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Education

May 16, 2024

Historical Society Recognizes Excellence In Local Education

When the Ellwood City Area Historical Society Board adopted the topic for this year’s Robert and Janice Barensfeld Scholarship Essay, “Write About a Prominent Person in Ellwood City,” they expected to get papers on familiar names like Hartman, Steifel, or Schill. However, when Everett Bleakney’s Scholarship Committee received the entries, the members were surprised and elated to get five essays on living people and two on recently deceased residents rather than the older historical figures. What was even more surprising was that the best of those essays were about local teachers who had a significant impact on the young writers’…

May 10, 2024

Riv-Ell Presentations: Food trucks, Mobile Florists, Special-Service Funeral Homes

Eleven seniors at Lincoln High School and four at Riverside presented business plans April 25 as the capstone project in a Riv-Ell Entrepreneurship Program and in pursuit of a 16-credit Butler County Community College workplace certificate in entrepreneurship funded by donors. Riv-Ell students who pitched their ideas for ventures before more than 30 spectators in the Lincoln High School library were Lincoln’s Kaci Barnett, Madelyn Carner, Nicholas Franitti, Sidney Gibbons, Aydin Kline, Madison Long, John Lorenc, Alexis McClean, Claire Noble, Ryan Turner and Talan Young; and from Riverside’s Jax Bender, Brooke Dougherty, Brooklyn Gruber and Ciera Koller. About their business…

May 9, 2024

ECASD’s Board of Directors Votes Down Motion to Suspend Nepotism Policy

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors voted down a motion to suspend Board Policy 304.2 Nepotism for the hiring of a Building Clerk at Perry Lower Intermediate during its May 9 Regular Meeting. “Yes” votes came from Directors Jean Biehls, Dr. Claire Fauzey, and Director Robyn Nicklas. Directors Kathy Tillia, Kathy Galbreath, Norman Boots, and Kevin Boariu voted “No.” Director Erica Gray was not in attendance. Board President Jennifer Tomon abstained from voting as the proposed suspension of the policy was for the hiring of her relative Elizabeth Tomon. A majority of the “No” votes came as…

May 9, 2024

Record 15 Riv-Ell Students Pitch Business Plans

A record 15 high school seniors profiting from a yearlong Riv-Ell Entrepreneurship Program pitched business plans April 25 that impressed Ellwood City area leaders and in pursuit of graduating from Butler County Community College on May 15 with a 16-credit workplace certificate funded by donors. The 11 Lincoln and four Riverside seniors in 2023-2024 represent the largest group to seek the post-secondary credential in a 6-year-old program that combines academic coursework with practical experiences. Riv-Ell is a collaboration between BC3 and Ellwood City area businesses. Private contributions to the BC3 Education Foundation fund tuition, fees and books. Graduates earn a…

May 8, 2024

Historical Society Selects Scholarship Recipients

The Ellwood City Area Historical Society is pleased to announce the winners of the Robert and Janice Barensfeld and the Marlene Painter scholarships. Eleven students from Lincoln and Riverside High Schools submitted essays for these grants. The scholarships are available to any high school senior living in the Ellwood City area regardless of the school they attend. Seven students wrote about “A Prominent Person of the Ellwood City Area” for the Barensfeld award, established in honor of long-time prominent Ellwood City citizens Robert and Janice Barensfeld. Four students penned an essay on “Why I Want to be a Teacher” for…

May 6, 2024

BC3, Guest Students Can Work Ahead, Save Through College’s Summer Courses

Butler County Community College’s nearly 150 summer session courses lasting four to 12 weeks will provide an opportunity for BC3 and guest students to complete required courses in preparation for the fall semester or to advance toward graduation, a BC3 administrator said. Students can choose from courses instructed online, or in person on BC3’s main campus in Butler Township or at its additional locations of BC3 @ Armstrong in Ford City, BC3 @ Brockway in Brockway, BC3 @ Cranberry in Cranberry Township, BC3 @ Lawrence Crossing in New Castle and BC3 @ LindenPointe in Hermitage. Courses in the college’s three…

April 30, 2024

Lincoln High School Announces 2024 Prom Court

On Friday, May 3rd the annual Ellwood City Lincoln High School Prom “A Night With The Stars” will be held at the Timber House in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Prior to arriving at the Timber House, students will participate in the annual LHS Promenade held at the Leslie Sabo Memorial Auditorium. During the ceremony Senior members of the Prom court will be recognized with the 2024 King and Queen to be crowned later that evening. The Class of 2025 would like to thank those who made tonight’s event possible: Senior Class Sponsors Mrs. Melissa Pigza and Mrs. Dena Noble, Junior Class…

April 22, 2024

Two Ellwood City Schools To Operate Remotely Monday Due To Heating Issues

According to information made available by the district Monday morning, Lincoln High School and Hartman Intermediate School will be closed and operate on a FID (Flexible Instruction Day) on Monday, April 22, 2024 due to maintenance issues. Perry Lower Intermediate and North Side Primary will operate as normal. “The heating system for Lincoln and Hartman are linked an both currently operate on steam heat and Sunday afternoon the district identified that there is a leak in a steam line which forced steam to fill spaces above the ceilings and in the basement – which condensed into water – which damaged…

April 15, 2024

Ellwood City Community Health Foundation Now Accepting Scholarship Applications

The Ellwood City Community Health Foundation (ECCHF) is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2024-2025 Academic Year through June 30, 2024. The Foundation will issue scholarships each year to individuals who enroll in higher education to pursue a career in the medical field. The individual needs to be a resident of either Ellwood City, Lawrence County, or Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Each candidate must demonstrate how their career in the medical field will improve, foster, promote, and enhance the quality of life and health for the general public of Ellwood City, Lawrence County, or Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Scholarships are being offered…

April 12, 2024

ECASD’s Board of Directors Tables Motion to Dissolve the District’s Soccer Program

The Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors voted to table a motion to dissolve the District Soccer program during their regular meeting Thursday night. The consideration was originally on the agenda after interest in the program seemed to dwindle when a Google Document for sign up wasn’t completed by enough students to develop enough of a roster to hold practices or maintain a consistent team. Board Director Jean Biehls made the motion to table it until next month to give the students a chance to ramp up recruitment efforts, and the rest of the board unanimously agreed. During…