McDowell High School is pleased to honor a semifinalist in the 2007 National Merit Scholarship Program. Matthew Mingey qualified as a semifinalist by taking the 2005 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

He was chosen from more than 1.4 million juniors in nearly 21,000 U.S. high schools. Matthew hopes to move on to become a finalist in the program. As a finalist, he would be eligible to compete for 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards, collectively worth $33 million, that will be offered next spring. To become a finalist, he must have a record of very high academic performance, be endorsed and recommended by the McDowell High School principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm his earlier qualifying test performance. The judges will also look at a self-descriptive essay and information about the semifinalists’ participation and leadership in school and community activities.

“We are proud of Matthew for achieving this outstanding honor,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dean Maynard. “He is dedicated to the highest level of learning and in turn has been rewarded for his efforts.”

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) is a privately financed not-for-profit corporation, founded in 1955 to conduct the annual Merit Scholarship competition. The independent sponsor organization and institutions that support scholarships awarded through the National Merit Program share NMSC’s goals of honoring scholastically able young people and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

The Millcreek School District proudly announces that six McDowell High School students have been named Commended Students in the 2007 National Merit Scholarship Program. A letter of Commendation from the school and from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, will be presented by McDowell High School Principal Mr. Timothy Rankin.

The McDowell Commended Students for the 2007 Merit Program are Andrew Chinsky, Benjamin Fontecchio, Daniel Joseph, Emily Miller, Caitlin Mingey, and Michael Skarlinski.

A total of about 34,000 Commended students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2007 competition for Merit Scholarship awards, Commended students placed in the top five percent of the more than 1.4 million students who entered the 2007 competition by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dean Maynard said, “This is a very competitive program. We are extremely proud of our students who make it into this outstanding level of academic performance and dedication to excellence.”

The McDowell High School Key Club worked with Representative Matthew Good to receive a $10,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to aid local food pantries.

The grant money was divided between four local food pantries to be used for the purchase of food for their organization. Kearsarge Area Food Pantry, West Millcreek Food Pantry, Waterford Food Pantry, and St. George Food Pantry each received a check for $2,500 at the beginning of October.

“The McDowell Key Club is dedicated to service in our community,” said Millcreek Township School District Superintendent Dr. Dean Maynard. “The students worked hard to secure this grant to help the local food pantries help those less fortunate put food on their table.”

“I am always pleased to support this grant for the McDowell High School Key Club and our local food pantries,” Representative Matthew Good said. “First and foremost, it helps put food on the tables of families who otherwise might go hungry. Just as important, it supports our Key Club students who have recognized this need in our community and have worked hard to make a difference in the lives of these individuals and families.”

“We are so grateful for this money,” said Mary Ann Grumblatt, coordinator of the Kearsarge Area Food Pantry. “It allows us to continue servicing the families in our community who rely on us for such a basic necessity.”

The Key Club is the high school student-led component of the Kiwanis International Family, which is dedicated to service in our community. Key Club members build themselves as they build their schools and communities. The McDowell Key Club officers are: Michael Komo, President; Kayla Olson, Vice President; Rachel Nagy, Treasurer; Holly Penco, Secretary; Marisa Hrbal, Editor; and Minal Patel, Project Coordinator. The Key Club Advisor is Mr. Okey Graham.

(Erie, Pennsylvania) — Students from the Millcreek Township School District are attending the Bayfront Center for Maritime Studies (BCMS) as part of a partnership between the school district and the BCMS. Millcreek middle and high school students participating in the alternative education, flex-education, and technology education programs are spending mornings at BCMS, 40 Holland Street, applying math and science concepts to build boats and learn about the environment. The students return to the Millcreek School District for their afternoon instruction.

“This partnership provides a hands-on and collaborative learning experience perfect for our students,” said Millcreek Superintendent Dr. Dean Maynard. “The students are able to integrate their math, science, and literacy skills into building innovative and operable boats while also learning about the ever-changing environment of Presque Isle.”

Learning activities are designed to introduce and reinforce academics, personal growth and citizenship, and teach students about Presque Isle and the Lake Erie environment. “It looks like we are building boats with kids, but we are really building kids with boats,” said BCMS Director Rich Eisenberg.

The Bayfront Center for Maritime Studies is a non-profit, community-based organization whose mission is to design and deliver unique, hands-on, maritime related educational, vocational, and recreational opportunities for all members of the community. BCMS began operation in May of 1998 and has worked with thousands of area youth creating positive learning experiences through building boats, sailing aboard one of the Center’s boats, studying navigation and our environment, and having fun on beautiful Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie.

A press conference was held on October 4, 2006, at 10:30 a.m. at the BCMS to announce the partnership.

(Erie, Pennsylvania) McDowell High School senior, Samantha Moore, placed first at the National Catholic Forensic League (N.C.F.L.) Grand National Championship Tournament in Chicago, Illinois. Over 500 teams and 2,300 students competed for team and individual National Championships. Samantha Moore became Northwestern Pennsylvania’s first Speech National Champion and had one of the best cumulative scores in the last thirty years of the N.C.F.L!

Millcreek Superintendent Dr. Dean Maynard, said, “We are so proud of Samantha. She is a role model for each and every one of us. Samantha and her teammates are outstanding representatives of the Millcreek Township School District.”

The Forensics team representing McDowell High School included freshman Robert Mingey; juniors Matt Mingey and Andrea Ortiz; and Seniors Andrew Natalo, Brandon Herring, Camille Gajewski, and Megan Manganaro.

“This is an absolutely unbelievable accomplishment,” said McDowell Forensics coach Will Caugherty. “I’m incredibly proud of every student on the team that they are brave enough to stand up and do something like this, let alone be the best in the country.”

Coach Caugherty described the flow of the competition as follows. In the event of Original Oratory, over 225 of the top orators in the entire country began the tournament dreaming of being National Champion. At the end of the first day and four tough preliminary elimination rounds, 48 students remained. At the end "octo-finals," just 24 students still stood. By the conclusion of the "quarter-finals," only 12 students remained. Six of those of those semi-finalists advanced to the National Finals. Only one of those students would be National Champion. And that student was McDowell senior Samantha Moore!

McDowell High School Speech and Debate Statistics:
P.H.S.S.L State Finalists: 2003, ‘05, ‘06
P.H.S.S.L Individual Events Runners-Up: 2005, ‘06
N.C.F.L. National Qualifiers: 2001, ‘02, ‘03, ‘04, ‘05, ‘06
N.C.F.L. National Semi-Finalists: 2003, ‘06
N.C.F.L. National Oratory Champion: 2006
National Forensics League National Qualifiers: 2004, ‘05, ‘06

Junior and senior communication students at McDowell High School are once again airing live newscasts from the television studio at MIHS. “Good Morning Millcreek” airs on Channel 16 live at 10:15 a.m. on May 24, 26, 31, and June 2. Each show is 15 minutes long.

The shows are written and produced entirely by the students in the communications 3 and 4 classes. The live newscasts feature McDowell and Millcreek-oriented news and sports, allowing for fresh, up-to-date news pieces. The students write the stories and obtain video to go along with them.

When it comes to production, students select the jobs they feel most comfortable performing. Jobs include producer, director, talent, weathercaster, camera operator, computer graphics operator, technical director, audio director, set designer, reporter, or editor. In previous communications classes, the students had the opportunity to try each job. The live shows allow the students to specialize in one specific job and showcase their talents.

“To my knowledge, no other high school in Pennsylvania airs live student-produced news to the community,” remarked Dr. Dean Maynard, Superintendent of Schools. “Many of the students involved in the live newscasts will be majoring in communications in college. The experience they receive in the television studio at MIHS gives them a great foundation on which to build.”

The high school’s communication classes also produce three other shows which air on Channel 16.

The students are under the direction of Mr. James Strobel, communications teacher at MIHS and McDowell. A sample tape of a Good Morning Millcreek production or a tour of the communications studio at MIHS are available.

The McDowell High School Competitive Dance Team received its second national title for the 2005-2006 school year on April 1, 2006, at the Ameridance Great Lakes Open National Championships in Chicago, Illinois. The girls dance team was named grand champions after winning first place in the Varsity Jazz division out of 45 teams competing. It is the highest honor a dance team can receive at a competition.

The McDowell Dance Team also won first place in the Varsity Jazz division at the CCC National Cheer and Dance Competition in Cleveland, Ohio, in March.

The McDowell Dance Team consists of 18 members: Michelle Alonge, Kaitlyn Balkovic, Madison Bott, Jillian Calabrese, Jordyn Colao, Kelsey Faber, Jen Ferraro, Mindy Fulcher, Sara Hissom, Brianna Johnson, Erin Lewis, Ashley Lindenberger, Marah Lindenberger, Ashlee McGeehan, Molli Jane Norman, Angela Pepicello, Kristin Sadaly, and Kellie Schmitt. The team is coached by Stacy Garrastazu, head coach, and Amanda Fuhrman, assistant coach.

(Erie, Pennsylvania) The Millcreek Township School District proudly announces Kraig Hetz as the new McDowell High School Boys’ Varsity basketball coach. The board will vote on the approval of Hetz at the April 25 Millcreek School Board meeting. Millcreek Superintendent Dr. Dean Maynard remarked, “Coach Hetz believes that it is the little things that make all of the difference. He believes in teamwork, discipline, and a positive attitude. He is what our program needs and our players deserve.”

“I’m excited to have an opportunity to come home and be part of a great McDowell community. I’m anxious to meet with the team and get everyone set and ready to go,” commented Hetz.

Hetz comes to McDowell with almost 20 years of coaching experience. Prior to his selection at McDowell, Hetz was the head basketball coach at Altoona Area High School where his 2003 team reached the PIAA Class AAAA Western Final.

“Coach Hetz brings a fresh coaching philosophy and background different from what we are used to in this area. We couldn’t pass up a chance to bring in a proven winner,” said McDowell’s Director of Athletics and Student Programs Mike Caro.
Hetz received his Master of Education in Secondary Counseling from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor of Arts in History from Thiel College. He is a graduate of Fairview High School.

Hetz is currently teaching social studies and is in charge of the In-School Suspension program at Altoona Area High School. Prior to teaching at Altoona Area High School, he was a social studies teacher and guidance counselor at Hollidaysburg Area High School.

Hetz began his coaching career at Oswayo Valley High School in 1988. He also coached at United High School and Hollidaysburg Area High School. Most recently he was the head coach at Altoona Area High School where his team ranked third in the state of Pennsylvania. He led his team to the PIAA State Tournament at every high school at which he coached.

Millcreek School Board President, Terry Scutella, commented, “He brings PIAA Class AAAA experience and is a highly-ranked, highly-qualified educator from our own backyard.”
Kraig Hetz is married to Jennifer and has three children, Tyler, Jordyn , and Jessica.

# # #

Two McDowell High School students have qualified to compete in the national level of the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO). McDowell senior Philip Ropelewski and McDowell junior Bridget Gutting will take part in the Olympiad at Mercyhurst College on April 22.

The students scored the highest for McDowell at the local competition qualifying them to take the national test. The national test is four and a half hours and includes multiple choice, free response, and laboratory practical sections.

The USNCO is a multi-tiered competition designed to stimulate and promote achievement in high school chemistry.

Four McDowell High School students earned a place at the state-level National History Day competition that will be held at Penn State University on May 10 and 11.

McDowell students Mike DeDad, Laura Currie, Mike Leone, and Matt Harrison competed at the regional-level competition at Edinboro University.

Each year a broad theme is selected for the contest. The theme of National History Day 2006 is Taking a Stand in History: People, Ideas, Events.

National History Day is a year-long education program that engages students in grades 6-12 in the process of discovery and interpretation of historical topics. Students produce dramatic performances, imaginative exhibits, multimedia documentaries, or research papers based on the annual theme.

Students in Mr. Okey Graham’s honors social studies classes are required to put together a project for History Day. This is the seventh year McDowell students have competed in the regional event.

Winners from the Pennsylvania competition will next compete at National History Day held in June at the University of Maryland at College Park.