The 9th Grade Experience

As we encounter the seventh week of the Coronavirus shutdown in the East Penn School District, we check in with school librarian Kelly Bower and student Joshua Jones to see how they are continuing to adapt to our new normal.  This week's episode uses the audio from a Google Meet session. In it, we hear Ms. Bower tell own her unique 9th grade memories, discuss her move from the classroom to th...

As we encounter the sixth week of the Coronavirus shutdown in the East Penn School District, we check in with our 9th grade school counselors at Emmaus High School to see how they have adjusted to their new reality. This week's episode uses the audio from a Google Meet session that featured EHS School Counselors Colleen Demchak and Mike McInerney. We discuss what school counselors are doing withou...

As we approach the end of our fifth week of the Coronavirus shutdown in the East Penn School District, we check in with 9th graders and a few guests at Emmaus High School to see how they have adjusted to their new reality.  This week's episode uses the audio from a Google Meet session that featured EHS School Nurse Beth Ann Hendershot, 11th Grade Assistant Principal Greg Annoni, along with st...

As we approach the end of our fourth week of the Coronavirus shutdown in the East Penn School District, we check in with 9th graders at Emmaus High School to see how they have adjusted to their new reality. This week's episode uses the audio from a Google Meet session that featured Reid Scharer, Joshua Jones, and Avery Smith talking about the first week of new learning in the EPSD Continuity of Le...

As we approach the end of our third week of the Coronavirus shutdown in the East Penn School District, we check in with 9th graders at Emmaus High School to see how they are feeling about our new reality. This week's episode uses the audio from a Google Meet session that had more than 15 students participate. It was offered as an opportunity for students to become familiar with the format and feel...

As we approach the end of our second week of our Coronavirus shutdown in the East Penn School District, we check in with 9th graders to see how they are feeling about our new reality. Some of the topics we asked about this week included understanding social distancing, how much they have been outside since the closure, how they are staying in contact with friends and family, how the shutdown of lo...

You never know what the answer to a question will be until you ask it. When Brian Koppelman, co-creator of the Showtime show Billions and co-writer of movies Rounders and Ocean’s Thirteen , put out a tweet and said he would appear on podcasts during the Coronavirus shutdown, I sent him an email. I never expected to hear back, but within 3 minutes of sending the message, he replied and said he woul...

As we approach the end of our first week of our Coronavirus shutdown in the East Penn School District, we check in with 9th graders to see how they are adjusting the new reality we are all living in. Via Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/9thgradeexperience and Google Classroom, we asked students to tell us about what they have been up to, the establishment of new routines, and how they are fee...

It's now less than one week to the opening curtain for the freshman and all those involved in the production of the theater department's spring musical Hello, Dolly!  In Volume 4 of this behind-the-scenes look at the preparation before the show's Wednesday, March 18 debut, we check back in with Mason Steltz, Dom Zientara, and Jacob Klinedinst to get the scoop behind what it’s been like since...

While March is usually a time reserved for college basketball madness, this year at Emmaus High School, the third month of the year will be devoted to an even crazier topic: What to do with your future?  It may seem like just yesterday (or now 7 months ago!) that this year’s 9th grade class entered the halls of EHS. Yet, in our rapidly changing and evolving world, it is never too early to thi...

In the world of high school athletics, and even on previous episodes of this podcast, most of the attention is placed on the results of the varsity teams. But before the Friday Night Lights, local television, newspaper and radio coverage, and league and district championships, many athletes improve their skills on junior varsity or freshman teams. In perennially strong programs, like boys basketba...

It's getting closer to the opening curtain for the freshman involved in the production of the theater department's spring musical Hello, Dolly! In Volume 3 of this behind-the-scenes look at the preparation before the show's Wednesday, March 18 debut, we check back in with Mason Steltz, Dom Zientara, and Jacob Klinedinst to see what has happened to them since their auditions at the end of December....

The beginning of the 2020-2021 school year will provide students with a unique school experience unlike anything currently offered at Emmaus High School. The Jasper Learning Initiative will debut with up to 125 upcoming 9th grade students who are looking to learn in a setting that values collaboration, curiosity, and authenticity that promises to be community-inspired, project-based, and inquiry-d...

One of the goals of the 9th Grade Experience is to tell the stories of the widest-range of students possible who are involved throughout Emmaus High School. In order to dive a little deeper and really get some behind-the-scenes information, at least one time per month, the podcast will attempt to follow a group of students who are attempting to excel outside the classroom. For the remainder of the...

One of the goals of the 9th Grade Experience is to tell the stories of the widest-range of students possible who are involved throughout Emmaus High School. In order to dive a little deeper and really get some behind-the-scenes information, at least one time per month, the podcast will attempt to follow a group of students who are attempting to excel outside the classroom. For the remainder of the...

As a player and a teammate, starting varsity girls basketball player Keziah Brantley is always looking to conquer the next challenge ahead of her.  As an 8th grader at Lower Macungie Middle School, she played for the high school freshman team, coached by Emmaus social studies teacher Mr. Carolla. This year, she reached her goal of making the varsity team as a 9th grader. She scored a team-hig...

As we approach the holiday season and the end of 2019, it is a great time to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for here at Emmaus High School. There are many people, either in a classroom, on the field or court, or in the school’s many offices that work together to make the transition from middle school to high school as smooth and successful as possible for all students. On this very spe...

When Maddie Carlson was asked to be a guest on today’s show, she had one favor to ask - she wanted her friend Abby Burnett to record as well. Luckily for the listeners, her request is everyone’s benefit because on this episode you will get to hear from two high-performing students making great strides in their ninth grade years.  The girls are both members of the Key Club as they look to help...

For Sophia Iacobelli and Nicole Nosal , keeping busy has been key to a successful transition this year at Emmaus High School. These freshmen are taking demanding course loads, which include at least two honors classes each, a Project Lead the Way Engineering class, and a shared Spanish 2 class at the end of their days.  Outside of the classroom, Sophia is involved in orchestra, student govern...

Senior night in the next to the last game of the football regular season is not usually a time to make a change to a new quarterback, especially not to a freshman who hasn’t seen the varsity field all season. But for Jake Fotta , who was facing a 13 to 0 deficit, the second quarter of the Hornets’ game on Friday, October 18, against Bethlehem Catholic was the time. Unfazed, he stepped in and threw...

High school is a time for new beginnings, making changes, and preparing yourself to move towards adulthood, especially if your middle school years did not go exactly as planned. For two best friends, Chris Alfau and Donavan McCargo, coming to Emmaus High School meant making an agreement that they would push each other academically and socially in order to make the most of their high school years a...

On the first Monday of every month, the faculty and staff at Emmaus High School trade their normal clothing for the opportunity to wear gear in a visual and symbolic support of No Place for Hate, an organization that allows students to facilitate diversity awareness and devise anti-bullying projects that affect the entire student body. As part of their on-going mission to bring unique speakers and...

In the ever-evolving world of education, the traditional role of the guidance counselor has seen a dramatic shift. Gone are the days when the only time you would see your counselor would be when making decisions about your post-high school path, whether it would be college or career. Now, counselors play an important role in not only helping to shape a student’s academic outlook, but assist them i...

As a freshman, one of the biggest challenges at Emmaus High School is finding the best way to get around. Now that you have seen your schedule on PowerSchool, you may be wondering how you will make it from room 227 to 580 and then back to the auditorium for a study hall? Hopefully, you had a chance to come into the building on one of the days available to take a walk through with a map and a Horne...

Entering her third year as principal at Emmaus High School, Dr. Kate Kieres brings a unique perspective to leadership and an understanding of what makes a 9th grade student successful. She began her career as a high school English teacher before moving into administration as an  Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs at EHS from 2006-2011. She then went to Palisades School District to serve...