Southington’s Catherine MacKay, fourth from the left, was one of four students to receive the 2015 Waterbury CT Teacher’s Credit Union grant. MacKay is seen here with WCTCU officials and the other recipients.

By TAYLOR HARTZ
STAFF WRITER

Catherine MacKay, Southington, comes from a long line of educators and plans to follow in their footsteps in just a few days.

A 2015 graduate of Southington High School, MacKay will begin her college career at UCONN this month, where she plans to study education.

On Thursday, July 23, the Waterbury Connecticut Teachers Federal Credit Union granted scholarships to MacKay and three others, from New Fairfield, Naugatuck, and Watertown, offering financial support to students who plan to pursue a career in teaching.

MacKay received the 2015 The Jean O’Brien Memorial Scholarship, an annual award of $2,000 given to a student who has declared a major in education.

“Our mission is supporting education and teachers,” said Kathleen Johansen, Director of Marketing for the credit union, “and this young lady is an excellent example of the future of exemplary teachers.”

With her mother, father, and grandmother all working in education, MacKay is no stranger to teaching—the college freshman has been assisting her parents in their classrooms since she was in elementary school.

“Their experiences have truly inspired me to pursue education as a career,” said MacKay, “I’ve always felt comfortable and confident working with students and being a part of a classroom.”

The four recipients were chosen after careful review of anonymous applications, personal essays, grade point averages, academic transcripts, and extracurricular activities.

“I’m thankful that the credit union is willing to give back to future teachers,” said MacKay.

The Waterbury CT Teacher’s Federal Credit Union was founded in 1934 and has a membership of 17,000 teachers and board of education members spanning 27 towns in the state.

While the credit union hopes to help future teachers financially, they also strive to “give them a sense of confidence in knowing that back home they have an organization that’s committed to teachers, educators, and the field that they’re looking forward to going into eventually,” said Johansen.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Taylor Hartz, email her at THartz@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Krystiana Bouchard helped brief the United Nations Security Council about the Iran treaty.

By MIKE CHAIKEN
EDITIONS EDITOR

While most Americans are reading about the recently negotiated treaty with Iran in their local newspapers, 17-year-old Krystiana Bouchard was at the United Nations briefing international officials about the deal.

Krystiana’s presence at the UN building in New York was a result of her participation in a summer program at Princeton University. The Southington teen took classes in debating and—more importantly—international relations.

Krystiana, who finished her high school career as a home-schooled student, spent nearly four weeks in Princeton in July and August taking the classes, which will count toward college credits.

As part of her international relations class, Krystiana said she had applied for and was accepted to an opportunity to go to the United Nations.

At the United Nations, Krystiana said she was asked to brief an official from the United Nations Security Council about the Iran deal.

She said it was her job to speak to UN officials and her classmates about the Iran deal. The official from the UN handled the detailed questions. But since the official didn’t have time to enter into a dialogue with those in attendance, Krystiana was responsible for handling any questions not viewed as “high priority.”

Although the Iran treaty was discussed in class, Krystiana said she didn’t learn the topic would be the subject of her briefing until the night before. So she said she had not learned enough for a briefing.

“A lot of the information I did get on my own, so I was up late that night, learning a lot,” said Krystiana, adding she didn’t mind the work because the topic intrigued her. “I just looked at it as an opportunity that I’m probably not going to get again.”

“There so much we don’t know,” said Krystiana about the Iran deal brokered by President Obama’s administration. “We’re only seeing… the skeleton of it… The nuances of the Iran deal are constantly getting shifted… There’s so much the media doesn’t cover… There’s so much in that the general public is never going to know.”

Krystiana said visiting the UN alone was an exciting experience in and of itself. “You get there, and you’re all dressed up. So you fit right in,” said Krystiana. She was able to experience dimensions of the building that are typically reserved for staff members and VIPs.

“I also got to sit down in one of the rooms where all the diplomats across the world come to,” said Krystiana. “That was just as exciting as being asked to speak.” In that setting, Krystiana said, she—and others—had the opportunity to question the chief of the UN’s peace keeping forces and ask the official about how well the peace-keepers are doing their job.

“This was a hefty topic,” said Krystiana. “As a 17 year old, (I had to figure out) how do I present myself in a way that’s respectable enough not to get an answer that’s a fluff answer and (one) that’s important.”

Krystiana’s experience at the UN whetted her appetite for a career in international relations in the field of human rights. “There’s always going to be room for growth. People are always going to have human rights, taken away from them. They’re always going to need somebody to help. I can make a good career out of that.”

As for the more immediate future, Krystiana, who graduated high school, will be applying for college in the spring (her dream school is Harvard). In the meantime, she also is thinking of participating in a mission trip to South Africa to help combat human trafficking.

John F. Kennedy Middle School
1071 S Main St, Plantsville, CT 06479
(860) 628-3275

Grand opening ceremonies will be held for the newly renovated Joseph A. DePaolo and John F. Kennedy middle schools on Sunday, Sept. 13.

Sponsored by the Southington Board of Education, the ceremonies will include remarks from school, town and state officials in an open house style event.

The grand opening of JFK Middle School will take place at 1 p.m. at 1071 South Main St. in Plantsville.

The grand opening of DePaolo will take place at 3 p.m. at 285 Pleasant St. in Southington.

Any questions about the program can be directed toward Debi Albaitis, Executive Assistant to Superintendent of Schools Timothy F. Connellan, at dalbaitis@southingtonpublicschools or at (860) 628-3202.

By TAYLOR HARTZ
STAFF WRITER

Southington High School (SHS) will host a “College Day” on Tuesday, Sept. 15, when representatives from more than 130 colleges and universities will gather at the high school to answer questions and provide advice for soon-to-be college students.

For those looking to stay local, in-state schools such as Bristol Technical Education Center, Lincoln College of New England, and Quinnipiac University will be in attendance, along with Southern, Eastern, and Western Connecticut State Universities and the University of Connecticut.

New England schools will be heavily represented at the fair, with Emerson College, Fitchburg State College and the University of Massachusetts representing the Bay State, joined by Salve Regina University from Newport, Rhode Island, the University of Maine, Keene State College, in New Hampshire and the University of Vermont.

Representatives from several State of New York (SUNY) schools will make the drive to Southington, joining Manhattan College for city seekers and Hofstra University on Long Island.

From further down the East Coast, students can explore their academic options at Berkeley College in New Jersey, and Drexel University in Philadelphia and Campbell University in North Carolina.

Specialty programs such as the Albany College of Pharmacy, The Culinary Institute of America and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy will appeal to students who have already chosen their area of study, while the wide variety of programs and institutions will provide helpful information for those students still exploring their options.

The fair will be sponsored by the SHS guidance and counseling departments, with representatives from each school will fill the auditorium and lobby from 6:30 to 8pm on Tuesday, Sept. 15.

Parents and students in the community are encouraged to come seek information on the many schools, and students are encouraged to wear their favorite college or college team clothing to school that day to show their school pride.

Any questions can be directed to the SHS guidance department at (860) 628-3229, ext. 244

Kelsey Snodgrass drives the ball past a Windsor defender during a 2-1 loss on opening day.

By BRIAN JENNINGS
STAFF WRITER

Southington (1-0) hung around with Windsor for most of the game on Friday afternoon, September 11, but just came up short in the end, as the Lady Knights lost their season opener at home to Windsor (1-0), 2-1.

Although it was a lost, Southington coach Erin Luddy still thought her girls played well.

“Going in, we knew that a lot of them [Southington] never had varsity experience,” said Luddy. “It was definitely a thing of first-game nerves in the first half. Unfortunately, they scored quickly on us and had us on our heels, but we bounced back. We kept moving and there a lot of positive things to work off of for the upcoming season.”

Windsor took a 1-0 lead with a goal in the first half, just under five minutes into the game.

“They’re [Windsor] an up-and-coming team,” said Luddy. “She’s [Pam Hammersmith] had a lot of freshmen starters that are now seniors. So, she has a veteran team, which is nice to have. They’ve been playing a lot together, and you can see that in the movement of the ball. They knew where each other were.”

Windsor added another goal to their total around the same time in the second half, but the Knights responded with a goal from co-captain Kelsey Snodgrass, assisted by Hallie Altwies, with 17:52 to go in the game.

Amanda Delorme saved 11 of Windsor’s 13 shots on goal for the Knights. Windsor’s Jess Dillon saved three of the Knights’ four shots on goal. The Knights had four penalty corners and Windsor had seven.

“I graduated four starting midfielders, so that’s a learning experience for them,” said Luddy. “It’s something that they’re going to grow into. We have 15 more games. As our spacing and transitioning gets better, so will we.”

It doesn’t get any easier with games at Glastonbury (1-0) and Newington (0-1) this week.

To comment on this story or to contact sports writer Brian Jennings, email him at BJennings@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Middle School Building Committee Chair Edward Pocock Jr. addresses the crowds at the Kennedy Middle School grand opening on Sept. 13.

By TAYLOR HARTZ
STAFF WRITER

Educators, administrators, town leaders, and state legislatures joined together this weekend to celebrate the grand openings of the newly renovated John F. Kennedy and Joseph A. DePaolo middle schools.

Members of the community were welcomed to the schools for celebratory speeches and tours of the updated facilities.

After years of planning and construction, JFK and DePaolo opened their doors on the afternoon of Sept. 13, showing off updated classrooms, infrastructure, equipment, and technology.

“They just could not be any nicer,” Sen. Joe Markley (R-Conn.) said about the improvements, which include new media centers, cafeterias, and fitness rooms.

“The beautiful structure is a testament to how much we value what takes place inside of it,” said Markley.

The seven-member committee faced extensive planning obstacles over the course of the project, and there was no shortage of recognition for their perseverance.”

Markley noted that the committee “did a remarkable job” recovering from problems that were faced in early construction, while Town Council Chairman Michael Riccio, who attended DePaolo, applauded the committee for carrying the project through referendums.

“I think it’s a tribute to this community and shows the amount that this community values education,” said Superintendent of Schools Tim Connellan.

At DePaolo, a slideshow created by Christopher Palmieri, Middle School Building Committee Vice Chairman and Vice Principal of DePaolo, showed photos of before, during, and after the long construction.

Looking around at the finished project, DePaolo Principal Frank Pepe said the students at both schools now had a facility that would bring their education into the 21st century. “The infusion of technology is huge,” said Pepe. “Access to more knowledge and research is endless, and it’s at their fingertips.”

Each school added new computer labs, complete with several Macintosh desktops, while many classrooms received new laptop and iPad carts for in class use.

At both schools, students volunteered their time to give tours of the buildings, pointing out all their favorite new aspects.

Decorations lined the walls at each school, with smiley faces and student handprints displaying students “5 favorite things” or “things that make me happy” about the renovations.

Though some students said they noticed some noise and disruption during building hours, they agreed that the finished project was worth it.

Gianna Wadowski and Trevor Messina, eighth-grade students who unveiled the new plaque during Sunday’s ceremony at JFK, said they were most looking forward to the new band and chorus rooms.

“Everything is upgraded,” said Messina, “It’s definitely a really big difference compared to what it was when I was in sixth grade.”

While many students said they were most excited about new technology, others enjoyed the simple redesign of the school.

Seventh grader Kayla Pelletier, giving a tour of DePaolo, said that before the renovations her classes were scattered in different hallways, and she would sometimes go up and down stairs eight times each school day.

“Now it’s a lot easier and less confusing,” said Pelletier, pointing out the organization of one team per hallway, with floor tiles color-coded for each grade and team.

Pelletier was one of hundreds of students that were involved in the grand openings.

While several students played tour guide for parents, alumni, and community leaders, others provided entertainment by performing on stage in the chorus, and playing in the orchestra in the newly landscaped courtyards.

“The building is for them,” said Palmierie, “so it’s important to have them be a part of it.”

“Thank you all for putting up with the craziness and for being here today,” said Board of Education Chairman Brian Goralski to students volunteering at the JFK opening.

Edward Pocock Jr., Chairman of the Middle School Building Committee, also thanked students and staff for accommodating the construction and said that both schools endured the chaos well. The Chairman applauded the town for their support and all the committee and council members for their contributions to the project.

As the doors opened for the first official display at DePaolo, State Rep. Joe Aresimowicz (D-Conn.) urged the community to appreciate the time and effort that had been dedicated to the project over the years. “As you are looking around today at the beauty of it,” he said, “don’t forget the sweat that went into it.”

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Taylor Hartz, email her at THartz@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Naomi Lemire, of Southington, graduated summa cum laude from Quinnipiac University this past May with a 3.95 grade point average. Above, Lemire displays the Alice B. Remail Memorial Award, which is presented to the graduating student, majoring in English, with the highest academic record. The award was presented after a vote by the English faculty, and Lemire was asked to speak at the annual Scinto-Engel Colloquium, sponsored by the university.

Southington High School will be hosting their annual Financial Aid Night on Tuesday, Oct. 20 in the high school auditorium. The event is scheduled to being at 7 p.m.

First Aid Night is targeted to high school seniors and their parents. However, all parents and students of Southington High School are welcome to attend.

Carolyn Karno of Education Funding Strategies will be the presenter. She is a seasoned financial aid professional with a wide range of higher education experience.  Before starting her own consulting business, she was the manager of college planning and financial aid at the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation.

Karno has hosted numerous financial aid workshops for parents, students, and education opportunity professionals.

The annual “Music of the Knight” band competition is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24. Blue Knight band members, above, gather at last year’s celebration.

On Saturday, Oct.24, the Southington High School Blue Knights Marching Band will present the 23rd annual “Music of the Knight” marching band competition at Fontana Field at Southington High School. This event is a US Bands sanctioned marching competition.

Twenty-two high school bands from across Connecticut and Massachusetts will be competing for the title. The final performance schedule will be posted by US bands on their website www.USBands.org.

Music of the Knight has been designated a “Gold Event” by US Bands and is one of the largest and most well-attended high school band competition in New England. It is the band’s major fund-raiser of the season and, with the assistance of many sponsors in the community, the band relies on this event to raise about 50 percent of its operating budget.

The event kicks off at 2:55 p.m. with performances by the Joseph A. DePaolo Middle School Band, under the direction of Richard Santanella, and the John F. Kennedy Middle School Band, under the direction of Tim Johnson.

The Award Winning Southington Blue Knights Marching Band under the direction of Sara Ossias and Harrison Stuppler will perform an exhibition of their 2014 Show, “The Coven.” In keeping with tradition, SHS band alumni will lead the Blue Knights onto the field for their performance. The evening will conclude with the SHS senior recognition and the award ceremony.

DePaolo Middle School announced their students of the month for October. Front, from left, Micaela Potamis, Sera Altomari, Shane DiPietro-Bean, Mercy Adekola, Katie Kubisek, and Ryan Parent. Back, Asst. Principal Chris Palmieri, Sophia Swain, Andrew Brino, Rylee LeClair, Livvy Pizzitola, Heather Landino, Principal Frank Pepe. Missing from photo: Ryan DelMonte.

Joseph A. DePaolo Middle School recently announced the names of its October students of the month.

In sixth grade Sophia Swain, Andrew Brino, and Ryan DelMonte were selected by their teams.

Sophia is the daughter of Jeff and Pamela Swain and received the Presidential Award last year at Thalberg. She received a certificate of achievement for DARE and is a Girl Scout. Sophia is in the school band and jazz band and plays soccer for the town.

Andrew is the son of Linda and Pat Brino and also received the Presidential Award in fifth grade. He is a Boy Scout and also is a STEPS ambassador. Andrew is a black belt in karate and plays alto saxophone in the school band.

Ryan is the son of Alisa and Damon DelMonte and also received the Presidential Award in fifth grade. He plays travel football with the Knights and plays baseball and basketball for the town. Ryan runs on the school cross country team.

In seventh grade Micaela Potamis, Livvy Pizzitola, and Mercy Adekola were selected by their teams.

Micaela is the daughter of Lynn and Greg Potamis and was recognized twice last year at a Principal’s breakfast. She is part of the Giving Back Girls and plays in the Southington Soccer Club. Micaela is part of the cross country team, sign language club, and builder’s club at school.

Livvy is the daughter of Danny and Tom Pizzitola and has consistently been an honor roll student at DePaolo. She has raised money for the Mill Foundation and is a peer advocate. Livvy is in the school chorus, drama club, and runs on the cross country team.

Mercy is the daughter of Aderemi and Titilayo Adekola and received a Presidential Award. She volunteers at a homeless shelter in New Britain for her church. Mercy is in the student council, drama club, sign language club, and jazz band for DePaolo.

In eighth grade Shane DiPietro-Bean, Ryan Parent, and Kathryn Kubisek were selected by their teams.

Shane is the son of Dana DiPietro and Clare Bean and is involved with Art for a Cause. He is in also in the school chess club.

Ryan is the son of Randy and MaryBeth Parent and was recognized at a Principal’s Breakfast last year. He is a peer advocate and is part of the Leadership Program. Ryan plays on the school basketball team and is part of the Knights football team.

Kathryn is the daughter of Amy and Joe Kubisek and has consistently been an honor roll student. She is on the cross country team is in the school colorguard. Kathryn is a competing gymnast and took part in a fundraiser for autism.

In Unified Arts Rylee LeClair, Sera Altomari, and Heather Landino were selected.

Rylee is the daughter of Maryann and Ronald LeClair and is hardworking, attentive, and focused. She is in the Leadership Program and runs on the cross country team. Outside of school Rylee is a Girl Scout and participates in gymnastics.

Sera is the daughter of Karen and Richard Altomari and has consistently been an honor roll student. She is in the Mathcounts and the Leadership Program. Sera is participating in a fundraiser for a child with an autoimmune disease.

Heather is the daughter of Beth and Phil Landino and is an honor roll student. Heather has volunteered at Alex’s Lemonade Stand at the Apple Harvest Festival and is part of the girl’s soccer team for DePaolo.

The Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA), in partnership with Lincoln College of New England’s (LCNE) Mortuary Science program, presented two educational seminars on Wednesday, Oct. 7. LCNE students were offered an opportunity to take the seminar classes and meet future potential Funeral Directors. Seminar topics included “Distracted Driving; It happens in the blink of an eye,” and “Optimizing your workforce to gain and maintain a competitive edge.” Front, from left, LCNE President Denise Lewicki, CFDA Executive Director John F. Cascio. Back, Paul Decelles from Ingnition Business Coaches, LLC (IBC), Dan Shlatz from Federated Insurance, Shel Myers from Kainen, Escalera & McHale, George Thomson from IBC, Phyliss Rizy, from IBC.

Southington High School, 720 Pleasant St, Southington, CT 06489

Four Southington schools in the Pleasant Street region have been placed on secure school status until further notice as a precaution. Southington High School, DePaolo Middle School, Hatton Elementary School, and Flanders Elementary School have temporarily suspended outside activities after someone threatened a staff member.

An alert was sent to parents from Southington’s Superintendant of Schools Tim Connella. The alert said that someone from outside the schools made the threat, but there is no threat inside any of the schools. The four schools will operate normally inside the buildings, but no one will be allowed to enter.

Reports indicate that Southington police have added patrols in the area.

Southington High School, 720 Pleasant St, Southington, CT 06489

The Southington Police Department announced an arrest after yesterday’s incident in Southington schools that resulted in four local schools being place on secure school status.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, police received a report at approximately 8:15 a.m. that a Southington High School staff member received a threat from someone outside of the school. As a precaution, Southington High School, DePaolo Middle School, Flanders Elementary School and Hatton Elementary School were placed in secure school status.

“Secure school status” means that normal activity inside the school continues, but no one is allowed to enter or exit the school. The incident was investigated, and the threat was dismissed at approximately 9:40 a. m. The secure school status was lifted at that time.

The police investigation revealed that Gregory R Daly, 42, of Southington was involved in a dispute with a Southington High School staff member. As a result of the argument, Daly made personal threats against the staff member. Daly was located at his home in Southington and subsequently taken into custody.

Daly was charged with first degree threatening, second degree harassment, and breach of peace. He was held on a $500,000 bond. His court appearance is scheduled for today at Bristol Superior Court.

As a result of the investigation seven firearms were seized from the home and are now in police custody.

Lewis High School graduates from the Class of 1946 will be holding their 70^th class reunion on May 20, 2016 at the Back Nine Tavern at Southington Country Club. For more information, contact the reunion committee, above, or call Norma Zygmunt at (860) 628-9246. Front, from left, Robert Leach and Edward Kordys. Back, Zygmunt, Betty Arcano, Ruthann Bussett, Marge Cushing, and Vivian Moore. Not pictured are Eleanore Bandeccki and Kay Kalwat.

On Saturday, Oct. 24, the Prince of Denmark made his appearance on the Southington High School turf when the Blue Knight marching band performed a Shakespeare-themed montage at this year’s Music of the Knight competition. Shakespearean actors danced between the band’s musicians during the host performance. The theme of the Southington show was “The Coven” based on Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and told from the witches’ standpoint.  Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are in the show.

Photos by TAMMI NAUDUS

Click to enlarge

Southington High School, 720 Pleasant St, Southington, CT 06489

By TAYLOR HARTZ
STAFF WRITER

Southington resident Gregory R. Daly was arrested on Oct. 20, after threats made to a Southington High School (SHS) staff member led four schools to be placed under “secure school status” on Tuesday morning.

The Southington police Department received reports at 8:15a.m., that a SHS staff member had been threatened.

As a precaution, SHS, DePaolo Middle School, and Flanders and Hatton elementary schools were placed under “secure school status” – during this time the schools continued with normal activities, but received extra security measures with no one permitted to enter or exit the buildings.

The secure status was lifted at 9:40a.m., after an investigation determined there was no threat to the schools.

“I think we did very well,” said Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connellan, “it was precautionary, we worked well with the Southington Police Department, and we took it one step at a time.”

Connellan said SHS Principal Brian Stranieri and the staff at the high school did “an outstanding job” ensuring the safety of the students.

Daly, 42, had made personal threats to the staff member following a dispute.

He was found in his 48 Burwell Ave., home on Tuesday, where he was charged with breach of peace, threatening in the first degree, and harassment in the second degree.

Daly was taken into custody and seven firearms were seized from the home.

He is being held on a $500,000 bond and will appear in Bristol Superior Court on Oct. 21.

Students at Flanders play on the new school playscape that is made entirely from recycled dental supplies. The playscape was won during the TerraCycle Recycled Playground Challenge. (Photos by Tammi Naudus)

By TAYLOR HARTZ
STAFF WRITER

On Oct. 21, school administrators and local officials gathered with students from Flanders Elementary School to unveil the school’s new playground, made entirely from recycled toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, and floss containers.

The school earned the playground after winning the TerraCycle Recycled Playground Challenge earlier this year.

Flanders joined schools from across the state and throughout New York, New Jersey, Penn., Delaware, and Maryland, who were participating in the Colgate Oral Care Bridgade, a free recycling program offered by Colgate and TerraCycle.

All schools participating in the program were eligible to compete for the new playground, and Flanders took first place in the contest by collecting oral care products and casting online votes – tallying up a total of 240,436 “playground credits.”

Suzanne Whitehead, Vice President of the Flanders Parent Teacher Organization (PTO,) said she learned of the contest on March 24 and from then on “our entire PTO gave it all we had.”

Whitehead said the group dedicated 82 days of the school year to strategizing how they could win the playground for the students at Flanders.

Members of the Flanders PTO and local officials display the championship plaque in front of the new playscape

State Representatives Joe Markley (R) and David Zoni (D) joined Town Counilors Mike Riccio and Cheryl Lounsbury, Superintenden of Schools Timothy Connellan, Board of Education member Zaya Oshana, and the entire Flanders student body in celebrating the playground’s big reveal on Oct. 21.

“It was an amazing effort on the part of our parents and community to win this,” said Flanders Principal Pat Mazzarella, “this playscape will be a symbol of that hard work.”

Sponsored by Colgate and Shoprite, the contest encouraged students to recycle and promote environmental protection.

Clara Laya, Colgate’s North America Sustainability Lead, told students “you are helping to protect the planet and improve the environment,” and urged students to be proud of their sustainability efforts.

“Each one of us can make a difference, and you guys made a difference,” said Laya.

Photos by TAMMI NAUDUS (Click to enlarge)

School officials and chamber members joined together for a ribbon cutting at Southington Catholic School on Thursday, Oct. 29.

By JOHN GORALSKI
EDITOR

The soccer team arrived just as the ribbon cutting was about to begin, and a few students—still dressed in their school uniform—joined the procession of student tour guides that wound their way through the corridors of Southington Catholic School.

On Aug. 23, the collaboration between local parishes opened their doors with a ribbon cutting by the Archbishop of Hartford. On Thursday, Oct. 29, a second ribbon cutting was held to give local officials a chance to view the school, now in its first year of classes.

School officials accept a plaque from the Southington Chamber of Commerce for becoming its newest member.

The local Pre-K through Grade 5 school celebrated an ongoing effort to become a part of Southington’s educational services by celebrating their new entry into the Southington’s Chamber of Commerce. The event, sponsored by the chamber, gave local and state officials a chance to see the school and its community.

“I love being in a classroom and seeing ones like I visited here,” said State Rep. Joe Markley (R), a former parochial school teaching in Washington, D.C. “Everyone was smiling, and the teachers were as happy as the students. I think that there’s a special spirit that comes from the love that permeates an effort like this. Proper teaching can’t take place unless that’s part of the education, too. Thank you for doing this for our children.”

Students demonstrate a robotics project in the school cafeteria.

Students and athletes then began a tour of the school, including the decorated classrooms, the computer labs, and the robotics table that was set up in the school cafeteria. Students and soccer players demonstrated their projects, including one student who was connected into the robotics demonstration through an internet video chat service.

Principal MaryPat Wirkus said that the school, which is mainly a melding of the former St. Thomas Elementary School and the St. Dominic School, has already shown a small but vibrant spirit in its inaugural school year.

“Our mission states it very clearly,” she said. “Southington Catholic School is a Christ centered, nurturing learning community that fosters Catholic faith based values in our students while achieving academic excellence. Our students will become responsible and faith filled leaders with creative minds, compassionate hearts, and the courage to act on our beliefs.”

Depaolo seventh graders Alina Rivera, left, and Morgan Perschy, right, continue their research in World History in front of a wall adorned like a museum with student projects.

By TAYLOR HARTZ
STAFF WRITER

The walls, table tops, and shelves in Trish Kenefick’s seventh grade World History classroom at DePaolo Middle School were filled with replicas of the Mayan calendar, ancient Aztec vases, jewelry, masks, and pyramids made of sandpaper, cardboard and sugar cubes.

More than 100 students attend Kenefick’s five classes, and each was asked to create a museum exhibit on ancient civilizations in Latin America and Europe. Students could chose between the Olmec, Toltec, Inca, Mayan, and Aztec clans or focus on explorers Hernando Cortez or Francisco Pizzaro.

The students were given one week to create an informative presentation, and a second week to create a physical project to accompany their report.

“We all had to make artifacts on the place we explored,” explained Morgan Perschy, who studied the Aztecs and created a blue two-headed serpent.

Classmate Alina Rivera made a rock hammer that the Incan tribes used to create their buildings and structures.

Both students created short movies to include with their projects.

Perschy said she chose to focus on the Aztecs because she thought they were “a really popular civilization, so I wanted to learn more about them.”

In their presentations, students were asked to focus on the history, civilization, government, communication and family lives of each of their tribes. Perschy said she was most interested to learn about their religion and sacrifices they made to their gods.

Perschy and Rivera said they learned a great deal about video editing using the Apple program iMovie for their presentations, and both look forward to expanding their knowledge of the program.

“It was great to learn especially for future projects,” said Perschy, who said she and her classmates learned a lot about creative problem solving while editing their movies.

Rivera, who studied the Incas, said it was difficult to identify what she enjoyed most about the project because she learned so much. She said she found it interesting how quickly the population grew, and said that since she hopes to one day visit Machu Picchu, saying she “wanted to explore the area more” in her studies.

As students gave their presentations, their classmates were asked questions and took notes on each of the tribes and explorers.

Kenefick often referenced the students’ artwork and artifact creations that filled the room floor to ceiling, allowing students to learn from their own assignments, as well as their classmates’.

Kennedy Middle School announced their October students of the month. Front, from left, Josh Budnik, Amber Kohl, Matthew Luponio, Ernest Arroyo, Maya Ciaffaglione, and Mackenzie Ligon. Back, Asst. Principal Susanne Vitcavage, Matthew Morgan, Tucker Raymond, Julia Wakefield, David Sullivan, Jacob Vecchio, and Principal Rick Terino.

John F. Kennedy Middle School in Plantsville recently announced the names of its October students of the month. Teachers nominated these students for their academic improvement on performance, exemplary citizenship, and/or participation in extracurricular activities.

Sixth grade students of the month are Amber Kohl, Mackenzie Ligon, and Matthew Morgan.

Amber is an extremely conscientious and hardworking young lady. She sets high standards for herself and strives to exceed those standards on a daily basis. Amber is a member of the Asset Building Committee, the Builders Club, the orchestra, and Select Strings. She is an active member of her dance team, and in her free time she likes to read and hang out with her friends.

Mackenzie takes pride in modeling school and classroom rules and procedures. Responsible and hardworking, she is a member of Minecraft and the band. Outside of school Mackenzie likes to read and spend quality time with her family.

Matthew is an excellent student whose work ethic and determination are exemplary. He plays Kennedy and town soccer, and he is also involved in town basketball and cross fit. Matt volunteers at his church and at the Mill Foundation, and he enjoys biking and running in his spare time.

Seventh grade students of the month are Ernest Arroyo, Joshua Budnik, Maya Ciaffaglione and Matthew Luponio.

Ernie, who always has a smile on his face, is a pleasure to have in class. An excellent student, he is a member of the honor roll, the NJHS, and the Stock Market Club. Ernie plays Little League baseball and volunteers in the guest reader program at the YMCA and for the Wheeler Clinic’s toy drive. In addition, Ernie likes to swim, bike ride, read fantasy novels, and spend time at Camp Sloper.

Joshua is a very hard worker and a conscientious student. He pushes himself to achieve his best, and he maintains a positive, creative and unique outlook on life. An honor roll student and a member of the Builders Club, Joshua plays town soccer. He also volunteers at the Apple Harvest Festival, at STEPS, and at his church where he helps with the coffee hour and plays piano in the chapel. Joshua also enjoys reading, drawing, and camping.

Maya is conscientious, inquisitive, and diligent in all her classes. A mature young lady, she is a helpful, patient, and independent student. A member of the Builders Club, the Color Guard, and Maya competes in all-star cheerleading events.

Matthew is the seventh grade World Language student of the month. Matthew is a bright, conscientious student. He is consistent in his work and constant in his attempt to learn and practice a new language. An honor roll student, Matthew is a member of MATHCOUNTS, Lego League, and Code Academy. He is also a member of the JFK cross country team as well as orchestra and con brio. He plays town soccer and is a member of the First Tee of CT. He volunteers at STEPS and the ABC committee. Outside of school, Matthew enjoys Legos, reading, drawing, writing, golfing and spending time with friends

Eighth grade students of the month are Tucker Raymond, David Sullivan, Jacob Vecchio and Julia Wakefield.

Tucker has a positive attitude about his studies, and he continually supports and encourages his peers. He also is successful in balancing his academic work with his extracurricular involvements. An honor roll student, Tucker is a member of the cross country team, the Ping Pong Club, and the band. He plays town lacrosse and enjoys reading, dodge ball, and being outdoors.

David is a positive and kind student who works well with others. Ever ready to help anyone in need, he plays JFK baseball and town football, basketball, and baseball. David also enjoys spending free time with his family.

Jacob is an energetic young man who is actively engaged in his studies. Conscientious and enthusiastic about his studies and an honor roll student, he works well with his peers. Jacob plays town football, baseball, and basketball and volunteers at Fundamental Flag. In addition to sports, he is interested in reading, watching movies, and hanging out with friends.

Julia is the eighth grade Unified Arts student of the month. Mature and self-confident in all aspects of her life, she is a focused leader. Julia is an honor roll student and a member of the Drama Club, the basketball team, the band, the stage band, NJHS, and the Ski/Snowboard Club. She plays travel basketball and lacrosse and volunteers for STEPS and the Southington Brass. Julia also enjoys drawing and creative writing activities.