A-C Valley names top students
FOXBURG — The Allegheny-Clarion Valley Class of 2020, conducted a drive-in graduation outside the high school in Foxburg Friday. Forty-five students participated in graduation activities.
Edward Joseph Stevanus was the 2020 valedictorian, with Hannah Marie Farrington as the salutatorian. High school Principal William Jordan was the keynote speaker.
Edward is the son of Mike Stevanus of West Monterey and Jennifer Morse of Ohio. Edward was a member of the National Honor Society, captain of the varsity basketball team and a member of the STEM Team. He will attend Bowling Green State University majoring in actuarial science.
Hannah is the daughter of Jamie and Melinda Farrington of Parker. She was the president of student council and the National Honor Society, senior class vice-president, and participated in the school musical. She will attend Butler County Community College to major in nursing.
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Mars Area Middle School eighth-graders Nicholas Ferrari and Meghan Smith were chosen to receive the American Legion Award.
The award is presented to eighth-graders who exhibit the highest standards of scholarship, leadership, patriotism, service, courage, honor and integrity.
Each school year, teachers nominate students for the recognition. Eighth-graders are asked to vote for one boy and one girl on the list of nominees.
Other nominees were Declan Abbey, Brooke Franklin, Ryan Garver, Addison Girdwood, Lillian Goodworth, Claire Magness, Katelyn McKee, Liam Quinn, Adam Rohrbaugh, Ryan Schnitgen and Lillyanna Staines.
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Seneca Valley 2020 graduates Claira Matthews and Madison Geis were recently recognized by the National Center for Women and Information Technology.
Matthews and Geis were selected as 2020 National Certificate of Distinction recipients of the center’s Award for Aspirations in Computing.
They were recognized for their aspirations in computing-related fields and for their demonstrated outstanding aptitude and interest in information technology and computing; solid leadership ability; good academic history; and their plans for post-secondary education.
The Western and Central PA affiliate of the Award for Aspirations in Computing is a collaborative effort by dedicated volunteers from Saint Francis University; Penn State University, New Kensington; University of Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon University; and All Clear Translations.
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Elena Pontzius of Zelienople was chosen to join the Alta Via program at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pa.
She was among a select group of incoming students to be accepted into the 2020-21 inaugural Alta Via cohort.
Alta Via candidates are recommended by high school, community or parish leaders on the basis of their demonstrated leadership attributes and community service contributions.
Participants in the Alta Via program are awarded an annual scholarship, engage in community engagement activities and will travel abroad on a Catholic, Franciscan pilgrimage.
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Isabella Moosa of Zelienople was inducted into Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, in the spring 2020 semester.
Moosa, a graduate of Seneca Valley High School majoring in psychology and criminal justice, shared the honor with 17 other students. Society membership is extended to psychology majors and minors with second semester sophomore status who have completed at least nine semester hours of psychology courses, have a minimum 3.4 GPA overall and have a minimum 3.0 GPA in psychology courses.
