of Mr. Donnelly’ s three classes due to a time difference with STEM partners in Hanoi, Vietnam. Chemical engineering was the basis for this collaborative cultural exchange. Despite the distance in miles, students worked simultaneously using a module from Engineering is Elementary called“ Improving the Play Dough Process.” After each lesson in the module, the young engineers took part in a live video chat, with a 12 hour time difference, to discuss the successes and failures of the particular lesson with peers in Hanoi. The pupils also exchanged cultural information, music, and winter holiday traditions. Mr. Donnelly believes month-long project went well beyond science.“ In today’ s political environment and an economy that is constantly becoming borderless, I feel it is important for my students to realize the world is not centered on the USA.” He went on to say,“ Chances are good that today’ s elementary students will be working in an

The Pringles Challenge motivated fifth graders to engineer a package using recycled materials to mail a Pringles chip to another school without breakage.

After every Play Dough module, students chatted with peers in Vietnam to discuss the outcome of the lesson. From the Hanoi point of view, Eva Mattucci was among the fifth graders to participate in perceptive discussions.

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international marketplace when they are adults, so I am excited to expose them to children in other parts of the world.” Mr. Donnelly met one of the founders of the STEM school in Vietnam at a summer conference in Boston. A partnership was formed with the goal of developing collaboration opportunities for youth. Students found the engineering projects to be inspiring. Anna Bell liked the trial and error process used to complete the tasks. The cultural interaction was also valued.“ It’ s cool doing projects that real people see,” said Ian McGee,“ I like chatting online with my partner in Vietnam.”

High school band director Todd

Obidowski, with the assistance from parent boosters, hosted the Western Allegheny County Area( WACA) Honors Band Festival in the auditorium January 22-23. The festival featured talented musicians who meet high academic standards. Fifteen Carlynton scholars were selected to participate in the festival: Faith Aliano, Kyle Auth, Jaimee Cabili, Hannah Clark, Rodrigo Corral, Elana Heffner, Kassidy Heidkamp, Hayley Kerns, Sam Knabel, James Lukasewicz, Kevin Macmurdo, Sara Macmurdo, Brooke Martineck, Sofia Notaro, and Evan Walker. Students from Chartiers Valley, Cornell, Montour, Moon, Quaker Valley, South Fayette, Sto Rox, and West Allegheny gathered for the music event for two days of rehearsals and an evening performance before parents. Students were fortunate to be tutored under the direction of Dr. Travis Weller, arranger, composer, and college educator from Central Pennsylvania. The winter and spring season are hailed as a time for students to demonstrate aptitude by way

of instrumental music festivals. In February, junior Sam Knabel and sophomore Jaimee Cabili

Over 150 students occupied the stage for the WACA Honors Band Festival hosted at the high school in January. Fifteen students from Carlynton participated, including junior Sam Knabel.

performed in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association( PMEA) district band festival. Also in February, junior high students Abigail Fox, Georgie Gamble, Victoria McIntyre, Sarah Pallus, and Alyssa Schepis were selected to perform in the Western Area Middle Schools Honors Band Festival hosted by Moon Area Middle School.

Battery Car Racers

The team of Michael Kozy,

Lukas Prepelka, and Owen Schriver captured first place at the seventh and eighth grader battery car race held on the campus of Duquesne University in February. Carlynton was also represented by the fourth place team of Azjia Gardner, Pierce Greiner, and Audrey Robb, and semifinalists Colin Dugan and Simon Schriver.

Elementary students can experience the excitement of partaking in a music festival once they reach fourth grade. This year, four students from Carnegie and Crafton elementary schools will represent the district at the 2018 Singfest at Eden Elementary in the Pine-Richland School District in March. Selected to perform in the choral event are sixth graders Gabriel DiPietro and Sienna Schmidt of Carnegie, and fifth grader Olivia Thompson and sixth grader Sean Hart of Crafton. The PMEA Elementary Band Festival will be hosted by the South Fayette School District in May. Sean Hart