Ashland Rotary
Erin Cataldo, a senior at North Schuylkill High School, was named student of the month for March by the Ashland Area Rotary Club.
Erin's high school activities include National Honor Society, Teens Against Tobacco, Students Against Destructive Decisions, cheerleading and prom committee. Her out-of-school activities includes Relay for Life, Bible school at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Ashland, and Special Olympics.
A daughter of Joseph and Beth Cataldo, Ashland, Erin plans to attend Bloomsburg University and major in early childhood education/special education.
Frackville Rotary
Brendan Shearn, a junior at North Schuylkill High School, was honored as Frackville Rotary Club student of the month for March at a recent meeting held at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant at the Schuylkill Mall, Frackville.
Brendan is ranked fourth in his class and is a member of the National Honor Society, Mathematics Honor Society, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Rotary Interact Club and track and field team. He is vice president of the Spanish club and captain of the cross-country team and swimming team.
Brendan is a two-time District XI cross-country champion and a two-time state medalist in cross-country, including winning a state championship. The District XI mile and three-mile champion, he was a silver medalist in the two-mile in track and field state championship and placed eighth in the mile race.
On Feb. 25, Brendan placed fourth in the 3,000-meter race in the Indoor State Track Championship held at Penn State University. He is a member of the United States Track and Field Association.
Brendan plans to attend college with possible career paths that include law, engineering or medicine. He is particularly interested in Notre Dame, the University of Pennsylvania and Brown University.
Minersville Area
Minersville Area High School seniors Shawn Barton and Lauren Leshko were named students of the month for March.
Shawn is a member of the National Honor Society and German Club. He has been a member of the baseball and basketball teams all four years of high school. He also volunteers for Relay for Life.
His future plans are to attend Widener University, Chester, to major in civil engineering and play for the Widener baseball team.
He is a son of William and Christina Barton, Minersville.
Lauren is class treasurer and a member of Student Council, Teens Against Tobacco and SADD. She is involved with the yearbook and is a peer educator.
Lauren has been a member of the softball, basketball and soccer teams all four years of high school and has served as a water girl for the football team.
In the community, Lauren has helped with new student orientation, Hardwood Boys Basketball Camps, March Madness boys/girls tournaments, U-10 youth soccer tournament and Minersville girls basketball camps. She volunteers for Meals on Wheels and is a member of Ss. Peter and Paul Church, where she is a CCD helper. She also works for Hillcrest Hall, Minersville.
Lauren plans to attend Kutztown University to major in elementary education. She is a daughter of Charlie and Terri Leshko, Minersville.
Mahanoy Area
Mahanoy Area High School seniors Leah Leahy and Michael Gaval were named students of the month for February by Mahanoy City Elks Lodge 695.
Leah, a daughter of Thomas and Katherine Leahy, Mahanoy City, has been involved in the following school and extracurricular activities: National Honor Society, Bear Pride Program, high school band, jazz and pit bands, Schuylkill County Honors Band, Upper Schuylkill Marching and Concert Band, French/German Club, Students Against Destructive Decisions, of which she was secretary her junior year, Teens Against Tobacco and track and field. She was also a homecoming candidate.
In the community, Leah is a Meals on Wheels volunteer during the summer, a Relay for Life team member, Senior Community Center events volunteer and Senior Farm Market Program volunteer. She attended the Young Women's Leadership Conference at Lebanon Valley College, Annville, and is a member of the National Society of High School Scholars.
Leah plans to attend LaSalle or Susquehanna universities to major in communications/English education or Villanova University to major in communications.
Michael, a son of Michael and Cindy Gaval, Mahanoy City, has been involved in the following school and extracurricular activities: Bloomsburg Math Contest Team, Student Council, Rotary Interact Club, Nutrition Advisory Council, and basketball and football. He was basketball team captain in his senior year and lettered in the sport his freshman through senior years and was also football team captain his senior year and lettered in the sport his sophomore through senior years.
In the community, Michael volunteers for Meals on Wheels during the school year and summer.
He plans to attend Salisbury University, Salisbury, Md., State University of New York Maritime College, Throggs Neck, N.Y., or Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C., with an undeclared major.
Mahanoy Area seniors Emily Davidson and Neal Goodman were named students of the month for January by Mahanoy City Elks Lodge 695.
Emily, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Davidson, Mahanoy City, is a member of the Honor Society, Interact Club, Nutrition Advisory Council and Theatre Arts Club. She is captain of both the basketball and softball teams and a member of the cross country team. She lettered in basketball her sophomore and junior years, cross country her junior year and softball her freshman through junior years.
Emily was involved with the Bear Pride Program during her junior year, and she is a volunteer for Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Meals on Wheels. Her future plans are to attend Shippensburg University.
Neal is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Neal Goodman, Mahanoy City, and a member of the Bloomsburg Math Contest Team, Bear Pride Program and Theatre Arts Club. He is vice president of student council, Rotary Interact Club and Nutrition Advisory Council.
Neal is captain of the football and basketball teams and lettered in both sports all four years of high school. He lettered in track and field his junior year.
In the community, he is an altar server at Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Roman Catholic Church, Mahanoy City, and volunteer for Meals on Wheels.
Neal plans to attend Penn State or East Stroudsburg universities or Indiana University of Pennsylvania and major in engineering.
Mahanoy Middle
Mahanoy Area Middle School students Desiree Malacusky and Jacob Jones were named students of the month for February by the faculty through a program sponsored by Mahanoy City Elks Lodge 695. The nominees are judged on multiple achievements, character, leadership, citizenship and scholastic aptitude.
Desiree, a daughter of Jason and Cindy Malacusky, Mahanoy City, is a distinguished honor student and a member of Christ Lutheran Church, Mahanoy City, where she is an acolyte. She is involved in theater arts, track and field, chorus, National Junior Honor Society, seventh- and eighth-grade cheerleading, biddy volleyball, ski club, biddy basketball, intramural basketball and Paw Print.
Desiree volunteers her time at the Mahanoy Area wrestling tournament and Pennies for Patients. Her future plans are to attend college and become an orthopedic pediatrician.
Jacob, a son of Deanne Jones, Gilberton, and Michael Jones, Harrisburg, is involved in the birthday club, National Junior Honor Society and yearbook club. A distinguished honor student, he was recognized as a national honor student through the United States Achievement Academy.
He volunteers his time at baseball games. His future plans are to attend college.
Hegins-Valley Rotary
Allison Rusinko, a Tri-Valley High School senior, was named student of the month for January by the Hegins-Valley View Rotary Club.
Allison's high school activities include FFA, prom committee, Schuylkill Youth and Spanish club. An honor roll student since seventh grade, she placed first in the Voice of Democracy contest and attended the Hugh O'Brian Leadership Conference.
A daughter of Tammy Lesher and a stepdaughter of Dean Lesher, Allison plans to attend a four-year college and get a degree in animal science.
Tri-Valley senior Josh Wolfgang was named student of the month for December by the Rotary Club.
Josh's high school activities include football, wrestling, Students with a Testament and Future Business Leaders of America. A distinguished honor roll student, he was the recipient of Tri-Valley's Scholar Athlete Award.
Josh hopes to attend a four-year college.
Tri-Valley senior Tad Ney was named Hegins-Valley View Rotary Club's student of the month for October. His high school activities include baseball and prom committee and he is a class officer.
Tad has been on the honor roll since seventh grade and lettered in baseball. He has won bass fishing tournament awards at Kaercher Creek Park, Hamburg, and is a member of St. Paul's UCC, Sacramento, where he serves as an usher, acolyte and greeter.
Tad plans to attend a four-year college and possibly play baseball at the collegiate level. He is a son of Amy and Russell Ney.