MMI students compete at Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science state competition

MMI students received 23 first-place awards, 20 second-place awards and two third-place awards at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science State Competition, which was held on the Pennsylvania State University main campus.

Junior Abigail Paul received a perfect score and earned special recognition from the Pennsylvania Science Talent Search (PSTS), which identifies and recognizes outstanding science talent in students who are juniors or seniors in high school.

MMI Relay For Life team raises more than $1,800 for American Cancer Society

MMI’s Relay For Life team raised $1,891 and will donate the funds to the American Cancer Society during the annual Relay For Life of Greater Hazleton, which will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Hazleton Area High School Track at Cougar Park on 23^rd Street in Hazleton.

MMI recognizes ‘Best of the Best’ students for the second semester

Students in seventh, ninth and 11th grades delivered presentations as part of MMI Preparatory School’s annual “Best of the Best” program during an assembly held at the school. Junior Lauren Babinetz, the daughter of Michael and Patricia Babinetz of Jim Thorpe, was the overall “Best of the Best” winner for the second semester for her presentation on the Morality of Self Driving Cars.

The assembly program is designed to help MMI students improve and enhance their communication skills, which are important as they progress through high school, college, and beyond.

Additional “Best of the Best” presenters were: seventh grader Rachael Betz, the daughter of Dr. Amy Houm of Tamaqua and Richard Betz of Honesdale, for her presentation on Big Cats; seventh grader Nathan Thayer, the son of Robert Thayer and Mary Foltz of Mountaintop, for his presentation on Secretariat; freshman Grant Warren, the son of Richard and Atty. Rebecca Warren of Danville, for his presentation on Kilobots; and junior Hunter O’Clair, the son of Candice and Timothy O’Clair of Drums, for his presentation on WWE Superstars.

MMI seniors win National Merit Scholarships, junior qualifies for 2018 scholarship program

MMI Preparatory School seniors Allison McGeehan and Nicholas Young both won National Merit Scholarships and junior Aaron Harman qualified for the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program.

McGeehan was selected as the winner of a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship and Young received the National Merit Computer Aid Scholarship. In March, McGeehan and Young were among just 15,000 students nationwide to advance as finalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program and two of four finalists at MMI.

Harman was selected as a qualifier for the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program based on his performance on the 2016 Preliminary SAT (PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

MMI holds 125th commencement ceremony

MMI Preparatory School in Freeland conducted its 125th Commencement Exercises on Thursday, May 25, as seniors were awarded diplomas by Stanley B. Warner III ’92, chairman of MMI’s Board of Directors.

This year’s graduating class of 42 seniors amassed more than $6.4 million in merit scholarships and awards. The 2017 graduating class also attained an average SAT score of 1733 and 1239 on the Redesigned SAT. The Class of 2017’s average ACT score is 27.

Members of the Class of 2017 were accepted at over 71% of the colleges they applied to and will attend over 27 different colleges and universities this fall.

Retired Major General Peter Bayer ’80, a former United States Army Major General and former Director of Strategy, Plans and Policy on the Army staff at the Pentagon, delivered the commencement address. His message was simple, “Follow your heart, find your purpose and pursue it with passion.”

Not Just Another Club

By Allison McGeehan
MMI Senior

When I first joined FBLA three years ago, I had no idea how much of an impact it would have on my life. Just entering my freshman year of high school, I really didn’t know much about FBLA, other than the fact it was a club to add to my résumé, and it focused on business, a topic that I was beginning to think about pursuing in the future. Flash-forward to sophomore year when I participated in the competitive event of Business Communications and was fortunate enough to qualify to compete at both the State Leadership Conference in Hershey and the National Leadership Conference in Chicago. At this point, I was well aware of the benefits and opportunities being a member of FBLA provided me, not just in terms of business education, but in developing leadership qualities and having the opportunity to network with motivated students and professionals from around the country.

An Unforgettable Experience

By Garrett Kost
MMI Junior

At MMI, we pride ourselves with practical and useful knowledge through application both in the classroom and in real life. But little do we actually get to test the latter. For me, a student of the German language and culture for three years, the ability to try out my skills is limited to my class or those rare occasions where one can speak in German a little or barely at all. In my opinion, one can study a language for many years, but until you use it in conversation with a native speaker, you could never even think of becoming fluent. Finally, my chance came with this trip. While there, I could practice my skills and see how well I do.

More than Just a School

By Taylor Peluso
2016 Class President

When I started at MMI in the 7th grade, graduation seemed like a far off milestone. Today, it’s just 6 short months away! Hard to believe that the college application process is complete and next year at this time, I’ll be wrapping up my first semester in college.