STUDENT DIRECTORY
INDIANA — Teams from Indiana (Pa.) University of Pennsylvania took second and third places at the second annual Frederick Douglass Debate Society Tournament at Millersville University.
Debating in teams of two, two of the IUP teams made it to semifinals. The team of Caleb King of East Brady and Sebastian Befonti of Slatington made it to the final round to come in second.
King is a mathematics major at IUP. Befonti is a psychology major.
The tournament featured 14 teams from six universities in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.
Debaters sparred over this tournament resolution: “The civic unrest that followed recent instances of police brutality should be considered protest rather than rioting.”
———
GROVE CITY — The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Grove City College crowned the winners of its 14th annual Business Plan Competition at the college’s annual Recognition Convocation.
In the Social Enterprise category, a team including seniors Amy Rumbaugh of Grove City and Bryan Thomas of Mars won 2nd place for Restored Living, a business offering upcycled furniture to fund educational opportunities for exploited women.
In the Commercial Enterprise category, a team including Micah Koegler of Sarver won 2nd place for LightBrush, an app-controlled light painting tool.
In addition to cash prizes, winners also receive professional, legal, accounting and web-based consulting services.
Twenty-five teams comprised of 45 students from 14 different majors entered this year’s competition.
The competition combines the passion and talent of entrepreneurially-minded students, the professional expertise and guidance of faculty, alumni, and friends, and the support of sponsors.
Alumni and friends of the college served as judges, mentors and reviewers.
———
CRANBERRY TWP — Rachel Spear, a sixth-grade student at Evans City Middle School, was recognized by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth for scoring exceptionally high in its talent search program.
Rachel took its advanced school and college ability test. To qualify for the test, students must score in the 95th percentile on a national standardized exam or be recommended by a teacher.
For the math portion of the test Rachel scored better than how 99 percent of ninth grade students would be expected to score.
The top 30 percent of test takers were honored during awards ceremonies at Duquesne University.
Rachel also was invited to a ceremony at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore because she scored in the top 3 to 4 percent.
David Choi, a seventh- grade student at Seneca Valley Middle School, also was recognized at the ceremony at Duquesne.
———
WILLIAMSPORT — Rebecca Workman of Valencia and Steven Rush of Rimersburg, 2016 graduates of Pennsylvania College of Technology, received Student Achievement Awards from the college.
Workman, a Web and interactive media graduate, received the Harvey A. Martin Award. She was selected by the faculty for exhibiting a commitment to the profession and love of the major.
Rush, a diesel technology graduate, received the William J. Stitzel Memorial Award. He was selected for exemplifying William J. Stitzel’s dedication to Penn College through service to the college community, service to fellow students and academic achievement.
—–—
Ten Butler Catholic School students did well at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science State competition at Pennsylvania State University.
Six first awards went to Sarah Preston, Ava Swanson, Josiah McConnell, John Keelan, Diesel Losch and Robert Lipnichan.
Four second awards went to Caravel Losch, Nicholas Brackett, Spencer Brackett and Mason Grenci.
Robert Lipnichan, a seventh grader, also received a perfect score and the Director’s Award for physics.
The students’ sponsor is Jayne Chobot.
—–—
JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley School District students excelled in local academic games tournaments throughout the school year, resulting in a record 53 students who attended the National Academic Tournament in Atlanta. Nationals give students an opportunity to test their knowledge against some of the brightest students in the country.
A top-10 finish at Nationals is equivalent to an athlete earning All-American status. Several students were national champions and top place finishers.
Elementary Division
In LinguiSHTIK, a grammar and vocabulary game, Ian Bilger and Tanya Gupta tied for Individual Co-National Champion. Members of the 4th-place team from Seneca Valley were David deVyver, Sreya Padamati, Anna Roberts, Greta Schmidt, Paul Amado, Jonah Kriess, Andrew Loeffler and Nate Smith. Members of the 7th-place team from Seneca Valley were Jason Chen, Ella Fulford, Veronica Pimenova, Eric Ristey and Sydney Thompson.
In On-Sets, a mathematical game, David deVyver earned Individual National Champion status and was a member of the 4th place team with Ella Fulford and Nate Smith.
In Propaganda, a persuasion game, Dawson Ward earned 9th place in the individual competition. Fourth place winners from Seneca Valley were Connor Allen, Courtney Beals, Meera Rathod and Nate Smith.
Middle Division
In Propaganda, Brenna Wrubel earned 5th place in the individual competition and was part of the team that placed 4th with Simren Jayaraman, Matthew Murphy and Robert Appling. Arya Nayak earned a 9th place finish in the individual competition.
In Presidents, a game of historical contexts and political events of U.S. presidents, Sebastian Wary and Brenna Wrubel were members of the team that finished 4th.
Senior Division
There were 842 competitors for each of the senior division games below.
In Equations, a mathematical game, the results were Kyle Cindrich (30th place), Urvi Gupta (35th), Alex Garcia (36th), Jarrett Johnston (68th), Rhea Kudtarkar (73rd), Shane Ruiz (79th), Jonathan Simoes (97th), Jacob Johnston (108th), Angelo Giannotta (113th) and Mark Livingstone (124th).
In On-Sets, the results were Kyle Cindrich (37th), Shane Ruiz (56th, tie), Mark Livingstone (56th, tie), Rhea Kudtarkar (65th), Alex Garcia (83rd) and Urvi Gupta (95th).
In World Events, a game of political and cultural events, the results were Mark Livingstone (23rd), Jacob Johnston (38th) and Jarrett Johnston (49th).
In Presidents, the results were Lucy Geronime (24th), Jarrett Johnston (60th), Jacob Johnston (97th) and Urvi Gupta (101st).
In LinguiSHTIK, the results were Angelo Giannotta (40th), Kyle Cindrich (42nd), Jarrett Johnston (46th), Alex Garcia (52nd), Urvi Gupta (54th), Jonathan Simoes (56th), Mark Livingstone (62nd), Rhea Kudtarkar (74th) and Jacob Johnston (82nd).
In Propaganda, the results were Lucy Geronime (19th), Jonathan Simoes (31st), Rhea Kudtarkar (51st), Kyle Cindrich (59th) and Urvi Gupta (91st).
