in-mars-area-spring

ars AreaSpring 2011 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

2 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Mars Area

Mars Area | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 3

4 Mars Area

WWelcome to the spring issue of Mars area magazine. i hope youall had a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends, and fun.

Typically, i use this space to talk about your community or features inthe magazine that spotlight the people in your community who are doingwonderful things.

Well, this time i want to update you regarding our newest feature for2011—our new website. Without venturing too far into the realm ofshameless self-promotion, i want to emphasize that this website issomething for you, our readers. how so? Well, you can have input and helpshape the website just like your ideas help shape your magazine. now youhave a place to list all of the nonprofit community organizations that areactive in the community. We are also developing pages where we list thelocal houses of worship. in addition, we now offer every magazine in a fullydownloadable PDF format, rather than the outdated flipbook format weused to have. This will allow you to send the magazine, or links to it, tofriends and family both near and far.

We tied our website into Facebook as well, not to get the biggest list of“friends” we could get but to have a place to keep our readers abreast of all thenews we get between issues. it also gives us a place to upload all the photosfrom community events that we don’t have room for in the magazine.

as with all things, there’s always room for improvement, but we alwayshave open ears. if you have comments about our new website or want to seeyour organization listed, e-mail [email protected] withyour link or feedback. There’s no charge for listing your church, synagogue,or scout troop’s link, so send your links in today!

and if you happen to be on Facebook and like what you see in themagazine, don’t hesitate to click that “like” button. it’s always nice to be liked!

i hope you have a wonderful spring!

Publisher

When i think about spring, i can’t help but think about light. Thedays get “lighter,” the sun stays with us a little longer each day. Whenwe have a great idea, a light bulb goes off in our minds. at Mars areaMagazine we try to spotlight our communities. What are you doing tobe a “light”? if you or an organization that you volunteer or work for is alight in the community, will you let me know? so many good deeds, areleft unsung! if you have a family member who is in the armed forces, orif your church group or Mom or Dad are providing a service tosomeone in need, we want to know! Please e-mail your ideas andphotos to me at [email protected].

every spring i look forward to our annual high school poetry contestand this year is no exception. On page 6, i want to introduce you tosome amazing young adults from the community. We truly value thewords of everyone who puts “pen to paper.” But when you read some ofthe talented writing from area students, i’m sure you will be impressed!Darcy silbaugh, high school english teacher from Mars area schoolDistrict, deserves our thanks for coordinating this fabulous project forus at the school district level.

Managing editor

ars AreaIN Mars Area is a non-partisan communitymagazine dedicated to representing, encouragingand promoting the Mars Area School District andits comprising municipalities by focusing on thetalents and gifts of the people who live and workhere. Our goal is to provide readers with the mostinformative and professional regional publicationin the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

PUBLISHER

Wayne Dollard

ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER

Mark Berton [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR

Marybeth [email protected]

OFFICE MANAGER

Leo [email protected]

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Jamie [email protected]

WRITERS

Jonathan Barnes Pamela PalongueKelli McElhinny

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Cassie Brkich Jan McEvoyAnna Buzzelli Joe MilneSusie Doak Tamara TylendaPati Ingold Tracey Wasilco

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rebecca BaileyGaryyonphotography.comOne Way Street Productions

ADVERTISING SALES

Nicholas Buzzell David MitchellBrian Daley Tamara Myers Gina D’Alicandro Gabriel NegriTina Dollard Robert OjedaRose Estes Annette PetroneJason Huffman Vincent SabatiniJessie Jones Michael SilvertConnie McDaniel RJ VighettiBrian McKee

This magazine is carrier route mailed to all district households and businesses.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in partwithout written permission is prohibited. Copyright 2011.

CORRESPONDENCEAll inquiries, comments and press releases should be directed to:

IN Community MagazinesAttn: Editorial603 East McMurray RoadMcMurray, PA 15317Ph: 724.942.0940 Fax: 724.942.0968

Summer content deadline: 4/4/11www.incommunitymagazines.com

SPRING 2011

Please recycle this magazinewhen you arethrough enjoying it.

"No one is useless

in this world who lightensthe burdens of another."

Charles DiCkens

S P R I N G 2 0 1 1

Health and Wellness News You Can Use

© 2011 UPMC

What’s Insidepage 2 Coming Back from a Back Injury

page 3 From Gut-Wrenching Pain toHope for the FutureStomachaches: When to Worry

page 4 Good Night, Sleep Tight!Are You Allergic to Your Bed?

page 5 UPMC HealthTrak Lets You Manage Your Health Care Online

page 6 Posttraumatic Stress DisorderCould It Happen to You?

page 7 Welcoming New PhysiciansWhat’s Happening at UPMC Passavant

Healthy Family,Happy Family

Keeping yourself and your family healthy can seem like a full-time job. With UPMC HealthTrak, you now have a convenient way to manage your health anytime and anywhere.

6 49

Mars Area | SPRING 2011 |

Contents

Publisher’s Message | 4

COMMUNITY INTEREST | Mars Area School District | Quarterly Newsletter | 8

| UPMC Today | Health and Wellness News You Can Use | 25

| Older Adults in Mars Area | Good Tidings for the Greatest Generation | 42

| Places of Worship | 48

| INKIDS | 49

FEATURE | Mars Area School District Poetry Contest | 6

| Real Estate in Mars Area | 37

| Venue Planning for Your Wedding | 55

INDUSTRY INSIGHT | Early Mammograms Detect Cancer Early | By Christina A. Cirucci, M.D. | 57

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT | H.P. Starr Lumber Company | 41

| Lutheran SeniorLife to Open New Assisted Living Care Facility in Mars | 46

ON THE COVER | Mars area high school students designing the set for spring Musical, "Back to the 80's".


You.

You're just another boy. You're a plaster-cast

of the one that I know.You don't know me.

You don't know anything. You, with your false-lit eyes,thoughtless thoughts and

thoughtless words.

You're like all of the other boys. All cellophane and saccharinand sugar-coated promises.

But no one ever bothers to read your warning labels.

You're bad for me.

abby Michalowski

Warmth

Soaking into my skinit seeps into my bones

kissing my sleeping lashesthe warm sun caresses my face.

Asleep in the cool summer grassit tickles our intertwined handswe stare up into a crisp blue sky,

nothing can harm us here.

I look into your dark brown eyesdarkness against the day,

the rich, deep color calms me,it’s time to leave.

We walk, down the open street,fallen leaves rustle around our feet

I’m not ready to let go.

Butlook to the sky, love,our reminder is there

the warm, smiling sun is our storyof what we have,

and the happiness we found there.

Siempre tú y yo

katie richards

6 Mars Area

Abby Michalowski is asenior at Mars areahigh school. she isplanning on attendingan art college to obtainher BFa in painting.she works as avolunteer with children and attends nationalcompetitions for art, drama, and dance. in herspare time, she enjoys folding origami cranes andwriting her own bios. Katie Richards is a junior

at Mars area high school.she enjoys writing,especially poetry and songlyrics. she lives by herfavorite phrase, “carpediem,” and believes thatwe should live everyday tothe fullest.

Presenting some of the best poetry in the Mars area school District from Mrs. silbaugh's high school english Classes.

Mars area sChOOl DisTriCT & in Mars area Magazine

Winner

Situating the Spectacles

Situating the Spectacles in positionAllows a sudden glance at the free world.

One moment of truth, he’s certain.None of this sort he’s viewed before.

Perplexity between lightness and darknessIssues longing bewilderment in his mind.Yesterday’s proven facts- today he stresses

At the behavior of his own kind. Newfound knowledge dangles above his head.

Sparing such insight, conside r crime here after.Grab hold, he must, this cloud of dust impending

Over all creation overlooking such disaster.Frenzied, furious, forceful conditions.

He now sees- through the looking glass- into the core,

The place called home which he lives in,Summoned to heal this enormous sore.Dried up clay needs reshaping, remolding

shall be strenuous.Underway, creation of massive forest fire

After the drought of innocence.He nearly seeks to pull them out of the mire.

The whole, as a species, mislead,Marching down trails of demonic exemplars.Acceptably ignorant, unknowingly naïve;

fears he dreads.Halt! This animal abuse he implores.

Situating the spectacles in positionReassures his view one last time.Crystal clear now, his perceptionOf the duty he hath been assigned.

emily elder

Untitled

I’m stuck in a world that does not know meLost in the world that disowned meHunted by the one who loved me

Love is nothing to be played withYou lived for the liesFell for the tricks

Everyone is thrown into the same mix

I’m locked behind these four wallsHidden behind the fallen causeScared of what will become

Love is nothing to be messed withyou trust the words

Get hurt by the worstEveryone is t hrown into the mix

I’m lost in a world that doesn’t love me

Forced behind fallen wallsThere is you

Love is something to be played withSomething to mess with

No matter what you do love will always find you

kirsten kohler

Kirsten Kohler is asenior at Mars areahigh school. she enjoyshanging out with herfriends, Xbox, andwriting. she claims thatthough she enjoys writing, most of it is in herhead, and rarely ends up on paper.Emily Elder is a senior at Mars

area high school, graduating oneyear early. she will be attendingPitt-Bradford in the fall of 2011with a double major of writing andpolitical science. she believes thatno longer modeling, but writing, isher calling.


Schools Achieve AYP forSecond Consecutive YearEach of Mars Area School District’s five school build-

ings was recognized by the Pennsylvania Department ofEducation for achieving AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress)for two consecutive years.Mars Area Primary Center, Mars Area Elementary

School, Mars Area Centennial School, Mars Area MiddleSchool and Mars Area High School each attained AYP dur-ing the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 school years. All five schools achieved AYP during the 2007-2008

school year as well. The recognition is co-sponsored by thePennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coor-dinators.

Board Approves Bids for Elementary School ProjectMars Area School Board unanimously approved bids for

a 12-classroom addition to Mars Area Elementary School at aspecial meeting on Jan. 25.Bids were awarded to R.A. Glancy & Sons, General

Construction ($1,713,614); Shipley Bros. Construction Inc.,Plumbing ($183,275); R&B Mechanical Inc., Mechanical($476,300); Pitt Electric Inc., Electrical ($274,600); andShultz Installation & Service Co. Inc., Automatic Temper-ature Controls ($179,540). Total cost of the project includ-ing additional fees and costs is $3,431,617. The overall project will include an eight-classroom, two-

story addition at the rear of the building and two more two-classroom, two-story additions will be constructed in separatecorners of the school’s interior courtyard. The school’s cafete-ria will also be expanded. Work on the project is expected to begin in February and

continue through August. All additions are scheduled to becompleted prior to the start of the 2011-2012 school year.For more information, call (724) 625-1518.

School Board Reorganizes for 2011Mars Area School Board reorganized for 2011.Kimberly Geyer will remain in her post as Board

President and Dayle Ferguson as Board Vice President. Other Board members are Rebecca S. Brown, Rita

Dorsch, Gordon Marburger, H. Ross McConnell,Christian Ola, Christine Stroup and Bonnie L.Weaver.Work sessions and regular Board meetings will contin-

ue to be held at 7 p.m. on the first and second Tuesday ofeach month, respectively, with some exceptions. Remaining meeting dates for 2011 are March 1 and 8,

April 5 and 19, May 3 and 10, June 7 and 14, July 19, Aug. 2and 9, Sept. 6 and 13, Oct. 4 and 11, Nov. 1 and 7(Monday), and Dec. 6.All meetings are open to the public and will be held in

the boardroom at the District’s Administration Office, 545Route 228, Mars, Pa. 16046. For more information, visit www.marsk12.org.

Act 34 Hearing Reviews Centennial School ProjectMars Area School Board held an Act 34 Public Hearing

on Jan. 11 to discuss plans for a 12-classroom addition toMars Area Centennial School.Pennsylvania Act 34 of 1973 requires that a public hear-

ing be held in regards to any proposed school constructionproject that exceeds 20 percent of the building’s originalsquare footage.“Due to existing growth within Mars Area School

District, (Mars Area Centennial School) is at capacity,” saysBob Marz of Roth Marz Partnership.“Additional classroom space needs to be added to

accommodate future enrollment at the school.”The $6,072,167 project would include a two-story

classroom wing located at the western end of the existingbuilding near the student drop-off area, says Marz.The new wing would also include restrooms, a 9,000-

square-foot basement area for storage, and a large groupinstruction (LGI) classroom.The overall project would also move the school’s exist-

ing kitchen out at the eastern end of the building to allow fora 2,300-square-foot addition to the school’s cafeteria, saysMarz. And, 17 parking spaces would also be added in theschool’s lower lot and near the cafeteria.Financing for the project will come from a general obli-

gation bond issue, which offers the District lower interestrates, more favorable refunding provisions and keeps morecontrol with the local School Board, says Dr. WilliamPettigrew, superintendent. The construction project is noteligible for state reimbursement.For more information, call (724) 625-1518.

545 Route 228 • Mars, PA 16046(724) 625-1518

Web site ............................................................ www.marsk12.org

The eCommunicator ................................. Subscribe online atwww.marsk12.org

Mars Area School District -TV .................... Cable Ch. 50;Digital Cable Ch. 209

Community Information Line .................... (724) 625-1581

Sports Information Line .............................. (724) 625-1581

Dr. William Pettigrew ...................................... SuperintendentMatthew Friedman ......................... Assistant SuperintendentJill L. Swaney.................................................. Business ManagerFrank Randza.....................................Maintenance SupervisorJeffrey Bitzer ......................................... Director of TechnologyJosh Schwoebel.......................... Director of CommunicationsJane Roth .................................... Transportation CoordinatorScott Heinauer................................................ Athletic DirectorLiz Peters ..............................Food Service Director, Nutrition Inc.

Mars Area High SchoolTodd Kolson ................................................................ PrincipalDale Sleva Jr. ............................................... Assistant Principal

Mars Area Middle SchoolRichard Cornell............................................................ Principal

Mars Area Centennial SchoolTodd Lape .................................................................... Principal

Mars Area Elementary SchoolRobert Zaccari .............................................................. Principal

Mars Area Primary CenterDr. Elizabeth McMahon............................................. Principal

Office of Special Education & Pupil ServicesDr. Susan Cunnup................... Director of Special EducationDeborah Adams ............. Asst. Director of Special EducationAnna Saker ....................................... Director of Pupil ServicesScott Semow....... School Psychologist, Intermediate Unit IVRichard Glosser....... School Psychologist, Intermediate Unit IV

Mars Area School District Taxpayer Bill of Rights NoticeYou are entitled to receive a written explanation of your rights with regard to the assessment, audit, appeal, enforcement, refund and collection of certain School District taxes. The written explanation is titled Mars Area School District Taxpayer Bill of Rights Statement.Upon receiving a request from you, the School District will give a copy of the Disclosure Statement at no charge. You may request a copy inperson or by mailing a request to: Mars Area School District; 545 Route 228; Mars, Pa. 16046. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on any week-day other than a holiday. A copy will also be mailed to you if you call the School District at (724) 625-1518.Mars Area School District is an equal opportunity education institution and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and handicapin its activities, programs or employment practices as required by Title VI, Title IX and Section 504.

MARS AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Kimberly Geyer, PresidentJ. Dayle Ferguson, Vice President Rebecca BrownRita DorschGordon MarburgerH. Ross McConnellChristian OlaChristine StroupBonnie L. Weaver

Board of School Directors

District Information

Administration

Mars Area principals (from left) Todd Kolson and Dale SlevaJr. (assistant principal), Mars Area High School; Todd Lape,Mars Area Centennial School; Elizabeth McMahon, MarsArea Primary Center; Robert Zaccari, Mars Area Elemen-tary School; and Richard Cornell, Mars Area Middle School;display banners recognizing their individual school’s achieve-ment of AYP for two consecutive years.

at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh anda

South Fayette.

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Chicora.

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Photo by Josh Schwoebel

8 Mars Area

Total cost of the project includ-

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Vice President

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district news

Mars Area School District is continuing to work toencourage bully-free schools through its “Planet Peace: YouCan Make the Difference” anti-bullying program.The purpose of the “Planet Peace” Olweus Bullying

Prevention Program is to empower students, teachers andstaff members to recognize and prevent bullying and toincrease their feelings of positive belonging.In the last few months, three Mars Area schools held

“Planet Peace” events to encourage students to contribute and“make the difference” by promoting acceptance and tolerancethrough their own actions. On Nov. 23, Mars Area Elementary School held an assem-

bly featuring The Hill Brothers’ “The Bullying Show: There’sNo Place for Bullies in Our School” program, which encour-ages students to recognize and take a stand against bullying. Mars Area High School and Mars Area Middle School

held assemblies on Jan. 7 and Nov. 8, respectively, featuringJon Pritikin of the National Character Education Foundation.Pritikin, founder of the “Feel the Power” program, holds

the title in the 2009 Guinness Book of World Records forbending two aluminum frying pans together with his handsin less than 30 seconds. After ripping a telephone book intwo, rolling an aluminum frying pan and bending a steel barheld in his teeth, Pritikin spoke to students about bullyingand peer pressure.Pritikin, who was diagnosed at an early age with a severe

learning disability, faced cruelty and bullying from his class-mates in grade school and high school. Through hard workand determination, he was able to rise above the ridiculeand after graduating college, he dedicated his life to address-ing issues of bullying, poor self-image and overcoming per-sonal obstacles.“There is going to be a time when you need a hero

because you are going through a tough time. And, there isgoing to be a time when you need to be a hero because some-one else is facing a tough time,” Pritikin told students. “We need people to be heroes... to make a difference.”Pritikin ended his program by breaking a baseball bat over

his leg and stuck around to answer students’ questions.In addition to the guest speaker, Mars Area High School’s

event featured a performance by the school’s cheerleaders anda video skit by members of the school’s REACH (ResponsibleEducated Adolescents Can Help) Program. Freshman Allen Shaffer wrote and performed an anti-

bullying song on keyboard and seniors Eric Connolly andConner Clydeoffered an anti-bullying rap.Event sponsors were Armstrong Cable, Mars National

Bank, Geyer Construction and Woodward Inc. as well as RobShazer and David Nearhoof, both of whom were instrumen-

tal in garnering financial support for the event.The assembly introduced the “Planet Peace” program to

students at Mars Area High School. District students inkindergarten through eighth grade have been participating inthe program since 2008.Mars Area High School has joined the ranks of only a few

high schools in the Pittsburgh region to offer an anti-bullyingprogram for students in ninth through 12th grades, says DaleSleva Jr., vice principal, adding that the school’s anti-bullyingprogram is made possible through the support of numerousteacher and staff volunteers. In addition to the kickoff assembly, once a month through

the remainder of the school year, a student-run group or clubwill write and produce a video skit on a different anti-bullyingtopic, says Sleva.The skit will be edited by students in the school’s Broadcast

Media classes and aired in each classroom during homeroom,he says, noting that each skit will be accompanied by talkingpoints for homeroom teachers to address with their students.Also, throughout the school year at Mars Area Middle

School and Mars Area Elementary School, teachers are facili-tating classroom discussions about bullying behaviors and pro-moting positive school behavior throughout the school year.For more information about the District’s “Planet Peace”

anti-bullying program, contact Anna Saker, director of pupilservices/grant writer, at (724) 898-1561, opt. 2.

Butler County Community College will offer severalLifelong Learning classes at Mars Area High School begin-ning in March, as Mars Area School Board approved a planto provide classroom space for the programs.Classes are offered for community members of all ages

and skill levels at Butler County Community College sitesas well as at various other locations throughout ButlerCounty. Classes at Mars Area High School will include:

Still

The five Butler County Community College coursesare an initial offering at Mars Area High School. If the pro-grams are successful, more courses may be added in thefuture.For more information, visit www.bc3.edu/communityed.

District Welcomes New Staff MembersSeveral new faces joined the staff of Mars Area School

District since the start of the 2010-2011 school year. Jamie Reddinger is a nurse paraprofessional at Mars

Area Elementary School and Mars Area Primary Center.Reddinger holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana

University of Pennsylvania; a master’s degree as a pediatricnurse practitioner from the University of Pittsburgh; and aschool nurse certificate from Slippery Rock University.She previously worked as a staff nurse and pediatric

nurse practitioner at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh andas a pediatric nurse practitioner at Children’s Home ofPittsburgh.Reddinger lives in EvansCity with her husband, Adam,

and their two children, Madalyn and Delaney.Rachel Cogley is a long-term substitute geometry

teacher at Mars Area High School.Cogley, who holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics

with a minor in education from Washington & JeffersonCollege, is working toward a master’s degree in advancedsecondary studies at California University of Pennsylvania.She previously served as a geometry teacher/coun-

selor at The Academy Charter and as a preschool teacherat World of Wonders Learning Center.Cogley is a resident of South Fayette. Pamela Alikhani is secretary to the principal at Mars

Area High School.Alikhani, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Grove

City College, previously worked as a substitute secretary atMars Area and Seneca Valley school districts.She and her husband, Fariborz, live in Mars. The cou-

ple has two children, Christopher and Amanda.Kelly Neely is an accountant in the Business Office at

Mars Area School District’s Administration Office.Neely, who holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting

and business management from the University ofPittsburgh, previously worked as an accounts receivablerepresentative at Vector Marketing Corporation (Cutco)and as a teller at Hamlin Bank & Trust Company.She is a resident of Chicora.Alex Greenawalt, is a technology administrative assis-

tant in Mars Area School District’s Administration Office.Greenawalt holds an associate’s degree in computer

network systems from ITT Technical Institute and is agraduate of Butler County Area Vocational-TechnicalSchool. He previously worked as a technical support advi-sor for Armstrong Cable; a POS installer for IST; and as amember of the Geek Squad at Best Buy. He is a resident of Butler.

Community College to Offer Lifelong Learning Classes Still Life Art in Multi-Media (NARTS 226-T51)— Wednesdays, March 2 and 9; 6 to 9 p.m.; Tuitionis $35.Artistic Stencil Making (NARTS 226-T51)— Wed-nesdays, March 2 and 9; 6 to 9 p.m.; Tuition is $49.Paranormal Phenomenon (NPERS 225-T51)— Wednesday, March 23; 6 to 9 p.m.; Tuition is$29.

Antiques Handling (NPERS 250-T51)— Wed-nesdays, March 23 through April 13; 6 to 8 p.m.;Tuition is $45 Financial Planning (NPERS 234-T51)— Wed-nesdays, March 2-23; 6 to 7 p.m.; Tuition is $29.

Schools Working to Encourage Bully-Free Environment

Mars Area High Schoolcheerleaders lead stu-dents in a cheer to kickoff the school’s “PlanetPeace” event on Jan.13. At left, Jon Pritikin,founder of the “Feel the Power” program,shows off his strengthbefore talking with stu-dents at Mars AreaMiddle School.

Photos by Josh Schwoebel

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Development)

1 p.m. at High School; Middle School Open House, 6 to 8 p.m.

8 p.m.

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1 p.m. @ Primary Center

1 to 2 p.m.; Grade 5, 2 to 3 p.m.; High School Spring M

6 to 8:15 p.m. @ H

Auditorium; Elementary School Open

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High School Marching

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9 p.m. @ High School

(724) 625-2601

M (724) 625-3145

M (724) 625-3161

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making a difference

Students at Mars Area School District strive each yearto make a difference in their local community.Through a variety of fund-raisers, charitable contribu-

tions and other activities, Mars Area students and staffmembers continue to work to help those in need so far thisyear.At Mars Area High School, members of the school’s

Interact Club participated in Rich-Mar Rotary’s “Penniesfor Peace” fund-raiser to provide financial support for war-torn schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan.The Interact Club, in cooperation with students at

Knoch High School, held a “Pink Out” Night at the Fightin’Planets boys varsity football game against the KnochKnights on Oct. 30. The schools sold t-shirts to raise $1,910.50 and Mars

Area High School’s Interact Club collected an additional$820.57 to benefit the Young Women’s Breast CancerAwareness Foundation.Mars Area High School’s Coed Varsity Swimming &

Diving Team and the school’s Student Council sponsoredcommunity food drives to benefit The LighthouseFoundation in Middlesex Township. The groups accepted donations of non-perishable food

items, diapers and paper products to benefit the founda-tion’s food bank.Members of Student Council walked in the “Pick Up

the Pace” Race for Pancreatic Cancer on Aug. 15 in NorthPark and participated in “Children’s Grief Awareness Day”on Nov. 18.The event is sponsored by Highmark Caring Place: A

Center for Grieving Children, Adolescents and TheirFamilies.

The students asked their peers in ninth through 12thgrades to wear the color blue to support those children,families and staff members who are grieving because theyhave lost a loved one. Student Council, in partnership with Butler County

Salvation Army, held its annual “Treasures for Children”program, providing 100 children and three families in needin and around the area with gifts during the holidays. In addition, Student Council held its annual Winter

Coat Drive to benefit Glade Run Presbyterian’s BoazHouse and worked with Central Blood Bank to coordinateseveral blood drives at the school. Mars Area High School’s Susan G. Komen Race for the

Cure Team, the “Mars Schools Miracle Marchers” held aPink Point Challenge during the 2010-2011 High SchoolBasketball Season.As part of the fund-raiser, which will benefit the 19th

annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Sunday, May8, the team sought monetary pledges from local businessesand community members based on points scored by MarsArea High School’s Boys Varsity Basketball Team. Students were also asked to make a pledge of “a penny

a point” or to make a flat donation.At Mars Area Middle School, the Charity

Committee collected more than 500 items aspart of a Food Drive (Nov. 15-23) to benefitThe Lighthouse Foundation food bank.Students at Mars Area Middle School and

Mars Area Centennial School collected a com-bined $10,133.03 for breast cancer research, aspart of the schools’ annual “Hats for Heroes”fund-raiser.

Students and staff members at the schoolswere asked to make a donation in return for

the opportunity to wear a hatin school on Oct. 8. As part of the event,

Mars Area Middle Schoolcollected $4,950.46 andMars Area CentennialSchool brought in $3,994.91.On Oct. 12, the schools

continued their fund-raising effort with“Dollar Tuesday,” ask-ing that each studentbring in $1 to help theschools reach their goalof $10,000. Students at Mars

Area Centennial School brought in an additional $511.11and Mars Area Middle School collected $676.55. All pro-ceeds benefited Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Mars Area Middle School’s Environmental Commit-

tee is continuing its annual Recycling Campaign, collectingaluminum cans to benefit Habitat for Humanity; alu-minum can tabs for Mars History & Landmarks Society;and phone books to be donated to ConsolidatedCommunications’ phone book recycling program, whichrecycles phone books into ceiling tiles.At Mars Area Elementary School, staff members col-

lected $1,955 to benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation ofGreater Pennsylvania & Southern West Virginia as part ofthe school’s “Make-A-Wish Friday” Jean Days.The school also joined with Mars Area Primary Center

to raise a combined $1,333.52 for Susan G. Komen for theCure through a “Think Pink” breast cancer awarenessfund-raiser.Mars Area Primary Center participated in a “Bundle

Up Butler” Winter Clothing Drive to benefit the Centerfor Community Resources. And, the school collected $1,661.80 in addition to 42

boxes of non-perishable items as part of its annual HolidayFood Drive & Raffle to benefit The Lighthouse Foundation.Students could purchase raffle tickets for 25 cents each

or by bringing in a non-perishable food item. The studentscould then use their tickets in a Chinese auction for toysand other items.Students and staff members at all of Mars Area’s school

buildings are committed to serving the community anddoing what they can to help those in need. For more information about upcoming charitable

events or activities, contact the individual school building.

School activities,fund-raisers aidlocal charities

Students at Mars AreaPrimary Center displayitems donated to theschool’s “Bundle UpButler” Winter ClothingDrive, held in October.Below, Mars AreaCentennial School stu-dents make donationsto Susan G. Komen forthe Cure as part of theschool’s annual “Hatsfor Heroes” fund-raiser.

Members of Mars Area High School’s CoedVarsity Swimming/Diving Team held a FoodDrive to benefit The Lighthouse Foundation. Atright, a high school student helps to load itemsdonated to the school’s annual “Treasures forChildren” program, which provided 100 chil-dren and three families in need with gifts dur-ing the holiday season.

(Family Night —

M (Family Night — Thursday,

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10 Mars Area

what’s happening

FEBRUARYFEB. 16 Market Day Pick-up, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. @

Elementary School.FEB. 18 Elementary PTO Movie Night @ Elementary SchoolFEB. 21 No School — Act 80 Day (Staff Development)FEB. 28 Primary Center Read Across America Week Begins;

Centennial School Scholastic Book Fair Begins

MARCHMARCH 1-4 Primary Center Read Across America Week;

Centennial School Scholastic Book Fair MARCH 2 Centennial School Open House, 6 to 8 p.m.MARCH 3 Spring Sports Physicals, 8 a.m. at Middle School,

1 p.m. at High School; Middle School Open House, 6 to 8 p.m.

MARCH 4 Middle School Parent Advisory Board Meeting, 9:15 a.m.

MARCH 7 Spring Sports Season BeginsMARCH 7-10 Elementary PTO Scholastic Book Fair @

Elementary School MARCH 9 High School AFS/MISA Chapter Meeting, 7 p.m.MARCH 9-11 High School AFS/MISA International DaysMARCH 10 Elementary School Family Literacy Night, 6:15 to

8 p.m.MARCH 12 SAT Test Date @ High SchoolMARCH 14 High School “Making College & Career Count”

Assembly for Seniors, 8 a.m.MARCH 16 Market Day Pick-up, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. @

Elementary SchoolMARCH 17 Lifesteps Developmental Screenings, 9:30 a.m. to

1 p.m. @ Primary CenterMARCH 18 Centennial School St. Patrick’s Day Party, Grade 6,

1 to 2 p.m.; Grade 5, 2 to 3 p.m.; High School Spring Musical, 7:30 p.m. @ Auditorium

MARCH 19 High School Spring Musical, 7:30 p.m. @ AuditoriumMARCH 21 High School Parent/Principal Communication

Connection Meeting, 7 p.m. in CafeteriaMARCH 22 Special Education Parent Training, “Speech &

Language Development,” 6:30 p.m. @ Primary Center

MARCH 24 Elementary School Science Fair, 6 to 8:15 p.m. @ High School

MARCH 25 Elementary PTO Movie Night @ Primary CenterMARCH 29 Primary Center Kindergarten PreviewMARCH 31 End of Third Nine Weeks

APRILAPRIL 1 No School — Act 80 Day (Parent Conferences —

Grades K-8; Staff Development, Grades 9-12)APRIL 2 Elementary PTO Spring Carnival, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

@ High SchoolAPRIL 7 Centennial School DARE Graduation Ceremony,

2:15 p.m.; PMEA Performance Assessment @ HighSchool Auditorium; Elementary School Open House, 6 to 8 p.m.

APRIL 8 PMEA District 5 Middle School Band Festival @ High School Auditorium; Middle School Parent Advisory Board Meeting, 9:15 a.m.; Middle School Spirit Dance/Activity Night, 7 to 9:30 p.m.

APRIL 9 ACT Test Date @ High SchoolAPRIL 11-15 Primary Center Scholastic Book FairAPRIL 13 Market Day Pick-up, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. @

Elementary School; High School AFS/MISA Meeting, 7 p.m.

APRIL 14 Title I Parent Advisory Council Workshop, 4 to 6 p.m. @ Primary Center; Primary Center Open House, 6 to 8 p.m.; High School National Honor Society Induction, 7 p.m. @ Auditorium

APRIL 14-15 Elementary School Author Days

APRIL 15 Primary Center “Stuff the Bus” Diaper Drive; Middle School Talent Show, 7 p.m.

APRIL 22-25 No School — Spring BreakAPRIL 27 MAC Track & Field Invitational, 2 p.m. @ Mars

Athletic ComplexAPRIL 28 2011-2012Kindergarten Registration; Mars Area

Junior High Track & Field Invitational, 2 p.m. @ Mars Athletic Complex; High School Marching Band/Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Concert, 7 p.m.

APRIL 29 2011-2012 Kindergarten Registration; Mars Area Varsity Track & Field Invitational, 1 p.m. @ Mars Athletic Complex; High School Key Club Talent Show , 7 p.m.

MAYMAY 3 High School Blood Drive, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Centen-

nial School Teacher Appreciation LuncheonMAY 4 Primary Center Teacher Appreciation LuncheonMAY 5 Elementary School Teacher Appreciation

LuncheonMAY 6 Middle School Parent Advisory Board Meeting,

9:15 a.m.; Coffeehouse Gallery Art Showcase, 6 to 9 p.m. @ High School

MAY 7 SAT Test Date @ High SchoolMAY 9 High School Band & Orchestra Concert, 7 p.m. @

AuditoriumMAY 10 High School Chorus & Middle School Eighth

Grade Chorus Concert, 6:30 p.m. @ High School Auditorium

MAY 11 Middle School Wind Ensemble, Orchestra & Seventh Grade Chorus Concert, 6:30 p.m. @ High School Auditorium; AFS/MISA Chapter Meeting, 7 p.m. @ High School

MAY 12 Centennial School Student Art Show, 6 to 8 p.m.MAY 13 No School — Act 80 Day (Staff Development);

High School Senior Prom

Schools to HostOpen House EventsSeveral Mars Area schools will hold upcoming Open

House events:

For more information, contact the individual schoolbuilding.

District to Sponsor Free Developmental ScreeningsMars Area School District and Lifesteps will offer free

developmental screenings from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. onThursday, March 17, at Mars Area Primary Center.Screenings, which are for newborns through children

age 5, will include vision, hearing and speech as well asmotor and cognitive skills.

To schedule an appointment, call (800) 225-2010.

2011 Spring BreakSet for April 22-25Mars Area School District will hold its Spring Break

from Friday, April 22, through Monday, April 25. Students and staff members will return to school on

Tuesday, April 26. For more information, call (724) 625-1518.

Schools to OfferScholastic Book FairsSeveral Mars Area schools will offer upcoming

Scholastic Book Fairs:

For more information, contact the individual schoolbuilding.

Schools to Hold Concerts in MayMars Area School District will offer a variety of spring

concerts in May. Performances will include:

All performances will be held in Mars Area HighSchool auditorium. For more information, call the individ-ual school building.

Mars Area Centennial School — Wednesday,March 2, 6 to 8 p.m. (724) 625-2601Mars Area Middle School— Thursday, March 3,6 to 8 p.m. (724) 625-3145Mars Area Elementary School— Thursday, April7, 6 to 8 p.m. (724) 625-3161Mars Area Primary Center— Thursday, April 14,6 to 8 p.m. (724) 625-1588

events at a glance

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schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan.T

S

for Susan G. Komen for theC

Winter Clothing Drive to benefit the Center

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Mars Area Centennial School — Mondaythrough Friday, Feb. 28-March 4 (724) 625-2601Mars Area Elementary School — Mondaythrough Thursday, March 7-10 (Family Night —Monday, March 7, 3 to 8 p.m.) Note: Book Fair spon-sored by Mars Area Elementary PTO. (724) 625-3161Mars Area Primary Center— Monday throughFriday, April 11-15 (Family Night — Thursday,April 14, 6 to 8 p.m.) (724) 625-1588

Monday, May 9— High School Band & OrchestraConcert, 7 p.m.Tuesday, May 10— High School Chorus & MiddleSchool Eighth Grade Chorus Concert, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 11— Middle School Wind Ensem-ble, Orchestra & Seventh Grade Chorus Concert,6:30 p.m.Tuesday, May 17 — Centennial School Chorus,Band & Orchestra Concert — Fifth Grade, 6 p.m.;Sixth Grade, 7:30 p.m.

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rom college level “Domestic Economy” courses tohigh school “Home Economics” classes, educating

students on how to care for their families and homes hastaken a winding course over the last 200 years.Now called “Family & Consumer Science,” classes are

focused on preparing students for family life, work life, andcareers in an ever-burgeoning number of fields and disci-plines. “I tell students when they come in to (Family &

Consumer Science) classes on the first day that this is a class that they will be able to apply immediate-ly,” says Cindy Knauff, a long-term substitute Family &Consumer Science teacher at Mars Area Middle School,noting that what students learn will make them more inde-pendent and confident as college students, family membersand potential employees.“(The students) are learning how to prepare meals,

make better choices about the food they eat, do their ownlaundry, set goals, use the decision-making process, manageresources, the responsibilities of caring for children, to beknowledgeable consumers, to repair clothing, and aboutfamily and peer relationships.”Home Economics was originally designed to teach girls

how to be the perfect “housewife” or how to “stitch and stir,”says Erica Nigro, Mars Area High School Family &Consumer Science teacher.

Today’s Family & Consumer Science educa-tion is geared toward all students, both boys andgirls, and while classes still involve the funda-mentals of cooking and sewing, classes nowencompasses four main areas: financial andresource management, balancing work, family

and community responsibly, food science and nutri-tion, and child development. At Mars Area Middle School, all seventh-graders are

required to take a nine-week Family & Consumer Scienceclass, says Knauff.

Eighth-graders may take Family & Consumer Scienceas an elective if they are not taking a World Languagecourse.At Mars Area High School, Family & Consumer

Science courses are open to juniors and seniors who arerequired to have a good attendance record and demon-strate positive school behavior. High school courses include Food Fundamentals,

Interior Design, Child Development I and ChildDevelopment II.The Family & Consumer Science curriculum teaches

students basic cooking techniques, food safety and sanita-tion as well as the importance of how essential vitamins andnutrients affect their personal diet, says Nigro. Mars Area High School’s child development courses

offer a unique opportunity for students to work with and bearound younger children and help students to decide if theywould like to pursue a career in a related field.Mars Area High School also offers a unique 24-week

Planet Preschool program as part of the school’s ChildDevelopment I and Child Development II classes. PlanetPreschool is offered for children ages 3-5, Tuesday throughFriday, during the school year.High school students run Planet Preschool and are

responsible for planning and implementing lesson plans,says Nigro, noting that as Planet Preschool is held four daysa week, which is why it is important for students running theprogram to have a positive attendance record.“Students are given the opportunity to work hands on

and apply the information they learn in (their classes),” saysNigro, noting that many activities incorporate team-build-ing and leadership skills.Mars Area High School’s Family & Consumer Science

Preparing Students for a Future in Family, Careers

FAM I LYCONSUMERSCIENCE

AND

F

High school students work with children in theschool’s Planet Preschool program, which offers aunique opportunity for students to work with andbe around younger children and help students todecide if they would like to pursue a career in achild care-related field.

Mars Area High School students learnhow to make an “Omelet-In-A-Bag” aspart of a food lab during their Family &Consumer Science class.

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Family & Consumer

S

12 Mars Area

curriculum also incorporates the use of the latest technolo-gies, says Nigro. Students use a Promethean interactivewhite board to work on puzzles and games with preschoolstudents.Students also use classroom computers to look up les-

son plan ideas for preschool classes and to find recipes fortheir food classes via the “MyPyramid” Web site.The school is also working on installing a Web cam to

do demonstrations on the cook top and have the demon-stration displayed on the Promethean board.In the future, Family & Consumer Science courses will

continue to integrate new technologies and will remainproactive in engaging students with hands-on learningopportunities, says Knauff.“Family and Consumer Sciences classes are more

important today than at any other time in our history. Somany of our students now come from single parent homeswhere lessons that might have been taught by a parent inthe past are simply slipping through the cracks,” saysKnauff.

“Many students are left to fend for themselves forbreakfast and also for dinner as parents are working duringthose hours. They are also left to care for younger siblingsfor the same reason. With all of the outside activities thatstudents have as options today learning how to managetheir time and responsibilities can make the differencebetween an average student and an excellent one.”Family & Consumer Science students may decide to

pursue post-high school studies or careers in a variety ofareas including education, child and family studies, socialwork or the health care profession.“The information taught in a Family & Consumer

Science classroom is beneficial to every student,” saysNigro. “No matter what a person does after high school, all

students will prepare meals for themselves and others,clean or tend to a house, budget their personal finances, livea healthy lifestyle and most will become parents at somepoint.”For more information about Mars Area School

District’s Family & Consumer Science curriculum, contactErica Nigro at (724) 625-1581 orCindy Knauff at (724) 625-3145.

An Educational History:From Making a Home to Molding a FutureFamily & Consumer Science education began with

“Domestic Economy,” a course taught at the collegelevel in the 1800s, a time when the primary responsibili-ties for women were caring for their families and theirhomes.During the 20th century, cultural, political and soci-

etal changes led to “Home Economics” classes beingoffered at the high school level. And, the Smith-HughesAct of 1917 established vocational home economics inmost public schools. Classes not only prepared students for home life but

also encouraged them to be leaders in their communi-ties. By the 1950s the perception of women onlyworkingin the home was chang-ing and the curriculumtook on the possibility ofcareers related to homeeconomics outside of thehome. The focus shifted to

managing family, com-munity, and career responsibilities. In 1972, when theMars Area Middle School opened, boys and girls wereintegrated in both “Home Economics” and “IndustrialArts.” The mission of Family and Consumer Sciences

education continues to be to prepare students for familylife, work life, and careers in the family and consumer sci-ences. In 1994, the Family & Consumer Sciences Division

of the American Vocational Association (currently theAssociation for Career & Technical Education) devel-oped nine goals for Family & Consumer Science cur-riculum:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.6.

7.

8.

9.

These goals are the basis for the Family &Consumer Science standards that continue to be usedin Mars Area’s schools today.

Strengthen the well-being of individuals and fam-ilies across the life span.Become responsible citizens and leaders for fam-ily, community, and work settings.Promote optimal nutrition and wellness acrossthe life span.Manage resources to meet the material needs ofindividuals and families.Balance personal, home, family, and work lives.Use critical thinking skills to address problems indiverse family, community, and work environ-ments.Foster successful life management, employment,and career development.Function as providers and consumers of goodsand services for families.Appreciate human worth and accept responsibil-ity for one’s actions and success in family andwork life.

Planet Preschool is offered forchildren ages 3-5 as part ofMars Area High School’s ChildDevelopment I and ChildDevelopment II classes. Highschool students run PlanetPreschool and are responsiblefor planning and implementinglesson plans.

Students at Mars Area MiddleSchool participate in a food labon the making of French toast.The Family & ConsumerScience activity required that stu-dents measure, mix and prepareall of the appropriate ingredientsaccording to a specific recipe.



high schoolSeniors, GraduatesNamed AP ScholarsSeveral Mars Area High School seniors and Class of 2010

graduates received Advanced Placement (AP) Scholarawards in recognition of the achievements on AP Examstaken through May 2010.Graduates Corinne Gressang, Rebekah Parsons and

Camille Plesniak qualified for the AP Scholar withDistinction Award by earning an average score of at least 3.5on all AP Exams taken and score of 3 or higher on five or moreof the AP Exams.Senior Meghan Diefenbacher and graduate Marla

Crawfordqualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award byachieving an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Examstaken and scores of three or higher on four or more of the APexams. Seniors Alexandra Douglass, Heather Foltz and

Shannon Johnston along with graduates Jaclyn Amurgis,Gregory Kraus, Robert Nicholsand Meredith Sweetqual-ified for the AP Scholar Award by earning an average score of3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.The AP program enables high school students to take rig-

orous college-level courses to earn college credit and/oradvanced placement.

‘Focus on People’ AwardMars Area senior Michelle Flynnwas nominated for

a 2010 Oticon Inc. “Focus on People” Award.The national award celebrates the accomplishments

and contributions of hearing-impaired individuals whoare helping to change perceptions of what it means tohave a hearing loss. Award recipients must show a determination to suc-

ceed, achieve and contribute that distinguishes them asrole models for all.

Vo-Tech Principal’s ListSeveral Mars Area High School students received the

Butler County Area Vocational-Technical SchoolPrincipal’s List Award for the first nine weeks of the 2010-2011 school year.Recipients are juniors Johnathan Gissendaner,

Cody Scheible and Allison Scott as well as sophomoresNickolas Kline, Ashley Louis, Joseph Ow, MichaelYoung and Joshua Zimmerman. Students who are selected maintain an “A” grade

average, have exceptional attendance, no disciplinaryissues and are recommended by their trade area teacher.

Discus Award WinnerMars Area senior Abigail Iksic was named a 2010-

2011 Discus Award winner for achievements in athletics,academics and the arts.The Discus Awards, a merit-based awards program,

provides recognition and scholarship opportunities to“all-around” high school students throughout the UnitedStates.Iksic, a member of Mars Area High School Marching

Band, Jazz Band and Brass Quintet, also performs withthe Mars Indoor Percussion group. She is a three-year member of the school’s Girls

Varsity Softball Team and she plays Gaelic football for thePittsburgh Banshees Ladies Gaelic Football Club.For more information, visit www.discusawards.com.

‘Students of the Month’Three Mars Area students were selected as Rich-Mar

Rotary “Students of the Month.”Seniors Alexandra Douglass, Alex Perri and Niki

Wolbert were selected for the honor based upon theiracademic performance as well as their commitment tocommunity service and civic spirit.

FBLA Members Placeat Regional ConferenceThree members of Mars Area High School’s Future

Business Leaders of America Chapter placed at the 2010-2011 FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) District13 Regional Leadership Conference on Dec. 16.Seniors Han Gao and Kaleb Trudeau placed second

in the Business Calculations and Personal Finance cate-gories, respectively, and senior Blake McCarty, placedfourth in the Hospitality Management category. Gao and Trudeau qualified to compete at the 2010-

2011 FBLA State Leadership Conference, to be held April4-6 in Hershey, Pa.Anthony Moraco, Class of 2009 graduate, chartered

Mars Area High School’s FBLA Chapter during the 2008-2009 school year. FBLA is a non-profit educational association of stu-

dents preparing for careers in business or simply interestedin learning more about the American Business Enterprise. The organization aids students in enhancing leadership

abilities as well as in preparing for entry into and advance-ment within a business or business-related occupation. The purpose of FBLA is to help students to develop

leadership skills and build character through a variety ofbusiness-related activities as well as fund-raisers and charita-ble actions. The chapter is planning an FBLA Dodgeball Tourna-

ment in April to benefit Teen Challenge Pennsylvania,which offers faith-based treatment from drugs, alcohol andother life-controlling problems.Members of the Mars Area chapter, located in Pennsyl-

vania FBLA Western District Region 13, also have anopportunity to compete in regional competitions heldthroughout each school year. Competitive events range from accounting and busi-

ness communications to public speaking and word process-ing. For more information, call (724) 625-1581 or visit

www.pafbla.org.

Mars Area seniors Blake McCarty, Kaleb Trudeau andHan Gao placed in the 2010-2011 FBLA District 13Regional Leadership Conference.

Friday,

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Marching Band Boosters to Hold Third Annual 5K Run/WalkMars Area High School Marching Band Boosters is

taking registration for its third annual “Mars Band on theRun” 5K Run/Walk, to be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday,May 21, at Mars Area High School.Awards will be presented to the top three

male and female overall runners; the top three maleand female masters (age 40 and above); and to thetop three male and female runners in various otherage groups. The top three teams of three to five runners and the

top male, female and coed teams will also be awarded. Allrunners ages 14 and younger will receive finisher ribbons.The race, which begins and ends at Mars Area High

School, will be timed by Miles of Smiles timing serviceand all results will be posted online at www.smileymiles.comand www.marsband5K.com. A Post-Race “Out of This World” Party will include

refreshments, music, prizes and an awards ceremony. This year, a non-competitive 1K Children’s Fun Run

will be offered for children ages 11 and younger. Theevent will take place immediately following the 5KRun/Walk.Cost to register is $18 per runner through Saturday,

April 30, then $22 per runner through Monday, May 16,for mail-in registration or Thursday, May 19, foronline registration. Runners who register bySaturday, April 30, will receive a technical run-ning shirt. Registration will also available for $22 per

runner from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 20, atUp-N-Running Specialty Running & Walking

Center on Route 8 and for $25 from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. onSaturday, May 21, at Mars Area High School.Children’s Fun Run registration is $8 in advance or

$10 on race day. All participants will receive a t-shirt.All proceeds benefit Mars Area High School

Marching Band, which will provide entertainment alongthe 3.1-mile race route. Registration forms and information are available in

each Mars Area school building as well as online atwww.marsband5K.com.


14 Mars Area

high schoolh

In an effort to recognize those students with perfectattendance and positive school behavior, Mars Area HighSchool offers its Renaissance Breakfast Program.The free breakfast is offered for students at the end of

each corresponding nine weeks of the school year. To beeligible to attend the breakfast, students must have perfectattendance, no more than two tardies and no in-school orout-of-school suspensions. During the 2010-2011 School Year, the Renaissance

Breakfast was offered on Nov. 18 and Feb. 10. At the Nov. 18 event, which honored 441 students, per-

fect attendees were treated to a continental breakfast pro-vided by Bob Evans in Cranberry Township and refresh-ments by Marburger Farm Dairy.Attendees were also eligible to win gift cards and other

prizes donated by various local business and were enteredinto a raffle to win one of three grand prizes. Grand prize winners were junior Ryan Winner,

Playstation 3; senior Samantha Rosswog, MemorexAudio System for iPhone/iPod; and sophomore MorganVerplank, a FLO-TV personal television.

Prizes were purchased through partial funding fromTarget department store’s “Take Charge of Education”program. The program allows shoppers to designate that Mars

Area High School receive a percentage of their total pur-chase when they use their Target card.

The event was coordinated by Anna Saker, director ofpupil services/grant writer. Upcoming Renaissance Breakfast programs will be

held on Thursdays, April 14 and May 19. For more infor-mation, call (724) 625-1581.

Quarterly Breakfast Honors Perfect Attendees

Jeffrey Orr of Bob Evans Restaurant servesstudents at the high school’s quarterly Renais-sance Breakfast. At left, Nov. 18 grand prizewinners Morgan Verplank, Samantha Ross-wog and Ryan Winner pose for a picturewith Orr; volunteers from Target; Anna Saker,director of pupil services; Dale Sleva, assis-tant principal, and Todd Kolson, principal.

AFS/MISA Chapter to Hold ‘International Days’ Mars Area High School will hold its annual

“International Days,” Wednesday through Friday,March 9-11, as the school’s AFS/MISA (AmericanField Service/Mars International Student Association)Chapter welcomes foreign exchange students fromaround the globe.Exchange students from various countries will speak

with students at Mars Area High School on Thursday,March 10, and at Mars Area Middle School on Friday,March 11.For more information, call (724) 625-1581.

Jazz Band, Tommy DorseyOrchestra to Offer ConcertMars Area High School Marching Band will present

The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra for a special concert at 7p.m. on Thursday, April 28, in the auditorium.Doors open at 5 p.m. Mars Area High School Jazz

Band will open the concert at 7 p.m., followed by TheTommy Dorsey Orchestra at 7:30 p.m.Ticket prices range from $10 to $30. Proceeds will

benefit Mars Area High School Marching Band. Formore information or to purchase tickets, visitwww.marsband.com.

Key Club Talent ShowMars Area High School will hold its annual Key

Club Talent Show at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 29, in theauditorium.The show will feature various acts including dance

routines, vocal performances and other acts. Tickets forthe event are $3 per person. For more information, call (724) 625-1581.

M

Band Wins PIMBA Class AAA ChampionshipMars Area High School Marching Band took first place

and was named a regional finalist at the 2010 PIMBA(Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association)Class AAA Championship, held Oct. 30 at Penn-TraffordHigh School.The marching band earned its 11th title in PIMBA com-

petition at the event with a combined score of 86.15 andachieved awards for high music, high visual and high generaleffect. The band competed against Class AAA marchingbands from West Allegheny and Trinity high schools.This year’s marching show features the songs of Kansas,

including “Carry on My Wayward Son,” “Dust in the Wind”and “Song for America.” For more information, visit www.pimba.org.

PMEA Honors BandSeveral members of Mars Area High School Band were

selected by solo audition to perform in the PennsylvaniaMusic Educators Association(PMEA) District 5 Honors BandFestival, held Dec. 9-11 at Westmin-ster College in New Wilmington,Pa.Students are seniors Christiana

Blahnik, clarinet; Kylee O’Donnell, flute; and Abby Iksic,trumpet; as well as juniors Michael Prijatelj, trombone;Sam Concelman, tuba; and Sara Chodkowski, bass clar-inet. Dr. Adam Brennan, Mansfield University director of

instrumental activities and music professor, served as guestconductor.

PMEA District ChorusSix members of Mars Area High School Chorus were

selected by solo audition to perform in the Pennsylvania MusicEducators Association (PMEA)District 5 Chorus Festival, held Jan.12-14 at Seneca Valley Intermedi-ate High School.Seniors Christiana Blahnik,

Michelle Flynn and ZacharyHerrmann; juniors Phillip Lowry and Troy Giel; andsophomore Chris Blahnik were chosen to perform along-side 216 high school students from more than 40 school dis-tricts. Dr. John Sinclair, Rollins College Music Department

chair and the John M. Tiedtke Professor of Music, served asguest conductor.

Mars Area High School Marching Band earned its 11th titleat the 2010 PIMBA Class AAA Championship on Oct. 30.


High School to PresentMusical Back to the ‘80sMars Area High School students will take the stage with

a performance of the musical, Back to the ‘80s by NeilGooding, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, March 18and 19, in the auditorium.The show features the music of the ‘80s including the

songs “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins, “Girls Just Want toHave Fun” by Cindy Lauper, “Material Girl” by Madonnaand “You Give Love a Bad Name” by Bon Jovi.The musical tells the story of the senior class of William

Ocean High School that graduate in the 1980s,as remembered by 30-something Corey Palmer(Ryan Miller). The 17-year-old Corey (Mark Gaynord) is

madly in love with his popular neighbor, TiffanyHouston (Paige Mundy), who is only interest-ed in good-looking Micheal Feldman(Dominic Cosentino). Things only become worse when Michael

steals Corey’s bid for class president and makesTiffany his vice president.Other cast members are Chris Blahnik as

Alf Bueller; Zachary Herrmann as KirkKeaton; Alex Manalo as Cyndi Gibson;Melissa Marshall as Mel Easton; Ali Zortmanas Kim Easton; Matthew Lofstrom as BillyArnold; Phillip Lowry as Lionel Astley; ZachDorsch as Huey Jackson; Troy Giel as FeargalMcFerrin III; Michelle Flynn as Eileen Reagan;Abbi Wright as Laura Wilde; Maria Albensi asDebbie Fox; Kathleen Kraus as Sheena

Brannigan; and Nicholas Ashmore as Steven “Stevie”Cocker.Featured Singers are Christi Blahnik, Jamie

Drennen, Angela Hay, Elizabeth Meyer, CarlyRodriguez, Lindsay Seipp, Maddie Smith and MichaelaValenta.Featured Dancers are Shelby Ainsworth, Gretchen

Bleakney, Elena Daskivich, Emma Robash, SamanthaRumbaugh and Ashley Starr.Ensemble members are Gregory Campbell, Bethany

Catanzaro, Ariel Clifford, Mac Clyde, Callie Drennen,Olivia Erickson, Gabriella Fabish, Andy Fredley, Katie

Gable, Jasmine Jockel, Julie Koenig, Olivia Laughlin,Sara Lofstrom, Abby Michalowski, Grace Morgan,Catherine Paletta, Kate Rodriguez, Kaitlin Rymer,Jessie Smelscer, Cassidy Vinson, Clare Walters andKyra Walters.Tickets are $7 per person for reserved seating. For

more information, call (724) 625-1581.

Parents Welcome at Principal Meeting Mars Area High School will offer a Parent/Principal

Communication Connection Meeting at 7 p.m. onMonday, March 21, in the cafeteria.All parents are encouraged to attend. For more infor-

mation, call (724) 625-1581.

Event to Showcase Student ArtworksMars Area High School will host its fifth annual

Coffeehouse Gallery Art Showcase from 6 to 9 p.m. onFriday, May 6.The event, a juried art show, will feature artworks such

as paintings, ceramics, sculptures and drawings created bystudents in seventh through 12th grades. Festivities will alsoinclude entertainment, refreshments and other activities.One student will be selected as the winner of the sec-

ond annual Robinson Purchase Prize, sponsored byRobinson Family Industries. The student’s work will beframed and displayed in the lobby of Mars Area HighSchool’s auditorium. Admission is free. For more information, contact call

(724) 625-1581.

Phone —(724) 625-1581, opt. 1Web site — www.marsk12.org

2014 Class Counselor — Tanis Rose2013 Class Counselor — Colleen Tosadori2012 Class Counselor — Dr. Tina Bigante2011 Class Counselor — Mark VarlottaStudent Assistance Coordinator — Tanis RoseGuidance Secretary — Diane TruverGuidance Secretary — Laurie Dufford

Guidance Office

March 12*May 7*June 4*

SAT Test Dates

Feb. 11April 8May 6

Feb. 25April 22May 20

Registration Deadlines

Late Registration Deadlines

* Test will be held at Mars Area High School

SAT Test Dates

For a complete list of upcoming events at various colleges and universities as well as additional guidance resources, visit the Mars Area High School’s “Guidance” page at www.marsk12.org.

Dec. 11*Feb. 12April 9*June 11*

ACTTest Dates

Nov. 5Jan. 7March 4May 6

Nov. 19Jan. 21March 18May 20

Registration Deadlines

Late Registration Deadlines

ACT Test Dates

high school

Businesses Sought to CreateConnections for StudentsAs part of Tri-County Workforce Investment Board’s

outreach to the business and education communities,TCWIB is compiling a directory of businesses willing to par-ticipate in the advancement of today’s youth. The purpose of this directory is to provide a connection

for youth and schools interested in job shadowing, industrytours, educator in the workplace, classroom presentations,career fairs, internships, or anything else that the organizationmight be willing to do. All of these opportunities are aimed at providing the best

possible education and career choices.Since 2008, TCWIB has served more than 16,700

youths and 621 educators through its programs and partner-ships to accomplish the above goals.The organization works closely with businesses and edu-

cators to provide crucial opportunities to the region’s youthfor career planning and development. TCWIB identifies gaps between education and employ-

ers in preparing the emerging workforce for regional careerand employment opportunities; provides career awarenessand work-based experiences to youth linked to regional highdemand occupations; and provides high-quality professionaldevelopment for teachers and counselors.For more information, contact Mary Salony, TCWIB

planning and grant coordinator at (724) 282-9341 or via e-mail at [email protected] addition, Mars Area High School and Butler County

Educators & Employers are partnering to provide studentswith job shadowing opportunities within Butler County.Butler County Educators & Employers has created a

Web site where Mars Area students will be able to locatethose individuals willing to allow job shadowing at their site.Anyone interested in offering this educational opportuni-

ty for students or who would like to be included on the ButlerCounty Educators & Employers Web site is asked to contactDr. Tina Bigante, Mars Area High School guidancecounselor, at [email protected]; or Salony [email protected].

Ryan Miller as Professor TomBurns lets the townsfolk believehe is a Pinkerton detective in dis-guise in Mars Area High School’sfall play, “Trouble in Tumbleweed.”At right, Julie Oates (Maria Alben-si) and Luther (Chris Hardt) dis-cuss their future together.

who plans to share the games with students in her

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16 Mars Area

To supplement their discussions of the book, “TheDiary of Anne Frank,” in their language arts classes, eighth-graders at Mars Area Middle School attended a specialpresentation on the Holocaust on Dec. 9.“It is difficult to speak to young people about the nega-

tive aspects of our life and our history, but you have toknow,” said Moshe Baran, who spoke with the eighth-graders about his experiences during the Holocaust. Baran played the short film, “A Look in the Eyes of

Resistance: The Stories of Moshe and Malka Baran,” whichrecounts his and his wife’s experiences during theHolocaust. In 1941, two years after the German army invaded

Poland, Baran and his family were herded into a ghetto sur-rounded on three sides by a barbed wire fence and on theother by a bridge guarded by German soldiers.A year later, the German army entered the ghetto, sep-

arated the able-bodied people and removed the others toan old barn, where they were shot with machine guns andthe barn was burned.While in the ghetto, Baran and others began collecting

and hiding guns and other weapons to be used by the resist-ance. After meeting a woman who told him about a resist-ance camp located in a forest 20 miles away, Baran crawled

through a space under the fence surrounding the ghettoand made for the camp.At the camp, Baran joined the Jewish resistance and

became the liaison between the resistance fighters and theRussian army, which introduced Baran to a local farmerwho had access to the ghetto. The farmer was able to aidBaran in rescuing his family and acquiring the guns stored

in the ghetto.In 1944, Baran joined the Russian army and was sent to

the front lines in G’Dansk, Poland. Having been a book-keeper before the war, Baran was pulled off the front linesand made an assistant to the treasurer.He remained stationed in Germany until after the war

in 1946. As his hometown was destroyed in the war, heended up in a “Displaced Persons” camp, where he met hiswife.Some time later, Baran was contacted by members of

his family who were living in Shreveport, La., and in 1948,he and his wife immigrated to America.Following the presentation, Baran answered students’

questions and offered his advice to students:“This is your world for you to change. If you want to

have a peaceful future, when you see something (negative)happening in your community or in your school, say some-thing about it.”In addition to the presentation, students watched the

film, “Pittsburgh to Poland” and participated in workshopson the topics: Chanukah, War Propaganda, Poems fromTerezin and Daniel’s Story & Photographs.For more information, call (724) 625-3145.

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high school/middle schoolh

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In the spirit of Parker Brothers, students in MarsArea High School’s CHS (College within the HighSchool) Financial Accounting class created boardgames to review the information they have learned.The students were asked to work in small groups

to create an accounting game board with 36 spacesincluding a designated start and finish and specifictheme, says Diane Iman, CHS Financial Accountingteacher. Some groups chose themes similar to those of

Risk and Clue, while others came up with new con-cepts.Each game also had to include game pieces, dice

or a spinner, and question/answer cards on topicssuch as vocabulary, transactions, debits/credits andcareers. And, students had to create a brochure withdirections on how to play the game.Once the games were completed, the groups

were invited to play each other’s games and to con-duct a peer evaluation, judging each game’s creativity,craftsmanship and playability. Groups also needed toevaulate their own game.“It’s been a really good experience. The kids did such a

good job,” says Diane Iman, CHS Financial Accountingteacher, who plans to share the games with students in herAccounting I class at the end of the school year.Mars Area High School offers a number of CHS or

Dual Enrollment Courses each school year. Weighted CHS courses enable students an opportuni-

ty to be concurrently enrolled in a college course while

receiving credits from both Butler County CommunityCollege and Mars Area High School. CHS courses are taught at Mars Area High School, but

follow the Butler County Community College curriculum.Available subjects include Financial Accounting,

Managerial Accounting, General Psychology, Introductionto Microcomputing, Marketing and Microeconomics. For more information, call (724) 625-1581or visit

www.marsk12.org.

CHS FinancialAccounting stu-dents at MarsArea High Schoolplay accounting-themed boardgames created bytheir classmates.

Moshe Baran, Holocaust survivor, speaks about his expe-riences during the World War II, as part of a special presen-tation for eighth-graders at Mars Area Middle School onDec. 9.

Holocaust Survivor Speaks with Eighth-graders About Experiences

School to SponsorProm Fashion ShowMars Area High School will hold its 2011 Prom

Promise Fashion Show at 9 a.m. on Friday, March 25, inthe auditorium.This year’s theme is “Night at the Oscars.” Senior

and junior members of REACH (ResponsibleEducated Adolescents Can Help) will model the latestprom gowns and tuxedos.For more information, call (724) 625-1581.

National Honor SocietyInduction Set for April 14Numerous students at Mars Area High School will

be inducted into the National Honor Society at 7 p.m.on Thursday, April 14, in Mars Area High School audi-torium.Throughout the school year, National Honor

Society members participate in a variety of service-relat-ed projects. For details, call (724) 625-1581.

Student Council to Hold Blood Drive Mars Area High School Student Council and

Central Blood Bank will sponsor a Blood Drive from 8a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3.Donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh more

than 110 pounds and be in general good health. To schedule an appointment, contact Dr. Tina

Bigante or Tanis Rose, Student Council advisors, at(724) 625-1581.

Students Create Games with Accounting Theme




middle school/centennial school c

Sandra Covert, a security guard at Mars Area MiddleSchool, received a Pond Security Service LLC “Catch aSecurity Officer Doing Right” certificate of recognition.“(Covert) has developed a great rapport with the

teachers and students. And, she considers Mars Area apart of her family,” says Catie Sieber, Pond SecurityService marketing/communications director. “She takes great pride in what she does. She goes

above and beyond.”Covert was presented with the award by Catie

Sieber; Kelly Sieber, Pond Security Service executivedirector; and Richard Cornell, Mars Area Middle Schoolprincipal.For details, visit www.pond-security-llc.com.

Members of Mars Area Middle School’s Host &Hospitality, Spirit, Charity & Library committees createdvalentines that were sent to local veterans as part of stateSen. Jane C. Orie’s annual Valentines for Veterans pro-gram.The program collects valentines from local schools,

groups and organizations then distributes the cards to vet-erans throughout the community on Valentine’s Day.Donation of books, puzzles, games, sports apparel,hygiene products or DVDs are also accepted.The students crafted cards replete with pink and red

hearts as well as Valentine’s Day messages and limericks,says Cindy Knauff, Host & Hospitality committee advi-sor. The students wanted to do something to honor thosewho have served their country, she says. Throughout the school year, various student com-

mittees at Mars Area Middle School participate in serv-ice projects to benefit both the school and the commu-nity. For more information, call (724) 625-3145 or visit

www.senatororie.com.

Middle School Studentsto Join in Talent ShowMars Area Middle School will hold its annual

Talent Show at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 15, at Mars AreaHigh School auditorium.The show will feature various acts including dance

routines, student bands, vocal performances and otheracts. For more information, call (724) 625-3145.

Middle School toOffer Medieval Fair Mars Area Middle School will hold its annual seventh

grade Medieval Fair from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday, May 16,and from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17, in thegymnasium.Students will dress in period clothing and offer pre-

sentations and demonstrations on life during the MiddleAges. The students will also sit down to a medieval dinnerand offer play performances on Monday.For more information, call (724) 625-3145.

Centennial School to HoldSt. Patrick’s Day PartyMars Area Centennial School will hold a St. Patrick’s

Day Party from 1 to 2 p.m. for sixth-graders and from 2 to3 p.m. for fifth-graders on Friday, March 18. For more information, call (724) 625-2601.

Annual Student Art Show Set for May 12 Mars Area Centennial School will offer its second

annual Student Art Show from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday,May 12.The event will feature a display of artworks by fifth-

and sixth-graders as well as interactive photo displays, bal-loon animals, face painting and crafts. For more information, call (724) 625-2601.

Eighth-grader Wins Annual Geography BeeMars Area eighth-grader Richie Mamajek earned first

place in the 2011 Geography Bee Final Round Qualifier,held on Jan. 7 at Mars Area Middle School.Second-place winner was sixth-grader D.J. Bauer and

eighth-grader Andee Reynolds earned third place. Otherparticipants were eighth-graders Dylan Sitterly, NickPecora, Andrew Guidarelli and Zach Hunkele; seventh-grader Nico Romano; and sixth-graders Evan Deddo andClaire Staresinic.Mamajek will now complete a written exam that will be

mailed to the Pennsylvania State Geography Bee, whichwill notify the school as to whether he has qualified for thestate contest on Friday, April 1.The state winner will advance to the National

Geography Bee competition, to be held on Tuesday andWednesday, May 24-25. The National Geographic Societysponsors the contest.Prior to the Mars Area competition, all students at Mars

Area Middle School and Mars Area Centennial Schoolcompleted a 50-question, written geography exam basedon the physical and cultural geography of both the UnitedStates and the world during their social studies classes.The top 50 students who missed no more than eight

questions then took a second round exam in December.The 10 students who missed no more than eight ques-tions moved on to the final round on Jan. 7. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.

com/geographybee.

Midde School to HoldSpirit Dance/Activity NightMars Area Middle School will hold a Spirit Dance/

Activity Night from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, April 8.Cost is $3. Student pick-up times will be 9:20 p.m. for

seventh-graders, and 9:30 p.m. for eight-graders. For more information, call (724) 625-3145.

Eighth-grader Richie Mamajek (center) took first placein the 2011 Mars Area Geography Bee Final RoundQualifier on Jan. 7. Sixth-grader D.J. Bauer and eighth-grader Andee Reynolds earned second and third place,respectively.

Sandra Covert, security guard at Mars Area Middle School,is presented with a “Catch a Security Officer Doing Right”Award by Catie Sieber and Kelly Sieber of Pond SecurityService LLC and Richard Cornell, principal.

Security Officer Earns Special Recognition

Students Create Cards for Local Veterans

Members of Mars AreaMiddle School’s Host &Hospitality, Spirit, Charity &Library committees makevalentines to be distributed tolocal veterans as part of a spe-cial program sponsored bystate Sen. Jane C. Orie.



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18 Mars Area

Mars Area sixth-grader Rachel Honchorek of Marswill compete in the USA Tae Kwon Do U.S. Open, to beheld Feb. 19-21 in Austin, Texas.Rachel, 11, will compete in Poomsae and Junior Black

Belt Sparring. If successful, the points she accumulates mayearn her a spot at the 2011 Junior Olympics, to be held June28-July 1 in San Jose, Calif. A member of ZANG Tae Kwon Do in Wexford and

U.S. Tae Know Do, Rachel has studied the Korean martialart for six years, says Mike Honchorek, Rachel’s father. She first became interested in the martial art in first

grade while attending a Tae Kwon Do demonstration witha neighbor.Throughout the year, Rachel joins in a number of qual-

ifying events to accumulate points toward participating inthe Junior Olympics. Out of 48 events, she has placed first,second or third in 36 events.Rachel, a first degree black belt, earned a bronze medal

at the 2010 Junior Olympics. She is working toward hersecond degree black belt, which she hopes to receive inApril.

She is currently training for the USA Tae Kwon DoU.S. Open. She is also hoping compete in the 2011Pennsylvania State Tae Kwon Do Championship onMarch 20, in Newton, Pa.; USA Tae Kwon Do National

Qualifier, April 21-23 in Austin, Texas; the USA Tae KwonDo National Qualifier, May 20-21 in Buffalo, N.Y.; and the2011 Junior Olympics, June 28-July 1. For more information, visit www.zangtkd.com.

centennial school

Sixth-graders Honor Veterans at CeremonySixth-graders at Mars Area Centennial School wel-

comed local veterans, as the school held its fourth annualVeterans Day celebration on Nov. 5.As part of the event, students offered a presentation on

the history of Veterans Day, the armed forces, and theAmerican Flag. Sixth-graders read poetry and essays as atribute to those who have served their country. Fifth-graders in Jody Harbison and Brian Zima’s class-

es also recited the Gettysburg Address and sixth-graderSydney Edwards and student teacher Katherine Hall per-formed “Taps” on trumpet. Guest speaker was Jim Miller, former Green Beret.

Miller spoke to students about what it takes to become aGreen Beret and why it is important to remember thosewho have served in all branches of the military.For more information, call (724) 625-2601.

Fifth-graders to Graduate from DARE ProgramFifth-graders at Mars Area Centennial School will grad-

uate from the 2010-2011 DARE (Drug Abuse ResistanceEducation) program at 2:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, inthe school’s gymnasium. The program, which is brought to the school by officers

from the Butler County Sheriff's Office, gives students theskills they need to recognize and resist the pressures thatmay cause them to experiment with drugs or becomeinvolved in violent activities.As part of the DARE program at Mars Area Centennial

School, fifth-graders are asked to complete assignments aswell as to write an essay about what they have learned and apledge statement about their commitment to remainingdrug free. One essay from each class will be read aloud at theDARE graduation ceremony on Thursday, April 7.For more information, call (724) 625-2601.

Students Join in Punt, Pass & Kick CompetitionSix Mars Area students participated in the NFL Pepsi

Punt, Pass & Kick regional competition on Oct. 9, atBlueberry Hill Community Park in Franklin Park.Sixth-grader Nicole Blyth placed first and fourth-grad-

er Gianna Buzzelli took second place in their respectiveage groups. Other students who participated included seventh-

grader Sam Morrissey, sixth-grader Cassianna Buzzelli,fifth-grader Hunter Fetsko and third-grader DrewSchlegel. Participants who placed at the regional competition

had an opportunity to advance to the NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass& Kick competition, held during the Pittsburgh Steelersfootball game against the Oakland Raiders on Nov. 21, atHeinz Field.

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Sixth-grader to Compete in USA Tae Kwon Do U.S. Open

Rachel Honchorek, asixth-grader at MarsArea CentennialSchool, breaks fourboards with one kick.Rachel, a member ofZANG Tae Kwon Do,will compete in theUSA Tae Kwon DoU.S. Open to be held Feb. 16-19 in Austin Texas.

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Students Perform in Kean Theatre ShowFour Mars Area students appeared in The Jeter

Backyard Theater production of the musical, CaptainLouie Jr., Oct. 28 and 31 at the Kean Theatre inGibsonia.Mars Area Centennial School sixth-graders Megan

Mallin, Annabelle Rectenwaldand Nicole McCloudand Mars Area High School sophomore RachelRectenwald were all selected for roles in the produc-tion.The musical follows a boy named Louie, who is feel-

ing lonely after he moves to a new neighborhood awayfrom his friends. On Halloween night, Louie takes animaginary journey in his Big Red Plane to visit hisfriends in his old neighborhood.For more information, visit www.jeterbackyardthe-

ater.com.

Sixth-graders at Mars AreaCentennial

School honorlocal veterans at the school’sannual Veterans

Day event.

Students at Mars Area Centennial School participatein a Boot Camp activity as part of the school’s annu-al Fitness Month. Other programs included Zumba,Jazzercise and Tae Kwon Do.

fitness month

Phot

o by

Josh

Sch

woe

bel



Students Place in Academic CompetitionStudents at Mars Area Centennial School placed sev-

enth among 26 Pennsylvania schools participating in thenational “Knowledge Master Open” academic competi-tion on Jan. 20.The team also placed 36th out of 250 participating

schools from across the United States and around the

globe. As part of the program, members of the team, com-prised of fifth- and sixth-graders, are asked to answer 100questions on varying topics from current events to the finearts.Team members will participate in a second Knowledge

Master Open on Wednesday, March 23. For more infor-mation, call (724) 625-2601.

Jump Rope Event toBenefit Heart AssociationMars Area Elementary School’s “Mars Stars” Jump

Rope Team will hold its annual Jump Rope for Heart fund-raiser, Tuesday through Friday, Feb. 22-25. As part of the fund-raiser, students in second through

fourth grades are asked to collect pledges for the number oftimes they jump a rope in their physical education classes. “Mars Stars” Jump Rope Team has been the top Jump

Rope for Heart fund-raiser in Butler County for the past 18years. For more information, call (724) 625-3161.

Elementary School toSponsor Literacy NightMars Area Elementary School will hold its fourth annu-

al Family Literacy Night from 6:15 to 8 p.m. on Thursday,March 10.The event will begin with a skit performed by teachers,

followed by a variety of reading activities including authorstudies, songs, poetry and more. For more information, call (724) 625-3161.

Primary Center to Offer Kindergarten PreviewMars Area Primary Center will offer a Kindergarten

Preview from 9:30 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday,March 29.The event is open to students who may be attending

the school’s Kindergarten Program during the 2011-2012school year and their parents. Activities will include a tour ofthe school, a library “read-aloud,” and an art project.For more information or to register, call (724) 625-

1588.

Primary Center to HoldKindergarten RegistrationMars Area Primary Center will hold Kindergarten

Registration for the 2011-2012 School Year from 9 a.m. to2:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, April 28-29.Kindergarten is open to children who will be 5 years old

on or before Thursday, Sept. 1. Parents may stop by theschool’s main office between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.,Monday through Friday, to obtain a registration packet. For more information, call (724) 625-1588.

Second-graders Join in Colonial Day ActivitiesSecond-graders at Mars Area Elementary School par-

ticipated in a Colonial Day celebration on Nov. 24. The event offered students a full day of hands-on

learning activities that support the students’ social studiesunit on American history. The day included sessions on colonial toys, games

and music; Native American dwellings and games; butterchurning; achievement feathers, popcorn necklaces,wampum belts and doll-making.Students and teachers also dressed in clothing remi-

niscent of the colonial time period.

Elementary School to Welcome Local AuthorsMars Area Elementary School will welcome two local

authors as part of the school’s annual “Author Days,” to beheld Thursday and Friday, April 14-15.Author and illustrator Joe Kulka will visit the school

on Thursday, April 14. Kulka is author of the books:“Vacation’s Over! Return of the Dinosaurs,” “Wolf'sComing!” and “The Rope!” and illustrator of“Gingerbread Man, Superhero!,” “Smokey Bear Story,”“Just Five More Minutes!,” “Granny Gert & The BunionBrothers,” and “Woodsy’s ABCs.”On Friday, April 15, the school will welcome author

and illustrator Matt Novak. Novak’s books include “AWish for You,” “The Everything Machine,” “My FroggyValentine,” and “Flip Flop Bop.”For more information, call (724) 625-3161.

Elementary School to Hold Science FairMars Area Elementary School will hold its annual

introductory, non-competitive Science Fair from 6 to8:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 24, at Mars Area HighSchool.The goal of the program is to stimulate imagination

and independent thinking; increase students’ knowledgein a variety of scientific areas; teach the use of the scientif-ic process; train students in organization and major taskcompletion; and provide an opportunity to enjoy science. The event will also feature a presentation by Carnegie

Science Center. For more information, call (724) 625-3161.

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elementary schoolsF

Primary Center to Celebrate Read Across America WeekMars Area Primary Center is planning a myriad of activ-

ities as part of its annual Read Across America Week cele-bration of reading and literacy to be held Monday throughFriday, Feb. 28-March 4.Throughout the week, students will participate in vari-

ous activities and theme days:

For more information, call (724) 625-1588.

Mars Area Elemen-tary School second-graders participate in a variety of gamesand other activities aspart of the school’sannual Colonial Daycelebration.

Students at Mars Area Centennial School answerquestions displayed on a Promethean interactivewhite board as part of the national Knowledge

Master Open academic competition.

Monday, Feb. 28— “Fox in Sox” Day — Studentsmay wear crazy socks to school.Tuesday, March 1— “Oh the Places We Will Go”Day — Students may wear a shirt from someplacethey have been.Wednesday, March 2— “Wacky Wednesday” —Students may dress in wacky clothing. Thursday, March 3— “One Fish, Two Fish, RedFish, Blue Fish” Day — Students may wear theirfavorite color or number. Musician Justin Robertswho has produced various CDs of children’s musicincluding “Jungle Gym,” “Pop Fly,” “Meltdown!,”and “Yellow Bus,” will perform.Friday, March 4 — “Be a Star Reader” Day —Students may wear a crazy hat and Star Readert-shirt to school. Various guest readers includingMars Area administrators, school board members,teachers, students and community members willread their favorite stories to students at the PrimaryCenter.



20 Mars Area

Council Offers Added Support for Parents, StudentsMars Area School District will offer a Title I Parent

Advisory Council (PAC) Workshop from 4 to 6 p.m. onThursday, April 14, at Mars Area Primary Center. The program is open to parents of Title I students who

may be looking for ways to support their child’s reading andmathematics skills at home.The PAC program was established to build better com-

munication between parents and the school, says PhyllisWill, reading teacher. The council meets several times eachschool year, offering demonstrations and “make ‘n’ take”activities.Parents who attend the workshops take home educa-

tional activities, helpful hints and games to help supporttheir child’s reading and mathematics skills at home. The purpose of Title I is to ensure that all children have

a fair and equal opportunity to obtain a high quality educa-tion and to reach proficiency on state academic achieve-ment standards and assessments.A student’s eligibility to participate in Title I is based on

multiple, education-related criteria. Title I staff membersanalyze assessment data to identify those students who arein need of additional support in reading and mathematics.Once the student has been identified, the Title I Team

obtains parental permission to include the student in smallgroup lessons within the classroom. Lessons are held two tothree days per week under the direction of a Title I readingspecialist and/or math teacher.

Title I Team members work with the individual class-room teacher to schedule small group lessons so that a stu-dent is not missing out on regular curriculum lessons.Additional information regarding Mars Area School

District’s Title I Parent Advisory Council program and resour-ces is available on the District’s Web site, www.marsk12.org. To access the information, go to either the Mars Area

Elementary School or Mars Area Primary Center page andclick on the “Title I Parent Advisory Council” link. For more information, call (724) 625-3161 or (724)

625-1588.

elementary schoolse First-graderMarine Lechelardshares picturesfrom her recenttrip to visit rela-tives in Franceduring a “CulturalCorner” programat Mars AreaPrimary Center.

Elementary PTO to Host Family Movie NightsMars Area Elementary PTO will sponsor a Family

Movie Nights at the following schools:

Visitors are encouraged to bring blankets and pil-lows. Light refreshments will be provided. Note: All chil-dren must be accompanied by an adult.For more information, contact the individual school

building.

Mars Area Elementary School— Friday, Feb.18, 7 to 9 p.m. (724) 625-3161Mars Area Primary Center — Friday, March25, 7 to 9 p.m.(724) 625-1588

Program Highlights Cultural DiversityFirst-graders in Maria Rios’ classroom at Mars Area

Primary Center are participating in a monthly “CulturalCorner” program.As part of the program, one student is selected each

month to bring in photos, books, flags or other itemsthat showcase his or her cultural heritage, says MeganKutch, English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. The items remain on display until the end of the

month, at which time the student is asked to make apresentation and answer any questions.“This is a great learning experience for the students,”

says Kutch. The program is meant to celebrate diversityby educating students about different cultural traditionsand languages.For more information, call (724) 625-1588.

Kim Schuelke, Title I math teacher, talks with a parentabout the benefits of the Parent Advisory Council at aworkshop in October.

Elementary PTO toHost Spring CarnivalMars Area Elementary PTO will host a Spring

Carnival from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, atMars Area High School.Activities will include inflatable rides, games, a bake

sale, 50/50 raffle, Chinese and silent auctions, conces-sions and various other activities.For more information, call (724) 898-7248.

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Fourth-graders Compete in Math Olympiad EventsFourth-graders at Mars Area Elementary School com-

peted in the first two of five Math Olympiad competitionson Nov. 16 and Dec. 21.On Nov. 16, students Shea Moffa and Aditi

Edlabadkar achieved high marks by answering two outfive questions correctly and Nicholas Ryan and WillBednar answered one out of five questions correctly. OnDec. 21, Jeana Garrity and Gillan Wing tied for first placein the event by answering three out five questions correctly. The national competition, which is open to students in

fourth through seventh grades, asks students to answer aseries of complex math questions.For more information, call (724) 625-3161.

Diaper Drive to Benefit Food BankMars Area Primary Center will hold its third annual

“Stuff the Bus” Diaper Drive, Monday through Friday, April11-15, to benefit The Lighthouse Foundation in MiddlesexTownship.The school will accepting donation of diapers, which

students will “stuff” into a school bus provided by A.J. Myers& Sons bus company and transported to The Lighthouseon Friday, April 15.

Donations may be dropped off at the school’s mainoffice during school hours. The fund-raiser is being held inhonor of the “National Week of the Young Child.”For more information, call (724) 625-1588.

Primary Center to Offer First Grade Parent Picnic Mars Area Primary Center will hold its annual First

Grade Parent Picnic on Wednesday, May 25.Students and parents will enjoy a picnic lunch on the

school’s lawn. For more information, call (724) 625-1588.

Primary Center to Hold ‘Watermelon Welcome’ Mars Area Primary Center will hold a “Watermelon

Welcome” Kindergarten Preview from 9:30 to 11 a.m. or 1to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 26.The event is open to all students who are registered to

attend the school’s kindergarten program for the 2011-2012 school year and their parents. Participants will meetthe school’s kindergarten teachers, join in computer labactivities, and play on the school’s playground.The purpose of the program is to aid students in mak-

ing the transition into the Mars Area Primary CenterKindergarten Program. To RSVP, call (724) 625-1588.

Photo byJosh Schwoebel


sports

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Mars Area School District

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Girls Soccer Team EndsSeason in PIAA SemifinalsMars Area High School Girls Varsity Soccer Team

ended its 2010 season in the semifinals of the 2010 PIAAClass AA Girls Soccer Championship.The Lady Planets took on the Mercy-

hurst Prep Lakers in the semifinals of the2010 PIAA playoffs on Nov. 16, but weredefeated 3-0. The team routed the Bradford Owls 6-0 in the PIAA

quarterfinals on Nov. 13 and conquered the Villa MariaAcademy Victors 8-0 in the first round on Nov. 9. The team advanced to the state competition after

defeating the Beaver Area Bobcats 2-0 in the final game ofthe 2010 WPIAL/McDonald’s Class AA Girls SoccerChampionship on Nov. 6, thereby earning the 2010WPIAL title. The team conquered the Hopewell Vikings 8-0 in the

semifinals of the WPIAL playoffs on Nov. 1, routed theKnoch Knights 3-0 in the quarterfinals on Oct. 27 andtrounced the Yough Cougars 11-0 in the first round onOct. 23. The Planets advanced to the WPIAL playoffs after

clinching the 2010 Section 2-AA Championship Title,ending the 2010 regular season undefeated with an over-all record of 18-0 and 14-0 in section play. Seniors on this year’s team are captains Alanna

Haefner and Dana Wonderly as well as Meghan Kelly,Nicole Soose, Kara Angeletti and Audra Sitterly..

Boys Varsity FootballMars Area High School’s Boys Varsity Football

Team ended its 2010 season in the semifinals of the 2010WPIAL/McDonald’s Class AAA Boys Football Cham-pionship.

The Fightin’ Planets took on the MontourSpartans in the semifinals of the WPIAL play-offs on Nov. 19, but were thwarted 35-14. Theteam defeated the West Allegheny Indians 29-3

in the WPIAL quarterfinals on Nov. 12 and trounced theHollidaysburg Golden Tigers 52-20 in the first round onNov. 5.The team ended the 2010 regular season with an

overall record of 8-1 and 6-0 in Section 4-AAA, earningthe Greater Allegheny Conference title.Seniors on this year’s team are Austin Miele, Eric Guzak,

Ryan O’Connor, Dennis Riosa, Brad Weischedel, SethGeyer, Brandon Kline, John Petersen, Josh Pinkerton,Aaron Lozzi, Cameron Cress, Trent Nelson, A.J.Rodriguez, Dylan Bear, Shane Cress, John Glomb,Zachary Zwigart, Shane Smith, Zach Davidson, DylanBonzo and Mike Marchese..

Boys Varsity SoccerMars Area High School Boys Varsity Soccer

Team ended its 2010 season in the quarterfinalsof the 2010 PIAA Class AA Boys SoccerChampionship.The Fightin’ Planets competed against the Palmyra

Cougars in the quarterfinals of the PIAA playoffs on Nov.13, but were thwarted 3-1.

The team routed the Bradford Owls 6-0 in the firstround of the PIAA playoffs on Nov. 9. Despite a 4-1 loss to the Hampton Talbots in the final

game of the 2010 WPIAL/McDonald’s Class AA BoysSoccer Championship on Nov. 6, the Planets’ secondplace finish earned the team a spot in the PIAA competi-tion. The team grounded the South Park Eagles 1-0 in the

semifinals of the WPIAL playoffs on Nov. 2, defeated theElizabeth-Forward Warriors 5-0 in the quarterfinals onOct. 28 and outscored the Beaver Area Bobcats 2-1 in thefirst round on Oct. 25. The Planets ended the 2010 regular season with an

overall record of 11-5-2 and 9-3-2 in Section 2-AA. Seniors on this year’s team are Alex Perri, Yulian

Lutsiv, Josh Brake, Brendan Frank, Preston Brownand Luke Sowers.

Varsity Cross CountryMars Area High School’s Girls and Boys Varsity Cross

Country teams placed 26th and 27th, respectively, in the2010 WPIAL Class AAA Cross Country Championshipon Oct. 28.On the girls team, sophomore Maggie

McChesney, placed 87th with a time of 21:23;junior Salina Smialek, 95th (21:30); sopho-more Phoebe Pierre, 128th (22:00); fresh-man Bethany Catanzaro, 181st (22:56); freshmanAmanda Alikhani, 198th (23.27); junior ElizabethParsons, 219th (24:12); and senior Sammi Rosswog,220th (24:13).

On the boys team, junior Sean Gannonplaced 60th with a time of 17:24; freshmanChristopher Georgiadis, 69th (17:34); sopho-more Scott Slaney, 147th (18:19); freshmanJohn Caraway, 184th (18:35); junior Ryan

Winner, 188th (18:37); senior Jake McMahon, 245th(19:15), and freshman Gage Zimmerman, 257th(19:25). The teams competed against runners from more

than 50 high schools in Western Pennsylvania..

Girls Varsity VolleyballMars Area High School’s Girls Varsity Volleyball

Team ended its 2010 season in the quarterfinals of the2010 WPIAL/McDonald’s Class AA Girls VolleyballChampionship.The Lady Planets competed against the

Freeport Yellowjackets in the quarterfinalround of the WPIAL playoffs on Nov. 2, butwere thwarted 3-2. The team defeated the Thomas Jefferson Jaguars 3-2

in the first round on Oct. 28 and grounded theBrownsville Falcons 3-0 in the preliminary round on Oct.26. The team ended the regular season with an overallrecord of 12-3 and 8-2 in Section 2-AA. Outstanding players on this year’s team included sen-

iors Brooke Finney and Heather Hodges; juniorsMaura Randolph, Lara Caraway and Haley Milcic;and sophomores Jaden Zimmer, Abby Matusik andKatie King.

Swimmer RecognitionMars Area sophomore Maggie Gruber received a

plaque from the PIAA (Pennsylvania InterscholasticAthletic Association) recognizing her achievement at the2009-2010 PIAA Girls & Boys Swimming & DivingChampionships.In the PIAA Championship Finals, Gruber tied for first

place in the 100-Yard Butterfly with a time of 55:47.

Student-Athlete of the WeekMars Area senior Austin Miele was named WTAE

Action Sports High School Playbook Student-Athlete ofthe Week.Miele, a fullback for Mars Area High School Boys

Varsity Football Team, rushed for 448 yards on 29 carriesin the Fightin’ Planets 52-20 win against the HollidaysburgGolden Tigers in the first round of the 2010WPIAL/McDonald’s Class AAA Boys FootballChampionship on Nov. 5. Miele earned the school record, topping the bar set at

408 yards by graduate Brad Mueller in 2002. Miele is oneof only nine players to run for 400 yards in WPIAL footballhistory.Miele was honored by WTAE during a pep rally on

Nov. 10 and his achievement earned Mars Area HighSchool a $250 check. For more information, visitwww.thepittsburghchannel.com.

Maggie Gruber, sophomore, is presented with her2010 Championship PIAA plaque by Scott Heinauer,athletic director; Heidi Brandon, swimming/diving teamcoach; and Todd Kolson, principal.

District to Host Track& Field Invitationals Mars Area School District will host its 2011 Track &

Field Invitationals on the following dates:

All events will be held at Mars Athletic Complex. Formore information, call (724) 625-9380.

Wednesday, April 27 — MAC Track & FieldInvitational, 2 p.m.Thursday, April 28 — Mars Area Junior HighTrack & Field Invita-tional, 2 p.m.Friday, April 29— Mars Area Var-sity Track &Field Invitational, 1 p.m.


22 Mars Area

sportss

Boys Varsity Baseball03/21/11 — Ambridge (scrimmage), 4 p.m.03/23/11 — North Hills (scrimmage),

3:45 p.m.03/25/11 — Riverview, 3:45 p.m.04/04/11 — Hampton*, 3:45 p.m.04/06/11 — Indiana*, 4 p.m.04/08/11 — Valley*, 3:45 p.m.04/11/11 — Kittanning*, 3:45 p.m.04/13/11 — East Allegheny*, 4 p.m.04/15/11 — Highlands*, 5 p.m.04/18/11 — Knoch*, 3:45 p.m.04/20/11 — Pine-Richland, 3:45 p.m.04/25/11 — Montour, 3:45 p.m.04/27/11 — Hampton*, 3:45 p.m.04/29/11 — Indiana*, 3:45 p.m.05/02/11 — Valley*, 4 p.m.05/04/11 — Kittanning*, 4 p.m.05/06/11 — East Allegheny*, 3:45 p.m.05/09/11 — Highlands*, 3:45 p.m.05/11/11 — Knoch*, 3:45 p.m.05/12/11 — North Hills, 7 p.m.

Boys JV Baseball03/21/11 — Ambridge, 3:45 p.m.03/23/11 — North Hills (scrimmage), 3:45 p.m.03/25/11 — Riverview, 3:45 p.m.04/04/11 — Hampton*, 3:45 p.m.04/06/11 — Indiana*, 4 p.m.04/08/11 — Valley*, 4 p.m.04/11/11 — Kittanning*, 3:45 p.m.04/15/11 — Highlands*, 7 p.m.04/18/11 — Knoch*, 3:45 p.m.04/20/11 — Pine-Richland, 4 p.m.04/25/11 — Montour, 3:45 p.m.04/27/11 — Hampton*, 3:45 p.m.04/29/11 — Indiana*, 3:45 p.m.05/02/11 — Valley*, 3:45 p.m.05/03/11 — Kittanning*, 4 p.m.05/09/11 — Highlands*, 3:45 p.m.05/11/11 — Knoch*, 3:45 p.m.05/12/11 — North Hills, 5 p.m.

Boys Ninth Grade Baseball03/21/11 — Hopewell, 4 p.m.03/23/11 — Montour (scrimmage), 3:45 p.m.03/28/11 — North Allegheny (Marshall)

(scrimmage), 3:30 p.m.03/29/11 — Seneca Valley*, 3:45 p.m.03/30/11 — N.A. (Ingomar), 3:45 p.m.03/31/11 — Fox Chapel*, 3:45 p.m.04/04/11 — North Allegheny (Carson), 4 p.m.04/05/11 — Butler*, 3:45 p.m.04/06/11 — Blackhawk, 3:45 p.m.04/07/11 — North Allegheny*, 4 p.m.04/11/11 — New Castle, 3:45 p.m.04/12/11 — Shaler*, 3:45 p.m.04/14/11 — North Hills*, 4 p.m.04/19/11 — Hampton*, 3:45 p.m.04/26/11 — Seneca Valley*, 4 p.m.04/27/11 — New Castle, 4 p.m.04/28/11 — Fox Chapel*, 3:30 p.m.04/29/11 — Blackhawk, 4:15 p.m.05/03/11 — Butler*, 4 p.m.05/05/11 — North Allegheny*, 3:45 p.m.05/10/11 — Shaler*, 3:30 p.m.05/12/11 — North Hills*, 3:45 p.m.05/17/11 — Hampton*, 3:45 p.m.

Girls Varsity Softball03/21/11 — South Park, 4:30 p.m.03/23/11 — Moon, 4 p.m.03/25/11 — Vincentian, 3:45 p.m.03/28/11 — New Castle, 4 p.m.03/29/11 — Pine-Richland, 3:45 p.m.03/31/11 — Central Valley, 4 p.m.04/01/11 — Avonworth, 3:45 p.m.04/05/11 — Indiana, 3:45 p.m.04/07/11 — Valley*, 3:45 p.m.04/12/11 — Hampton*, 4 p.m.04/14/11 — Kittanning*, 3:45 p.m.04/15/11 — Highlands*, 3:45 p.m.04/18/11 — Ford City, 3:45 p.m.04/19/11 — Knoch*, 3:45 p.m.04/21/11 — Hopewell, 3:45 p.m.04/26/11 — Valley*, 4 p.m.04/28/11 — Hampton*, 3:45 p.m.04/29/11 — Kittanning*, 3:30 p.m.05/03/11 — Highlands*, 3:45 p.m.05/05/11 — Knoch*, 3:45 p.m.05/09/11 — North Hills, 5:30 p.m.05/10/11 — Fox Chapel, 3:30 p.m.

Girls JV Softball03/28/11 — New Castle, 5:30 p.m.03/29/11 — Pine-Richland, 3:45 p.m.04/05/11 — Indiana, 3:45 p.m.04/08/11 — North Allegheny, 3:45 p.m.04/12/11 — Hampton*, 3:45 p.m.04/14/11 — Kittanning*, 3:45 p.m.04/18/11 — Ford City, 3:45 p.m.04/19/11 — Knoch*, 3:45 p.m.04/27/11 — North Allegheny, 7 p.m.04/28/11 — Hampton*, 4 p.m.04/29/11 — Kittanning*, 5 p.m.05/05/11 — Knoch*, 3:45 p.m.05/09/11 — North Hills, 4 p.m.05/10/11 — Fox Chapel, 3:45 p.m.

Girls Junior High Softball03/24/11 — Butler, 4 p.m.03/28/11 — Butler, 3:45 p.m.03/29/11 — North Hills, 4 p.m.03/31/11 — Deer Lakes, 3:45 p.m.04/04/11 — Burrell*, 3:45 p.m.04/05/11 — Pine-Richland, 4 p.m.04/06/11 — East Allegheny*, 3:30 p.m.04/08/11 — Valley*, 3:45 p.m.04/11/11 — North Allegheny (White), 4 p.m.04/13/11 — Plum*, 3:30 p.m.04/15/11 — Highlands*, 3:45 p.m.04/18/11 — Avonworth*, 4 p.m.04/19/11 — Deer Lakes, 3:30 p.m.04/20/11 — Burrell*, 4 p.m.04/26/11 — Hampton, 4 p.m.04/27/11 — East Allegheny*, 3:45 p.m.

04/29/11 — Valley*, 4 p.m.05/02/11 — North Allegheny (White),

3:45 p.m.05/04/11 — Plum*, 3:45 p.m.05/06/11 — Highlands*, 3:45 p.m.05/09/11 — Avonworth*, 3:45 p.m.05/11/11 — Hampton, 3:45 p.m.

Coed Varsity Track & Field03/17/11 — North Allegheny, 3:30 p.m.03/22/11 — P-R/Avonworth, 3:30 p.m.03/29/11 — Blackhawk, 3:30 p.m.04/05/11 — Knoch*, 3:30 p.m.04/07/11 — Valley*, 3:30 p.m.04/11/11 — Fox Chapel, 3:30 p.m.04/12/11 — Kiski*, 3:30 p.m.04/14/11 — Deer Lakes, 3:30 p.m.04/19/11 — Hampton*, 3:30 p.m.04/21/11 — Avonworth*, 3:30 p.m.04/25/11 — Highlands*, 3:30 p.m.04/27/11 — MAC Track& Field Invitational,

2 p.m.04/29/11 — Mars Area Varsity Track &

Field Invitational, 1 p.m.05/04/11 — WPIAL Team Playoffs, TBA05/10/11 — WPIAL Qualifiers, 2 p.m.05/12/11 — WPIAL Team Championship

@ West Mifflin, TBA05/19/11 — WPIAL Championships @

Baldwin, 12:15 p.m.05/27/11 — PIAA State Championships, TBA05/28/11 — PIAA State Championships, TBA

Coed Junior High Track & Field03/17/11 — Blackhawk/North Allegheny

(scrimmage) North Allegheny, 3:30 p.m. 04/01/11 — Fox Chapel, 3:30 p.m.04/05/11 — Knoch*, 3:30 p.m.04/06/11 — Blackhawk, 3:30 p.m.04/12/11 — Pine-Richland, 3:30 p.m.04/13/11 — Quaker Valley, 3:30 p.m.04/14/11 — Deer Lakes, 3:30 p.m.04/19/11 — Hampton*, 3:30 p.m.04/25/11 — Highlands*, 3:30 p.m.04/28/11 — Mars Area Junior High Track

& Field Invitational, 2 p.m.05/03/11 — North Hills, 3:30 p.m.05/05/11 — North Allegheny Invitational.

3 p.m.

Boys Varsity Tennis03/15/11 — Pine-Richland (scrimmage),

3:30 p.m.03/17/11 — Shaler (scrimmage), 3:30 p.m.03/18/11 — Springdale, 3:30 p.m.03/21/11 — Winchester-Thurston*, 3:30 p.m.03/23/11 — Quaker Valley*, 3:30 p.m.

03/25/11 — Hopewell*, 3:30 p.m.03/28/11 — Sewickley Academy*, 3:30 p.m.03/30/11 — Hampton*, 3:30 p.m.03/31/11 — Shaler, 3:30 p.m.04/01/11 — Vincentian*, 3:30 p.m.04/04/11 — Knoch*, 3:30 p.m.04/05/11 — Seneca Valley, 3:30 p.m.04/06/11 — Winchester-Thurston*, 3:30 p.m.04/07/11 — WPIAL Section Singles, TBA04/08/11 — WPIAL Section Singles, TBA04/11/11 — Quaker Valley*, 3:30 p.m.04/13/11 — Hopewell*, 3:30 p.m.04/14/11 — WPIAL Section Singles, TBA04/15/11 — WPIAL Section Singles, TBA04/18/11 — Sewickley Academy*, 3:30 p.m.04/19/11 — MAC Tournament, 9 a.m.04/20/11 — Hampton*, 3:30 p.m.04/26/11 — Shaler, 3:30 p.m.04/27/11 — Vincentian*, 3:45 p.m.04/28/11 — WPIAL Section Doubles, 11 a.m.04/29/11 — WPIAL Section Doubles, 11 a.m.05/02/11 — Knoch*, 3:30 p.m.05/05/11 — WPIAL Section Doubles, TBA05/06/11 — WPIAL Section Doubles, TBA05/09/11 — WPIAL Playoffs, TBA

Girls 7th/8th GradeVolleyball (Blue)02/15/11 — North Hills, 3:30 p.m.02/23/11 — Butler (Gold), 3:30 p.m.02/26/11 — Shaler Tournament, 8:30 a.m.03/01/11 — Shaler (White)*, 3:30 p.m.03/03/11 — Seneca Valley*, 3:30 p.m.03/09/11 — Gateway, 4 p.m.03/10/11 — Burrell*, 4 p.m.03/15/11 — Deer Lakes*, 3:30 p.m.03/17/11 — Valley*, 4 p.m.03/21/11 — Butler (White), 3:30 p.m.03/22/11 — Pine-Richland*, 3:30 p.m.03/24/11 — Shaler (White)*, 3:30 p.m.03/26/11 — Pine-Richland Tournament,

8:30 a.m.03/28/11 — Knoch, 3:30 p.m.03/29/11 — Seneca Valley*, 3:30 p.m.

Girls 7th/8th GradeVolleyball (Gold)02/21/11 — Riverview, 3:45 p.m.02/23/11 — Butler (Gold), 3:30 p.m.02/25/11 — Hampton, 3:30 p.m.02/26/11 — Shaler Tournament, 8:30 a.m.03/01/11 — Steel Valley*, 3:45 p.m.03/03/11 — Wilkinsburg*, 3:30 p.m.03/08/11 — Plum*, 3:30 p.m.03/10/11 — Duquesne (Central)*, 4 p.m.03/15/11 — South Allegheny*, 4 p.m.03/17/11 — East Allegheny*, 3:30 p.m.03/21/11 — Butler (Gold), 3:30 p.m.03/22/11 — Riverview*, 3:30 p.m.03/24/11 — Steel Valley*, 3:30 p.m.03/26/11 — Pine-Richland Tournament,

8:30 a.m.03/29/11 — Wilkinsburg*, 4 p.m.03/31/11 — Plum*, 3:30 p.m.

All sports schedules are subject to change. Forsports schedules, call Mars Area School DistrictAthletic Office at (724) 625-9380 or visitwww.highschoolsports.net.

Spring Sports 2011 Home games are in Bolddenotes conference game*

Spring Sports PhysicalsMars Area School District will offer physi-

cals for 2011 spring sports beginning at 8 a.m.at Mars Area Middle School; beginning at 1p.m. at Mars Area High School on Thursday,March 3.Cost is $15 per student. The Pennsyl-

vania Interscholastic Athletic Association

(PIAA) process and forms required for athlet-ic physicals have changed. All student-athletesinterested in participating in athletics arerequired to undergo one comprehensivephysical evaluation per year. To obtain the necessary forms, visit the

“Athletics” page at www.marsk12.org. Formore information, call (724) 625-9380.


From pink screwdrivers and mini toolboxes to a surge of female-targeted homeimprovement sites and guidebooks, the fix-

it-yourself revolution has come for women in theU.S. More empowered females are taking onhousehold problems themselves instead ofspending the money to hire a plumber, electricianor contractor.

In fact, a recent study by the Medelia Monitorshowed that more than 60 percent of women aremore likely to tackle the work on their own. Themajority of these women (63 percent) are beingmore resourceful to avoid the high costs of hiring a professional. And 71 percent of women say thedesire to “fix-it-myself” stems from theempowering feeling of having the knowledge toimprove their home.

Sound familiar? If you’d like to empoweryourself and join the fix-it-yourself revolution, startby picking up a few affordable tools and productsto tackle quick fixes. Here are easy tips for solvingfive common household problems:

Unstick sticky windows by opening them and rubbing wax or spraying silicone into thetracks on both sides. Move the window up anddown several times to work the wax or siliconelubricant into the frame.

Fix squeaky wood or tile floors by sprinklingbaby powder on the surface of the floor that’ssqueaking. Then place a chisel between the boardsand gently hammer the top to pry up the tile orfloorboard. Sprinkle more baby powderunderneath the board to seal the excess spacecausing the squeaking.

If your drains are draining slowly or cloggedcompletely, try a de-clogging gel that clears thetoughest clogs at a fraction of the cost of a plumberhouse call. Liquid-Plumr’s new Penetrex Gel is afast-acting, powerful formula that can clear thetoughest clogs in just seven minutes.

Mend unsightly holes or tears in your windowscreens by using a screwdriver to straighten thebends in the mesh and dabbing clear nail polish toseal the hole. Allow it to dry. Then repeat the polishapplication until the hole is completely sealed.

A wobbly table leg may seem hard, but it’s asurprisingly easy repair. Just figure out how it’sattached to the seat. Then either screw the leg backinto its socket or glue it back into place.

Fix-it resources abound online and at your localbookstore. But here’s a few to get you started:

Facebook.com/LiquidPlumr: Most clogged drains arecaused by hair. Get tips on how to keep all drains clear andwhile you’re there, enter the Big Locks Rock! Contest beforeDecember 15th for a chance to win a trip for four to L.A. to gethaircuts by a celebrity stylist.

BeJane.com: A site where women of all ages and skilllevels can find answers to home improvement questions andconnect with others for inspiration and advice.

“Dare to Repair” by Julie Sussman: This book offers a “do-it-herself” guide to fixing almost anything in the home.

FEMALE

SOLVE 5 COMMONHOUSEHOLD PROBLEMS

Fix-It-YourselfREVOLUTION


S P R I N G 2 0 1 1

Health and Wellness News You Can Use

© 2011 UPMC

What’s Insidepage 2 Coming Back from a Back Injury

page 3 From Gut-Wrenching Pain toHope for the FutureStomachaches: When to Worry

page 4 Good Night, Sleep Tight!Are You Allergic to Your Bed?

page 5 UPMC HealthTrak Lets You Manage Your Health Care Online

page 6 Posttraumatic Stress DisorderCould It Happen to You?

page 7 Welcoming New PhysiciansWhat’s Happening at UPMC Passavant

Healthy Family,Happy Family

Keeping yourself and your family healthy can seem like a full-time job. With UPMC HealthTrak, you now have a convenient way to manage your health anytime and anywhere.

2 www.UPMC.com/Today

When to Get HelpYour back is an integral part ofeveryday movement, providingstrength, flexibility, and stability forthe entire body. Keeping your backhealthy means knowing when to get help for an injury.

Minor back injuries can be self-treated with rest; over-the-counteranti-inflammatory medication forpain; the use of ice for the first 48hours, followed by heat; and exercisesto build the core muscles of the stomach and lower back.

However, Dr. El-Kadi recommendsthat you seek prompt medical attention if you experience any of the following after sustaining a back injury:

• Any neurologic symptoms such as numbness, weakness, or searing pain down the leg

• Bowel or bladder problems• Pain that gets progressively worse• Pain at night or at rest• Longer-than-usual recovery time

For more information about the Spine Center at UPMC Passavant, or to make an appointment, call 1-877-967-2225, or visitwww.UPMC.com/Passavant.

Coming Back from a Back Injury UPMC Passavant’s state-of-the-art spine care services o1er the latest surgical and nonsurgical treatments

Nearly 12,000 spinal injuries occur in the United States each year. While mostare the result of motor vehicle accidentsor falls, nearly 12 percent are the resultof sports-related injuries. An accident, asudden fall, or the accumulated trauma of several minor injuries can sidelineanyone with a serious back injury.

Just ask John Busse* of Charleston, W. Va. The gifted basketball playerstarted playing on his high school’s varsity team as a freshman. By his senior year, John was close to matchingthe high school record of legendaryNBA player and fellow West Virginian,Jerry West. But then he started experiencing lower back pain.

“I can’t blame my herniated disk on any one injury,” says John, now a wildlifebiology/pre-vet major in his junior yearat Auburn University in Alabama. “I continued playing until I realized Icouldn’t really feel my legs any more.”

Following in his father’s footstepsJohn’s dad — himself an active outdoorsman — wasted no time convincing his son to make the journeyto Pittsburgh’s North Hills for evaluation by Matt El-Kadi, MD, chief of Neurosurgery at UPMC Passavant and clinical professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “My dad had undergonefour failed back surgeries until Dr. El-Kadi operated on him. There was no question that’s where I wanted to go,” adds John.* John Busse’s treatment and results may not be representative of similar cases.

The Spine Center at UPMC Passavantfeatures one of the region’s most comprehensive programs for the treatment of spine injuries, with a multidisciplinary team of specialists who can provide both surgical and nonsurgical options.

“We’re generally able to treat most back pain and injuries with conservative measures (including rest, medication,and physical therapy),” explains Dr. El-Kadi. “When an operation is the only option, we specialize in minimally invasive surgery, which incurs less damage to muscle tissue so that patients generally recover more quickly and experience less postoperative pain.”

Spine Center o0ers advanced neurologic servicesIndividuals with back injuries have accessto the latest imaging and diagnostic toolsat the Spine Center. UPMC Passavant’snew pavilion also houses a complete navigation suite for spine surgery wheresurgeons can perform a wide range ofcomplex and advanced spine surgeriesthat attract patients from hundreds of miles away.

While most herniated disks don’t require surgery, it was John’s only recourse due to the extent of his injury. “Everything went like clockwork. Except for being a little stiff right afterthe operation, the whole thing was painless,” he says. “I did physical therapy for a few months afterward, too, mostly for reconditioning. Nothinghas stopped me since — I’m now playing intramural basketball and football at Auburn.”

1-800-533-UPMC 3

Everyone gets a stomachache — or abdominal pain — from time to time. Usually, stomachaches are harmlessconditions caused by overeating, gas, or indigestion. Frequent or recurring stomachaches are often due to stress and worry, even in children. But they can point tomore serious medical problems.

Harmless abdominal pain usually subsides or goes awaywithin two hours. If you have the stomach flu, your stomachmay hurt before each episode of vomiting or diarrhea. In serious cases, the pain worsens or becomes constant.

According to gastroenterologists at UPMC Passavant, youshould call your primary care physician if mild pain lastsmore than a couple of days, or if the pain is accompanied by other symptoms.

Get medical help immediately if:• You have abdominal pain that is very sharp,

severe, and sudden.• You also have pain in the chest, neck,

or shoulder.• You’re vomiting blood or have bloody diarrhea.• Your abdomen is sti1, hard, and tender

to the touch.• You can’t move your bowels, especially if

you’re also vomiting.Bottom line: Trust your gut! Contact your doctor if you’re concerned about lingering or unusual stomach pain.

Stomachaches: When to Worry

At age 23, John Oliver* is feeling betterabout the future. Free from the gut-wrenching pain of Crohn’s disease since asecond bowel resection in 2008 — this timefollowed by a promising new treatment developed at UPMC using anti-TNF medication — he is now making plans to attend medical school next fall.

“I think the medicine is working. It’s the best I’ve felt and the best I’ve looked,” saysJohn, who earned his biomedical engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a master’s degree in engineering management from Duke University.

His gastroenterologist, Miguel Regueiro,MD, clinical head and codirector of theUPMC Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, says the future has never lookedbrighter for IBD patients. “Ten years ago, adiagnosis of IBD was devastating. Now, wehave new medicines, a greater understandingof the disease, and better research,” he says.

IBD: Who’s at risk?Nearly two million Americans live with IBD, which is not to be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBD involves two chronic diseases that cause inflammation of the intestines: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Symptoms include abdominal cramps andpain, diarrhea, weight loss, and bleeding.

Crohn’s disease can affect any part of thesmall and large intestines, while ulcerativecolitis affects the large bowel alone.

IBD cuts across all ages, genders, and ethnicities, but generally affects Caucasiansages 15 to 35. While the exact cause is not known, experts believe IBD involves a compromised or overactive immune system. Because IBD may run in families,doctors also believe genetics plays a role.While stress and certain foods do not cause IBD, both can make symptoms worse.

TreatmentAccording to Dr. Regueiro, drugs cannotcure IBD, but they can be effective in reducing the inflammation and accompanying symptoms. While some patients have mild symptoms requiring little medication, others have more debilitating flareups, and some patients have severe problems requiring surgery and even transplants.

The primary goal of drug therapy is to reduce inflammation in the intestines.Medications include anti-inflammatorydrugs; antibiotics to kill germs in the intestinal track; probiotics to restore good bacteria; corticosteroids to provideshort-term relief during flare-ups; and immunosuppressants.

In addition, the IBD Center recently developed a Visceral Inflammation and Pain (VIP) Center to help patients deal with both the physical pain and emotionalstress of coping with IBD.

Exciting breakthroughsThe latest generation of drugs, called biologic therapies, are proving very effective in inducing remission so that patients can lead normal lives.

At UPMC, doctors took this approach a step further — as in John’s case — by prescribing biologic anti-TNF therapy after performing surgery to remove the damaged section of the intestine. In use now at other hospitals, this treatment has reduced the recurrence of Crohn’s disease in patients by nearly two thirds.* John Oliver’s treatment and results may not be representative of similar cases.

From Gut-Wrenching Pain to Hope for the FutureUPMC’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center wields a powerful “triple threat” against IBD: groundbreakingimmunology, genetics research, and innovative clinical care


Good Night, Sleep Tight!

AreYouAllergictoYour Bed?The dust in your bedroom might be making you sick.

Dust mites, and dander, and fibers — oh my! These are just some of the microscopic menaces in ordinary housedust that can cause health problems.

Dust mites are a common cause of allergies and asthma.It’s not the dust mite itself that can make you sick; it’s thedust mite debris (the mite’s feces and decaying body).

Dust collects in every room of the house because it is easilytrapped in linens, upholstery, carpets, and draperies. Butthe bedroom is a favorite habitat for dust mites because itprovides a warm, humid environment, and plenty of food(dead skin from humans and pets).

Five ways to help wipe out dust mitesWhile you can’t completely eliminate dust mites, thesesimple steps may help reduce their numbers:

1. Cover your mattress and pillows in dust-proof or allergen-blocking covers, and encase box springs invinyl or plastic covers.

2. Wash and dry bed sheets, pillowcases, blankets, curtains,and bedcovers weekly in hot water (140 degreesFahrenheit). If bedding can’t be washed, put the itemsin the dryer set at a high temperature for 20 minutes.

3. Vacuum carpeting and upholstery weekly. Using aHEPA-filter vacuum can help keep dust from floatingback into the air.

4. Use a damp cloth or mop to remove dust from hardsurfaces and exposed floors. This will prevent dust from becoming airborne and resettling.

5. Keep the indoor temperature at 70 degrees Fahrenheitand humidity at no more than 50 percent.

Dust mites aren’t the only puny pests that can invade your bedroom. Bed bugs have made a comeback in recent years. For tips on ways to avoid a bed bug infestation, visit www.UPMC.com/Today.Sources: National Institutes of Health, Environmental Protection Agency

Health Tips from UPMC Health Plan

Are you among the millions of Americans suffering from lack of sleep?If so, droopy eyelids, wide yawns, and low energy are the least of yourworries. Sleep disruption — not sleeping enough or sleeping poorly —can affect your memory, disease resistance, and leave you struggling to stay alert in school, on the job, and on the road.

Studies show that people who get the appropriate amount of sleep on a regular basis also tend to live longer, healthier lives than thosewho sleep too few or even too many hours each night. So, what is agood night’s sleep?

According to the National Institutes of Health, most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep a night. School-aged children and teensneed at least nine hours of sleep each night.

Tips to help you sleep• Stick to a sleep schedule.Get up about the same time each day, no matter how many hours of sleep you got the previous night.

• Maintain healthy sleep habits. Go to bed only when you’re sleepy.Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and relaxing — not too hotor too cold. Don’t text, e-mail, read, or watch TV in bed.

• Make sure your mattress is comfortable. Remember, even a good quality mattress needs to be replaced within 10 years.

• Exercise is great, but not too late. Avoid exercising within a few hours before bedtime.

• Avoid caffeinated drinks after lunch. The stimulating effects of caffeine in coffee, colas, teas, and chocolate can take as long aseight hours to wear off.

• Avoid large meals at night. A large meal can cause indigestion that interferes with sleep.

• Avoid alcoholic drinks before bedtime.While a nightcap mayhelp you relax, alcohol keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep and tends to wake you during the night.

And, for adolescents and young adults:• Avoid stimulating activities around bedtime.This includes intense studying, text messaging, video games, and lengthy phone conversations.

• Avoid pulling “all nighters” during exams.• Sleep in on weekends — but not more than two to three hours past your normal wake time. Sleeping longer may disrupt your body clock.

Find a more complete list of the benefits of good sleep at www.UPMC.com/Today.

UPMC Health Alert

1-800-533-UPMC 5

UPMC HealthTrak Lets You Manage Your Health Care Online

UPMC Spotlight

Keeping track of health issues, test results, and medications is challengingfor Sandy Hogue*, who is disabled and chronically ill. Because she mustrely on cabs for transportation, seeing a primary care doctor can be an all-day affair.

That’s why she was eager to sign up for UPMC HealthTrak, an Internet-based service that enables patients to receive and manage information about their health. Sandy uses it to monitor her glucose and high cholesterol levels, check test results, make appointments, renew prescriptions, and diagnose medical conditions — all from the comfort of her home in Westmoreland County.

“It’s a good system. I get the medicaltreatment I need faster without spending a day traveling around,” says Sandy. “It keeps me in contact with my doctor and helps me monitormy medical conditions. And if I haveanything contagious, like the flu, it prevents me from infecting other people.”

More patients choosing HealthTrakApproximately 42,000 UPMC patientshave signed on to HealthTrak, whichgives them secure electronic access totheir medical records, medications, andother information. HealthTrak recentlywas expanded to include eVisits — an online digital house call — with a primary care physician. * These patient’s treatment and results may not be representative of similar cases.

During an eVisit, patients select a symptom and complete an interactive questionnaire.

A UPMC doctor then reviews the information and makes a diagnosis. If medication is needed, a prescriptioncan be sent electronically to the patient’s pharmacy.

Oakmont resident Mark Gleeson* usesHealthTrak primarily to keep track ofhis medical records. In October, whenthe computer-savvy 83-year-old camedown with a cough and cold late in the day, he decided to “see” a doctor viaeVisit. Within an hour of completingthe questionnaire, a UPMC doctor responded with medical instructions and a prescription for his sinus infectionand chest congestion.

“It was so convenient, and it worked!Within three days, I felt good as new,”Mark says.

Convenience and comfortAs a graduate student, Robin Sales*relied on HealthTrak to connect withher hometown doctor while attendingschool in Nevada. Now a young professional living in New York City, she continues to use the online servicefor eVisits, to fill prescriptions, and access her medical records.

“It’s comforting. Having easy access to adoctor back home gives me the chanceto find the right doctor for me locally,without rushing into it. It’s one lessthing to worry about,” she says.

Robin, who first used eVisit to consult a doctor about an eye infection, says the online questionnaire asks the samequestions the doctor would ask at an appointment. When she needs medicine,her doctor in Pittsburgh faxes the prescription to her New York drug store two minutes away.

“HealthTrak is great for college studentswho are far from home, the elderly, andother people who have trouble gettingto the doctor. It doesn’t take the place of going to the doctor for regular check-ups, but it’s very useful,” Robinsays. “If only UPMC could figure a way for me to see my dentist online!”

UPMC HealthTrak Benefits

Manage your health from homewith HealthTrak. Here’s what youcan do online:• Send a message to your doctor• View medical records and test results

• Renew prescriptions• Track current health issues such as glucose levels andblood pressure

• Request appointments• Ask billing questions• “See” a doctor (digital house call)

For more information or to sign up,visit www.UPMCHealthTrak.com.


Imagine being in a terrible car accident on your way to the mall.For days and weeks afterwards, you constantly relive the accidentin your mind. You take a different route to shop and, worst of all,

your body won’t let you relax. You can’tsleep — and when you finally do doze off,you’re awakened by nightmares. You can’tconcentrate, your heart pounds, and youbreak out in cold sweats.

“We know that anyone who has undergonesome kind of trauma can be at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder,” explains Anne Germain, PhD, associate professor ofPsychiatry at the University of PittsburghSchool of Medicine. Based at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC,

she currently leads several sleep research projects with returningveterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who have PTSD.

PTSD can be triggered by a single event you’ve experienced or even witnessed — be it an accident, violent crime, or natural disaster — or by ongoing trauma, such as child abuse or domestic violence.

When we experience a life-threatening event, it’s normal for our body to react with a powerful, stressful response; it’s what enables us to fight or flee.

“But for some people, these symptoms persist and worsen,” says Dr. Germain. “The toll can be profound if symptoms are ignored. PTSD has a devastating impact on the lives of peoplewho have it — and on those around them. It also has enormous financial and economic implications.”

PTSD is a relatively new specialization in psychology, and experts are still trying to determine why it affects some people and notothers. Fortunately, for most people, the symptoms of PTSDbegin to ease in about a month. “If they continue, it’s extremelyimportant to seek professional help,” notes Dr. Germain. “Thebest place to begin is to talk with your family doctor and seek a referral to a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist.”

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Could it Happen to You?Most of us associate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with returning military veterans who have experienced the tragedy of war. But you don’t have to be a soldier to undergo the intense feelings of helplessness, horror, and fear that characterize PTSD.

Among the most troubling aspects of chronic PTSD for patients are the recurring nightmares and insomnia it canbring. There is growing evidence that such sleep disorders havea direct impact on both a person’s mental and physical health.

Individuals with PTSD often say theyhave problems falling or staying asleep,and that the sleep they get isn’t refreshing and restorative. “Our sleep research studies with veterans show thatthey have many more sleep disordersthan the general public, including sleepapnea and other breathing problems,”notes Dr. Germain.

With PTSD, nightmares can become an ingrained behavior, a1ecting a

person’s daytime functioning — from faltering concentrationand poor memory, to emotional outbursts.

“By stopping the nightmares and helping to make sleep morenormal, restful, and restorative, patients can overcome otheraspects of chronic PTSD in their lives a bit more easily. Andsleep can be improved in a matter of weeks,” she says.

Dr. Germain uses several methods to treat PTSD-related sleepdisorders, including image reversal therapy. “We help patientsreplace a recurring nightmare with a more positive, a4rmingdream. They write it down and rehearse it several times a dayto train the brain to have a new dream image.”

Individuals interested in participating in Dr. Germain’s sleep research studies for military veterans are invited to call 412-246-6404 or visit www.veteranssleep.pitt.edu.

PTSD and sleep disorders

UPMC's Sleep Medicine Center — accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine — is the only multidisciplinary sleep medicine facility in western Pennsylvania. The center performs approximately 2,000 sleep studies annually for adult patients with all types of sleep disorders. The sta1 at the UPMC Sleep Medicine Center include board certified physicians, certified nurse practitioners, and registered sleep laboratory technologists.

To schedule an appointment, call 412-692-2880.

Did You Know?

1-800-533-UPMC 7

Understanding the Cardiovascular System and You Tuesday, Mar. 15, 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, Apr. 19, 6:30 p.m.CCAC North CampusSpeakers: Daniel Edmundowicz, MS, MD,FACC and Darlene Loebig, RN These educational sessions are for those whowant to begin living a heart healthy lifestyle.Please call 412-369-3701 to register.

Colorectal Cancer: What You Need to KnowWednesday, Mar. 16, 12:30 p.m.Senior Center, Cranberry Township Municipal BuildingSpeaker: Ved Kaushik, MDPrevention, detection, and advancements intreatment options related to colorectal cancerwill be discussed at this seminar. Please call412-367-6640 to register.

Autism Through the Lifespan Wednesday (day one), Apr. 13, 8 a.m.Thursday (day two), Apr. 14, 8 a.m.Passavant Hospital Foundation Conference Center and Legacy TheatreThis two-day event will cover autism fromearly childhood to adolescence (day one), and adolescence through adulthood (day two). CEUs available. Registration is required. For more information, visitwww.passavanthospitalfoundation.org.

Good Nutrition for Seniors: Attainingand Maintaining a Healthy LifestyleWednesday, Apr. 20, 12:30 p.m.Senior Center, Cranberry Township Municipal BuildingSpeaker: Joan Avolio, RN, LDNLearn about healthy eating and exercise, and practical ways to incorporate good nutrition into day-to-day living. Please call412-367-6640 to register.

Legacy Music Series UPMC Passavant–McCandlessPassavant Hospital Foundation is seeking talented musicians who want to help lift people’s spirits and volunteer their time to give the gift of music. Inquiries are nowbeing accepted for 2011 dates. Please call 412-367-6640 for more information.

What’s Happening at UPMC PassavantThese free events are o1ered by the Passavant Hospital Foundation

Welcoming New PhysiciansTo schedule an appointment, or for more information about any of our physicians, visit www.UPMC.com/FindADoctor or call 1-800-533-UPMC (8762).

John T. Comerci, MDGynecologic Surgery

Noedahn Copley-Woods, MDGynecologic Surgery

Anna Dumont, DOFamily Practice

Marsha J. Fino, MD Internal Medicine

Robert M. Friedlander, MD Head and Neck Surgery

Dennis Gabos, MD Cardiology

John M. George, MD Cardiology

Chiara Ghetti, MD Gynecologic Surgery

Pablo G. Giuseppucci, MD General Surgery

Andrew S. Hall, DO Internal Medicine

Steven M. Heilbrunn, MD Cardiology

Wendy M. Helkowski, MD Orthopaedics

Brian T. Jankowitz, MD Head and Neck Surgery

Uma M. Kannapadi, MD Nephrology

Je0 Krachkow, MD Cardiology

John A. Lech, DO Oncology

Ryan M. Levy, MD Thoracic Surgery

Jerry L. Lowder, MD Gynecologic Surgery

Richard J. Lowery, DPM Podiatric Surgery

Richard M. Maleski, DPM Podiatric Surgery

David S. Medich, MD Colorectal Surgery

Antonia A. Mendoza, MD Nephrology

Nabil H. Mikhael, MD Nephrology

Jingjiang Nie, MD Nephrology

Thanh Nguyen, MD Nephrology

Scott G. Rainey, DO Orthopaedics

Lane Y. Schumacher, MD Thoracic Surgery

Michael T. Stang, MD General Surgery

Nangali S. Srinivasa, MD Internal Medicine

Charles H. Srodes, MD Oncology

Przemyslaw J. Sutkowski, MD Nephrology

Ian M. Wu, MD Nephrology

Timothy Wu, MD Cardiovascular Surgery

Brian W. Zimmer, DO Nephrology

Halina M. Zyczynski, MD Gynecologic Surgery

UPMC Passavant9100 Babcock Blvd.Pittsburgh, PA 15237

UPMC Today is published quarterly to provide you with health and wellness information and classes and events available at UPMC.

This publication is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice or replace a physician’s medical assessment. Always consult first with your physician about anything related to your personal health.

Follow UPMC on Facebook.

Call us at 1-800-533-UPMC or visit UPMC.com/Passavant

The strength of UPMC’s advanced spine care is right here.

If you’re suffering from back or neck pain, put your trust in the experts at UPMC Passavant. Our world-class, specially trained surgical team delivers high-quality care for spinalinjuries and painful disk conditions, including highly advanced fusion techniques andthe latest in minimally invasive procedures. And with the addition of several high-techoperating rooms in our new pavilion, our surgeons have access to real-time, integrated, 3-D imaging. This can increase the accuracy of stabilization techniques, minimize operating time, and enable surgeons to perform more complex procedures closer to your home. We even offer a full range of nonsurgical options, including on-site physicaland occupational therapy programs. It all adds up to the premier spine care center northof the city.

PATIENT PAVILION NOW OPEN


This March, Mars area high school students

will take a step back in time for their spring

musical, “Back to the ‘80s.”in the meantime,

students have been busy building the set and, of

course, brushing up on the ‘80s hits.

set in the U.s.a., “Back to the ‘80s” tells the story

of the senior class of William Ocean high school. The

story is told through the eyes of Corey Palmer, played

by ryan Miller. Corey is a now 30-something who

graduated in the 1980s. show-goer's will be invited to

join the cast as they live through their final year at

William Ocean high school.

The 17-year-old version of Corey Palmer, played

by Mark gaynord, is in love with his next-door

neighbor, Tiffany houston, played by Paige Mundy.

she's the coolest girl in school but barely notices him.

Follow Corey as he and the rest of his classmates

experience the fun, heartbreak, loves, and loneliness of

growing up."The characters are all stereotypes of the kids in the

‘80s, with their leg warmers, funky hair, and naive

ideals," says Charlesa Fassinger, the school’s musical

director.although no one in the cast was alive in the ‘80s,

Fassinger admits they have taken quite easily to their

characters. One of the students’ first meetings was a

session on the trends, fads, and fashions of the ‘80s.

Fassinger keeps a running list of the characters, songs,

and the trivia found throughout the script.

“The fashions have been the easiest of all parts

since there are so many parents and grandparents who

lived through that time period,” says Fassinger, who

recommended the students watch some of the classic

MTV and Vh1 videos, as well as movies from that era,

in order to get a better idea of the decade. “i keep

explaining things that i remember from when i was a

starting teacher in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s,” she

admits. “it has been and continues to be a learning

experience for all of us.”

The show's music will include ‘80s favorites from

Wham!, Cindy lauper, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, and

many others.it takes a great deal of practicing to put on a

musical production. students have been working hard

rehearsing after school with Marie andrascik, choral

director; ron Molinaro, band conductor; stacie

Cifrulak, choreographer; and Marlin Clay, set

designer.“somehow this all comes together by the time we

are ready to head into the technical weeks of

rehearsals, when everyone is here every evening,” says

Fassinger.if you don't want to be left wondering whether or

not Corey will finally get the girl of his dreams, don't

miss your chance to see the show Friday, March 18,

and saturday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m. in the Mars area

high school main auditorium. For more information

or to buy tickets, contact the school at 724.625-1581.

Mars Students

Prepare for Journey

Back to the ‘80s

by Jamie Ward

OVERNeed to BEWAREofBoth Buyers and Sellers

pricingas with any major purchase, doing yourhomework should be something you do be-fore you sign on a major loan. never beforehas this been more true than in the housingmarket, where overpricing can create majorheadaches for buyers and sellers.

For sellers, overpricing can mean thatyour home sits on the market longer, raisingflags to potential buyers that something isamiss. For buyers, an overpricedhome can mean a loss in seller’s assistance, money that sellerssometimes bring to the table fromtheir profits to help defray closingcosts for the buyer. Worse yet, ifthere is no appraisal contingencyaddendum attached to the agreement of sale, a buyer may beforced to go through with a homepurchase after being told that it is not worthwhat they have agreed to pay.

sharon Fincham, a realtor with Prudential Preferred realty, said that, in addition to including an appraisal contingency addendum to an offer, you need to make sure that your agent is doing the proper legwork before the offer is even made.

“You have to make sure that your agent does comparisons to similar homes in thearea, knows the market, and gets supporting evidence that the house is really worth what it’s being advertised at before you put in an offer,” Fincham said. “if the housedoesn’t appraise for the agreed upon price, it is unlikely that you will receive any seller’s assist.”

What’s more, overpricing is a one-waystreet by way of mistakes. homeowners wholist their homes for too little may receive multiple offers, allowing the power of freemarket economic supply and demand to take over, driving the price up until it’s comparable to the other homes in the neighborhood.

But there’s no similar failsafe with over-pricing. a home that’s overpriced may get anice offer, but ultimately, the final arbiter ofwhat it’s truly worth is the appraiser, as-signed independently by the bank orlender. That appraisal will dictate the futureof the sale.

The resulting appraisal could tank the sale altogether, or force buyers to seek extra

money or altern ative financing to compensate for the missed seller’s assistance. either way, it’s going tomean a hassle for the buyer and frustration for the seller.

however, if an agent does the homework and knows their business,Fincham said the home should belisted at a fair price, resulting in a relatively smooth sale in reasonable

length of time.“it is now imperative that agents and

clients know the recent selling prices of comparable homes,” she said. “Buyers and sellers agreeing on a price is not necessarily enough anymore. The study of a neighborhood before an offer is madecan save everyone involved a lot of grief and frustration.”

For buyers, an overpriced home can mean a loss in seller’s assistance, money that sellers

sometimes bring to the table from their profits to help defray closing costs for the buyer.

R E A L E S T A T E M A R S A R E A


as the dwindling job market numbers continue tomake the news lately, the professionals in the real estatemarket seem to have one of the best kept secrets going.For those who need some flexibility but desire a jobwith excellent income potential, a career in real estate isan excellent choice.

Whether a person has just finished college or wantsto return to work now that the kids are attendingschool, j oining a sales team at a real estate agency closeto home can lead to income rewards and a flexible workschedule that many people desire. in this day and ageof electronic media, with all of the tools available toagents to help buyers and sellers in acquiring anddisposing of properties, the fast pace of the real estatemarket is an exciting place to work.

People who have just graduated from college h avethe upper hand when it comes to marketing to theirpeers through social network sites. The use of Facebookand linkedin are tools that are being masterfully used to makecontact with their friends, who are generally first time homebuyers.

Those who have taken time off to raise their children and arelooking for an alternative to a standard 9am-5pm job have foundgreat success in a real estate career. kay Beers of howard hanna

seven Fields says that the flexibility of the job is what makes it such an attractive option. “You can control your schedule, andhave a successful career in the real estate field. agents can settheir own hours, and with work hard, reap the financial rewards!”

What makes for a successful real estate professional? Beers says“it’s someone who is empathetic and can relate well to people. Thisis the largest purchase most people will ever make. it’s importantthat someone exploring real estate as a career understand thatworking with people is the name of the game. a person who lovesworking with and around people and can understand their needseasily is one who will make a successful agent.”

The career path to becoming a real estate agent is varied.People who have previously worked in service- oriented fields likenursing, teaching or in the airline industry make great real estateagents. Those who have spent years volunteering their time andare now looking for a paying job, and have honed their skill indealing with different types of personalities generally make a goodtransition into the real estate work force.

a position within a real estate agency can be re warding bothpersonally and financially. The flexibility that comes withsetting your own schedule and the satisfaction of assisting inone of the largest transactions that most people will make, canmake the difference between a just doing a job and a creating asuccessful career.



Many finding the flexibility and income potential excellent

Real Estate as a Career



Maureen Cavanaugh, with howard hanna real estate, said that sellers need to re-educate themselves if they want to remain competitive in today’s market and make a profit on their homes.

“selling your home is very different today, and it’s been a progres-sive thing,” Cavanaugh said. “Ten years ago, you could list your homeas is. Buyers were willing to come in and do updates. With the changes that occurred in the last three and four years, the expectation of buyers has dramatically risen. Many sellers whohave lived in their homes for years with a lot of equity should consider doing as many updates asthey are willing to do.”

Those updates will reap more money when itcomes to their final sale price, Cavanaugh said.no updates will result in a lesser price.

“it really depends on the house. i’mdealing with someone right now that has a nice home of 32 years, and they’ve spent three months and have done everything. They’re spending upwards of $25,000, but it will take their saleprice from the $380,000 range to$425,000 or $430,000. They will recoup what they put into it,” Cavanaugh said. “and the reason is that today’s buyers want to move in, put down the furniture,start paying the mortgage, and get on with their lives.

They don’t want to be bogged down with the projects and upgradeslike taking down old wallpaper.”

if you don’t have a budget for upgrades, Cavanaugh said that evenminor cosmetic changes can improve your odds of getting more foryour home when it comes time to sell. These types of upgrades in-clude updating the hardware on cabinets to more contemporarystyles. at the very least, Cavanaugh suggests getting rid of any junk,

cleaning thoroughly, and doing some rudimentary staging. “exposing hardwood floors is a no-brainer. You don’t

have to paint the whole house beige. You can still havesome color and have some interest,” she said.

“But everything should be sparkling.”Cavanaugh said that now that the

first-time homebuyer frenzies spurredby government tax rebates are over, the bulk of homebuyers are mid-level buyers looking in the$150,000 to $300,000 range

with access to affordable mortgage money.

“These are relocation buyers, and they want all the bells and whistles,”

she said. “They want to buy more, and they want it done.”

X

In today’s post-housing-bust world, selling your home isn’t the same process that it may have been when you moved in 10 years ago.

Reeducation Seller

ADVERTISE [email protected]

724.940.0940

ars Area

Hay Singom


For the

fourth year in a row, MiddlesexTownship has managed to keepits taxes at bay.

“it’s been our goal to either keep the tax rate the same or reduce itover time,” said Township Manager scot Fodi. “We scrutinize all of ourexpenses, from liability insurance to healthcare insurance to what it coststhe township to purchase commodities.”

Fodi puts the township’s insurance out for bid every year. “nocur rent supplier to Middlesex is comfortable because they know we willgo out and get the best prices every time,” he said. and it saved thetownship $30,000 in liability insurances this year.

Fodi says that being aggressive with underestimating revenuestreams has helped him to keep the township’s taxes from rising. “Wealways underestimate our revenues and never budget for unaccountedfunds. Over the pa st two budget cycles, we underestimated revenuescollected from the earned income (Wage) Tax solely due toeconomy,” he said. “We assumed a 5% reduction; we are almost 7%

down in actual numbers.”2010 also marked the fourth year in a row that the township spent

over half a million dollars on its infrastructure. “a lot of our work isunderground and not seen by the eye,” said Fodi. storm pipes andinlets, and improving drainage along roadways are a few improvementsmade that insure that storm-water and water from snow melting drainsaway from roads as fast as possible. The township installs 500–1000feet of storm pipe every year, which allows it to come back and rebuildroads appropriately.

“it's pretty significant for a township of our size and population baseto spend over $500,000 annually on road paving,” said Fodi. “But withthe amount of roads we have, it’s prudent that we spend at least thatamount each year on our infrastructure.”

“residents, in general, will not say a word if their cable bill goes up,but if a property tax increase proposed an increase of $20–40 dollarsannually, people become upset,” added Fodi. “residents like to drive onroads that are smooth, safe, and convenient. a towns hip is generallyjudged on the quality of its roads – not just its school districts – whenpeople are choosing where to live,” he said. “as long as we can keep ourtax rates consistent and put capital money in the infrastructure of thecommunity, hopefully people will choose us.”

Middlesex TownshipHolds Line on Taxes

There’s a whole world of informationout there when it comes tohomebuilding and remodeling.

Which wood molding is best suited forstaining? Which deck material lasts longestfor the price? Which window requires theleast maintenance?

at h.P. starr lumber Company,employees have an average of more than 10years of experience with the company and areready, willing and able to answer all of thosequestions and any more that you can think of.

Bruce edwards, one of the owners of h.P.starr, said that experience, expertise andbreadth of product selection are whatcustomers come to h.P. starr for, not tomention value.

“i would describe value as a combinationof quality of product, the service providedwhile selecting the product, and getting theappropriate product for the project at thebest price,” edwards said.

h.P. starr has everything you would needto build a house from the foundation to theroof. and while you could call h.P. starr a“one-stop shop” for your building needs, it’sstill a family business at heart. There are twolocations, one on route 8 in glade Mills andthe other on route 68 near evans City. Theglade Mills homestead has been in existencesince the 1880s, and was once the starrfamily farm. This location began servingcustomers in 1948 and the evans Citylocation later opened in 1984. in 1998, h.P.

Expertise and Experience for Your Projectsfrom the Foundation to the Roof

H.P. Starr Lumber Company

starr merged with another family-ownedlumber business, Brookside lumber, in thesouth hills of Pittsburgh. edwards said themerger brought more than just two familiestogether; it combined the experience ofdozens of employees, making the company averitable trove of knowledge when it comesto all the products they offer.

“We have conversations with ourcustomers,” edwards said. “We can reallydrill down into their projects and make surethey leave here with the best products fortheir projects. Can you go buy a 1”x12” boardsomewhere? sure. Can you come here?absolutely. But what you’ll find here is abroader selection and the people who cangive you the appropriate guidance so thatyou’re getting what you need, not what abrochure says you need.”

edwards said that expertise is even morevaluable today with the majority of customersperusing the internet for ideas on projectsand materials.

“When you’re on a manufacturer’swebsite, you’ll read that their product is thebest for your project, hands down, and youshouldn’t even consider anything else outthere,” edwards said. “But if you’re lookingfor moulding, for instance, there are manychoices, each with their own advantages in

their own situations. You could go with ahardwood, a composite, vinyl or MDF.Which is the best value for your project? Themanufacturer won’t tell you that, but we can.”

Multiply that by the hundreds of qualitybrands of siding, trim, windows, doors andcabinets, along with building materials, andthat wealth of knowledge can be worth itsweight in gold to a homeowner.

For a tour of many of the products thath.P. starr lumber Company stocks, visit thecompany website – www.starrlumber.com.h.P. starr lumber Company is located at2134 evans City road, 724.776.2800, and1011 Pittsburgh road, 724.898.1501. Bothlocations are open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.weekdays, and saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.


Older Adults in Mars Area


ow that the holidays are behind us,you’re hopefully putting that smoking

credit card back into your wallet or purse fora while.

But even though this may be a downtime for you and your credit card, it’s notime to be lax about your credit cardsecurity.

so what do you need to know aboutkeeping your credit card safe? First, off,don’t give yourself a pin number that’s easyto guess. issuing banks typicall y assign you arandom pin number when you first get yourcard that you can change later. keep thisassigned number and avoid picking a pin foryourself like “1234” or your birth date.While it may be easy for you to remember,those choices are also very easy for predatorsto figure out.

if you make a lot of online purchases orjust want to dip your toes into the world ofinternet shopping, get yourself a dedicatedcard with a low credit limit. You can open upa secured credit card at most financialinstitutions that require you to deposit abalance to borrow against, allowing you toopen a card with a $500 limit. Your depositwill gain interest and you will be able to useyour card for online purchases. What’s more,most scammers try to run a small purchase

through before running a larger purchase onthe card. You may not notice a $0.32 chargeright away, but when your bank calls youasking if you tried to purchase a $779 laptop,you’ll be happy your limit was low enough tobe declined.

if your credit card number iscompromised, you should call your bankimmediately and report it. While police areable to enforce credit card fraud on a locallevel, with the internet the person trying torun your numbers may be six states away, ifthey’re in the Unitedstates at all. in all cases,the sooner it’s reported,the better. Your bankwill cancel the cardnumber and reissue youanother card.

While you’re online,keep in mind that yourbank will most likelynever contact you via e-mail regarding youraccount. if you do get ane-mail from a bank thatyou use, double checkthe address. Chances areit will be slightly askewfrom any legitimate

address. instead of “@yourcreditcard.com,”you may see, “@yourcreditcard1.com” or“@yourcreditcard.uk.” Banks understandthat scammers routinely try to get you togive up your personal information via e-mail.Therefore, most have secured e-mailavailable through their websites, where youcan be sure you’re talking straight tolegitimate bank representatives.

lastly, if you have several credit c ardsthat you use often, take the time to flip themover and write down the 1-800 customer

service numbers on theback and keep that listin a safe place. it’s alsoa good idea to keep acopy in your purse orwallet. This way, whenyou notice your card ismissing and are frantic,you can at least go toyour list and call toreport the missingcard. in the end, you shouldtreat your credit cardlike you would trea tyour cash—neverleave it lying around.

G o o d T i d i n g s f o r t h e G r e a t e s tG e n e r a t i o n

f the last time you took holiday photos required clumsilyspooling film into your 35 mm camera, don’t be intimidated by

what technology has done to photography in the past few years. infact, once you have some basics down, you may find that yourdigital camera is easier to use than you thought.

so let’s start at the beginning and go over your new toy fromstem to stern. We can’t gointo detail about everyfeature of every camera, butluckily most cameras sharethe same properties, so wecan cover most scenarios.

More than likely, yourcamera came with alithium ion battery packand charger. all you needto know about this is thatthis battery can last along time. Thanks toself-timers built into yourcamera, if you forget to shut it off, it will shut offautomatically for you, saving battery life and allowing you to takethat unexpected shot when the time comes. That said, the batterywon’t last forever, especially if you are shooting with the flash oftenor shooting video, if your camera has that feature. if you knowyou’re going to be somewhere with a lot of natural light, turn yourflash off altogether and shoot longer.

The second thing to familiarize yourself with is your memorycard. Cameras come with a variety of memory cards to choosefrom. regardless of the kind your camera takes, just remember thatbigger is better. a 16 gigabyte memory card can hold hundreds ofphotos, and if you’re not in the habit of printing your photos rightaway or moving them to your computer, the extra space is a must.how many pictures you can store on your memory card dependson your resolution setting for your pictures. Your resolution is howbig the picture is. if you’re shooting for a website, low resolutionsare better because the file size is smaller. however, if you try toprint the same low resolution photo as an 8x10, it will appeardistorted or “pixilated” because the camera wasn’t set to capture allof the fine details of the image. With most point-and-shoot camerason high resolution, you can print very large prints or zoom in tocrop shots for better composition.

The last thing to get to know is the UsB cable. This is the cablethat came with your camera and connects it to any UsB port onyour computer. Through this cable, you can transfer your imagesfor future sorting, correction, or sharing.

Believe it or not, once you have those things down, your digitalcamera has many of the same features of your old 35 mm. You canzoom in, set a timer so you have a chance to get into frame, and seta scenic mode where you can select how the camera operates incertain conditions, such as a portrait, sports shot, night shot, orlandscape. Your manual will list the specific icons and theirmeanings. Don’t be afraid to leaf through it if you get stuck.Manuals have come a long way as well and are clearly written forusers of all experience levels.

Senior Agencies

Mars Senior Center Penn Mar Plaza Gilkey Dr. Mars, PA 16046 724.625.4466

Transportation For Older AdultsThere are several agenciesthat offer free or reducedrate transportation servicesto individuals who qualify.

BART (Butler Area & RuralTransit)This is a shared ridesystem transporting 60+seniors to senior centers,medical appointments,adult day care, and otherdestinations within ButlerCounty using lift vans.BART is available Mondaythrough Friday from 7 a.m.to 5 p.m.Reservations can be madeup to one week in advanceor as late as the morning ofthe day before the desiredtrip. Advanced scheduling ishighly recommended.Please schedule early bycalling 724.282.6060. Toregister and for moreinformation, please callAudrey at 724.282.1904.

AIRE RIDE Provides transportation toout of county medicalappointments for 60+seniors. Residents must livein Butler City or south of

Butler City. Aire Ride tripsare scheduled for Tuesdayappointments only. Theactual medical appointmenttime needs to be between10 a.m. and 2 p.m.Trip requests should bemade two weeks in advanceby calling the Area Agencyon Aging office at724.282.3008 or1.888.367.2434. Ridersmust pre-register toparticipate.

THE AREA AGENCY ON AGINGUtilizes volunteer drivers totransport seniors over theage of 60 to medicalappointments in and out ofButler County through theMedical TransportationService.Riders must register and triprequests must be made twoweeks in advance bycalling the Area Agency onAging Office at724.282.3008 or1.888.367.2434.

Are you a nonprofit SeniorCenter serving the needs of our community’s olderadults?

We would be happy to postyour contact [email protected] with yourcenter’s name and phonenumber.


What's Your Style?Fireplaces have come a long way from the

typical wood-burning variety. They can bespecifically designed to fit any room, and thereare a large variety of fuels to produce heat orjust glow! A wood burning fireplace is theclassic option. They provide a beautiful flame,crackling wood sound and heat. Newer to themarket are gas fireplaces which can bedesigned to imitate real burning wood, buttheir fuel source is natural gas or propane. Gasburns cleanly and is much more convenientthan its wood-burning counterpart. Electricfireplaces have some of the same advantages asgas-burning fireplaces, but have the extrabenefit of being able to flip a switch and haveinstant ambience!

Which is the Right Investment for You?When deciding which option in fireplaces is

right for your home, it is important to look at thespace limitations in your home. Determine howmuch heat you need from the unit and whetheryou plan to do it yourself or hire a professional.Another thing to consider is that if you do nothave a chimney in the house, installing one willadd additional expense. Your choice of fuel forthe fire should also be considered. Dealing withsplit wood—The stacking and handling, versusturning on a switch to give you the fire issomething to think about when choosingoptions. Adding a fireplace to any room in yourhome will add value to your home and provide acomfortable setting for you to relax.

Add Warmth, Style and Value to Your Home


lutheran seniorlifewill open the doorsto a new, state-of-

the-art assisted livingfacility this May thatpromises to be the pinnacleof assisted-living care withmemory support.

The 30-bed center, called roseCrest afterMartin luther’s rose and the fact that the centeris situated on a hill, will boast all-private suiteswith flat-screen televisions, sitting areas andoutdoor courtyard. The one-story facility isdesigned with easily accessible “neighborhoods,”and 24-hour memory support services,including nursing and related care.

residents will receive three meals a day,including a daily snack, and benefit from thefacility’s proximity to st. John specialty CareCenter, also part of the lutheran seniorlifecampus.

karen russell, executive director of st. Johnspecialty Care Center, said roseCrest has a

number of amenitiesthat will make itstand out fromother facilities ofits kind.

“Thecreative designof this facility

will give residents thefeeling that it’s just like home.it’s a very non-institutional look,” russellsaid. “residents will live in suites, situatedaround a center community area with nursingstaff able to provide emergency response whenneeded most.”

russell said that all aspects of roseCrest aredesigned with the safety and well-being of theresidents in mind.

“From the outdoor courtyard and otheramenities, which are all secured so our residentscan enjoy the outdoors without leaving thepremises, to the monthly wellness checks,roseCrest is a leader,” russell said.

“housekeeping is included in their stay.There’s also an activity center and coordinatedtransportation to local destinations. it’s all partof the st. John Campus - st. John specialty CareCenter in Mars, which was our only facility onthat campus until now. after roseCrest, we’llbegin construction of residential livingapartments on that campus. There may be otherthings down the road, but when you look at theskilled nursing, assisted and residential living, wehave all elements necessary designating st. Johnas a certified Continuing Care retirementCommunity.”

st. John currently serves 300 residents.lutheran seniorlife also has a campus inzelienople – the 42-acre Passavant retirementCommunity, which, like st. John, offers all levelsof senior living care.

lutheran seniorlife also has residentialliving communities in hempfield and Butler,and a 31-unit apartment building inMcCandless – The Commons at stonebrookVillage.

The organization also has several programsfor those in need, including its “liFe”Programs. liFe stands for “livingindependence For the elderly,” and iscomprised of partnerships with area hospitalsfor low-income senior citizens or those who aremedical-assistance eligible. Partnerships exist inthree counties - Butler, Beaver, and lawrence -and allow nursing-home eligible seniors to betransported to liFe centers for their routineservices, including daily meals, up to three dayseach week.

“We are developing a waiting list forroseCrest, but it’s not filled yet,” she said.“Those who are eligible and interested shouldcall as soon as possible so that they can beaccommodated.”

For more information on roseCrest, go towww.lutheranseniorlife.org, or call724.625.1900.

Lutheran SeniorLifeto Open New Assisted Living

Care Facility in Mars


P l a C e s O F W O r s h i P

Bible Baptist Church. . . . . . . . . . . . 724.776.2780Calvin Presbyterian Church . . . . . 724.452.7560Christian Community

Church of Mars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 724.625.3230 Congregation B'Nai Abraham . . . . 724.287.5806Cranberry Baptist Church. . . . . . . . 724.776.3110Cranberry Community United . . . 724.776.5310Cranberry Reformed

Presbyterian Fellowship . . . . . . 724.443.0892Crossroads Community Church . . 724.776.6763CrossWay Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 724.898.4600Discovery Christian Church . . . . . . 724.779.1010Dutilh United Methodist Church . 724.776.1094First Presbyterian Church

of Bakerstown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 724.443.1555Focus Community Church . . . . . . . 724.612.4411Fountain Park Church. . . . . . . . . . . 724.779.2003Glade Run Presbyterian Church . . 724.898.3503Good Samaritan Church

of the Brethren. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 724.776.5508 Gospel Fellowship

Presbyterian Church. . . . . . . . . . 724.898.3322Grace Community Church. . . . . . . 724.779.7997Hope Lutheran Church . . . . . . . . . . 724.776.3141Mars Alliance Church . . . . . . . . . . . 724.776.9400

Mars United Methodist Church . . 724.625.1488Mars United Presbyterian Church 724.625.1365New Life Anglican Church . . . . . . . 724.614.7746Oak Hill Alliance Church. . . . . . . . . 724.776.4350Old Union Presbyterian Church . . 724.538.8672 Plains Presbyterian Church &

Cranberry Nursery School. . . . . . 724.538.8785St. Ferdinand Catholic Church . . . 724.776.2888St. John Lutheran Church

of Mars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 724.625.1830Saint Kilian Catholic Parish . . . . . . 724.625.1665United Methodist Center. . . . . . . . 724.776.2300 Valencia Presbyterian Church . . . . 724.625.2002Valencia United

Methodist Church . . . . . . . . . . 724.625.2330Victory Family Church . . . . . . . . . . 724.435.6200Woodland Valley Church . . . . . . . . 724.625.4500

We are interested in highlighting your church!

If you are a member of the Clergy fromthis area and would like to contributean inspirational message that all of ourreaders might enjoy, please contactMarybeth Jeffries, managing editor, [email protected]

for more information.

new Year’s Day is an odd little holiday.For most of us, it’s an opportunity tostay up late and have a party or to

extend the Christmas festivities. But themeaning of the holiday itself is pretty trivial:time to buy a new calendar and remember todate your checks with a different year.Perhaps you’ll use it as an opportunity tochange something in your life by making anew Year’s resolution. This year i’d like tosuggest that you try something different. andfor inspiration, i’d like to suggest that youconsider a pagan god, of all things.

Usually, being called two-faced is aninsult. But roman mythology included a two-faced god named Janus; our month of Januaryis named after him. For the romans, Januswas the god of gateways, doors, beginningsand endings. he was depicted with two faceslooking in opposite directions, so that hecould see both what was in front of him andwhat was behind him. if you’ve wished for

eyes in the back of your head, you canunderstand the advantage that Janus had.

The romans’ consideration of Janusextended beyond the literal, physical,practical aspect of having a guardian god thatyou could never sneak up on. Janus was alsounderstood to be the god for times oftransition: when something ends andsomething else begins. Metaphorically, hecould look back upon the past, but also lookto the future.

as you change your calendar and practicewriting 2011 instead of 2010, i invite you tobe two-faced. First, spend some timereflecting on what happened in the past year.remember what god has done in your life.how has he changed you? What wondershave you been able to experience? Whatchallenges has god brought you through?What has god taught you in 2010? andsecond, think about what 2011 will be for you.We of course have no idea what surprises and

changes are in store for us. But we should bewatching for the new things that god will do,so that we can respond to them with faith.We can prepare ourselves to participate in theunfolding of his plan that we will see in 2011.


This inspirational message was written by rev. Peter C. de Vries, Ph.D.,

Pastor, Old Union Presbyterian Church. You can find out more about him by

visiting their website, oldunionchurch.com.

it’s Time to Be Two-Faced

S P R I N G 2 0 1 1

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What is a stranger?

What should I do if astranger tries to talkto me?

What if I am out withmy family?

Strangers – What do I do?



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ars Area

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The first thing you need to consider is the space itself. Is it finished at all? Manyattics in the area are open spaces broken up byroof and flooring joists and wads of insulation.The first thing you want to do is inspect yourattic for leaks and whether those joists arestrong enough to support extra weight.

You can add flooring by screwing downplywood or other subflooring. Avoid nailingmaterials down to prevent damagingthe ceilings underneath you throughthe vibrations of hammer blows.

Once you have your flooring down, youcan decide whether or not you want to finishthe ceiling joists. You can insulate and attachdrywall or plywood to these joists, dependingon how fancy you want to get with thefinished look; or you may decide that havingthe recessed areas between the joists isbeneficial to your storage needs. Keep in mindthat a triangular space is limiting only if youhave boxes or items that you need to storevertically. Items that are smaller and that canbe arranged into nooks and crannies can beideal for these odd-shaped spaces. Also keepin mind that, because of the nature of atticaccess in older homes, the route to your atticmay be through a small trap door in a hallcloset, so items you put in the attic might belimited to long-term or permanent storage,like old college textbooks, holiday decorations,luggage, or all those old National Geographicsthat you can’t throw away because the picturesare too pretty.

If you do have easy access to your attic, either by way of a

dedicated staircase or pull-downsteps, more options may offerthemselves to you. Even tightattics have enough room forseveral two-drawer filingcabinets, allowing you to storemany years’ worth of taxreturns or product manuals.

Easier access means even more versatilitywhen it comes to your storage plan. Ratherthan long term, you can use the space forthings that require infrequent use—bins forextra blankets and pillows for when guests arein town, large children’s toys or games thatdon’t get played with during the school week,and sporting equipment when it’s out ofseason. Storing items like these in the attic willkeep them out of dank basement conditions,and, in the case of linens and sportingequipment, keep the smell of mildew away.

Keep in mind that the attic, while dryerthan the basement, still has its own set ofissues. Temperatures often vary wildly inattics depending on how insulated they are, so items that can’t stand high heat or lowtemperatures – like candles, forinstance – may not fare wellin the attic environment.Each space is different, buteach is unique, and how youuse that space can be a funproject for the whole family.

f you’re more than four feet tall and live in westernPennsylvania, chances are that your attic is not a

comfortable space that you would consider livable.Your attic can be modified, however, by the do-it-yourselfer into more than adequate storage fora variety of your belongings, if you get creative.



On saturday, October 30, the Mars area high schoolMarching Band was named the Pennsylvania interscholasticMarching Band association’s (PiMBa) class aaa champion withthe high score of 86.15. Mars also took the award for high Music,high Visual, and high general effect. Under the direction ofTammi redmond, this spectacular win was the culmination ofthree months of ongoing work and competition by this award-winning band.

The band has earned championship titles in 11 of the last 15years, most recently being named PiMBa class aa champions in2008 and 2009, before moving up to aaa class this year.

Mars area high school Marching Band is comprised ofstudents from Mars area high school and Mars area Middleschool. This talented and dedicated group of young people fromthe Mars area school District work tirelessly from augustthrough October to ensure an award-winning season.

Mars Band: PIMBA AAA Champions

When it comes time to plan for thebiggest day of your life, you maynot know where to start. Planning

a wedding is a challenging, time consumingand expensive task, which is why those whocan afford it oftentimes hire weddingplanners. But for those of us who have tokeep an eye on the budget, knowing what tolook for in your wedding venue can save youtime and money up front, and less hasslewhen it’s over.

Obviously, you want to pick a venuesuitable to the size of your anticipatedinvitation list, and you want to pick it early.Popular venues can be booked well over ayear in advance, and if you’re getting marriedon a date that’s unique – like Dec. 12, 2012,or 12/12/12, you’re going to want to startlooking immediately.

Robin Craig, Director of Sales for theHilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh/Southpointe,said couples should plan out 12 to 18 monthswhen booking a venue.

“They need to sit down and find out theirguest list and their budget. Once theydetermine the guest list, we can start quotingpricing,” Craig said. “Next year , 9/10/11 is abig date, and we’re already booked. Also,10/11/12 would be a hot date. Our hotmonths are September and October and Mayand June. If you’re a teacher, June and July arebusy months.”

Once you have that location selected and itappeals to your personal sense of style andaesthetics, you should evaluate anything thatmay be taken for granted, such as ingress andegress and parking. Is the wedding/receptionhall easy to find? Are there covered porticos fordropping off guests in case of inclementweather or for those who have trouble walkingwithout assistance? Will guests be able to findthe hall easily, or is it hidden deep in a labyrinthof hallways? And are the restrooms close by?

“All of our parking is complimentary,”Craig said. “If you want valet, we can provideit for a fee.”

Once you have the building chosen, youshould discuss logistics of the day with anyfacility manager responsible for the site.Important items to discuss include catering –can you hire your own caterer or is there acaterer specific to the venue you’ve chosen? Isthere an additional charge for alcohol and canyou furnish your own? Will linens beprovided and who will be responsible forsetting up and tearing down the tables andchairs? Is there a suggested room layout forweddings? Having a tried and true seatingarrangement for the venue can save youheadaches later on when you’re trying tofigure out where to place the bridal table.Lastly, knowing how early you can arrive andhow late you can stay will be crucialinformation for anyone from caterers to yourbridal party.

Craig said her venue offers full linens withchair covers, sashes, mirrors, candles andchampagne toasts. It also offerscomplimentary bridal party refresher rooms.They can tray cookies at no charge andprovide a gourmet coffee station. It also offersa complimentary overnight room for thebride and groom.

Lastly, find out all of the financial detailsup front. Many venues have service chargesthat are above and beyond your bill. Get all ofyour charges in writing, up front before yousign for your venue. You don’t want to findout afterwards that there was a food andbeverage minimum that you didn’t attain, orthat it was ok for you to bring your own wine,but forgot to inquire about corking fees.

Craig said service charge at her venue is21 percent and sales tax is 6 percent. Theyalso have food and drink minimums.However, discounts are offered for grouproom rentals for overnight guests and for off-peak days and months. Weddings inJanuary-March and November, and thoseheld on Fridays and Sundays, are consideredoff-peak.

If you do your homework up front, there’snothing stopping you from having thefairytale wedding you’ve always dreamed of.Keep in mind, like any successful marriage,wedding planning is hard work, but work thatyou’ll reap rewards from in the end.



By Pamela Palongue

s anyone who knows me personally will tell you, I am no expert onsocial occasions. However, based upon the theory that even astopped clock is right twice a day, I have made enough social faux pas to

speak authoritatively on what not to do at a wedding. Some helpful tips are listedbelow to help get you through the season of bliss.

Given the fact that marriage is a formidable undertaking and the courageoussouls who dare to tread the rose-strewn path are likely to be distraught, hysterical,

and panic-stricken, you owe it to the happy couple to be the best weddingguest possible. These helpful tips are the very foundation of thesocial graces. If you follow them carefully, you will glide effortlesslyfrom wedding celebration to reception party in a virtual whirl ofneurotic enthusiasm.

Never wear white to a wedding. This includeseggshell, ecru, light cream, pearl lustre and Tahitian coconut.

Never attempt to upstage the bride (unless of course youhate the bride, in which case you probably reallyshouldn’t be attending the wedding anyway, given thespirit of the whole love and happiness thing).

At Jewish weddings do not ask, “What is that big thingthey’re standing under?”

At Catholic weddings try to refrain from asking, “Why isthis taking so long?” The well-prepared wedding guestremembers to bring snacks for himself and his friends.(Avoid crunchy snacks that may disrupt the ceremony.)

NEVER bet on how long the marriage will last at thereception. All odds-making must be done outside thereception venue. (In the event of inclement weather,the lobby or bathroom is acceptable.)

Never complain about the food at the wedding receptionwith your mouth full of food from the wedding reception.It’s a credibility issue.

Throw only designated throwing materials at the brideand groom, such as rice and rose petals. Shoes, Jell-O,and steak knives are not acceptable. Ever. Even whenthey are within the appropriate wedding color scheme.

The wedding day is NOT the proper time to share the factthat you once dated the groom, the bride, or their parents.In fact, the proper time to share this information may notactually exist.

If you simply must dance at the reception, remember youare not trying out for “Dancing With The Stars.” If youthrow your partner in the air, make sure you catch them.Missing is considered grounds for divorce in most states.Avoid high kicks, which may warrant medical attention.

Many people adhere to the time-honored adage, “It’s not aparty till something gets broken.” However, avoidbreaking things that are irreplaceable, expensive, and likelyto lead to a law suit. Cell phones and glasses are okay.

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