Josh Malaki publishes first novel

Josh Malacki, CV Class of 2004, will have his first published novel released on April 24, 2018. Josh is a co-author of a middle school level book titled Detours and Designs. Learn more at detoursanddesigns.com.

2010 Grad takes on mission to provide free medical care and therapy in Ecuador

First year medical student Tyler Wilps humanitarian efforts are profiled in the March 9th edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Roody D'Agaro makes mark for Westminster swim team.

Joe Caruso III, Class of 2009, named Government Affairs Council at American Retirement Association

Joseph A. Caruso, III, JD, MSPPM, recently accepted a position as Government Affairs Counsel at the American Retirement Association (“ARA”) in Arlington, VA. Joe will be responsible for federal and state lobbying through meetings with public officials, draft legislation, comments on proposed rules, hearing testimony, PAC campaign contributions and more. The American Retirement Association represents over 20,000 members and is comprised of five premier retirement industry associations: the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA), the ASPPA College of Pension Actuaries (ACOPA), the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA) and the National Tax-deferred Savings Association (NTSA).



Prior to accepting his new role, Joe served as an Industry Affairs Associate with the Institutional Limited Partners Association (“ILPA”) in Washington, D.C. where he supported ILPA’s advocacy efforts to advance best practices and policies in the private equity industry. ILPA’s membership includes close to 450 institutions and 4,000 individual professionals representing over 40 countries and more than US$1 trillion of private equity assets under management – half of the total global institutional private equity assets under management (“AUM”). ILPA members represent all investor categories of small and large institutions including public pensions, corporate pensions, endowments, foundations, family offices, insurance and investment companies, development financial institutions and sovereign wealth funds.



Joseph holds a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from The H. John Heinz III College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Allegheny College and graduated from Chartiers Valley High School in 2009. In high school, Joe was a National Honor Society inductee, Class of 2009’s “Rising Star” in Social Studies and AP Scholar with Honor. As a Colt, Joe captained the varsity soccer team to a section title garnering All-WPIAL, All-Section, Post-Gazette West All-Star and The Almanac Elite 11 (HM) recognition en route.

CV Alumnus Ryan Quinn wins 2nd Emmy Award

Chartiers Valley 2006 alumnus, Ryan Quinn, just added another Emmy Award to his resume of video production and editing accomplishments. 

The 2017 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards were presented on September 9, 2017, when Ryan was announced as winner of the prestigious award and professional recognition.  At the ceremony in Hershey, Pennsylvania, The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honored Ryan with the distinguished Emmy Award for his outstanding work as the video editor for the NBC/WPXI 5PM Newscast Evening programming for larger markets. 

Ryan was responsible for electronic news gathering (ENG) and complete video editing of multiple featured stories – including sports edits and promotional spots of the Steelers, Pirates, and the Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins.  Ryan created numerous pump-up videos for the 2017 Penguin Stanley Cup playoff games premiering during pre-game broadcasts on NBC/WPXI, receiving network recognition and accolades from live broadcast professionals.

In addition to winning Emmy Awards in 2015 and 2017, Ryan is also a three-time Emmy nominee in 2015 and 2016 for broadcast video editing in larger markets and spot news categories.  His 2015 video for the Football Hall of Fame Induction of Steeler Jerome Bettis also received NBC/WPXI broadcast accolades during the live pre-induction ceremony broadcast.

Ryan is a 2006 graduate of Chartiers Valley and 2010 graduate of Penn State, University Park.  He was the Student Marshal in Film/Video at Penn State, where he wrote and directed films that received national recognition and awards.

CV Alum Pursues Legal Career

Joe Caruso, Chartiers Valley Class of 2009, recently graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law with a Juris Doctor and Carnegie Mellon University’s H. John Heinz III College of Information Systems and Public Policy with a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management.

As Joe prepares for the Pennsylvania Bar exam, he is also exploring career options that would allow him to serve as an investor advocate and help combat financial crime.

Joe’s journey began when he was in High School at Chartiers Valley, where he was a member of the National Honor Society and President of the Spanish Club. He really enjoyed watching law and order episodes with his father who is a retired police Sergeant. In addition, he was also very interested in the courses he took in high school that related to domestic politics.

“While I was the beneficiary of many great teachers at CV, I would say that I fed off of Mr. Robert Rodrigues’ passion for American politics,” said Joe. “Having the opportunity to be instructed by a college professor while in high school was invaluable and I still hold on to lessons from his class like using ‘direction of evidence (DOE)’ in my writing.”

Joe also noted that many of his Chartiers Valley teachers challenged him to further refine his writing and critical thinking skills, which has helped him achieve success in his academic accomplishments since high school.

In addition to taking rigorous courses throughout his high school career, Joe challenged himself on the soccer field.

“Many of my favorite memories came on the pitch,” said Joe. “Even now, there is still a smell in the air come soccer season that triggers memories to flood back.”

The varsity soccer team won the section title during Joe’s senior year. In addition to serving as the team’s captain, Joe was named All-Section, All-WPIAL, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette West All-Star and the Almanac Elite Eleven honorable mention.

“While playing in college is special in its own right, there is something unique about winning with the kids you grew up with while representing the area that you’re from against often familiar foes.”
Joe continued his academic and athletic career at Allegheny College, where he majored in political science with a minor in English. While at Allegheny College, Joe served a term as a senator with ASG and was selected to sit on the academic honor committee. In addition, he played soccer and was an NSCAA Scholar All-Region selection.

Following his graduation from Allegheny College, Joe moved on to the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. As a certified legal intern with Pitt law’s securities arbitration clinic, Joe secured the largest settlement in clinic history.

At CMU, Joe and several of his fellow students worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Health under the oversight of RAND Corp. to develop a data-driven strategy to expand first responder access to Heroin antidote naloxone. Governor Tom Wolf recently acknowledged his efforts. In addition, Joe was recently mentioned in the May 2017 issue of Whirl magazine (page 15) for an event he organized as the Heinz Finance Club President.

Computer Science: Unplugged

Chartiers Valley alumnus, Bryan Gallo, recently returned to his alma mater to give third and fourth grade students a lesson in computer science, sans computers.

After graduating from Chartiers Valley High School in 2013, Bryan went to Westminster College where he is currently a senior majoring in Computer Science.

As his capstone project, Bryan is researching two different methods of teaching computer science activities to elementary students. One method was to let a class start an activity with only a brief introduction to it, while the other method provided students with a detailed lecture about the activity before allowing them to actually try it.

Bryan tested his methods with Mr. Quinn’s third grade class and Mrs. Kantner’s fourth grade class at CVIS.

“I was thrilled to have my capstone project at Chartiers Valley, but before I got to the class, I didn’t know what to expect from the current elementary students,” said Bryan. “The students I had in Mr. Quinn and Mrs. Kantner’s classes had such a great academic attitude. They were attentive, perceptive, and genuinely cared about the lessons.”

The Association for Computing Machinery has a list of academic goals for students from K-12, so Bryan selected activities from “Computer Science Unplugged” to meet some of the goals.

“These activities are designed to introduce computer science concepts to young students without the use of a computer,” explained Bryan.

Over the course of three days, Bryan introduced and modeled the binary number system, as well as several algorithms used for searching and sorting data in computers.

Next he introduced the linear method for sorting large quantities of data, which students found to be pretty slow. Bryan also modeled the hashing method, where students sorted data based on a code or equation. Students got to play a battleship game simulation to demonstrate the hashing method, which they found to be quicker and more efficient than the linear method. Bryan related that method to how computers have advanced to process information faster and more efficiently.

Finally, Bryan worked with students to consider data sorting methods. Students used balance scales and small weighted canisters. Students worked in small groups to systematically sort the canisters based on weight, and noted the number of operations it required to sort the canisters from lightest to heaviest.

While Bryan selected specific activities to help students meet the goals outlined by the Association of Computing Machinery, his ultimate goal was to capture their interest.

“I hope students gained interested, and were more curious about computer science [after my lessons],” said Bryan.

“Our students had a unique opportunity to use abstract and critical thinking,” said Mr. Quinn. “We were happy to have the chance to learn new strategies to figure out a variety of conditions.”

View more photos on Flickr>>

From Crayons to Creative Director

As soon as he could hold a crayon, drawing became a major part of Larry Levine’s life.

“I started drawing at a very young age,” said Larry, who graduated from Chartiers Valley in 2003. I’ve always had a general interest in the arts.”

As Larry grew, so did his interest in drawing. By the time he reached Middle School, Larry was nearly certain whatever career he pursued, it would involve drawing.

“Early in my pre-teens, I became interested in technology and I think that is what inspired me to pursue a design career,” said Larry. “Design is the perfect blend of creativity and strategy – it wasn’t purely expressive and allowed me to use the computer as a tool.”

By the time Larry reached High School, he was eager to take a variety of courses that related to his interests.

“It was a combination of Visual Communication courses and art classes that kept me excited about coming to school every morning,” said Larry.

Larry constantly challenged himself – and sometimes even his teachers – to learn more about graphic design and the programs that were (and still are) used in the professional world. Based on the experience Larry gained while he was in high school, he landed an internship at a local ad agency named Larson O’Brien at the age of 18.

After high school graduation, Larry went to La Roche College where he earned a degree in Graphic & Communication Design with a minor focus in illustration and typography. Today, Larry is a Creative Director for Celerity’s Digital Experience Team.

Since his graduation in 2003, Larry has often returned to Chartiers Valley to speak to students about design as a potential career path. However, this year, his return to the high school is a bit different.

In addition to his full time career, Larry is also working with the students in Mr. Clayton McGalla’s class Advanced Graphics and Photography class. With guidance from Larry, students have a unique opportunity to attempt to create a fresh colt logo for Chartiers Valley athletics.

Larry visited Mr. McGalla’s classes in November to teach students about the design process and tips for tackling such a major project.  In addition to speaking with the classes, Larry has been available to answer questions via email and will be offering feedback on the students’ designs this spring.

“We’re fortunate that Celerity has allowed Larry to take the time to work with our students,” said Mr. McGalla. “It gives them a unique opportunity to learn from – and work with – a talented design professional.”

“My primary objective was to give students a rudimentary knowledge of how to approach designing an identity or logo for the new face of the Colts,” said Larry. “At the very least I hope that they walked away feeling excited and inspired.”

In addition to working with Mr. McGalla’s classes this year, Larry has previously visited the High School to talk to students about design as a potential career path. He also encourages all students to make the most of their high school education. 

“Take advantage of what Chartiers Valley has to offer you,” said Larry. “You have a wealth of knowledge, support and resources at your disposal. It’s something you don’t realize until later in life.”

A special thank you to Larry for taking the time to work with Chartiers Valley High School students this year!

CV Alum Selected for the "So You Want To Be A Coach" Program

Chartiers Valley alumna, Jackie Stewart, was recently selected for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) "So You Want To Be A Coach" program.

During a three day workshop, Jackie will have the opportunity to meet with college basketball coaches. The workshop will take place in March, coinciding with the NCAA women's basketball final four in Dallas.

Jackie was nominated for the "So You Want To Be A Coach" program by the Grove City College head coach, Coach Chelle Fuss.  She then went through an interview process with the WBCA.

After graduating from Chartiers Valley High School in 2013, Jackie attended Grove City College where she was a four year letter winner in basketball. Jackie is majoring in Sociology and intends to graduate from Grove City College in May 2017.

Congratulations to Jackie on this outstanding achievement!

Read more from the WBCA>>

Read more from Grove City College>>

Read more in the Almanac>>

CV Alum is "Designing a Life Worth Living"

Chartiers Valley alumna, Sara Simpson, is designing a life worth living. Her story was recently featured on LiveQuickie.com.

"Growing up confined to a wheelchair has had its ups and downs. Like anyone else, I have my days where life throws me an obstacle that I don't think I can overcome, but I do. Thanks to my parents, I learned to never "see my wheelchair" and that life is what you make of it. At an early age I chose to do just that: make my life exactly as I wanted it to be. We all have the power to write our own story."

Read more of Sara's story>>

CV Alum Talks Forensic Biology

Alumnus Ben Cooley, a Forensic Biologist working for the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office, returned to CVHS on October 18 to speak with Mrs. King's and Mrs. Tremmel's PLTW – Principles of Biomedical Science, and Anatomy and Physiology classes.

Ben began his presentation by discussing his educational path and how it led to his first job with molecular diagnostics lab that had a primary focus on detecting the onset of pancreatic cancer and its recurrence.

One of the things Ben most enjoyed about his first job was that it was the same type of work that he would eventually find in forensics. Today, Ben is a Serologist and DNA expert for the ME's office and also teaches a graduate level serology class (the study of bodily fluids) at Duquesne University.

"My career choice was influenced by the original CSI series when I was in 6th grade," Ben revealed. "I was really struck by character Gil Grissom saying that his job was, in essence, to speak for the dead. To tell their story and get them justice -- so that's what I try to do."

Explaining that his job at the ME's office has two distinct roles: one as scientist, which he enjoys most because he is collecting and examining evidence. His other role is that of an expert witness.

"The forensic side allows me to examine and test the evidence and form opinions on my findings. I communicate those opinions to juries and then defend my hypotheses against attorneys' arguments. Defense attorney, prosecutor and judge -- I have to get everyone to understand what I did and how I did it to arrive at a cause or reason for death," Ben explained.

"Many jurists just don't have the level of understanding that they would need to understand the science involved, so I'm also like a teacher in that sense. I speak from the evidence. It's not my job to prove guilt or innocence. I merely speak to the evidence and the jury decides the case based on what I've provided them."

A special thanks to Ben for taking time out to visit his alma mater and talk to students about his career path.

CV Alum Pays Tribute in Washington, D.C.

Photos credit

 

Photos credit

Chartiers Valley alumnus, T.J. McConnell, and teammates from the Philadelphia 76ers paid tribute while in Washington, D.C. for a basketball game.

The team visited several historical sites in our nation’s capital, including Arlington Cemetery, where McConnell and two of his teammates participated in a wreath ceremony. At 4 pm, during the hourly changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, McConnell and his teammates presented a wreath on behalf of the Sixers. The ceremony was led by Staff Sergeant Ruth Hanks, the fourth woman in history to achieve the rank of Tomb sentinel.

Following the presentation of the wreath, McConnell and his teammates stood in salute as taps was played on the trumpet.


Read more…

CSN Philly: Sixers Pay Tribute During Tour of Washington, D.C. Historical Sites

NBA.com: D.C. Area Trip Helps Team Keep Perspective

NBA.com Photos: Sixers Visit Pentagon Memorial & Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

An Open Letter to Seniors in the Last Month of High School: Don’t blink, you might miss it all.

By Hannah Cristofano, Chartiers Valley Class of 2015


You’ve almost made it to the end of the four years that at some points, seemed almost impossible. From “late” nights of studying for tests, to Friday night football games that soon turned into Saturday mornings with friends, to after school food runs (because who doesn’t want Moe’s 3 times a week?), to the dreaded Sunday morning practice before a big game, to the extravagant and frankly, unnecessary Promposals – all of these things will soon be happening for the last time. It’s scary and exciting at the same time, and it’s okay to feel a mix of emotions concerning graduating. High school is just the beginning of you becoming who you really are as a person. I thought I was ready to leave high school behind and jump right into college. I was wrong. Here are a few pieces of advice from a person who was in the same spot as you are right now just one short year ago.


1. High school is NOT the best four years of your life.
Looking back, I laugh at people who had told me that high school was going to be the best four years of my life. This couldn't be more false. High school was great, don’t get me wrong, but college is honestly where I’ve had the most fun and life changing experiences. Granted, I’ve only been here for eight months, but I already can see myself becoming the person I want to be. In college, you find your people. I’m not saying that you aren’t going talk to anyone you graduated with ever again, but when you go to college you really find people who hold the same values as yourself and who do the same things for fun that you do. Do not believe anyone that says high school will be the best for year of your life because they’re wrong. Going off to school and living on your own is life changing and for the first time being able to start fresh and be whoever you want to be is one of the more important aspects of finding out who you really are.

2. If you’re not doing what you love, stop doing it.
I cannot stress enough that if you do not absolutely love and enjoy your intended major, do not go into that field of study. If you’re uncertain, sit in on a class pertaining to your intended major and really think about if you could see yourself succeeding in that program. It is completely okay if the answer is no and you absolutely hate it after you've sat in on a class or taken other steps to gain more information on the program. By doing this you’ve saved yourself time and money and can now move on and figure out what really makes you happy. I look at it as what you choose to major in is what you're going to be doing for the rest of your life. If you can’t stand Psych 101 why be a Psych major and continue dreading going to class every day? In the end, it’s wise to choose passion over paycheck. You have to love what you do with all of your heart because why be investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into your education only to hate going to work every day?

3. It’s okay to not know what you want to major in.
This is so important for high school seniors to realize. I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do with my life when I was a senior. Well actually, I still don’t. It’s okay. Go in as undecided or undeclared and take classes you’re interested in. Don’t worry that all of your friends already have a plan for their lives because to be honest, almost everyone I know has already changed their mind at least once on what they plan to major in. The kids who want to be doctors will sometimes end up as philosophy majors because they can’t pass O-Chem. And the future lawyers will begin as science majors. This is perfectly fine. At 18, you’re expected to make a decision that, I believe, no one is really ready for. You’ll end up in the right place and classes and one day it’ll just click and you’ll realize exactly what you’re supposed to be doing for the rest of your life.

4. Stop wishing away the last month of your senior year – you’ll soon be begging for it back.
This is so important. Right now I bet you’re all thinking about the biggest milestones of senior year approaching. Senior Prom, your last spirit week, senior skip days, AP testing (you might not be looking forward to this), and ultimately graduation day. You want them to all happen now, but please don’t wish away the best days of high school because you’re ready to leave. It’s cliché. One day you’ll be sitting in the library at your school at 2 am wishing you could go back to a simpler time in your life. Take advantage of all of the activities planned for the end of senior year and tell the people who have made high school enjoyable for you, how much you appreciate them. Everyone is always so excited to graduate and “get the heck out of here”, that you realize in a few months, everything you had been wishing away is the only thing you want back right now.

5. Every “last” also comes with a “first.”
You never really realize you’ve experienced a “last” until you’re sitting at your seat on the field at graduation reflecting on senior year. You remember your last game under the lights, your last assignment that you had due, your last Friday night football game in the student section, your last school lunch, and your last walk to the student parking lot with your best friends. These all happen so quickly and are little parts of our lives that actually turn out to being big parts of our lives. While these “lasts” are sad, we often forget that there is a “first” that comes alone with it. Like the first time you meet your future roommate, or the first thing you buy to decorate your dorm with. Maybe it’s the first time you log into your college email account and find your class schedule for the upcoming semester that says you have an 8 a.m. every day of the week. These “firsts” are exciting. Do not dwell on the ending of an era, but get excited about the fact that you have a brand new life waiting to be started.

6. When dorm shopping, read “dorm supply” lists, but do not buy every single product listed.
I can promise you that you won’t need all of the recommended supplies on the list. I mean who even thinks to bring an ironing board to college? You’ll use the essentials and if you find out you need something, get it the next time you’re home. There’s no need to spend thousands of dollars shopping and thinking you’ll need a bunch of stuff that you don’t even use at home. Bring your summer and fall clothes to start and then at Thanksgiving, depending where you go to school it may be earlier, bring your winter clothes. You will not need snow boots in August. Leave those at home and pack the flip flops. You have such a little amount of space, I cannot stress enough how important it is to only bring the things you’ll absolutely need.

7. Put yourself out there on your college’s Facebook group and start talking to people before you move in.
It was refreshing to recognize a few familiar faces during orientation week since I had talked to a few people on Facebook before moving in. There’s no harm in introducing yourself and getting to know some people during the summer. If you live close by, plan to meet up and hang out. Everyone is nervous about making friends just like you are. Give it a try. You never know who you end up meeting. I met one of my best friends here at school before we had even started school.

8. Do not stress about not knowing how to manage your time, do laundry, or keep your room clean.
No one knows how to live on their own until at least three months into college. You’ll figure out what works best for you in terms of how to study, and how to keep yourself organized and clean. Everyone figures it out at one point. It’s one of those things that you have to learn what works best for your personal self. No one can tell you how to manage your time so you’re not still at the library at 3 a.m. the night before an exam, you just have to decide what motivates you and what will produce the most success for yourself. I think one of the most important discoveries I’ve made about myself is that I cannot function unless I have my planner full of everything I have to do. Find something that keeps you on track and organized and success will follow.

9. If you’re struggling in class or any other aspect of college, get help.
Contrary to popular belief, the school is not out to get you. I’ve come across almost all of my professors being willing to stay after class or schedule a meeting with me to help me with anything I need. Professors want you to be successful and their job is to help you and make sure you’re succeeding, especially when you’re spending thousands of dollars to take their classes. Never feel ashamed that you need to ask for help or even just need someone to talk to. I’ve had plenty of meetings with professors who are more than happy to just check in with their students and to have a friendly conversation. There is nothing wrong with needing a little bit of help every once in a while. You're a first semester freshman – you do not have everything figured out yet and they realize that.

10. Enjoy yourself.
These other tips may help, but the most important advice I can think to give is to enjoy yourself. Yes, your grades are important and that should be your top priority, but there is also a social aspect of college that is equally as important. Don’t be shy. Go out and talk to people you’ve never met before, you never know who might end up being your best friend. Order pizza at 2 a.m. and then wake up tired the next day because you were too busy eating to sleep. It’s okay to let go and do things just because. It’ll be something to look back on and laugh with your friends. Enjoy every second of the opportunity you are blessed with and don’t hold back. This time is yours now, but it will never be yours again.

E.L. Sheppard 1991 Time Capsule

The Chartiers Valley Class of 1998 gathered over Thanksgiving weekend for a trip down memory lane.

As fifth graders at E.L. Sheppard elementary school in 1991, they created a time capsule full of memories from that year.

“The time capsule wasn’t huge, but it was full of a lot of memories,” said Danielle Gromek, CV Class of 1991. “It had a ton of newspaper clippings, ads for stores that were popular, pictures of bands like New Kids on the Block, and a cassette tape of Laura Mullen playing the piano.”

“It even had a notebook where every kid wrote what they were planning to do in 25 years,” continued Gromek. “Some of what the kids wrote even came true!”

One student – Alicia Guarnaccio – wrote that she wanted to become a teacher. Ms. Guarnaccio is now a physical education teacher at the Chartiers Valley Middle School!

Though the time capsule said, “do not open until 2016,” a group of eleven students opened it in November 2015.

“We opened it a month and a half early,” said Gromek. “So many things had to happen in order to make it possible. So this is just how the timing fell into place.”

After E.L. Sheppard elementary school was closed, the building was sold and became a church. It was recently sold again to Tom Rojahn from the Bible Chapel. Gromek happened to run into somebody who knew Rojahn and put the two in contact. Rojahn allowed the class to come back this fall to dig for the time capsule, but their search was unsuccessful.

They later discovered that the time capsule was given to now retired teacher Mr. Lane after the school closed. Mr. Lane kept it in his basement for years.

Once they located the time capsule, the group planned to convene at the old E.L. Sheppard school over Thanksgiving weekend to open the time capsule and celebrate with pizza and cake.

Emmy Award Winner

Chartiers Valley graduate, Ryan Quinn (Class of 2006), can now add Emmy Award winner to his resume.

Ryan started developing his video story-telling while working with his family’s VHS video camera when he was three years old. He loved creating short segments of his favorite stuffed bear chasing Lego characters as they drove miniature monster trucks around the living room.  Little did he know, his passion would grow in to a successful film and video career.  Using top of the line equipment, perfecting his skills, and winning numerous film festivals over the last seven years, he can now add Emmy Award winner to his list of accolades.

The 2015 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards were presented on September 20, 2015, when Ryan was posted as winner of the prestigious award and professional recognition.  He earned it as the primary video editor and ENG during a live broadcast. Ryan was responsible for coordinating the field talent – including 11 reporters in the field and on Chopper 11 – and managing the ever-changing communication towers throughout the WPXI-TV/NBC broadcast.

The Emmy follows two consecutive years of winning the Associated Press Award for helping produce WPXI’s sports program, The Final Word.  The show has been recognized as Pennsylvania’s best sports show with live integration of social media.

Chartiers Valley provided great opportunities for Ryan, including creating numerous videos for Mr. Jeff Ackermann’s TV/Media class.  In 2004, Ryan’s music video won the Award of Excellence at the TVT competition at Robert Morris University, which was the first of its kind for a Chartiers Valley student.  The same year, one of his videos was aired on cable television.  Some of his productions are still used as models for Mr. Ackermann’s current TV/Media students.  In addition to Mr. Ackermann, Ryan would like to thank Mr. Rodrigues, Mrs. Beattie, and Mr. Kallet for their ongoing support.
After graduating from Chartiers Valley High School, Ryan went on to Penn State University, where he continued his video production education.

While at Penn State, Ryan’s senior film, Iowa Is Closed Today, won a best film award and gained recognition around the country in 2011.  As the writer/director of the film, Ryan had the opportunity to speak about creative process of filmmaking at various festivals.  Three Telly Awards for previous projects provided him with the multi-leveled platforms of filmmaking expertise of different genres to present.

Penn State University honored Ryan as the Student Marshall at the 2010 graduation ceremony.  Award-winning documentary filmmaker, Ken Burns, was on hand to help present Ryan with his award.

After his college graduation, Ryan continued his film career. In 2013, his independent documentary film, Invincible Pep, highlighted Pittsburgh’s beautiful skyline, the steel workers era, and his grandfather’s dangerous career as an Iron Worker connecting beams on skyscrapers. Narrated by retired Pittsburgh Steeler Craig Wolfley, the film earned several accolades.

Ryan captured first place and an audience award two years in a row with thematic music videos at the Off-Centered Film Festival in Austin, Texas.  His independent work also garnered two consecutive Best Pennsylvania Filmmaker nominations in 2012 and 2013 at the international West Chester Film Festival.

Ryan’s video productions have also been shown on one of Pittsburgh’s largest screens – the Heinz Field Jumbotron.  They featured pump-up videos and local talent in humorous public service announcements to motivate and inform fans during Steeler games.

Finally, Ryan would like to thank his family and especially his sister Laura (Chartiers Valley Class of 2009) for always being by his side on his film and video projects.  Her set photography captures the essence of creativity by the film crew and talent. 

--
Submitted story.

American Ninja Warrior

When Chartiers Valley graduate, Adam Mihm (Class of 2005) started rock climbing with his wife, Tori Mihm, at an indoor gym in Columbus, OH, he never imagined how it would change his life.

As it turns out, Michelle Warnky, an experienced veteran of “American Ninja Warrior” held mini warrior events at the gym.

“I went to my first event about two years ago and my life hasn’t been the same since,” explained Adam.

Adam, also known as A-Train, has competed on American Ninja Warrior for the past two seasons. In 2014, Adam first competed in the St. Louis regional competition where he advanced to the St. Louis city finals. In the end, he finished in 18th place, narrowly missing the opportunity to move on to the national finals by only three spots.

That just made Adam more determined and he returned to the show again this year. He competed in the Pittsburgh regional, once again qualifying for the city finals. However, this year, he finished 8th overall at the Pittsburgh city finals, earning him a spot at the national finals in Las Vegas.

One of the primary reasons Adam has been so successful is because he sets his goals high and works hard to achieve them.

“Many of my co-workers and friends laughed at me when I told them I was going to try competing on ‘American Ninja Warrior’,” said Adam. “But I worked tirelessly and devised a plan for success.”

And his hard work, determination and commitment to achieving his goals are paying off!

“I’m already training for next year,” said Adam. “I want to make it back to Las Vegas for another shot at the course.”

Adam trains by rock climbing at his gym at least two times a week. He also trains at Michelle Warnky’s new parkour/ ninja warrior gym -- Movement Lab Ohio -- in Columbus.  In addition, he has transformed his basement into a training facility with about a dozen replica obstacles.

Not only has Adam achieved success on “American Ninja Warrior,” he has also been very successful professionally. After graduating from Chartiers Valley High School, Adam earned his mechanical engineering degree from Kettering University in Flint, Michigan. Today he works in the automotive crash safety group at Honda R&D Americas as a test engineer.

“I specialize in Pedestrian Impact Protection,” explained Adam. “We actually design and test our cars to mitigate the injuries to an unlucky pedestrian.”

According to Adam, his time at Chartiers Valley helped prepare him for success in college and beyond.

“The advanced classes I took at Chartiers Valley really helped set me up for college,” said Adam. “When I started at Kettering, I seemed to be ahead of the curve in mathematics and science.”

Through his personal and professional experiences, Adam has learned one of the keys to success is setting goals for yourself. And his advice to current CV high school students is to do the same.

“The most important thing is to set goals and set them high,” said Adam. “You might surprise yourself when you achieve something you thought was impossible. Even if you fall short, in most cases you can still say you did better than someone who didn’t even try or didn’t push themselves to the limit.”

Adam also believes you should always give credit to those who helped you succeed.

“I wouldn’t be here today without my parents, Bill and Ruth Mihm, my brother, Brandon Mihm and my wife, Tori Mihm.”

Strikes Against Cancer

When Dave and Alicia (Davidson) Villiotti met at Chartiers Valley High School, they didn’t know what life had in store for them. Thirteen years later, they are married with two young daughters, two dogs and a nonprofit organization. 

After losing a close friend to cancer in 2011, Dave and Alicia felt the urge to do something, so they started fundraising for the Livestrong Foundation. They organized their first bowling event fundraiser at the Meadows Lanes at the Meadows Casino in 2012.

“When we lost our friend so quickly and wished that there was more we could do, it left us wanting to help people however we could,” said Alicia. “We didn’t – and still don’t – have the means to personally affect people’s lives, but we knew that if we could organize a group of people, together we could make a change.”

Dave and Alicia started fundraising to help people whose lives were impacted by cancer. Their annual bowling event has grown over the year and became the inspiration for their non-profit organization, Strikes Against Cancer.

“This past year, we decided we wanted to see the money we raised directly support people in our area, so we decided to start our own 501c3 non-profit organization,” said Dave.

The mission of Strikes Against Cancer is to support those affected by cancer.

“Our mission is intentionally broad to give us the ability to help individuals as we hear stories of people who need our help,” said Dave.

“Our goal is to keep growing and keep reaching more people,” added Alicia. “Cancer probably affects all of us in one way or another, so there will never be a shortage of people to help.”

This year, Dave and Alicia are once again organizing their annual bowling fundraiser. The event will be held at the bowling alley at the Meadows Racetrack and Casino on April 25 from 11:30 am to 3 pm. The event includes three hours of bowling, trivia, a silent auction, a chance auction and a buffet. The emcee at this year’s event will be KDKA reporter, Amy Wadas, who is also a Chartiers Valley alum.

The best way to get tickets is on the Strikes Against Cancer website – www.strikesagainstcancer.net. Tickets will also be sold at the door, if there are any left.

“Despite being held at a casino, the event is open to all ages and is truly a family event,” said Dave.
Dave and Alicia both graduated from Chartiers Valley in 2002. Alicia went on to Gordon College in Massachussetts while Dave attended Penn State University. After their graduations, they both held many jobs across the U.S. and Dave even went back to school at the University of Pittsburgh to earn another degree – this time in accounting.  Today, in addition to running Strikes Against Cancer, Dave works in the accounting department at CONSOL Energy and Alicia stays home with their two young daughters – Sidney, 2 and Addison, 6 months.

According to Dave, he learned a lot while at Chartiers Valley, but the class that really helped him figure out what he wanted to do was accounting.

“I took the class because my dad was an accountant and I wanted to learn more about what he did at work,” said Dave. “However, when I took the class, I realized that accounting was what I wanted to do as my career as well.”

Alicia also learned a lot about herself and her interests while at Chartiers Valley, which heled guide her college and career path. And she made lifelong friends – many of whom she considers her family – along the way.

“CV prepared me [for my life] by giving me a foundation to enter adulthood,” said Alicia.
The pair has many fond memories of their alma mater, but they both agree their favorite is the Sadies Hawkins dance of their senior year.

“We went to the dance together, started dating that night, and five years later, we got married,” said Dave.

For more information about Dave and Alicia’s non-profit organization, Strikes Against Cancer, visit www.strikesagainstcancer.net.

Painting with a Twist

Jill Lena Ford (left) and Emily Marko (right)

Chartiers Valley alumni and sisters Emily Marko and Jill Lena Ford wanted to find a way to give back to the Chartiers Valley art program – a program that impacted both of their lives when they were in school.

Today, the sisters have both made careers out of their passion for art. Emily (Chartiers Valley Class of 1995) is a graphic artist and visual problem solver, and Jill (Chartiers Valley Class of 1996) is a professional artist specializing in ‘organic mixed media’ paintings.

Emily and Jill are hosting a fundraiser at Painting with a Twist Pittsburgh West studio on Sunday, March 15 from 2 to 5 pm. The fundraiser will help raise money to hold an art show at the end of the year to showcase Chartiers Valley student work. In addition, Emily and Jill are hoping to raise enough through the fundraiser to offer an art scholarship to a Chartiers Valley senior.

“[My sister and I] were both lucky enough to have teachers at Chartiers Valley who influenced us to follow our creative paths,” said Emily. “We now want to do our part to give back to these upcoming artists by providing not only a top notch art show for the students to experience, but also give them a head start in their future with the scholarship award.”

The Pittsburgh themed fundraiser event offers guests the choice of two painting selections – “Starry Night Over Pittsburgh” or “City Lights.” Fifty percent of the proceeds will be donated to Chartiers Valley to help support the art show and scholarship awards.

The Chartiers Valley connection runs even deeper than the fundraiser hosts. The painting class will be taught by Chartiers Valley alumna Karla Gearhart, who is now an art teacher at Riverview School District. In addition, Michaela Maderic, a senior at Chartiers Valley, will also be there to assist painters during the event.

For Emily and Jill, hosting this fundraiser seemed like the perfect way to support the arts and their alma mater.

“Art is an integral part of learning and innovating,” explained Emily. “Creative arts play a large part in brain development, expanding our perspectives of the world, helping us to understand and express ourselves, and most importantly, push parameters of our intellect to solve the big problems of the world.”

In addition to their passion for the arts, the sisters look back at their time at Chartiers Valley fondly and recognize the role the faculty played in helping to shape who they have become.

“I had many inspirational teachers throughout my time at Chartiers Valley,” said Emily. “They recognized my passion for the creative arts and provided support in developing my technical and artistic skills. This gave me the experience and confidence I needed to focus on graphic design in college.”

“My years at Chartiers Valley helped me to foster my love of the arts and focus on my creative skills and talents,” added Jill. “With the support of my art teachers at CV, I had the knowledge, skill and confidence to follow my path in the arts.”

Registration for the event is currently open and the cost is $45 for the three hour class, which includes supplies and instruction. For more information or to register, call the studio at 412-787-7928 or register online at: http://www.paintingwithatwist.com/pittsburgh-west/

A special thank you to Emily Marko and Jill Lena Ford for organizing and hosting this fundraiser.

News Industry Insights

KDKA-TV2  reporter Amy Wadas, a 2004 CVHS graduate, visited Mr. Ackermann’s Video Broadcasting classes on October 28th to share an insider’s view of the television news industry.

Foremost in her message, Ms. Wadas told students that the industry is very competitive and those interested in pursuing broadcasting as a career could look forward to receiving low wages in remote markets until they establish themselves.

“It’s not a glamorous profession,” Wadas told students. “You can look forward to carrying your own equipment, and filming and editing your own packages. You can also look forward to working unusual shifts as well as working weekends and holidays.”

Following her graduation from Penn State University in 2008, Ms. Wadas worked as a producer in small market Wheeling before receiving promotions to reporter and eventually anchor. After a stop in mid-market Cincinnati, Ms. Wadas secured a position reporting for KDKA’s morning team.  Though she jumped at the opportunity to return to work in her hometown, she continues to grind at her chosen profession.

“A typical day starts for me with a 2 am wake-up call,” she said. “We’re on the air between 4:30 and 7:30 am and I do about nine live cut-ins to report on my story for that day. The rest of the morning is spent advancing the story, shooting more video and re-cutting the piece for the noon news.”

Ms. Wadas also discussed how markets are rated by population, typical contracts in the nascent years of a broadcasting career and the rising importance of social media in the news industry.

“Web and social media are becoming a big part of gathering and disseminating news,” she said. “We increasingly use the web and social media for everything from posting stories to mining for background information, generating story ideas, and developing contacts.”

Ms. Wadas shared tips on creating a demo reel, which is basically a video resume featuring past pieces and packages that a reporter has produced, and showed her own reel to the classes.

“It’s a very competitive and demanding profession, but the rewards are there for those who work at it,” Wadas told the class.

Asked if she had ever messed up on the air, Wadas laughed and said, “With all the live reports we do, it’s inevitable.  Everyone who does this for a living has [messed up]. Mostly you try to play it down and move on.”

Super Bowl Success

The Super Bowl is one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the year. With an average of 111.5 million viewers tuning in to watch the big game, many consider the Super Bowl to be the peak of their career.

Although this opportunity seems to be the pivotal point of most people’s careers, for CV alumna – Hannah Biondi – the Super Bowl was only the beginning. In February 2014, she had the chance to intern with the National Football League’s Super Bowl XLVIII Public Relations Team.

After graduating from Chartiers Valley in 2010, Hannah was originally an education major at Penn State. However, she later discovered her passion for communications while working in the Communications Departments for Penn State Football and with Penn State’s Dance Marathon, THON.

“I loved all of my communications jobs and decided to switch [majors] because it seemed to be a better fit for me.”

As for Hannah’s opportunity to work with the NFL, she says it began with networking followed by an extremely competitive application process prior to being selected as an intern.

After earning her spot on the NFL’s team of interns – among two other PSU students – Hannah’s responsibilities included working at the Communications Help Desk and Radio Row, assisting with the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show Bruno Mars press conference and working auxiliary press during the game.

“[The most exciting part of working with the NFL was] being able to learn so much about the inner workings of the Super Bowl.” Hannah recalled. “[I was surprised] how involved we were able to be in the execution of NFL Communications.”

Hannah says the overall experience helped her to see a lot of how the NFL works, as well as how to become a part of it.

Looking back on the opportunity, Hannah credits a majority of her success to her education.

“I think that Penn State has taught me extreme amounts about how to act as a professional and network at experiences like this. I was able to use all my communications skills to their full potential in this kind of professional setting,” Hannah explains.

Although her Super Bowl experience is over, Hannah has been working harder than ever. After graduating from Penn State with degrees in Public Relations and Integrative Arts in May, she went straight to work at Octagon as an Event Trainee.

“I travel the southern market of the United States to market BMW’s new 4 Series and put on the Un4gettable Test Drive Events. I assist with event logistics and consumer experience throughout the day’s events.”

Hannah says she would eventually like to make her way back to the sports industry, referring to her love of football.

“I hope to work in marketing events for some facet of the sports industry, whether it’s for a team specifically or something that goes along with it.”

Hannah looks back positively on her time at Chartiers Valley. She found her teachers helped prepare her for a future beyond high school, stating, “There were a few teachers at Chartiers Valley who taught me the importance of interpersonal skills and communication, and what that can do to help you achieve your goals.”

She also has some fond memories from CV, recalling being a Leadership Assistant for Mr. McGalla’s photography and graphic design class.

“I ended up studying art and using everything I learned to succeed in some of my internships during college,” Hannah says. “[That was one of my favorite memories,] well that, or silly-stringing during the principal's final speech at graduation.”

Hannah’s advice to current CV students is to test the waters in high school.

“Try a bunch of different things before you decide what you want to do when you grow up.” She suggests.

“You might find there is a lot more out there than you thought.”