School Movers & Shakers - February

Anchored Christian Academy

Anchored Christian Academy in Mars, PA had two-chapter winners for The Daughters of the American Revolution annual essay contest submitted by the Kushkushkee Trail chapter of the DAR. The winners were high school winner, Drew Williams, and the 6th grade winner, Levi Connor, along with their teacher, Ruth Butler.

Bishop Canevin

The 2026 Niche rating for best Catholic high schools in Pittsburgh has been published. Bishop Canevin High School ranks number five after getting recognition specifically for activities, diversity, and college attendance.

Members of Bishop Canevin's Academic Team competed on KDKA's KD Quiz (formerly known as Hometown High Q) and placed second, with Central Catholic in first place and Penn Hills High School in third. The show aired on December 20.

Fox Chapel

Fox Chapel Area High School senior Arman Alborzi has qualified to take the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME). Arman qualified to take the national exam as a result of his distinguished performance on the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) 12 exam that he took in November. The AIME is a three-hour, 15 question invitation-only mathematics exam, and it will be given in February.

Fox Chapel Area School District students held their 36th annual telethon on December 23 and raised $101,001. The 2025 total brings the money raised by Fox Chapel Area students and staff to more than $1,379,497 over the last 36 years for various local and regional charities. The telethon raised money for the local organization Fox Families Care and involved students from all six schools. Additionally, this year, anonymous donors through Fox Families Care matched donations up to $50,000.

Six Fox Chapel Area High School students won awards at the annual Duquesne University Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament. Paulomi Goel and Ottilie Happold won first place. Anna Juliet Chrissis and Austin Helsel won sixth place, and Maya Agarwal and Prachi Behal won eighth place. Additionally, Fox Chapel Area High School students won the first-place Sweepstakes Award for Small Schools. 

Four Fox Chapel Area High School students were named winners at the North Catholic High School Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament. Paulomi Goel and Ottilie Happold won fourth place, and Steven Li and Ryan Wang were awarded fifth place.

Mars Area

Mars Area Elementary School third-grader Addison Winn is featured in a commercial produced as part of the NFL’s Inspire Change social justice initiative. 

Mars Area High School Varsity Competition Cheer Team competed in the 2025-2026 WPIAL Class 3A Competitive Spirit Competition, held at Hempfield Area High School. The Planets received 11th place overall and fifth place in the Small Varsity division. Team members include Lily Becker, Riley Carrel, Josie Dressen, Gianna Goodman, Liv Hanna, Emlyn Kasperowicz, Sophia Lapina, Allie Lefcakis, Lexi Lefcakis, Marina Missos, Paige Nicholson, Maddy Osterman, Teegan Painter, Aliana Spagnolo, Bella Staines, Abby Stevenson, Avery Symchak, Teagan Tumulty, Addy Vargo, and Lainy Vargo.

BC3

A 1972 graduate of Butler County Community College who founded an oil and gas exploration company has contributed $100,000 to the BC3 Education Foundation with an

unprecedented request that it be disbursed in one academic year through his creation of 125 scholarships ranging in amount from $500 to $2,000. That’s the way I wanted it to work, and I am happy with that,” said Gary Griwatz, of Cranberry Township and of Tampa, Fla.