SV SENIOR NAMED 2016 COCA-COLA SCHOLAR
EARTH DAY EVERY DAY
SV HISTORY TEACHER TRAVELS ABROAD TO STUDY THE HOLOCAUST
VIETNAM VETS SPEAK AT SV
eneca Valley
CITY SENECA OF VALLEY MCKEESPORT SCHOOL NEWS DISTRICT NEWS
SV SENIOR NAMED 2016 COCA-COLA SCHOLAR
Siona Sharma, an exceptional senior at Seneca Valley Senior High School, has been recognized as one of the country’ s most outstanding high school leaders by the Coca‐Cola Scholars Foundation and has been awarded a $ 20,000 college scholarship. As a member of the 28th class of Coca‐Cola Scholars, Sharma has demonstrated superior leadership and dedication to her community and was selected from a pool of over 87,000 initial applicants.
The Coca-Cola system believes that investing in students who are leaders, both academically and in service to others, will result in positive, lasting change and sustainable communities.
“ Siona Sharma is part of a diverse group of extraordinary high school seniors that have shown a steadfast commitment to educational excellence, leadership and service to the school and community,” says Claude Nielsen, Chairman of the Board of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and President and Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola Bottling Company United in Birmingham, AL.“ The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation is proud to name Sharma as a 2016 Coca-Cola Scholar.”
On Mar. 31, Sharma joined other Coca-Cola Scholars as they traveled to Atlanta, the international headquarters of The Coca‐Cola Company, for Scholars Weekend. During this four-day weekend, the Scholars participated in a Leadership Development Institute to further develop their leadership skills, toured local landmarks, engaged with former Coca-Cola Scholars and participated in a group community service project. The 2016 Class of Coca-Cola Scholars were also the guests of honor at the 28th annual Scholars Banquet, where they were celebrated by representatives from the Coca-Cola system, educators, local dignitaries and friends of the Scholars Foundation. David Rubenstein, American financier and philanthropist best known as co-founder and co-chief executive officer of The Carlyle Group, served as the keynote speaker.
“ It truly was a defining point to be in a room with 149 of the country’ s most accomplished individuals, each of us determined to serve the globe in some way,” says Sharma.“ I had the opportunity of interacting with fellow Scholars as well as business professionals and alumni throughout the weekend, all while expanding my perspective of the world and our posterity’ s role in it. At the close of our time in Atlanta, I left with the realization that the change I personally wanted to initiate in the future, I could readily bring to life today.”
In addition to receiving a $ 20,000 college scholarship, Sharma will be welcomed into a vibrant and growing family of alumni that fosters lasting connections with each other and the Foundation.
54 Cranberry
EARTH DAY EVERY DAY
Three fifth graders were recognized as 2016 BASF Earth Day poster contest winners on Apr. 21 at Evans City Middle School( ECMS). Sommer Barnhill won first place, Cassidy Matteo won second place and Veronica Grassle was the third place winner. All fifth grade students received a free T-shirt with the first place winner’ s design to wear on Earth Day. All 250 students had their posters on display during Evans City Middle School’ s annual Art Show / Open House on Apr. 28. This was the nineteenth year that BASF has partnered with fifth graders at ECMS for this contest.
SV HISTORY TEACHER TRAVELS ABROAD TO STUDY THE HOLOCAUST
Jim Lucot, Senior High School history teacher, has been granted a $ 5,000 scholarship by Classrooms Without Borders( CWB) and Dr. Zipora Gur, executive director and founder of CWB, to go to Poland on a Holocaust study this summer. Lucot will leave for Warsaw, Poland, on Sunday, June 26 and return on Monday, July 4 from Krakow. The tour will include the Treblinka Death camp, several Ghettos of Poland and the Auschwitz complex with survivors and international experts as guides. Lucot has been involved with other Holocaust agencies, including Pennsylvania Holocaust Education Council, Jewish Federation for the Righteous and the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh. However, this is his first involvement with Classrooms Without Borders. Lucot is participating in several classes leading up to the visit, and is required to complete a project component as part of the scholarship.
“ I want to see and experience these places,” explains Lucot,“ but it is very non-celebratory. I know or knew several survivors who were at these places.”
VIETNAM VETS SPEAK AT SV
The sounds of“ Garry Owen,” the rally song for the U. S. Calvary, played out for the arrival of First Sgt. Cepek who spoke to Jim Lucot’ s Seneca Valley Senior High School students on Apr. 14.
First Sgt. Ron Cepek, First Cavalry Division of the U. S Army, served three tours in Vietnam and received three Bronze Stars.