• Alumni Q&A with Bill Lewis, SV Class of 1977

    Posted by the Communications Department on 12/22/2021

    B. LewisQ: Catch us up. Tell us what you're doing today:
    A: I attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania after graduating from SV. I majored in accounting.  I retired after 32 years in banking (commercial lending in specific). I am active with my church's youth group and its finances.  I volunteer as a swim coach with the local Special Olympics swim team. I began taking piano lessons after retirement. My wife and I like to ride bikes, travel, spend time on our boat and I play golf weekly.

    Q: Please share with us some information about your family.
    A: I grew up in Zelienople and most of my family still live in the area. I moved from western PA to eastern PA after college graduation.  I married my college sweetheart 38 years ago and we have lived in the Lehigh Valley (Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton) area for the past 40 years. We never had children.

    Q: What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?
    A: One thing that seems to surprise people is that I (the conservative banker) have jumped out of a perfectly good airplane several times.

    Q: How did Seneca Valley help you become the person you are today, both personally and professionally?
    A: My parents always encouraged me to get involved and participate in activities both in and outside of school. They would say "try it and if you don't like it try something else." I believe as it turns out, by doing just that it helped me develop various character traits that benefited me as an adult. Two characteristics most employers want in their new hire is an individual that can be "a team player and be self-motivated." I think my involvement in a variety of after-school activities (basketball team, golf team, boy's chorus) all taught me these valuable lessons.

    Q: What do you think makes Seneca Valley such a special place to learn and grow?
    A: For me, as I look back on my experiences in high school, I believe the teachers I had really cared about their students, they had their best interests in mind and wanted us all to be the best person we could be.

    Q: Who was your favorite coach/SV staff member?
    A: Favorite coach was Ray Ondako, he taught me the value of being a team player. Favorite staff member was my Mom – "the Donut Lady." She worked in the high school kitchen and served donuts and milkshakes to the students during their cafeteria study halls.

    Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Seneca Valley?
    A: Even though we did not win a lot of basketball games many of my favorite memories are from the practices, playing the games and just hanging out with my teammates throughout the year. We had all played together for many years (some of us starting together in sixth grade), several of us lived within walking distance of each other and consequently, we spent a lot of time together in and out of school. In my senior year, there were seven seniors on the team and memories of those long-time friendships have lasted forever.

    Q: If you had one message for teachers or staff, what would it be?
    A: Make your lessons real to the students by relating whatever the topic of the day is to how it applies in real life. Tell them why they need to know what it is they are being taught. For example, all these years later I still find myself saying things like "who knew I was going to need to know algebra in my banking career" or simpler things like "how much weed killer do I need to mix into two gallons of water to get my yard back into shape and not kill all the grass at the same time?" I have taught and tutored accounting to students and as a mentor and manager in the workplace and I have always found that if I could make the lesson/topic relate to something real it sunk in better.

    Q: What do you wish other people knew about Seneca Valley?
    A: I found my days in the school district very friendly and safe. I always felt the education I received at Seneca prepared me for the next phase of my life (college). I enjoyed my experiences at all levels beginning at Connoquessing Valley Elementary (through sixth grade) to at the time the new Junior High School (grades 7-9) and of course High School. I am fortunate (44 years later) that I still have many friends that I stay in touch with from my high school days (thanks to Facebook). I know the issues of today are more complex than ever but providing students with a safe, welcoming environment to go to every day helps provide for both a good learning and personal growth experience for the students.

  • Alumni Q&A with Christy Lucas, SV Class of 2012

    Posted by the Communications Department on 11/30/2021

    Q: Catch us up. Tell us what you're doing today:C. Lucas
    A: I graduated from Notre Dame in 2016, where I double majored in Science Pre-professional Studies and Psychology and graduated from medical school at Penn State College of Medicine in 2020. I'm currently a second-year Pediatrics resident at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and am hoping to pursue a fellowship after. One of my research interests is the patient experience, so I am working to redesign hospital gowns for patients and providers so that gowns can be more modest, comfortable, functional and humanizing.

    Q: Please share with us some information about your family.
    A: I live with my twin sister in Ross Township now, but my parents still live in Cranberry. My sister works for UPMC in hospital finance, and I work for UPMC as a physician.

    Q: What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?
    A: I do not know how to ride a bike without training wheels. It is a strange fun fact, but I see it as a way to stay grounded; it helps me remember that there are many things I can do, but there will always be something that I cannot do (which someone else can probably do very easily).

    Q: How did Seneca Valley help you become the person you are today, both personally and professionally?
    A: Seneca Valley gave me the space to explore my intellectual curiosities with classes like AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP History, and AP Chemistry that prepared me for college and medical school, but also gave me the chance to embrace creativity and view the world from a different perspective with Drawing, Painting, and Senior Career Art—a much-appreciated break in my school day.

    Q: What do you think makes Seneca Valley such a special place to learn and grow?
    A: The teachers—they are incredibly creative and extremely dedicated to their students to make sure they succeed in school and out in the real world.

    Q: Who was your favorite teacher/coach/SV staff member?
    A: I have multiple favorites! I will probably forget to list someone— Mrs. Hopkins (5th grade), Mr. Roman (7th grade), Mr. Zimmerman (7th grade), Mrs. Butschle (9th grade), Mr. Fetchko (9th grade), Frau Sibeto (9th grade), Mrs. O'Toole (10th grade), Mrs. Hugus (10th grade), Mr. Magill (10th grade), Mrs. McLaughlin (10th grade), Mr. Nagle (11th and 12th grade), Mr. Hanlon (11th grade), Mr. Lucot (12th grade).

    Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Seneca Valley?
    A: I really enjoyed my first period drawing class with Mr. Nagle during my junior year. For one activity, a student would pick up a prop (e.g., a parasol, book, large hat) and stand on the main table as we did blind line drawings of them. You were not allowed to look at your paper, but rather had to stay focused on who/what you were drawing. The best advice he gave was, no erasing because "you put that line there for a reason." We then used a line drawing, imperfections and all, to make a piece of art. I continue to remember this lesson because as human beings, we make mistakes and things don't always go as planned, but that does not mean the experience was not meaningful or valuable.

    Q: If you had one message for teachers or staff, what would it be?
    A: Thank you for believing that still waters run deep.

    Q: What do you wish other people knew about Seneca Valley?
    A: I hope people will come to know how kind and hard-working the teachers are, and that so many go above and beyond the job description of "teacher" to help students succeed as intellectuals and human beings. I am grateful for the education that I got at Seneca Valley.

  • Alumni Q&A with Andrew Orr, SV Class of 2005 and Michael Orr, SV Class of 2001

    Posted by the Communications Department on 10/29/2021

    Q: Catch us up. Tell us what you're doing today: Orr brothers

    AO: I work at our family business, Penna Flame Industries, in Zelienople. The company was founded in 1968 by our grandfather and our father took the helm as president in 1990. My brother and I have been with the business since 2009 and are both Vice Presidents now. My primary focus is on sales and customer service. I spend time visiting customers for development and continued relationship building. I also visit them to troubleshoot issues. Most of my time is spent at our Zelienople facility in the office and shop. I have the opportunity to be involved in company financials, HR, technical sales, process development, and IT (servers, switches, networking, and computers). It keeps me on my toes every day!

    MO: VP of Operations at Penna Flame Industries. My daily activities include scheduling jobs and hours for machine operators, shipping, maintenance and quality control personnel. I review all job orders for accuracy and completeness. I am heavily involved with process improvement and new ideas. I train machine operators daily and oversee difficult jobs. I read blueprints, calculate job pricing and get involved with customer service and problem-solving.

    Q: Please share with us some information about your family.

    AO: I have two siblings, an older brother, and a younger sister. I was born and raised in Cranberry Township and still remember what it was like before Walmart was built. There was less traffic then. My younger sister lives in Raleigh, NC, and helps with the family business in her spare time.

    MO: I have a wife, Lauren, and a son, Jace, who just turned one.

    Q: What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?

    AO: I was honored to be selected as prom king.

    MO: Work related – I can run every machine in the shop.

    Q: How did Seneca Valley help you become the person you are today, both personally and professionally?

    AO: I had many great teachers that made a lasting impression on me. I remember many little tricks or phrases from the teachers that I still use today. I had great classmates to grow up with and am still lifelong friends with many of them.

    MO: There were all different types of personalities at SV because of the large class size. This helped me to be able to relate to different types of people and find a common ground to work from. This helps with a lot of things in life such as meeting new friends or working with people at a company.

    Q: What do you think makes Seneca Valley such a special place to learn and grow?

    AO: It is in a great location and continues to grow with the growing community. I remember being the first fifth grade class at Haine Middle School, then they added onto the Intermediate when I was there. A year or two later there were additions put on the Senior High and Middle School. I don't miss the classes in the "modulars," but I see that it was worth it.

    MO: The teachers were very involved and kind to the students. If you needed extra help by staying after class, during study hall, or at the end of the day they were always willing to spend their time to help. I feel like they are very committed to their jobs and making the school such a great place to learn.

    Q: Who was your favorite teacher/coach/SV staff member?

    AO: This is a tough one, but I would have to say, Mrs. Finch. I believe it was Advanced Bio class at the end of the day my senior year. She understood my humor (most of the time) and was quick-witted to set me straight. It was always good for a quick laugh and re-focus back to work.

    MO: The late Mr. Russo, AP Statistics. He was down-to-earth and easy to talk to. In class, we had some laughs, great discussions and a lot of learning.

    Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Seneca Valley?

    AO: This one is tough because it could go many ways… I would have to say my senior project presentation. I remember being nervous about speaking in front of a room of teachers, but the focus of my project was on surface hardening gear teeth. They didn't know what I was talking about and now I do that regularly for my job. That was the first of many presentations I have delivered on metal heat treating and it helped prepare me more than I imagined it would.

    MO: Senior Project. It was fun and took a lot of work that I felt prepared us well for college projects.

  • Alumni Q&A with Josh Dean, SV Class of 2003

    Posted by the Communications Department on 9/30/2021

    Q: Catch us up. Tell us what you're doing today:J. Dean
    A: After I graduated, I attended John Casablanca's Modeling and Career Centers in Greentree. They develop, promote and book models and actors for local, national and international assignments. After graduating from there, I was booked as a model out of Erie. I then joined Nancy Mosser Casting, which is the biggest agency in the region. I started to audition for movies and commercials locally. I got to be an extra in movies such as "The Dark Knight Rises," "Out of the Furnace," "An American Pickle," and "C Me Dance," just to name a few. Then I auditioned and got the part to be in a local commercial called Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR). I was also cast as the main character for a local movie called "Croaker: A Ribbiting Tail." I was on a ghost show called "Raw Fear and Paranormal Pittsburgh." It ran on WB 22 and Fox 53 for three years and other stations around the United States. We were based out of Dixmont, which is located in Sewickley. We did investigations all over the region. This was where I learned how to be a ghost hunter and I have been doing that ever since. If I am not ghost hunting or acting, I am spending time with my fiancé and son. I love fishing, camping and other outdoor activities.

    Q: Please share with us some information about your family.
    A: My mother graduated from Evans City. Yes, Evans City use to be a high school! One of my aunts also graduated from Seneca Valley. I have several cousins and some of my siblings graduate from Seneca Valley and I still have family in the district.

    Q: What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?
    A: Other than being a local actor and a ghost hunter, I ran for the Freedom Area School Board a couple months ago. Even though I lost, I learned I can be an advocate and a voice in the community for years to come.

    Q: How did Seneca Valley help you become the person you are today, both personally and professionally?
    A: I was supposed to graduate in 2002. I got held back in the 11th grade. I had a lot of issues at home that were affecting me in the classroom. The guidance counselor and some of the teachers, as well as my friends, helped me out big time. I learned that other people in the district and the community can really come together to make a difference and help one another. And that's what I am trying to do now.

    Q: What do you think makes Seneca Valley such a special place to learn and grow?
    A: The school climate and atmosphere. When I came to Seneca Valley in the second grade, I walked through the door and the students and teachers valued me as one of them. I will never forget that. That showed me that the buildings care about their students. When I took Drama or played sports I knew I was going to be part of something special.

    Q: Who was your favorite teacher/coach/ SV staff member?
    A: There is and was a lot of staff that should be recognized. But for me, they were:
    Mrs. Bairus, second grade teacher at CVE
    Mrs. Huber, fourth grade teacher at CVE
    Mrs. Ketterer, fifth grade teacher at CVE
    (when the elementary schools had a
    fifth grade)
    Mr. Adrekovich, sixth grade teacher at
    Evans City Middle School
    Mrs. Capra, Mrs. Mitro, Mrs. McFarland,
    Mr. Monteleone, Mr. Trew, Mr. Williams,
    Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Ceh, Mrs. Creasy and
    Mrs. Russell, secondary teachers at Ryan Gloyer Middle School and Seneca Valley Intermediate and Senior High schools.

    Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Seneca Valley?
    A: I actually have two; the September 11 attacks, which basically changed all of our lives forever. And of course, my graduation is the other.

    Q: If you had one message for teachers or staff, what would it be?
    A: A big THANK YOU! I will never forget all the fun activities my teachers included in their classes to enhance my learning. They always related the lessons to real-life examples that would allow the material to make more logical sense to me. Also, for those who took the time to help me through my challenges and encouraged me to push me forward.

    Q: What do you wish other people knew about Seneca Valley?
    A: Seneca Valley has come a long way. It's a huge district, with so many elementary schools and ball fields. The school is highly ranked in the top 20. Not just because its Seneca Valley. It is ranked high on its performance in the classroom and how they prepare their students for the future. It's also ranked the best school district in Butler County.

  • Alumni Q&A with Matt Buechele, SV Class of 2008

    Posted by the Communications Department on 8/31/2021

    Q: Catch us up. Tell us what you're doing today:
    A: Today I live in New York and am a recently hired writer for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. I'm also a comedian and composer who shares my work on social media. Last year I wrote and starred in a musical end-of-year spot for Netflix.

    Q: Please share with us some information about your family.
    A: My parents live in Cranberry. I have an older brother and younger sister who are both SV graduates, as well.

    M. Buechele Q: What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?
    A: I was never really the class clown in high school. I liked to joke around with my friends, but I didn't really get into comedy and writing until college.

    Q: How did Seneca Valley help you become the person you are today, both personally and professionally?
    A: Seneca Valley gave me the opportunity to try different things and discover what I enjoyed doing most. A lot of my close friends that I made at Seneca Valley are still my closest friends.

    Q: What do you think makes Seneca Valley such a special place to learn and grow?
    A: Seneca Valley is an interesting place. It is wedged between different communities, some very rural, others more suburban/commercial. You can learn technical skills or pursue the arts or anything in between. I could be taking a class on law in the morning and then learning how to play piano in the afternoon. I enjoyed the variety of coursework, as well as the passion each teacher brought to their subject.

    Q: Who was your favorite teacher/coach/SV staff member?
    A: There were many teachers, coaches, and staff that had a big influence on my life so I hate to leave anyone out, but I want to give a specific shoutout to Mr. Aaron Magill. I only really took classes under him during my senior year, but he saw talent in me that I didn't see. He encouraged me to pursue singing and theater and piano, all skills that directly lead me to the position I'm in today. I owe him a great deal of gratitude for his enthusiastic support of my musical side.

    Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Seneca Valley?
    A: During my senior year there was a teacher strike that lasted for several weeks. At the time it was kind of a joke to my friends and me. We looked at it as a fun time to spend time with each other during our last year before leaving for college. As the strike continued it became obvious that it was a very serious issue affecting many people in our district. I look back on that time now and I think it was my first exposure to workers demanding fair wages and fair treatment. I didn't pay much attention to politics on the local level when I was in high school and I wish I had been more aware of what the teachers, who helped me so much, were demanding. Today I try to be conscious of the issues going on in my communities and always vote and support those in my neighborhood who want to fund our schools, our educators and our students.

    Q: If you had one message for teachers or staff, what would it be?
    A: Your hard work and commitment to your students does not go unappreciated.

    Q: What do you wish other people knew about Seneca Valley?
    A: Seneca Valley may be in a small town but it is a very passionate community of people who work really hard to make education memorable and important.

  • Alumni Q&A with Natalie DiCianna, SV Class of 2014

    Posted by the Communication Department on 6/30/2021

    Q: Catch us up. Tell us what you're doing today:N. DiCianna
    A: After my time at Seneca, I went to Emerson College in Boston, MA and got a B.A in Visual and Media Arts production. I always had a dream of working in film and television, and in college I produced multiple shows for our television station. I also made it to the second round of Austin Film Festival's Screenplay Competition in 2017. When I graduated, I moved out to Los Angeles to complete a Disney Professional Internship in their TV Animation Casting & Talent Relations Department. For the past year, I've been working as a Casting Assistant at Nickelodeon Animation. As a casting assistant, I work with a team to audition actors and find the right person to portray any character that is created by the show; we do this by accepting audition self-tapes from talent agencies or bringing in actors for in-person audition (or over Zoom as we're still working from home due to COVID.) Our department also works with production to record all the talent for shows so I get to cover recording sessions. I work on shows in all stages, some that are in development and in the pilot stage and some shows that have been on for multiple seasons. Some of the shows I'm working on right now are "Baby Shark," "It's Pony," "Rugrats," "Kamp Koral," and (a personal favorite from my childhood) "SpongeBob SquarePants."

    Q: Please share with us some information about your family.
    A: My parents still live in Cranberry Township, and I have an older brother, Michael, who graduated from Seneca in 2011.

    Q: What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?
    A: When I was deciding what I wanted to do after high school, I was in between film school or nursing/physician's assistant training. Both completely opposite tracks, but I'm definitely happy with where I wound up.

    Q: How did Seneca Valley help you become the person you are today, both personally and professionally?
    A: When I was at Seneca, I took the video production classes that kick-started my career. My time with SVTV taught me not only the basics of film/TV production, but also how to collaborate with other students and team members to finish a project. When I got to Emerson and was interviewing for positions on TV shows, it was rare for a freshman to already have experience working in a studio so I was able to stand out from the rest of the incoming students.

    Q: What do you think makes Seneca Valley such a special place to learn and grow?
    A: When I was at Seneca, there were a lot of opportunities for students to try out different clubs and orgs and even select classes that fit with their interests. I've talked about how I was involved with SVTV, but I also loved being in choir from fifth grade up until I graduated.

    Q: Who was your favorite teacher/coach/SV staff member?
    A: I always have a special memory of my fourth grade teacher from Evans City, Mrs. McMurray. I definitely would slack off a bit in her class and forget about homework assignments (something a few of my former teachers might remember) but she kept pushing me in the right way and never gave up on me. There are so many teachers at SV, though, that have left their mark on me, nurtured my dreams, and some I still talk to today. Shout out to the late Mr. Watkins, Miss Narcisi, Miss Hugus, Miss Walker, Miss Mitnick, the late Mrs. Schoudt, Mr. Friday, and Mr. Hayward. You all have helped, in some way, to make me a better me.

    Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Seneca Valley?
    A: The Lip Dub from my senior year really stands out. I worked as one of the directors on it, and yes it was great because it was right up my alley for my interests, but it was also great to see how everyone worked together to be a part of it and how excited we all were when it was posted online. Winning the competition that year was also a sweet moment. Q: If you had one message for teachers or staff, what would it be?A: Seneca is a large school with students who have interests all over the map and they're all still trying to figure out what they want to do and be. Try and encourage the small interests and hobbies of your students, you never know if it's what they might find their passion in and make a career out of.

    Q: What do you wish other people knew about Seneca Valley?
    A: That a school in a small county in Western PA has a wider curriculum than some that I've heard about from students who went to schools in larger cities across the country. People always think it's crazy that our gym had a rock wall and that we did archery in PE.

  • Alumni Q&A with Ashley Reign, SV Class of 2015

    Posted by the Communications Department on 5/28/2021

    Q: Catch us up. Tell us what you're doing today:
    A: After graduating from Seneca Valley, I was accepted into the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University (PPU). Point Park University is in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, and while I was there, I was blessed to be able to perform in the historic Pittsburgh Playhouse (both old and new). I graduated from PPU in 2019 with a Bachelor's in Theatre Arts: Performances and Practices with a concentration on Acting for A. Reign Film and a minor in Business Management. After four years of hard work and pursuing my passions, I was named top of my class and was the Outstanding Student Speaker at my commencement ceremony.
    Since graduating from college, I have continued my grind to make my dreams become my reality. I have starred in an immersive play called "Khūrākī" (Real/Time Interventions), performed in two feature films: "Little Mouse" by Before I Wake Productions and "Massacre Academy" by Cineworx (premiering this summer), I've done a book trailer called "River of My Soul," a phone app promotional video, and two short films. This summer I will act in my third feature film called "The Order of the White Worm" and an untitled short film. I'm also a nanny! I absolutely love working with kids, and until I can act full time, that's a job I'm happy to do.
    My goal within the next year or two is to move to Atlanta, Georgia and further pursue my acting career. I hope to be in the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), performing in movies and on television, and having the gift of entertaining, educating and empowering others.

    Q: Please share with us some information about your family.
    A: My younger brother graduated from Seneca Valley in 2020. He recently became certified in sound engineering and wants to become a music producer.

    Q: What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?
    A: People are always surprised to find out that I have a fear of talking on the phone. That's crazy right?! I'm an actress. I've never been nervous about speaking or presenting in front of others; I've never been uncomfortable with attention. However, if I have to order my own pizza, I'm shaking in my boots! Ooh! Also, my real last name is Williams. Ashley Reign is my stage name!

    Q: How did Seneca Valley help you become the person you are today, both personally and professionally?
    A: Seneca Valley helped me become who I am personally by offering a multitude of extracurricular activities and classes. Seneca offers so many things that other schools don't or unfortunately cannot. There's so much to explore. I played basketball, I participated in student council, I gave band a try, I did chorus for a while, I was in the Thespian club, and I performed in every play and musical I could get my hands on. That's one thing that's so great about SV, you really can explore so much, find what you're passionate about, and you have so many opportunities to take advantage of as a student. Professionally, SV helped me learn to accept the "nos" of life and let them fuel me to secure my "yes." Sometimes successes are built on failures, struggles and rejection, but the important takeaway from that is to make your comeback greater than your setback. Persevere. Always.

    Q: What do you think makes Seneca Valley such a special place to learn and grow?
    A: Seneca Valley is a big school. There's a vast amount of people to meet, talk to, learn from, collaborate and become friends with. There are teachers who are so passionate about your education, passions and future. There's a plethora of clubs to join, sports to play, performances to be a part of, and classes to take. I feel that will only continue to become more prevalent as time goes on.

    Q: Who was your favorite teacher/coach/SV staff member?
    A: Mr. Kysel was my third grade teacher at CVE. He is my favorite teacher to this day. Being in his classroom was a privilege. He was animated, goofy and challenged every single one of his students to reach their full potential. He taught me and my classmates' things that no one would expect a third grader to know. He taught us about taxes, writing checks, banking, buying a car; we read beyond a third grade level; he taught his students how to play chess; he helped us with fluency, the list just goes on and on. He always had a bunch of games in his classroom and he believed so strongly about learning through play. Before retiring, he would invite his students back to his classroom before they graduated from high school to hear about how they were doing and their goals for the future. A supportive, passionate and wildly intelligent man. Mr. Kysel was the epitome of making learning fun for me, and I draw so many characteristics of how I teach the children I nanny from him.
    There are so many teachers at SV, though, that have left their mark on me, nurtured my dreams, and some I still talk to today. Shout out to the late Mr. Watkins, Miss Narcisi, Miss Hugus, Miss Walker, Miss Mitnick, the late Mrs. Schoudt, Mr. Friday, and Mr. Hayward. You all have helped, in some way, to make me a better me.

    Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Seneca Valley?
    A: Other than performing on the Seneca stage, one of my favorite memories is with the late Mr. Watkins. He was my ninth grade Honors English teacher, and I only had him for a semester, as he was terminally ill. His sickness didn't stop him from showing up to and showing out in class each and every single day. He was the kindest man and built a relationship with each of his students. Mr. Watkins had a passion for theatre, so we bonded over that. One of Mr. Watkins's last days in class, he pulled me outside of the classroom during activity period. He always wore a pin on his shirt with the theatre signs of Thalia (muse of comedy) and Melpomene (muse of tragedy). He told me that I was a wonderful actress, to stay driven, and I will go far. Then, he gave me the pin. The gesture itself and Mr. Watkins meant and mean the world to me.

    Q: If you had one message for teachers or staff, what would it be?
    A: You make a difference. Whether you realize it in the moment or not, you make a difference. Your support fuels students, your understanding calms students, your teaching style sticks with and advances students. You may not feel 100% every single day, some days you may feel like you're at a 72% or a 49% but perform fully at the percent you are at. We appreciate you more than you know.

    Q: What do you wish other people knew about Seneca Valley?
    A: While the school is big, you're not just a number. You'll have friends, teachers, coaches and mentors that will be with you and help you grow and flourish. Seneca Valley is a place where you'll have your ups and downs, your breakdowns and breakthroughs, your failures and successes. Enjoy the ride, because I promise you, you'll end up right where you're supposed to be.

  • Alumni Q&A wiht Sarah Donaldson, SV Class of 2018

    Posted by the Communications Department on 4/30/2021

    S. DonaldsonQ: Catch us up. Tell us what you're doing today:
    A: I'm a junior in college at Ohio University — think Bobcats, not Buckeyes! — in Athens, Ohio. I'm pursuing a B.S. in Journalism at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, with a minor in political science and a certificate in social media. I am editor-in-chief of The New Political, which is a nonpartisan student publication at Ohio University. We cover public affairs on campus, in the city of Athens, and around the state of Ohio. I also do reporting, producing, and anchoring for the student newscast Newswatch for WOUB Public Media, which is the local PBS/NPR affiliate in town. I've previously interned at The Athens NEWS in Athens, Ohio, and the Butler Eagle in Butler, Pennsylvania. This summer, I'll be a business reporting intern at The Columbus Dispatch, the daily metro newspaper in Columbus, Ohio. I will also participate in the 2021 cohort of the POLITICO Journalism Institute, an intensive training program for undergraduate and graduate students interested in political reporting. After graduation in 2022, I hope to secure a job somewhere as a reporter, especially covering either politics or business.

    Q: Please share with us some information about your family.
    A: My younger brother, Zach, is a senior at Seneca Valley this year. He'll graduate in May 2021.

    Q: What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?
    A: Something that people might be surprised to know about me is that I was involved in Girl Scouts from elementary school all the way through high school graduation. I hate bugs and bears, but I still take any opportunity I have to go camping.

    Q: How did Seneca Valley help you become the person you are today, both personally and professionally?
    A: Seneca Valley helped me become the person I am today because I met people, both other students and teachers, who pushed me to be a better version of myself.

    Q: What do you think makes Seneca Valley such a special place to learn and grow?
    A: Seneca Valley is a special place because it has a lot of opportunities for students who are interested in different areas. Just in high school, I was in band for one year and chorus for three years. I wrote for the newspaper for a period of time and participated in SVTV throughout my senior year. I was also in the casts of three all-school musicals: "Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat," "Legally Blonde," and "Tarzan." The wide array of extracurriculars allowed me to fill my time after school and make friends along the way.

    Q: Who was your favorite teacher/coach/SV staff member?
    A: Mr. McKosky and Mr. Lucot were my favorite staff members at Seneca Valley. While I had several really stellar teachers — shoutout to Mr. Lowe, Mrs. Ceh, Mrs. Plutnicki, and Mr. Butschle as well — Mr. McKosky and Mr. Lucot both taught classes that piqued my interest and drove me toward the profession I'm pursuing. They are just also really kind, supportive people who would do anything for their students, and I was so grateful to take their classes and get to know them.

    Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Seneca Valley?
    A: My favorite memory from my time at Seneca Valley was participating in the Seneca Scout the first semester of my senior year. It was part of a broadcast news video production class that Mr. McKosky taught, and every Friday, we'd produce a student newscast. I tried everything from anchoring the show to directing it, and it was just a lot of fun.

    Q: If you had one message for teachers or staff, what would it be?
    A: Continue to support your students, even on their bad days. High school is about finding yourself, but it can also be really overwhelming some days; knowing that I had the support of a few staff members meant the world to me.

    Q: What do you wish other people knew about Seneca Valley?
    A: I wish other people knew that Seneca Valley is a great place to learn a lot about a lot, both inside and outside of the classroom!

  • Alumni Q&A with Elizabeth (Matchett) Freimuth, SV Class of 1992

    Posted by by the Communications Department on 3/31/2021

    Elizabeth (Matchett) Freimuth

    Q: Catch us up. Tell us what you're doing today:
    A: I'm a professional classical musician and for the past 15 years, I have held the position of Principal Horn (French horn) of the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestras. I also teach as an adjunct instructor (French horn) at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. In the summers, I also spend a few weeks teaching at the Brevard Music Center Music Festival in Brevard, North Carolina.

    Q: Please share with us some information about your family.
    A: I've been married to Ben Freimuth for almost 22 years. Ben is also a musician (clarinetist) and a Realtor. We have two daughters (Stella - 9, Lily - 7), and a black lab (Pepper), a golden retriever (Roni) and a purebred Ragdoll cat named Pizza - "PepperRoni Pizza" - get it?! We have lived all over the country including Houston, Denver, Salt Lake City, Kansas City and San Francisco before coming to Cincinnati 15 years ago. We love Cincinnati as it's so similar to Pittsburgh with the rivers, bridges and communities surrounding the city. We do get less snow though :-)

    Q: What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?
    A: People are usually surprised to know that being a member of a professional orchestra is a full-time job. We give multiple concerts every week with a completely new repertoire that we rehearse for about 3-4 days. It's very demanding so we must spend a lot of time honing our craft in order to get these jobs and daily practice at home is also a large part of our job preparation. On average, a professional orchestra will listen to 50-100 people play in multiple rounds of an audition for one opening before deciding if they want to hire any of those candidates for the available position. Orchestra positions are tenure track (like educators) and for obvious reasons, the most prestigious orchestras don't have a lot of personnel turnover because they are great jobs for the few that can get them. I consider myself incredibly blessed.

    Q: How did Seneca Valley help you become the person you are today, both personally and professionally?
    A: My time at Seneca Valley provided me with many opportunities to be challenged and perform in ways on and off the horn. As early as fifth grade, I was playing solos in band concerts with large audiences. In sixth grade, our class had a weekly news program on SVTV produced, filmed, researched and performed exclusively by the students. When I was in high school, I performed on stage in a few musical productions - acting, singing and dancing. I had many opportunities in the Seneca Valley band program to perform and compete in ensemble competitions and every year I had multiple experiences auditioning for district, regional, all-state and honors bands. All of these experiences required me to prepare and then perform at my best in a given moment in front of an audience. To this day, I do not like public speaking, but I've learned how to perform despite how I feel. I'd rather play my horn in front of an audience of thousands than speak to an audience of 10, but a good performer just learns to deliver their preparation. I'm so grateful that I had teachers and mentors at Seneca Valley who saw my potential and encouraged me to do these challenging and sometimes uncomfortable things in order for me to realize my potential and build the personal character and mental toughness that has carried me through my professional life. I'm also very fortunate that my own Dad was one of these most influential mentors and teachers (Robert Matchett - spearheaded the Seneca Valley band program and led the program for 37 years before his retirement. The program was taken over and even expanded by my brother Bob Matchett who has been the head band director for more than 20 years).

    Q: What do you think makes Seneca Valley such a special place to learn and grow?
    A: When I reflect on my time at Seneca, I remember feeling safe, challenged, encouraged and "seen." I think those are very unique and special qualities for a student to feel at a large school. I'm certain that I had these feelings because I was "plugged in" with the music program but the fact that there were so many opportunities for me (or any student) to be highly connected and have these experiences is very special.

    Q: Who was your favorite teacher/coach/SV staff member?
    A: I would be remiss if I didn't say my Dad was my favorite teacher at Seneca Valley! However, additionally, I loved many teachers outside of the music program. Notably, "Doc" MacDonald - Biology, Mr. Allen - English, and my gifted program mentor, Mrs. McAfee. Each of them taught with insight and character that really connected with me.

    Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Seneca Valley?
    A: I have so many great memories from my high school years - band trips, dances, musicals, field trips, football games, etc. But my most vivid memories usually include something ridiculous that I was doing in an effort to entertain people. One funny memory was when I was a member of the cast of "Damn Yankees" - I was Doris, a bitty old lady who was best friends with her sister named "Sister" - they were quite a cheeky pair of old hens! To be funny and see what would happen, my good friend Holly Hartzell (who was "Sister") and I decided to throw a mock campaign for that year's prom court "Sister and Doris for Prom Court" - we walked the halls in costume and in character a few mornings carrying signs, wearing buttons and passing out fliers. It was very funny and really more of an effort to entertain or simply promote the upcoming musical production. The most ridiculous part was that I actually was elected to prom court. It was fun, but I did not go to the prom as my character Doris (nor did I) get elected as "Prom Queen"! I've always loved entertaining people and although it's not my job to make people laugh, I am a type of professional entertainer!

    Q: If you had one message for teachers or staff, what would it be?
    A: If I had one message to my former teachers at Seneca, I would want to say "thank you"- thank you for seeing me! I think that's the most important feeling a student can have - to be seen for who they are and who they can become.

    Q: What do you wish other people knew about Seneca Valley?
    A: Seneca Valley is unique - it's a relatively large school that has diversity combined with small-town hospitality and values. The tradition of excellence runs deep and never forget that SV Band "Roars!"

  • Alumni Q&A with Austin Hook, SV Class of 2013

    Posted by the Communications Department on 2/26/2021

    Q: Catch us up. Tell us what you're doing today: A. Hook
    A: Today I'm currently enlisted in the United States Army (active duty). I'm stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia for a 21-week advanced individual training on Information Technology whilst preparing for Airborne and The Army Ranger Assessment and Selection Program.

    Q: What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?
    A: Someone would be surprised to know that I was temporarily homeless and slept on the streets at times in Los Angeles for over a year. It was the darkest period of my life.

    Q: How did Seneca Valley help you become the person you are today, both personally and professionally?
    A: Seneca helped me by providing excellent resources and great academic planning by some of the greatest teachers. For example, when it came to preparing for the math portion of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) I recalled the basic lessons of the FOIL method I learned in Algebra junior year of 2011.

    Q: What do you think makes Seneca Valley such a special place to learn and grow?
    A: I think what makes Seneca a special place is the esprit de corps created by the students. It's a special feeling created when students are especially involved in extracurricular activities such as theatre, athletics, etc. I would never have felt the esprit de corps of Seneca Valley had I not done extracurricular activities.

    Q: Who was your favorite teacher/coach/SV staff member?
    A: This an easy one. Hands down it was Mr. Jim Lucot. He may have not realized it then, but I truly admired him because of how wise, passionate, caring and brutally honest he was. Mr. Lucot is the finest example of a leader. He led with his heart. Sometimes I hated it when he was in a disciplinary mode, but looking back I really am grateful to have had him as a coach.

    Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Seneca Valley?
    A: One of my favorite memories was during football season of senior year fall of 2012, when I played a down early in the first half. I made a defensive play by sacking the quarterback. It was my favorite moment being at Seneca because despite always riding the bench being a second-string player, I felt my confidence rise and that amazing esprit de corps from amongst the crowd when the student section kept cheering me on. While it felt good to be seen, it also made me realize I can be good at something when I follow through and execute.

    Q: If you had one message for teachers or staff, what would it be?
    A: I would say most definitely try your hardest to genuinely and authentically, from your heart and with the deepest of compassion, to connect with your students. I know it's not easy to connect with every human being on the planet, but try to do it with a classroom of 30 or so students. Get to know your student's strengths and weaknesses. Figure out what makes them full of joy, what makes them hurt, what brings them all together. Lead from the heart first.Be a human. Then teaching will be a bit easier and most likely the students will be more engaged and not withdrawn. Invest time, energy and heart into your students even if there is a possibility it will not be reciprocated.

    Q: What do you wish other people knew about Seneca Valley?
    A: I'm not one hundred percent sure. I do wish that people will realize Seneca will give you a great overall foundation should they decide to join the family of Raider Nation.