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Exeter student is named finalist in the 2022 Audie Awards

photo of exeter's Ahnya O'Riordan and audie award

Ahnya O'Riordan holds up a copy of "Twins" and the accompanying audio book she donated to the Reiffton library. 

Exeter student Ahnya O'Riordan joined the company of Barack Obama, Jamie Foxx, Oprah Winfrey, Lin-Manuela Miranda, John Lithgow and other notable authors and performers as she was recently named a finalist for the 2022 Audie Awards, which recognize distinction in spoken word entertainment and audiobooks. Sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association (APA), Ahnya was nominated in the Multi-Voiced Performance category for her joint narration of “Twins,” which was written by Varian Johnson, and was also narrated by Grace Capeless, Mashari Bain, Malcolm Bowen, Antoinette Comer, André Blake, Armand Xavier and Rufen-Blanchette. 

Published by Scholastic, Ahnya described the book as a multi-award-winning graphic novel about twin sisters who are best friends. “Maureen and Francine do everything together and share all the same experiences. But once they start 6th grade, Francine decides she has new interests and wants to be more independent. Maureen struggles with this, but finds her own strengths along the way.” Ahnya, who voiced Maureen in the story, loved the story so much that she decided to share it with other Exeter students by donating copies of the audiobook to the Reiffton and Jacksonwald libraries. 

A performer since she was 4 years old, Ahnya said that she truly enjoyed the process of recording the story. “This project was a lot of fun. Once I booked the job, I was given the entire contents of the pages, which I had to read and get very comfortable with. I then went to a recording studio in New York City to record each line. The actor who voices my twin sister was there as well, so we were able to meet, get chemistry and record together.” 

When she heard she was named a finalist, she said that she was very excited, but also so grateful for the experience. “Everyone did such an awesome job bringing the characters to life, and I'm grateful to be a part of it! I was very excited to hear about the awards!” The winners of the Audies will be announced during a virtual ceremony hosted by Kal Penn on Friday, March 4, 2022 from 9-10PM, and can be viewed online at https://www.youtube.com/c/AudiobookCommunity

Ahnya attended Exeter schools through 6th grade, and then switched to the Exeter Cyber Academy in junior high so that she could travel the world and perform as a member of Kidz Bop and pursue her musical and acting career. Now a senior, Ahnya will graduate from Exeter in June, and plans to attend college for Forensic Psychology as she continues to work as an actor. Congratulations Ahnya–we are all rooting for you on March 4th! 

Exeter students place in BCIU STEM Design Challenge

bciu stem challenge students

Jacksonwald's Engineering Elves

bciu stem challenge students

Owatin Creek's Cosmic Quad

bciu stem challenge students

Lorane's Lorane Train

Teams of fourth-grade students from Jacksonwald, Lorane and Owatin Creek dreamt up new innovations to solve modern-day problems using just K'Nex building pieces, teamwork, and a whole lotta brain power during the 2022 BCIU STEM Design Challenge held yesterday at the Berks County Intermediate Unit. The design competition challenges teams of four students from each elementary school to build a unique prototype using K'Nex building pieces. To prepare for the competition, teams spent several weeks before the competition working together to identify a modern-day problem, imagining a prototype that they could build to solve that problem, creating computer-designed blueprints and models using CAD software, and then practicing building their finalized prototype using K'Nex. Along the way, students documented the process by keeping a design notebook and writing a script for their design presentation. When the challenge day actually arrived, teams had just two hours to build their K'Nex prototype from scratch and less than two minutes to impress and wow the judges with their presentation--and Exeter certainly did just that with Jacksonwald winning "Fan Favorite" and placing second, and Owatin Creek placing third against 35 other teams of fourth and fifth graders from other Berks County schools!

Here's what our teams designed:

Jacksonwald's Engineering Elves: Lillian McCord, Colton Symonds, Peyton Shirey and Ashleigh Campbell

When describing their invention, which they called "The Hyperloop," the team said that they were inspired by Elon Musk's idea of creating a high-speed train that uses magnetic propulsion inside of a low-pressure tube. Describing their model, the team said, "The Hyperloop uses magnetic levitation, magnetic propulsion and a pressurized tube to move a pod contained within it. We were looking through futuristic inventions, and we came across the Hyperloop and we saw that it was environmentally friendly because it used solar panels, and it was super handy because it moved objects really fast. We wanted something really futuristic."

Owatin Creek's Cosmic Quad: Nora LaRosse, Ari Bluestone, Ian Littlefield and Kiersten Schower

Owatin Creek's Cosmic Quad named their human and solar-powered car prototype the "Foot Fusion 22," and said: "The vehicle we created is powered by pedaling, but it has a back-up battery, which is charged by the solar panel charging station. We were thinking about the buggies at the beach and how you pedal them, and we hope that a vehicle like this one day would help the environment and also help people get more exercise." They said that their idea took a long time to coalesce, but once they became inspired, "it just popped!"

Lorane's Lorane Train: Paige Bergey, Emma Dickerson, Brayden McCarthy and Hannah Schick

Also thinking about environmentally-friendly ways to transport people, Lorane's team designed a wind-powered car that was powered by a windmill that sat on top of the vehicle. "Our car doesn't use any gas, so it stops pollution in the air. We came up with this idea because we first thought of a solar-powered car, but since there isn't always sun but there's usually always wind, we thought that would be a better option." The team laughed because they said that when they first designed the car it had a very "wonky" shape, but that through trial and error with their CAD software, they came up with a better design that they all agreed on and finally worked after "many, many tries." Describing the competition, they said "It was so much fun! And now we want to play with K'Nex more!"

Way to go Exeter! We are excited to see where these incredible ideas may lead our next generation of inventors and engineers!

Students Take Part in the Tradition of a Spelling Bee in a Not-So-Traditional Time

exeter's spelling bee student winners

In this age of auto-correct and Grammarly, you may have thought that the art of spelling was d-e-a-d, but students at Reiffton and the Junior High still participate in a yearly traditional Spelling Bee to show off their skills as they tackle words such as “vuvuzela” (a plastic horn) or “excoriation” (chronic skin picking), both of which won 7th grader Casey Grzywacz (left) a first place finish for the Junior High; and “liability,” (being responsible for something), which won 5th grader Rinith Musuku (right) a first place finish for Reiffton. “I enjoy watching students excel at a skill that, in the 21st century, might be considered a lost art,” said Mrs. Cheryl Larson, a Junior High English & Language Arts teacher and advisor to the Bee for the past 28 years. But despite students spending hours voluntarily pouring over spelling lists with parents, classmates and friends to prepare for the traditional contest, the pandemic changed the actual day-of competition in schools as E.W. Scripps now offers school-level Bees in a virtual format instead of with students grouped together in a cafeteria or auditorium. “It was kind of odd,” admitted Casey, who has been participating since 3rd grade. “Doing it on the computer was so weird to me because it’s just so different listening to an AI (artificial intelligence)’s voice.” But despite the virtual format of this year’s contest, both students said their hard work and hours of preparation paid off. “It was a lot of work, but my parents are so proud of me,” beamed Rinith, who also won last year’s Bee in 4th grade. 

Mrs. Larson, who believes that some students are gifted with the natural ability to spell well, is also so proud of Casey and Rinith, as well the 35 students who voluntarily participated and competed in the Bee–and she's hopeful that students can return to a more traditional Spelling Bee next year, which is what both Casey and Rinith are participating in when they advance to the regional Bee competition to be held in person on Sunday, March 13th in Wilkes-Barre. Please help us wish them lots of l-u-c-k in the next round!

Dr. Cynthia Mierzejewski Named As Substitute Superintendent

photo of cindy mierzejewski

During their monthly voting meeting this evening, the Exeter Township Board of School Directors voted to install Dr. Cynthia Mierzejewski as substitute superintendent of the Exeter Township School District following Dr. Kimberly Minor’s resignation earlier this month. Before her retirement in 2020, Dr. Mierzejewski (pronounced “Mer-zesk-ee”) had a long career in education in Berks County, most recently serving as the superintendent of Schuylkill Valley schools from 2017 to 2020, and as assistant superintendent at Wilson from 2015 to 2017. Prior to those roles, she worked for over a decade at the Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU) as the Director of the Office of Professional Development and served in administrative roles in other districts in Berks County. At the heart of her leadership, however, is her experience working directly with students when she worked as a chemistry teacher for more than a dozen years at Fleetwood and Central Catholic. “Throughout my life and work here in Berks County, it’s been a joy to play a small role in the educational process of thousands of students as they’ve grown up and become dedicated and contributing members of our community. There truly is no job more important than supporting the hard work and devotion of Exeter teachers, administrators, staff, and community as we work together to create brighter and better futures for the next generation.”

Dr. Ann Hearing, ETSD Board President said, “The Board of School Directors is pleased to welcome Dr. Mierzejewski to the Exeter Township School District, and is confident that her exemplary and proven leadership will allow the District to have a secure and seamless transition as we search for a new superintendent. We look forward to introducing her to our teachers, staff, students and community in the coming days, and hope you’ll give her a warm welcome as she settles into Exeter.”

Dr. Mierzejewski will act as substitute superintendent while the Board of School Directors begins the search for a new superintendent of Exeter schools. She will begin on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.

National School Counseling Week: Focus on the Senior High

photo of exeter township senior high counselors

This week, we’re excited to celebrate National School Counseling Week to help bring awareness to the important role that our K-12 school counselors have as they dedicate their professional lives to care for and support our students to help them achieve school success and plan for their futures. From providing safe and supportive areas for students to receive mental health or social help, to helping students remove barriers to academic success, to providing classroom lessons, to helping kids figure out “what they want to be when they grow up,” school counselors are celebrated not only this week–but every day–for the unique work they do to support all aspects of a student’s journey through school as they help each reach their potential to become his or her best. Today, we’re proud to highlight our last--but biggest--counseling team at the Senior High: Mrs. Nicole Daub (A-Dough), Mr. Owen Jones (Doughl-Hun), Mr. Bryan Lefever (Hu-Mo), Ms. Ashley Rosa (Mu-She) and Mrs. Andrea Freese (Shi-Z). Together, they're joined by Mrs. Alycia Lenhart (Student Assistance Coordinator), Mrs. Mary Matetich-Patton (Guidance Technician and Scholarship Coordinator) and Mrs. Laurie Zeiber (Secretary).

Q: How long have you been a school counselor? How long have you worked at Exeter?

Mrs. Daub: I have been working as a school counselor for 10 years--7 of those being at Exeter.
Mr. Jones: I've been a counselor since 2005, and one at Exeter since 2008.
Mr. Lefever: This is my 10th year as a school counselor and at Exeter.
Ms. Rosa: This is my 5th year as a school counselor, and I have worked at Exeter for all 5 of those years.
Mrs. Freese: 16 years! They have all been at Exeter, with my first year being at the Junior High. 

Q: Did you do anything prior to becoming a counselor? If so, what? Why did you change your career?

Mrs. Daub: During graduate school, I was a personal care assistant and paraprofessional. I worked with a student diagnosed with autism and Down's Syndrome using the Applied Behavioral Analysis approach and techniques. Immediately after completing my school counseling program, I was hired as a school counselor and have been doing that since.
Mr. Jones: I have always been a school counselor; however, I started my education as a Physical Therapy major.
Mr. Lefever: I taught in the Machine shop and Mechanical Drafting program at Lancaster County Career and Technology Center. Before that I was a Tooling Engineer.
Ms. Rosa: I knew I wanted to be a school counselor since high school.
Mrs. Freese: I was Vice President of Human Resources for Reading Truck Body, Inc. My desire to work with adolescents prompted me to pursue a masters in counseling education and leave the business world.

Q: What's your favorite part of your job?

Mrs. Daub: My favorite part of being a school counselor is meeting individually with students to help support their needs and goals, whatever those may be: academically, socially, emotionally, post-secondary, etc.
Mr. Jones: I love helping students and staff with any question or concern that they have and removing that barrier to their continued success.
Mr. Lefever: Working one-on-one with students.
Ms. Rosa: The amazing students that I work with who are inspiring, hard working, who persevere through the most challenging times. As a school counselor I work with students with a wide range of strengths, abilities and goals. I also have the best coworkers!
Mrs. Freese: Working with so many amazing students and families.

Q: What's the most challenging part of your job?

Mrs. Daub: In supporting students in all facets of their lives, we often have difficult conversations with students and families regarding sensitive topics, crises, unfortunate situations, etc. There are some days where compartmentalizing work from home is needed, but very difficult.
Mr. Jones: The most challenging part is managing the time it takes to address everyone's needs. I would love to be able to spend more time with students.
Mr. Lefever: Breaking news to parents about a crisis situation their child is in.
Ms. Rosa: Time.I wish I had more time to spend with students.
Mrs. Freese: Being able to have enough time to support students in the way I would like to.

Q: If you were talking to someone who knew nothing about your work, how would you complete this sentence? “People are surprised to learn that I….”

Mrs. Daub: ...While my day is always planned, it is fairly typical that I am not able to follow the schedule I have outlined. Our counseling doors are always open to students, and in doing so, we, as school counselors, are ready to handle the immediate needs of our students. No day is the same, and there is always the possibility of a change to what was planned.
Mr. Lefever: ...Do something different every day, no two days are alike.
Ms. Rosa: ...Utilize a zen garden in my office.
Mrs. Freese: ..Spend most days seeing students all day long.

Q: The theme for this year’s School Counseling Week is “Better Together.” What does that mean to you?

Mrs. Daub: Working together, as a team, is how we help ensure that we are supporting students in all facets of their lives to the best that we can. School counselors are constantly working together, with students and their families, with teachers and administration, and with support staff and the community to ensure the needs are being met and that supports are in place to help students meet their goals.
Mr. Owens: It means that when you are part of a wonderful team you can really make a difference in the lives of those you interact with. We all make each other better.
Mr. Lefever: It's always about a team: teachers, administrators, parents, students, counseling team, and many other support staff. There is nothing I do, that I do alone.
Ms. Rosa: I see this theme in two ways. First, I could not do my job without the support of my coworkers. We lean on each other and it makes being a school counselor at Exeter so much fun. I also see this theme being used school-wide. We are all here together for a reason. Working, learning, growing together will make us all stronger. Sometimes we need the strength from others to lift us up!
Mrs. Freese: The SH counseling team is amazing and I would not want to work as a counselor anywhere else.

Q: When you were in elementary school, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Mrs. Daub: An elementary school teacher.
Mr. Jones: I can't really remember, but I'm sure it had something to do with soccer.
Mr. Lefever: I wanted to join the military
Ms. Rosa: A lawyer
Mrs. Freese: A lawyer

Q: Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Mr. Jones: I'm blessed to be part of this team.
Ms. Rosa: In addition to being a school counselor I am the head boys/girls swim coach and the advisor of Student Council and Do Something Club. I enjoy working with all three of these groups. They are energetic and passionate about what they do.
Mrs. Freese: I often tell people that I have the best job in the world because of the amazing students I have the opportunity to work with.

National School Counseling Week: Focus on Owatin Creek

photo of paola cordova

This week, we’re excited to celebrate National School Counseling Week to help bring awareness to the important role that our K-12 school counselors have as they dedicate their professional lives to care for and support our students to help them achieve school success and plan for their futures. From providing safe and supportive areas for students to receive mental health or social help, to helping students remove barriers to academic success, to providing classroom lessons, to helping kids figure out “what they want to be when they grow up,” school counselors are celebrated not only this week–but every day–for the unique work they do to support all aspects of a student’s journey through school as they help each reach their potential to become his or her best. Today, we’re proud to highlight another new counselor, Ms. Paola Cordova, who started working at Owatin Creek just this past year:

Q: How long have you been a school counselor? How long have you worked at Exeter?

A: This my first year at Exeter, but my second year as a school counselor.

Q: What’s your favorite part of your job?

A: The favorite part of my job is talking and listening to my students. All of my students I met are sweet and resilient human beings. They teach me something new every day. I also enjoy doing guidance lessons and groups!

Q: What's the most challenging part of your job?

A: There is not enough time of day to do everything that needs to be done.

Q: If you were talking to someone who knew nothing about your work, how would you complete this sentence? “People are surprised to learn that..."

A: ...I teach my students about their feelings and how to communicate with one another properly.

Q: The theme for this year’s School Counseling Week is “Better Together.” What does that mean to you?

A: "Better Together" means to me as a community (e.g., parents/guardians, students, teachers, principal and anyone who interacts with the students) can help our students, and we cannot do it alone. We need to work as a team to help our students.

Q: When you were in elementary school, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A: In elementary school, I wanted to be a teacher and realtor! At a young age, I knew I loved working with people!