STUDENT DIRECTORY
Steven Imler and Olivia Pezich won first place in the Pennsylvania InvestWrite Competition, a national writing competition produced by the Stock Market Game Program.
Imler, a 2014 graduate of First Baptist Christian School in Butler, finished first in the state competition for grades nine to 12 and fourth in the National InvestWrite Competition. Imler's teacher was Valerie Shaffer.
Olivia, a seventh grade student at Haine Middle School in Cranberry Township, finished first in the state competition for grades six to eight and 15th in the national competition. Her teacher was Stacey Harding.
About 20,000 students nationwide participate.
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MARS — Audrey Gehm, a Mars fifth grader, was named Pennsylvania State Winner in the 2014 “A Book That Shaped Me” Summer Writing Contest.
The contest for fifth- and sixth-graders asked students to write an essay reflecting on a book that made a personal impact in their lives. Audrey's essay focused on the book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,” by J.K. Rowling. She entered the contest through Mars Public Library.
Audrey and other state finalists and winners were recognized during a ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
———MARS — Blake Kitt and Sydney Durant, juniors at Mars High School, took top places in The Strand Theater Initiative's 2014 Ghost of the Strand Creative Writing Contest.Blake received first place for her entry, which chronicled the worldwide journey of Abraham Lincoln's ghost after his untimely death at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., to The Strand Theater in Zelienople.Sydney took second place. Her entry spun the tale of the ghost of a young girl with no memory, who discovers she was one of two twin girls, one of whom killed the other and then committed suicide. The girl doesn't know if she was the murderer or the victim.The contest was for students in grades seven to 12. Entries were judged on creativity, descriptive imagery and proper use of language.
———WEST SUNBURY — Megan Smouse received the American Legion Post 245 Scholarship.Smouse is studying public relations at Butler County Community College.She is a 2014 graduate of Moniteau High School and the daughter of Paula Speicher of West Sunbury.
———INDIANA, Pa. — Regina George of Mars was selected to receive a 2014 speech and hearing scholarship from Quota International of Indiana, Pa.The scholarship is for an Indiana (Pa.) University student who has shown outstanding promise in the field. George was selected because of her academic achievements, involvement in her field of study and service to others.George is a 2009 graduate of Seneca Valley High School. She is a member of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association at IUP.She is the daughter of James George Jr. and Nancy George.
———NEW WILMINGTON — Elizabeth “Liz” Buechele was crowned Westminster College homecoming queen at the college's homecoming game.Buechele, a junior communication studies major, is a daughter of Richard and Lisa Buechele of Cranberry Township and a graduate of Seneca Valley High School.She is active in cross country; Fellowship of Christian Athletes; Fresh Start; Habitat for Humanity; the Holcad student newspaper; Scrawl literary publication; Lambda Pi Eta and Mortar Board honor societies; Sexual Assault Task Force; and Student Westminster Admissions Team.
