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The Valhalla Gazette needs motivated student writers next year. Please contact Mr. Trescavage at jtrescavage@riversidesd.com if you are interested.
RHS Student Ambassadors get "political"
RHS Student Ambassadors get "political"
By Marcella Mendoza (12th)
Representing Pennsylvania’s 22nd district, Senator Marty Flynn kicked off his annual Student Ambassador Program for high school seniors interested in politics this January. The program dives into government at a local level, primarily putting the magnifying glass on Pennsylvania’s legislature and assembly. Senator Flynn invited both local state representatives and the newly elected Governor Josh Shapiro, to discuss not only policy, but their personal lives. Topics covered included how they tackle the dark side of the media, the tight balance between work and family, and how to function in a bipartisan system. The ambassadors also had the opportunity to tour the State Capital this month in Harrisburg to get a look at the inner workings of Pennsylvania Senate and House hearings.
This year, seniors Michael Rhoades, Kaleb Hawkins, Gary Mrozinski, and Marcella Mendoza were accepted into the program, where they have attended monthly meetings. While they learn about the government, they are simultaneously creating bills to present to Senator Flynn and local state representatives.
“[The program] allowed me to become a more educated voter,” said Mrozinski, who as an eighteen year old, plans to vote in the upcoming school board election.
Hawkins shared the same inclination as he explained it was a fascinating experience to “gain knowledge at a local level, rather than a federal one,” which is often not the case in government classes provided at high schools.
Although it may seem easy to pass legislation and get the political wheels moving, it’s actually quite complex. If any juniors are interested in government, make sure to apply in early December. Applications can be found in Ms. Getts' office in guidance.
SADD Club hits Harrisburg
SADD Club hits Harrisburg
By Sasha Kazysta (12th)
On Tuesday morning at 5:30am, the Riverside SADD Club (Students Against Destructive Decisions) set off to Harrisburg to attend 2023 Day at the Capitol on behalf of TRU. TRU, or the Tobacco Resistance Unit, was established by the Pennsylvania Department of Health as an offshoot of the American Lung Association.
As a part of the organization's initiative to prevent youth tobacco use throughout Pennsylvania, Day at the Capitol provided TRU participants the opportunity to advocate for tobacco control efforts in Pennsylvania. On May 2, TRU groups gathered in Harrisburg to urge state legislators about increasing Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) funding and establishing a comprehensive Clean Indoor Air Act, all in an effort to promote the health of Pensylvanian communities.
Jennifer Genell, a Riverside TRU Ambassador, praised TRU’s efforts as a “venerable cause” able to unite and encourage the advocacy of “hundreds of students from around PA.” “Getting involved with advocacy at any age,” Genell professes, “is not only easily accessible, but necessary if we want to get the government to hear our voices.”
Riverside SADD Club members were granted first-hand experience to the governmental process. Amongst the social movements and legislative sessions this Riverside crew experienced were supporters of the Patient Safety Act whose chants for safe staffing echoed the halls of the capitol building as well as the opening of the Capitol Hunger Garden that will feed the food banks of the Pittsburgh area. Through involvement in social movements and witnessing the legislative front, they had the opportunity to experience the various means through which citizens can participate in enacting social change in our country.
AP students show their stuff
AP students show their stuff
By Lacey Danilovitz (12th)
As the school year is drawing to a close, students in Advanced Placement (AP) classes are gearing up to give their all in their final cumulative exams.
Here at Riverside, seven AP classes are currently offered: Human Geography, Biology, Language and Composition, US History, Chemistry, Literature and Composition, and US Government and Politics. Because these courses involve such rigorous curriculums, preparing for their exams is a challenge. The task is especially daunting for those that take many of these classes at once, as many students here at Riverside do.
“AP Language and Composition is based on the application of writing essays, while AP Bio is more content based learning,” says junior Emma Byrne. “Personally, I have prepared for AP Lang through making a list of the important skills to include in each of my essays. For the actual exam, I have to write three essays, with 40 minutes per essay…For AP Bio, I have personally prepared by going through each of the practice tests on Mastering Biology. If I am struggling with the topics in one of the tests, I will go back to that topic in my notes and review it more thoroughly.”
Seniors Michael Rhodes and Jennifer Genell both take three APs and have also been hitting the books.
“The class curriculum in all three classes has been exceptionally thorough to prepare my classmates and I for our exams. [With] constant and rigorous note taking, frequent practice problems to test and fortify our knowledge of the material, and the plethora of mock exams and essays for each class, our teachers have continually gone above and beyond to ensure that we have the best opportunity to succeed on the exams,” says Rhodes.
However, there are certainly benefits to reap from their heavy course loads. A passing score on an AP exam often counts as credit upon enrollment at many colleges and universities. Considering the fact that college classes can cost up to thousands of dollars, the opportunity to take one in high school for free–and receive a GPA boost while you’re at it–is one that should definitely be taken advantage of.
Furthermore, the perks go beyond taking college classes off your plate, as many AP students can attest to.
“All of the APs I’ve taken are more discussion based, which I enjoy because it feels more natural to learn that way. I feel like the difficult classes are the ones I learn the most of. Having a strong foundation in chem, for example, is going to help me when I am taking upper level chem courses in college,” says Genell.
Byrne also agrees that the classes are beneficial, albeit for different reasons. “Although any AP class is going to be a challenge, I do feel better prepared for my other honors classes and standardized tests. My AP Lang class not only helped me become a better writer, but it also helped me prepare for the Reading portion of the SAT’s…My AP Bio class has helped me realize what field I want to go into after college. When learning about the topics of this course, I was intrigued. Each topic was interesting and fun to learn.”
As an AP veteran myself, I think Rhodes sums it up perfectly in his takeaway from the experience. “I now feel much more prepared to enter college level classes having now experienced college level classes at a high school level. Even taking Level Up classes at Lackawanna, I feel ahead of the curve because of the experience and intellect added to my repertoire through the AP classes I have taken. Even to diverge from the academics, I feel that I have grown personal and tangible relationships with my AP teachers and classmates, ones that will last a lifetime, and I will cherish forever even after my high school career has ended.”
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