Volume 1, Issue 6: December 4, 2017
Welcome to The Mt. Lion Roar where you can read about some of the things happening in the Altoona Area School District. With nearly 8,000 students, AASD is the area's top choice for Academics, Arts and Athletics.
Ed Gerety Brings Leadership Message to Altoona Students
Author and youth leadership speaker Ed Gerety, challenged students to "Make their Mark" and have the courage to believe in themselves to "be the best they can be," during an assembly on Wednesday, November 29.

Gerety spoke in a packed AAHS Field House to nearly 2300 students in grades 9-12, encouraging students to be grateful. respectful and kind to one another and to understand the consequences of their words and actions. "The biggest mistake is for you not be yourself, now or in the future," Gerety told the students. "We don't know everyone's complete story."

Students were actively listening to Gerety and many stayed after the assembly to meet with and share their thoughts with Mr. Gerety.

After presenting at Altoona, Gerety traveled to Hollidaysburg for a presentation before returning to Altoona for an evening community event.

Photo Courtesy of AAHS Mt. Echo/Yearbook
All City Chorus Performs with the Altoona Symphony
Thirty (30) fifth and sixth grade Altoona Area School District students performed at the historic Mishler Theater with the Altoona Symphony Orchestra as part of the annual Home for the Holidays concert.

This is the second year the All City Youth Choir has been invited to perform with the professional musicians on the historic Mishler stage.

Selections included a variety of holiday medleys plus exciting choreography, lyrical melodies, and laugh-out-loud antics. Congratulations to the student performers!
St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry
Student council at Juniata Gap collected cereal during the month of November for the St. Vincent DePaul Assumption Chapel Food Pantry. Classrooms competed against one another for the grand prize. The classroom with the most boxes of cereal will get to have a pizza party. The cereal will go to kids in the community who really need it. Great job Juniata Gap!

Ebner Elementary Introduces Dancing Drum Program

Students in grades 3-6 at Ebner Elementary School participated in a two-day Dancing Drum workshop that culminated with an all-school performance. A new student ensemble will be formed this year at Ebner under the direction of Ms.Teri Myers.

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The Challenge Program
To kick-off the 2017-2018 Program year, students from Altoona Area High School were recently introduced to The Challenge Program, Inc. during an orientation assembly.

The assembly theme was Classroom Feud: Workplace Edition. This fun game show spin-off reveals to students the right answers to the important questions for career-readiness and success both in and beyond the classroom and how to earn cash incentives.

During the assembly, students in the sophomore, junior, and senior classes were introduced to local career opportunities.

Throughout the year, students will be eligible to compete for financial awards in five areas linked with academic and workplace success: Attendance, Academic Improvement, Academic Excellence, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and Community Service.

The business partners for Altoona Area High School during the 2017-2018 school year are Altoona Area School District Foundation and Reliance Bank.

At the end of the assembly, five juniors and five seniors received cash awards for the work they accomplished last year during the 2016-2017 school year in the five above-mentioned categories.  
AAJHS Livewire Publication Receives Gold Medal
Congratulations to the Mrs. Wanda Vanish and the 2016-17 Livewire staff for receiving the GOLD medal for the 2016-2017 Critique. The publication will move on to compete in the Crown award which will be selected in March. The judges said, "Featuring a small staff, it's a testament to the work of the students and staff of Livewire that they produce such a solid publication for a junior high school."

Go to Livewire to read the latest student news.
AAJHS Livewire staff at work.
Stockings for Soldiers
Mrs. Carolyn Kline's AAHS American Studies students filled 85 stockings for the Stockings for Soldiers project.

Each year students participate in a project during the week of Veterans Day to remind students to be thankful for the service of our Veterans. "We talk about the fact that not everyone is home for the holidays," said Kline. "And, we can do things to make that time a little less difficult for our soldiers. It's a powerful message."

Students filled stockings with items such as gum , mints, vitamins, batteries, shampoo, cards, crossword puzzles, etc. Each student added a card with a personalized message.

Stockings will be sent to soldiers deployed, being deployed or deployed and coming home.