High School

The High School Student Council is thrilled to invite you to our annual Trunk or Treat on Thursday, October 23rd, from 6:00–7:30 PM! Join us for a festive evening filled with decorated trunks, sweet treats, and plenty of Halloween fun. Check out the flyer for all the details! 🎃👻🦇

Students in Agricultural Science II and Forestry & Wildlife recently combined creativity and precision with their string art projects. Each design reflected not only artistic flair but also a deep appreciation for natural themes and agricultural elements. 🌳

On Friday, the elementary school hosted its annual Fall Festival. During this event, students in the Art Club, Student Council, and National Honor Society volunteered at the event. Students from the Art Club painted faces, while students from Student Council and National Honor Society managed the games. Students enjoyed being able to help with this because it allowed them to make memories with others in their school community. Student Council advisor Miss Stine believes helping with this event is important because "The three pillars of Student Council are spirit, social, and service, so it is important for Student Council to serve others in our school community."

Contributors: Brooke Knorr, Kylee Henry, and Karlene Wiehe, Journalism Staff Members

Ben Gehret reached a major milestone last night, scoring his 50th career goal in dramatic fashion to lead Southern Columbia to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Warrior Run. The historic goal came on a go-ahead penalty kick late in the second half. With the win, the Tigers improved their season record to 9-4-1, continuing their strong push toward postseason play. Congratulations to Ben on this incredible achievement and to the entire team for a hard-fought victory! 🐅⚽

A proud moment for one of our talented students, Grace Victory! 🎨

Her artwork was featured in the High School Art Department’s booth at the Bloomsburg Fair, where it caught the eye of a local community member. He reached out shortly afterward to inquire about purchasing the piece—and the rest is history! We love seeing our students’ creativity recognized and celebrated beyond the classroom.

On Friday, Mr. Johnston’s Speech and Debate class was tasked with rehearsing a scene from a funny movie, show, or speech, and then presenting it in front of the class. Three people went per day and were graded based on how accurate they were, their movements, their facial expressions, and tone of voice. This exercise was to help students get in front of people and confidently perform without fear of embarrassment. The three students who performed on Friday were as follows: Johnny Barnette, who performed Gollum’s scene from The Lord of the Rings, Dillen Brassard, who performed the final courtroom scene from Liar Liar, and Mara Turner, who performed an argument scene from The Breakfast Club.

Contributor: Emily Valencik, Journalism Staff Member

This morning, Mr. Deljanovan’s Sports Performance class welcomed Mr. Dave Fegley as a guest speaker. Along with teaching 6th grade math at Southern Columbia, Mr. Fegley has a strong background in sports media. He writes for the Press Enterprise, News-Item, and PA Football News, broadcasts for the Black Diamond Sports Network, and serves as President of the Southern Columbia Area Athletic Hall of Fame.

During his visit, Mr. Fegley shared stories from his experiences covering high school sports. He talked about the importance of being prepared, telling meaningful stories, and staying honest in journalism. Students learned how media can highlight athletes and teams, and how it influences how people view sports. They asked great questions and were clearly interested in the different careers connected to sports writing, broadcasting, and promotion.

Mr. Fegley’s presentation helped students see how what they learn in class connects to real-world opportunities, and it inspired many to think about future careers in sports media.

FBLA members, business students, and gifted students in grades 5–8 attended a presentation by Reese Houseknecht, a Southern Columbia alum. Reese shared his incredible journey in entrepreneurship and coding, beginning with creating games during his time at SCA, being recruited by Function of Beauty, and working on hologram technology. To date, Reese has launched 14 businesses and applied coding to both business and personal ventures, ranging from robot dogs to roller coasters. Thank you, Reese, for inspiring our students with your experiences!

Students in the CSO STEM Club participated in a two-day training at Bucknell University this week.  Katelyn Brecht, Ryan Maciejewski, Declan McGinley, and Isabella Miller spent time fine-turning their problem-solving skills and started to develop their Action Plan for this upcoming school year.  

After five intense weeks of drills, strategy sessions, and conditioning, Mr. Deljanovan’s Sports Performance class was ready to put their soccer skills to the ultimate test last week. Their opponents? The seasoned and spirited Girls Soccer Team, known for their teamwork and tenacity.

But Mr. Del’s class wasn’t rattled by the girls. They grouped quickly, and what followed was a masterclass in offensive play. Ethan, with lightning speed and clinical finishing, netted four goals, slicing through defenders like a pro. Jace added three goals of his own, showing off his control and powerful shots. Kailee, demonstrating finesse and field awareness, scored two impressive goals, rounding out the class’s dominant performance.

Despite the scoreline—9 to 1 in favor of Mr. Del’s class—the game was filled with laughter, sportsmanship, and mutual respect. Both teams celebrated great plays, encouraged each other, and enjoyed the thrill of competition.

As the final whistle blew, players from both sides high fived and posed for group photos, proud of their effort and excited about how far they’d come. It was more than just a game, it was a celebration of growth, teamwork, and the joy of sport.

Contributor: Maddison Yost, Print/Digital Media Intern

Nancy Harvey, our Higher Education Access Partner at Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), is hosting a Regional Financial Aid Night webinar on October 20, 2025, at 6:00 PM for students and families. Please find the information flyer attached for the webinar.

Should you have any questions, regarding the financial aid process, please feel free to contact Nancy directly at:

Nancy Harvey
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
Higher Education Access Partner

Mobile: 717.956.8285
Email: Nancy.Harvey@PHEAA.org
Web: PHEAA.org

🍂Come See Us at the Bloomsburg Fair! 🍂

Southern Columbia is proud to showcase the creativity and hard work of our students at the Bloomsburg Fair! Stop by and check out the amazing displays in the Education Building.

🍂Come See Us at the Bloomsburg Fair! 🍂

Southern Columbia is proud to showcase the creativity and hard work of our students at the Bloomsburg Fair! Stop by and check out the amazing displays in the Education Building.

The Southern Columbia Area High School Student Council is proud to announce this year’s Homecoming Court. The Queen will be crowned prior to the Homecoming football game, while the King will be crowned during the Homecoming Dance on Saturday evening.

Front Row: Lola Cecco, Kylah Heath, Liana Murphy, Leah Sheriff, Minna Shingara, Harper Thompson
Back Row: Braylon Feese, Ben Gehret, Braydon Griscavage, Caden Hopper, Connor Knorr, Parker Pesarchick

Last week, members of the Southern Columbia Varsity Club volunteered their time at the Senior Expo held at Knoebels, hosted by Senator Lynda Culver and PA State Representative JoAnne Stehr. The event welcomed seniors and their families to explore valuable services and products designed for older residents, and our students represented the club and their sports teams with pride while demonstrating its mission to foster school spirit, sportsmanship, and positive community relationships.

Representing Southern Columbia at this event were Kaden Zachman (Football), Jake Gehret (Soccer), Joe Williams (Football), Jace Malakoski (Football), Blaise Kissinger (Football), and Ayden Hockenbroch (Football).

During National "Start With Hello Week" last week, the Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) club at Southern Columbia took the initiative to organize a memorable event to promote kindness and inclusivity. The entire school district gathered at the stadium, where they participated in a large-scale human formation to spell out "HELLO SCA" on the football field. Students and staff from all schools within the district participated in forming each letter. The event was orchestrated with precision as everyone took their respective places. Once the letters were formed, a drone captured the image from above, making for an impressive display. This event served as a powerful symbol of community spirit and the importance of simple gestures like a friendly "hello." It reflected the commitment of the district to fostering a welcoming environment for all.

Contributor: Maddison Yost, Print/Digital Media Intern

On Wednesday, FBLA students and advisors stayed after school to take part in a service project: creating handmade cards for children who are hospitalized. Students designed both cheerful, everyday cards as well as festive Halloween-themed ones, each filled with messages of encouragement and kindness. The finished cards were sent to Cards for Hospitalized Kids, a national organization that delivers cards to children in hospitals and to families staying in Ronald McDonald Houses across all 50 states. This is FBLA's second year partnering with this organization, and members were eager to continue spreading joy and positivity.

FBLA advisor Mrs. Long shared why this project is so meaningful: "Many of these children are facing serious and even terminal illnesses, so to be able to put a smile on their faces is magical. Part of being a leader is giving back to others."

Through this project, FBLA students demonstrated not only creativity, but also compassion and leadership—reminding us all how small acts of kindness can make a big difference.

Contributors: Karlene Wiehe, Kylee Henry, and Brooke Knorr, Journalism Staff Members

Our high school Ag "Farm to Table" students learned all about soil and then brought their knowledge to life by creating children's books as a class project. To wrap it up, they presented their books to Second Grade students yesterday. 🌽

In every school community, there are moments that reveal the true character of its students. Recently, one such moment reminded us just how strong, compassionate, and courageous our students can be.

What began as a routine school day quickly turned into a powerful example of leadership and bravery. Just a mile from the school, a bus carrying students rolled over shortly after departure.

Within minutes, help arrived—not just from emergency responders, but from within the student body itself.

Student first responders Cam Traugh, Ryan Davis, Russell Longenberger, Aidyn McHale, Chase Compton, Holly Schmidt, and one of our own from Columbia-Montour AVTS, Zachary Rodgers, responded immediately and sprang into action. Trained and prepared, they rushed to the scene, offering calm, care, and critical support to those in need.

But the bravery didn’t stop there.

Inside the overturned bus, two high school students—Grayson Reck and Lillian Hinkle—acted with instinct and heart. Grayson opened the back hatch, creating a path for students to escape. Along with him, Lillian focused on guiding kids out with care and ensuring their safety.

In a moment defined by fear and uncertainty, these students showed what true leadership and compassion look like. Their actions were not rehearsed or expected; they were real, raw, and deeply human.

As the community reflects on that day, one thing is clear: courage doesn’t always wear a uniform. Sometimes, it walks in the same halls, sits in the same classrooms, and rides the same buses. And sometimes, it rises when we need it most.

Contributor: Maddison Yost, Print/Digital Media Intern