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MAHS STUDENTS
COMPETE IN
SHAKESPEARE CONTEST
Ten Moon Area High School students
competed in the Pittsburgh Public Theater’s
2016 Shakespeare Monologue & Scene
Contest at the O’Reilly Theater in Downtown
Pittsburgh.
Participating students included seniors
Katrina Kudla, Olivia Lindstrom, Julia Olson,
Alexis Paige, Paige Proudfit, Desiree Stribling
and Amber Wesoloski; junior Alyssa Shorak;
sophomore Micha Morton; and freshman
Ashley Lara.
According to the Pittsburgh Public
Theater’s website, the contest has grown
from 75 contestants the first year to more
than 1,200 participants this past season. “The
Shakespeare contest has become a much
anticipated annual event. This is a wonderful
opportunity for young people to experience
the excitement of live performance while
learning the works of William Shakespeare.”
MOON STUDENTS
VISIT WITH
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Moon Area High School students had
the opportunity to delve into the life of an
experienced cinematographer. John Moyer,
a Steadicam operator in the motion picture
industry, talked with students in drama,
technology, journalism and photography
classes.
Moyer, who has acted as well, covered a
broad range of topics relating to the movie
industry – discussing common terms on
movie sets, giving audition advice, and noting
that no role is too small. Behind the scenes,
he reinforced the need to keep learning and
seek new challenges.
Moyer began his acting career in the 5th
grade when he performed in “Oliver” with
Vincent Price and “Peter Pan” with Sandy
Duncan for the Ohio-based Kenley Players.
Later he was cast in commercials, including
a national spot for Diet Coke that aired
during the 1994 Super Bowl and the Winter
Olympics.
A film class at Sewickley Academy ignited
his interest in the cinematography program
at Ithaca College. The use of Steadicam in the
film “Wolfen” inspired his goal to become
a Steadicam operator in the motion picture
industry. Following stints as grip/best boy in
Alaska and Los Angeles and many local films,
he began to move into his specialty with the
purchase of his first Steadicam in 1989.
Twenty-five years later, Moyer’s resume
includes more than 60 feature films and
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television productions including current
works such as “Concussion,” “Love the
Coopers,” the AMC series “Into the
Badlands,” “Winter’s Tale,” “The Secret Life
of Walter Mitty,” “Jack Reacher,” “After Earth”
and “The Avengers.”
MOON JUNIOR SELECTED
AS WEST POINT SUMMER
LEADER
Isabella Montanaro, a junior at Moon
Area High School, has been selected from
approximately 5,000 applicants to attend
West Point’s prestigious Summer Leaders
Experience this June.
Summer Leaders Experience offers
small groups of
outstanding high
school juniors
the opportunity
to experience life
at West Point.
SLE attendees
live in the
cadet barracks, eat in the Cadet Mess, and
participate in academic, leadership, athletic
and military workshops.
A High Honors student, Isabella serves
as vice president of her junior class, plays
volleyball, runs track and is a member of
the Spanish and Key clubs. She participates
annually in the Academic Games League of
America Academic Games and attends the
Westinghouse Science and Honors Institute.
The Summer Leaders Experience provides
students like Isabella one-week seminars
designed to help with their college selection
process, while giving them an idea of the
importance of leadership and sound decisionmaking in their education, careers and lives
in general. All SLE attendees participate in
virtual-reality war simulation and military
and physical fitness training, and, in addition,
each student selects three of the 15 offered
workshops. ■