Nolan Moore, Abington Heights (Submitted)
Sarah Newton, Abington Heights (Submitted)
Seamus Allison, Abington Heights (Submitted)
Carter Wilson, Blue Ridge (Submitted)
Norah Rebernik, Carbondale Area (SUBMITTED)
Hayden Uzialko, Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County (Submitted)
Eva Oyer, Delaware Valley (SUBMITTED)
Courtney Kinney, Elk Lake (SUBMITTED)
Brooke Spaulding, Forest City Regional (SUBMITTED)
Anthony Betti, Mid Valley (SUBMITTED)
Gideon Clausson, North Pocono (SUBMITTED)
Makenzie Lininger, Old Forge (SUBMITTED)
Amelia Borent, Riverside (SUBMITTED)
Aniyah Angel Burks, Scranton (Submitted)
Jacob Layland, Scranton Preparatory School (Submitted)
Riley Hilling, Valley View (SUBMITTED)
Finnley Wareham, Western Wayne (Submitted)
Show Caption
1 of 17
Nolan Moore, Abington Heights (Submitted)
Expand
Abington Heights
Nolan Moore, Abington Heights (Submitted)
Sarah Newton, Abington Heights (Submitted)
Seamus Allison, Abington Heights (Submitted)
Juniors Seamus Allison, Nolan Moore and Sarah Newton were named National Merit Scholars based on their exemplary performance on the PSAT/NMSQT. Their high scores have qualified the students to be considered for either Commended Students or Semifinalist recognition in November.
Seamus, who plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, is president of the software club, placed first at a Bloomsburg University programming competition, is founder of an in-person summer computer science camp at Abington Heights and participates yearly in service projects in West Virginia.
Nolan, who plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in finance and go to law school, is a member of Mock Trial, where he is a one-time state and national champion, a three-year varsity letter winner in volleyball, vice president of the debate club and president/founder of Young Mentors of NEPA.
Sarah, who plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in marketing, is a member of help club, medalist at the Future Business Leaders of America state competition, leads a local food drive in the community, is a two-year varsity letter winner in field hockey and completed service projects in Peru last summer.
Blue Ridge
Carter Wilson, Blue Ridge (Submitted)
Freshman Carter Wilson was recently recognized as a Blue Ridge High School student of the month, having previously been recognized as artist of the month for band.
He has been playing tuba since sixth grade. Carter first tried the trombone and said that when he tried the tuba, “it just clicked.” This year, he was part of the Marywood University Junior Wind Band Celebration in January and will participate in Band Fest at Riverside in May.
On playing at festivals, Carter said, “I think it’s fun to hear the whole band come together and make music. It’s a great sound to hear.”
He plays football for the Susquehanna Sabers and is a member of the high school wrestling team. This year, in Carter’s first as a wrestler, he qualified for and participated at PJW Junior High State Champions in Johnstown. He has also been a member of the National Junior Honor Society since seventh grade.
After high school, Carter aspires to attend college and medical school to become a nurse practitioner.
Carbondale Area
Norah Rebernik, Carbondale Area (SUBMITTED)
Eighth grader Norah Rebernik achieved a perfect score at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) Regional Competition. Her project was called “The Effect of Peppermint on Student Reaction Times.”
“I chose this project because if you can improve reaction times, you will be able to fix situations that require quick responses,” Norah said.
Her activities include softball, basketball, volleyball, cheer, PJAS, student council, Girls in Stem, and science and technology club.
Norah plans on furthering her education in college after she graduates.
Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County
Hayden Uzialko, Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County (Submitted)
Hayden Uzialko, a senior at Lakeland High School in the patient care technician program, has consistently demonstrated dedication, reliability and a self-driven attitude that sets her apart from her peers, according to school officials.
In addition to her academic focus, she embodies a rare kindness along with a calm, positive demeanor, school officials said. “These traits have contributed to Hayden earning her role at Geisinger as a Co-Op student, which is providing her with invaluable hands-on experience in a healthcare setting, where she has excelled in patient care and has shown remarkable maturity in her interactions with both patients, peers and staff,” Jaclyn Chesnick, her program instructor, said.
Beyond her academic and professional commitments, Hayden serves as the CTCLC student ambassador secretary and is a member of the National Technical Honor Society. She has obtained her OSHA10 and Mandated Reporter certifications and has been deemed eligible to sit for her Patient Care Technician Certification. At Lakeland, Hayden is an honor roll student, member of the National Honor Society and Students Against Destructive Decisions, and is a varsity football and basketball cheerleader.
After graduation, she will attend Penn State for nursing and continue working at Geisinger while in college.
Delaware Valley
Eva Oyer, Delaware Valley (SUBMITTED)
Freshman Eva Oyer is a high honor roll student, a National Junior Honor Society member since last year and a student of the month. She is also involved in the mountain bike club.
“Mountain bike club pushed me to challenge myself in ways I normally wouldn’t. Riding difficult trails and pushing through when things got frustrating helped me become more disciplined and confident,” she said.
Dunmore
The following students were nominated and selected as students of the month for April: Coda Haikes, grade 7; Victoria Bannon, grade 8; Caroline Dougher, grade 9; Angelita Cantarella, grade 10; Richard Bagley, grade 11; and Jimmy Clark, grade 12.
Selected by their teachers, these students are considered with the following criteria: displays excellent character, follows rules and expectations, maintains good attendance, displays a positive attitude toward learning, participates in class, demonstrates full effort and works to their potential, acts as a positive role model for fellow students and promotes the high school as a proud member of the school community.
Elk Lake
Courtney Kinney, Elk Lake (SUBMITTED)
Courtney Kinney, a junior, has been selected to attend the FBLA National Leadership Conference in June in San Antonio.
Her victory highlights her exceptional work ethic and accounting skills developed through the Elk Lake Business Education Department, school officials said. Courtney will be accepting sponsorships from local businesses in order to support her financially on her journey to represent the school at the national level.
“Deciding to join FBLA has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. Regardless of placing at States and going to Nationals, FBLA has had the biggest impact on me this year in so many ways. It’s given me knowledge, laughs, confidence and memories for which I will always cherish,” Courtney said.
Her activities include soccer and Envirothon, with her team placing first and going to state competition.
Courtney plans on studying business in college and eventually becoming a forensic accountant.
Forest City Regional
Brooke Spaulding, Forest City Regional (SUBMITTED)
Brooke Spaulding, grade 12, takes a photography class at school and decided to volunteer to take the seniors’ photos for her graduation project. She photographed more than 15 different seniors.
“I enjoyed taking the photos of my senior peers in the class of 2026 and seeing the joy in their faces,” Brooke said.
Her activities include cheerleading and Mock Trial, and she is a four-time Red Cross blood donor.
Brooke plans on attending Misericordia University for political science.
Mid Valley
Anthony Betti, Mid Valley (SUBMITTED)
Senior Anthony Betti received the Semiquincentennial Scholarship Award as part of Pennsylvania’s celebration of the country’s 250th birthday. There were more than 1,800 applicants with only 25 chosen. Anthony was honored with a luncheon in the governor’s mansion and was able to meet the governor and his wife.
“I was honored to be able to go to the governor’s mansion and receive this incredible recognition. I want to thank my parents and teachers and everyone who supported me along the way,” he said.
Anthony is a member of both the school’s cross country and track and field teams. He is also a member of the wellness committee and has participated in PJAS and Mock Trial.
Anthony will be attending Penn State University and will study finance.
North Pocono
Gideon Clausson, North Pocono (SUBMITTED)
Gideon Clausson is taking six AP courses, including literature and composition, U.S. history and Capstone Research, wherein he is pursuing an analysis of Shakespearean play texts.
He also performs in plays, including, at Scranton Shakespeare Festival, “Romeo and Juliet” and “Juno and the Paycock.” He enjoys writing and public speaking, which he practices as the president of the Model United Nations and as a state contender for Poetry Out Loud.
He is an active member of his church community at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Olyphant.
He is committed to Muhlenberg College, where he will study English literature and drama with the intention to pursue higher education.
Old Forge
Makenzie Lininger, Old Forge (SUBMITTED)
Sophomore Makenzie Lininger’s recent accomplishment is being runner-up for the American Chemical Society Test.
The ACS exams are nationally standardized, multiple-choice tests for undergraduate chemistry courses (general, organic, analytical, etc.), often used for final exams. They typically feature 50-70 questions, timed for roughly 110 minutes, and focus on conceptual understanding.
“I felt proud of myself for being able to do well,” Makenzie said, adding, “Whatever story you tell yourself about your life, that’s the one that’ll be true.”
Her activities include varsity cheer team and student council.
Makenzie hopes to be a pharmacist in the future.
Riverside
Amelia Borent, Riverside (SUBMITTED)
Amelia Borent and her second grade classmates in Rosie Wincovitch’s class experienced the hatching of baby chicks.
“I thought it was so amazing because we also got to turn the eggs three times a day before they hatched,” Amelia said. The incubation period is 21 days before the eggs hatch.
“We had fun watching and learning about a chicken’s habitat,” she added. The experience is part of their science education and takes place annually.
Scranton
Aniyah Angel Burks, Scranton (Submitted)
Aniyah Angel Burks, who attends Lincoln Jackson Academy, had a short story she wrote published in the Young Writers USA “Fright Club” anthology.
“Fright Club” is a creative writing contest that focuses on horror stories that are 100 words or less. Students from across the country submit their stories to the contest, and she was one of the winners.
Scranton Preparatory School
Jacob Layland, Scranton Preparatory School (Submitted)
Senior Jacob Layland has earned national recognition for his photography in the Scholastic Art Awards, one of the most competitive and prestigious programs for teen artists in the United States and Canada.
He received both a Gold Key Award and an American Vision Award for his photograph, “Jewelry Store,” placing him among the top student artists in the competition. This year, more than 110,000 students submitted over 335,000 works to the program, with only about 2% earning national recognition.
As part of this honor, Jacob’s award-winning photograph will be exhibited this summer at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
“I was walking in New York with my instructor for the New York Times class I was in. I pointed out the jeweler to my instructor and he almost yelled at me to take the photo. I took it from my hip while walking by, something I have found to be a useful skill for street photography,” he said.
Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards has recognized generations of young artists and writers, celebrating originality, technical skill and the emergence of student voice. Jacob’s recognition reflects both his artistic ability and commitment to his craft, according to school officials.
“Earning Gold and American Vision awards at Scholastics nationally, out of hundreds of thousands of entries, is a once-in-a-generation win for Northeastern Pennsylvania. Jacob’s recognition is well earned: he is a dedicated student of visual and performing arts at Prep and has focused his energies on developing a body of work for the past three years, both in and out of school,” visual art teacher Jeff Kuratnick said.
School officials say Jacob’s recognition highlights the strength of Scranton Prep’s visual arts program and its commitment to developing students’ artistic abilities.
Valley View
Riley Hilling, Valley View (SUBMITTED)
Riley Hilling has been recognized as senior of the month in family and consumer science.
“I’m super happy and honored to be chosen as student of the month for Child Development. I’m really grateful for Miss P and my class,” she said.
When Riley is not working hard at school, she enjoys playing soccer, running and working.
Upon graduation from high school, Riley plans to attend Pennsylvania State University to pursue a career in pharmaceutical sales.
Western Wayne
Finnley Wareham, Western Wayne (Submitted)
EverGreen Elementary School prekindergartner Finnley Wareham loves to work outside with his parents in their garden.
He recently taught the class all about golden soil, which is actually black. Finnley said it’s the best because it “doesn’t have any bad chemicals in it.”
School officials say he is very inquisitive and likes to look up unusual types of vegetables. When asked about his favorite vegetable to grow, Finnley replied, “Early Jersey Wakefield cabbage — now that’s an interesting one.”