Middle School

🌟 SoCo Stars – 8th Grade 🌟

Southern Columbia proudly recognizes the following 8th Grade students as March SoCo Stars for their achievements, leadership, and character:

🔬 Science – Colton Beers
Colton Beers was selected as the March SoCo Star for Science. He demonstrated strong leadership during a building design project, contributing creative ideas and keeping his group focused and organized. Colton is also known for his kindness, respect, and positive influence in the classroom.

📚 SoCo Star – Kate Brecht
Kate Brecht was recognized as a March SoCo Star for her academic excellence and outstanding character. She consistently completes high‑quality work while balancing a busy schedule of extracurricular activities. Kate is also admired for standing up for others and showing integrity and courage.

➗ Mathematics – Tori Haupt
Tori earned the March SoCo Star recognition for Mathematics. She has shown exceptional performance in Algebra, earning near‑perfect scores while remaining engaged and responsible. Tori’s strong critical‑thinking skills and ability to balance academics with athletics set her apart.

✍️ ELA – Rayne Sharkuski
Rayne Sharkuski was named the March SoCo Star for English Language Arts. She is recognized for her persistence, willingness to take on challenges, and strong work ethic. Rayne collaborates well with others, asks thoughtful questions, and takes responsibility for her learning.

👏 Congratulations to these outstanding 8th grade SoCo Stars! Keep up the great work.

In the activity “Acid Test,” 5th grade students discovered two ways to detect acids. They used baking soda, which fizzes when mixed with acids, and a special liquid that changes color when mixed with acids. Students then applied these methods to identify common foods that are acidic.

The Class of 2029 recently hosted the annual Daddy Daughter Dance. The evening was filled with smiles, dancing, snacks, sparkle, and special moments. The girls enjoyed photo opportunities, dancing the night away, tasty treats, hair tinsel, and lots of glitter with their favorite guys at the Daddy Daughter Dance. The event was held as a fundraiser for the Class of 2029. ✨

Due to product availability, the following changes will be made to next week's lunch menu at G.C. Hartman Elementary Center and SCA HS/MS:

Monday, April 20:
French Toast Sticks
Sausage Patty
Baby Cake Potatoes
Warm Cinnamon Apples

Wednesday, April 22:
Orange Chicken w/ WG Seasoned Rice
Steamed Broccoli
Mandarin Oranges

We apologize for the change and thank you for your understanding.

This message is regarding our school lunch program:
While students in grades K–8 have been offered all meal components under the Offer vs. Serve model, some students are not selecting a complete meal. Beginning Wednesday, students in grades K–8 will be required to take all components of a school lunch to ensure they receive a balanced, nutritious meal. This change supports student health and wellness. Thank you for your cooperation.

Middle school students had the opportunity last week to build and code Ultimate 2 robots, putting teamwork, patience, and problem-solving skills to the test. With guidance from Mrs. Long, multiple teams successfully completed their robot builds and brought them to life using block coding. 🤖

🍓 Sweet treats and even sweeter teamwork in Miss Johnson’s class! 🍫

From dipping strawberries to baking up something delicious, students worked together, shared laughs, and proved that collaboration makes everything better.

⭐ SoCo Stars of the Month – March 2026 ⭐

Southern Columbia Middle School proudly recognizes the following 5th grade students as March SoCo Stars of the Month!

These students were selected for consistently demonstrating self‑control, tolerance, academic integrity, and resilience within the school setting. Their positive choices and strong character help make our school community a great place to learn and grow.

🌟 March 2026 Honorees:

• Kinslee Benner
• Blakely Servose
• Jaxon Fritch
• Alaina Cuff
• Ava Kate Maciejewski

The final marking period is here, and time is running out. Fewer than 25 yearbooks remain available for purchase for each school.

📚 This is the last chance to secure a copy on a first come, first served basis.

Links to purchase for each school are below:

🔗Elementary:
https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1144189/G-C-Hartman-Elementary-School/2026-Yearbook/2025073104413031754/CATALOG_SHOP

🔗Middle School: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1756583/Southern-Columbia-Middle-School/2026-Yearbook/2025073104230103054/CATALOG_SHOP

🔗High School: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1045481/SOUTHERN-COLUMBIA-AREA-HIGH-SCHOOL/2026-Yearbook/2025073104315805054/CATALOG_SHOP

Celebrate the creativity of our K–6 students at the Art Show on May 6 at 5:30 PM. Join us to admire their amazing work. See the flyer for more details! 🎨

We are excited to spotlight Grace Dawe in our newest edition of Student Teacher Feature. Miss Dawe has been working with our 7th grade team alongside Mrs. Leighow, bringing positive energy and a strong commitment to helping students grow. She is already making a great impact in the classroom, and we are so happy to have her here working with us.

Be sure to check out the graphic to learn more about Grace and her experience at SCA. 🍎

⭐6th Grade Students of the Month⭐

Congratulations to our outstanding 6th grade Students of the Month! These students have shown dedication, effort, and a positive attitude in their classes.

• ELA (Mrs. Powell): Mollie Dermes
• Math (Mr. Fegley): Grayson Tobias
• Science (Mr. Kaseman): Douglas Taylor
• Social Studies (Mr. Visnosky): Aubree Kauffman

We are proud of you! Keep shining, Tigers! 🐯✨

Four middle school student teams competed in Bloomsburg University's annual Husky Dog Pound. Students developed entrepreneurial ideas and pitched them to judges. These students put hours of work into generating logical products, creating posters, and practicing their presentations. 

Our CSO STEM Officer, Declan McGinley, successfully completed his action plan by bringing science to life with our 6th grade students through homemade ice cream! Students explored key scientific concepts like states of matter, heat transfer, and freezing point depression while creating a delicious treat.

This hands-on experience not only made learning fun, but helped students truly understand the “why” behind the process. Moments like these inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and a love for STEM. 🍨

Last week, students in Mr. Johnson’s Introduction to Foreign Language and Culture 1 classes visited Mrs. Troutman’s classroom. She shared stories from her younger years living in Kenya while volunteering with the Peace Corps. As she told her stories, she began teaching the students about the Swahili language, which connected directly to the cultural exploration they have been doing in Introduction to Foreign Language and Culture 1. She introduced them to basic greetings and farewells in Swahili, as well as several numbers, and had the students practice using them with one another.

Mrs. Troutman also described foods and drinks that were common in the Kenyan community where she lived and explained what people there typically enjoyed eating and drinking. To make the experience more immersive for the Introduction to Foreign Language and Culture 1 students, she brought in authentic items from Kenya, including money, pieces of clothing, necklaces, and other objects she had saved from her time abroad. As the students passed the items around and listened to her stories, they were able to picture what everyday life was like in the place Mrs. Troutman once called home.

Contributor: Maddison Yost, Print/Digital Media Intern

Congratulations to our 8th Grade Students of the Month for February, who continue to impress their teachers with their hard work, positive attitudes, and meaningful growth. ⭐

Victoria Haupt, Science

Victoria Haupt was selected as the February SoCo Star for Science. She is a hardworking student who consistently puts quality effort into every assignment. She arrives prepared each day and participates fully in class activities. Victoria maintains a positive attitude, gets along well with her peers, and brings a light sense of humor to the classroom. She makes thoughtful choices, uses her words carefully, and avoids negative situations.

Jayde Smith, American History

Jayde Smith was chosen as the February SoCo Star for American History. She arrives on time, comes prepared, and shows strong responsibility and dedication to her learning. Jayde participates actively each day and brings a level of enthusiasm that improves the classroom environment. She interacts respectfully with a wide range of classmates and communicates with her teachers in a friendly and respectful way. Her genuine interest in the material is clear from her thoughtful contributions to discussions. Jayde’s positive attitude, wit, and support of her peers help build a stronger classroom community.

Lincoln Barnette, Mathematics

Lincoln Barnette was selected as the February SoCo Star in Mathematics. His performance in Algebra has been outstanding throughout the school year, with near perfect scores on assessments. He demonstrates responsibility by communicating consistently with his teacher and completing his work to the best of his ability. Lincoln participates during lessons, works well both independently and in groups, and treats others with kindness. He is creative, witty, and able to apply mathematical understanding to challenging problems.

Xavier Longenberger, ELA

Xavier Longenberger was named the February SoCo Star for ELA. While he meets expectations for work completion and participation, his nomination is grounded in the impressive personal growth he has shown. His improvements in responsibility, accountability, and self-control have been significant and reflect the kind of development that is especially important as students prepare for high school.

Middle school students had the opportunity to take part in the "Unsolved" short story writing contest. Students stepped into the role of a suspect, witness, victim, or investigator to tell a dramatic and intriguing story. Seven SCA middle school students were selected to have their work published in the Unsolved stories collection book. Congratulations to Tucker Hartranft, Brynn Rosini, Charlotte Paul, Sophia Stewart, Emma Maciejewski, Allie Delgrippo, and Ava Kate Maciejewski. 🔍

Lunch on Wednesday, March 25 will now be Turkey Noodle Soup instead of Chicken Noodle Soup. All other menus will remain the same. Thank you!

8th Grade Elective Showcase - Get inspired. Get excited. Get ready for high school!

Hey 8th graders and families—this is your reminder that the Elective Showcase is happening Thursday, March 19th at 6:00 PM in the HS Auditorium!

This is your moment to explore what high school has to offer and start building a schedule that actually excites you.
✨ Discover new classes
✨Find your interests
✨ Start shaping your high school journey

All current 8th grade students and their parents are strongly encouraged to attend—you won’t want to miss this chance to see what’s ahead!