Belle Vernon board honors third-grade student
BELLE VERNON – The Belle Vernon Area School District’s Board of Directors honored a third-grade student Monday who recently won $5,000 to further her education. Sarah Sebetich, a student at Marion Elementary, was the grand prizewinner in the “Helping Career Dreams Happen” poster contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Bill Slope, president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the institute, presented Sebetich with a commemorative plaque.
Slope said the contest was sponsored in an effort to “encourage families to think about saving for their children’s college educations.”
“I was impressed that Sarah already has some ideas about what she might want to do for a career,” said Slope, joking that he was a junior in college before he decided his career, and still has some doubts.
Director Dale Patterson said he thought that Sebetich winning the $5,000 grand prize out of more than 2000 entries was quite an accomplishment. President Aaron Bialon congratulated Sebetich as she shyly accepted her award, and he thanked her on behalf of the board for “representing the district in such fashion.”
In other matters, the board granted Stephen Russell, Bellmar Middle School principal, permission to accept an invitation from State Rep. Ted Harhai to represent the district at the Penn Ambassador Program and Heritage Days Events scheduled for March 12-14.
The board also granted a request from Linda Edwards and Teresa Wrona, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) co-advisors, to take 18 qualified FBLA students to participate in the Pennsylvania FBLA State Leadership Conference April 13-15 at Seven Springs Resort.
Although the cost to the district is $4,868, Director Deborah Puglia pointed out that the money was in the budget for this year. Patterson congratulated the FBLA for having so many students qualified to attend the event.
“I think it says something for the district to have so many,” said Patterson.
In another matter, the board approved use of the high school by Westmoreland County Community College to conduct a junior/senior high summer school during which students can make up classes they failed during the normal school year.
The classes will begin June 15 and continue through July 21. The morning session will be held from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the afternoon session will be from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Tuition will be $60 for residents in Westmoreland and Fayette Counties, plus a $10 material fee. Robert Pabis, a teacher in the district, will serve as summer school principal and he will be supervising the program.