April 2017 Board Highlights
Oblock Junior High
Reach Out Easter Egg Hunt
Reach Out had their annual Community Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 8. The turnout for the event was wonderful. Kids had free admission with a donation of a canned good. Some of the activities that the children enjoyed were as follows: photo with Easter Bunny, coloring contests, face painting, Reach Out, Girl Up, and Military Connection booths. Thanks to all who donated candy and volunteered to make the event possible.
Pittsburgh Glass Center Field Trip
Twenty-five GATE students recently traveled to the Pittsburgh Glass Center to get a first-hand look at glass making. Accompanied by GATE advisors, Diane Yorkshire and Ryan Silvis, the students viewed a hot glass demonstration and were assisted by the glass center artists and apprentices to create their own paperweight out of hot glass. This was the seventh year for this very interesting field trip. Students attending were Caleb Bedillion, Alex Beiter, Rachel Bunce, Julia DeFabio, Robert Fleming, Alexandra George, Khyliah Horne, Lily Klucinek, Gavin Monick, Joseph Panichella, Justin Piel, Dylan Piel, Nico Ricciardi, Olivia Rivett, Zoe Sallinger, Michael Schorr, Evan Smith, Erica Taylor, Ellie Tongel, Clark VanBeek, Mark VanOrden Alex Vidas, Gowri Warrier, Maxwell Weingrad, Jeffrey Yan, Mark Zarroli, and Nico Zazzarra.
Creative Writing Competition
Back in February, a few GATE students entered the Creative Writing Competition through ESSPA – Eastern Suburbs Special Program Association. The topic was prose written in the form of a children’s book. The children’s book had to explain a serious, complicated topic to the child such as racism, illness, marriage, divorce, 9/11, politics, adoption, and the environment. Hundreds of entries were submitted from the region. Gowri Warrier placed third place in the middle school prose section with an essay piece titled, “The Little Pencil”. Great job Gowri!
Mars Track Invitational
On April 27, 2016 about thirty schools participated in the Mars Junior High Track Meet. The following athletes medalled at the meet: Logan Parker placed 1st in the shot put; Reed Martin, Nathan Toth, Nick Kineck, and Ethan Jones placed 4th in 3200 meter relay; Lucas Wycich placed 4th in 100 meter dash; and Jillian Durst placed 6th in the long jump. Congratulations to all of these athletes!
Reading Hall of Fame
By the end of April, 155 students have made it into the Reading Hall of Fame with another 127 at the All Star level trying to reach the top. An additional 216 students are in the Varsity level and 74 in the JV levels. That's a total of 572 of the students at Oblock achieving one of the levels! Students have until the end of the school year to become Hall of Fame members.
At the end of the year, the three students with the most points will receive $25 in gift cards from book fair profits. There are 11 in the 500 Club already. The others will receive $15 in gift cards.
The competition for the Kennywood Tickets be ended Friday, April 28. The students with the most points in each 7th grade reading class will be awarded a free ticket. Also, the top five 7th graders (not already top in their class) and the top five 8th graders with the most points will get free tickets. These tickets are paid for from the PTSA or the book fair profits.