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Students Selected to Participate in Big 33 Football Classic

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We are thrilled to announce that Alana Campbell and Anthony Caccese were invited to participate in the PSFCA Big 33 66th Annual Football Classic at 7PM on May 28th in Harrisburg. According to the PSFCA, the Big 33 Football Classic is considered the "Super Bowl of High School Football," and represents a selection of the best cheerleaders and football players from around the state. Many of the players who have participated in this game are recruited by Division I colleges and universities and include notable former NFL players such as Kyle Brady, John Cappelletti, Kerry Collins, Sean Gilbert, Marvin Harrison, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Joe Namath, Ricky Watters, Ed McCaffrey, Larry Johnson and Steve Slaton, just to name a few.
 
Alana, a senior, plans to continue cheerleading at Eastern University and Anthony, also a senior, plans to continue football at the University of Delaware. A Fan Fest will be open before the game on May 28th from 3:30PM to 6:30PM at Rocco Ortenzio Stadium in Harrisburg with food trucks, inflatables, music, activities and more. Kick off for the game will follow at 7PM. To purchase tickets for the game or for more information, please visit https://big33.org
 
Congratulations on this BIG achievement, Alana and Anthony! We're thrilled for both of you! 

Exeter Team Named Grand Champion in State STEM Competition

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From left: Leahnessa Ortiz, Zak Kauffman, Hansika Kunduru, Peyton Seamans and Olivia Maldonado. Below: Images from the team's prototype test at Blue Marsh Lake.

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A group of some of the brightest STEM students at Exeter won the distinct honor of presenting their design and working prototype of a remotely-operating water-sampling vehicle in the ninth annual Pennsylvania Governor’s STEM Competition--a statewide competition that challenges student teams from across the state to research, design and present a device or project that can make the quality of life better for Pennsylvanians by accomplishing a series of practical tasks that can fulfill real-world needs. Out of more than 60 entries from across the state, Exeter's team was named a Grand Champion, placing among the top teams in the state.

Exeter's team, who was selected and advised by Mr. Zachary Potter, consisted of Leahnessa Ortiz, Zak Kauffman, Hansika Kunduru, Peyton Seamans and Olivia Maldonado, who worked with Army Corps of Engineers representatives from Blue Marsh Lake to design and create a prototype meant to be used as part of Blue Marsh's harmful algae bloom (HABs) management program. "The device the team designed allows park rangers at Blue Marsh to conduct water sampling at the swim beach and other areas of the lake without having to enter the water and potentially come in contact with harmful cyanotoxins produced by the harmful algae bloom. In the summer, this sampling is required multiple times each week, and currently requires park rangers to wade into water chest deep to take samples," said Mr. Potter.

In the 10 years Mr. Potter's been advising the Governor's STEM team, this is the first year that one of his teams has qualified for the state-level championship. Additionally, he said, it's the first time that a team he's advised has ever been able to deliver and test a completed prototype of their design to their real-world partner, which is a requirement of the competition as teams are required to meet with a member of their local community or business to develop a solution to a real problem rooted in the community. This helps create an authentic experience for them, while providing opportunities for them to learn more about career pathways and employment opportunities based in STEM.

The theme for this year's competition was "Innovating the Commonwealth through Collaboration and Computing." In a press release announcing the winners, Acting Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin congratulated Exeter and the other 19 winners and said, "The thought and innovation that went into this year’s projects continues to show us why Pennsylvania has long been seen as a national leader in STEM. The Commonwealth is fortunate to have such talented, knowledgeable, and creative students.”

Exeter Alumnus to Star in Documentary

On Saturday, catch Exeter alumnus, Phil Pinti '01, as he makes his debut in the extreme sports documentary, "A Long Way from Nowhere," which will be shown at the GoggleWorks theater on Saturday at noon. In the documentary, Pinti, who went on to graduate from West Chester University and serve in the U.S. Marines, is featured as one of several ultra runners who participate in the grueling 150-mile Desert Rats race, which takes place during the summer in the southern Utah desert. Following the screening of the documentary, Pinti plans to be on hand to discuss the documentary and the race with those in the audience.

Pinti currently lives in Maryland with his two children, Penelope and Nolan, where he works for the Department of Defense when he's not participating in races and other adventures. To learn more and buy tickets for the show, please click HERE.

Patricia Phile Finalist for County Teaching Award

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From left: Lorane Elementary Principal, Mrs. Karen Hodge; Superintendent Dr. Christy Haller; Assistant Superintendent Mrs. Dawn Harris; Annie Sullivan nominee Mrs. Patricia Phile

The District is so proud to recognize Mrs. Patricia Phile and her nomination for the BCIU’s Annie Sullivan award, which recognizes local educators for their service to students with special needs. Mrs. Phile–or Miss Patty as she’s affectionately known–is a 20 year veteran of the Exeter Township School District, where she works as a paraprofessional to support students with social, emotional and behavioral needs. Miss Patty works at Lorane, and was nominated by the school’s principal, Mrs. Karen Hodge, who said, “Miss Patty understands and tailors her support to help and encourage all of her students… She exudes positivity and promotes joy to her kids and to adults, alike, even during difficult times and long, challenging days… She delivers her academic support with the same enthusiasm and encouragement as a classroom teacher. She tactfully coaches students to take academic risks and promotes a true love of learning.” Mrs. Hodge continued, "As her building principal, Miss Patty is the warmest, kindest individual I have ever worked with... I am so grateful for this opportunity to acknowledge Miss Patty’s work today amongst all the wonderful examples people like her have on special education here in Exeter." 

When thanking the Board for recognizing her work, Miss Patty reflected back on how losing her mother to cancer before she started kindergarten and how her son’s struggles with dyslexia while growing up shaped her professionally and allowed her to become a more understanding and supportive educator. "(My son's dyslexia) journey has enabled me to want to help students in need, to spur them on, and to share the wonderful world of knowledge with them so that they, too, can become a success in academics as well as in their lives," she said. 

We are so honored to recognize Miss Patty and her tremendous work and caring support of our students, and we are grateful that her work was recognized among her peers at the county level. Congratulations Miss Patty; we are so lucky to have you here in Exeter! 

Exeter bids “Auf Wiedersehen” to German Students

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A group of German students thank Exeter at the end of their stay by creating a bulletin board at the Senior High school. 
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For a classroom presentation, German students set up a pretend cafe in the senior high where Exeter German I students practiced speaking German by ordering food.
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German students and their Exeter student hosts. 
Right before spring break, Exeter bid a fond "Auf Wiedersehen" to 16 German students and two chaperones who were welcomed by host students and their families to experience school and life here in Exeter. Besides visiting New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. as a group, German students enjoyed some of the simpler enjoyments of American life, such as their first visit to Target and trying new foods and experiences with their Exeter host families--including trips to Amish Country, the Pagoda, Centralia and the King of Prussia Mall. They also were lucky enough to visit during the senior high's production of "Matilda" and the basketball state championship game in Hershey. In exchange, Exeter students loved classroom presentations given by the German students about their school system, political system, and more about their food, culture and history in the classes that they visited during their two-week stay.
 
Along with English teacher Mr. Robert Wickstrom, German teacher Mrs. Carolyn Woodford organized the Germans' stay and said that one of the things that she truly appreciates about the experience, which Exeter has been a part of for more than 30 years, is how it allows Exeter students to take new pride in their school and community. "The best way to experience another culture is to be a part of it. Host families made sure that our guests experienced a wide variety of activities, many of which were school-related and allowed our students to deepen their school pride and see everyday things through a new perspective," she said. "Our students have had the unique opportunity to form friendships that can potentially last a lifetime and lead to more visits in each other's respective countries. This program cannot be taught--it needs to be experienced!"

Jacksonwald Students Step Back in Time

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Students at Jacksonwald stepped back in time today as they visited Exeter's one-room schoolhouse at the corner of Oley Valley Turnpike and Route 562, located just steps away from where they currently learn and play. The school, which opened to Exeter Township students in 1st through 8th grade in 1870 (closing in 1937), still features wooden desks with spaces for ink wells, pot-belly stoves and other artifacts from the era, all of which modern-day Exeter students ogled over as they discovered just how different school was more than 150 years ago. As principal Matt Hathaway led the discussion, he asked students what they thought was missing from the schoolhouse besides computers and smartboards. "Lights!" responded one third grader. "A bathroom!" responded another, as students throughout the room made grossed-out sounds of disgust.

Although select grades and classes from Jacksonwald have visited the one-room schoolhouse throughout the years, this was the first time in recent memory that all students from the school were given the opportunity to visit and learn more about the history of the school during a single day. Principal Matt Hathaway said that many students never knew what the building was until today, and he doesn't think they'll soon forget the experience of walking into the one-room schoolhouse or envisioning what it was like to learn in the late 1800s and early 1900s. "Hours after they visited, students were still talking about the experience in their classrooms and wondering what it was like to learn as an Exeter student back then," he said. "It was truly a great experience for them and a wonderful way to expose them to our rich history right here in Exeter."