This weekly column is coordinated through Sue Gerhard at Carbon Career and Technical Institute. Schools who would like to participate in this program are invited to email her at sgerhard@carboncti.org.

Carbon Career & Technical Institute

Gracie Heintzelman

Hello to everyone from CCTI.

Yearbooks are still on sale for $35. They will be delivered at the end of May. You can pick up an order form in the tech office or buy one online at https://link.entourageyearbooks.com/my/CCTI2024

The prom is scheduled for Friday, May 10, at Penn’s Peak. Prom begins at 5 p.m. and ends promptly at 10 p.m. All students and guests attending prom must have a ticket and a signed permission slip. Non-CCTI guests must also present ID at the door. Tickets are available until Friday, April 19. CCTI Students are free, guests are $550. Make checks payable to CCTI Senior Class. Prom photo papers will be given out with tickets. Friday, May 10, is a 10:30 a.m. early dismissal for all students.

Great job to all students who attended SkillsUSA states on April 3-5 in Hershey.

CCTI DECA would like to thank everyone who went to the Dine and Donate at P.J. Whelihan’s on April 3.

Senior awards will be on May 22 from 6-8 p.m.

The NOCTI performance is April 24 for all seniors except PMT. All other students will have no school that day.

Lehighton High School

Koy Wentz

Welcome back.

On Tuesday, March 26, the Me Today, Me Tomorrow program was held at the high school. The program involves a multitude of different individuals from the community coming into the high school to present various topics and lessons. Students had the opportunity to choose 3 sessions from a total of about 15 sessions to participate in. Some of the topics included managing life and career, personal finance, mental health, starting a business, choosing a career, cultural diversity, and many others. This program allows students to listen to many community leaders who have experience. Students were able to gain useful knowledge for their future endeavors.

Moving along, Student Council held an easter egg hunt throughout the school on the half day before Easter. One-hundred and fifty paper eggs were spread out throughout the building, in which students would be able to find them and keep them. The eggs were numbered, and at the end of the day, certain numbers were picked for a prize. Eggs were hidden in the hallways, cafeteria, library, and foyer. This was a very fun, excellent initiative by Student Council.

Additionally, many workshop opportunities are being advertised at the high school. First is Keystone Boys State. The Pennsylvania American Legion Keystone Boys State is an educational workshop for high school student leaders. Students selected to attend KBS have the opportunity to gain leadership skills through an intensive week-long summer program. The workshop runs from June 16-22. Second is the American Legion program. The Elmer Hafer American Legion State Police National Guard Youth Camp brings together the PA National Guard, American Legion, and the State Police to give students firsthand experience in many areas of law enforcement and the military. This program enhances leadership skills, discipline, and self-esteem to morally, intellectually, and physically prepare cadets as future leaders. The camp runs from June 9-15.

Jim Thorpe High School

Gabriella Cerra

Spring sports have kicked into high gear. The common phenomenon of quarter four seeming to either endlessly drag on or quickly fly by is very likely caused by the rush of activities, events, trips, and exams that condense the final stretch of each academic year. Specifically, track and field, which practices daily, has many meets and events for the final months of school being in session. The Olympian track and field team members had their first meet on Tuesday, March 26, and much will be going on until the season concludes in early May, with the annual Olympian Invitation on May 2 and League and District championships around that time as well. Boys tennis is regularly competing against other schools. Members of the girls and boys soccer teams have both been practicing and competing in leagues as well, in preparation for their season beginning in the summer. Students should make sure to show spirit for the Olympian sports teams, and other wonderful members of the community who do so as well are immensely appreciated.

FBLA’s long-anticipated 73rd Annual Pennsylvania State Leadership Conference is neigh. Monday is an 8-hour workshop day, followed by individual chapter and middle school awards at Giant Center in Hershey that night. Tuesday will be another day of educational workshops with many valuable business lessons for members in attendance, followed by the high school student awards, which will announce the top ten scores in each of the many business categories. The top four will be eligible to move on to compete at the National Leadership Conference. The Olympians at Hershey for the SLC will check out the morning of Wednesday. With this culmination, those who succeed to make the top ten or even top four, eligible to proceed to the national level, will be included here in the near future. Regardless of the outcome in relation to the National Leadership Conference, a notable 85 Jim Thorpe students made it to the state level from regionals, all of whom should be proud of themselves and congratulated for their accomplishments and work ethic. Of course, this is not the end of activities for Jim Thorpe’s very active three-chapter district. On May 21, from 5:30-8 p.m. the high school will host FBLA’s End of the Year Banquet, where many individual awards will be handed out. FBLA members will also be participating in many community service events throughout the remainder of the year.

This Monday there will be a Peer Buddy meeting during PODS, unless canceled prior to.

During PODS on Tuesday, there will be a meeting for the Student Advisory Council. Any students interested in sharing opinions on various topics, for administrators to hear would likely enjoy attending, which they are welcomed and encouraged to do. This week’s topic is what will be served by the cafeteria.

After school ends on Wednesday from 2:45-4 p.m., the History Club will meet in Mr. Ellison’s classroom. As always, anyone is welcome to attend. History Club discusses a variety of topics, which this week are likely to focus on Civil War Day. This event will be on Monday, April 15. May 5-6 are the dates set for the Antietam - Harpers Ferry trip.

Friday the L.B. Morris will be holding a 7th and 8th grade dance. To members of the student body who would like to earn community service hours, volunteers would be appreciated. For community service, there will also be an opportunity available at Dimmick Memorial Library and Penn Kidder Library, both from 4-7 p.m. this upcoming Wednesday.

As known by all of the students at Jim Thorpe, there are regularly representatives from various organizations, schools, and companies who set up a table for the three daily lunch periods, to speak to students about what they came to represent and offer to benefit Jim Thorpe’s students’ futures. This week, Jim Thorpe will be host to an Automotive Training Center representative on Tuesday; Pocono Whitewater and Skirmish on Wednesday; and a National Guard Recruiter on Thursday.

There will be a school board meeting on Wednesday, from 6-8 p.m.

Lastly, there Law Day is May 2, theater’s production of the Addams Family is May 3-4, and Junior and Senior Prom on May 10. Thank you all for keeping up with the goings on at Jim Thorpe. Have a great week, everyone.

Weatherly High School

Mellanie Marshman

This week for Weatherly Wreckers is extremely busy. Women of stem is this Tuesday and many young women will be going to Penn State Hazleton for the day. Envirothon is this Tuesday as well. Monday-Wednesday our FBLA qualifiers will be going to Hershey to compete in the state competition. Baseball and softball are going strong through their seasons.

Palmerton High School

Mrs. K. Baumgardt’s Journalism Class

Drama club and stage crew have kicked off their three-day run of their show, “Chicago.” Performances started on Thursday, and many have concluded that it is “spectacular.” Many students and teachers have attended the show including Ms. Keiser, who says she’s “excited to see (her) students’ stellar performances.” The last day of the show is today, bringing an end to what most consider an excellent and impressive production.

This past week and next week, Palmerton students have traveled/will travel to compete in state competitions. On Tuesday, seven students left to compete in the Pennsylvania State Press Association, PSPA, competition in State College. The students qualified for the state competition in October and performed their journalism events at Main Campus on Wednesday. Over 100 other Palmerton students are currently preparing for the FBLA SLC in Hershey. Students will leave Sunday and will compete the following two days in hopes of advancing to nationals.

The book club is the newest club of special interest in Palmerton. Recently, the club has started a book drive where students and teachers can bring in their new or old book for the club to donate.

PAAC, or “Palmerton Against Animal Cruelty,” has been collecting donations for animals in need. Students of Palmerton Area High School have donated things out of the kindness of their hearts, such as blankets, towels, toys, treats, and any other pet products.

Spring sports had an exciting week of games, meets, and matches. JV baseball was looking to achieve a winning record after starting the season 2-3. Varsity baseball was supposed to play Northwestern Lehigh but was postponed to Monday, and played Salisbury on Friday and Stroudsburg on Saturday. Tennis played Palisades, Salisbury, Southern Lehigh, and Lehighton this week. Track had a meet against Saucon Valley but their meet against Northern Lehigh was postponed.

Members of Scholastic Scrimmage, the school’s trivia club, traveled to the Carbon Lehigh

Intermediate Unit 21 in Schnecksville for their annual competition. The students tested their knowledge as they took on other schools in Carbon County.