Student News: World Affairs Council appointments, conservancy challenge, band competition, college academic honors and more in the North Hills

NA students named to World Affairs Council Youth Board

Two North Allegheny High School students have been named Youth Board Members for the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh.

Sophomore Amanda Hulver, who attends the NA Cyber Academy, and junior Alina Zaidi will be part of a nine-member board tasked with guiding the organization in how to best serve young people, district officials said.

Additionally, junior Hannah Shin and cyber academy sophomore Brendan White will serve as Youth Fellows for the council.

The Youth Fellowship program provides high school students with hands-on educational and professional development.

Phipps Conservatory Fairchild Challenge

North Allegheny juniors Mirae Choe and Venice Lin took second place in the Phipps Conservatory Fairchild Challenge Visual Arts: Slow Fashion Collage.

Students were challenged to research the impacts of the fashion industry and its influence on the environment.

Through a visual collage, students were asked to present their solution to combat the consequences of “fast fashion.”

North Hills headed to national band competition

North Hills High School junior trombonist Anthony Smith has qualified for the National Association for Music Education All-East Band.

Smith was chosen from students in 11 states to be included in the ensemble.

Smith will join the other selected musicians in a weekend-long virtual event in early March during which he will participate in rehearsals with the 2021 All Eastern Conductors and workshops with renown clinicians.

Each musician will record an individual performance that will be included in a final performance to be released in late April.

Shady Side scholastic art and writing awards

A total of 39 Shady Side Academy grades 8 to 12 won 71 awards in the 2021 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards regional competition.

The winners include the following students who live in the North Hills:

• Melissa Riggins, 12th grade, Pine.

• Jordan Roupe, eighth grade, McCandless.

• Sophia Jho, ninth grade, McCandless.

• Maria Schwendeman, 10th grade, McCandless.

• Inyaa Ashok, 11th grade, Richland.

• Ethan Hou, eighth grade, Pine.

• Reese Martens, eighth grade, Hampton.

A complete listing of winners as well as details about the awards can be viewed online.

Legion essay winner

Sam Everson, a junior at Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh, recently was named the American Legion Essay First Place Contest winner for Allegheny County.

Everson’s essay was sponsored by American Legion Post 548 in Bakerstown. After winning the competition in District 32, which is comprised of Pittsburgh’s northern suburbs, he succeeded in taking the top prize in Allegheny County

Everson’s achievement was recognized in a ceremony at American Legion Post 548 during which he was presented with a $400 prize.

The 2021 essay theme was “What does the 26th Amendment Mean to Me?” Everson’s essay will now advance to the Western Pennsylvania Inter-District Level.

Everson is consistently on the high honor roll at Aquinas Academy and is on the school’s school fencing team.

College academic honors

The following students from the North Hills area were recognized for their academic achievement during the fall 2020 semester by being named to the dean’s, president’s or provost’s list at the college or university they attend:

• Baldwin Wallace University: Samantha Dzielski, Quinten Harkness, Emily Newcamp, Ethan Pursley, Zach Riggins, Emma Skundrich and Kate Wells.

• Palmer College of Chiropractic: Abigail Peters and Jonathan Scott.

• Hofstra University: Andrew Fernie and Colin Kulmoski.

• University of Delaware: Lauren DuPlessis, Lucas Carter, Emma Phelps, Kailey Chomyn, Leah Colaizzi, Hannah Lindgren, Jenna Mlecko, Rory Kooker and Christine Belden.

• University of Alabama: Brandon Quinn, master of business administration; Phillip Riggins, bachelor of science in computer science.

• Wheaton College: Benjamsin Waldee.

• Westminster College: Jackson Alexander, Ryan Felter, Olivia Lyle, Garrett Martindale and Heather Zeitler.

• Saint Francis University Students Named to President’s and Dean’s Lists

• St. Francis University: Vittoria Larosa, Luke Minsky, Madison Curran.

• Youngstown State University: Victoria Crankovic, Christina Lewis, Jesse Crownover, Timothy McClelland and Andriy Lassowsky.

• Susquehanna University: Kylie Scullion.

• Georgia Tech: Sarthak Navjivan.