TS_CNG/SUBURBAN/PAGES [S01] | 02/06/19
10:13 | BAUMEISTER
Abington The
FEBRUARY 7, 2019
INSIDE
SuburbaN
Fitness Instructor Spotlight See page 6.
T H E VO I C E O F T H E A B I N G T O N S
AN EDITION OF THE TIMES-TRIBUNE • FREE • WWW.ABINGTONSUBURBAN.COM
FUTURES ON DISPLAY
ELIZABETH BAUMEISTER Suburban Subplots
May the ice be with you
Jake Danna StevenS / StaFF PhotograPher
From left Tamane Takehara, Abington Heights Civic League member Gretchen Eagen Mackie, Sawyer Rippon and KD Jordan at The Gathering Place in Clarks Summit on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019.
Abington Heights students’ artwork featured in exhibit By Clayton ovER StaFF Writer
CLARKS SUMMIT — The colorful artwork hanging inside The Gathering Place for Community, Art and Education runs the gamut from Fender bass guitars to landscapes. For the next month, The Gathering Place will serve as a gallery showcasing the work of more than 20 Abington Heights High School juniors and seniors. This marks the second year the site has displayed student ar twork. Awards will be given to students for four categories: photography, drawing, painting and mixed media. An additional $500 scholarship award will be given to a senior who is chosen based on artwork and an essay explaining how art will be part of his or her life after high school. KD Jordan’s entry depicts locales from “A Christmas Carol” plus costume designs for the three ghosts featured in the Dickens classic. Inspiration for the pieces came when she took part in the cast at the school’s recent production of
the play, she said. She used markers and colored pencils to hand draw the homes of Ebenezer Scrooge and the Cratchit family and clothes of the spirits of Christmas past, present and future. The pieces could be a bit of foreshadowing of KD’s future. “I’m hoping to major in theatrical design and production,” she said. “I haven’t decided on a college yet, but I want to be a production designer.” Other work on display complements other creative endeavors. Senior Tamane Takehara used watercolors and ink to illustrate a town from a short story she wrote. She wanted the piece to resemble a tourism pamphlet or brochure, she said. “Welcome to Honeymilk Island” is handwritten in gold script in the top left-hand corner. Features of the island — homes, a hospital, trees and more — all stand out in vivid color. She likes putting a lot of detail into her work because it provides plenty for people to look at and pick out, she said. “I wanted it to be like a small
town and really quaint, just really dainty, so I tried to convey that through all the detail,” Takehara said. Takehara will attend Temple University and plans to major in psychology and either minor or double major in art, she said. Another work on display is autobiographical. Senior Sawyer Rippon crafted a mixed media piece that features black and white photos and segments of screenplay as a background with a colorful self-portrait front and center, there to add some contrast and to make the piece pop out, Sawyer said. The photos include pictures of himself and one of his dogs, Norman. The typed words are for an animated film, his second, that he’s working on, Sawyer explained. “I wanted to encapsulate the last year,” he said. Sawyer plans to study illustration at Marywood University. Winners of the awards will be announced at a public reception at The Gathering Place, 304 S. State St., Friday at 6:30 p.m. The art awards and schol-
The following students’ work is displayed at The Gathering Place through the end of March: ■ Arla Davis and Danielle Heine from Kayla Collura’s class. ■ Olivia Marchetta, Leia Parry, Amia Cuellar and KD Jordan from Abigail Fenton’s class. ■ Leah Mooney, Shannon Baransky, Sawyer Rippon, Destiny Moon, Tamane Takehara, Julie Spindler, Suzanna Brock, Emily Conway and Kate Chickillo from Eileen Healey’s class. ■ Zachary Allen, Caroline Ames, Elizabeth Bonczek, Sadie Henzes, Andrew Miller, Paige Moletsky, Matthew Nzasi, Carter Smith, Sophie Thompson and Tori Wells from Timothy Butler’s class. arship, started by Shirley Eagen and Dorothy O’Connor, were given for the first time last year. Please see Artwork, Page 12
JUlIE JEFFERy ManWaRREn | SUBUrBan LiFe
Never too old to make a difference LA PLUME — The Children’s Center at Keystone College recently began partnering with senior citizens to enhance classroom learning. The preschool at the college offers several early education options for children 3-5 years old. Jennifer Hansen, activity director at the Pines Senior Living in Clarks Summit, reached out to Silvana Coccimiglio, director of Keystone Children’s Center, looking for a way for elderly residents to connect with kids. “She was great to work with,” Hansen said of Coccimiglio. “She hopped right on board and we have worked together to connect young and old.” Keystone’s early childhood education center is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs. It earned a four-star rating through
Pennsylvania’s Keystone Stars, a program that recognizes childcare providers who exceed state and safety requirements. “All the volunteers who come to work with the children have to be approved by us and have state clearances,” Coccimiglio said. Everything and everyone that enters the classroom – curricula, toys, teachers and special guests are evaluated and approved by the administration. After receiving their clearances and approval, residents at the Pines Senior Living were excited to be a part of a day with the children. “The residents were feeling like they wanted to give back,” Hansen said. “This idea began with them and we decided to try it.” Joan Gourley and Joan Glowinski connected with children over play and story time during their January visit. “I was always interested in
I spent most of my free time the last couple weeks re-watching the older “Star Wars” movies and catching up on the newer ones I hadn’t seen yet. At the beginning of February 2018, I marathonwatched the Harry Potter series. And in February 2017, I brushed up on my Broadway knowledge. If you’ve lived in the Abingtons for the past three years or longer and you don’t know what these three things have in common, you’ve been missing out. “Ice. Lights. Broadway.” was the theme of the 2017 Clarks Summit Festival of Ice. The 2018 festival showcased “The Wizarding World of Ice.” And “Ice Wars” is the song of this year’s event, set for next weekend, Feb. 15-17. I can’t wait. I attended my first Clarks Summit Festival of Ice 10 years ago in 2009 – the fifth year of the event. But I didn’t attend any of the special events that were part of the weekend-long affair. I didn’t know about the parade that welcomes the ice to town on the first night. I didn’t even know about the festival itself until a few hours before I arrived that Sunday afternoon. Some of my friends had been making plans that morning in church and invited me to come along. We stayed only about an hour, strolling up and down South State Street, stopping to inspect and take pictures of each ice sculpture. The festival’s theme that year was “A Frozen Renaissance Faire.” I’ve made an effort to attend every year since, but not just for an hour after church on Sunday. To get the full experience, make a day – or weekend – of it. From the live music and entertainment to the more than 50 themed ice sculptures and live carving demonstrations, and from the nighttime parade to the carriage rides around town, there is plenty for everyone to see and do. It isn’t surprising the festival attracts 25,000-35,000 people each year. As a journalist, I’m supposed to be unbiased about the stories and events I write about and photograph. But I admit, the Clarks Summit Festival of Ice is my favorite. Even after eight years of covering it. Be sure to check next week’s Abington Suburban for the official 2019 Clarks Summit Festival of Ice program guide with everything you need to know about the event. In the meantime, may the Force be with you. Contact the writer: ebaumeister@timesshamrock. com; 570-348-9100, ext. 3492
What’s inside Calendar ........................ 2 Contest .......................... 3 Churches ........................ 4 Celebrations ................... 6 JULie JeFFery ManWarren / For aBington SUBUrBan
Just for Fun .................... 8
Joan Glowinski, a resident of the Pines Senior Living, reads to children at the Children’s Center at Keystone College.
Sports ............................ 9
involvement kids thrive on,” Coccimiglio said. The residents at the Pines Senior Living are thankful for a chance to give back and make a difference in the community.
Schools ........................ 11
working with kids,” said Joan Gourley, a retired school teacher. She played a game and read a story with children at the Keystone Children’s Center. “This has been a great experience for us. This is the kind of
Please see Difference, Page 10
Classifieds ................... 11
Send news tips to news@ abingtonsuburban.com or call 570-348-9185