competition

GS Girls Flip into WPIALS

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by Grace Cardoni

Sticking the landing on their spot in the WPIAL, the GS girls’ gymnastics team found their hard work has paid off, the final time for many on the team.  

On Feb. 4 and 5, the GS gymnastics team traveled to Moon Area High School and Monaca Turners Gymnastics to compete in the WPIAL championships.  

“It’s been a bit stressful because you want to make sure your scores are high enough in order to qualify and perform well, but you get used to it,” sophomore gymnast Caylee Kingerski said. 

The WPIAL meet consisted of various divisions and events like beam, vault, bars and floor.  

GS gymnasts pose in front of the floor before starting their competition.

Photo Courtesy: Mrs.Price

“There are different divisions based on scores which tell you where you will be,” senior gymnast Sophia Kunkle said. “You then rotate through all the events until you are done and then they have awards.”  

With outstanding performances all around in each division, the five seniors on the team finished tying or beating their best scores in each of their events, a fitting conclusion to a year of demanding work.  

“I think the senior performances at WPIALs this year were impressive and showed their dedication,” gymnastics Coach Mrs. Amy White said. “All the girls know what they need to do, and they trust themselves and their skills.” 

Not only did the seniors have an incredible performance, but they also shared their final moments on the floor together. 

“I feel like it is bittersweet,” senior gymnast Emma Visnick said. “We had a great end to the season and I’m happy with how everything went, but I’m going to miss the other girls a lot.” 

With five out of the seven members of the team leaving, that marks a major turning point for the GS gymnastics team, but they leave behind a strong group that they have helped lead throughout their time in the program.  

“While the team is going to be very different without them, they have helped foster an upfront environment and connection that will undoubtably influence the team long after they’ve graduated,” Mrs. White said.  

FCCLA STAR Events Competition

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By: Adison Poole 

Two members of the GS FCCLA club were recently recognized for their contribution to the program and presented with awards at the FCCLA STAR Events Competition. 

Senior Karma Schall was one of the two to receive the award and she spoke of her experience with the program. The other was senior Brenna Kohl, who also received an award at the event.  

Kohl and Schall displaying their certificates at the STAR Event.

Photo Courtesy: Morgan Ferczak

“STAR stands for Students Taking Action and Recognition,” FCCLA advisor Mrs. Morgan Ferczak said. “Students are able to choose a variety of different events that are related to the family and consumer sciences.”  

FCCLA stands for Family Career Community Leaders of America and is made up of hardworking students. The club gains several new members every year.  

“The event I competed in is called the Public Policy Advocate,” Schall said. “This event allows you to pick any public policy you’d like and educate others on the information you’ve learned.”  

Schall has been involved with FCCLA for three years throughout her high school career. She focused her project on the risk of drug use and spoke about overdose to educate others on the topic. 

“For my project I first educated myself on the number of overdose deaths in the U.S. and the things that have been put in place to lower these deaths,” she said.  

Schall explained that her project was an effort to lower deaths related to overdose in her area.  

“I chose to educate others on the Good Samaritan law,” she said. “I did this by going to local businesses to educate them on this law with a flyer that had research as well as local recovery resources.”  

Schall also provided the businesses with Narcan to keep within their facilities in case of an emergency.  

There were several other members who attended the event.

GS’ FCCLA team at the STAR Event.

Photo Courtesy: Morgan Ferczak

“It was a great experience and a good way to get involved,” senior Reagan Sands said. 

Schall is planning to go into a nursing program in the future and is using this award as a step in that direction. She spoke of the work that she has put into the program and mentioned how proud she is of each of her accomplishments. 

“It felt amazing because of the work I put into this project,” Schall said. “My efforts to spread awareness have gone so much farther than I could have imagined.”  

GSHS BotsIQ Finals 

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By Kerrick Shaw 

Photo Courtesy: Mr. Matthew King

The GS BotsIQ team had a smashing close to their season at the BotsIQ Finals Competition. 

On April 26th, GS’ “Smacky, The Spinner Bot” advanced three rounds in the winner’s bracket before forfeiting due to terminal electronics issues. The competition took place at Penn West California University. 

“The point of the team is learning how to make something from scratch; from the design process to finished product,” GS BotsIQ Advisor Mr. Matthew King said. “You end up having to learn through failure a lot of the time; it takes a lot of hard work.” 

This year’s group of students consists of only four members: juniors Samantha Hanawalt, Jacob Penley, Aidan True and sophomore Rocco Himes. 

The team’s goal is to build a functioning 15-pound combat robot for battling against other similar bots, striving to destroy or disable its opponent. 

Photo Courtesy: Mr. Matthew King

“We spent from the beginning of the year to about mid-February building our bot,” True said. “We each have assigned roles to make everything easier; it’s all a big team effort.” 

Preliminaries took place at Westmoreland County Community College’s Student Achievement Center and were required before competing in the annual Finals Competition on April 26th and 27th. 

Each student is ambitious for next year’s season. A new and improved bot will be designed and built with the help of the industry partner General Carbide and Industry Advisor Mr. Mike Bulebosh. 

“I think it’s an exciting, positive experience, and a really great opportunity,” Himes said. “Because it was my first year being a part of the team, I learned a lot while programming and making the robot.”