Photo by Rocco Cordaro
The Cedar Cliff Plaza is the go-to place for active students during the school year. The plaza includes stores like Starbucks, Chipotle, McDonald's, Sheetz, and many more. Juniors and seniors take advantage of the plaza during their open campus time, while other students enjoy walking down to the stores and restaurants after school. Students use this opportunity to grab food or spend time with friends throughout the school year.
Business for these locations is high during the school year, promoting more interaction between Cedar Cliff students and active members of the community. These establishments provide a place for students to study, eat, and socialize with others. The plaza’s proximity to the school makes it easy for students without licenses or vehicles to access the same benefits these stores provide.
Overall, the Cedar Cliff Plaza positively impacts the community and the environment of Cedar Cliff High School.
The image of Sofia’s delicious pepperoni pizza, and other dishes on the menu. The picture from Sofia’s Pizzera’s website:. https://sophiaspizzeria.com/
Sofia's Pizzeria has moved to a new location at 110 Old York Rd, New Cumberland, PA. Sofia's first opened on March 5th, 2020, but recently, they relocated to a bigger space. The move was made to provide the community with more dining space for those who wish to sit down and enjoy their meal. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. It is closed on Mondays.
People are excited about the upgrade because now they can enjoy their favorite pizza in the restaurant instead of having to order delivery or take it home. Sofia's offers a variety of foods, including pizza, sodas, subs, fries, wings, and pierogies. They serve high-quality food, according to customer reviews. One review notes: "The pizza was very good: a nice amount of cheese, a nice-textured crust—not burnt." It is also reported that the price per person ranges from $10 to $20.
Sofia's does not take reservations, so if a customer is looking for a place to sit and eat, there may be a wait. This might seem contradictory to their goal of providing more seating for customers. While Sofia's is a casual place to grab food, the ability to dine in isn't always reliable. According to one review, the establishment is described as “unprofessional.”
Despite a few negative comments about the environment, Sofia's remains a great place to get food, with a 4.2-star rating and numerous positive reviews. All things considered, the business is making a significant impact on the community and continues to grow.
Photo by Lillian Tommaselli
At Cedar Cliff High School, there is an Early Education college course available for juniors and seniors interested in entering the education field. This course is provided by Shippensburg University’s Early Education program and is offered for one semester each school year. The course is online, and students can volunteer at Highland Elementary during their fourth period to gain experience working in a school. The program allows students to earn college credits while also gaining practical experience by volunteering at Highland Elementary.
Kaori Wolfe is a student enrolled in the course this semester and is also a student volunteer at Highland Elementary. She works with second graders in Mrs. Badder’s classroom. She describes the program as "fun" and says, "Mrs. Badder, the teacher I help, is really nice and cares about the kids." This program allows Wolfe to "form good connections with kids. It helps me with problem-solving because I have to help the kids with their problems while navigating my own," she expressed. She also says, "It is awesome to talk with the kids, and it brings me joy because they think I am cool." Student volunteers also help teachers by providing an extra set of hands in the classroom.
Wolfe also mentioned that there is a student teacher who plans to pursue a degree in Early Education. This program is available to many students and is described as a great opportunity to prepare them for their future careers.
Pictured: Coach Derrick giving demonstrations on the backstroke.
Photo by Chloe Ludwick
Every Sunday at 4 p.m., kids of various ages and backgrounds gather at the West Shore YMCA for an exciting hour of learning in the pre-competitive swimming program. During this hour, the kids receive instruction from Coach Jeff, Coach Cristi, Coach Kyle, and Coach Derrick, learning all the strokes, turns, how to dive into the pool, and more. Swim meets are not a part of this program, as pre-competitive swimming is designed to help kids grow as swimmers and, hopefully, join the competitive team.
The competitive team has been running for over 40 years and is a great opportunity for kids to be a part of. The skills taught in pre-competitive will be implemented on the team and will also help kids in other aspects of life, such as listening skills and team etiquette.
Coach Jeff Ludwick, who has coached the pre-competitive program for 8 years, shares his thoughts on the hour of swimming: “The pre-competitive program is the first step in the competitive swimming program at the West Shore YMCA. This is a pathway program that introduces novice swimmers to competitive swimming.” The coaches teach the kids the four competitive strokes, diving techniques, and proper swim etiquette.
Once a swimmer completes the pre-competitive program, they move on to the first of many stages in the competitive program, further improving their skills and preparing for competition in swim meets. This program provides children from all over Cumberland County the chance to learn how to swim. Coach Jeff believes this program is highly beneficial for kids and strongly recommends it for young swimmers looking to improve their skills.