MOCK TRIAL TEAM HAD
ANOTHER GREAT SEASON
OF COMPETITION
T
he Bethel Park High School Mock Trial Team had a
great season, in only its third year of competition.
The team went undefeated in the preliminary rounds
of the Allegheny County Mock Trial Competition to advance to
the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The team defeated
St. Joseph High School in the First Round of the playoffs and
Quaker Valley in the Second Round of the playoffs. They lost in the
Divisional finals, and finished the season one victory away from
competing in the State Mock Trial Playoffs.
Members of the team were Emily Augustine, Cassandra Brown,
Jonathan Engel, Elizabeth Hartnett, Jennifer Klara, Natalie Lalama,
Elliott Lehmann, Sean McClaine, Madison Newman, John Peters,
Akhil Rajasekar and Greydon Tomkowitz.
Bethel Park High School Alunmae Erin Bock and Krista
(Peckyno) Thompson served as the team’s Attorney Advisors.
BETHEL PARK WINS
DIVISION AND FINISHES
IN SECOND PLACE AT
REGIONAL SCIENCE BOWL
BE TH EL PARK SCH OOL D IS TR IC T
ethel Park
T
he Bethel Park High School Science Bowl Team won
their Division and finished in Second Place at the
Finals of the 25th Annual Southwestern Pennsylvania
Science Bowl Competition, held in March at the United
States Department of Energy’s Laboratory in South Park.
Members of the team were seniors Akhil Rajasekar (captain),
Emily Augustine, Billy dePoutiloff, Max Reese and sophomore
Evan Aronhalt. They earned the right to compete in the Finals
by winning their Division at the Divisional Championships, held
earlier in March at Duquesne University.
They were one victory away from representing Western
Pennsylvania in the National Science Bowl competition in
Washington, D.C.
For finishing in Second Place, the team won a trip to the
Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center and $1,250 for the Bethel Park
High School Science Club.
The Science Bowl is a verbal competition which tests students’
knowledge in all areas of science and math.
The students were prepared for this competition by Bethel Park
High School Science Teacher Barbara Eisel.
(Left to right): Akhil Rajaseker, Billy dePoutiloff, Emily Augustine, Max Reese and Evan
Aronhalt.
56 Bethel Park
(Front row, left to right): Emily Augustine and Madison Newman; (back row, left to
right): Greydon Tomkowitz, Jonathan Engel, Elliott Lehmann and Sean McClaine.
Absent: Cassandra Brown, Elizabeth Hartnett, Jen Klara, Natalie Lalama, John Peters
and Akhil Rajasekar.
The Mock Trial Team is an offshoot of the Bethel Park High
School Forensics Team. They are coached by BPHS graduate John
Masslon.
TWO BETHEL PARK TEACHERS
NAMED FINALISTS FOR
2017 PA TEACHER OF
THE YEAR HONORS
Emily Smoller
T
Katherine Meucci
he Pennsylvania Chapter of the National School
Teacher of the Year named two Bethel Park School
District teachers among the 12 Finalists for the 2017
Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year.
They are Benjamin Franklin Elementary School Fourth Grade
Teacher Katherine Meucci and Bethel Park High School Marketing
Teacher Emily Smoller.
In February they were named among the 33 Semifinalists. In
December, they will participate in a special awards ceremony
in Harrisburg” to be hosted by the Pennsylvania Department
of Education, when the 2017 PA Teacher of the Year will be
announced.
Mrs. Meucci and Mrs. Smoller join six other Bethel Park teachers
who have recognized in this program since 2008. They are: Bethel
Park High School English Teacher Nicola Hipkins (2014 Semifinalist
and Finalist); Bethel Park High School Science Teacher Clyde Qualk
(2013 and 2014 Semifinalist); Bethel Park High School English
Teacher Christopher Jack (2012 Semifinalist and Finalist); William
Penn Fourth Grade Teacher Kathryn Clifford (2011 Semifi