School Movers & Shakers

Aliquippa High School football standout Tiqwai "Tikey" Hayes, a senior running back and the pride of the Aliquippa Indians, has been making waves both on and off the field. Hayes, wearing #23, has not only solidified his place as one of Pennsylvania's most talented high school athletes, but he is also leading the charge in a new era of high school sports. Ushering in a fairly new era of Name, Image and Likeness, Hayes is represented by Pennsylvania sports agent and attorney Alex Guminski, President of PRO ZONE: The Agency. Through his representation, Hayes recently secured the first-ever autograph trading card deal for a high school football player in Pennsylvania history with Leaf, Inc. — a first-of-its-kind achievement made possible by the PIAA’s 2022 adoption of a Name, Image, and Likeness (“NIL”) law.

Hayes, committed to Penn State University, has consistently demonstrated his dominance on the field, earning the admiration of fans and college scouts alike. 

On Wednesday, November 13, in celebration of Veterans Day, Aquinas Academy students performed a color ceremony giving special recognition to all Aquinas Academy alumni and all veterans who have served or are currently serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. The ceremony was conducted entirely by members of the Aquinas student body ranging in class from 2nd grade through 12th grade.

Mars Area High School Varsity Competition Cheer Team competed in the Tornado Warning: Butler Cheer Classic, held Nov. 10 at Butler Area Senior High School. The Planets earned first place in the Medium Varsity Game Day competition. In Small Varsity Traditional competition, the team took fourth place.

Two Mars Area Middle School students took top places in The Strand Theater Initiative’s 2024 Ghost of the Strand Creative Writing Contest. Eighth-grader Gianna Bartley received second place and seventh-grader Everly Henderson took third place in the annual contest, open to students in Grades 7-12.

Mars Area Centennial School fifth grade teacher William Sepich was recognized through the Forever Pittsburgh Media “Give a Teacher an Apple” Contest. Sixth-grader Aspen Stepanic nominated Sepich, who was her fifth-grade science and social studies teacher last school year. 

Nine Fox Chapel Area High School students painted a snowplow blade as part of PennDOT’s Paint the Plow Program. The snowplow blades are used on PennDOT trucks throughout the winter season as they clean the roads. Fox Chapel Area High School’s design was created by Caroline Grimsley.  The other students who worked on the project were Ava deBruyn, Raina Guzman, Nora Kelley, Emily Kiro, Shayna McDermott, Mira Owens, Lillian Salva, and Emilia Sutkowski. The project was overseen by Fox Chapel Area High School art teacher Joan Marangoni.

Two Fox Chapel Area High School students won awards at the inaugural Gettysburg College Model United Nations (UN) Conference.  Senior Benjamin Fiedler was named the Best Delegate and junior Ulyana Kubini received an Honorable Mention.

Five Fox Chapel Area High School students placed at the annual M&M Lake Erie Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament.  The team of juniors Joanna Li and Zachary Rubin won first place in Policy Debate. Senior Swati Mylarappa and freshman Ottilie Happold were each named Merit Speakers in Student Congress. Senior Emanuel DiNatale won sixth place in Impromptu Speaking.

America250PA announced Point Park University as the winner of its sixth annual 2024 Direct Effect™ Innovation Challenge (DEIC), a multi-round competition that challenges students from postsecondary institutions across the Commonwealth to design and develop integrated marketing campaigns that explore solutions to real-life challenges and questions. Point Park University competed against four other postsecondary institutions—Rosemont College, Westmoreland County Community College, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, and Penn State Altoona—and received the highest score from a

judging panel of industry professionals.