WHAT’S NEWS IN NORTH ALLEGHENY
the Vietnam War, and whose military
service interfered with their high school
education.
FOOD BANK CHANGES
BUSINESS MODEL
TO BETTER MEET
THE NEEDS OF THE
COMMUNITY
NORTH ALLEGHENY
SENIOR HIGH
PRESENTS ‘THE 25TH
ANNUAL PUTNAM
COUNTY SPELLING BEE’
In mid-November the talented
students of North Allegheny Senior High
(NASH) presented several performances
of “The 25th Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee.”
The story has charmed audiences
across the country with its effortless
wit and humor. An eclectic group of six
youths vie for the spelling championship
of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing
hilarious and touching stories from their
home lives, the tweens spell their way
through a series of (potentially made-
up) words, hoping to never hear the
soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-
affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a
spelling mistake. Six spellers enter—one
speller leaves!
With comedy, music and
social commentary, this fun and dynamic
production entertained all audiences.
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❘
NORTH ALLEGHENY
SCHOOL DISTRICT
PRESENTS DIPLOMA TO
VIETNAM VETERAN
The North Allegheny School Board
of Directors presented a high school
diploma to Vietnam veteran James A.
Neal at its Nov. 14 regular meeting. Neal
withdrew from North Allegheny at age 17
and enlisted in the U.S. Navy, in which he
served from 1961 through 1965. While
serving in the Navy, he earned his GED.
After boot camp, Neal was assigned
to the USS Wiltsie DD716, a destroyer
stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin during
the Vietnam War. Neal faithfully served
his country until he was honorably
discharged in 1965 as a Machinist Mate
3rd Class.
Neal received his high school diploma
and officially became part of the
North Allegheny Senior High School
Class of 1962.
“Operation Recognition” is a state
law that authorizes school districts
to grant a high school diploma to any
honorably discharged veteran who served
in the United States Military during
World War II, the Korean Conflict, or
icmags.com
The Food Bank estimates that in five
years, nearly 50 percent of its inventory
will be fresh produce, moving from more
than eight million pounds distributed
last year to 24 million pounds in 2022.
Understanding that the cost of fresh
produce is too expensive for many of
the families and individuals served by
the Food Bank, effective Sept. 1, are new
agency shared maintenance fees designed
to eliminate the cost of produce.
The decision to change the agency
shared maintenance fees are smart for
the organization and for the more than
110,000 individuals and families it
serves monthly. More than 74 percent
of the people served at the Food Bank
want fresh foods as part of their diet but
purchase inexpensive, unhealthy foods
because they cannot afford healthier
options. It is important to the Food
Bank’s mission to promote healthy, fresh
produce options and ensure that people
have access to the right foods.
“By changing our agency shared
maintenance fee structure, we are able
to take advantage of the largest source of
food waste in our country – the six billion
pounds of produce that never make it
out of the fields,” said Justin Lee, Food
Bank chief operating officer. “The new
fees are designed to eliminate the cost of
produce. Although some, not all, of the
fresh produce is donated, it costs time
and money to source, transport, store and
deliver it. We do our best to keep these
costs to a minimum and absorb them
ourselves. Occasionally we have to ask
our agencies and partners to help with
some of those costs.”
The Food Bank network of more than
400 agencies that serve as emergency or
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