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February 2008 From the Neighborhoods of Hampton Township, PA Vol. 3 No. 3

The Hampton News

Hampton Students Win Science Bowl at Robert Morris University

by Tracy Burns

In 2006, Robert Morris University initiated a competition in which local schools have the opportunity to compete in the field of Science. This year there were twelve teams from ten school districts. Hampton Township School District entered two teams in the com-petition. Team One consisted of: Kevin Cook, Sean Malone, Andrew Benton and Wendy Li. Team Two consisted of: Anthony Sosso, Ben Swanson, Tristan Kernick and Jeff Ac-quaviva. The competition took place at Robert Morris University in Robinson Township on December 1st from 9:00 AM until 3:30 PM. The teams competed in rounds verbally an-swering science questions. Other school districts included: Shaler, Oakland Catholic, Char-tiers Houston, North Allegheny, Peter’s Township, Montour, Southside, Cornell 1 and 2, and CAPA. Both Hampton teams and the North Allegheny team made it to the final round. Hampton Team Two took first place while Team One took third. North Allegheny took sec-ond place. This is the second year of the competition and the second year that Hampton won. The students were awarded prizes and certificates.

Quilts for a Cause

The Quilts for a Cause Ministry has been providing hand-made baby quilts to the Pregnancy Care Center's clients for over eight years. For more information or to donate quilts, please contact Joni at 724-449-8092.

Youth Hockey Team Skates at the Ultimate Venue by Roberta Schwarzbach

Many young boys and girls dream of playing professional sports when they grow up. They play baseball in the backyard, toss a football and shoot hockey in the driveway in hopes of playing in the big leagues. A group of local children came awfully close to that dream on the night of January 14. The Butler Valley Dawgs Mite A major hockey team was invited to play at intermission of the Penguins/Rangers game. The Mites consist of 16 boys (and one girl) ages 8 and under. The team is made up of kids from 11 different schools and 9 different school districts, including Hamp-ton. They play ice hockey out of Ice Connection on Route 8 in Va-lencia.

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What’s Inside

NHYM ............................................ 5 Police Log ....................................... 6 Chef’s Corner................................. 8 Volunteer Fire Department .......... 9 Real Estate/Mortgages ................ 10 Sports............................................ 12 Library Corner ............................ 13 Local Events/Fund Raisers ......... 15 Animal “In the Know” ................ 16 NHCO........................................... 17 Today’s Fashion........................... 18 Local School News ..................20-22 Classified Ads............................... 23

From left to right: Anthony Sosso, Ben Swanson, Jeff Acquaviva, Tristan Kernick

Healthier Children with Chiropractic

As a society, we (as parents) ap-preciate the im-portance of regu-lar checkups for our children’s teeth, hearing, and vision, but

we are poorly in-formed of the need for spinal check-ups. This is a distressing fact, because a Chiropractic checkup is one of the most important checkups your children will ever have! We can appreciate this by understanding that your child’s spine protects their spinal cord, which contains billions of nerve fibers that send “well” messages and life-giving energy to every part of their body. Interference to these nerve fibers can occur when tiny spinal mis-alignments called vertebral subluxa-tions exist. Subluxations “block” mes-sages from the brain to the rest of the body, leading to a state of “dis-ease”, and a lowered resistance to illness re-sults when the body is in a state of “dis-ease”. In effect, vertebral sub-luxations rob the body of its optimal ability to heal and repair itself from within, thus diminishing a child’s ca-pacity to express health and vitality. Reasons for the cause of in-fant and childhood subluxation include labor & delivery difficulties, such as

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The 2008 Pinewood Derby By Allison Zegar

Age 13, Hampton Middle School

The Pinewood Derby race was introduced by Don Murphy in 1953 for a Cub Scout activity to do with his young son. Since then the idea of a pinewood derby has rapidly grown. Now, the pine-wood derby is an annual event for Cub Scouts across America.

This year, Troop 195 of St. Catherine of Sweden Church raced 68 cars down the official 48 foot six lane metal track. The night before the race, every car has to be weighed to be sure it doesn’t exceed the five ounce weight limit. Then, all of the cars are lined up so the scouts and judges can vote for their favorite designs. The favorites this year were:

Ben Whitehouse won best racecar design. Luke Schwerer won best Wolf car design. Tyler Vasil earned best sports design. Blaine Crawford won best use of weights. Ryan Baits received best use of decoys on a car. Patrick Donlan won most original. Justin Nichol won most valuable car. Jimmy Chantz was awarded best Pittsburgh theme. Chris Madia won most patriotic car. Nick Whitehouse won best paint job and Judges’ choice. Eric McCarthy earned best use of accessories on a car. Graham Pornell won for most funny car. Shelby Hildebrandt won most scary car. Justin Vasil won for best Weeblo design. Eric Steinmetz earned best theme car. Blaise Smith earned best Bear design car. Dominic Ceccarelli won Scouts’ choice.

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E ating disorders are not a fad, a passing fancy or something

that your loved one will “outgrow”. They are not about food, eating or body size and shape. They have biological, psychological, sociological and genetic components that all must be addressed in order for recov-ery to occur. Eating disorders are serious, potentially life threatening problems that require specialized profes-sional help.

When one discovers that someone they love has ano-rexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder, the three recog-nized categories of eating disorders, they are struck with fear and a feeling of helplessness. Questions such as: “where do I turn to for help; how do I confront her with what I have discovered; and where do I get my own support in this process?” become a legitimate and ur-gent concern. Finding spe-cialized care, addressing the problem of getting insurance companies to pay for the care, or finding your own financial resources for treat-ment are just the beginning of what may seem like a very

long, rocky road to recovery. The Pennsylvania Edu-

cational Network for Eating Disorders (PENED) was created in 1984 by Anita Sinicrope Maier, MSW, in order to help network re-sources, give educational and emotional support and pro-vide specialized services to aid those suffering with the disorders, their families and friends. Her own frustrations and experiences with lack of services for a loved one led her to vow that she would do anything she could to make it easier for others to find help. The organization has grown in the past 23 years to in-clude advocacy and preven-tion issues while it’s director has herself has become a psychotherapist in private practice and a national spokesperson, writer and trainer on the issues concern-ing the treatment and causes of the disorders.

Special projects, such as being a sponsor and coordi-nator of National Eating Dis-orders Awareness Week, has been Sinicrope Maier’s pas-sion since the first event was launched in 1988, and Feb-ruary 25 to March 3, 2008, marks the event’s twenty-

first year of celebration. The first event was a result of the creation of the National Eat-ing Disorders Association (NEDA)—which was for-mally named Eating Disor-ders Awareness and Preven-tion—an organization that Sinicrope Maier helped cre-ate along with several peers throughout the country who desired to create a strong national effort for awareness, prevention and education. PENED will celebrate “NEDAW” with a special educational program on Feb-ruary 18th at the monthly North Hills support group. All are invited to attend.

PENED’s office, located in Rm. 205 in North Hills Village Mall on McKnight Rd. (between Kuhns and Tuesday Morning), provides support groups, therapy groups and educational mate-rials on eating disorders to the general and professional public. There is also an of-fice in Butler, PA, at 357 N. Main St. where a support group, treatment and inten-sive weekend retreats take place. Treatment for these illnesses involve a team ap-proach which include psy-chotherapy, medical follow-up, nutritional consultation, and medication when needed. It has been Sinicrope

Eating Disorders Awareness Week By Anita Sinicrope Maier

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Maier’s motto that if services are (Continued on page 9)

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Parents of New Poff Students Urged To Register Early

Parents who plan to enroll their children at Poff Elementary School for the 2008-2009 school year are urged to do so as soon as registration opens on February 6. Due to construction that will begin at Poff in February, classroom space is limited and enroll-ment will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. This applies to every new enrollee, regardless of grade level. Those already attending Poff need not re-enroll. Those who enroll after the limit is reached, will be as-signed to another District Elementary School for one year only. Re-assigned students, if any, will return to Poff Elementary for

the 2009-2010 school year. Poff Principal, Dr. Michael Mooney, said, "It would be very help-ful if those who read this message spread the word to their friends and neighbors who live in the Poff area to register their children early and not wait until summer, as so many parents have in the past." The construction will necessitate vacating six class-rooms at a given time and a Poff stakeholder committee studied ways to accommodate housing the students. Among its considera-tions was relocating an entire grade level - either Kindergarten or Grade 5 - to another building. At the January Voting Meeting of the School Board, Directors approved the recommendation to keep all grades at Poff during the project. As long as the District

class size limit guidelines are maintained, all Poff-area students will be able to stay throughout the renovations. Once the class size limits have been reached, new enrollees will be assigned to an ele-mentary school with available space. The Poff registration for 2008-2009 kin-dergarten and other students new to the school, will begin Wednesday, February 6, at Poff Elementary from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. Those who will not be available at that time may download, complete the forms, and send them in early. They will be proc-essed on February 6. Kindergartners are to be five-years-old by August 15, 2008. A birth certificate or other ac-ceptable evidence of birth, immunization record, and proof of Hampton residency are necessary before student enrollment is complete. Residency proof includes closing papers, lease agreement, rent receipt or residency form and utility bill, cable

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North Hills Youth Ministry Professional Urges Parents to Stop Spoiling, Start Empowering

by Joan Wolf Schenker, M. ED.

Director of Parent Education North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center

T hirteen-year-old Julia refused to get up for school on time one morning because she stayed up too late the night before “IM-ing.” When the rush to catch the bus became frantic, her

mother offered to drive her to school, and because Julia still needed to apply make-up, mom put together Julia’s lunch and poured her juice in a spill-proof cup for the drive to school. Does this story like Julia’s resound in your home? Do you wonder where the line is be-tween loving your child and enabling them? No parent gets up in the morning and says, "I think I'll hurt my children today by giving them too much." We just want them to be happy, so we get on this "giving and doing too much" merry-go-round with other well-meaning parents. Actually, though, we don't need to do it all or buy it all. When it comes to parenting, sometimes less is more. The less we overindulge, the more capable, caring and grateful our chil-dren will be. And who doesn't want that? A classic sign we have overindulged our children is that instead of showing their apprecia-tion, our children whine or demand more. What does overindulgence look like? According to author and researcher Jean Ilsley Clark, “Overindulging children is giving them too much of what looks good, too soon and for too long. It is giving them things or experiences that are not appropriate for their age or their interests and talents. It is the process of giving things to children to meet the adult's needs--not the child's." OUCH. As a licensed counselor and professional educator, I con-tinually research current parenting issues. On the topic of overin-dulging, though, I was compelled to ask myself, “Does this happen in my own house? Am I an overindulger?” When I recognized I was, I made the decision to turn things around. But first I had to understand which of my behaviors I needed to change.

The Three Faces of Overindulgence

Let's look at the three ways overindulgence occurs. One way is giving too much (too many things). Another is doing too much (over-nurturing) and the third is too little structure (allowing too much). UH OH. But wait... isn't overindulging very young children both necessary and appropriate? Family Psychologist, John Rosemond, answers this ques-tion quite well. He writes, "Putting one's child at the center of atten-tion and catering is, in fact, a hallmark of parental responsibility and commitment during infancy and early toddlerhood. As a parent you're supposed to do that. For two years. Then you're supposed to stop catering and take your rightful place at the center of your child's attention." Now don't get me wrong. Just like an overindulged two-year-old, I love being spoiled, especially with chocolates. An occa-sional indulgence can be such a pleasure when it comes from the heart of a loved one. Selecting that chocolate witch for your daugh-ter's lunchbox on Halloween or a surprise on your son's pillow to celebrate a victory is fun. We all indulge our children. The key word here is over. When overindulgence becomes a pattern, we need to put on the brakes. Why? What dangers could there be from loving and giving your child too much? Three T's for trouble stand out that are harmful for your children: trouble delaying gratification, trouble giving up being the center of attention, and trouble becoming com-petent in everyday life. That's a lot of trouble we hope to avoid.

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Police Log

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Theft

12/18/2007 – Hampton Police Officer responded to Sheetz on Route 8 for a gas drive-off incident. This is an ongoing problem; also happened on 11/01/2007 and 7/27/2007. Sheetz provided plate and vehicle information and still photos matched the suspect. The total amount of diesel fuel totaled $332.05. The McCandless Police department was notified and the suspect was unaware his debit card has not been recording at the pump and has agreed to comply with paying the money. If he does not fully comply, charges will be filed.

1/03/2008 – A victim filed a theft report of several missing items from his Wallace Road residence: a blue-faced St. Anthony Medal valued at $180, a wedding band valued at $300, a lapel pin valued at $800. Hampton Police contacted the city pawn detective and stated the suspect sold the jewelry at The Coin Exchange. Vic-tim identified items and retrieved the stolen jewelry. An arrest war-rant was obtained and served on 1/24/2008 to the two suspects.

1/15/2008 – A member of St. Vincent DePaul’s Group at St. Ursula’s Church reported a possible theft from the donation box. The actor(s) is using a tool to reach through the slot in the donation box and removing donations. The box will now be emptied daily and the parish is notified.

Fraud/Identity Theft

12/18/2007 - A reported person and her mother went to the Hampton Police Station to report an identity theft. The victim’s Bank of America card showed $4,500 charged, and Wackovia Bank Debit card was $250-$300 removed from account. Victim was ad-vised to complete identity theft paperwork to get the process started for investigation.

12/18/2007 – A case of several fraudulent check writing at Wagner’s Market. Suspects were questioned by Hampton Police and both parties agreed to go to the police station to discuss the check incidents. Four checks were written by suspect and returned for non sufficient funds. Magistrate Welsh will handle as Summary Offenses. Another suspect wrote five checks from a closed account.

Suspect gave a written statement admitting to her actions. (Charges via summons.)

12/24/2007 – A victim on Oak Hill Drive reported fraud through EBay. Victim purchased a Linx wireless video camera from a seller on EBay. Victim sent her check in the amount of $143.50 to an address in Arizona. On 12/21, the package arrived without her paying special shipping. Upon opening the package, she found the item and pack-ing slip for $288.40 from Wal-Mart. The item was purchased on a credit card from a person in Largo, Florida. Reported person discovered the card had been stolen and stopped payment on her check. Victim was advised to contact her local bank and the case was turned over to detectives for further investigation.

Burglary

12/18/2007 – Hampton Police were called to a residence on Hardt Road, to find a side

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door pried open. The actor(s) removed numerous items: TVs, X-Box 360, games, DVDs. A suspect is under investigation.

Harassment

12/21/2007 – A report was made from Hampton Farms Drive for telephone and written harassment.

1/14/2008 – A Harassment by Communication was reported on Naomi Terrace.

Suspicious Persons/Other Incidents

12/20/2007 – A reported person came to the Hampton Police Station to report a suspicious incident with two white males at a residence on Harlo Drive.

The reported person stated he saw a blue pick up truck parked in front of his house. He walked up to the house and saw a white male, approximate age 35, with a blue shirt at the front door. He asked the male what he was doing and the male said he needed in because there was a water leak in the basement. Victim told the male there was no leak and to leave. The re-ported person then found another white male, approximate age 30, at the back door trying to open it. He told the male to leave or he would throw him off the deck. Both males left without a fight. The re-ported person did not get a plate off the truck. Advised him to call 911 if they come back. The house next door was un-der construction and the two males may have gone to the wrong house. No further action was taken.

1/04/2008 – A report was made by Computer Literates on Route 8; a check was given for service of a lap top com-puter and the check was no good since the account had been closed. An arrest war-rant was issued.

1/06/2008 – Hampton Police were dispatched to a house on West Hard-ies Road for a male with a gun and shots fired. Upon arrival, the actor, was located in the yard with a hand gun. Suspect pointed the gun at himself several times and a thirty minute stand off ensued. Sus-pect pointed the gun in the direction of the police several times. The Hampton Police were finally able to get the man to drop the gun and he was taken into custody. The man was transported to the Hampton

Police Log (Continued from page 6)

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On Top of the Grain Chain...The Mighty Oat by John Rizzo

F rom Granola to breakfast cereal; there are plenty of good foods that contain oats. Although the majority of all oats grown are for animal feed, this versatile grain has made a

statement from a nutritional point of view. Oatmeal and oat bran are considerable sources of dietary fiber containing components that have been proven effective in lowering blood cholesterol; ultimately reducing the risk of heart disease. Additionally, oats are loaded with natural phytochemicals which can reduce the threat of certain types of cancers, notably breast, ovarian and prostate cancer.

Fun Oat Facts

On a per gram basis, oats contain a higher concentration of protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, thiamin, folacin and Vitamin E than any other unfortified whole grain, such as wheat, barley, corn or rice.

Oatmeal Month is celebrated each January, the month in which we buy more oatmeal than any other month of the year.

The most popular oatmeal topping is milk. Other popular toppings are: sugar, fruit (raisins, bananas) and butter/margarine. Among the most unusual are: eggnog, peanut butter, cottage cheese and brewer's yeast.

Eighty percent of U.S. households have oatmeal in their cupboard.

Quaker® Oats was the first U.S. breakfast cereal to receive a regis-tered trademark.

Oatmeal cookies are the No. 1 non-cereal usage for oatmeal, fol-lowed by meatloaf and cakes/pies.

The ancient Greeks were the first people known to have made a recognizable porridge (cereal) from oats.

The portrait of the "Quaker Man" on the package has only been updated three times since its debut in 1877.

Quaker® Oats contains about 26,000 rolled oats.

Americans eat oatmeal as a breakfast cereal 89 percent of the time; 11 percent of the time we use oatmeal as an ingredient.

Source: www. hungrymonster.com

If you’re looking for ways to increase your dietary intake of oats, consider substituting about half rolled oats for bread crumbs in recipes such as meatloaf, meatballs, etc. I assure you that no one will know the difference.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes Yield: 16 3-inch cakes In a mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk and the oats; let stand for 15 minutes. In a separate bowl mix together the egg, sugar and apples. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, vegetable oil, and the oats and buttermilk mixture. Combine all ingredients well; be careful not to over mix. On a hot, lightly greased griddle, ladle batter into 3 inch pancakes and cook for approximately 1-2 minutes on each side.

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North Hampton Volunteer Fire Department NORTH HAMPTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT Fire Chief David Hoburg’s Report January 8, 2008 For The Period 12/11/07 thru 1/7/08

Dispatched Incidents This Period: False Commercial Fire Alarms 8 False Residential Fire Alarm 4 Vehicle Accident and/or Containment Detail 4 Live Wire Down, Transformer or Electric Problem 2 Working Residential Structure Fire 1 Flooding-Remove Water From Structure 1 Brush, Debris, or Trash Fire 1 Appliance Fire or Problem 1 Assist PD 1 Total Incidents Responded To This Month 23 The North Hampton Volunteer Fire Department responded to 493 incidents in 2007. Of these calls, 72 were late night calls (between 11PM & 7AM) & 198 were weekday, work time calls (between 7AM & 5PM Monday thru Friday). We have re-sponded to 10 incidents in 2008 to date.

Milestones: Paul Satzger responded to his 2000th career call with North Hampton VFD this month.

New Membership: We can always use new members who are interested in firefighting or as drivers only. There is a place in the department for anyone interested in helping. Please contact Chief David Hoburg daytime at 724-443-0300, or leave a mes-sage at the fire department at 724-443-0300 if you are interested.

I presented 2 6th grade programs on December 18, 2007. I sent the quarterly incident summary to Allegheny County.

We, along with Hampton VFD, assisted St. Ursula Church with water removal from 3 floors of the school building after a water leak flooded the school floors. The damage has closed the school and required moving the classes. We assisted West Deer Fire Departments on January 2, 2008 with a house fire on Crestwood Drive.

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needed and requested, PENED or her treatment program, Eating Disorders Treatment Center, will create them. The support group in the North Hills meets on the 3rd Monday of the month at 7:00 pm, the Butler group at 7:00 on the fourth Monday of the month, and a “parents only” group at 7:00 on the 2nd Tues-day of the month.

“Eating disorders are family disorders,” says Sinicrope Maier, “and we need to provide services for everyone in the system in order to provide the most conducive environment for recovery to occur.” She goes on to say, ”In doing this work for the past twenty-five years, it has become apparent that the best prognoses for recovery are competent early intervention and good social support. The more people that someone has on her “team” to help support the recovery process, the more likely that there will be a positive outcome.”

To register for a support group or to ask any question, you may call 412 215-7967 or e-mail pened1@aol.com.

Eating Disorders (Continued from page 3)

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Getting Ready to Buy a New Home by Jerry Matthews

Are you thinking about buying a house? It might be your first home, an investment property, or even an upgrade from your cur-rent home. How do you make sure you are in position to get the best financing on this new purchase? Where do you start? Many people decide one day that they want to buy a house. They then, call a real estate agent and ask to start viewing houses. If this is how you think it should be done, you are missing the crucial first step, talking to your mortgage professional. Unless you have perfect credit, easily verified income, excellent mortgage or rental history, and a lot of assets, contacting your mortgage professional the day before you start shopping for a home could cost you time, money, and that dream house that you are looking for. The majority of us must evaluate and properly position ourselves to receive the best fi-nancing available. This process can take weeks, months or some-

times longer in many cases. There are four primary areas to focus on: Credit, Assets, Job and Income history, Rental or Mortgage history. Credit: The stronger your credit score, the better your rate. A couple tips on credit. Make sure you have 3-4 accounts that are reporting to the credit bureau for preferably 12 months or more. Be on time with your payments. Try to clean up negatively reporting accounts. Lastly, a big one, don’t make large purchases (autos, etc) on credit a couple months before you need a new mortgage. Assets: It is important to build up your liquid (bank ac-counts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, retirement accounts, etc.) assets prior to starting on your mortgage. Put away as much as possible to help with any down payment, closing costs and reserves needed. Make sure any money you will need for your purchase is in your ac-count for at least 60 days. Job and Income History: Stated income programs are harder to find every day. A two year, verifiable work history is the golden rule. If you are an employee and receive a year end W-2, your income is pretty cut and dry. However, if you are paid by 1099 or

fully self employed, your income can be a lot trickier. Unfortunately, new legislations may eliminate programs aimed at assisting these earners. Work with your mortgage profes-sional as early as possible so that you know what is needed and what to expect. Rental or Mortgage History: You will need 2-3 years of housing history. If you pay rent or your mortgage to an individual, not a company, it is very important to have proof of your payment history in the form of can-celled check. One of the biggest mistakes is to pay by cash or money orders. You can’t prove payment history with either form. The major-ity of programs will not accept a written verifi-cation of rent or mortgage from an individual landlord, only a company. The bottom line: It is important to

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Home News You Can Use… … Provided to you by Judy Gifford

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Hampton Home Sales

12/16/2007 - 1/15/2008 5151 Amaretto Dr. $980,000

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Lot 113 Oakhurst 385,000

2625 Middle Road 320,000

5038 Apple Ridge Dr. 249,900

3783 Coventry Ct. 214,100

4659 Sylvan Dr. 151,600

3912 Farmview 145,000

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3943 Grand Ave. 114,000

Always think resale with home improvement projects 5 things that can affect your home’s value

1. Be aware of the condition of your neighbor’s homes, what improvements

they have done and do “keep up with the Jones”. Your home’s value can be at risk if your improvements are over the top, on the other hand, if you aren’t updating on a regular basis, potential buyers will ding your home’s value.

2. How old is your furnace? How about your windows? Projects that improve energy efficiency and maintenance provide sav-

ings in dollars, time and energy and increases your home’s value. 3. Be mindful of those small projects that frequently need maintenance...

weather stripping, caulked tubs, loose floor boards, flaked paint and dirt. They smell trouble at sale time if left untouched. Buyers assess these things and can interpret how you have maintained the big items.

4. “Harry Homeowner” thinks he may know how to lay tile and the ama-teur results can be telling. Hire a contractor for projects out of your realm, but ask for references. While references are reassuring check out the work first hand and decide for yourself.

5. Gossip about your neighborhood, not your neighbors! Increase the de-sirability of your community through word of mouth.

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(412) 486-8687

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Sports

These kids had been looking forward to their chance to play on Mellon Arena Ice for several months. On the big day, the kids and parents all gathered underneath the arena where they dropped off their equip-ment and were taken to their seats behind the goal. Walking through the arena dressed in their hockey jerseys and sporting Penguins tassel hats that were the giveaway for the night, the kids garnered a lot of attention. The arena was full that night actually housing 17,000 fans for a standing room only crowd. After a few min-utes in the first period the team made its way to their locker room for the night. The excitement was high as the kids changed into their uniforms and got last minute instructions from their coach, Jeff Lindey. Finally, the moment arrived. And the team came skating out from behind a goal and skated down the ice to their place for the face off. With so many children playing at one time, the ice was

crowded as every one wanted the puck and a chance to score on Pen-guins ice. Iceburgh, the Penguin’s mascot, was on the ice with them for a minute as well. The kids skated their hearts out, to the delight of the fans in attendance, who cheered loudly for the little kids with big skat-ing talent. After just a few minutes, their time in limelight was over and they skated off the ice, changed clothes and went back to their seats for the rest of the game. The look on the faces of these small athletes was a joy to behold as they recounted their few minutes on the ice over and over again to loved ones. The night ended on a high note as Evgeni Malkin scored a goal in the final seconds for a hat trick and to secure a Penguins victory. “I got a chance to shoot in the same goal as Sidney Crosby shoots in,” said one young player, Jake Schwarzbach, from Hampton. Other players proclaimed it “the best night of my life” and have asked when they can do it again! Way to go, Dawgs!

Youth Hockey (Continued from page 1)

The Mite 2007-2008 team consists of: Asst. Coach Jim Schwarzbach, Head Coach Jeff Lindey, and Steve Stay-duhar. Back: Luke English (Harmony), Jake Schwarz-bach (Gibsonia), Hannah Lindey (Slippery Rock), Jared Taylor (Valencia), Logan Cramer (New Wilmington), Patrick McCann (Mars), Middle: Luke Tomasovic (Butler), Dalton Piacitelli (Hermitage), Frank Pucciarelli (Valencia), Noah Raymundo (Valencia), Connor Bach-man (Butler), Front: Ryan Welsh (Apollo), Sam Staydu-har (Allison Park), Donald Gio Sarachine (Harmony), Hunter Nowakowski (Saxonburg). Not pictured: Ayden Muzzana (Renfrew).

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Winter Storytime Storytime began January 23, 2008 and will end March 26, 2008. There will be three sessions. Come Read with Me! Wednesdays, 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. 2 – 5yrs Toddle on Over! Thursdays, 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. 2 – 3 yrs Warm up with Stories! 1:00– 1:30 p.m. late 3– 6 yrs Please call to see if space is available to register for storytime.

Cooks and Books! A cookbook and food discussion group held by Hampton Commu-nity Library and Piccolo Vinnie’s Espresso and Wine Café located in Coventry Square. We will meet on the fourth Thursday of each month at Piccolo Vinnie’s at 6:30 p.m. here’s what to do… 1. Based on the “theme” chosen check out a cookbook from the library. (you can use your own cookbook) 2. Create a dish from that cookbook and bring it to the group the evening of the discussion, please bring a copy of the recipe as well. 3. Talk about your cookbook/recipe and share some great eats and conversation.

For the Love of Chocolate……and Wine! Thursday, February 28 at 6:30 p.m. A local winery will be joining us as we sample on everybody’s favorite flavor…chocolate!

Thursday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. Appetizers! Be a hit a the next card party, book discussion, or graduation party with yummy appetizers! Thursday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. Celebrate Mom!

Bring your favorite “mom” recipe and mom too as we celebrate the women who have fed us all our lives. Kathleen Ganster will be here to talk about organizing and creating a family cookbook. Registration is suggested.

Space is limited. Call the library for more details.

Passport Fair! Saturday, February 9th 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Don’t miss out on travel opportunities because you haven’t applied for your passport. Representatives from the Allison Park Post Office will be here to help you apply for your passport. Call the library for more details.

Library Corner

Chess Tournament Hampton Community Library’s Annual Chess Tournament will be held on Saturday, February 23, 2009 in Great Room A of the Community Center. Registration has started and will end February 20, 2008. Please register in person since application requires signature.

Checkmate!! Saturdays Mar. 1st, 8th, 15th, 29th & April 5th 10:00– 11:00 am. Learn more about the game or play against someone other than mom or dad! Rohan Lambore, will be back to help teach and assist in the basic moves of the game. Ages 5 through 9. Registration required. Space is limited.

Saving for Education Shouldn’t be a Learning Experience! Saturday, March 1st, 11:30 a.m. You and a guest are invited to an educational workshop pre-sented by Wachovia Securities. Come learn about the different ways to save for college. Seating is limited.

Special Discounts for children under 12 and Senior Citizens

412-638-8589

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breeched births, C-sections, and the use of forceps or vac-uum extraction at birth. Slips and falls associated with play-time, and sport-related injuries also play a role in the occur-

Dr. Febbraro (Continued from page 1)

rence of subluxation early on. In fact, health problems in child-hood, or even adulthood, have been traced back to spinal dam-age at birth. Warning signs of ver-tebral subluxation may include fatigue, joint pains, “noisy”

Call for more information 412-369-9121

Independent Business Owner * Marilyn Lynch

bones, frequent falling, hyperactivity, postural imbalances (shoulder/hips appear unlevel) and recurring illnesses such as ear and throat infections, bronchial infections, and asthma. Chi-ropractic care specifically corrects subluxation, thereby restor-ing the body’s natural and optimal healing ability. It is not nec-essarily a “treatment” for all of the above named conditions, but an approach aimed at the underlying cause in most cases. The focus of my practice is to educate and encourage whole family participation toward the goal of optimal health through corrective Chiropractic care. Recognizing that preven-tion is always the best defense against the possibility of disease is critical for our existing and future generations of healthy, drug-free children. For more information, please call the office to receive a complimentary consultation.

At Health First Chiropractic, Dr. Domenic Febbraro serves Hampton Township and surrounding communities with over 10 years of clinical experience in pediatric and adult correc-tive spinal care. A graduate of Central Catholic High School in 1988, he received his doctorate from Life University, School of Chiropractic in 1996. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association. His purpose is to educate and ad-just as many families as possible toward optimal health through natural Chiropractic care! (Call to receive a compli-mentary consultation by mentioning this article) (Located on Route 8, Allison Park, just south of Harts Run Road intersec-tion, 412-492-4088)

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Local Events/Fund Raisers

MON-FRI 9am - 6 pm SATURDAY 9am - 3 pm SUNDAY CLOSED

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HAEE Senior Prom Fashion Show

CRUISIN’ THE CARIBBEAN IN STYLE

HAMPTON ALLIANCE FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE (HAEE) is sponsoring its 3rd annual Prom Fashion Show on Satur-day, March 8th at 7:00 pm. Hampton High School’s Auditorium will transform into a lush tropical paradise. Local dress and tux-edo shops will combine with beauty salons, florists, and accessory retailers to provide the latest in prom fashion style. In addition, there will be refreshments, both a Chinese and a Silent Auction, and door prizes. At a cost of only $5.00/person you won’t want to miss out on all the fun! So come in out of the cold and check out the “hot couture” and tropical tuxedos modeled by our very own Hampton High Juniors and Seniors. For more information, please call 412-486-6000 x1700. The Hampton Alliance for Educational Excellence is a nonprofit or-ganization that funds educational enrichment programs for stu-dents within the Hampton Township School District. Thank you for your support!

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Depreciation Lands Museum Two Colonial Teas

February 10, 2008 3:00 P.M. A well known settler from the area will return for the first time in over 150 years! We won't give you her name - that's a surprise. We do know she is looking for something very important to her. Maybe you can help in her quest!

February 24, 2008 3:00 P.M. The biggest gossip of 18th century Pittsburgh will share her tidbits of information about area residents and other colonial figures. Did you hear the story about ....?

Both teas are $10.00 for non-member adults; $8.00 for members $8.00 for non-member children/senior citizens; $6.00 for members

Reservations are required for both teas and can be made by call-ing the museum at 412 486-0563 or by email - depreciationlandsmuseum@hotmail.com. Actors for a murder mystery play on April 5th are also needed! Practices will be on Sunday afternoons in February and March. Experienced or otherwise - everyone welcome to participate! Visit the Depreciation Lands Museum where history is real life! Located in Hampton Township at 4743 S.Pioneer Road, Box 174, Allison Park, PA 15101 Phone: 412-486-0563 visit: www.depreciationlandsmuseum.org

SUPPORT LOCAL LIONS CLUB! Buy a Broom!

Standard Corn Broom $9.00 Heavy Duty Snow Broom $11.00

Call Mike Quinn at 412-487-1888 or Jim Keneavy at 412-487-2754

Hand-made by the Association for the Blind.

February’s Civic Virtue is “Fairness” by Tracy Burns

Fairness can simply be defined as showing impartiality or treating everyone equally. In dealing with their children, parents must teach and demonstrate fairness on two different levels. The first has to do with teaching children to be fair when dealing with others. These include things like: Learning to follow rules whenever rules are applied. Thinking about how their actions will affect others. This is a good opportunity to utilize The Golden Rule…treat others as you would have them treat you. Children need to take a moment to realize how they themselves would feel if someone was treating them the way they were about to treat that other person. And they must also consider broader, long term results of how their actions may affect others. Taking responsibility for their own mistakes and not to blame others. Blaming others for something they did not do is not a good way to win friends. Never taking advantage of other people. Not playing favorites when they are with a group of friends. For each one of these you could ask your child “How you

(Continued on page 17)

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Let’s Play Fair by Tracy Burns

Pennsylvania is a wonderful state known for many good things: sports, historical sites, the beauty of the changing seasons and more. But unfortunately, it also has been known for a long time as a state that allows live pigeon shoots. Live pigeon shoots are events in which dazed pigeons are launched from boxes to be shot by contestants for prizes. Last year, one sportsmen's club took this concept even further by tying tame turkeys by their feet to bales of hay and allowing people to shoot them with arrows from only a few yards away. Now although most of us don’t own any pigeons or tur-keys, most of us do have pets and as a result, have affection and respect for animals in general. It is considered by many that these “shoots” do not constitute hunting, as they are the slaughter of re-strained or trap-released animals for entertainment. If you would like to help protect these animals and stop these events, you can do so by encouraging our representatives to vote in favor of Senate Bill 1150 and House Bill 2130, legislation that will ban the killing of animals launched from box traps or tied in place.

Animal in the Know

suspect, the suspect became upset and began reaching in his pocket and pulling away from police. The suspect was then detained and patted down for weapons. The police discovered suspected heroin in his pocket. He was arrested and taken to the police department for processing and later taken to the Allegheny County Jail. A Mickey Mouse watch, valued at $300, was also found and returned to victim. The Allegheny County Jail almost refused the suspect due to having Hepatitis C and Mersa, symptoms included sores on his face and back.

Police Station and then to Western Psychiatric. A warrant was obtained and taken to Western Psychiatric. The actor did fire four shots prior to police arrival. Western Psychiatric was advised to only release suspect to Hampton Police Department. On 1/22/2008, Hampton Police transported suspect from WPIC to Magistrate Welsh for arraignment.

Narcotics

1/08/2008 – Hampton Police received a tip of possible drug activity on Greenfield Road. Hampton Police and detectives arrived and noticed suspicious activity and entered the house to find paraphernalia, clear plastic bags with suspected marijuana, cash totaling approximately $188, cell phones marked “Verbal Overdose”, a review of the cell phones incoming and outgoing text messages revealed the phone was used to sell drugs by suspect. The suspect was transported to Hampton Police Department then to Allegheny County Jail for arraignment. Evidence was transported to crime lab.

1/11/2008 – Hampton Police received a call for a possible theft, while at the residence on Wallace Road, after speaking to the

Police Log (Continued from page 7)

Melissa S Bechtold, Independent Consultant & Team Leader

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“The life you choose”

412-492-8448 4480 Mt. Royal Blvd. * Allison Park, PA * 15101

• Three chef-prepared meals daily • Housekeeping and linen services • Transportation for shopping and local appointments • Lots and lots of activities • A private dining room • Paid utilities • Beauty and barber shop • Chapel • Exercise Room and convenience store

Call to arrange a complimentary tour and lunch

North Hills Community Outreach’s Support Groups

Feb 6 and 20 – Women’s Renewal Group, 7 PM, St. Paul’s UMC, Alli-son Park. This is a new support group for women who wish to develop positive friendships, share ideas and dreams, offer and receive emo-tional support, and realize the potential in themselves. Free childcare is available but must be requested 48 hours in advance. To attend, call Bobbie Monper at 412-487-6316, option 1.

For the following groups: Contact Harriet Gibbs at 412-487-6316, option 2.

Feb. 7 – Young Widows/Widowers Support Group 7 PM, Kings in Wexford Feb. 11 – Bereavement Support Group 2 PM, NHCO Allison Park Feb. 12 – Alzheimers/Dementia Support Group 7 PM, NHCO Allison Park Feb. 14 – Bereavement Support Group 10 AM, NHCO Millvale

Become an NHCO Volunteer North Hills Community Outreach depends on volunteers for a multitude of tasks and welcomes people of all ages and abilities. On February 12, NHCO will hold an informational session for new and prospective vol-unteers at 10 AM at their Millvale Satellite. To attend, call Jen Drayton at 412-487-6316, option 2. For those who wish to volunteer or learn more but cannot attend the session, call Jen to make alternate arrange-ments.

Donations Requested for “Spring Share” North Hills Community Outreach’s next seasonal sharing project is “Spring Share” during which the organization collects and distributes grocery store certificates and candy baskets to approximately 500 local families in hardship. Donations will be accepted through March 17 and can be sent to NHCO, 1975 Ferguson Road, Allison Park, PA 15101. For more information, contact Judy Murchak at 412-487-6316, option 1.

Donate Your Unwanted Vehicle to Help Low-Income Families Community Auto, a nonprofit organization that provides low-income individuals with safe and reliable vehicles at greatly reduced prices, needs donations of used cars that need only minimal repairs. Donations qualify for a fair market value tax deduction. Contact Randy Murchak at 724-443-8300.

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would feel if…someone took advantage of you?” or “How would you like to be blamed for something you didn’t do? How would you feel toward the person who blamed you?” In addition, mastering these qualities will have far-reaching affects on the people in your child’s life as well as on their own lives. Handling themselves in these ways will result in an inner kindness and strength of character. When you talk with your child about the impor-tance of being fair with people, make sure he/she knows that it is im-portant to you, and that it will lead to stronger friendships. Remember that you are a powerful role model for your child. If you treat people fairly, that is what your child will learn from you. The second level of fairness that parents need to address is to help their children understand that fairness cannot be applied by parents to all children at all times. "Aim for equity rather than for equality. Equity means that all children have comparable opportunities to be loved and appreciated and to have their needs met." Children have different needs at different times and it is unre-alistic to expect everything to be done the same way at the same time for all children in one family. Helping children to understand this con-cept and that it is a fair concept, will help them tremendously in daily life and alleviate many hurt feelings.

February’s Civic Virtue (Continued from page 15)

18 Offer Expires 2/28/2008

Investment Shopping By Deann Gauntner

It is difficult to believe that Spring fashions have already made an appearance in the department stores and specialty boutiques. With retail seasons always one step ahead, it is a challenge not to be tempted to buy that vibrant silk dress in February. Unless you have a tropical vacation planned, try to resist. My recommendation is to take advan-tage of this time of year to purchase a winter investment item. Whether it is that remarkable designer handbag you have been admiring, an elegant cocktail dress, or that fox fur trimmed cashmere coat you know you deserve, now is the time to make the investment while these types of items… that never go out of style…are deeply discounted. Check out stores like Saks. They are offering 40% off mark-downs…an ideal way to snatch a time-less designer item for a steal. Don’t forget about the charming boutiques of Shadyside and Southside. You can find distinctive pieces, like unique leather belts or dresses by up and coming de-signers at these shops.

Today’s Fashion

Whether you go for the fur or the handbag, this is a great time of year to add those timeless objects to your current ward-robe.

I am happy to be writing again for the Hampton News. I have been on maternity leave taking care of my beautiful daughter, Anna Sophia, future fashionista and trend-setter.

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Amethyst is the Official Birthstone for February

by Rodger Ketchell

Amethyst is most prized in the purple variety of quartz. It can be found in shades of Light Lilac, lavender and mauve. Fine amethyst are featured in the British Crown jewels and commonly associated with royalty.

Legend/folklore: It was believed to protect the wearer from drunkenness and aid in overcoming addictions.

Care instructions: General care is suggested. The gem has medium hardness and is moderately heat sensitive.

Gift suggestions: Amethyst is the suggested gift for 4th, 6th and 17th wedding anniversaries. It is ideal for pendants, rings and earrings, due to the great value-to-size relationship.

Ketchell Jewelers Route 8 & East Hardies Road. (next to Max and Erma’s) 724-449-0001 Rodger@ketchelljewelers.com

So we get a free catering pass for two years and then the rub-ber hits the road. We need to shift gears or we will raise kids who think they deserve to get something for nothing whether it be materials, ser-vices or privileges and that spells t-r-o-u-b-l-e. I recently asked my teenage son what he thought of this "something for nothing" mentality. His reflection was insightful. "Well Mom, getting everything you want is an illusion-- that's not how the world works."

Are You Overindulgent?: Take the Quiz

1) Do you tend to give in to your child's demands even when time or money is an issue? 2) Do you say "no" but change your mind to avoid a scene? 3) Do you allow your child to do things you are not especially comfort-able with simply because other parents are allowing it? 4) Do you contact the teacher or principal to reverse a penalty when your child incurs a consequence for misbehavior? 5) Do you allow your child to back out of commitments when the going gets tough? 6) Do you have trouble following through on the consequences you set? 7) Do you make parenting decisions based on how your child or other parents will react? (checklist from HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? by Jean Ilsley Clark)

I found it quite interesting that a majority of parents in the workshops I lead checked off number 6 as the toughest issue to deal with: following through on consequences. This brings us back to a lack of structure or allowing too much. Are we the unexpected legacy of the past affluent decades; parents who can't say no? Do you struggle to hold the line in a culture where it's difficult to find any line? We all have to draw our own line, just draw it somewhere

5 Steps to Avoid Overindulgence

So, what do I do if I am a classic overindulger? How can I find my line?

1) Recognize what it is in all three forms: (giving too much, doing too much, too little structure) 2) Self-evaluate. (not what other parents are doing!) 3) Make behavioral changes. Be aware of which items on the checklist

need your attention and response. 4) Do it. Be determined to follow through. 5) Get support. North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center specializes in counseling and tutoring services, along with dozens of local parent education workshops.

If you would like to bring the workshop "When Giving Too Much Hurts Your Child" to your organization, call Joan at the North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center 412-366-1300 Ext. 25. PTAs and other parent organizations have hosted successful work-shops for a number of years.

North Hills Youth Ministries (Continued from page 5)

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position yourself for any new mortgage. Work with a trained, experienced professional early on in the proc-ess. Especially if you are a first time home buyer, I recommend starting 6 months to a year before you are ready to buy. If there is a prob-lem or something needs corrected, it’s better to find out early rather than after you’ve found your dream home.

Buying a Home (Continued from page 10)

412-203-1560 Jerry Matthews

The township web site has been updated and changed to allow for a more organized and infor-mative site. Check it out, www.hampton-pa.org

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This month’s Featured Student is Eric Efkeman, a first-year student enrolled in Beattie’s Computer/Network Engineering Technology Program. A sophomore at Hampton High School, Eric decided that he wanted to

take a course that would further his knowledge in Computer Engineering, and thought that Beattie would be a good fit. At Beattie, Eric enjoys build-ing computers from scratch with the help of his Instructor. “When you build something like that from the ground up, you truly get to understand the inner workings of a computer.” Eric states. One of only a few Student IT Interns, Eric has a chance to show off his skills on a regular basis by assisting the IT Director with real-life network-ing and computer issues. “It’s kind of cool to get to work on real network systems now,” Eric adds. “because it’s something that I’m going to be doing for the rest of my life.” Upon graduation, Eric plans on attending college to major in Infor-mation Technology, and dreams of one day becoming an IT Manager or Sys-tems Administrator.

Local School News

Donations Welcome for Valentines for Veterans

The Helping Hands Club, a service organization of students of Hamp-ton Middle School (HMS), is working with Rep. Jane Orie's office to gather items for Valentines for Veterans. Students are asked to bring donations to the HMS Library by the end of the school day, Monday February 4. Anyone else wishing to make a donation can do so by placing the do-nated items in the box located in the entryway of the Middle School. Suggested items are DVDs, playing cards, soaps, toiletry items, books, games and Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins sweatshirts.

Hampton Students Seeking War Veterans

The Hampton High School After School Writers Group is looking to identify Hampton residents who are survivors of World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, or the Gulf Wars, or who have memories of spouses or parents who are Hampton residents who fought in those wars. The students are writing a book and hope to interview some of the residents identified. Teacher Mary Lou Ellena-Wygonik, sponsor of the Writers Group, asks the community to send information to her email at mlew@htsd.k12.pa.us or by phone to 412-492-6387.

Class of 78 Plans Reunion

The Hampton High School Class of 1978 will celebrate its 30-year Class Reunion on Saturday, September 20, from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Four Seasons Banquet House in Gibsonia. For information, contact reunion committee by phone at 724-712-4097 or email: Kristine (Kilner) Britt at Irish245@zoominternet.net; Regina Holmes at reggie729@aol.com; or Nora (Lamberson) McDonald at Nora.McDonald@fishersci.com.

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The day of the race, scouts raced their cars six times, once in each lane. During the race, all of the scouts and their parents and grandparents cheered each other on and everyone had a great time. All of the times are then tabulated by a computer. Out of the qualifying races, the sixteen fastest cars moved on to the second round. After the second round Ben Smith, Jake Faytik, Kelley Simon, Nathan Beam, Paul Brienza, Trevor Faytik, Devin Thom-son and Evan Prem moved on to the quarterfinals. By the end of this round only Ben Smith, Nathan Beam, Paul Brienza, and Evan

Prem were left. As a result of this final round Ben Smith fin-ished in first place with Paul Brienza a very close second. Nathan Beam finished third and Evan Prem won fourth place. The top three finishers now will compete with other Cub Scout dis-

trict winners next Saturday, February 2nd at the Galleria at Pitts-burgh Mills at 8:30 am. Congratulations scouts!

Pinewood Derby (Continued from page 2)

Local School News

School Board Assigns Chairs

The School Board conducts two Working Session generally on the Mondays preceding its voting meeting. The Working Sessions allow School Directors the opportunity to fully discuss matters of concern to the District before placing items on the voting meeting agenda. The items discussed are assigned among eight different categories described below. Educational Programs: Issues and Board policies related to student curriculum and achievement. The Chair is Mary Alice Hen-nessey. Student Affairs: Issues and Board policies related to student involvement and activities, athletics, clubs, and student conduct. The Chair is David Gurwin. Technology: Issues and Board policies related to District technology usage, and infrastructure management and maintenance. The Chair is Pam Lamagna. Facilities: Issues and Board policies related to management and budget for building and grounds maintenance, utilities, and con-struction or remodeling programs. The Chair is Bob Shages. Finance: Issues and Board policies related to revenue gen-eration and disbursements. The Chair is Larry Vasko. Personnel: Issues and Board policies related to human re-source management and union relations. The Chair is Gail Litwiler. Transportation: Issues and Board policies related to student transportation. The Chair is Jon Ritz. Policy and Legislative &Community Affairs: Issues related to Board policies and issues related to legislative matters and local community government cooperation. The Chair is Alma Kolkman. Beattie Career Center representatives are Alma Kolkman

and Dr. Harold Sarver. The Hampton Alliance for Educational Excellence representative is Gail Litwiler. Visitors may ask questions of, or make comments to the Board of School Directors at public meetings near the beginning of the meeting or when permitted by the board president. Visi-tors are asked to be concise in their comments. If desired, questions may be sent in advance to the Superintendent, Dr. John Hoover, 412-492-6303 - so that the appropriate school official is prepared to respond during a public meeting. Board mem-bers are best able to comment on issues of policy, finance and educational philosophy, rather than specific staff-student relations. Note: Board Session I topics are Educational Programs, Student Affairs, and Technology; Board Session II topics are Facilities, Finance, Personnel, Transportation, Policy, and Legisla-tive/Community Affairs.

HHS 2008-09 Program Of Studies Now Available

At its January Voting Meeting, the Board adopted the 2008-2009 Hampton High School Program of Studies. In revising the course descriptions, the department chairs considered: consistency in pre-requisites and recommendations; inclusion of information on ex-pectations for AP and Honors courses; and more information about assessment A new science chart is included in the opening pages representing the new expectation of taking once course in each subject area - biology, physics and chemistry. All newly approved courses are included: journalism, acting and dramatic strategies, comprehensive musicianship, gen-eral physics, and general chemistry. The 2008-2009 Hampton High School Program of Stud-ies is available on the District Website at: http://www.htsd.k12.pa.us/files/HHSProgramofStudies2008-09.pdf

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Local School News Hampton High to Host AV Honors Band

This year marks the 50th annual performance of the Allegheny Valley (AV) Honors Band. The AV band was created to reward students who excel in instrumental music. In November of each year, band members from eight local school districts gather to audition for the limited number of instruments in each section. Districts partici-pating this year include: Hampton, Pine Richland, Fox Chapel, Shaler, North Alle-gheny, North Hills, Riverview and North-gate. The Junior High AV Band consists of band members in grades 7, 8, and 9. Hampton students accepted into the Junior High AV Band (followed by their grade) are: Amanda Halpin (7), Emma Jan (7), Gina Seifert (7), Katie Virostek (7), Monica Done-gan (8), Lindsay Huber (8), Laura Kelly (8), Kelly McDunn (8), Emily Van Atta (8), Soo-jin Yi (8), Tommy Jones (8), Rachel Varisco (8), Max Rosenfeld (8), Even Wilson (8), Trevor Kyle (8), Taylor Whitman (8), Elizabeth Profeta (9), Hahhan Mo (9), Sarah Stadler (9), Ellen Murray (9), Laura Kriva-cek (9), Ellen Swain (9), Samantha Spallone (9), Allison Davis (9), Mary Miller (9), George Uehling (9), Mara Muir (9), Adam

Farabaugh (9), Brian Sugarmann (9), Rachel Whitlinger (9), James Smith (9), and Shaina Fober (9). The Senior High AV Band consists of band members in grades 10, 11, and 12. Hampton students accepted into the Senior Band are: Laura Machuga (12), Alexandra Spallone (12), Laura Flanagan (12), Jessica Holden (10), Annie Martucci (12), Katelyn Deet (12), Tristan Bella (10), Dan Riethmuller (11), Jim Sutter (11), Doug Finley (12), Sean O'Neill (11), Mallory Schaffer (11), Britney Schmidt (11), Arlan Cohen (12), James Lah (11), Zach Carpenter (10), Alex Watts (11), Jimmy Herring (10), Angie Raimondi (12), Ryan Schroeder (10), and Chad Seigneur (11). Every year, guest conductors are in-vited to direct the two honors bands. This year, Kathy Campbel l f rom Seton Hill Univer-sity is the Senior High Guest Conduc-tor and Dr. Jason

Worzbyt, Indiana University of Pennsylvania is the Junior High Guest Conductor. The host directors for this year’s AV Honors Band are Chad Himmler, Hamp-ton High School Band Director, and Lurrene Parker, band director at Hampton Middle School. A total of 220 students will re-hearse for two days, under the direction of the guest conductors, then present their con-cert at Hampton High School on February 1,

STUDY ISLAND COMES TO WYLAND AND HAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL

Wyland Elementary School and Hampton Middle School (HMS)have purchased building licenses for Study Island. This web-based program provides a great resource for preparing students for the state standardized (PSSA) tests. Study Island is accessible to students from school or home for those with Internet access. Principals Dr. Roberta Good and Kenneth DiDonato have mailed each parent a letter regarding the new web-based program, Study Island. Study Island is divided into sections based on subject (math and reading for all grades, Grade 8 writing and science). Each sec-tion is made up of approximately 30 topics, and each topic corre-sponds to a Pennsylvania standard. The topics consist of a lesson and a bank of practice questions with explanations. Students who have Internet access can access Study Island from home as well as school to prepare for the PSSA tests. "We are excited about the potential benefits this program can bring to our students, and we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity by using the Study Island program," said Mr. DiDo-

bill, paid wage tax receipt, guardianship form, court order, or driver’s license. Students being registered need not attend. Parents of children who are five-years-old by August 16, 2008 through and including November 30, 2008, may register but must also submit a written request for early admission to the building principal by April 15, 2008. This request should state reasons why the parents believe early admission to school is appropriate for their child and may also include information and test data from the

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school(s) the child may have attended previously. First-grade students new to Hampton Township School Dis-trict are to be six-years-old by August 15, 2008. Parents of children who do not meet this age requirement must also submit the written request for early admission to the principal. Parents may download, print, and complete enrollments forms at www.htsd.k12.pa.us/Files/K-5EnrollmentPacket08-09.pdf.

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Looking for YARN donations! The Knitting and Crochet Club at the Village at Hampton Fields make “lap robes” and donate them to the residents of local nursing homes. They are always in need of yarn – no “ball” is too small. Please call Marilyn Lynch at 412-492-8448 to donate.

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