Hempfield School District

“The Game of Life,” this year’s HHS Dance Theatre production will light up the stage on Friday and Saturday April 30 and May 1 at 7:30 P.M. and Sunday May 2 at 2:30 P.M. at the school’s Performing Arts Center, 200 Stanley Avenue in Landisville.

The Game of Life chronicles the story of a lifetime, including trials and triumphs; pastimes and milestones. The show explores such childhood memories as the playground, school dances and leaving home. Eventually the dancers enter the work force, punching in day after day, longing for the capriciousness of youth. They reminisce on younger years at the circus, recalling the wonderment and awe the spectacle inspired. Now, as the final seconds of the workday are counted down, the cast celebrates the weekend by playing poker with friends. The show comes full circle as every stage of life is explored using various genres of dance including modern, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and partnering.

Poor choices can have drastic consequences, but if you learn from your mistakes, the end result can be positive – and Sarah Panzau is Living Proof.  As a two-time member of the National Junior College Athletic Association women’s volleyball All-America team, Panzau knew what it was like to be on top of her game – and on top of the world.  But not long after, she nearly lost it all.

Somewhere between life as a competitively driven high-school athlete and the early years of college, she began heading down a destructive path.  She found herself hanging out with the wrong crowd and getting more out of drugs and dangerous levels of alcohol than hitting the books and spiking a ball.

On April 12th, 2010, at Hempfield High School  Panzau recounted her story for students and told them about the pattern of poor choices that finally caught up with her.  Panzau explains, “Today, I stand before students to impress upon them the importance of making the right choices – to not drink before they are 21, never drive drunk, respect parents, rise above disabilities and to learn the meaning of ‘real’ friends.”

Senator Mike Brubaker visited Hempfield High School on March 25. He first visited Mr. Terry Trego’s social studies classes and then toured the library. He and library supervisor Cathi Fuhrman discussed state library resources and funding. Additionally he witnessed several classes using resources which were made possible with funding and he learned more about those applications. Kristin Douglas, Beth Seyfert and Cathi Fuhrman, librarians at Hempfield High School, received word from the Pennsylvania State Librarians Association (PSLA) that The Hempfield High School Library has been chosen as the 2010 Outstanding Individual School Library Information Center in Pennsylvania. The three librarians will receive the award on April 16 during the PSLA Conference in State College. Cathi Fuhrman, Supervisor of Hempfield School district libraries commented, “We appreciate everyone’s support of our library program which made it possible for us to meet and exceed the criteria for the award.”

On Saturday, March 20 Hempfield High School held a Mini-THON to raise funds for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. This was the culmination of a yearlong series of events, which achieved unprecedented success and raised $75,871.29.  Funds raised will be used to pay uncovered medical expenses for support services for families and the funding of research projects to find a cure for childhood cancers. This is the second year for the MiniTHON at Hempfield High School. Last year the HHS set a record for the first year of this sort of fundraising for a high school.

Over 400 students qualified to attend Saturday’s events. In order to be qualified to attend, each of the students had to raise a minimum of $30.  There was a basketball tournament, dodgeball tournament, dance contest, talent show, line dances and much more. Sponsors of the event include:  Hempfield School District, Hempfield Varsity Club, Hempfield National Honor Society, Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster, Hempfield Student Council, Hempfield Class of 2009, Jet Plastica, Best Buy, HHS Staff, Sunshine Sportswear, Stauffers of Kissel Hill, Bogey Bunker Mischief, Manheim Township Powder Puff, Wiley’s Pharmacy, Olivia’ Organics, Lancaster Pediatric Associates LTD, Hempfield FCS, Issac’s, Barnes and Noble, Hempfield Rec Center, Lagacy Soccer Club, Forry’s Country Store, Central Medical Equipment, Francis Musso, CPA, MPA, P.C. and Hot Z Pizza.

Student leaders for the event included: Jennifer Gayman overall for fundraising, Leah Godin - overall for sponsorships and donation, Chase Pipkin - overall for Technology, Emily Pugliese - overall for Communications and Participant Relations. MacKenzie Bender - overall for entertainment, Steve Reichardt, Torie Grice, Becky Hopkins, Zach Musso, Lisa Chea, Katie Hetrick, Andrew Arnold - chairs for fundraising and sponsorships.

Hempfield Schools celebrated “Read Across America Week” last week with special events and visits from favorite childrens’ authors. Talking to authors helps students understand how a book is written and illustrated. Students learn how imagination and creativity play a part in writing. Many authors spend time explaining their writing process to encourage students to write journals and stories of their own. All schools encourage embracing reading as a favorite pastime and challenge students to explore books with enthusiasm.

Students at the high school and middle schools participated in many videoconferences with other schools around the world.  Many of the foreign language classes practiced their speech with non-English speaking students.