PRIMROSE — Twin sisters from Tri-Valley were among the more than 70 students recognized Tuesday at the 33rd annual Academic Achievement Awards.
Doreen Milot, supervisor of English as a second language and district support consultant with Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29, welcomed scholars, their families, administrators and educators to the breakfast celebration at St. Nicholas Hall, Primrose.
Milot said she realized the students probably had pages full of accomplishments that could be recognized, but due to time constraints, students were asked to only list their top two accomplishments. Six students each from 12 county school districts were honored as 2016 Schuylkill Scholars. Superintendents, principals or deans of students presented scholars with certificates and medals as they read each student’s accolades and future plans.
Tri-Valley seniors Amanda and Brianne Pacenta will be following similar paths upon graduation. Both will attend King’s College, studying in the accelerated, five-year physician’s assistants program.
“We were both involved with a therapeutic horseback riding program, and job shadowed a physician’s assistant and we both wanted to help people,” Brianne, 17, said.
Amanda said she had looked at attending Lock Haven, but then when her sister discovered King’s had an accelerated program of study, she also decided to apply there. They are the daughters of Arlene and Thomas Pacenta, Ashland.
Brianne appreciated the honors ceremony.
“I thought it was really nice, seeing all the different people and hearing their majors. When you play sports, you see some familiar faces, and now we get to see what they’ll be doing (after graduation),” Brianne, a Bulldog soccer and basketball player, said.
“I enjoy this,” Tri-Valley Superintendent Mark D. Snyder said. “Every district gets to send some of their best students to be recognized throughout the county.”
Karen and Mark Peiffer attended the ceremony in support of their daughter, Angela Peiffer, a Pine Grove senior.
“It was wonderful that they acknowledged these students for their hard work. My daughter’s third in her class, so this was not only for the valedictorian and salutatorian, but for others,” Karen said. “I know how hard she works. I can see the amount of time she puts in, as I’m sure these other students do,” she said.
Her daughter plans to attend Bloomsburg University but is undecided on her major.
The Peiffers shared a table with the families of some of the fellow Pine Grove High School honorees, Geoffrey Kaufman and Lindsey Zimmerman. Other Pine Grove students recognized were Elisa Seip, Xinhe Julia Zhu and Delaney Hunter. Pine Grove Dean of Students Ken Gibson read students’ accomplishments, as high school Principal Michael Janicelli presented scholars with their medallions and certificates.
Many county scholars recognized will pursue careers in the medical field, engineering, accounting, education, economics and finance. Some will seek degrees at higher institutions like Penn State, Baylor, Colgate, Baldwin Wallace, Muhlenburg, Lebanon Valley, Syracuse, St. Joseph’s, Villanova, Albright, Lock Haven, Temple and Rochester Institute of Technology.
Several will serve in the military.
Thirteen students in five school districts recognized Tuesday will be attending Pennsylvania State University’s Schuylkill campus, according to Janelle Gruber, director of enrollment services at Penn State Schuylkill. They will receive $500 matching scholarships.
Those attending Penn State Schuylkill are Katlyn Halford, Sara Hixson, Alexis Luna, Grant Schadle, Janelle Taylor and Joshua White, all of Shenandoah Valley; David Chesakis, Schuylkill Haven Area; Emily Kimmel and Kelly Romberger, Tri-Valley; and Jenny Keim, Morgan Matter and Alyssa Schadle, Williams Valley; and Delaney Hunter, Pine Grove Area.
Schools participating in the awards event included Blue Mountain, Mahanoy Area, Minersville, Nativity BVM, North Schuylkill, Pine Grove, Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah Valley, Tamaqua, Tri-Valley and Williams Valley.
Williams Valley High School Principal Tracey Weller commended the scholars, noting “they do outstanding work, day in, day out.”
Special thanks was offered to IU-29; district administrators and teachers; Gruber; Aimee Hull, a Tamaqua soloist; and the Pine Grove Area JROTC cadets. Milot also thanked Theresa Kozura, IU-29 special program assistant, curriculum services, for coordinating the day’s festivities.