Carnegie Elementary top spellers included champion Ira Tendulkar flanked by Dakota Stanton and Eva Mattucci.

auditorium. Fifteen third graders stepped up to the microphone, one-by-one, to carefully spell words they had practiced in the classroom and at home. Ira Tendulkar took first place, and Dakota Stanton and Eva Mattucci finished in second and third. Carnegie finalists were awarded $ 100, $ 50 and $ 25 gift cards to Barnes and Noble Booksellers and Learning Express Toy Store. Charlie and Ira, spelling champs, traveled to Seven Springs Resort in May, all expenses paid, to compete in a regional bee.

Fifth graders at Crafton Elementary, with teachers Noreen Kelly and Amanda Meyers, jumped at the chance to incubate and hatch duck eggs in the classroom. With the help of parent Ann Gargis, whose son Peter is in Mrs. Kelly’ s classroom, an incubator was loaned to the school and seven eggs from Metzer Farms were carefully placed inside the round, plastic home. During a 28- day incubation period, the eggs were turned daily. Mrs. Gargis visited the classroom to candle the eggs with students who learned about embryonic development. Of the seven, only five eggs showed embryos. Within a few weeks, the eggs began to rock and roll inside the incubator, and the first of four Swedish ducklings hatched. The birth stirred much excitement and a box to shelter the newborn, with a heat lamp attached, became a phenomenon. The following day, three more ducklings hatched. Teachers Gretchen DeRoss and Susan Kosko took on a parenting role, helping students create feeding stations

for the young ducks to receive nourishment. One duckling, born with a malformed leg, was taken to a local veterinarian to receive treatment. The fifth egg, a Pekin duck, did not hatch. The fifth graders developed an understanding of biology through the direct experience with the life cycle and nurturing of the ducklings. The fast-growing birds were safely transported to Hopewell Park for release.

The first of the five ducklings to hatch created quite a stir at the elementary school. Fifth grader Peter Gargis held the duckling close for a photo.

Nearly 50 students from Carnegie and Crafton elementary schools participated in the April 30 Kids of Steel race in connection with the Toyota of Pittsburgh Kids Marathon. The one-mile run was the culmination of a cardiovascular exercising regime over a four-month period while students tracked steps to meet a required equivalent of 25.2 miles. According to the Pittsburgh Marathon website, participants preparing for the Kids of Steel run were to calculate 15 to 20 minutes of heavy-breathing exercise as one mile. Physical education teachers Susan Brossman and Josh Ficorilli worked with students to meet the goal. The routine also included nutrition and active lifestyle training. The final one-mile leg of the

race, which kicked off at PNC Park and finished on the Boulevard of the Allies, equated to a full 26.2 mile marathon. Miss Brossman, Mr. Ficorilli, Crafton guidance counselor Stephen Hope, teacher Adrienne Monaghan and a number of parents accompanied the students on the mile run, held the day before the Pittsburgh Marathon. Members of the Carlynton high school cross-country team also took part in the marathon by running a relay. Senior Marin Exler ran 4.4 miles in the first leg of the race, handing the baton off to junior Kylee Mersher who ran 4.7 miles. Next up, sophomore David Creely covered 6.2 miles, passing the baton to junior Sofia Carrasco who ran 6.7 miles before handing off to junior Natalie Quinn who completed the last 4.4 miles of the marathon. It was quite an experience, they admitted, saying they were buoyed by the cheering people lining the course. Several district teachers also participated in the marathon. Carnegie Elementary teachers Susan Brossman, Erin Cummings and Jaylynn Leslie ran the half and Dan Hahn ran a relay with a group of friends.

Proudly wearing their marathon shirts to school the day after the race are relay-ers Marin Exler, Kylee Merscher, David Creely, Sofia Carrasco and Natalie Quinn.

CARLYNTON SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS