St. John Neumann Regional Academy Thewww.sjnra.org Neumann ShieldOctober 2010 • Volume 5 • Issue 1 St. John Neumann Regional Academy Celebrates Nine AP Scholars INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Nine students from St. John Neumann Regional Academy an average of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and have earned AP Scholar Awards by the College Board grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. St. John Neumann Regional Academy in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the Forquer was the salutatorian of his class, and is the son Celebrates Nine AP Scholars ­­­­.....1 - 2 college-level Advanced Placement (AP) Program Exams. of Thomas and Adele Forquer. He is currently studying civil engineering at The George Washington University, Elementary Campus Launches The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program Washington, DC. Accelerator Program . 2 provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level At St. John Neumann Regional Academy, seven students SJNRA OotM Team Victorious at World courses while still in high school, and to earn college qualified for the AP Scholar Award in addition to the Finals.............................. 2 credit, advanced placement, or both for successful per- two previously named, by completing three or more formance on the AP exams. About 18% of the 1.8 million AP exams with scores of 3 or higher. The following 2010 New Faces at SJNRA ................ 3 students worldwide who took AP exams performed at a graduates are AP Scholars: sufficiently high level to earn an AP Scholar Award. The Neumann Grad Inducted into Society 3 College Board recognizes several levels of achievement • Danielle Byrne, daughter of Kenneth and based on students’ performance on AP exams. Adrienne Haas, is attending St. Vincent’s College in SJNRA Endowment Fund Established 3 Latrobe and studying voice performance. St. John Neumann 2010 graduate Adam Bahr qualified • Allison Cheatle, daughter of Matthew and Reason to Cheer: SJNRA Celebrates for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an Patricia Cheatle, is attending Towson University in 135th Anniversary ...............4 - 5 average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and Maryland and studying political science. scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. • Kahlie DeHotman, daughter of Joseph and SJNRA News Highlights............. 6 Bahr was the valedictorian of his class, and is the son of Tracie Bem, is attending Messiah College in Grantham, Pete and Kathy Bahr. He is currently studying electrical PA and studying theatre. SJNRA Seniors Commended By engineering at Penn State’s Schreyer Honors College, • Conor Norris, son of Christopher and Sueanne National Merit Scholarship University Park, PA. Norris, is studying mathematics/history at St. Francis Program . 6 University, Loretto, PA. St. John Neumann 2010 graduate Neil Forquer quali- • Elaina Stone, daughter of Pam Gill, is attending SJNRA Auction Raises fied for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA and studying anthropol- Record Amount . .6 - 7 ogy and archaeology. Join Us for Mass ................... 7 Current SJNRA seniors Hannah Facey, daughter of Peter and Mindy Facey, and Hannah Harris, daughter of In Their Own Words: Neumann Grads David and Janet Harris, were also named AP Scholars. Reflect on their Catholic Education: Jim Creeley, SJNRA Class of 2009.... 7 Through more than 30 different college-level courses Phillip Trometter, and exams, AP provides motivated and academically SJNRA Class of 2010................ 7 Adam Neil Danielle prepared students with the opportunity to earn college Bahr Forquer Byrne credit or advanced placement and stand out in the Ring in the Holidays with the SJNRA college admissions process. Each exam is developed Gift Card/Tuition Voucher Program . 8 by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that the exams are aligned with the same high standards expected by college faculty at some of the nation’s leading liberal arts and research institutions. AP is accepted by more than 3,600 colleges and universities worldwide for college credit, advanced The Path to a Allison Kahlie Conor Cheatle DeHotman Norris placement, or both on the basis of successful AP Exam grades. This includes more than 90 percent of four-year Higher Education institutions in the United States. Research consistently shows that AP students who score a 3 or higher on AP Exams (based on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest) typically experience greater academic success in college and higher graduation rates than students who do not participate in AP. SJNRA AP SCHOLARS Elaina Hannah Hannah Stone Facey Harris Continued on Page 2 - 1 - SJNRA Celebrates Nine AP Scholars (Continued from Page 1) St. John Neumann St. John Neumann High School principal, Denise M. Tobin, remarked, “Academic Excellence is one Odyssey of the Mind Team of the pillars of the Catholic education that St. John Neumann Regional Academy High School provides. We strive to maintain rigorous and Victorious at World Finals relevant coursework that will easily transition our young men and women to undergraduate work The 31st annual Odyssey of the Mind World Finals was held in May at Michigan State University. St. at a college or university. The three levels of AP John Neumann sent three qualifying teams to the final level of competition for the 2009-10 school Scholars recently awarded to our students is con- year. The teams finished as follows: firmation that our curriculum challenges students and that our faculty encourages students to do Nature Trail’R, Division I: 14th place out of 50 teams the very best they can. Congratulations to all of Food Court, Divison I: 15th place out of 70 teams our Neumann Scholars!” Return to the Gift of Flight, Division III: 3rd place- bronze medals- out of 39 teams St. John Neumann Regional Academy challenges The SJNRA OotM teams enjoyed meeting Odyssey team participants from across the country and and inspires children in preschool through 12th around the world. For our two Division I teams, it was their first experience at World Finals, and they grade to reach their full potential. SJNRA is the did exceptionally well. Our Division III team is an experienced team, which has a long history of suc- only private school in the greater Lycoming County cess at World Finals. They rose to the occasion once again in Michigan, and captured bronze medals area to offer an extensive AP Program. This school for their school and their team. SJNRA has an impressive record at World Finals, sending qualified year, SJNRA is marking its 135th Anniversary – teams to the worldwide event eight of the past nine years. celebrating the excellence of Catholic Education in Lycoming County. In addition, the Division III team also won the prestigious “Ranatra Fusca” award at the Pennsylvania State Tournament in April. The Ranatra Fusca Award is the most coveted award in the Odyssey of the Mind program. It allows the team that wins it to move on to the next level of competition, regardless Elementary Campus Launches of their scores. This award is only given out in circumstances of exceptional creativity. This is the first time in our school’s 20+ year history in OotM that they have attained the Ranatra Fusca Award. Accelerator Program Congratulations to the team for securing this important recognition! St. John Neumann is proud to offer a new Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving op- program at our Elementary Campus, the portunities for students from kindergarten through college. Kids apply their creativity to solve problems “SJNRA Accelerator Program”. The Accelerator that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. Program will be offered to students in Grades They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and World level. Thousands of teams 1-6. Acceptance into the Accelerator Program from throughout the U.S. and from about 25 other countries participate in the program. is based on academic achievement. Prospective Accelerator students are referred to the program by their teacher. The group will be divided into two groups: Grades 1-3 and Grades 4-6. Each group will meet at a convenient time outside of the normal school day. Mrs. Susan Kaiser, SJNRA System Director and Elementary Principal, will be the instructor for this gifted program. According to Mrs. Kaiser, “I am delighted that we are able to offer this program to our elementary students. I will challenge the students in a variety of ways to go above the “normal” curriculum for their current grade level.” Division I Food Court Team Division I Nature Trail’R “The Accelerator Program is designed to (L to R): Ryenn Yearick, Coach Denise Southard, (L to R): David Montis, Natalie Kolczynski, challenge the children and give them a nurturing Jessica Mattiace, Marilyn Hiller, Christine Adriana Barone, Bridget Foresman, Kendra environment in which they can explore and excel. McFadden, Amanda Southard, Coach Bret Snyder, Bianca Lilley and Adali Matz. Coaches This program will allow our students to “step out Southard, Emily Walter and Shayna McNamee. are Kathy Bahr and Keith Bauer. of the box” and challenge them to become more creative and excited about learning. It will allow those students who are working above their grade level to have an added challenge outside of Division III Return to the Gift of Flight the rigors of their normal classroom setting,” said Mrs. Kaiser. The program will include book clubs, Sitting (L to R): Coaches Jeff Trometter, Kathy computer programs, advanced art projects, and Bahr and Keith Bauer. many other academic and creative outlets for the children. Kneeling (L to R): John Mattiace, Phillip Trometter, Adam Bahr and Doug Hasko.