when they are visiting or parents want their children to be able to attend the residing in the home while taking care of their very best schools, the school district is key to the aging parents. Most older Pittsburgh homes do area retaining its value over the long haul. Choosing not fit this description. There were new flats being an area that is safe, low-crime and likely to remain built in recent years, until 2008 when the economic that way is also important. People tend to gravitate recession halted new construction. In the future, toward areas with shopping malls, groceries and with the greater numbers of elderly, this type of entertainment nearby as well. These elements housing could be in short supply. But Mihm is will help ensure that your home retains its value optimistic about the future of Pittsburgh real when you are ready to sell it in a few years. estate and says, “We are actually very blessed Another important consideration is to make sure to live in this market.”

Hay

Summer om ars Area

A DV E RT I S E HERE sales@incommunitymagazines.com

724.940.0940 Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 31

PI TTSBU

RG H TECHN I CAL I N STI TU TE’ S

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Showca ses H i g h School Stu d en ts’ A r ti sti c T a len ts or the ninth year in a row, Pittsburgh Technical I nstitute (PTI ) hosted V isions and V oices High School Student Show, an art, design and film festival. O pening with a reception on Saturday, March 12, the ex hibit includes artwork from u89 high school students. Students who are participating in the show represent 79 schools in PA, WV , O H, N Y , MD and V A. The categories of artwork include: painting, CAD, web design, j ewelry, sculpture, drawing, photography, video film, interactive media and ceramics. More than 700 works of art were submitted to V isions and V oices. PTI awarded honors to the following students for outstanding talent as j udged by a panel of working artists and designers. Commenting on the submissions, Susan Rosa, PTI ’ s V isual Communications Coordinator, said, “ The caliber of the students’ creativity improves every year. I t’ s incredible; I admire the talents of these young adults. V isions and V oices is an opportunity for us to showcase their work and recognize the teachers who have guided their artistic and design development. PTI congratulates them all.” V isions and V oices will be on display at the PTI G allery on the N orth Fayette Campus through April 9, 2011.

Honorable mention – “ I H a v e N o I d ea ” watercolor, colored pencil by G reg Leysens of Mars Area High School

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Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 33

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M a r s A re a

G E T YOU R S E L F

Exercise is important for every age, and mature adults are no exception. According to UPMC Sports Medicine’s Dr. Jeanne Doperak, “The ultimate goal—whether you’re 3 or 104—is some sort of activity.” Dr. Doperak suggests a combination of aerobic exercise (exercise which raises the heart rate and increases the body’s need for oxygen,) two days a week of strength training, and some sort of balance and flexibility training. Before beginning any type of aggressive workout program, it is always best to consult your physician. Many people make the assumption that running is bad after a certain age, but this actually depends upon the individuals and their physical condition. Dr. Doperak explains, “As we age, our activities don’t necessarily have to change but the way we train has to be adjusted. We do not recommend that anyone over the age of 30 [engage in] impact activities every day.” An example of an impact activity would be jogging. It is recommended that impact activities be staggered with non-impact exercise such as yoga, tai chi or bicycling every other day. If an individual cannot tolerate impact activities due to arthritis or other problems, swimming is an excellent aerobic exercise (as is bicycling, which can be done with a recumbent stationary bike).

Yoga and tai chi rotated with impact exercise can fulfill the need for balance and flexibility training. Many churches, synagogues, libraries and other non-profit organizations offer classes for free or at reduced rates. Also important to overall optimum physical health is strength training. Although strength training conjures up images of heavy weightlifting, Dr. Doperak suggests that this can be accomplished with weights as light as two pounds. With active workouts, it is vitally important to replenish liquids in the body, especially in the summer months. A vigorous activity such as jogging or tennis for more than 10 to 20 minutes requires fluid replacement. Serious dehydration depletes the body of electrolytes which ensure that the heart’s electrical system works properly. Dr. Doperak recommends water as the best replacement. Although there are many drinks on the market that advertise their benefits of electrolyte replacement, they can also be quite high in calories. Individuals trying to reduce their weight will conversely be adding more calories to their diet. The main thing to remember is that bodies need movement to be healthy. As Dr. Doperak says, “Keep moving.”

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Mars Area

Real Estate Options for the Retired

By Pamela Palongue Retired persons are commonly advised to sell their homes to avoid the cost of repairs and maintenance. Well-meaning friends and relatives oLen point out that they won’ t be able to mow the lawn forever. I s selling your house always the best choice? According to Kathy McKenna, a real estate broker with over 20 years of ex perience in PiWsburgh, it’ s a decision that needs to be weighed carefully with knowledgeable people you can trust. S ere are many reasons a home may not be practical to maintain in retirement years. McKenna ex plains, “ Some older homes may not be well insulated and this can lead to high gas or electric bills.” S ere are the maj or ex penses like replacing a roof as well as the ongoing costs of lawn maintenance, snow removal and real estate tax es. Also on an emotional level, some individuals may not be prepared to live alone and would prefer more sociable surroundings. Some retired persons opt for condominium living which q uells many of the anx ieties of home ownership. As McKenna points out, the maintenance is usually taken care of in the association fees and will generally include lawn maintenance, roof repairs and replacement, and siding. Some condos may include ex terior painting as part of their upkeep agreement. S e downside is that association fees can be raised over time. However, most associations manage their money wisely and the increases are usually infreq uent. McKenna also adds, “ Do your homework. AWend the association meetings and see how the money is being spent and if they are managing it well.” Another thing to consider is that condo associations occasionally may assess their members a one-time fee to pay for a maj or renovation or repair.

S is is not common and generally the tenants have months to years of prior notice before such an assessment is made. An alternative to home ownership that may be even more aWractive to seniors is apartment living. Apartments that have utilities included ensure that high utility bills will not be a problem in cold winter months and there are no repair bills or real estate tax es with which to contend. However, if utilities are granted a rate hike or real estate tax es are raised, those additional costs will likely be passed on to the tenants in the form of a higher rent amount. A recent trend called the reverse mortgage is a loan where the homeowner, who must be at least 62 years of age, uses the home’ s eq uity as collateral. S e bank or mortgage company in turn pays the homeowner a set amount each month. Homeowners are allowed to remain in their homes until death. S e payments are based on the seller’ s age; basically, the younger the homeowner at the time of procuring the mortgage, the smaller the monthly payment. McKenna adds, “ S is allows the homeowner to pull the eq uity out of his house while still living there.” S e disadvantage is that the homeowner is still responsible for any repairs and maintenance for the home. Although not an aWractive alternative for some, those who are living on a Tx ed income and need more money to meet their monthly bills may opt for this arrangement. While some people savor their privacy, others crave social interaction. O ne of the most popular trends in recent years has been the retirement village. S ese villages allow people to have the privacy of their own home while j oining other residents for entertainment, activities and communal dining. Each one oMers diMerent Tnancial plans and must be studied carefully for the best option. McKenna advises, “ Before you sell your home, be sure to list it with someone who is reputable that you can trust and talk to about your particular situation.”

The Allegheny County Parks Dep artm ent Senior Golf Passes Golfers ages 55 and older are eligible for the special $60 senior passes. The passes may be purchased Monday through Thursday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the North and South park clubhouses. Locker rentals may also be purchased for $25 each. F or additional inform ation, contact the North Park Golf Course at 412.961.0512 or 724.935.1967 and the South Park Golf Course at 412-835-3545. I nform ation is also availab le online at www.alleghenycounty.us/p arks/fees/golf.asp x . Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 35

Promoting a Healthy Education Through Healthy Lives L ynn Fey has been working to create a healthy learning environment for Mars Area School District students for the past 22 years. N ow, as she prepares to retire at the end of this school year, she has earned an award for ex cellence in school nursing from the Pennsylvania Association of School N urses and Practitioners. “ My j ob as a school nurse is to help children be as healthy as they can be so they can learn,” says Fey. “ The school nurse has the persona [ of the keeper] of Band-Aids and ice packs, but a lot of what we do people don’ t know about because of the privacy of health issues. We work q uietly and softly with children to help them be their best.” Fey, who lives in Middlesex Township, actually is a graduate of Mars Area High School and went on to earn her nursing diploma from

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Presbyterian U niversity Hospital School of N ursing. Later in her career she went on to earn a bachelor’ s degree in nursing from Duq uesne U niversity and a master’ s degree in education from Penn State U niversity. “ I always knew I wanted to be a nurse,” she ex plains. “ My grandmother was a World War I nurse and I had a lot of respect for her.” Her grandmother may have been her inspiration, but Fey soon realized that nursing was indeed the right choice for her too. “ I t really was a perfect life choice for me.” Throughout her nursing career, which spans nearly u9 years, she has enj oyed a variety of work ex periences outside the school setting. After getting married, she and her husband left the Mars area for some years and relocated due to his educational pursuits. Their travels led them to Washington, D.C. and Chicago, where Fey served as head nurse for pediatric oncology at the U niversity of Chicago. They returned home to Mars in 1977. When her husband completed his academic pursuits, it was Fey’ s turn to return to the classroom. After earning her bachelor’ s degree, she decided to pursue the ex tra credits req uired to earn her school nurse certificate and eventually earned a master’ s degree as well. “ I knew after my pediatricex perience in Chicago that I liked working with children, and wanted that to continue,” she ex plains. Much of the focus of being a school nurse involves a focus on preventive care and wellness and the need to promote a healthy lifestyle, an approach that suited her personally. She has worked as a school nurse in the district for 22 years, and currently splits her time between Mars Area Primary Center and Mars Area Elementary School; she will retire on June 14. Her retirement, she says, is bittersweet. “ I really still love what I do, but it’ s time.” Recently, Fey was selected to receive the School N urse Ex cellence Award for the Southwest Region of the Pennsylvania Association of School N urses and Practitioners (PASN AP). Fey was nominated for the award by her peers for her outstanding service to the students and staff members of Mars Area School District. She was honored at the annual PASN AP awards banq uet on April 1 in King of Prussia, Pa. As an award recipient, Fey is under consideration to represent Pennsylvania at the annual N ational Association of School N urses Conference in 2012 as PASN AP’ s School N urse of the Y ear. After retirement, she plans to visit her three grandchildren in N orth Carolina, travel, and hopes to substitute in the district to continue working with children. “ I ’ ll still need to be busy.”

Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 37

R ob ert Friedlander, MD, left, and Michael Horowitz, MD, discuss treatment options with a patient who has an unruptured aneurysm.

On the

ROAD By Mark Berton

Ashly Hunt

U PMC neurosurgery patient making strides after sut ering a near fatal b rain hemorrhage.

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Mars Area

When you think of someone who has suffered a stroke, common images arise, paralysis on one side of the body and dimculty with speech and coordination. While stroke can occur at any age, most people associate strokes with older people. So if you’re an athletic 2 4 -year-old with no history of brain injury, on the beach at O cean City, Maryland during the Fourth of July holiday with stroke-like symptoms, denial is a natural response. And for Ashly Hunt, she denied her symptoms until the moment she was loaded into a helicopter. “I remember thinking I wanted water. I am a huge runner. I ran before this and thought I was dehydrated,” she said. “It literally took the life-fl ight to believe that I wasn’t dehydrated. When it’s happening to you you’re not thinking the worst.” Within a matter of hours, what she thought was a simple headache evolved and robbed her of her sight and ability to speak. She also had trouble moving her arms and hands. Emergency responders decided to life-fl ight her to the nearest hospital in Baltimore, where she was diagnosed with a brain stem hemorrhage. Blood from the hemorrhage was pooling in an area that connects her brain to her spinal cord, causing her to lose movement on her right side, and creating a major dilemma for the neurosurgeons because they believed the site was too risky to treat with surgery. Soon after the diagnosis, Ashly entered a rehabilitation program in her hometown of Johnstown, Pa., to help her regain movement of the extremities that were affected by the hemorrhage. However, after several weeks in rehabilitation and slight improvements in her vision and speech, Ashly’s overall condition began to worsen. Ashly still maintained her hearing, but what she heard going on around her, she didn’t like. Until she met R obert Friedlander, MD, at UPMC.

“I’m pretty close to 100 percent now. My hand and foot are the last things I’m waiting for to come back. I’m writing again. It’s like a 3-year-old, but I am. I’m going to be 100 percent.” Ashly Hunt

From left to right, Brian Jankowitz, MD, Paul Gardner, MD, Daniel Wecht, MD, and L. Dade Lunsford, MD, discuss a complex neurovascular case.

Dr. Friedlander was called after Ashly’s family doctor consulted with a neurosurgeon at The Johns Hopkins University, who recommended that Dr. Friedlander manage this complex situation. Within four hours of the initial consultation, Ashly was in an ambulance headed for Pittsburgh where, she said, she met the doctor who made all the difference. “I couldn’t speak and had a hard time seeing, but my brain was processing everything. All of the other doctors were talking above me and not looking at me, not doing anything with me even though I understood them all,” she said. “Until I went to Dr. Friedlander and he worked with me through my condition to give him the answers he needed. He never came off as pompous. He’s the most caring person I’ve dealt with to this day.” Ashly’s hemorrhage was caused by an underlying condition called a cavernous malformation, which is an abnormal, berry-like patch of blood vessels located inside her brain stem. Because the brain stem is deeply situated within the base of the brain and controls important functions such as movement, sensation, breathing, and instructing the heart to beat, surgery to remove the malformation was extremely risky. However, if left untreated, the malformed vessels could again bleed and result in additional critical neurologic damage or even death. Dr. Friedlander and the neurosurgeons at UPMC faced the challenging task of removing the malformation without causing further complications. Using advanced brain imaging technology known as High Definition Fiber Tracking, pioneered at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Friedlander was able to view the detailed wiring of Ashly’s brain fibers to determine the best way to execute the surgery with as little damage to her brain as possible. In order to obtain appropriate access to the brain stem, Dr. Friedlander turned to Dr. Barry Hirsch, a skull base ENT surgeon at UPMC. Using a special microscope and image guidance device, Dr. Friedlander approached the brain stem and was able to completely remove the cavernous malformation.

After surgery, Ashly’s vision and speech began to improve. She also could move her right hand, which had been paralyzed. She improved daily, making strides with her balance, speech, movements, and other functions, and credits her improvement to her strict discipline in following her doctors’ recommendations and her physical therapy program. “If I could say one thing to inspire anyone going through this it’s that you can’t just sit there. It becomes your job,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of people who have had strokes. You can’t just sit down and think you’ll get better. You have to follow the therapy and give your body time.” While she’s been living with her parents in Johnstown during her recovery, Ashly is looking forward to getting back to her life in Baltimore. “I’m pretty close to 100 percent now. My hand and foot are the last things I’m waiting for to come back,” she said. “I’m writing again. It’s like a 3-year-old, but I am. I’m going to be 100 percent.” Her road to recovery has been long. Approaching the anniversary of her ordeal, she and her family are thankful to Dr. Friedlander and everyone on the UPMC staff who helped her through this challenging time. She maintains a blog at ashlystatus.com, where family and friends post updates on her condition. “I’ll never forget, Dr. Friedlander said to me, ‘We’re a team. I’ll do my part as long as you do yours,’” she said. “That’s big in my mind. That made an impact.” For more information, please call the UPMC Department of Neurological Surgery at 1-866-979-1336 or visit UPMC.com/nv. This patient’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.

Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 39

 Cocktails & Cuisine for Women in Crisis The Woodlands Foundation Friday, May 20, 2011, 6 p.m.

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Mars Area

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                 

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            

                      

  W S N P M L R U G L Q S X

A L X S F T E S K P P I X

N Q J R R L Q Q E D H Q Q

T R A L L I P R E T A C A

M W M C R L R E D I P S P

P R A Y I N G M A N T I S

O G X L A D Y B U G J Y M

R T C E N T I P E D E L C

G C P S A W Z W N S W F P

Y I H E L O W E P J O E C

Y L F R E T T U B D R R N

T Q F K W C T J T P M I N

B T O Z G G Q G R Y L F E

Ant Butterfly Caterpillar Centipede Fire fly Ladybug Praying Mantis Spider Wasp Worm

       In my childhood memory is a jar of light, Captured sparks from the quilt of night. On the bedstand they glow with green, Their captive spirits’ winking beam. Time was cut short by a summer pastime, Yet the years cannot dim their light of lime.

Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 41

     

                        

                    

 

           42 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE

Mars Area

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                        

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Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 43

 S t ill K e e p S u m m e r F u n fo r K id s

First off, do your homework. Is your child looking for an outdoorsy experience or one that provides an educational experiencewThere are specialty camps for virtually every interest out there. Some provide residency during the experiences others are pick-up and drop-off. P arents also should be aware of what kind of safety provisions will be on location in case of medical emergency, what meals are provided (if any), and whether the camp has a list of suggested items parents

should make sure their children bring with them. Mostly all camps that house kids onsite have some such packing list to ensure that their campers have the best experience possible when there. V isit the camp site, when possible, to make sure you’re comfortable with its setting and location. P arents also should consider whether or not their child is going to be attending alone or with siblings or friends. If your child is an only child and introverted, going to summer camp with a friend may be a less stressful arrangement than sending her on her own. Some children have no trouble making new friends, and camp is an ideal place to make long-lasting friendships with other kids from

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different regions. Regardless of whether or not your child is an extrovert or the shy one at the end of the table, all kids can get homesick. Make sure you’re confident that your child is prepared for a two-week stay away from home before you sign them up. The American Camp Association, an organiz ation that works to enhance the camp experience for children and adults, accredits camps that meet up to 300 health and safety standards, listing more than 2,400 camps in their nationwide database, and offers a clearinghouse of information for parents regarding camp benefits, trends, and locations. Their website is www.acacamps.org. Other camps include services by smaller organiza tions such as Extended Day (www.extendedday.com), where kids can sign up for a cornucopia of activities, field trips, and more. The agenda includes everything from trips to Wildwood Highlands, to children First Aid classes, to presentations on Native American culture. If it’s a specialty camp you’re looking for, Seven Springs will be offering again its Junior Golf and Overnight Adventure camps.

Junior Golf Camp introduces your kids to the finer points of the great game of golf and keeps them close to home. Golf professionals will spend five days with your young players teaching them a game that will be played for a lifetime. Young golfers of any ability will benefit from learning the fundamentals of the game including full swing, chipping, and putting, while introducing them to the rules, course management, and proper golf etiquette. Overnight Adventure Camp is a week-long Outdoor Adventure. The activities will vary by age group, but may include rock climbing, teambuilding challenges, hiking, Rock Wall, Eurobungy, paintball, camping, rafting, fishing, mountain biking, Alpine Slide, and Alpine Tower. Seven Springs’ camps can be reached by calling 1.800.452.2223, ext. 7396. Camp Spirit of the Game (www.campsog.com) is a camp based around building character through Ultimate Frisbee. The camp takes place at LaRoche College’s campus and CMU’s Tartan Stadium. Kids not only benefit from the challenges of the game but by the honesty and integrity that working together fosters. Andy Norman, founder of Camp Spirit of the Game, said character is developed through the game itself. “Ultimate develops character in part because it is a challenging game that kids find utterly captivating. They love the game and are motivated to excel at it,” Norman said. “In the process, they learn a lot about, for example, teamwork and dedication. What

makes the game unique, though, is the ‘spirit of the game’ ethic that pervades it. The rules of Ultimate require players to referee themselves, making all calls on the honor system. Remarkably, this shared expectation of honesty, fairness, and mutual respect engenders these attributes. For over 40 years, at even the most competitive levels, players have resolved their conflicts amicably

and conducted themselves with exceptional integrity. At Camp Spirit we show kids how to apply this ‘spirit of the game’ ethic in sports and games, and encourage them to apply it in other walks of life.” For a full listing of all summer camps and programs in the region, go to www.humanservices.net and search for “Summer Camp.” The website is a collaborative effort between Allegheny County Department of Health and Human Services and the United Way of Allegheny County.

Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 45

  us set a G uinness World Record and enj oy all of the activities that we are planning,” said Jack Cohen, ex ecutive director of the Butler County Tourism f Convention Bureau, the organization spearheading the event. “ We hope this festival will q uickly become one of the premier Jeep e vents in the midAtlantic region.” Five participant packages enable Jeep enthusiasts to be involved in the festival in a variety of ways. Early bird prices range from d5 for The Cruiser (Jeep parade and cruise only) to d55 for The U ltimate O ff-Roader (Jeep Playground with two on-site trails and various driver challenges, one off-site scenic trail ride, Show ‘ n Shine, and parade and cruise). Spectator admis sion is d7 for adults and du for kids u-12. “ Participant pre-registration became available in late O ctober, and we already have registrants from nine states and O ntario, Canada,” said Cohen. “ We’ re really ex cited about the response we’ ve received from Jeep

lans are underway to make Jeep history in Butler, Pa., once again. Butler is the birthplace of the Jeep, and now the community is creating its own signature event called the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival on August 12-14, 2011. The three-day event features a Jeep parade and cruise in downtown Butler on Friday, August 12, where organizers hope to set a G uinness World Record for the longest Jeep parade. The festival will move to the Butler County Fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday, August 1u and 14. Historical ex hibits about the Bantam Jeep, a Jeep Show ‘ n Shine, an off-road Jeep Playground, a WWI I timeline and encampment showcasing 20 original Jeeps, vendor displays featuring both national and local retailers, Little Jeepers Playground for kids, live entertainment, professional driver demonstrations, how-to clinic s and more are being planned for the inaugural event. “ We are ex pecting thousands of Jeep enthusiasts to come to Butler County to help

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owners, and we still have many months before the event. I f what we’ re seeing now is any indication of the level of interest we’ ll have as the event gets closer, I ex pect the festival will ex ceed our ex pectations and hopefully those of everyone who attends.” O n-site camping with water and electric is also available. Reservations for campsites are now being accepted. N umerous sponsorship opportunities and vendor spaces are available for companies and individuals who wish to promote their organization andpor products to event attendees. Those interested in l earning more about the festival, registering their Jeep, volunteering, being a sponsor or reserving a vendor space can visit www.bantamj eepfestival.com or contact the Butler County Tourism f Convention Bureau at 724.2u4.4619.

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     Jeep Parade: Jeeps of all makes, models and years are invited to participate in the parade. The first 500 participating Jeeps registered and paid will receive a commemorative dash plaq ue. The parade route will begin at Butler County Community College and proceed north on Route 8, where Jeeps will be parked along Main Street for a cruise. DJs will play a variety of music, and downtown Butler businesses will offer specials and other entertainment. The parade will begin at 6 p.m.

    History Pavilion: A brand-new ex hibit highlighting the history of the Bantam Jeep will debut at the festival. The original Bantam Jeep as well as other historical made-in-Butler vehicles will be on display. V ideos, artifacts and photography will tell the story of how the Jeep was born in Butler and how it contributed in World War I I . Attendees will also enj oy the opportunity to talk to Jeep historians and veterans. Jeep Show ‘n Shine: Jeeps will be polished and available for all to come and admire. Jeeps will be parked according to 15 different classes, and winners of the peer-j udged show will receive trophies. O rganizers hope to have a large number of military Jeeps on display to help celebrate Butler’ s Jeep heritage. Jeep Playground: Jeep owners will have the chance to drive on two off-road trails constructed through the woods on the fairground property. An obstacle course and other fun and challenging off-road elements will be available for participants. Jeep Marketplace: Many companies will be on hand to showcase products, parts and accessories. Jeep Trading Post: I ndividuals who have used Jeep parts for sale will be able to sell their merchandise at the event. Camp Bantam: Festival-goers will be invited to j oin the Butler O utdoor Club on several outdoor ex cursions in nearby Moraine State Park. Activities include hiking, kayaking, canoeing, bird watching, geo-caching, and more. Prize Raffle: Thousands of dollars in merchandise will be given away throughout the event. Participating vendors will provide valuable prizes for the raffle. Raffle tickets will be sold at the event. Little Jeepers Playground: A children’ s area will provide fun and games for kids. Concert: Live entertainment is being planned for Saturday night.

Mars Area | Summer 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 47

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Event Organizer, Dale Roos

Chili Cook-Off riends, neighbors and chili connoisseurs gathered at the middle school cafeteria for a cook-off, hosted by the Mars Area chapter of Kiwanis I nternational. Local chili makers cooked up their specialties to be j udged by a panel of ex perts and the public. First place went to Earlgs Sweet Heat, second to Dream Big Honduras, and third to St. Johngs Lutheran Church. Kudos to all of the competitors– your chili was deliciousa The event also featured works by artist Willie Hobbs up for auction, and Pittsburgh SteelersgN ick Eason was on hand to greet fansa The Mars Kiwanis Club plans to make this an annual event, always held in March, so be sure to get yourself a sombrero for nex t year and j oin the funa Funds raised at the cook-off benefit Lizzygs Bikes, a program of the Mars Kiwanis Club that provides new or nex t-to-new bicycles to children of economically disadvantaged families. For more information on this program, email LizzysBikes@ yahoo.com.

Artist Willie Hobbs & Pittsburgh Steelers' Nick Eason, showcasing one of Hobbs' awesome works

Beth Grubbs & Brad Wentz, The Honduras Heat

Denise Hager & Missy Kramer, St. John's Lutheran Church

Pat Quinn, Women's Club of Mars

Earl Edwards, Earl's Sweet Heat

St. John Specialty Care--Grace Dambugh, Shirley Hahn, Ruth Pfeifer, Bob Laythe, Althea Goldie, Terri Fleischner, Dorothy Smarsh

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ars The Mio Stat n ep Bantam Je stival Heritage Fe