HIGHLANDERS BRING THE ENERGY TO PNC PARK
Three Baldwin High School alumni are bringing Highlander Pride to PNC Park this season as members of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bucco Brigade. Liz Langer, who started her cheering career in Baldwin in second grade, returns for her second season, finding joy in the families and stories she encounters around the ballpark. Kevin Hutchinson, a former BHS Highlander mascot, is enjoying his first season working the crowd through fan
favorites like the T-shirt toss and the Pierogi Race. Rounding out the trio is Michaela Woods, a threeyear Brigade veteran and team leader, who also entertains for the Pittsburgh Penguins and works at The Children’ s Institute of Pittsburgh.
For all three, the spirit that defined their time at Baldwin hasn’ t faded since graduation. Langer credits her cheerleading background for preparing her for the role, calling it“ one
of those full circle moments,” while Woods points to BHS classroom experiences, from mock debates to French presentations, as the foundation for staying composed while fan-facing. Whether entertaining at PNC Park or pursuing their next steps in sports media and speech-language pathology, these Highlanders prove that Baldwin’ s school spirit carries students well beyond graduation. aldwin-Whitehall BALDWIN-WHITEHALL SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS things
things
40 BRENTWOOD-BALDWIN-WHITEHALL to know about:
1. HIS PATH TO EDUCATION STARTED WITH A PERSONAL CONNECTION.
Dr. Muench went to Slippery Rock University with plans to pursue athletic training or sports medicine. But a close family friend with an intellectual disability, someone he’ d spent time with growing up, changed his direction. After some soul-searching, he switched his major to special education and elementary education, and never looked back.
2. HE CREDITS TWO VERY DIFFERENT TEACHERS WITH
SHOWING HIM WHAT DEDICATION LOOKS LIKE.
Dr. Muench recalls a nun, Sister Roberta, who took a personal interest in helping him improve in areas where he was struggling, and his geometry teacher, Mr. Roach, whose infectious enthusiasm made students want to give their best. Though their styles couldn’ t have been more different, both showed him there’ s more than one way to be a great teacher.
3. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IS WHAT DRIVES HIM.
Dr. Muench says the best part of his work is investing in people. He believes creating moments of connection and a positive school culture is more important now than ever, and he’ s especially focused on helping students see similarities in one another rather than differences. He reflects,“ I approach my work with the mindset that it is my job to help those around me become their best version of themselves. There is so much comparison these days and
to know about:
J. E. Harrison Middle School’ s New Principal Dr. David Muench
what I value most is growth towards that best self and downplaying the comparisons that our stakeholders, most importantly students, put upon themselves or that we put upon them. In celebrating accomplishments that are rooted in goals for our own growth, we can build a sense of personal pride that transcends a student’ s school career and sets a recipe for lifelong learning and satisfaction. I think this is particularly key with middle schoolers who are constantly‘ sizing themselves up’ to one another in a time where they feel very uncertain. It’ s about being the best you and that this‘ you’ has an extreme amount of value.”
4. HE’ S INHERITING STRONG GROUNDWORK AND CAN’ T WAIT TO BUILD ON IT.
“ Truly, what I really value as I begin my time with my new family at Harrison is the groundwork that has been laid. Mr. Ross and his teaching staff have done so much amazing work. Harrison has all of the ingredients and potential for a great middle school!” Dr. Muench says. He points to the hard work of the outgoing staff and leadership, who kept things moving through years of renovations, COVID, and building transitions. Now that the school is settled as a unified middle school serving grades 6 – 8, he’ s excited to help the staff carry that momentum forward.
5. FAMILY KEEPS HIM GROUNDED OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.“ I spend most of my time outside of work enjoying my family. I have four wonderful kids and a loving wife and we enjoy partaking in whatever the kids are doing,” shares Dr. Muench. Their oldest is a football coach at Grove City College; their son is a music education major at Duquesne studying jazz ensemble; and their daughter recently graduated and is teaching 8th-grade math. Their youngest is an eighth-grader, whom Dr. Muench enjoys coaching in lacrosse and basketball.