Students share gifts with community
Penns Valley Area School District students have been busy this fall.
On Nov. 21, high school drama teacher Sarah Farrant’s class held a free, one-night play at the high school auditorium, for class credit.
“Krazy Kamp” included 25 students — including 18 ninth-graders — who had rehearsed daily since October, Farrant said.
The play is described as a comedy about when an all-boys summer camp and all-girls camp briefly combine.
“It’s something that was fun for students, and there are a lot of comedic students who can play broad characters,” Farrant said.
The school did the same play in 2004 under the direction of former drama teacher Sue Shirey.
Students were in charge of performing in the play and the behind-the-scenes work.
“We show them all aspects of what it takes to put on a production,” Farrant said.
The main characters were played by senior Abby Pierce, as Eve Hunnicutt, the manager of Camp Pocahontas; freshmen Alyssa Boob, as Vivian Vandersnap, a spoiled teen; and Nate Gillespie as Adam Apple, the boys’ camp director.
Farrant’s junior high class will do two plays in January, and the her high school class will do a couple one-act plays next semester that have yet to be determined. The second-semester senior advanced drama class will also put on play inspired by numerous storylines including “Game of Thrones.”
In other Penns Valley news, the academic decathlon team won its scrimmage at South Williamsport High School on Nov. 13. They walked away with 25 medals.
Maria McQuaide was the overall high scorer of the meeting, joined by Haley Brown and Ben Kupp, who earned silver and bronze for their overall scores in the honors category, according to a release from student spokesman Zach Auker.
He said at a board meeting in late November that, in the scholastic division, Sammie Bastress, Abby Pierce and James Steffen also got first, second and third-place.
Eliza Gretok and Dan Kozar walked took gold and silver in their division, Auker added.
Other varsity competitors who placed were Josh Martin, gold in music; Nathaniel Bucek, silver in literature; Hayden Smith, silver in art; and Keith Griffith, bronze in music.
Farrant, who’s also the decathlon coach, said the next competition will be Jan. 7 at Montoursville Area High School.
Seventh- and eighth-grade students in the junior high Builders Club have been active in the community, volunteering with Trunk or Treat in Centre Hall and participating in a Veterans Day event.
The reception was held after a Veterans Day assembly at the school. Several veterans spoke at the assembly and were then served refreshments by members of the Builders Club. Club members also made cards for each veteran to show their appreciation, according to a news release from the district.
The group is also planning an annual trip to Salem Hill nursing home in Spring Mills to take treats to residents, and sing Christmas carols with them during the holidays.
This story was originally published November 30, 2014 at 11:03 PM with the headline "Students share gifts with community ."