MMI Preparatory School’s Prepper Playhouse is bringing the classic story of Willy Wonka to the stage on Friday, April 24th, and Saturday, April 25th. On both days, performances will be held at 7:00 pm in the Athletic and Drama Complex located at 154 Centre St in Freeland. Shows are open to the public.

Each year, the students in MMI’s Drama Club work hard to put on a great performance. Drama Advisor, Mrs. Joanne Oakum, sees this firsthand: “Willy Wonka has been such a fun and rewarding experience because of the commitment our students have shown from the very beginning. They have put in countless hours of hard work, supported one another throughout the process, and truly taken ownership of the production. For many of them, the theater is where they find their place, and it has been incredibly meaningful to watch them grow in confidence while bringing so much energy, creativity, and Prepper Pride to the stage.”

At MMI, being involved in extracurricular activities is one of the school’s core pillars of excellence: the guiding foundational principles of an MMI education. 

“Programs like the Prepper Playhouse are an essential part of the MMI experience because they give students the opportunity to grow in confidence, creativity, and collaboration,” said Head of School Mrs. Theresa Long. “Under the guidance of Mrs. Oakum, our students are challenged to take risks, support one another, and bring their talents to life on stage. The time and dedication she invests in this program creates an environment where students can truly thrive, both in performance and behind the scenes.”

Tickets to MMI’s production of Willy Wonka may be purchased at the door or online at www.boostmyschool.com/orgs/mmiprep/events/mmiprep-mmi-s-prepper-playhouse-presents-willy-wonka. The School recommends purchasing tickets online in advance, as the reserved seating for at-the-door sales is limited. 

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• Have a cumulative average in all subjects of 85.0
• Have attained an average of 75.0 or better in each course with no “incompletes”
• Be enrolled in a complete schedule of courses
• Have a satisfactory citizenship record for each school quarter

Inclusion of the honor roll gets added to a student’s permanent file. Students who achieved honor roll status are as follows:

Sixth Grade: Alexander Cabe of Freeland, Elliot Elick of Drums, David Falcheck of White Haven, Dylan Murmello of Blakeslee, Mike Pham of Hazleton, Caden Rebarchak of Drums, George Skuba of Sugarloaf, Virgil Vonderheid of Bear Creek Township, Charlotte Wilczak of Mountain Top, James Wilson of Mountain Top, and Bennett Young of Freeland.

Seventh Grade: Yordy Aponte of Hazle Township, Rachel Clark of Weatherly, Dylan Duran of Hazle Township, Renée Graham of Mountain Top, Jacob Hoffman of Drums, Aria Karnoski of Drums, Athena Lee of Drums, Mason Makowiec of Sugarloaf, Roshaan Mallhi of Berwick, Zakariya Mian of Mountain Top, Maahi Patel of Mountain Top, Derek Reyes Rodriguez of Hazleton, Charles Rogers of Drums, Elaina Seltzer of Mountain Top, and Randall Skuba of Sugarloaf. 

Eighth Grade: Paxton Bleiler of Mountain Top, Ryan Bonifacio of Hazleton, Janelle Cabrera of Drums, Alexander Diaz of Hazleton, Owen Farrell of Mountain Top, Ernesto Garay of Hazleton, Kamil Gonzalez Arias of Hazle Township, Odin Hixenbaugh of Hazle Township, Sahiba Kaur of Sugarloaf, Zachary Lobitz of Drums, Jaxon Lyman of White Haven, Riley Mason of Drums, Avery Orozco of Zion Grove, Rian Patel of Mountain Top, Addison Potsko of Mountain Top, Mathias Santana of West Hazleton, Gabrielle Serock of Sugarloaf, Megan Yamulla of Sugarloaf, and Kamila Zea of Hazleton.

Ninth Grade: Jeremiah Aquino of Hazleton, Marlow Basalyga of Hazleton, Jack Benyo of Drums, Bobby Brighthaupt of Bloomsburg, Jade Cabrera of Drums, Emma Casey of Freeland, Norjhely Cornelio Pena of Hazleton, Neal DeAngelo of Mountain Top, Brady Hoover of Sugarloaf, Stella Horvath of Conyngham, Lance Lispi of Lake Harmony, Mikaela Mauna of Freeland, Ashley Mendoza of West Hazleton, Keirsi Mooney of Mountain Top, Momin Muhammad of Mountain Top, Ellie Onufer of Mountain Top, Victoria Park of Hazle Township, Jade Quijandria of Hazleton, Thomas Rogers of Drums, Sophie Schulz of Freeland, Tyler Swircek of Hazleton, Nilson Tejeda, Jr. of Hazleton, and Ethan Ungemach of Sugarloaf.

Tenth Grade: Anthony Arias Tejeda of Hazleton, Gabriella Carsia of Sugarloaf, Isabella DeStefano of Freeland, Anna Drobnock of West Hazleton, Benjamin Drobnock of West Hazleton, Lucas Edmonds of Jim Thorpe, Kayleigh Erickson of Mountain Top, Jack Farrell of Mountain Top, Arianna Larsen of Drums, Maia Laverty of Mountain Top, Calli Mason of Drums, Jackson Moore of Hazleton, Olivia Moore of Hazleton, Patrick Moore of Hazleton, Zach Naugle of Hazle Township, Arianny Nieves of Hazleton, Thomas Pantages of Lake Harmony, Shreeya Parikh of Mountain Top, Justin Park of Hazle Township, Siya Patel of Sugarloaf, Andrew Pedri of Drums, Bianca Perez-Serrano of Hazleton, Evan Polanco of Berwick, Derek Radzwich of Conyngham, Angel Reymunde Wittmer of Mountain Top, Xavier Reymunde Wittmer of Mountain Top, Jared Santana of Freeland, Gavin Serock of Sugarloaf, Haden Stash of Hazle Township, Denna Stellar of Weatherly, Max Temchatin of Drums, Marissa Yamulla of Sugarloaf, Clark Young of Freeland, and Madalynn Young of Mountain Top.

Eleventh Grade: Yoreimy Aponte of Hazle Township, Katherine Arias of Hazleton, Philip Benyo of Drums, Maximus Bleiler of Mountain Top, Christina Chrin of Barnesville, Ian Composto of Freeland, Gavyn Corchado of Mountain Top, Avari DeAngelo of Mountain Top, Nicholas Erickson of Mountain Top, Alexa Fazio of Freeland, Eliza Garcia of Drums, Jacob Gatts of Conyngham, Katelyn Gera of Weatherly, Zachary Jordan of Drums, Nathaniel Kringe of Drums, Kenedy Lutz of Lake Harmony, Ali Mehran of Mountain Top, Akshay Narayanashetty of Mountain Top, Amber Quijandria of Hazleton, Savannah Romero of Hazleton, Angelina Seeba of Mountain Top, Ruhani Shah of Mountain Top, Amanda Stoffa of White Haven, Nicholas Swaditch of White Haven, Delilah Yatsko of Drums, Anna Zaroda of Mountain Top, and Sharon Zhuang of Conyngham.

Twelfth Grade: Cedrah Abdulrahman of Hazleton, Hasan Arain of Bear Creek Township, Frederick Blaine of Weatherly, Alexis Bleiler of Mountain Top, Jozef Dovicak of White Haven, JT Ferry of Drums, Adam Frask of Drums, Ava Genetti of Sugarloaf, Benjamin Gombeda of Freeland, Gabe Horvath of Conyngham, Joseph Mayernik of Freeland, Cassidy McDermott of White Haven, Yeleiny Paniagua of West Hazleton, Sharan Parikh of Mountain Top, Rishi Patel of Drums, Erica Schwear of Sugarloaf, Caleb Skuba of Drums, Arushi Solgama of Mountain Top, Jayden Unger of Conyngham, Georgia Washko of Drums, David Yamulla of Sugarloaf, and Madelyn Young of Freeland.

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Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania is honored to announce Erica Schwear ’26 from Luzerne County has earned the highest award in Girl Scouting, the Girl Scout Gold Award, for the 2026 Gold Award class.

For her project, Schwear expanded upon work she completed to earn her Silver Award. She had previously restored graves at a local historic cemetery, and she now wanted to teach others how to preserve history. She created a video for YouTube and TikTok, providing a tutorial of the steps required to repair headstones or other historic objects. Her project will be sustained as people can access the tutorial indefinitely.  

Schwear devoted a minimum of 80 hours to problem-solving, planning, and implementing her ideas for change. The impact of her Gold Award project will be felt long into the future, and Schwear has shown the next generation of girls what they are capable of accomplishing.

“We are so proud of Erica for achieving Gold Award Girl Scout status! MMI is a school deeply rooted in history, and Erica’s commitment to preserving the past is a deeply honorable one. Through her hard work, dedication, and service, Erica has proven herself to be a great role model to all of us at MMI,” said Mrs. Theresa Long, MMI’s Head of School.

The Gold Award is the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn. It’s available to girls in high school who create sustainable change for a community or world issue. Gold Award Girl Scouts address pressing issues in their communities and create sustainable change to make the world a better place.

The Gold Award process not only enables girls to help their communities but also provides tangible benefits as they grow as individuals. By going Gold, girls build professional skills, earn scholarships, build their network, and, for those interested in serving their country, are able to enlist at a higher pay grade when they join the military.

About Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges, whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike, or advocate for a cause that motivates them. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors and millions of alumnae, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and enact change. To join, volunteer, reconnect or donate, visit www.gshpa.org.

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Leading the program is Head Coach Shawn Evans, who also serves as head coach of the MMI Girls Volleyball program and brings extensive experience and familiarity with both the School and the sport. Joining Coach Evans is Gianna Moisey-Hoover ’23, a former MMI volleyball student-athlete and alumna of the girls program, who has been named Assistant Coach. Together, the coaching staff is committed to developing student-athletes both on and off the court as the program establishes its identity in this inaugural season.

For more information or to contact the coaching staff, please email redandwhitevolleyball@gmail.com.

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“These students represent the very best of what it means to be part of the MMI community,” said Mrs. Long. “Their commitment to scholarship, character, and leadership is evident not only in their academic achievements, but in the way they contribute to the life of our School each day. Induction into these honor societies is a meaningful milestone, and I’m proud to recognize their efforts and excited to see the impact they will continue to make at MMI and beyond.”

After a welcome from Mrs. Long, the induction ceremonies were led by the respective Advisors and Student Officers of each society. Assistant Head of School Mrs. Marci Hosier then introduced each student and the societies they were inducted into.

Andrew J. Stofan Chapter of the National Honor Society

Officers:

• Advisor: Dr. Jeremy Davidheiser
• President: Caleb Skuba ’26
• Vice President: Yeleiny Paniagua ’26
• Secretary: Ava Genetti ’26
• Treasurer: Rishi Patel ’26
• Historian: Madelyn Young ’26

Inductees: Anthony Arias-Tejeda ’28, Morgan Beerbower ’26, Gabriella Carsia ’28, Gavyn Corchado ’27, Isabella DeStefano ’28, Anna Drobnock ’28, Benjamin Drobnock ’28, Isaac Edmonds ’28, Lucas Edmonds ’28, Kayleigh Erickson ’28, Jack Farrell ’28, Eliza Garcia ’27, Mia Jones ’27, Nathaniel Kringe ’27, Arianna Larsen ’28, Maia Laverty ’28, Calli Mason ’28, Arham Mehran ’27, Olivia Moore ’28, Zachary Naugle ’28, Arianny Nieves ’28, Thomas Pantages ’28, Shreeya Parikh ’28, Justin Park ’28, Siya Patel ’28, Andrew Pedri ’28, Evan Polanco ’28, Derek Radzwich ’28, Angel Reymunde-Wittmer ’28, Xavier Reymunde-Wittmer ’28, Jared Santana ’28, Angelina Seeba ’27, Gavin Serock ’28, Haden Stash ’28, Denna Stellar ’28, Maxwell Temchatin ’28, Marissa Yamulla ’28, Clark Young ’28, Madalynn Young ’28, and Anna Zaroda ’27.

Echoes of Philosophy and Wisdom Chapter of the Chinese National Honor Society

Officers:

• Advisor: Mrs. Christina Spencer
• President: Cedrah Abdulrahman ’26
• Vice President: Ava Genetti ’26
• Secretary: Samantha Gatts ’26
• Treasurer: Erica Schwear ’26
• Historian: Mehak Manzoor ’26

Inductees: Yoreimy Aponte ’27, Philip Benyo ’27, Christina Chrin ’27, Alexa Fazio ’27, Jacob Gatts ’27, Katelyn Gera ’27, Ruhani Shah ’27, Amanda Stoffa ’27, and Sharon Zhuang ’27.

MMI Chroma Chapter of the National Art Honor Society

Officers:

• Advisor: Dr. Lisa Ferry
• President-Elect: Amanda Stoffa ’27

Inductees: Cedrah Abdulrahman ’26, Josef Dovicak ’26, JT Ferry ’26, Benjamin Gombeda ’26, Cassidy McDermott ’26, Erica Schwear ’26, Amanda Stoffa ’27, David Yamulla ’26, and Madelyn Young ’26.

Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society

Officers:

• Advisor: Mr. Tony Bianco
• President: Sharan Parikh ’26
• Vice President: Arushi Solgama ’26
• Secretary: Ava Genetti ’26 ’26
• Treasurer: Erica Schwear ’26
• Historian: Jozef Dovicak ’26

Inductees: Katherine Arias ’27, Maximus Bleiler ’27, Ian Composto ’27, Gavyn Corchado ’27, Eliza Garcia ’27, Kenedy Lutz ’27, Yeleiny Paniagua ’26, Angelina Seeba ’27, Ruhani Shah ’27, Amanda Stoffa ’27, David Yamulla ’26, Anna Zaroda ’27, and Sharon Zhuang ’27.

Pablo Picasso Chapter of the Spanish National Honor Society

Officers:

• Advisor: Senorita Syra Dewar
• President: Rishi Patel ’26
• Vice President: Arushi Solgama ’26
• Secretary: Cassidy McDermott ’26
• Treasurer: Alexis Bleiler ’26
• Historian: Sharan Parikh ’26

Inductees: Katherine Arias ’27, Maximus Bleiler ’27, Ian Composto ’27, Gavyn Corchado ’27, Eliza Garcia ’27, Arham Mehran ’27, and Angelina Seeba ’27.

Science National Honor Society

Officers:

• Advisor: Mr. Michael Mele
• President: Yeleiny Paniagua ’26
• Vice President: Adam Frask ’26
• Secretary: Arushi Solgama ’26  
• Treasurer: Erica Schwear ’26
• Historian: Cassidy McDermott ’26

Inductees: Katherine Arias ’27, Morgan Beerbower ’26, Philip Benyo ’27, Maximus Bleiler ’27, Ian Composto ’27, Gavyn Corchado ’27, Nicholas Erickson ’27, Alexa Fazio ’27, Eliza Garcia ’27, Jacob Gatts ’27, Katelyn Gera ’27, Benjamin Gombeda ’26, Zachary Jordan ’27, Nathaniel Kringe ’27, Kenedy Lutz ’27, Arham Mehran ’27, Bryce Radzwich ’26, Christian Schulz ’26, Ruhani Shah ’27, Amanda Stoffa ’27, Anna Zaroda ’27, and Sharon Zhuang ’27.

Tri-M Music Honor Society

Officers:

• Advisor: Ms. Jennifer Gerhard
• President: Erica Schwear ’26
• Vice President: Arianna Larsen ’28
• Secretary: Arushi Solgama ’26
• Treasurer: Shreeya Parikh ’28
• Historian: Siya Patel ’28

Inductees: Anthony Arias-Tejeda ’28, Marlow Basalayga ’29, Jack Benyo ’29, Jade Cabrera ’29, Emma Casey ’29, Norjhely Cornelio-Pena ’29, Brayden Hoover ’29, Ashley Mendoza ’29, Keirsi Mooney ’29, Zachary Naugle ’28, Thomas Pantages ’28, Justin Park ’28, Jade Quijandria ’29, Thomas Rogers ’29, Sophie Schulz ’29, Ethan Ungemach ’29, and Clark Young ’28.

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MMI Preparatory School Head of School Mrs. Theresa Long is proud to announce that Maia Laverty ’28 earned third place in Yearbook Sports Writing at the Pennsylvania School Press Association (PSPA) State Journalism Finals, held at Penn State University on March 16.

The PSPA is one of the oldest scholastic journalism organizations in the country and hosts annual regional and state competitions designed to promote excellence in student media, writing, and ethical journalism. Regional winners advance to the state level, where top student journalists from across Pennsylvania compete in a variety of disciplines. Maia’s achievement reflects her talent for storytelling and her ability to capture the energy and narrative of athletics through yearbook writing.

“Maia has a natural ability to bring stories to life,” said Mrs. Jennifer Novotney, Academic Dean at MMI. “She writes with clarity, voice, and purpose. She consistently approaches her work with both creativity and discipline, and seeing her recognized at the state level is incredibly rewarding.”

Head of School Mrs. Theresa Long also praised Maia’s accomplishment. “Experiences like the PSPA State Finals challenge students to apply their skills in meaningful and competitive environments,” said Mrs. Long. “Maia’s success reflects not only her individual dedication, but also the strength of mentorship and opportunity within our School. We are very proud of her achievement.”

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MMI’s Open House gives every student the chance to collaborate on an interdisciplinary project by grade level. Sixth and ninth-grade students will host a joint STEM Fair, with ninth graders having mentored sixth graders through research and experimentation. Seventh and tenth graders partnered on multicultural studies built from shared country assignments, library-based research, and hands-on creation. Eighth and eleventh-graders co-designed food-based projects with samples. Twelfth graders will display and present their completed senior capstone projects. 

MMI’s Open House will run from 1:30 to 4:30 PM, with non-food projects being displayed from 1:30 to 4 PM and food-related projects from 2:00 to 4:30 PM. Admission is free. 

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Head of School Mrs. Theresa Long is proud to announce that MMI Preparatory School students had an outstanding showing at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) competition that was held on Saturday, February 28, at Wilkes University. MMI’s 37 participating students earned an impressive 29 first-place awards, marking an all-time School high of 83% of presenters securing first-place. MMI students also earned six second-place awards and two third-place awards. 

Mr. Michael Mele, MMI’s Science Department Chair and PJAS Advisor, shared his admiration for his students: “This year’s PJAS results highlight the exceptional effort and talent our students bring to scientific research. To earn 29 first awards, along with multiple perfect scores, speaks to both the rigor of their work and their perseverance throughout the process. Securing Excellence Awards in Biology, Botany, and Chemistry, recognitions given to the top project in each category, is especially meaningful. I am incredibly proud of what our students have accomplished and how they represented MMI.”

Among the first-place award recipients, eight students earned perfect scores: Arianny Nieves ’28, Shreeya Parikh ’28, Siya Patel ’28, Ian Composto ’27, Ruhani Shah ’27, Sharon Zhuang ’27, Cedrah Abdulrahman ’26, and Arushi Solgama ’26. Additionally, three students received Excellence Awards, a prestigious recognition given to only 12 upper school and 12 middle school students for demonstrating the highest level of project performance: Siya Patel ’28 (Biology), Cedrah Abdulrahman ’26 (Botany), and Ian Composto ’27 (Chemistry). 

Perseverance Awards were earned by the following students for their long-standing involvement with the program: Cedrah Abdulrahman ’26 (4 years), Alexis Bleiler ’26 (3 years), Ava Genetti  ’26 (4 years), Yeleiny Paniagua ’26 (4 years), Arushi Solgama ’26 (5 years), and Madelyn Young ’26 (3 years). 

All first-place award winners will advance to the state-level competition at Pennsylvania State University’s main campus in May. The following students earned first-place awards and have advanced to the state-level competition: Sahiba Kaur ’30, Riley Mason ’30, Megan Yamulla ’30, Lance Lispi ’29, Keirsi Mooney ’29, Gabriella Carsia ’28, Anna Drobnock ’28, Jackson Moore ’28, Olivia Moore ’28, Zachary Naugle ’28, Arianny Nieves ’28, Shreeya Parikh ’28, Siya Patel ’28, Andrew Pedri ’28, Angel Reymunde Wittmer ’28, Gavin Serock ’28, Marissa Yamulla ’28, Katherine Arias ’27, Christina Chrin ’27, Ian Composto ’27, Ruhani Shah ’27, Anna Zaroda ’27, Sharon Zhuang ’27, Cedrah Abdulrahman ’26, Alexis Bleiler ’26, Ava Genetti ’26, Yeleiny Paniagua ’26, Arushi Solgama ’26, and Madelyn Young ’26.

Second-place awards were earned by: Gabriella Vasquez ’30, Kamila Zea ’30, Robert Brighthaupt ’29, Justin Park ’28, Denna Stellar ’28, and Madalynn Young ’28. 

Third-place awards were earned by: Gavyn Corchado ’27 and Kenedy Lutz ’27.

Mrs. Theresa Long noted the importance of being involved in this program: “At MMI, we are committed to providing students with meaningful opportunities to engage in scientific research and discovery. Through hands-on learning and mentorship, our students develop the curiosity and confidence to explore complex questions and share their work at a very high level. Their success reflects both their dedication, the strength of our science program, and our faculty’s commitment to guide every student in their scientific journey.”

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MMI Preparatory School’s Head of School, Mrs. Theresa Long, is proud to announce that Andrew Pedri ’28 has been chosen by the faculty as the winner of this year’s prestigious Best of the Best student assembly competition. Andrew, along with finalists Ethan Ungemach ’29 and Philip Benyo ’27, demonstrated exceptional skill and excellence in public speaking. He earned this honor with an outstanding presentation to the entire student body and faculty last week on the topic of multitasking.

The MMI Student Assembly Program follows a structured schedule throughout the year and is a required part of the School’s curriculum. Students in 10th and 11th grade deliver in-person presentations to their peers in the cafeteria in October, while 9th-grade students present in the cafeteria in November. Middle School students in grades 6–8 give their presentations within their grade-level Workshop classes in January. Seniors complete a Capstone Project that synthesizes their entire academic experience at MMI and includes a live oral presentation, which they deliver during MMI’s Open House on Sunday, March 22. 

The Best of the Best competition is the culminating event of MMI’s Student Assembly Program, which is designed to foster confident, articulate, and engaging young leaders. The program challenges students to craft compelling narratives, conduct relevant research, integrate multimedia tools effectively, and deliver speeches with confidence and poise.

“Our Student Assembly Program provides MMI students with an opportunity to develop and showcase their presentation skills in front of a large, but supportive, audience,” said Mrs. Long. “While it has changed and evolved over the years, alumni continually remember this time-honored tradition as one that helped them to develop skills that set them apart in their college and professional careers.”

In order to qualify for Best of the Best, students must earn an “Excellent” rating on their assembly earlier in the academic year. Those who presented at Best of the Best achieved the highest point values within the Excellent rating, and represent the top assemblies given at the 9th, 10th, and 11th grade levels.

In an address to the entire school, Mrs. Katherine Zucco, advisor to the MMI Student Assembly Program, emphasized the importance of this annual event: “We gather together as one School community for something that represents the very best of who we are and what we value: the MMI Student Assembly Program. It’s more than a speaking assignment. It is an opportunity to research deeply, think critically, stand confidently, and share ideas with one another. It asks each of you to find your voice and then use it with purpose.”

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Representing MMI will be Christina Chrin ’27 (Clarinet I) and Eliza Garcia ’27 (Saxophone II).  Students representing Hazleton Area include Jocelyn Rivera Bautista ’27 (Trombone III), Sophie Bolitsky ’26 (Cornet III), Camden Calarco ’26 (Cornet III), Isabella Collado ’28 (Clarinet II), Iris Culley ’28 (Flute II), Gisselle Pena ’27 (Flute I), and Jazlyn Searfoss ’26 (Clarinet III).

The festival will be led by guest conductor Dr. Peter Loel Boonshaft, widely regarded as one of the most dynamic and influential voices in music education today. A nationally and internationally sought-after conductor, clinician, and speaker, Dr. Boonshaft has appeared in every U.S. state and across the globe, guest conducting prestigious ensembles including NAfME national and divisional honor bands, the Goldman Memorial Band, and U.S. Marine Corps ensembles. He is the first recipient of the George M. Parks Award for Leadership in Music Education and currently serves as Director of Education for Jupiter Band Instruments. Professor Emeritus of Music at Hofstra University, he is also the author of several best-selling books on music education, including Teaching Music with Passion and Teaching Music Each Day Inspired, and co-author of the widely used Sound Innovations method series. His distinguished career reflects a lifelong commitment to inspiring students and empowering music educators worldwide.

The first two days of the festival will be hosted at MMI and are dedicated to auditions and rehearsals for performers. On Wednesday, March 11, from 5:00-9:00 pm, auditions will be held to determine which of the 156 students will advance to the PMEA All-State Band Festival, which will be held at Kalahari Resort and Convention Center on April 23-25. On Thursday, March 12, students and directors will begin rehearsing and will spend the entirety of the day at MMI (9:00 am-9:00 pm). On Friday, March 13, the event shifts to Hazleton Area High School for daytime rehearsals beginning at 9:00 am and culminating in a public concert at 6:30 pm in the High School Auditorium. Admission to the evening concert is $6.

The hosts of the event are MMI Music Director Ms. Jennifer Gerhard, who is also the PMEA Advocacy Chair for District 9, and Mrs. Helen Rettger, Band Director at Hazleton Area High School.

Mrs. Theresa Long, Head of School at MMI Preparatory School, reflected on the collaborative spirit of the event. “Music brings connection and meaning to a School community, and festivals like this give students the opportunity to discover confidence, belonging, and artistic growth,” said Mrs. Long. “Working together with the Hazleton Area School District demonstrates our shared commitment to music education and to creating experiences that shape students both onstage and far beyond the final performance.”

Hazleton Area School District Superintendent Dr. Brian Uplinger added, “Music education is a vital part of a well-rounded education, fostering creativity, discipline, and collaboration.” “We are honored to partner with MMI Preparatory School to host the PMEA Region IV Band Festival and to celebrate the dedication and talent of young musicians from across our region,” said Dr. Uplinger.

PMEA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting musical development across the Commonwealth. Its band, chorus, and orchestra festivals at the district, regional, and all-state levels are conducted annually to promote the organization’s goal of furthering music education and encouraging the development of music programs in schools. PMEA members who are the directors of bands, choruses, or orchestras in their schools have the privilege of sponsoring students from their organization to participate in these events.

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