MMI News

Two students from MMI Preparatory School have been chosen to perform at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 9 band and orchestra festivals. Sophomore Angelica Alday, daughter of Dr. Senen Alday and Milagros Azcueta-Alday of Mountaintop, will play the violin at the PMEA District 9 Orchestra Festival January 13-15 at North Pocono High School. Senior Sarah Moyer, daughter of Robert and Susan Moyer of Bowmanstown, will play the flute at the District 9 Band Festival January 27-29 at Pittston Area High School.

MMI Preparatory School sophomores Lauren Babinetz and Caelyn McGran will represent MMI at the 2016 Central Pennsylvania Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) seminar. The annual seminar will be held May 19-22 at Shippensburg University. Babinetz is the daughter of Michael and Patricia Babinetz of Jim Thorpe and McGran is the daughter of John and Barbara McGran of Drums.

MMI Preparatory School’s Prepper Playhouse will present an evening of one-act comedies December 11 and 12 at 7:00 P.M. in the MMI cafeteria.  All tickets are general admission only and seating is limited. Tickets are just $5 and are available at the door the night of the show or any time before the performance at the MMI Main Office.

MMI Preparatory School students won four awards during the 29th annual Monroe County Invitational Mock Trial Tournament at East Stroudsburg High School. Junior Allison McGeehan placed third out of 66 lawyers who performed at the event. Junior Erin Sari and sophomores Jakob Schwabe and George Palermo each competed for the first time and received outstanding witness awards.

The MMI Preparatory School Class of 2018 created four original abstract paintings and donated them to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton’s pediatric area as part of its series of community service class projects for the 2015-2016 school year.

The guest chef program at MMI Preparatory School strives to give students the opportunity to try new things. On Monday, MMI students had the chance to experience the flavors of Southern California. The program began last school year and is part of a three-year plan undertaken by MMI to provide preferable food to the student body and staff in a more sustainable manner.

MMI Preparatory School crowned Andrew Alday and Alyssa Famalette, both pictured first row center, its 2015 Harvest King and Queen during MMI’s annual Harvest Dance on November 7. Allison Warner-Senape, first row far left, Shaelyn Heft, first row far right, and Devon Faul, second row far left, were the runners up. Also pictured are Parent Faculty Organization representative Natalie Kost and MMI Head of School Thomas G. Hood.

MMI Preparatory School art and anthropology instructor Lisa M. Ferry was one of only eight women who received the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce Women’s Empowerment Grant during the Chamber’s 2015 Business and Community Awards ceremony. Ferry was also awarded a certificate of special congressional recognition from Congressman Lou Barletta in honor of her achievement.

MMI Preparatory School held an induction ceremony recently for 21 new members of the Science National Honor Society and 16 new members of the Mathematics National Honor Society. During the ceremony, Assistant Head of School Charles Seidel welcomed guests and faculty member Michael Mele introduced the officers of the two honor societies. Jay Solgama, president of MMI’s chapters of the Science National Honor Society and Mathematics National Honor Society, gave a speech. MMI Head of School Thomas G. Hood gave closing remarks and Luke Yamulla provided piano accompaniment.

MMI Preparatory School recently inducted 38 new members of the Andrew J. Stofan Chapter of the National Honor Society during a ceremony at the school. MMI Head of School Thomas G. Hood welcomed guests, adviser and faculty member Donna Titus gave opening remarks and Assistant Head of School Charles Seidel introduced the speaker. MMI Board of Directors Vice Chairman John H. Hersker ’76 served as speaker for the induction ceremony. He is the former president and CEO of Movie Tavern, Inc., was executive vice president of distribution for Paramount Pictures and served as chief operating officer of Copper Beech Capital.

MMI student-athletes Sarah Moyer and Brendan Drusda were recently named the school’s winners for the prestigious Wendy’s High School Heisman Award which highlights exceptional high school seniors and their achievements in the classroom, on the field and in the community.

Three MMI seniors were named Commended Students in the National Merit Scholarship Program for 2015. Andrew Alday, Sarah Moyer, and Jay Solgama received Letters of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Alday is the son of Dr. Senen Alday and Dr. Milagros Azcueta-Alday, Mountaintop; Moyer is the daughter of Robert and Susan Moyer, Bowmanstown; and Solgama is the son of Dr. Paresh and Arti Solgama, Mountaintop.

Students in MMI English instructor Jennifer Novotney’s creative writing and advanced creative writing courses held their annual Halloween Scary Story Contest.

Twelve MMI students recently competed in the school level Poetry Out Loud competition. Freshman Andrew Decker finished first and will represent MMI in the televised Poetry Out Loud Regional Competition on December 15 at the WVIA-TV studios in Pittston.

MMI English instructor Jennifer Novotney was one of seven featured authors at the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English Language Arts annual conference in Harrisburg. The authors were featured at an Author’s Breakfast where Novotney read from her young adult book Winter in the Soul and talked about her inspiration for writing the book. She also participated in a book signing for two of her novels, Winter in the Soul and Infinite Spring.

Students in MMI’s Sunshine Club recognized national Unity Day on October 21 by creating a pledge poster for students, faculty, and staff to sign indicating their stand against bullying. Unity Day is the signature event of National Bullying Prevention month, which is sponsored by PACER Center’s National Bullying Prevention Center.

Two MMI Preparatory School seniors will be featured on WVIA-TV Artist of the Week segments and are among the finalists for the WVIA Artist of the Year award. Allison Warner-Senape and Charles Bower visited the WVIA studios in Pittston to record a one-minute Artist of the Week piece that will appear on WVIA-TV from November 8-14 and online at www.wvia.org for a year.

Two students from MMI Preparatory School were among only seven students from across the United States who were selected to take part in a cultural leadership program in China this summer. Senior Terrance Jankouskas and 2015 graduate Rachel Stanziola, who were taught Chinese at MMI by World Language instructor Christina Spencer, visited China from July 27 to August 7 and participated in the ninth annual Ameson Chinese Elite Program (ACE), sponsored by the Ameson Education & Cultural Exchange Foundation. ACE is an annual event that brings together the brightest young minds from top secondary schools from the United States, China,...