The Lions' Den

By: Abby Romeo

As the school years ends, staff and students are planning their summer break plans!

 “I’m looking forward for Outdoor Odyssey,” junior Reese Pittler said. “I am also planning to hang out with my friends.”

 “I’m going to our camp in July,” junior Alyssa Tressler. “I’m also going to Maryland with my friend Kalina.”

“My stepson is getting married at a destination wedding at Punta Cana,” Math teacher Mrs. Christina Burkhart said. “I also plan on going hiking with my family.”

“Play football, practice football,” freshman Seth Meanor said.

“I’m looking forward to Outdoor Odyssey,” junior Aden Harvey said. “Looking forward to go hiking as well.”

“I plan on working at Idlewild for the rest of the summer and beginning of senior year,” junior John Nemcik said.

“I plan on working at Redstone in North Huntingdon and Panera,” junior Amadora Ciedro said.

“Initially try to reduce stress and to get some distance from my profession and be more of a mom for a bit,” History teacher Mrs. Beth Simone. “I like to run, so I get to run in the mornings and not after school when it’s very hot.”

 “I am volunteering at three different church camps,” sophomore Audrey Moy said. “I’m also looking forward for Ocean City this month.”

“Looking forward to going to the beach in July,” History teacher Mr. Mark Zahorchak said.

“We have one vacation planned for the Finger Lakes,” History teacher Mr. Brandon Roberts said. “Mainly just to relax.”

All images by Abby Romeo.

By: Mae Grisenthwaite

As spring fades and summer begins, students everywhere start adjusting to a completely different pace of life.

This time of year is valuable not only for students, but for teachers as well, providing an opportunity to decompress after a long school year.

 “It feels great after a long school year to have a break,” sophomore Emma Davis said.

Not only does this break from school offer alone time, but also time for students to work, go to camps or visit new places.

“It’s nice to be able to work full time or go to camp,” Davis said

For many students, summer also provides relief from the academic pressures that come with the school year.

“I love summer because I don’t have to stress over getting good grades,” sophomore Gabriela Berlingo said.

Sophomore Gaby Berlingo

Photo by: Mae Grisenthwaite

Beyond offering a break from school-related stress, summer gives some students an opportunity to focus on personal growth and self-care.

“I dedicate my summer to bettering myself and to give myself a break before returning to school,” Berlingo said.

However, along with the benefit that summer break brings, the transition can also be challenging for some people.

“Sometimes not having a routine bothers me, but having a job helps me stay motivated,” Davis said.

Sophomore Emma Davis

Photo by: Mae Grisenthwaite

Many people rely on the routine and structure that school provides, from set schedules and deadlines to regular social interactions.

“The schedule is some peoples’ security,” Psychology teacher Mrs. Beth Simone said. “So sometimes when people are set off their schedule or don’t know what they are doing next, that can throw them off and can have a negative effect on their mood.”

Many people do not realize how much the activities they participate in can affect their mental health, whether it’s sports, clubs, work or spending time just outside.

“When we go into summer where the days are longer and there is more sunlight, it can affect our mood and emotions positively,” Mrs. Simone said

Mrs. Simone

Photo by: Mae Grisenthwaite

Although increased sunlight can boost mood, each person’s experience with summer is unique.

“Summer is different for everyone because humans are so complex,” Simone said. “The change of routines could be good or bad depending completely on the person.”

by Gabi Elentri

A dozen students, made up of six sets of twins, are proving that sometimes the best things really do come in pairs.

While they may share birthdays and appearances, each set has its own experiences that make twin life one-of-a-kind.

Although twins often share many similarities, many say their differences are what make their relationship most unique.

“My brother Luke and I are more similar than different,” senior Quinn Dieter said. “But one way we differ is that I’m more extroverted than him”

Even when twins have a lot in common, they often find ways to stand out as individuals.

“Outside of our genetics, my brother Layne and I are completely different.” sophomore Vienna Jevicky said. “Layne is more involved in school clubs while I’m more involved in sports.”

Layne and Vienna Jevicky pose for a photo together.

Photo Courtesy: Mrs. Jevicky

In some cases, twins can be so different that people forget that they’re twins.

“Some people don’t even know that my sister and I are twins because of our differences,” Layne said. “We have different interests and fit into different friend groups.”

Differing from your twin can be interesting, but being alike can come in handy. Some twins take advantage of their similarities and use it to play tricks on others.

“One time in elementary school, my brother Cody and I tricked our teachers by swapping places,” junior Connor Wilson said. “Everyone believed it until our personalities gave it away.” 

Connor and Cody Wilson pose for a photo with their mother.

Photo Courtesy: Connor Wilson

Twins can try to be the same, but in the end their differences usually make it obvious.

No matter how different they may be, many twins share a connection that makes them feel incomplete without the other.

“Even though my brother and I don’t always get along, I don’t know what I would do without him,” Vienna said.

Their bond goes beyond siblings, built on a connection that only they can truly understand.

“Having a twin has given me a built-in best friend who understands me well,” Quinn said. “At the same time, being a twin has pushed me to figure out who I am as an individual.” 

By: Grace Cardoni

Seniors are making the most of their final memories before saying goodbye through celebrating long standing traditions together.

Through the week of May 24 through June 4 seniors participated in many traditions like graduation, the elementary walk, Senior Picnic and Senior Sunset. Each gave students the opportunity to reflect on their time in school while spending time with their friends.

“I’m grateful I get to hold a lot of these events,” Student Council Advisor Mr. Chris Gazze said. “It’s great being able to celebrate with kids I’ve worked with for so long.”

The most significant event in school for many students is the moment they get to walk across Offutt Field and get their diploma and finally feel the freedom of graduating. People who have watched them grow up gather to recognize their years of hard work, accomplishments and, most importantly, all the memories created.

“Thinking about graduation never felt real before,” senior Lorelai Leatherman said. “It is finally hitting me that all the work I’ve put in is finally paying off for the moment I’ve been waiting for.”

Before seniors graduate, they participated in the elementary walk. This gave them the chance to look back on where it all started. Students got the chance to walk through their old elementary schools in their caps and gowns seeing old teachers and younger students looking up to them.

“Thinking about seeing my old teachers is really emotional, but I’m honestly excited,” Leatherman said.

Photo Courtesy: Courtney Paul Photography

Another memorable tradition held was Senior Sunset, hosted by Student Council at Offutt Field. Seniors were invited to participate in a closing tradition to the school year after having Senior Sunrise in the first few weeks of school. Students played games and spent time with friends as they watched the sunset on the city line with friends and classmates.

“The Senior Sunset was one of my favorite activities,” senior Maddie Curtis said. “I thought it was a nice way to close especially with senior sunrise”

Seniors play a game of Spike Ball at Offutt Field during the Senior Sunset.

Photo by: Grace Cardoni

Students also enjoyed the annual Senior Picnic, which allowed them to relax with each other outside of the classroom with the school year being over. Catered food was offered and an ice cream truck allowed for a sweet dessert to end the evening.

“I loved the Senior Picnic,” Curtis said. “It was nice to just go for a little bit and hangout with friends, and the food is always good.”

Seniors line up for food at the Senior Picnic, held at Hempfield Park.

Photo by: Grace Cardoni

As the time approaches where everyone goes in their separate direction, these final traditions allow students to bond with each other one last time to carry the memories of high school with them for a lifetime.

“Having all these closing traditions makes it harder to say goodbye,” Curtis said. “But I really am glad we have them. They are fun and I get to have the last few moments with my class.”

By: Gabi Elentri

Each last Thursday of every month, lights, music and rows of food trucks fill downtown Greensburg as people crowd the Night Market for an evening full of entertainment.

What started in 2019 as a small event, covering only half a block of downtown Greensburg with 28 vendors, has grown into one of the area’s biggest community gatherings.

Today, the Greensburg Night Market stretches across four blocks of South Pennsylvania Avenue, bringing together more than 150 vendors along with live music, food trucks, kid’s activities and entertainment throughout downtown.

The market displayed local vendors, many of whom have connections to GS. Businesses such as Steel City Whip and Honeybee Bubble Tea took part in the market.

“My family owns Steel City Whip, so we’ve participated in the Night Market for about five years now,” freshman Elie Busatto said.

The Night Market has helped many businesses not only expand their customer base, but also expand their business.

“Last June, we opened The Parlor by Steel City Whip,” Busatto said. “It’s our stationary version of our food truck.”

The opening of The Parlor marked a major step for the business, showing how community events like the Night Market can help small businesses continue to grow.

“Our food truck, Honeybee Bubble Tea, started off only attending the Night Market and similar events like it,” freshman Brynn Aion said. “But after some time, we decided to open our shop because people liked it so much.”

The positive response from customers helped the business grow beyond a food truck.

“People would often come back and support us at different events,” Aion said. “Seeing that support made us want to keep growing.”

In addition to the food and vendors, the Night Market also supports young musicians by featuring live performances throughout the event.

“I performed at the Night Market with my friend Maddox last April,” sophomore Janna Miller said. “It was an amazing experience, not only for me, but also for other young musicians.”

Photo Courtesy: Ms. Miller

The Night Market gives young performers an opportunity to share their music with a crowd while gaining real performance experience.

“I recommend almost all of my students to apply for a performance at the Night Market because I believe it’s a great experience for young musicians,” chorus teacher Ms. Marissa Auer said.

As it continues to grow each year, the Greensburg Night Market stays a place where local businesses can expand, performers can share their talents and the community can come together.

“The Night Market is a really good thing for the community and I’m glad my family gets to be a part of it,” Busatto said.

by Annabelle Volk

This summer amusement parks offer thrills for teens of all levels.

“For summer, I have a few amusement parks lined up,” sophomore Gavin Shipley said. “I already went to King’s Dominion back in April. I’m planning to go down to Gordie Park in Allentown later this month.”

 Roller coaster enthusiasts like Shipley spend their summers searching for new thrills but also returning to re-experience old ones.

“I’m also planning to go back to Cedar Point and hopefully hit Kings Island this year, which is also in Ohio,” Shipley said. “I’ll probably also hit a couple of parks I went to last year.

Daily passes are typically just as expensive as season passes for many amusement parks.

“I have a universal park pass,” he said. “It gets me into every park in the chain for free, so I’m hoping to take advantage of that.”

Theme parks have experienced various upgrades and renovations recently.

“I want to revisit some parks I haven’t been to in a while,” he said. “I know some of them have opened new coasters, like Iron Menace. I went to Six Flags Road Adventure back in 2019, and I’m hoping to go back there at some point because a lot has changed in the park.”

While other parks have more exciting rides, local parks still remain entertaining.

“I still go to some local parks from time to time,” he said. “I don’t get a season pass to Kennywood anymore, but I still go maybe once or twice a year.”

Kennywood and Idlewild are immensely popular among GS students.

“I go to both every summer,” sophomore Janna Miller said. “I prefer Kennywood. I like that they have more extreme rides because the Idlewild rides are too babyish for me.”

Compared to Idlewild, Kennywood offers a larger variety of thrills.

“My favorite ride is either the Black Widow or the Steel Curtain,” Miller said. “I normally go with my friends, but I also go with my family.”

Other parks outside of PA offer entertainment and fun.

“I’ve been to Disney 50 times,” Math teacher Ms. Christina Burkart said. “My favorite ride is probably Avatar’s Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom.”

Unlike Cedar Point, Disney is designed to accommodate all ages.

“The reason I like it is because it’s nostalgia,” Ms. Burkart said. “I’ve been going since my children were in preschool. We always went as a family and did things, and it was always such a great time.”

The Disney experience has proven memorable for many families.

“I think the most important part is not to stress,” Ms. Burkart said. “Don’t stress about how much things cost and everything else. Just enjoy and take in the whole entire atmosphere because the whole thing is just incredible.”

Photo By: Annabelle Volk