MMI News

MMI Preparatory School junior Sydney Karpowich was selected to attend the Pennsylvania School for Global Entrepreneurship, which will be held from July 2 through July 29 at Lehigh University. Karpowich is the daughter of Atty. Donald Karpowich and Tracy Gallagher, Sugarloaf. The Pennsylvania School for Global Entrepreneurship brings American high school sophomores and juniors together with international high school students from all regions of the world for four weeks to learn about entrepreneurship, globalization, team building, project management, leadership and working within a culturally diverse environment. The curriculum includes core courses in business, ethics, marketing, basic accounting and globalization that...

MMI Preparatory School recently held a ceremony at the school to induct students into the National Junior Honor Society and National Latin Honor Society. MMI Head of School D. Scott Wiggins welcomed the attendees and the Very Rev. Lawrence Barriger, MMI’s faculty adviser for the two honor societies, gave the criteria of members, presided over the induction ceremony and introduced the guest speaker. Kirsten Young ’13, a cancer research assistant at Vanderbilt Medical Center, served as guest speaker. MMI Assistant Head of School Charles Seidel gave closing remarks and MMI freshman Benjamin Putnam provided piano accompaniment for the processional.

MMI Preparatory School juniors Gabriella Kupsho and Angelica Alday were recently accepted into this summer’s Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences, which will be held from July 2 through August 5 at Carnegie Mellon University. The Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences (PGSS) is an intense summer enrichment program in which students from across the state take lecture courses in the core subjects of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and computer science. In addition, they are expected to participate in their choice of one laboratory course in either biology, chemistry, physics or computer science, and to engage in team research projects...

MMI Preparatory School eighth grader Peter Walko captured first place in the Middle School Division and eighth grader Emily Ryan and junior Caitlyn Kline finished second in the Middle School and High School divisions, respectively, in the 22nd annual Israel T. and Mildred Klapper Memorial Holocaust Essay Contest, which is sponsored jointly by the Hazleton Jewish Community Council and the Greater Hazleton Ministerial Association. All three students read their winning entries and received their awards at the Yom Hashoa Memorial Service at the Beth Israel Temple in Hazleton on April 24. MMI English instructor Jennifer Novotney was the faculty adviser...

Eight MMI Preparatory School students advanced to the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) national leadership convention and 9 additional students placed in the top 10 in their respective competitive events during the Pennsylvania FBLA state leadership conference earlier this month at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center. Junior Julia Snyder captured first place for client service, seniors Jonathan Smith and Jessica Smith both finished second for public service announcement, senior Allison McGeehan was second in business law and sophomore Morgan Long finished fourth for intro to business procedures. Junior Jakob Schwabe was elected to serve as the Pennsylvania FBLA...

MMI Preparatory School recently held an induction ceremony to welcome new members to the Spanish, Chinese and German national honor societies. Head of School D. Scott Wiggins welcomed those in attendance to open the ceremony. University of Scranton Professor Marie Karam, German Fulbright Scholar Sarah Schrier and visiting Chinese Lecturer Allison Lai were the guest speakers.

Forty-three MMI Preparatory School students captured first place at a recent Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) regional competition held at Wilkes University and will advance to the 83rd annual PJAS state competition, which is set for May 14-16 at Penn State University’s University Park campus. Two of the 43 students, Lois Ann Polashenski and Louis DeAngelo, topped the field in two categories and will compete at the state competition in both events. Nine students received a perfect score in their respective categories. The students are: Joshua Kalada-Kania (in zoology), Gabriella DeMelfi (math), Samuel Sessock (engineering), Nicholas Young (chemistry), Dustin...

The guest chef program at MMI Preparatory School strives to give students the opportunity to try new things. Guest chef Foster Dale of Genetti Catering recently visited MMI to prepare a healthy and scratch-made meal for the students. The Guest Chef program began two years ago and is part of a three-year plan undertaken by MMI to provide food to the student body and staff in a more sustainable manner. The students were treated to a meal that included grilled marinated chicken breast, strawberry spinach salad, a whole grain roll and vegetarian vegetable soup.

MMI Preparatory School sophomore Andrew Decker placed among the top five in Pennsylvania at the Poetry Out Loud state competition in Harrisburg. Decker, the son of Aaron Decker, Kingston, and Elizabeth and Troy Topolski, Sugarloaf, was one of only 15 students who advanced to the state finals out of a total of 7,000 students from across the state who entered the competition starting at the school level.

MMI Preparatory School freshman Philip Byriel was selected to the Wyoming Valley Conference Coaches Association Division 3 First team following the 2016-17 varsity basketball season. The 6-foot-7 post player led the Preppers in scoring and rebounding with an average of 13 points and six boards per game. He also topped MMI in blocks and steals. He posted multiple double-digit scoring games this season, including a career-high 31 points in MMI’s victory over Hanover Area in February.

Four MMI Preparatory School students placed in the top four at the Pennsylvania School Press Association Student Journalism State Championships, which were held last month at Penn State University’s University Park campus. Joshua Narrow and Julia Snyder both won the state championship in their respective categories. Narrow placed first in the Literary Magazine Poetry category, while Snyder topped the field in the Literary Magazine Artwork category. Danielle Pileggi received the State Reserve Champion title for finishing second in the Literary Magazine Artwork category and Chava Kornblatt was fourth in the Yearbook Photo Caption Writing category.

MMI Preparatory School senior Joshua Narrow was recently appointed the Hazleton City Poet Laureate during a meeting held at Hazleton City Hall on March 22. Narrow was selected out a group of creative writing students from schools throughout Greater Hazleton to fill the position. The Poet Laureate has been recreated to help foster an appreciation for the humanities in the Hazleton area with the hope that students can get involved with various art-based organizations to exhibit their work.

MMI Preparatory School inducted senior Katherine Eschenbach and juniors Anna Haber, Talia Logerfo, Julia Snyder and Stephanie Zellner into the MMI Chroma Chapter of the National Art Honor Society during a ceremony at the school earlier this month. During the ceremony, MMI art instructor Lisa Ferry welcomed guests and explained the history of the art honor society. Attorney Lee Ann Palubinsky ’02 was the guest speaker. Palubinsky earned a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from American University in Washington, D.C. and a juris doctorate degree from Barry University School of Law, where she specialized in constitutional law and First...

MMI Preparatory School will host its annual Open House this Sunday, March 26 from 2:00-4:30 P.M. The public is invited to attend the event where students will showcase their projects. Each year, MMI students are challenged with preparing special research projects, which are displayed at Open House. Students in grades six through 12 will display, explain, and demonstrate their projects in classrooms and locations throughout the school. Visitors will be able to observe a variety of student projects in the areas of literature, mathematics, science, and social studies. In addition, food projects prepared primarily by senior students will be featured....

The MMI Prepper Playhouse is presenting Shrek The Musical, which was postponed last weekend due to the storm, this Friday, March 24, and Saturday, March 25, at 7:00 P.M. in the MMI Athletic and Drama Complex, 154 Centre Street in Freeland. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for students, and $12 for reserved seats and may be purchased by calling the school at 570-636-1108 or emailing admissions@mmiprep.org. Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, Shrek The Musical is a Tony-Award winning fairy tale adventure, featuring songs from Jeanine Tesori and a book by David Lindsay-Abaire. Shrek brings all the characters you...

Four MMI Preparatory School seniors advanced from the semifinalist round to become finalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program. Ali Aijaz, Anirban Chowdhury, Allison McGeehan and Nicholas Young, who received semifinalist recognition last fall, are among just 15,000 students nationwide to be named finalists in the 62nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. As finalists, Ali Aijaz, Anirban Chowdhury, Allison McGeehan and Nicholas Young have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth about $33 million that will be offered in the spring.

MMI Preparatory School junior Angelica Alday has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a President’s Volunteer Service Award. The award, which recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country, was granted by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program on behalf of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. MMI nominated Alday for national honors this fall in recognition of her volunteer service. Alday, the daughter of Dr. Senen Alday and Milagros Azcueta-Alday, Mountaintop, has participated in several volunteer activities in the region. She was...

MMI Preparatory School eighth-grade student Louis DeAngelo advanced to the MATHCOUNTS state competition after posting the second highest individual score and finishing third in the Countdown Round.   Alistair Plotnick, Connor Spencer, Elizabeth O’Donnell, Rachael Betz, Benjamin Zhao, Hiba Muhammad. Samantha Sparich, Kevin McNulty and Natalie Graham also competed on MMI’s MATHCOUNTS team. The MATHCOUNTS Competition Series is designed to cultivate talent in the nation’s brightest young minds by bringing together students from all 50 states in a one-of-a-kind competition consisting of a series of in-person contests. The Competition Series, which was created in 1983, is the longest-running MATHCOUNTS program...