On Wednesday, October 7, the PMA Panthers held their 7th Annual "Pink Out" - a volleyball  game dedicated to raising money for breast cancer research. The team dressed in black and  pink uniforms and asked everyone who came to the game to dress in pink.

The team charged a small admission fee, sold food and had a 50/50 raffle to raise  funds during the game.

On Friday, October 9, PMA held a school-wide pink dress down day to add to the funds  already raised. But they didn't stop 

there.... On Tuesday, October 13, the volleyball team held a second Pink Out game to raise more funds for this cause. Between both "Pink Out" volleyball games and the dress down day, PMA was able to raise almost $900.

The money will be donated to support Breast Cancer research and also to the Anne
Shields Memorial Scholarship Fund. Anne Shields was a teacher at PMA for many years
who lost her battle with cancer eight years ago. The "Pink Out" helped the volleyball
team pay tribute to her memory and honor those who battle this disease every day.
PMA Panthers are proud to "think pink" and encourage everyone to "Pink Out" in support
of breast cancer research.

The one time that you are encouraged to play with your food is for the good of science!
Mrs. MacGregor's Honors Biology class performed the Food as Fuel lab to measure how

much energy is given off by three different organic macromolecules: carbohydrates, which

were found in marshmallows; protein, represented in a peanut; and a fat that  was in a cheese ball. The students designed their own calorimeters and by measuring  changes in water temperature and weight of food after they set each item on fire (with adult supervision, of course), they then could determine the kilocalories per mass of each food sample. The purpose of this lab is for students to take what they are learning about proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in class, perform some creative lab work, and together they are able to see first hand which of the foods they eat give them the most energy. 

The students certainly looked like they enjoyed themselves with this hands-on approach  to learning. Or it could just be they liked playing with their food. Either way, the smell of a burning peanut will always remind them of PMA  and Mrs. MacGregor's Honors Biology. 

As reported in the September Issue of ePathways, the music room mural was a work  in progress. Since August, the students have been working hard to give the music room a more homey feel by painting a mural on the wall. We are happy to report...the mural is finally finished!

Massachusetts native and basketball star Chris Herran has a powerful story to tell.  The former Boston Celtic struggled with drug and alcohol addiction through most  of his career. After hitting rock bottom, Herran became sober in 2008 and has been clean  for seven years. Since then he continues to educate others on the dangers of addiction and challenges them to stand up to substance abuse.
PMA students Ronnie St. Peter, John Morris, Anthony Bilecki, and Abraham Collazzo  had the privilege of hearing Herran's emotional story first hand at the Attorney  Jonathan W. Blodgett's 3rd Annual Youth Summit held on Friday, September 25, at the Peabody Marriot. They were chosen to attend because they all exemplify leadership qualities at PMA.

Herran shared his personal journey with students from 20 high schools in Essex  County. He told of his struggles and the personal demons he battled since high school and, consequently, through most of his adult life. He pleaded with the  students to aid in making their school an atmosphere where the kids who don't drink  or do drugs are well-respected, as well as one where bullying is not tolerated.   It could save not only their lives but the life of a classmate.

Herran was joined by youth advocate Al Duncan who challenged the attendees to  be agents of positive change. He spoke about how important it is to lead by example  in their school and in their own families. Not only do friends and classmates look up to you, he advised, but so do younger siblings.

The attendees were all given a pair of sunglasses with the words "Make Good Decisions"
inscribed on them, serving as a reminder to think before you act. Good advice in today's untamed and unpredictable world.

You can read more about Chris Herran's story and Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett's 3rd Annual Youth Summit in the following   Salem News Article

PMA English Teacher Mrs. Zygmont loves her family, her dog Flower, proper grammar, teaching her students (and sometimes staff) how to use proper grammar, advising NHS, and she avidly enjoys a wide variety of outdoor activities.  

Mrs. Zygmont is a teacher who is always involved with her students.  You can count on her to be an active member of the school community and she encourages students to be active participants as well.  She has co-run Ski Club and has helped with recruitment for sports teams, including this year's girls' soccer.  Recently, she spearheaded her own event and took eighteen PMA students hiking.  

It took three vans, four chaperons, including a recent alumna Shanene Pierce, '11, and careful strategic planning to pull this event together, but when Mrs. Zygmont wants to do something, she makes it happen.

On Saturday, October 3, a sunny yet crisp fall afternoon, Mrs. Zygmont, eighteen eager PMA students, her co-chaperones, and her dog Flower hiked the Welch-Dickey Mountain Loop trail in Thornton, NH.  This popular hiking trail stretches 4.5 miles over two mountains, and offers wonderful panoramic views of New England.  "It was a bit challenging at times," said Mrs. Zygmont; "there were some steep sections and uphill climbing, but we all made it."

It took four hours for this sundry group to complete this hike, but they enjoyed every minute of it.