IN Peters Township August/September 2016 | Page 36

WHAT’S NEWS IN PETERS TOWNSHIP
PITTSBURGH CHINESE
ACADEMY FALL CLASSES
The Pittsburgh Chinese Academy offers
Mandarin Chinese lessons and Chinese
culture classes. Class sizes are small and are
led by experienced native Mandarin-speaking
teachers. All students are welcome, whether
or not families speak Chinese at home. The
academy is located at Center Presbyterian
Church on Center Church Road in
McMurray. Fall classes begin on Sunday, Sept.
11, with culture classes from 2 to 3 p.m. and
language classes from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Practical
Self-Defense and Chinese Martial Arts for
Teens and Adults meets from 3 to 4:15 p.m.
Students are welcome to try out a class or two
free of charge, with no commitment.
Please contact the academy at principal@
pittsburghchineseacademy.org or visit the
website at pittsburghchineseacademy.org.

SILVESTRI RECEIVES
JOSEPH A. JAMES
MEMORIAL
EXCELLENCE IN LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AWARD
Michael A. Silvestri is the 2016 recipient
of the Joseph A. James Memorial Excellence
in Local Government Award, presented by
the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission
(SPC). The SPC is the official Metropolitan
Planning Organization for the 10-county
region and includes the City of Pittsburgh and
the counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver,
Butler, Fayette, Green, Indiana, Lawrence,
Washington and Westmoreland.
The Joseph A. James Award recognizes
a municipal government appointed or
elected official in any local government,
agency or Council of Government for
a lifetime of exemplary governance or
management, improving professionalism in
municipal government, making a significant
contribution to municipal government
services and providing outstanding leadership
in a local government in a local government
cause.
Joe James, a noted scholar with the
University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of
Public and International Affairs, was a lifelong
34 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Peters Township

advocate for intergovernmental cooperation
and professionalism in local government.
Silvestri was nominated for the prestigious
award anonymously and his nomination was
reviewed by a committee of SPC members
who unanimously recognized his lifetime
pursuit of exemplary local government
service. Further, they recognized his markedly
improving professionalism in municipal
government services, providing outstanding
service and leadership in local government
causes.

PTHS MUSIC
DEPARTMENT
TRAVELS TO NYC FOR
‘BROADWAY TOUR’
The PTHS Music Department traveled to
New York City from Apr. 29 through May 1
for a tour of Broadway. The group saw three
Broadway musicals that encompassed very
different genres: “An American in Paris,”
“Aladdin” and “Jersey Boys.”
Following the performance of “Aladdin,”
the group was able to stay in the theater to
meet some of the cast. Katie Terza, a 2005
PTHS alumna currently performing in
“Aladdin,” arranged for the talkback with

some of the stars. Students were able to ask
questions about the show, about theater life,
auditions/rehearsals, managing their voices
and more. Terza also discussed her journey
from Peters Township to Broadway.
The group was also treated to a special
talkback session following the performance of
“Jersey Boys” arranged by Candi Boyd, a past
private student of PTHS choir director Ryan
Perrotte.
The following day, Jared Bradshaw,
performer and assistant dance captain for
“Jersey Boys,” held mock auditions for
interested students. Students were asked
to sing and perform, critiques were given
by Bradshaw, and then students repeated
their auditions, incorporating Bradshaw’s
suggestions. They were also taught two dance
combinations, giving them a true sense of all
of the required components in an audition for
Broadway. Dan DeLuca, 2010 PTHS alumnus
and Broadway performer, also attended the
mock auditions and offered his advice and
expertise.

PTHS ALUM CROWNED
MISS PENNSYLVANIA
TEEN 2016 BY W.B. FRESA
Peters Township graduate and West
Virginia University student Sydney Dolanch
was crowned 2016 Miss Pennsylvania Teen.
She is the daughter of Tricia and Jim Dolanch
of McMurray.
In December 2014, Dolanch entered the
Miss Pennsylvania Teen pageant program and
won fourth runner up out of 41 contestants. “I
was so shocked,” she says. “Never in a million