News

18 Students Exhibit Artwork in County-Wide Exhibit

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students stand with their artwork in a school hallway

Eighteen Exeter Township Senior High art students had their work juried into the Wyomissing Art Institute's Yocum Gallery during a county-wide exhibit that ran from the end of January through February. A special congratulations to McKenna Barker who won the Fred and Deb Gurman award, and Destiny Stoltz, Liz Curry, Morgan Herb and Katie Ryan who won honorable mentions during the county-wide exhibit, as well as the rest of our artists, including:

  • Dylan Backenstoss
  • Makenzie Powell
  • Ariana Cambria
  • Nicolette Gavrilovici
  • Marli Herner
  • Gabi Istenes
  • Jenny Nguyen
  • Kat Patchell
  • Katelyn Rears
  • Madelyn Reismiller
  • Kai Shay-Taylor
  • Emily Miller
  • Lilliana Magazzu

Each year, the Yocum Institute for Arts Education welcomes aspiring young artists from Berks County to submit their work for a juried exhibit to be held at the Yocum Institute. This provides students with an opportunity to present their original works of art to the public in a professional gallery setting as well as compete for cash prizes and tuition to Yocum Institute classes.

The competition is open to all full-time junior and senior high school students that reside in or attend school in Berks County. The original work presented features oil, watercolor, ceramics, mixed media, acrylic paint, sculpture and 3D art.

History Teachers Have Their Own History in Exeter

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the burkhart family stands above the stadium

Matt & Dena Burkhart stand with their children, Cole, Ava and Logan, above Don Thomas Stadium at the Exeter Township Senior High school. 

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Matt & Dena Burkhart stand by the lockers where they initially met at the Junior High. 

In the fall of 1995 at Exeter Township Junior High, seventh graders Matthew Burkhart and Dena Caldwell met on the first day of school when their alphabetically-ordered last names caused their lockers to be placed opportunely next to each other. Over the course of the next few days, a young Matt and Dena became friends. And soon afterwards, a couple. And despite the lack of longevity in young romances, Matt and Dena defied all odds as they continued to date through junior high, and then high school. By the time they reached their senior year, they were selected to be on prom court together, and their classmates bestowed the adorable title of “cutest couple” to them in their yearbook (incidentally, it’s a title that we’re sure they’d still earn today). 

After their 2001 graduation from Exeter, Matt chose to pursue a baseball scholarship at Tusculum University in Tennessee. Dena stayed closer to home to study at Lebanon Valley College. After a year, Matt decided to move closer to home to study education and play baseball at DeSales University. As Dena was finishing up her post-baccalaureate work and student teaching, Matt proposed, presenting Dena with a ring and a desk plaque that said “Mrs. Burkhart” that still sits on the corner of her desk today. They married a year and a half later.

Today, 28 years after the day they met in the hallway of Exeter Township Junior High, it seems no accident that Matt and Dena both love to teach history. After all, they share so much of it together in the same buildings and the same classrooms where they now inspire the next generation of Eagles. The Exeter community is so much a part of their love story, too: Despite initially getting teaching jobs in other districts, both Matt and Dena jumped on teaching opportunities to return to Exeter where they once met and dated. And despite buying their “forever” home in Douglassville, Dena says that when it came time for her three kids–Ava (grade 6), Logan (grade 4) and Cole (kindergarten)–to attend school, she couldn’t envision them not attending the same schools where their young relationship first began. “Matt looked at me one night in our old house and was like, ‘We can stay in Daniel Boone, or you can put a for sale sign out.’ So we put our house on the market and sold it in six days and moved to Exeter.”

Dena continues, “There are just so many opportunities here in Exeter that we couldn’t imagine not raising our kids here. The teachers that are here–yes, we know them since we work with them–but we see that dedication and the special connections they have with students and we know they'll go that extra distance for students here. It’s the extracurricular clubs, the sports, the educational opportunities such as AP and Honors programs… What we have here and what opportunities we had ourselves as kids was a huge reason we decided we wanted to raise our family here,” she says. “We love Exeter–we really do.”

Alysabeth Rivera Selected as U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidate

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photo of alysabeth rivera standing in front of eagle statue at the senior high school

We are exceptionally proud to announce that Exeter senior and Berks Career & Technology Center (BCTC) student Alysabeth Rivera has been selected as a U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate in Career & Technical Education (CTE) by the U.S. Department of Education. Alysabeth is the only U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate in Berks County, and one of only two CTE candidates in Pennsylvania. Mr. Roger Voit, who is a Business Management and Entrepreneurship Instructor at BCTC, nominated Alysabeth for this prestigious award to Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Education, who selected Alysabeth as a U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate for meeting the exceptionally stringent criteria, which includes her academic success, artistic and technical excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership and demonstrated commitment to high ideals. Alysabeth will now go through further evaluation to be hopefully selected as a semifinalist in April. If she advances, the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars will select up to 161 finalists, who will then be honored and recognized at a ceremony at the White House in June. According to the U.S. Department of Education, being selected as a scholar is one of the nation's highest honors for high school students, who represent excellence in education and the promise of greatness in young people. 

Mr. Voit said that the moment he found out that Alysabeth had been selected as a candidate was a “wow!” moment that he couldn’t wait to share with her, her family and the BCTC community. “This is the first student that I have nominated for this prestigious award. Because of the rigorous requirements for being selected, it takes a very special student and mindset to even be nominated let alone selected,” said Mr. Voit. “Alysabeth not only fulfills all the requirements for the selection criteria, she also models the leadership traits necessary to hold this position, which is one of the highest honors our nation’s high school students may receive… I’m a very proud teacher right now.”

Alysabeth, who is the daughter of Iris and Harry Rivera, is a National Technical Honors Society Student, Student Ambassador and SkillsUSA National and Pennsylvania winner in the field of entrepreneurship. At BCTC, she’s won a variety of local, state and national virtual enterprise competitions in which she serves as the CEO of an e-commerce virtual company. At Exeter, she’s a co-founder of the Aevidum Club, President of Gay Straight Alliance Club and a Gold and Silver Eagle Award winner. She’s also almost completed her associate’s degree at Reading Area Community College in Business Administration through dual enrollment courses. Alysabeth, who studies Business Management Entrepreneurship at BCTC, hopes to study business at Syracuse University or the University of Notre Dame in the fall, with the goal of working in international business following graduation. 

Alysabeth said she was shocked to hear that she had been nominated and selected as a candidate. “I can’t honestly put it into words,” she said. “I don't know if I'll make it past any other stage, but it's still such a significant honor.”

Established in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program serves to recognize and honor distinguished graduating high school seniors each year. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative, and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields, such as Alysabeth.

Exeter is exceptionally proud of Alysabeth, and we hope you’ll join us in congratulating her for this extremely high honor! We wish her all the best as she continues through the application process in the hopes of being named a finalist in June! Congratulations! 

23 Eagles Commit to Collegiate Athletics on National Signing Day

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students stand in front of step and repeat to pose for a photo

They're soon to be Blue Hens, Golden Bears and Wolves, Cougars and more, but today, we celebrated these 23 seniors as Eagles as they signed their commitments to continue their athletic and academic careers at the collegiate level on National Signing Day.

Here's where these talented athletes will be playing next year:

  • Anthony Caccese - University of Delaware - Football 
  • Joseph Schlaffer - Penn State University - Football 
  • Megan Unruh - University of Houston - Swimming 
  • Teddy Snyder - Ursinus College - Tennis 
  • Richie Karstien - Iona University - Lacrosse
  • Mason Rotelli - Eastern University - Football
  • Ty Yonas - Virginia Military Institute - Lacrosse 
  • Rosa Laverty - York College  - Field Hockey 
  • Lauren Ramsey - Marshall University - Swimming 
  • Deven Sheerin - Mount St. Mary’s University - Baseball
  • Jordyn Jarrett - Misercordia University - Lacrosse
  • Libby Swoyer - Penn State Berks - Volleyball
  • Keith Lerch - William Paterson University - Bowling
  • Andrew Bauer - Alvernia University - Golf 
  • Joey Reedy -  Lycoming University - Football 
  • Morgan Herb - Kutztown University - Softball 
  • Ashton Fasig - Elizabethtown College - Track and Field
  • Matthew Skipper - Immaculata College - Soccer 
  • Jaredis Flores - Eastern University - Softball 
  • Nathan Wentling - Robert Morris University- Cross Country
  • Kyle Stech - Lebanon Valley College - Golf
  • William Fanning - Binghamton University - Swimming
  • Mary Carl - Niagara University - Swimming

Congratulations to them all!

Exeter Hosts District 10 PMEA Orchestra Festival

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Stewart, Kaleigh
More than 100 students from 29 schools performed at Exeter Township Senior High as Exeter hosted the District 10 Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Orchestra Festival on Friday night. Students in 9th-12th grade from regional schools, including Exeter's own Emily Holliday and Frank Conte, were selected by audition and performed four orchestral pieces. They were conducted by Dr. Brian Norcross and directed by Exeter's Mr. Micah Albrycht, who said it was an honor to host the festival and work with such talented and dedicated students. "This music is performed at a professional level, and it is a privilege to see these students opportunity to practice, bond and perform with other students with the same passion and talent." Congratulations to Emily and Frank for being selected to be a part of the festival, and our thanks to Mr. Albrycht for his time and dedication in organizing and hosting this outstanding event!

Fourteen Students Win More than 50 Regional Art Awards

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McGaffin, Sherri

Left to right: McKenna Barker, 12th; Nicolette Gavrilovici, 12th; Morgan Herb, 12th; and Kai Taylor, 12th

McKinney, Kelly

Left to right: Elizabeth Curry, 12th; Gabi Istenes, 12th; Katie Patchell, 12th; and Naelah King, 10th

Mills, Heather

Left to right: Katie Ryan, 12th; Lydia Long, 12th; Ava Strauss, 11th; Gwynne Geedy, 12th; Mia Herner, 12th; and Dominic Wodika, 12th.

We are thrilled and honored to announce that 14 Senior High students won more than 50 awards at this year’s Scholastic Eastern Regional Awards Show with their artwork, which has now been selected for display and further competition with other regional winners at Kutztown University from February 18th through March 5th. These talented students and their awards are:

  • McKenna Barker: 5 Honorable Mentions, 1 Silver Key, and 1 Gold Key
  • Liz Curry: 2 Honorable Mentions, 3 Silver Keys, and 1 Gold Key
  • Nicolette Gavrilovici: 1 Honorable Mention and 1 Gold Key 
  • Gwynne Geedy: 2 Honorable Mentions, 1 Gold Key, and an American Vision nominee
  • Morgan Herb: 3 Honorable Mentions and 3 Silver Keys
  • Kai Taylor: 2 Honorable Mentions and 1 Gold Key
  • Dominic Wodika: 1 Honorable Mention
  • Mia Herner: 2 Honorable Mentions and 1 Silver Key
  • Gabi Istenes: 6 Honorable Mentions and 2 Silver Keys
  • Lydia Long: 2 Honorable Mentions
  • Kat Patchell: 3 Honorable Mentions and 2 Silver Keys
  • Katie Ryan: 3 Honorable Mentions
  • Ava Strauss: 1 Gold Key
  • Naelah King: 1 Gold Key and an American Vision nominee

Students who won Gold Keys are eligible to compete for national awards, and American Vision Award nominees will be eligible to compete for the National American Vision Award. The finalists for the national awards will be announced on March 5th at Kutztown University.

Last year, more than 260,000 works of art and writing were submitted by teens from every state in the nation, as well as American territories and Canada. Works by 40,000 teens received regional recognition, and nearly 2,000 works earned national awards, including 2022 Exeter grad Joanna Knepper’s glass sculpture, “She’s Lost Her Marbles,” which was displayed in New York City’s Carnegie Hall last June as part of the national competition.

For the past 100 years, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, which are the nation’s longest running and most prestigious program for creative teens in grades 7 through 12, have empowered creative teens and celebrated their voices by bolstering their artistic and literary futures through opportunities for publication, exhibition and scholarships. The Awards encourage students to build confidence as creative individuals and to trust that their voice is important. Many esteemed artists and writers received some of their earliest validation from the Awards, including Andy Warhol, Tschabalala Self, Joyce Carol Oates, Kay WalkingStick, Charles White and Stephen King.