MMI News

Harrison Kress and Andrellie Puntiel, pictured at center in the first row, were crowned king and queen at the 2019 MMI Preparatory School Harvest Dance. Also pictured are, first row, from left: Katharine Pinto and Macy Zenier. Second row: Benjamin Putnam; Lesley McDermott, Parents Association Representative; Lisa Marie Ferry, Dean of Students; and Brandon Crockford.

MMI Preparatory School announced its Students of the Quarter for the first quarter of the 2019-2020 school year. 

MMI senior Benjamin Putnam captured the School’s Poetry Out Loud contest and will advance to the regional competition, which will be held in December at the WVIA Studios in Pittston. The regional winner will move on to the state competition in March.

MMI Preparatory School students completed community service projects throughout Greater Hazleton to commemorate the third annual Athena Ford ’01 Day of Service. The Athena S. Ford ’01 Endowed Fund for Community Service was established in 2017 by members of the MMI Class of 2001 to honor their classmate, who passed away on October 23, 2016. This fund is restricted by MMI to be used solely for expenses needed to establish and perpetuate The Athena Ford ’01 Day of Service.  

The MMI Preparatory School Parents Association will host its annual Harvest Bingo on Sunday, October 20 in the MMI Gymnasium on the school’s campus at 154 Centre Street in Freeland.

MMI Preparatory School is currently accepting registrations for its 17 fun-filled summer camps open to all area students. The camps will be offered in morning and afternoon sessions from the week of June 24 to the week of July 22 on the MMI campus at 154 Centre Street in Freeland.

Nineteen of MMI Preparatory School’s 34 competitors placed first in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science state competition at Penn State’s University Park campus. An additional 15 MMI students placed second in the competition.

Junior Emily Ankiewicz was selected as MMI Preparatory School’s “Best of the Best” for the 2018-2019 spring term for her presentation entitled “Is Your Phone Controlling You?” which she delivered during an all-school assembly.

MMI Preparatory School in Freeland conducted its 127th commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 23 as seniors were awarded diplomas by MMI Acting Head of School William A. Shergalis, Ph.D. ’58 and Chairman of the Board of Directors John H. Hersker ’76.

MMI 2019 graduate Summer Evancho will continue her academic and volleyball careers at Marywood University. 

MMI 2019 graduate Matthew Marchetti will continue his academic and basketball careers at Misericordia University. 

MMI Preparatory School announced the dedication of its softball field as Warner Field during a ceremony Friday at the school. The name follows a donation of $250,000 from the Warner Family, a four-generation MMI family.

Forty-five MMI Preparatory School students placed in the top 26 during the regional Envirothon competition, including the team of Alexander Sessock, Kaitlyn McGeehan, Kai Mele, Dominique Kline, and Benjamin Putnam, who captured first place in the event. The winning team will represent MMI and Luzerne County at the Pennsylvania Envirothon state competition on May 21-22 at the University of Pittsburgh’s Johnstown campus.

Andrew Krzywicki Straw ’75, the global portfolio manager for fiber optic connectivity product development for Corning Incorporated and a retired Army Reserve Colonel, will serve as the commencement speaker at MMI’s 2019 Commencement Ceremony on May 23. In his role at Corning, Straw manages a portfolio of more than 50 development projects for fiber-to-the-home, data center, and distributed antenna system products. He has worked in the fiber optic communications industry for more than 30 years in a variety of engineering and management roles, including applications and field engineering, manufacturing, and research and development.