JACKSON TWP — The Seneca Valley School District received a litany of honors through the Junior Achievement program this year, including recognition as a national Gold Level member.

The honors were bestowed at the Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania annual meeting in Pittsburgh in June.

The district's Gold Level status is a result of contributions made to JAthrough events, grants, sponsorships and volunteer support, said Gordon Conn, senior director of district operations for JA of Western Pennsylvania.

"We're very proud of our relation with Seneca Valley,"Conn said. "They are instrumental in addressing our mission. They are definitely in the top 5 percent of schools partnered with us" in terms of size and the number of students participating, he said.

Jeff Fuller, the elementary education assistant superintendent, received the National Silver Leadership Award, which was one of only three in Western Pennsylvania.

"I was surprised and honored to win the award," said Fuller.

"Certainly it is because of the hard work of our elementary administration and teachers to make the program so successful in the schools, and the support of the parent volunteers that help out."

National Bronze, Silver and Gold Leadership award recipients are recommended by regional groups to national JAofficials, who choose the winners, Conn said. Winners must receive the awards in that order. Fuller won the Bronze Award last year.

Haine Middle School and Rowan and Connoquenessing Valley elementary schools received Impact Awards for their efforts with JA.

This is the second consecutive year for Connoquenessing Valley and Haine while Rowan has been an Impact winner for at least three years, Fuller said.

The awards are based on the number of JA volunteers and the amount of time they spend serving JA programs or delivering them in the schools, Fuller said.

At the elementary level, Seneca Valley has JA Day each year. On that day, parents and community volunteers deliver JAlessons to each classroom at Rowan and Connoquenessing Valley as well as to fifth-graders at Haine.

The JA economics curriculum is used in classes at the middle school and in the senior high, Fuller said.

For their individual efforts with JA, 2007 graduates Shane Downing and Megan Feeney won $1,000 scholarships. The Thomas A. McConomy Scholarship was presented to Downing for an essay on the influence of JA on his life.

Feeney penned an essay describing how JA has made a positive academic and financial impact on her life.