Senior High

Thy Exeter Lords & Ladies Perform Merrily at PA Renaissance Faire

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Dozens of young Lords and Ladies from thee village of Exeter doth taketh over the PA Renaissance Faire in Manheim today as they made music, created art and acted amongst the commoners in a trio of competitions. Mistresses and masters from the Junior High's honors chorus sang with a combined orchestra from the Junior and Senior High. Meanwhile, Senior High art students Ellie Dougherty and Alizarin Capeland took part in a poster competition depicting Exeter and the Faire, respectively. After students had soaked up more post medieval history and noshed on the Faire's famous turkey legs and exotic jerky as well as other royal delights, the day concluded with students in Mr. Wickstom's Creative Expressions class performing a dramatic sword fighting scene from William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

At the end of the day, huzzah! Exeter's theatrical performance earned 2nd place with students in the poster competition taking home an honorable mention. Although the Junior High chorus and orchestra did not place, Mrs. Crotty said it was still a day that all of the students enjoyed as they immersed themselves in a unique era of history. "They love having the chance to walk around and see places you read about with your friends--it makes a huge impact," she said. "Add in jousting, turkey legs, a mud pit, a battle over the throne--history becomes so much more real and exciting." Huzzah Eagles!

Tickets Now on Sale for “Million Dollar Baby”

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Starring (left to right): Lizzie West as Nellie, Ryan Claudfelter as Creepstone, Alison Applegate as Lotta and Tyler Casiano as Nick

Showtimes: Thursday, October 26th and Saturday, October 28th at 7PM

If you need a good belly laugh, please join the Exeter Township Senior High cast and crew for "Million Dollar Baby," a comic melodrama by Craig Sodaro. Nope, it's not the Clint Eastwood movie with the same name; instead, our fall play takes place in Chicago and features Nellie Cavandish, played by senior Lizzie West, as a saintly sister to her greedy brother, Creepstone, played by junior Ryan Claudfelter. Their daddy willed $1,000 to each with the stipulation that the one who increases the amount most within 30 days will inherit his entire fortune. The struggle between good and evil becomes a tug of war, with Nellie and her gentle friends, including the Chicago Fire Department, pulling honestly and earnestly, and Creepstone and his hoods, gamblers and show girls using every underhanded, dishonest ploy they can conjure up. The production, directed by Kathy Galtere, also features can't-miss performances by junior Alison Applegate as Lotta and senior Tyler Casiano as Nick.

Tickets are $10 for adults or $5 for students/senior citizens for shows in the Exeter Township Senior High School's auditorium on October 26th or 28th at 7PM. Purchase your ticket at the door, or reserve your seat online at https://seatyourself.biz/exeterhs.

Former NFL Player Devin Wyman Bends Bars–and Minds–at Assemblies

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Former NFL player Devin Wyman opened his assembly at Exeter Township Junior High this morning by asking students a thought-provoking question: "What size dream did you wake up with today?" And for the next 45 minutes, he showed students how small choices they make each day--with their friends, their efforts at school and their attitude--ultimately makes a huge impact on the achievement of their dreams.

Wyman is no stranger to having big dreams when he was a student and dreamt of becoming a professional football player. By high school, Division I colleges and universities came knocking on his door, offering him scholarships to play football or basketball. But he blew it all when he fell in with the wrong group of friends and decided to sell drugs, which ultimately led to his arrest before he graduated high school. "One $20 piece of cocaine cost me a quarter-million dollar scholarship," he said to the suddenly hushed group of students. "I made one wrong choice listening to the wrong voice. My mom said your friends are not your friends. What you do in the dark, will come to the light."

Wyman then held up a steel bar he brought with him and held it vertically to illustrate what it was like to live behind it as a prisoner. But he then told students the bar could also represent what it's like to be lifted to achieve your dreams when you are with friends who care just as much about your aspirations. Asking for two volunteers, eighth graders Nyla Salaam (left) and Jacinda Motley, were instructed by Wyman to grab the now-horizontal bar and hold onto as if it were their dreams. "If you let go of it, she's going to fall," he said to Nyla in reference to Jacinda. "And if you let go of it, she's going to fall," he said in reverse, illustrating how friendships can make all the difference. And with that, he lifted the girls to the stunned audience.

Continuing to use the bar as a metaphor, Wyman then further shocked the group of students by placing a towel around the center of the bar, placing it in his mouth, and then bending it--impossibly--into half. "I love football because it has two halves," he said as he traced his finger around the now u-shaped bar. "This," he said as he pointed to the curve at the bottom of the bar, "was when I was arrested. I was at my lowest point. It was the end of my first half." But he then said that each and every person has the capacity to ask for forgiveness, the power to change and the ability to latch back onto their dreams and work hard to achieve them. "This," he said as he traced his finger up the bar, "was my second half when I didn't give up on myself and I prayed for forgiveness." He then paused and told the students emphatically, "Don't you ever--ever--give up on yourself," as he told students about his release from prison and re-entry back onto the football field at a community college, eventually earning a spot on the football field at Kentucky State University. From there, Wyman was drafted in the sixth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, where he earned two Super Bowl rings.

Wyman will bring his message about effort, education and excellence to students throughout the district during assemblies on Monday and Tuesday, with a final free and open-to-the-public presentation on Tuesday, September 26th at 6PM in the auditorium at the Exeter Township Senior High school. Wyman's presentation was brought to Exeter schools thanks to a grant from the Exeter Community Education Foundation.

Matt Bauer Selected as Senior High Assistant Principal

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football coach poses with his family

Mr. Matt Bauer, an honors and AP chemistry teacher and head football coach at the Senior High, has been hired to be an assistant principal at the senior high to fill the vacancy left by the departure of Mrs. Julie Davis. Mr. Bauer has worked in Exeter as a teacher his entire 17-year teaching career, and has been the head coach of the football team since 2009, leading the team to their first-ever district playoff win in 2014 and first-ever district championship and state semi-finalist finish in 2021. Last year, he received his 100th win, as well as Coach of the Year honors from the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2. He lives in Oley with his wife, Kirsten, and his children, Nina and Chase, who both attend Oley Valley schools.

After the Board confirmed his hire, Mr. Bauer said that he looks forward to his new role allowing him to positively impact more students than just those in his classroom and on the field. "I chose to go into the teaching and coaching profession to make a positive impact on as many kids as possible," he said. "In the past 17 years, I have been so blessed to work with and mentor so many amazing Exeter students. I love Exeter, I love the kids, school district and community. I want nothing more than to finish out my career by giving back to the students and district that has been so good to me."

Mr. Bauer plans to continue coaching football after he moves to the assistant principal position at a date to be determined shortly.

September Internship Spotlight: Ava Strauss with Jerry Geleff Media

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Ava Strauss is a senior completing a for-credit internship in sports broadcasting with Jerry Geleff Media, a broadcasting and media production company covering high school athletics in Berks County. Mr. Jerry Geleff, owner, says he's thrilled to have Ava's help and believes that businesses benefit when they provide internship opportunities to Exeter's students. "The internship program has been a real win for everybody involved. Ava has done an amazing job for us, providing an angle to our broadcasts on The Exeter Sports Network that we didn't have before with her sideline reporting and other on-air contributions. For Ava, she's getting some real-world experience in the business of sports journalism, broadcast production, and interviewing, and she's getting to hone some "behind the scenes" skills like editing of audio and soundboard operation. I would highly suggest to other businesses to get involved in this program with Exeter because, from my perspective, I've found a gem."

Ava, can you tell us a bit about what your plans are for after graduation? Have you selected a college and a major?
After graduation I plan on attending a 4-year university to study Sports Broadcasting & Journalism. This is all under the “Communications” umbrella. I haven’t decided on a school yet, but I plan on applying soon.

Can you tell us a bit about your internship? What does a typical day look like for you?
My schedule is usually pretty relaxed. My typical work consists of interviewing athletes, editing audio for my podcast and my mentor, and reporting at our football games.

How did you select your internship? Did someone help you select it? Did you seek out the opportunity on your own? Were you asked to do the internship?
I selected this internship because it felt like a great fit. It was first introduced to me by Mr. Ricketts, the internship coordinator at Exeter Township Senior High School. I soon met my mentor before I started (the internship). It was a great connection, especially after meeting with the rest of the team. They have made everything accessible and the communication is great.

Do you think your internship is helping you feel more confident about your decision to go to college and pursue your major?
Yes! I feel very confident that I made a good decision in partaking in this internship. I am very excited and ready to continue my career path in this field.

What do you like most about your internship?
What I like most about my internship is that I get a lot of creativity freedom. All of the podcasts and posts I make are all up to me. Yes, it’s assisted by my mentor, but he lets me do majority of what I want to do to make it my own.

And finally, what would be your advice to a high school student who's thinking about Exeter's internship program?
My advice to a high school student thinking about doing an Exeter internship is to do it! There are so many options and opportunities involved in an internship. It also lets you see if you enjoy being in that specific type of work environment in order to decide if you would like to continue a career path in that field.

A Message to the ETSD Community Regarding Escaped Inmate Danelo Cavalcante

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Dear Exeter Families,

In our partnership with the Exeter Township Police Department, we have been actively monitoring the situation in northern Chester County and the search for the escaped inmate, Danelo Cavalcante. As many of you may be aware, in consultation with law enforcement, the Owen J. Roberts school district closed today following a reported sighting of a man believed to be Cavalcante in an area near their schools last night. Law enforcement also believes that he now has a firearm.

At this time, we have been assured there is no direct threat to the Exeter community and the search area for Cavalcante has not moved into Berks County. In our steadfast commitment to the safety and security of our school community, we want to assure you that our district’s Safety & Security Coordinator, Eric Seidel, as well as central office administrators, are in constant contact with the Exeter Township Police Department to receive the latest information and developments in the search for Cavalcante.

In consultation with the Exeter Police, we have been informed that there is no reason to change or disrupt the normal operations of our schools at this time. Unless otherwise advised, we will continue to hold outdoor athletics and activities (recess, physical education classes) for our students while we remain vigilant and watchful.

The PA State Police would like to reinforce the following security measures for community members to increase your awareness and caution:
Residents in the area are asked to continue to lock all external doors and windows, secure vehicles, and remain indoors. Please review your surveillance cameras and contact police if you observe anything suspicious. If you see him, do not approach. Call 911 immediately. Please call (717) 562-2987 with general tips and information.

Cavalcante is described as a male of Hispanic descent, approximately 5’0” in height and clean shaven. We’ve attached police-released photos of him. If you believe you have seen Cavalcante, please call 911 immediately.

The Exeter Township Police Department will continue to be a presence around our schools and our schools will continue to implement our universal safety procedures and protocols that are designed to keep our students and our staff in one of the safest and securest locations in the area.

Thank you.