Student news: Geography Olympiad, communications awards and community outreach

Geography Olympiad accolades

Fox Chapel Area High School sophomore Elijah Conklin will be part of Team USA in the International Geography Olympiad. Conklin earned the honor by placing third in the varsity division of the U.S. Geography Championships. The top four students in the country make up Team USA.

The International Geography Olympiad, or iGeo, is an annual competition for geography students from more than 40 countries. The 2021 iGeo will be held online Aug. 11-15 and hosted by Turkey. The national and international contests require students to have a thorough understanding of both the physical side of geography, including country locations and capitals, as well as the human side, including languages, cultures and population trends.

Conklin has competed in the U.S. Geography Championships for the past three years. The contest includes multiple choice, open-ended writing and cartography sections.

“Elijah is an exemplary student and demonstrates academic excellence with his devotion to independently investigate and master content,” said Lesley Cowles, FCA’s Advanced Placement Human Geography teacher. “Fox Chapel Area is fortunate to have a student of Eli’s caliber represented on Team USA.”

FCA award winners

The Fox Chapel Area School District won six state awards in the 2020 Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association (PenSPRA) Excellence in Education communications contest.

The district received an Award of Excellence (the highest honor) in the writing category for the story “Fox Families Care Steps Up to Address Needs of Students” that appeared in the winter 2020 IN Fox Chapel Area Community Magazine.

The district also received Awards of Honor (the second highest honor) in the publications category for the fall 2020 and the winter 2020 IN Fox Chapel Area Community Magazines; in the writing category for the “FCAHS Students Release ‘Mister Rogers’ Documentary” story that appeared in the winter 2020 IN Fox Chapel Area Community Magazine; and in the covid-19 and/or crisis management category for the winter break mask infographic and for “Ready to Learn: A Quick Guide to 2020-2021.”

More than 250 entries from educational institutions from throughout Pennsylvania were submitted for the 2020 PenSPRA contest. Fox Chapel Area School District’s winning entries were coordinated by Bonnie Berzonski, the district’s coordinator of communications, and Jill Leonard, the district’s community engagement specialist.

Pharmacy graduate

Lauren Jean Ajak earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Duquesne University on May 22.

She also earned a minor in psychology. Ajak is a member of the Phi Lambda Sigma leadership society and the Phi Eta Sigma national honor society.

She is the daughter of Paul and Barbara Ajak of Aspinwall.

Laura Jean Ajak is a member of Kappa Psi, a pharmacy fraternity, and was an active volunteer and member of many student organizations.

Ceremonies were held at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

Students thank nurses

Kindergarteners at Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy in Aspinwall made thank-you cards and donated sweet treats to the nurses at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital near Aspinwall. The outreach was in honor of National Nurses Week, celebrated in early May.