Author: gshslionsdenadmin

Basketball Season

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

by: Adison Poole  

 GS lions’ basketball is in full swing.  

It’s officially basketball season and the 2023-2024 players are excited about upcoming games.  

“I have high expectations for this season,” junior Blessing Gantt said. “At our tip off tournament we went 1-1; we wiped out Ringgold 71-12, but lost to Blackhawk 40-35.”  

Gantt is a member of the girls’ varsity basketball team. Both the boys’ and girls’ regular season started on the first of December and will continue all the way into February.  

“We do a lot of preseason work,” Gantt said. “This year we have been putting in a lot of work to hopefully help us get further than last year.” 

Players on both the girls’ and boys’ teams talked highly of their coaches. Freshman AJ Tarpley claimed he quite liked his coach and said, “he knows what he’s talking about.”  

The GS boys’ basketball team plays against Derry Area.

Photo by: Adison Poole

“Our players are truly amazing,” girls’ varsity basketball Head Coach Mr. Rick Klimchock said.  

Klimchock explained how excited he is for this year’s season.   

“We have high expectations for this season,” he said. “I’m looking forward to a lot of exciting games.”  

Klimchock has had years of experience with the sport. He’s coached basketball since 1978 and has coached at GS since 2017.  

Boys’ varsity basketball Head Coach Mr. Cameron Auld has coached for two years at GS. He was also assistant coach for a year at Waynesburg University, his former college, and another year as Head Coach of the freshman boys at Norwin.  

“I am always looking forward to this time of year,” Auld said. “We have a good group of guys, a group I have really started to form relationships with.” 

Basketball season tends to bring out fans at each of the games. The students and coaches have said they enjoy seeing people there and are excited to see the turnout for future games. 

“I encourage our guys to go watch all their classmates compete,” Auld said. “My hope is that if we participate in making other teams’ home environment a fun place to be, then those kids will come make ours one as well.”  

The girls’ team hopes their turnout will increase as the season goes on.  

“We’ve had decent turnout with parents,” Gantt said. “We’ve only had two games at home at pretty random times, so we never expected a crowd.”  

Players of both teams are just glad to be back out on the court playing their sport.  

“I think the team could make it to playoffs this year,” Tarpley said. “I am looking forward to making it far this season.”  

Auld expressed that the practice the team put in wasn’t just physical practice.  

“Being only on year two, for as much time as we have been together, we are still learning about one another,” Auld explained. “That’s the thing about sports that I think gets overlooked, the relationship piece.” 

As a Coach, Auld hopes that all his players can form some sort of bond and hopes that whatever bond they form shows out on the court.  

 “If you don’t have good relationships, you don’t have trust,” he said. “If you don’t have trust you struggle to win.” 

Many players have been able to form close bonds with many of their teammates and are excited to be back on the court with one another.  

“I’m looking forward to playing with the seniors one last time,” Gantt said.   

Coaches are just as involved with the players and have spoken highly of the entire team.  

“Our players are truly amazing,” Klimchock said. “We have seniors and juniors who show our underclassmen the culture that is GS Lady Lion Basketball.”  

Both the boys’ and girls’ teams have set different goals for themselves this year. The teams have expectations they hope to meet by the end of the season.  

“I think our main goal is to improve,” Gantt said. “We want to finish higher in our section and possibly even be section champs.”  

Throughout the off-season coaches and students have put work into improving to play better this season. Practices will continue throughout the season to hopefully improve gameplay as the year goes on.  

This year the girls’ basketball team kicked off their regular season with a trip to Disney World to participate in a tournament.  

“Disney is really fun,” Gantt said. “We got to see the parks before the tournament.” 

The players left for the trip on the 16th of December for a tournament that will take place over the course of three days.   

While the season has already started, there is much more to come, and players and coaches hope that students at GS will come out and support the teams this year. 

“I think a student section would be great,” Gantt said. “But our main goal is winning.”  

The Giving Tree

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

by: Emma Helmick 

As the holiday season approaches, many families become excited, but sometimes forget about those who are less fortunate than them.  

Holidays can be a stressful time for some families who are struggling. GS attempts to help them through The Giving Tree. According to Guidance Counselor Mrs. Laura Klipa, about 46% of families from the High School currently do not have enough financial support to spend their extra money buying their children Christmas presents. 

In an effort to help, the District donates money and supplies to families in need. 

Some of the gifts that were donated by the community so far.

Photo by: Emma Helmick

The Giving Tree began at the school in 2007 by Mrs. Klipa when she started at the High School. 

“All of the Elementary schools and Middle School had one and I noticed the need for older siblings to get help,” Klipa said. 

One of their main events is shopping for individual kids. Advisory classes can go to the library and take a tag off the tree, but students and teachers can also do it on their own.  

“I think it’s one of the nicest things that we do in the building, I’m a big fan, I support it and I’m happy to sell things here in the library,” Librarian Mrs. Carrie Vottero said. 

On the tag there is a kid from the school and the person who has that tag will get a list of things and the student’s size and age that way they can shop for them.  

“The people who come down to take the tags are a big deal because those are specific kids who need things and their families have called to say that they have a need,” Mrs. Vottero said. “It’s nice for kids to take them on because it becomes much more personal choosing things for an actual person.” 

Interested families can call the schools to request help for their children. The Giving Tree wants to provide families with things like presents and holiday meals. 

“I think it’s a really great thing that helps the community,” junior Emily Ruggieri said. “That helps everyone become a bit more connected because when you feel like you’ve done a good thing for someone else, you know you become a more open person. I think that’s good for us as a whole as a society.” 

Examples of the families in need were listed in the letter sent out to the GS community. That consists of homeless families living in shelters, sick and disabled parents unable to work to provide for their families, families who have had financial hardship due to needs of handicap or special needs children, students with parents working two or more jobs still unable to meet the financial demands of their family, students who work daily to contribute to their family basics like food, shelter, clothing and students with parents who are seriously mentally ill and unable to maintain employment. 

That’s not the only way GS helps with The Giving Tree, though, people can also donate to it in many ways from just going to events or buying a sweet treat.

The Giving Tree located in the library with tags still available.

Photo by: Rubee Stillwagon

The library sells chocolate covered pretzels that Mrs. Kelley Audia and her advisory class make. All of the profits go to The Giving Tree. There have also been events that donate to The Giving Tree such as the Powderpuff Game. 

“I think kids are happy to support it because it can make them feel better about what they’re buying, knowing it is going to their own people and it helps our community,” Vottero said. 

Chocolate covered pretzels will most likely continue to be sold in the library for the rest of the year. After covering the ingredients it takes to make them, all of the profit goes to the families in need. 

“Any time someone has spare change in their pocket, I don’t care if it’s a dime, I think it’s a great thing to support,” Vottero said. 

Donations can be sent to the Greensburg Salem HS Guidance Office-65 Mennel Dr. Greensburg, PA 15601.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. Contact us at: 724-832-2970 or laura.klipa@gslions.net 

Black Friday and Holiday Shopping

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

by: Ava Hardaway 

Thanksgiving has ended, and the shopping season has arrived. Sales and discounts from all stores started on the biggest shopping day, Black Friday.  

When going shopping during the holidays, stores are constantly busy. There are lines headed out the doors because so many people are out getting their gifts for others or themselves. Many stores like Target, Bath & Body Works, Hollister, American Eagle and other stores in the Westmoreland Mall offered deals for Black Friday.  

Sophomore Anna Shevchik was out shopping on the biggest shopping day of the year. She got her day started early with a 6am door opening.  

“I enjoy shopping during the holidays,” Shevchik said. “I think it’s an enjoyable time, especially if I go with family or friends.” 

Many people go out early every year to go shopping. Long lines start to form, but with many employees working, people are quickly out of line and on their way to their next store of choice.  

“I had to wait in long lines to check out,” she said. “But I didn’t have to wait to get into any stores.” 

After Thanksgiving, shopping for the holiday season truly starts. One of the biggest forms of shopping is online shopping. This has continued to grow through the years but is mainly larger around this time of year.  

A photo of a Target ad that was sent out to customers via email shows off Black Friday deals.

Photo courtesy: Ava Hardaway

According to BBC News, from 2006-2020, online shopping sales shot up 30%, becoming the easiest and most convenient form of shopping. Many parents enjoy this feature because they don’t have to worry about the rush of shopping with many other parents who are out for the same thing.  

High school French teacher Stephanie Grace is a mother of two younger children. She enjoys staying at home and shopping, rather than going out and facing the crowds during the holidays. 

“You know, I have to say, I have really never been a huge shopper,” Mrs. Grace said. “That’s not how I spend my weekends and it’s not my favorite thing. I would say, I prefer online shopping. I like the convenience of it and I like that I can compare my options comfortably from my home.” 

Everyone has a different opinion about their form of shopping. Many people dislike it very much, while others enjoy it. 

“I don’t love going out, personally,” Grace said. “There are so many people, and everyone is stressed with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but I do enjoy being able to see my product before I bring it home. So, I am up in the air with that one.” 

As the holiday season is in full swing, more people are out and get to enjoy the sights of the holidays. Stores, restaurants and towns decorate for the holidays. Many cities and towns have had light up nights to get a start on Christmas and the other holidays that are followed by it.  

Christmas traditions are different from family to family. Mrs. Grace and her family have a holiday tradition that has continued throughout the years.  

“When my daughter was little, and when she started to understand Christmas, I kept asking her questions,” Grace said. “Who comes to the house? Santa. What does Santa bring? Presents. Where does Santa put them? In the bathtub. And I kept asking her over, and over again, where does Santa put the presents? In the bathtub. So, our family tradition is that there is always a present left in the bathtub. Every morning, they get up bright and early to go and see what is left in the bathtub.” 

The Importance of School Safety

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

Editorial by: Rubee Stillwagon 

Editorial

Making sure our schools are safe should be a number one priority, especially in today’s society. With the number of school shooting rates increasing every year, it’s important to take the proper steps in order to keep everyone safe. 

“I think fire drills should be done maybe one in the fall one in the spring and lockdown drills should be done every month,” School Police Officer Mr. Kerry Dieter said. “On a state level, I think they should flip those around.” 

According to Education Week, as of November of this year, there have been 36 school shootings that resulted in injuries or death. Since 2018 there have been 180 school shootings. On average, in these shootings, two people are killed and one is injured. Although these numbers may not seem that big, they are still too high. Students should be taught to be prepared for these situations so there are less injuries and deaths.  

The door jamb that was provided to all classrooms to use in the event of a lockdown.

Photo by: Rubee Stillwagon

“I know school shootings are a big fear for many students and that’s sad to me,” sophomore Maggie Alcorn said. 

School shootings are a fear for kids all over the world and it’s unfortunate that this is something they worry about. According to Sandy Hook Promise, more than 43,000 were exposed to gun fire at school in 2022. Schools take certain measures to make the buildings safer but some of them aren’t always as beneficial as they believe. 

“I feel like the door jambs can be beneficial,” Alcorn said. “But I also think they can be dangerous.” 

All teachers were provided with jam block safety systems to use in case of an emergency. The problem with these safety systems is not their reliability, but rather how safe they are actually keeping people. While these do block the door and keep them shut, they can also tell an intruder that someone is in the room. This is because they can only be used from the inside.  

“I think we need all new interior doors and new door locks,” Officer Dieter said. “A locked door is the number one life saver.” 

Even if an intruder does get into the school, a door and lock protecting students and teachers in classrooms can be a saving factor. 

“We are the only schools within the county that don’t have mousetrap entrances,” Dieter said. 

Mousetrap entrances are becoming very common within schools. These entrances are set up so that anyone coming into the school must pace through a secure vestibule before entering the actual school building. This would stop people from having access to the rest of the building before making sure they are not a threat. Unfortunately, this is a very expensive remodel for schools.  

“When it comes to protecting people, I feel like more money should be used,” Alcorn said. 

Although schools have money put aside for safety measures, some people would argue that it should be a larger amount. But that doesn’t necessarily come from the school level but more from state and federal levels. 

“I think because this is clearly a problem in our nation, that there should be some funding provided by the state and federal government,” Math Teacher Mr. Al Toret said.  

The burden of protecting schools from a school shooting is too big to fall on local schools. This goes beyond the school and to higher authorities. With this being said, there is another thing as well that falls into the hands of those beyond school level. 

  “There should be some school focused training that officers are required to go through, and I would say on a regular basis,” Mr. Toret said. 

After the shooting on May 24, 2022, at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, many people questioned the way law enforcement handled the situation. Although there were 376 law enforcement officers on scene, they were reported to have handled things in a “chaotic, uncoordinated way that lasted for over an hour,” according to The Texas Tribune.  

“A building like a school does offer a different thing because you’re dealing with children,” he said. 

Schools filled with learning children should be protected. After all, children are one day going to be future leaders. That is why it is so important to raise awareness about this problem that our world is facing and take all the proper steps in order to keep people safe. 

“If you see something, say something,” Officer Dieter said. “Everyone knows something at some point. It’s a matter of whether they want to say it.” 

Tragic Event at Taylor Swift Concert

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

by: Adison Poole

On November 17th a Taylor Swift fan passed away at her night one show in Rio de Janeiro.  

“I know a lot about the fan passing away at Swift’s Brazil show,” junior Lauryn Swierczynski said. “The fan actually passed before Swift even took the stage.”  

The 23 year old fan, Ana Clara Benevides Machado, became ill at the show due to the heat wave, with temperatures that felt over 100° Fahrenheit inside the stadium.  

With the heat wave going on outside the stadium and the number of fans inside the stadium, water was a necessity for fans in attendance.  

Fans who prepared for the night two concert in Pittsburgh. As can be seen, everybody had water on hand.

Pictured from left to Alexis Strouse, Lauryn Swierczynski, GS Graduate Katlyn Swierczynski, GS Graduate Josie Beckerleg and Sophie Beckerleg.

Photo courtesy of: Lauryn Swierczynski

“Unlike how it was for U.S. shows like mine, the international shows don’t have a seating plan,” Swierczynski explained. “In Brazil, it was basically like a mosh pit of people.” 

After the events that took place on night one, Swift decided to postpone Saturday night’s show until Monday to make changes in the stadium to prioritize fans’ safety.  

“I don’t understand why she didn’t take precautions the first night,” junior Alice Wilkinson said. “If she knew it was going to be so hot, she should’ve done something about it.”  

Due to Swift’s decision to postpone the show, she was faced with backlash from fans all over the world.  

“I saw lots of fans that took their concerns to social media mostly on TikTok,” Swierczynski said.  

Fans from all over the world were quick to give their take on the situation through posting videos or comments on social media. Sites such as X (Twitter) and TikTok were flooded with fans defending Swift or blaming her for the fan’s death and the postponed show.  

  “I absolutely love and look up to Taylor Swift,” Swierczynski said. “I don’t think Taylor should be blamed for this at all.”  

Swift is not a singer known to cancel shows. Throughout her Eras Tour, Swift has played no matter the temperature, rain or shine.  

“You have to give Taylor props because every time you cancel a show everyone involved loses money,” building substitute Mrs. Carmen Cherrington said.  

During her first night in Brazil, Swift was able to push through her over three hour long show even with the heat wave in full swing.  

“Clips surfaced of Taylor profusely sweating and her skin being visibly red,” Swierczynski said.  

Many fans were quick to point the finger at Swift and claimed she should be held accountable for the situation. However, Swift wasn’t responsible for setting the stadium’s rules.   

“I don’t think it was just her fault, but I feel like she could’ve played a bigger role in preventing the situation,” Wilkinson said. “The stadium shouldn’t have had those rules, but Taylor also shouldn’t have played there knowing the rules.”  

Fans were told the night of the show that they were not permitted to bring their own water in the stadium.  

“At the Pittsburgh Eras Tour show I went to this summer, I was allowed to take 2-3 clear sealed water bottles,” Swierczynski explained. “I went through all my water and my show was nowhere near as hot as the Brazil (show).”  

The venue of the show was the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium. This Stadium can hold 44,661 people at a time with the ability to expand to 60,000 people for certain events. On the night of the show Swift had 60,000 fans in attendance.  

“I used to work venues, and this should have never happened,” Mrs. Cherrington said. “This absolutely cannot be blamed on Taylor.”  

The night of the show the venue’s management decided to shut the air vents inside the stadium to “improve vocals.”  

“I think the venue closing parts of the stadium affected the airflow,” Swierczynski said. “I know they were open at the Sunday night show two days later.”  

Swift was set to play November 17th, 18th and 19th in Rio; instead she made the ultimate decision to postpone Saturdays show to that upcoming Monday.  

She took to Instagram to announce the decision to her fans only hours before the show.  

“I’m writing this from my dressing room in the stadium,” Swift wrote on her Instagram story. “The decision has been made to postpone tonight’s show due to the extreme temperatures in Rio. The safety and well being of my fans, and fellow performers and crew has to and always will come first.”  

The stadium full of Taylor’s fans began to boo the artist and chant against her minutes after the post went up.  

“This tragic situation upsets me, not only because of the loss of a young bright person, but also the toll it has taken on Taylor,” Swierczynski said. “There were several sources saying Taylor was crying at her hotel.”  

Fan or not, everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the situation; however, everything that played a role in the situation needs to be taken into consideration.  

“Taylor is such a big artist and with the amount of power she has, I just don’t understand why she didn’t take action sooner,” Wilkinson said.  

Swift made her attempt to resolve the situation not only by making changes to make the next two nights of the Brazil shows safer, but also by reaching out to the fan’s family and dedicating the acoustic set of the show to Machado.  

“Taylor is one of the only artists that seems like she really does care about her fans,” Cherrington said. “People need to realize that when talking about this situation.”  

Mr. Zilli’s Farewell

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

by: Emma Helmick 

After more than 40 years of being involved with GS, High School Principal Mr. David Zilli is set to retire December 31st, 2023. 

Mr. Zilli stands in the center of students on his final day working in the building.

Photo courtesy of: Mr. Adam Jones

After graduating from GS in 1982, Mr. Zilli came back to the school to work and then worked his way up the ladder until now. 

“I think right now I know it’s going to create an incredible void for me,” Zilli said. “I’m pretty much ignoring the idea of me retiring. My intent is to continue to come to work every day until I’m done and then leave, but not really plan to leave by thinking about it.” 

In his time spent at GS, Zilli took on several different roles. He came back in 1995 to teach English. In 2001, he became the Dean of Students and an Athletic Director. From 2004-2008 he was the Assistant Principal and has been the Principal since then. 

“I’m really not celebrating the end of something; I’m celebrating the journey and the moments that took place along that journey,” he said. “Each of the stops along my journey have been really rewarding and I feel as if I have taken more away from this experience than I have given to others.” 

He has dedicated 42 years of his life to GS, 15 of those years were spent as the Principal, but it is now time for something new. 

Assistant Principal Mr. Adam Jones will be in the position when the time comes. He was the Principal of the Middle School before transferring over to the High School. 

“Mr. Jones ran his own building, and I had the opportunity to work with him,” Zilli said. “I’ve seen him work alongside me in different capacities, whether it was Principal, Dean of Students, Co-Principals; I know that he has the ability to lead the faculty and focus on what we believe at GS.” 

Jones became the Co-Principal last year, but it was not his first time working in the building. He worked in the High School from 2007 to 2014. 

“I’m happy for him, he deserves it,” Jones said. “Selfishly, I wish he wasn’t leaving because our working relationship is really strong and we go off each other’s strengths and trust each other. It’s an amount of mixed emotions.” 

Mr. Jones has had many opportunities to learn how Mr. Zilli ran the building from working together and plans to keep up the “great traditions” at GS. 

“You’re not going to find anybody bending over as backwards for this district as much as he did,” Jones said. “I’m happy for him, but I’m going to miss him a lot and I think everybody is.” 

This will be the first time since 1995 that he will not be directly involved with the school district, but he plans to find ways to stay active in the GS community. 

“Stepping back completely and turning over the rein completely is something I’ve never done,” Zilli said. “I don’t know what that’s going to feel like, but I feel better knowing there are going to be good people taking over.” 

Mr. Jones will now be leading the school alongside Athletic Director Mr. Frank Sundry as the new Assistant Principal. 

“One thing I will miss is hearing every day, ‘it’s a great day to be a Golden Lion,’” junior Greta Hagofsky said. “As cheesy as it is, I think it truly did make me have a better outlook on my day. It also made me feel proud to be part of such an amazing school.” 

Teachers and students said their goodbyes to Mr. Zilli and began adjusting to the change. 

“It’s been a blessing to work at GS,” Zilli said. “The people who were my teachers and coaches were the ones who hired me back here and now I’m passing on the baton to the next generation and I know that we are going to be in good hands. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s worth it.” 

Christmas vs Thanksgiving Debate

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

by: Ava Hardaway 

A debate at this time of year is whether Christmas should be celebrated before Thanksgiving. Should Santas be out before the turkeys get a chance to be highlighted? 

When the calendar changed to November, Halloween decorations turned into Christmas decorations for some. Christmas music started to play, Christmas lights were put up and Thanksgiving had no time to shine.  

A poll showing peoples opinion on the early celebration of Christmas debate.

57 people voted in total.

Photo courtesy of: @gshslionsden on Instagram

Some people like to wait to feel the Christmas spirit. Freshman Hope Ewing and sophomore Izabella Caruso had similar, but different, feelings towards the start of their Christmas celebrations. 

“My mom and I usually always try to have our Christmas stuff up the first week in November,” Caruso said. “So, we like to put everything up before Thanksgiving.” 

Starting this early isn’t hard for Caruso and her mom; meanwhile other students, like Ewing, disagree about decorating for the holidays this early. 

“I like to start decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving,” Ewing said. “Christmas is my favorite holiday to celebrate, though.” 

Although many enjoy the Christmas holiday more, waiting for the right time to start decorating seems better to do. Leaving up Christmas decorations too long can also always be another debate. Some like to keep the Christmas lights up until January, but others will take them down the week after the Christmas celebrations are done.  

“We try to keep them up from the first week in November to the first week of January,” Caruso said. “We like them up for the full months.” 

Students, parents and teachers all have based their opinions on the holiday seasons. It might not be a big deal to some, but others do not enjoy it. 

Many prefer the month of November for Thanksgiving, while others prefer an early start to Christmas. GS English teacher Miss Alyssa Bewszka has discussed decorating her room for the holidays with her classes. Her students would like to start now, but she wants to wait a little longer.  

“I do like the order in which Christmas and Thanksgiving happen,” Miss Bewszka said. “I think it helps to build up the excitement for each holiday. I like that Christmas happens and then shortly after it’s New Years. I think those holidays pair well together. If it was switched, Thanksgiving would not pair well with New Years. It just doesn’t flow correctly, and they don’t have the same vibe.” 

As the holiday seasons become closer, the preparations for the Christmas season are near. Although many like to wait it out until after Thanksgiving, people like to get a head start on the décor now.  

“I will admit that I put my tree up while we were still in the month of October, but at least it was at the end,” Bewszka said. “Now that it is November, Christmas decorations are everywhere and I still have some to put up. I do still have my fall wreath on the front door and pumpkins and mums outside though. Fall décor is outside for others to see, and Christmas is inside for my family and I to see.” 

Preferences of the holidays that are approaching seem to change the older one gets. As many get older, different feelings are made because of the holidays.  

“I used to prefer Thanksgiving because I love stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy, but now I prefer Christmas because I love Christmas lights,” Bewszka said. “Christmas time has always been such a happy time in my life growing up. I have so many good memories like baking cookies with my mom and seeing all my extended family on Christmas Eve to play games.” 

All About Senior Year

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

by: Rubee Stillwagon 

Although senior year can be fun and memorable, there is also a stressful aspect to it.  

“Senior projects and classes can take up most of someone’s time and can be very stressful,” senior class Vice President Ashlan Price said. 

Although senior projects can be stressful, they can give students the opportunity to explore different things. The senior project binder provided to all senior students states that, many students wonder why all high school seniors are not given the time or opportunity in school to learn more about something of their choice and then put their learning to use while practicing and refining skills that they will use for a lifetime. The Senior Project and Exhibition will give students the opportunity to do just that. 

The front cover of this year’s Senior Project binder.

Photo by: Rubee Stillwagon

English teacher and Senior Project Coordinator Mrs. Marla Nelson said that senior projects help students “gain confidence” and step out of their comfort zone. 

Getting students to step out of their comfort zone can be beneficial for them when it is time to take steps on their own. Senior projects may seem difficult while students are doing them, but they can help students to improve. 

Mrs. Nelson said that these projects allow students to achieve different things based on where they are educationally. 

On top of senior projects, seniors also have multiple different opportunities to participate in activities with their class.  

“Senior skip days are usually a day for seniors to take a mental health day and relax,” Price said. “There are no more senior sunrises, but we do have a senior sunset at the end of the year. And there are also class t-shirts on the way.” 

On top of these events, they also had the opportunity to participate in the annual Powderpuff game alongside the junior class.  

“Senior guys can apply to be in Mr. GS, that will be coming up,” Student Council Advisor Mr. Christopher Gazze said. 

Mr. GS is a pageant, but for senior guys. The guys who sign up to perform in this show do multiple funny and entertaining acts for the audience. The categories include dance, fashion and talent. At the end of the show, three different guys are voted on for Mr. GS, Mr. Fan Favorite and Mr. Congeniality. 

“The Senior Class brought back the Homecoming Dance this year,” Senior Class President Anya Shilobod said. “GS hadn’t had a Homecoming Dance in years, especially not one as successful as the one this year.” 

This year GS had its first Homecoming Dance in years due to this year’s senior class pushing for it. The dance had a good turnout and was an achievement for the class. Now it is time for the class to focus on planning this year’s Prom. 

“The theme for Prom was announced at the large group SCA meeting Tuesday, November 14th,” Shilobod said. 

The theme for this year’s Prom is neon. This is one of the last big events for seniors. The spirit week leading up to the dance has had good student participation in past years, and Prom itself tends to have a good turnout. 

“Get involved in everything you can,” she said. “It will make your senior year so much more fun, meaningful and memorable. Also, try to make as much positive change as you can and leave a precedent for the next classes.” 

Senior year can go by fast but enjoying it while you still have it is an important part that seniors tend to touch on when asked. 

“Enjoy senior year while it lasts,” Price said. 

The class of ’24 watches the sunrise before school as one of the Senior traditions.

Photo courtesy of: Ashlan Price

Thanksgiving

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

by: Adison Poole 

It’s that time of year again.  

Every year the city of Greensburg hosts a 5k race known as the Turkey Trot as a way of kicking off Thanksgiving morning. At 9am that morning runners and walkers report to the Courthouse to begin the race.    

“I like it a lot,” junior Ksena Spencer said. “With my cross country season being over, it was a nice run for me to do not being fully in shape.”  

GS community members running in the 2018 Turkey Trot.

Photo courtesy: Mrs. Gloria Rehak

Several students at GS participate in the race themselves. Registration for the race is open to people of all ages. Younger kids ages 13 and under can run the race for $15 versus the average adult price of $25 a person.  

“I know the shirts do cost money, but it’s mainly for fun,” Spencer said. “The Turkey Trot is a tradition for many in our community.”  

The Turkey Trot was an event originally created by five friends; they created a non-profit called Westmoreland Community Sharing to develop the race. It also supports several other non-profits throughout the Greensburg community.  

“I enjoy being able to see so many different people participating, whether it’s handing out water to runners, running the actual 5k or encouraging others to keep going,” she said. “The event itself is a lot of positive energy, which is key to start off a holiday such as Thanksgiving.”  

Anyone can participate in the event even if they don’t necessarily want to run the race. While the Trot is considered a race, runners have the choice of running or walking it casually.  

“I liked walking it last year,” sophomore Natalia Hardaway said. “I did it with family and friends and it made three miles feel like practically nothing.”  

The race has been held on the morning of Thanksgiving for the past 30 years. Students at GS have said how much they enjoy the race and that they plan on participating in it for years to come.  

“I loved it so much last year,” Hardaway said. “I want to make it an annual thing.”  

The Turkey Trot is not the only way students at GS are getting ready to celebrate the holidays, though. Students and teachers have expressed their excitement for the upcoming break.  

“I love the break from school because it’s well deserved at that time,” math teacher Mrs. Beth Horchak said. “I love spending time with my family; it’s one of the few times we can all get together like that.” 

Thanksgiving break this year will stretch from the 23rd of November to the 27th, allowing students and teachers time to spend with family and friends for the holidays. This break is just the beginning of the holiday season with Christmas break just a month after it.  

“I think we’re at the point where we’ve been in school so long and everyone just needs to hit that reset button,’’ Mrs. Horchak said. “As soon as kids come back, though, they’ll be counting down the days to Christmas, so it doesn’t really ever settle down till after.’’  

 Thanksgiving and all the activities surrounding it are just around the corner. Spencer is getting ready to spend the holidays celebrating her favorite traditions with her family.   

“My family and I always prepare a classic Thanksgiving meal,’’ she said. “We have a tradition of always making a pecan pie with a perfected recipe from my mom.”  

Students and teachers at GS are just days away from break and Spencer has said, “you can feel the excitement” throughout the school.  

  “I know I’m excited,” Horchak laughed. “I think every teacher is counting down the days at this point.”  

War in Middle East

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

by: Emma Helmick 

On October 7th, another war between Israel and Palestine broke out. 

They have one of the biggest and longest-lasting feuds in the world. The tension between the two countries has been increasing over the years and many events have led to this. 

Many American students know little to nothing about what is going on, unaware that the United States is getting more involved every day. 

A map of Israel that shows the Gaza Strip.

Photo courtesy of: iStock Images.

“While I know some information on it, I don’t think I have nearly enough knowledge to come to a conclusion on it yet,” junior Elanor Swanson said. “I know it has been going on for years and is a very heavy topic to discuss.” 

Schools are not required to cover the situation; if teachers are talking to their students about the conflict, it is their choice. 

Unless the content of it applies to the course, teachers will most likely not get their classes involved with it and that leaves many students uneducated on the situation. 

“I know some people who haven’t heard anything about it before,” Swanson said. “It is important to know what’s going on in the world around us and it is the school’s job to educate us, so I think if it can apply to a course, then it should be taught in class.” 

The feud between Israel and Palestine has been going on for decades and the arguments between them have been piling up over time. 

 For many young US citizens, this is the first time learning the history of the two places. The war is being mentioned all over the news and on social media. 

“I got most of my information about the war from social media and the news,” sophomore Landen Mahkovic said. 

Some students do not understand the reasoning for the war. It is most likely due to the lack of information they have about the history of it, and it is difficult to find an unbiased explanation online.  

“I would say I know little about what is going on, I try not to pay much attention,” Mahkovic said. “None of my teachers have talked about the war; I think they just don’t want to worry the students.” 

The United States military is not yet directly involved, so people do not pose this as a “threat” because it does not affect them. 

“So far, the only class where it has been addressed is my International Studies class,” Swanson said. “Every week we have to write about a current event going on somewhere in the world, and lately there has been a lot about the war. So, because of this, I’ve been hearing about all the bombings, countless deaths and conditions the Israeli and Palestinian people are in.” 

As of this writing, over 1,400 Israelis and over 10,000 people in Gaza have been killed since the attacks started. These numbers are approximately 70% innocent women and children; at least 30 Americans have been killed as well. 

“I have not mentioned it in any of the classes simply because it’s not part of the curriculum,” History teacher Mr. Brandon Roberts said. “When we get to the part in the curriculum and we start to mention the Middle East, I will mention what is going on currently. We’ll talk about what’s going on there with terrorism in general.”  

Some teachers may steer away from having this conversation because of the controversy surrounding it and all the background information, but in some cases, it may be necessary for the subject of discussion. 

There are many layers to the situation and the history between Israel and Palestine. The conflict started mainly because of territory, but other things go into it such as culture, politics, religion and more. Over the years they have gone back and forth with wars putting many innocent civilians in danger.  

“I think the average American does not know much about the true terrors of the war because we have only seen pictures and videos and that’s nothing like actually being there,” Mahkovic said.