Students
Mars Area Middle School’s MathCounts Team competed in the 2023 MathCounts Midwestern Pennsylvania Chapter Regional Competition Feb. 11.
The team of eighth-grader Conner Liu and seventh-graders Preston Musser, Mahin Ugle and Jackson Ulonska earned first place and qualified for the 2023 Pennsylvania State MathCounts competition March 17 and 18.
In individual competition, Conner took second place overall and Preston received third place overall. Seventh-grader Nicholas Babeo also competed in the regional event, and team member eighth-grader Sophia Gourash was unable to participate.
The students competed against their peers at other MathCounts Midwestern Pennsylvania Chapter-member private and public schools.
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Several members of Mars Area High School and Mars Area Middle School orchestras attended the Strings North Honors Orchestra Festival on Feb. 15 at Shaler Area Middle School.
Students who participated were juniors Ella Drutarosky (violin 1), Hannah Novak (violin 2), Delaney Reddinger (viola), Peyton Varrenti (cello) and Abigail Wittman (violin 1); freshmen Naeema Dheen (viola), Caroline Martin (violin 1), Avery Varrenti (violin 2), Kai Whirlow (viola) and Hannah Wood (cello); and, eighth-graders Chester Harsch (cello), Conner Liu (violin 2), Alayna Renton (viola), Lila Schrecengost (violin 2) and Ashlyn Varner (violin 2).
The annual Strings North Honors Orchestra Festival brings together students from Pittsburgh’s northern area school districts, including Deer Lakes, Hampton, Knoch, Mars, North Hills, Quaker Valley, Riverview and Shaler.
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Mars Area Middle School seventh-grader Gianna Kampian was invited to train and compete in the United States Tennis Association Junior Circuit: USTA Middle States Sectional Training Center on Feb. 11 and 12.
Gianna, 12, the daughter of Shane and Brooke Kampian of Valencia, who has been involved in tennis since age 5, was one of 12 girls in the Middle States region invited to participate in the event. As a member of Lakevue Athletic Club, she competes in USTA tournaments to earn points toward her district, section and national ranking.
USTA Middle States host organized training opportunities for high-performance players across the section.
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Mars Area High School junior Alivia Miller is the Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School Outstanding Student of the Month for February.
Miller is in her second year as a collision repair student at the vo-tech and has been working at Classic Automotive as a cooperative education student since her sophomore year. She is involved in rodeo and is restoring a 1995 Ford F250.
An outstanding student is selected based upon character, leadership, honesty, responsibility, optimism and loyalty to creating a positive school environment. Honorees demonstrate excellent behavior, are well mannered, and are respectful to peers, teachers and all other staff members.
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Several Mars Area High School students were selected by solo audition for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Regional Chorus Festival on Feb. 23 and 24 at Pine-Richland High School.
The students are seniors Victoria Rojas (alto 2) and Kole Yingling (bass 1); and juniors Nicholas Ferrari (bass 2 alternate), Miranda Gehm (soprano 1 alternate) and Isabela Montes (alto 1).
