It is hard to believe that twenty years have gone by since September 11, 2001. Each year, our middle and high school students create a display on the hill outside the building to honor and remember those lost on this day. This year, students and teachers worked together to recognize and honor 9/11 by building a heart display with flags on campus.

Each summer, A.W. Beattie Career Center looks for talented students to work as interns in critical roles as they prepare for the upcoming school year. Avonworth's Jack O'Dell and Colin McPherson were two of the talented students selected to participate in an internship with A.W. Beattie this past summer. Use the link below to read about their experience and contribution.

Congratulations to two of our Avonworth Antelope fishermen! Nathan Neuherz and Luke Behon won first place in The PA Bass Nation High School & Jr Fishing Tournament held in East Brady! Finishing first helped them qualify to fish the PA State Championship, held in Cortland, Ohio, at Mosquito Lake State Park. Congrats Nathan and Luke!

KDKA ran a segment on Pittsburgh Today Live featuring Yu-Ling Behr of Kidsburgh and an Avonworth School Board member talking about the Be the Kind Kid movement.

Anyone can nominate a child for a kind act each week, and Kidsburgh will post them on their website and reward them with a #bethekindkid shirt. We are so proud of this movement and that it started here at Avonworth!

From September 1st to September 21st, the Born This Way Foundation sponsored #BeKind21 to spread kindness over 21 days. On September 2nd the #BeKind21 message was from the southwestern Pennsylvania partners at Just the Way You Are, a collaboration among the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning & Children’s Media JAMbethekindkid, Inc., and the authors of When You Wonder, You’re Learning.

For more than fifty years, Fred Rogers — the creator and host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood — helped us (his “television neighbors”) understand every living being is so much more than the eye can see. What is essential about us, Fred reminded us, cannot be understood by observing the “fancy outsides of life” — our incomes, our possessions, our honors, and prizes. If what's essential about us can't be determined by our outsides, what can it be determined by?

“It’s you I like,” Fred would often sing. “It’s not the things you wear. It’s not the way you do your hair, but it’s you I like. The way you are right now, the way down deep inside you...It’s you, yourself, it’s you. It’s you I like.”

As educators and learning advocates from Southwestern Pennsylvania — the region Fred called home — we regularly seek guidance from Fred’s deep and simple wisdom and strive to carry that wisdom forward. We also work to learn from our neighbors and colleagues’ invaluable contributions as caring adults in children’s lives. Southwestern Pennsylvanians live Fred’s wisdom every day: from city crossing guards who offer personalized expressions of care to children entering schools to teachers who support children’s learning through service and kindness to others.

Among Fred’s most essential messages was that we, as human beings, learn and grow best through human relationships. Fred believed that the moments of kindness and love we share with others (like our crossing guards and teachers) are not fleeting or surface-level but rather lasting and transformative exchanges. When addressing audiences, Fred encouraged his listeners to reflect on those formative exchanges in their lives by embracing what Fred called an “invisible gift”: one silent minute to think about “those who have helped you become who you are today.”

The September 2nd kindness challenge was: Partake in Fred’s “invisible gift.” Take one silent minute — alone and away from screens and other distractions — to think of those who’ve helped you to become who you are today. Remember, as Fred reminds us, no matter if they are near, far, or have passed away, “if they’ve loved you, and encouraged you, and wanted what was best in life for you, they’re right inside yourself.”

Although September 2nd has passed, you can still partake in Fred's "invisible gift" when you have a minute to do so.

Students in second grade have been studying types of communities, as well as our very own Avonworth community.

Students had the opportunity to work with members of our second-grade team to learn about each of the communities that make up our District. Additionally, students have learned about our larger communities, our country, state, and county. Students also compared where they lived to other students in their class. Our graphs tied in math nicely as students could apply the ability to compare and contrast data sets.

Students will be celebrating the culmination of the community learning with a community day on October 8th. Various community presenters will share with students the essential things that they provide to our community. Several student families are also creating videos to help students learn about different jobs that help make our community the great place that we know and love!

As part of their Data Analysis Unit, 6th-grade students had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Aaron Maxwell, a statistician, and mathematician, through the "Skype a Scientist" program. Dr. Maxwell spoke about his experiences as a mathematician and how statistics helps him make decisions in his current position working with the Canadian government.

In September, 8th Grade students explored the topics of immigration, refugees, and citizenship in their ELA Civics classes. Students will be researching various related topics and then writing entries for submission into a class-created book, The Good Citizenship Guidebook.

The Good Citizenship Guidebook is designed to help new residents in our community, such as refugees and immigrants, learn about their new country, our traditions, and their responsibilities as citizens. These books will be printed and distributed to local community centers and given to newly naturalized citizens at a future Naturalization Ceremony in Pittsburgh in the coming months.

To help students better understand their topics and the needs of new residents in our community, several guest speakers visited our classrooms on September 17. Laura Perkins, a community organizer from Casa San Jose, spoke to students about their work with Latino immigrants. Scott Sears shared the work that he does as Education Coordinator for Hello Neighbor. And Feyi Akintola shared her own immigration story along with the work she now does for Welcoming Pittsburgh. In partnership with Teen Screen, students viewed two short films about the US-Mexico border crisis and a feature-length documentary about a Syrian Refugee camp.

We were also fortunate to host four veterans from Joseph D. Caskey American Legion Post 80 in the North Hills. Ken Vybrial (Commander of Post), Eber Tripp (Finance Officer), Lou Nudi (Second Finance Officer), and Paul Kennedy (Alternate NEC for Department of Pennsylvania) talked with students about the US Flag, its history and meaning, as well as the importance of citizenship in this country. Then, students joined the veterans outside for a lesson on proper flag folding techniques and a demonstration of a flag retirement ceremony.

Senior, Anna Libbon, coordinated with 10th grade World Affairs teacher Mrs. Long and 11th grade AP English teacher Mr. Tuffiash to have Margot Hillman from the American Red Cross speak to their classes on Tuesday, September 21st. September 21st is also known as the UN International Day of Peace. Libbon's Senior Project came from her growing interest in International Humanitarian Law after earning an Honorable Mention in an essay contest and having her work published by the Red Cross last Spring.

The Avonworth Girls' Volleyball Team has an impressive 7-1 overall record and is 5-1 in the conference. The team started the season by going undefeated to win the Moon Tournament.

Their impressive record has the girls ranked #2 in WPIAL Class 2A.

Abbi Holjes celebrated a career milestone with 1500 assists (now second on the Avonworth all-time assists leader board). Abbi Holjes also named Post Gazette "Athlete of the Week" for 9/22/2021.

In late September, Sophie Culley was named the 2A Player of the Week!

Congratulations to the team, Sophie, and Abbi on her fantastic milestone!

The varsity football team is off to a 5-1 record and 1-0 in section. The team is currently ranked #3 in 3A (according to the Trib) behind Central Valley and North Catholic. Ian Syam ranks #13 in the WPIAL for rushing yards (91 att., 556 yds, 6.6 yd/carry).

Don't miss the opportunity to see the Lopes in action at this year's homecoming game on October 15, 2021.

Keep the great season going, Lopes!

Photo Credit: Hannah Palmer

The Avonwroth Golf Team put together an 8-3-1 record this fall. The team ended the season second in the section to North Catholic. The team qualified for the WPIAL Championship, which will take place on October 12, 2021.

This year, Ciara Anderson earned her first qualifying score and will compete in the Girls’ Individual Golf Championship on October 17, 2021.

Three boys’ golfers, Sam Neal, Brandon Sapolsky, and Kai Carlson, earned spots at the WPIAL Championship - with Brandon (10th place) and Kai Carlson (5th place) advancing to the PIAA Individual Championships.

Good luck at WPIALs and States Avonworth Golfers!

The Avonworth Girls’ Soccer Team has a 7-3 overall record and is 5-1 in the conference. One of their recent wins was a massive upset against conference rival and leader North Catholic, 2-1 at home. Congratulations, girls, and keep the momentum going!

The Avonworth Boys’ Soccer Team has a 6-5 overall record and is 5-4 in the conference. The boys celebrated a big win over the number two team in the section, Elizabeth Forward, by a score of 2-0. Keep up the great work, boys!

10/4: Athletic Committee Meeting, 6:30 PM

10/4: School Board Work Session, 7:30 PM

10/11: Curriculum Committee Meeting, 6:30 PM

10/11: School Board Meeting, 7:30 PM

10/11 - Act 80 Day, No School for Students

10/12-10/15: Homecoming Spirit Week
10/15: Homecoming Football Game, Festivities & Crowning Events @ 6:30 PM; Kick-Off @ 7 PM
10/16: Homecoming Dance, 7-10 PM

10/16: PSAT at AHS, 8:00 AM - optional for 10th and 11th graders

10/18: Buildings & Grounds Committee Meeting, 6:45 PM