Leslie Savisky stories, Page 3
Monroeville Rotary uses fundraiser proceeds to help combat hunger
Monroeville Rotary’s Taste of Spring fundraiser netted $8,200 to fight hunger in the community. Approximately 125 people gathered at Events on Ten in the Jonnett Building to make the event the largest Rotary fundraiser in recent years. Fourteen vendors and multiple sponsors assisted. “We are thrilled to say that the...
Gateway school board tables 2 items, revisits cellphone policy
Gateway school board is holding off on a decision regarding a new food service vehicle and electronic scoreboard. The district is down one food service vehicle and discussed the purchase a cargo van for food delivery within the district. Directors Robin Mungo and Jack Bova questioned the need for a...
Divine Mercy Academy holds 4th annual cheer camp
Thirty-three students attended Divine Mercy Academy’s fourth annual Saber Summer Cheer Camp in June, with the theme of “Neon Lights and Saber Nights.” The Monroeville parochial school’s cheer camp was available to all area children entering kindergarten through 8th grade in the fall. Campers did not have to be Divine...
Gateway may purchase food service truck, free lunches offered
Gateway School District may be in the market for a new food service vehicle. During a board discussion meeting earlier this month, business manager Mike Zourelias told the Monroeville district’s school directors that bulk food deliveries are sometimes brought to one of the buildings and must be moved to the...
Monroeville charter school celebrates service, achievements of 6 graduates
More than 100 people attended Spectrum Charter School’s graduation ceremony in Monroeville on May 23, when six seniors received their high school diplomas. Spectrum students, families, board of trustees, faculty and staff gathered for the ceremony and luncheon to recognize graduates J. Balf, Jackson Carney, Aiden Ferguson, Mira Shank-Koster, Jupiter...
Joe Winkler’s ‘Oil Paintings and Other Delights’ coming to Monroeville Library
Friends of the Monroeville Public Library will host award-winning fine artist and graphic designer Joe Winkler June 27 - July 29 at the library’s Gallery Space. The exhibit,“Oil Paintings and Other Delights,” will feature Winkler’s original works, most of which are his take on still life subjects. Winkler often acquires...
Monroeville Lions, Rotary clubs explore partnership opportunities
The Monroeville Lions Club and Monroeville Rotary probably have more in common than some might think. On June 5, Monroeville Rotary invited Lions member David Zimmer to their monthly town hall meeting at the library to discuss potential collaboration opportunities, such as Adopt-A-Highway. “We’re looking for partners and other organizations...
Monroeville Public Library celebrates annual tea fundraiser
Here’s hoping Roald Dahl would have been proud, as Monroeville Public Library held its fourth annual tea fundraiser on June 1 at the Lourdes Center on Divine Mercy Academy’s campus. This year’s theme was “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and participants came decked out in their favorite Willy Wonka gear....
Walk-A-Thon helps to fund Monroeville school’s activities
Divine Mercy Academy Catholic students got to exercise and enjoy the spring weather recently at their annual walk-a-thon, the largest fundraiser for the Monroeville school’s parent-teacher guild. “It’s the kids’ most fun fundraiser,” said Tina Cuda, mother of two and parent-teacher guild fundraising chair. “Students, family and friends make pledges...
Monroeville Mall shop fills special request for Beyoncé fan
SpectroDolce in Monroeville Mall, a business created to give adults with autism to a safe place to gain work experience and job readiness skills, recently fulfilled a special request from a Beyoncé fan. The customer wanted a package of custom Oreos for her friends, who were attending the Beyoncé concert...
Monroeville church celebrates Scottish heritage
Monroeville’s Hillcrest United Presbyterian Church recently celebrated Scottish Heritage Sunday — a day filled with a special service, music and food. The all-ages, community-wide celebration on May 4 remembered the historic sacrifice of Scottish Presbyterians, whose faith had wide-ranging effects that went beyond Scotland. The worship service reflected on the...
Monroeville Rotarians offer assistance, validation with college scholarships
Monroeville Rotary recently awarded $1,000 scholarships to six Gateway High School seniors based on a variety of factors, including merit, financial need, community service, academics and written essay. Connor Evans plays hockey and bocce, is a member of Chick-fil-A Leader Academy and InterAct Club and has a 3.64 GPA. Evans...
Gateway school board expected to OK budget, grant money
Gateway school board is expected to adopt a 2025-26 general fund budget when directors meet May 27. Property owners in the district will pay more an additional 1.2 mills in real estate taxes, from 24 mills to 25.2 mills, for next school year. That’s about $2,527.18 on each $100,000 of...
Husband and wife use unconventional tools to create artwork
Sam Gentile was always intrigued by the arts, but his interest really piqued about a decade ago. Following his retirement from the science and engineering field, he began taking classes and workshops with his artist wife, Judith. He didn’t intend to learn rules or techniques; Sam wanted to create artwork...
Gateway adds new vendors, service work to skilled trades, career fair
Nearly 40 technical schools, local unions, college representatives and vendors gathered at Gateway High School on May 7 for the district’s fifth annual Skilled Trades and Career Fair. “The setup is similar to the College Fair held during the first semester,” school counselor Kurt Martin said. “The reps all looked...
Gateway party rewards positive student behavior
About 100 Gateway High School students participated in the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports celebration recently and enjoyed a petting zoo, games and treats. Faculty has been working with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit to roll out the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, or PBIS, program since the covid pandemic. “Essentially,...
Gateway board hears presentation from robotics club, approves vestibule work
Quasics — Gateway High School’s robotics club — is hoping the school board approves $10,000 in annual funding to cover the registration fees for the group’s competitions. Team members Salma Mukhtar, Emma Parrish and Vivian Rader made a presentation and thanked the board at a recent meeting for previous funding,...
Gateway students provide care packages for cancer patients
Gateway High School Chick-fil-A Leader Academy students recently spent one morning preparing care packages for cancer patients at AHN Cancer Institute Forbes. The cancer center in Monroeville sees 250 patients each week, and the teens wanted to provide tote bags for every patient. Each school year, the high school organization...
Flowers are a common theme for artist featured at Monroeville library
As a child, Stacey Pydynkowski didn’t encounter much art in the traditional sense of visiting galleries or museums, but was instead fascinated by the visual imagery in everyday life — especially in nature. “The vibrant flowers in my neighbor’s garden bed in the trailer park I grew up in inspired...
Gateway students decorate, distribute bags for Earth Day project
Kassandra Poliziani started organizing school Earth Day projects before she began teaching at Gateway. “This is my sixth year doing the project at Gateway and I previously started it at Blairsville school district,” Poliziani said. The kindergarten teacher begins by picking up paper bags — which are donated by Giant...
Tax hike expected for Gateway School District property owners
Property owners in the Gateway School District will pay more in real estate taxes if the tentative 2025-26 budget is approved. School directors Monday voted to move forward with a $98.6 million spending plan for next school year, a 4.8% increase over this year’s budget. The tentative budget includes a...
Spectrum Charter School students showcase their talents during Autism Awareness Month
Spectrum Charter School has been holding its annual talent show since before special education teacher Lori Yurkovich started working there in 2005. Every year, students showcase their skills by singing, dancing, telling jokes or reading poetry. Some students have unique talents, such as spinning balls, while others will use the...
Monroeville Rotary hosts cafe founder, Big Brothers Big Sisters coordinator
On the first Thursday of every month, Monroeville Rotary showcases different nonprofits. Rotary’s meeting on April 3 at the Monroeville Public Library hosted Kevin Bode, founder of Knead Community Café in New Kensington. Bode is a financial advisor who spent time overseas doing mission work. He was raised in New...
The gift of vision: Monroeville Lions, Boy Scouts partner for a cause
When Boy Scouts Troop committee leader Kris Cattau approached the Monroeville Lions about possible service projects, Mary Raynak knew just how they could help. Raynak has been a member of the Monroeville Lions Club for 6 years, and is the eyeglass recycling program chairperson. “One of our service projects is...
Gateway faculty, students highlight Champion School Initiative
Gateway High School teacher Shawn Whelan highlighted the district’s collaboration with the United Way’s Champion School Initiative, as well as the backpack program and monthly drive-thru food distribution when she addressed the school board last week. Many of the student volunteers for these activities are InterAct Club and National Honor...
