June 6, 2018
‘The ultimate sacrifice’
Despite the uncertainty of an overcast
morning, Bethlehem’s Memorial Day parade and remembrance service in Memorial
Park Cemetery returned outdoors to honor those who paid for freedom and liberty
with their lives. United Veterans of Bethlehem president Ken Nichol conducted
the service which featured patriotic messages from Mayor Bob Donchez,
Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure and Pennsylvania state
Representative Steve Samuelson. Photo: Signaling a wish for eternal peace, doves were released during the
Memorial Day service. They were provided by Heaven’s Doves.
By Dana Grubb
‘Show them who you are’
What does it mean to be a high school
graduate?” Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter HS (LVA) CEO Susan Mauser
asked members of the class of 2018 as they sat in the Zoellner Arts Center
auditorium May 29, eagerly awaiting their diplomas. “What does this piece of
paper that they will be receiving this evening stand for?” The Profile of a
Lehigh Valley Academy Graduate document states that a LVA graduate must be a
critical and creative thinker with knowledge spanning a variety of disciplines,
a lifelong learner capable of pursuing goals and contributing to a diverse
society and a caring, reflective, open-minded and accepting individual.
According to Mauser, each of the 71 graduates of the class of 2018 met those
standards. Photo: Lehigh
Valley Academy graduates decorated their mortar board caps in anticipation for
the graduation ceremony.
By Katya Hrichak and Douglas Graves
‘Like a real Crusader’
Notre Dame of Green Pond HS graduated 132 seniors June 2 during
its 61st commencement exercise. Though a school of faith, the threat of rain
forced about 600 people inside. It is also a school of reason. Inside a hot
gym, it was standing room only. Salutatorian
Kristina Guth advised her classmates that “even if you procrastinate, put your
faith in God. After all, I finished second in my class,” she joked.
Valedictorian Erika Antunes added that the “voice of God is always speaking,”
but we all could do a better job of listening. Guth will attend Salisbury
University , while Antunes is headed to Elizabethtown College. Photo: The graduating ceremony was
packed with graduates, family and friends inside Notre Dame’s gym. The ceremony was originally scheduled to take
place outside, however a decision was made to move it indoors due to the threat
of bad weather.
By Bernie O’Hare and Mark Kirlin
‘To inlay heaven with stars’
Two by two, the eighty smiling graduates of
the Moravian Academy class of 2018 proceeded through the crowded athletic
center and towards their future. The boys each wore a full suit with a red rose
boutonniere, and the girls were breathtaking in all white, each carrying a
single red rose. After the students entered, the faculty and trustees followed
wearing the academic regalia of their respective alma mater, their graduation
hoods forming a rainbow of color behind the graduates. Following the rich religious tradition of the school, the ceremony
began with Reverend Jennifer Nichols offering praise not only God, but to the
students, parents, faculty, and staff that made the event possible. She then
welcomed class co-presidents Brandon Loftus and Jonathan Riker to the stage to
address their fellow class members. Loftus began by speaking about the notion
that in your senior year, time truly flies. But for Loftus, life during high
school stood still as he fought a battle with leukemia. Photo: lassmates Nikolas Boylan of
Hellertown and Charlotte Bloys of Bethlehem lead the Moravian Academy
graduation processional into the Athletics and Wellness Center gymnasium for
the June 2 event. The commencement program at the Merle-Smith Campus in
Bethlehem was moved indoors after weather reports for possible thunderstorms in
the Lehigh Valley caused concern.
By Heather Nigrone and Tim Gilman
Celebrating the theatre arts
Student
thespians from area high schools brought their collective talent to the State
Theatre stage for the 2018 Freddy Awards. High school musical productions from
the Lehigh Valley dominated the May 24 event, including wins for Freedom,
Liberty, Saucon Valley, and Moravian Academy. Adult thespian Jennifer Wescoe
was honored that evening for her dedication to her students in the theater arts
at Freedom HS. Photo: Student cast members, selected from all participating
schools, including Bethlehem Catholic and Notre Dame, join together for “River
Deep, Mountain High” from the musical “Leader of the Pack” during the evening’s
finale.
By Ed Courrier
The Class of 1948 gathers
About 35 graduates of the Liberty HS class of
1948 and their guests celebrated their 70th graduation reunion May 5 at the
Best Western Lehigh Valley Hotel and Conference Center in Hanover Township.
Class emcee Jerry Yob said that only about 224 classmates remain out of the
over 600 graduates of the combined Liberty and Bethlehem Vocational Technical
Class, whose graduation commencement was held at Lehigh University’s Grace
Hall. Photo: Twenty-three
graduates in attendance gathered for a group photograph.
By Dana Grubb
‘Be the best version of yourself’
The Travelers Protection Association Altruism Award presented
April 12 by TPA Post L at the Northampton Community Center honors students who
have displayed a selfless concern for the well-being of others. Bethlehem area
students recognized were Bethlehem Catholic senior Chad Sodl, Liberty HS senior
Brooke Zigmund, Notre Dame senior Michael Santos, and Freedom senior Sean Boyer. Photo: The 2018 high school recipients
of the Travelers Protective Association of America’s Altruism Awards gather
together for a group photo at the banquet
April 12 at the Northampton Community Center. The award honors students
who have displayed a selfless concern for the well-being of others.
By Step Raphun
Freedom takes D-11 baseball title
It’s been a long time coming, and
it wasn’t easy. The Freedom baseball team scored two runs in the top of the
second inning, and used a strong pitching performance from seldom used in 2018
Tim Healy, to take down top-seed Parkland 2-1 last Wednesday evening in the
District 11 6A championship game at Lehigh University’s J. David Walker Field.
By
cj hemerly
Becahi takes D-11 softball title
Bethlehem Catholic’s softball
team became District XI Class 4A champions with an 8-2 victory over Bangor last
Tuesday at Parkland High School. “Amazing.
Amazing. I love this team,” said winning pitcher Tatum Kresley. “I can’t wait
for states.” The Hawks led 6-0 after four innings, but Bangor’s Morgan Karasek
and Jenna Learn had back-to-back triples to start the fifth.
By Katie McDonald
Lehigh Valley summer theatre
It’s one of only seven places in North America, where you can see
three of Shakespeare’s plays at one event. The Pennsylvania Shakespeare
Festival (PSF) 27th summer season at Desales University in Center Valley is
poised to attract patrons from across the globe with its
professionally-produced Shakespeare and so much more. This year, in addition to
three Shakespeare plays (the popular “Twelfth Night,” the history play “King
Richard II,” and the bittersweet comedy “All’s Well That Ends Well”), PSF is
presenting a contemporary play about Shakespeare, as well the Tony
Award-winning Broadway musical “Ragtime” and two children’s shows.
By Kathy Lauer-Williams
Bethlehem Area SD: District lauds students, teachers
Bethlehem: Ordinance prohibits conversion therapy in the city
Lehigh County: Authority orders rate increase for Allentown
Hellertown: Council considers recycling options
Fountain Hillo: 29 graduate St. Luke’s program
State: Local educators pan voucher vote
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