First Posted: 1/27/2013
Two Holy Redeemer High School students were selected to attend the High School Presidential Inaugural Conference in Washington, D.C., which included taking part in Inauguration Day activities.
Andrew Mark, a senior, and Alexia Mazzarella, a freshman, were selected for their outstanding achievements in the school and community, as well as for their past participation in leadership programs.
The five-day conference brought students from the U.S. and the world together to provide them with a deeper understanding of the history behind the electoral process and the traditions surrounding the inauguration.
Participants interacted with political experts and historians during group meetings and presentations, including keynote speeches by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Wesley Clark. They also viewed the inauguration, visited the Smithsonian, and attended a concert, inaugural luncheon, and inaugural gala.
Mark, a resident of Pittston Township, is the son of Alexander and Patricia Mark. Mazzarella, a Pittston resident, is the daughter of Joseph and Tiziana Mazzarella.
Greater Pittston area students were named to the Wyoming Seminary Lower School Academic High Honor Roll and Academic Honor Roll for the first trimester of the 2012-2013 academic year.
High Honor Roll: Grade 6: Jessica Kilyanek, Hughestown. Grade 8: Dominick D’Alessandro, West Pittston; Reeya Lele, Pittston; Nicole Lukesh, Wyoming; Connor McGowan, Pittston; Katherine Romanowski, West Pittston; Alexis Sokach, West Pittston.
Honor Roll: Grade 6: Christina Kilyanek, Hughestown. Grade 7: Madeline Arthur, Wyoming; Erich Olsen, Pittston. Grade 8: Connor Switzer, Harding.Happy Birthday
Heather Branas Rinkavage, daughter of James and Yvonne Branas of Pittston has received her Master’s degree in Childhood Education from the State University of New York at Corland, NY.
She is a graduate of Pittston Area High School and has received her Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science from Bellevue University in Bellevue, NE. She is currently employed as a substitute teacher for the Southern Tier of New York region. She resides in Newark Valley, NY with her husband, Joseph and sons Brandon, Austin and Luke.
Allison Booth, of Dupont, graduated Summa Cum Laude from West Chester University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science Degree in English and Secondary Education.
Allison is a member of Pi Lambd Theta, a National Honor Society of Educators and also a member of Sigma Tau Delta, an International English Honor Society.
Allison is a 2008 valedictorian graduate of Pittston Area High School.
Dr. Margaret Ace Breznay, D.C.M.S.R.D. is one of the first providers in the area to be listed in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s national list of Certified Medical Examiners. She completed the mandatory training program and recently passed the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s medical examiners certification test.
She is the owner of Be Wise Occupational Health in Avoca where she specializes in DOT/CDL commercial drivers license physicals and provides third party administrative services for both DOT and non-DOT drug testing.
Dr. Breznay is an honors graduate of Marywood College where she received her B.S. and M.S. degrees. She later attended Pennsylvania College of Chiropractic and graduated magna cum laude. She is a member of the American Chiropractic Association and a member of TeamCME a national network of DOT certified medical examiners.
Dr. Breznay resides in Pittston Township with her husband Christopher and two children, Anna Rose and Margaret Lin.
Samantha Scott, of Falls, was named to The University of Scranton’s Dean’s List for the Fall semester. She is a sophomore majoring in Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology and is participating in research with a microbiology professor at the University.
She was also recently accepted to the University’s Honors Program, a prestigious program that challenges students with independent work and intense engagement with faculty and their peers that culminates in a yearlong research project.
The Fall 2012 Dean’s List of The University College of Arts and Sciences recognizes students for academic excellence. A student must have a grade point average of 3.5 or better with a minimum number of credit hours to make the Dean’s List.
Marlena Mozal, Exeter, was recently named to the Fall Semester Dean’s List at Temple University with a 4.0 GPA.
Marlena is a Pre K Early Elementary major in the College Of Education. In a recent ceremony held at Temple University, Marlena was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in education which was established to foster excellence in education and promote fellowship among those dedicated to teaching.
Marlena is currently employed with NEST, a children’s enrichment center in Philadelphia. During the fall semester she worked with fourth grade students in the Philadelphia School District teaching English as a Second Language.
She is a member of the College of Education Class of 2013.
Emily Smith, of Exeter, a student at Wyoming Area Secondary School has been selected to represent Pennsylvania as a National Youth Delegate at the 2013 Washington Youth Summit on the Environment at George Mason University.
Smith has been awarded the opportunity to join a select group of 250 students from across the country to participate in an intensive week-long study of leadership in environmental science and conservation. Smith was chosen based on academic accomplishments and a demonstrated interest and excellence in leadership in the sciences and conservation studies.
The Washington Youth Summit on the Environment will be held June 23-28, 2013.
The day after the Notre Dame football team lost the National Championship Game to Alabama, Jimmy Hondo Callahan was still wearing his Notre Dame jacket around town. At one of his regular stops, a fella said, I can’t believe you’re still wearing that thing.
No shrinking violet, even at 70 years old, Jimmy shot back, If you don’t like it, why don’t you try to take it off me?
The guy declined. Apparently he remembers Jimmy in his hey day. We sure do.
Happy birthday wishes go to Sheila Kern, celebrating today, Jan. 27; to Renee Valenti, Exeter, who is celebrating on Jan. 29; and Tony Grieco, Hughestown, celebrating on Feb. 1; and to Carol Hobbs, of Jenkins Township, who will celebrate her 80th birthday on Feb. 2.
Happy anniversary to Nora and Mike English, of Pittston Township, who will celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary on Jan. 30. They have two children Mike and Carol Ann and two grandchildren Rachel and Max.