Burkett Elementary fourth-grader Katie Liu won first prize in the Duquesne Young Artist National Competition for musicians aged 10 to 12.  Katie, a gifted education student who began playing piano at age 4, performed before members of Montour's administration and school board during the board's March 8 meeting.  The Montour student studies with pianist Natasha Snitkovsky at the City Music Center.  View more videos on the Montour School District's YouTube channel.   

Senior receives Seton Hill scholarship Mara Willette, a senior at Moon Area High School, received a full scholarship to Seton Hill University.  Willette maintains a 3.7 QPA, and is a member of the National Honor Society, Art and Literature Club, drama club stage crew and bowling team.  Moon seniors win 'green prom' challenge Moon Area High School students Allison Murphy, Emily D'Amico, Jessica Peng, Dana Murray, Rebbeca Zane, Delany Padgett, Abby Eberts, Kati Daczowski won first prize in the "Dream Green Prom" challenge, hosted by the Fairchild Chellange at the Phipp.  Click here to view the …

Montour varsity cheerleaders place in WPIAL competition The Montour High School varsity cheerleaders earned fifth place in the AAA/AAAA division of the WPIAL's first cheerleading competition. The team will compete Feb. 2 in Hershey during the state's first PIAA cheerleading competition.   Moon student earns Eagle Scout rank Michael Kotok, a junior at Moon Area Middle School, earned the rank of Eagle Scout, which is the highest honor in Boy Scouting. For his service project, Kotok made repairs to Bakers Baseball field on Spring Run Road Extension.    Moon middle school students learn about …

Allard Elementary students Katherine Gribben, Kira Ley, Julia Benson, Rhianna Firmstone, Maya Baker, Mia Manna, Isabelle McCoy, Melina Krawchick, Ava Kachmar and Madison Fehr, members of the school's "Girls on the Run" program, participated earlier this month in the Jingle Bell Run 5K on Pittsburgh's North Shore. The students trained for three months to take part in the fundraiser.  Montour High School senior Sam Mersing signed his NCAA Division I baseball National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Pittsburgh on a baseball scholarship.  Jake Dickey, a senior at Our Lady of the …

A team of Moon Area High School seniors placed third in a statewide business competition for students.  Eight Moon Area High School students competed Nov. 2 in the Pennsylvania State University Smeal College of Business’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference. One team of Moon students placed third out of 25 teams in the competition.  The winning team included students Shannon Flannery, Joshua Knupp, Lindsay Ottaviani and Doug Ruffing.  --- Moon Area students Jordan Taylor, a junior, and Sydney Taylor, a sophomore, will sing the National Anthem at the Nov. 23 AAAA WPIAL football …

Allard Elementary second-grader Lilly Peterson and fourth-grader Ava Romah received the Moon Area School District's Tiger Spirit award earlier this month.  The Tiger Spirit Award focuses on students' positive character traits and excellent classroom behavior.  Montour High School recognized the following as its September "Students of the Month:" Hannah Kanuch, Alan Kuffner, Nick Deller, and Marina Giannirakis.  The Montour School District also announced students Michelle Shine and Cara Bullock have been selected to participate in the Pennsylvania Music Eductors Association District one honors…

A Robinson Township teen will attend a Haitian mission later this month.  Nehemiah Norris, an 18-year-old senior at the Sewickley Academy, will travel to Haiti Oct. 3 through Oct. 10 with the Functional Literacy Ministry, a Pittsburgh-based organization founded in 1983 that works to provide basic education and meals to Haitian children.  Norris is the son of Rev. Urie and Denise Norris. 

A Moon Area School District student set a record in his age group at this year's National Junior Disability Track and Field Championships.   9-year-old Trent Clayton's 2.08-meter long jump marked an all-time record at this year's national competition in his age bracket. The previous record was set more than a decade ago at 1.71 meters. The national championships were held July 21 to July 28 in Arizona.  Earlier this year, Trent and his mother Darla, both of Crescent, spearheaded a local adaptive sports team for young athletes called Strong As Steel. The group, which aims to encourage …

A recent Moon Area High School graduate has been selected to participate in the Dexter/United States Bowling Congress High School All-American Team.  Sarah Ross, a member of the district's class of 2012, is one of 10 high school bowlers to be chosen to play on the all-American team, according to the Moon Area School District. Each member of the team's roster has recently completed their senior year.  The Dexter/USBC All-American Team is one of the highest honors a high school bowler can obtain. The team consists of five male and five female athletes.  Ross is attending St. Francis University …

A Moon Area High School senior had the chance to meet golf great Arnold Palmer.  Derek Truninger, who is captain of the golf team, presented Palmer with an $850 check for his charity, the Arnie Army Foundation, which supports prostate cancer research.  Tuninger raised the money by selling golf-themed clothing adorned with a 'What Would Arnie Do' slogan, according to the Moon Area School District.  Derek will attend Cedarville University on a golf scholarship and plans to major in graphic design. 

Student-produced documentary recognized at local film fest A group of Moon Area High School students won first place earlier this month at the Antelope Film Festival at Avonworth High School. Students Jake Paule, Chad Limbruner and Steven Brown’s A Day in the Life: The Apple User, placed first in the documentary category. Moon Area School District hosts honors night Moon Area High School seniors received scholarships from local organizations during the district’s May 3 honors night. Scholarship winners include: Angela Buchowski: Moon Area Senior Citizens’ Scholarship Danielle Selzer: Key Club…

Moon Rotary awards scholarships to RMU undergrads Robert Morris University students earlier this month garnered scholarships from the Rotary Club of Moon Township for their academic and extracurricular achievements. Brenna Wandel, a 2008 graduate of Moon Area High School and an RMU education major, and Ellen Martin, a 2010 Moon Area High School graduate, and RMU accounting major, both received scholarships during a luncheon at the Holiday Inn Pittsburgh Airport. Middle schoolers raise money to combat heart disease Moon Area sixth-graders raised more than $4,000 for the American Heart …

Dance team wins Pitt championship The Moon Area High School dance team placed as grand champion in high school dance at the University of Pittsburgh's Cheerleading and Dance competition in December.  The team took home first place in junior varsity hip hop. Members of the team received individual medals and the group brought home a state championship banner.  Students earn nod for 'Tiger Spirit' Moon high school students Tim Whetstone and Jocelyn Ellis garnered the Moon Area School District's Tiger Spirit Award at the district's April 9 school board meeting.  The award focuses on positive …

Students place in German Day competition  Moon Area High School students placed second in the theater category during a German Day competition that the American Association of Teachers of German sponsored. Students created an original play that they performed in the competition. Moon students Tim Dombi, Matt Elchik, Sarah Henderson, Corey McAuliffe, Caroline Owens and Taylor Rice garnered the honor in March.  Moon Area High School student to perform in PMEA Western Regional festival Moon area senior Danielle Muise was selected to perform in the PMEA Western Region Orchestra Festival. The …

With the help of technology, Hyde Elementary students went face-to-face recently with their Norwegian pen pals. Students had the chance to chat with their pen pals March 6 in Norway via video conferencing site Skype, according to the Moon Area School District. Students previously exchanged letters with the students.  "It's a wonderful way for students to learn about a different culture, acceptance, tolerance and building friendships," said Hyde Elementary librarian Amber Jackson, who led the event. "Students involved in this program are learning essential skills in communication and …

Patch takes a look at the accomplishments of local students. Moon Area High School students on Thursday endorsed a new state law that makes it a primary offense to text or browse the Internet while driving. Members of the school's SAAD organization wore signs that contained messages and statistics about the dangers of texting and driving. Students attended an assembly to learn more about the new law. Members of the Moon Area High School varsity wrestling team read Dr. Seuss stories to a group of children at storytime Feb. 28 at the Moon Township Public Library and also helped children in …

Moon Area seniors Dan Dellovade and Mackenzie Reese signed letters of intent earlier this month to continue their athletic careers in college.  Dellovade has committed to attend Lafayette College where he will play football. The 6-foot-1 linebacker for the Tigers maintains a 4.1 grade point average and is involved in National Honor Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He has been named to the First Team All Conference ILB and won the Moon Eckleberry Award for team MVP in 2011.  Dellovade was one of Scout.com's top 100 football players in Pennsylvania in 2009 and 2010.  Lafayette …

Patch takes a look at the accomplishments of local students.  Moon Area Middle School student Brittany Coulter was selected as winner for the fall poetry contest for the website PoeticPower.com. Her winning entry, "What One Person Can Do," will be published in an upcoming poetry anthology called A Celebration of Poets.  Moon senior Savannah Starko has been selected as a finalist for the 2012 National Achievement Scholarship Program, coordinated by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Winners for the scholarship will be selected from the group of finalists, based on abilities, skills …