Episodes

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 and leave behind some of their previous behaviors and mindsets. Since meeting on Donavan’s first day ...

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 topics to student’s attention, the club welcomed Dr. Mykee Fowlin to EHS on Wednesday, September 25...

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 in dealing with issues related to their social and emotional well-being. In this episode, 9th grade c...

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 Hornet Ambassador to learn the best way to avoid the crowds and not be late to class. If you didn't, no w...

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 as a Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, and later an Assistant Superintendent before c...

As a freshman at Emmaus High School, you are at the beginning of a four-year odyssey that will see you progress in many different ways. As you explore the clubs, activities, athletics, and all of the awesome things EHS has to offer, a critical question exists: What does it take to be successful in the classroom? In this episode, you will hear from several teachers who have worked with 9th graders for many years that want to help you make that transition to EHS as smooth as possible. This two-par...

If you really want to know the inner workings of a school, there are two groups of people to chat with: the custodians and the office staff. As she finishes up her second year as the administrative assistant to 9th Grade Assistant Principal Mr. Miller, Lisa Lucchesi-Wood is that go-to person if you want to get the scoop on the freshman class. She has served in several roles during her time at EHS, including staff assistant, in-school suspension staff, and administrative assistant to former EHS a...

Everyone knows how difficult the transition to high school can be … but what if you were doing it two times a day in two different locations? For our 9th grade students who are attending Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, they have lived that reality this year by needing to adjust to multiple buses rides, two sets of building expectations, various schedules, and 3:15 returns back to Emmaus High School. They have done all this while balancing their core academic classes and the potential to l...

Every Wednesday of the school year presents a unique scheduling opportunity for all students at Emmaus High School - Flex Block. This 37-minute period allows students the chance to complete work, check in with teachers for extra help and make-up assignments, or acquire information about school-wide events through announcements or assemblies. On this episode of the 9th Grade Experience, we chat with four 9th grade students -- Joshua Castro, Katie Christman-Conrad, Liza Centeno, and Emily Buss -- ...

Whether it is under the Friday night lights, beneath waves at the swimming pool, or the beautiful sunshine out on the tennis court, the games you witness involving our varsity athletes here at Emmaus High School only tell part of the student-athlete story. What you don’t see are the hours practicing and perfecting their sports, the homework thats gets started at 9 PM after the long bus ride from the Poconos, or the sacrifices of not hanging out with friends or going to that late night movie. On ...

Between clubs, activities, sports, and socializing, sometimes it is hard to remember that the real focus of high school needs to be on the academics and the work students do in the classroom. In chatting with our guests today, you will see how two high achieving 9th grade students balance their time in order to excel in some challenging classes. Both Megan Petrizzi and Ben Thomas have found that school-life balance and are anxious to share their stories with you. They discussed topics such as th...