SE = > a ERR Sunday, August 29, 2010 THE DALLAS POST PAGE 3 earning the ins and outs of their new school By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com It took 12-year-old Marie @.: of Sweet Valley, a few tries before she could open her locker at Lake-Lehman Junior/Senior High School but, with a little help from a friend, she finally got the combination right. Kametri Saxe, 17, joined Johns at the open house held Tuesday to show her the ropes around the school which is new to Johns. “I'm here to show her what I've been through,” said Saxe, an in- coming senior from Sweet Valley, who helped Johns decorate and install shelves in her locker. Hundreds of new students flooded the halls of the junior/se- nior high school, testing combi- nations, searching for classrooms and meeting new friends. Johns isn’t too nervous about going to high school — but her mom is. It’s the first time the mother of three will send a child into the world of study halls and football games. “It’s going to be different,” said Johns’ mother, also named Ma- rie. “They start earlier and it’s go- ing to be more work because she’s in all the honors classes.” The younger Johns spent time “I'm here to show her what I've been through.” Kametri Saxe Incoming Lake-Lehman senior putting a collection of square printed magnets she’s had since she was in fourth grade in her locker. “My sister and I got a big pack of them so now I have something to do with them,” she said. Johns isn’t too worried about being around the older kids, ei- ther. “Only with the bus,” she said. “I've met tons of people of all different ages so it’s no big deal.” Charles Hennebaul, 12, of Har- veys Lake, is a little less laid back about the leap into big-kid terri- tory. “I'm a bit freaked out,” said the former sixth-grader, admitting he’s mostly concerned about lockers and getting to class on time. His parents, however, at- tended the open house to help him get adjusted to the school. “I used to go to the middle school when they had it,” said See SCHOOL, Page 14 CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Mark Gray, of Hunlock Creek, helps his son, Mark Jr., with the combination lock to his locker during a get-acquainted program for in- coming freshmen at Lake-Lehman Junior /Senior High School. Rachel Maniskas, of Dallas, talks about her reading experiences rough the summer program at the Back Mountain Memorial brary. Hundreds of children celebrate end of 10-week reading program. By SARAH HITE shite@mydallaspost.com Sno cones, prizes and a free show ended the Back Mountain Library’s summer reading pro- gram on Thursday, Aug. 19. Hun- dreds of children and their fam- ilies came out for the event to commemorate the 10-week pro- gram and a theater group from Take the Stage performed its first-ever production, “The Com- media Pinocchio,” for the young- sters. “It's a show within a show,” said Christina Metz, director of Take the Stage. The interactive play was just one of the perks of being involved in the library’s reading program for children ag- es 1to 18. 7 Those enrolled in the program Ywvere required to read at least eight books within 10 weeks but that didn’t keep some participa- nts from reading more. “I think I read, like, 80 books,” said Melanie Selner, 6 ¥2, of Sha- vertown. Selner says she’s addict- ed to reading and her mother couldn’t be more proud. “They learn to enhance what they know,” said Kathy Selner, Melanie’s mother. Lisa Remetz, of Lehman, says her 2 1 -year-old daughter, Cour- the library.” CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Members of Take the Stage Performers, of Shavertown, entertain the audience with a play about Pinocchio. From left, are Makenzie Langan, David Sebolka and Olivia Zablocky. Party signals end of summer reading program at BMT Library “We have wonderful families who always support Janet Bauman Children's librarian tland Crawford, loves books, even if she can’t read on her own. “I think we’re up to 20 books,” said Remetz. “She was always asking me if we could go to the library to get more books.” Students also had the opportu- nity to make fish origami, be pi- rates for a day, eat Swedish fish and study water-loving critters at Frances Slocum State Park dur- ing the program, as the reading series’ theme was “Make a Splash.” “(The children did) anything water-related,” said children’s li- brarian Janet Bauman, who add- ed that nearly 400 children regis- tered for the summer program. Bauman wasn’t surprised by the community’s involvement, though. “We have wonderful families who always support the library,” she said. Weekly meetings at the library catered to everyone in the pro- gram. Older participants held weekly book discussions — some- thing 11-year-old Rachel Manis- kas, of Dallas, particularly en- joyed. “I like the doughnuts and dis- cussion,” she said. “I like to read mysteries and fairytales.” Maniskas has already read 15 books and she’s aware of how im- portant reading is for her future. “You're going to need it when you get older,” she said. “I want to be an artist or a fashion design- er.” Maniskas’ mother, Kelly, be- lieves the program’s prizes were motivation for her children. “They get excited over the games like name the fishes, guess the number of Swedish fish,” she said. “It teaches them to reach their goals.” Megan Hogan, 6, and her grandmother, Ellen Boyer, a for- mer Dallas Middle School teach- er from Ross Township, enjoyed the show under a clear sunny sky in Dallas on Thursday, but Ho- gan’s favorite part of the program was reading. “It’s important because it brings out my imagination,” said Hogan. Boyer’s experience as a teacher influences her thoughts on read- ing. “Reading can take you any- where you want to go and give you experiences you might never experience in your life,” she said. i i £8 id . Megan Hogan and her grandmother, Ellen Boyer, enjoy an outdoor performance at an end-of-summer reading party at the Back Mountain Library.
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