Student news: Shaler Area music accolades and Japanese speech contest winners

Four Shaler Area High School seniors were recognized by the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) as some of the top instrumentalists in the state by being selected for its All-State ensembles.

They are:

• Adam Braughler: Ranked among the best French horn players in the state, Braughler has been a member of the high school Honors Wind Ensemble, earning principal chair for the last three years. He also held the position of Low Brass Section Leader for the past two years in the Shaler Area Titan Marching Band.

Braughler has been a member of the Marching Band since eighth grade. His other musical accomplishments include acceptance into the PMEA District Band, PMEA District Orchestra, Allegheny Valley Honors Band, PMEA Region Band, PMEA Region Orchestra and the Three Rivers Young People’s Orchestra. He is also a member of the Honors Chamber Choir and has participated in Shaler Area’s Musical Pit Orchestra for two years.

• Jenna Facer: Ranked among the best flute players in the state, Facer has been a member of the high school Honors Wind Ensemble, earning principal chair for the past three years. She is the President of Shaler Area’s Tri-M Music Honors Society as well as one of the Titan Marching Band Drum Majors. On top of helping lead the 160-member marching nand, she has been accepted into and participated in PMEA District Band, PMEA District Orchestra, PMEA Region Band, the Midatlantic Honors Flute Choir, the Slippery Rock University Honors Flute Choir, the Allegheny Valley Honors Band and the Pittsburgh Youth Concert Orchestra. Facer is also a member of the Honors Women’s Choir and has participated in Shaler Area’s Musical Pit Orchestra for the past four years.

• Luke Franks: Ranked among the best trumpet players in the state, Franks has been the lead trumpet of the high school Honors Jazz Ensemble since his freshman year and was lead trumpet in the Honors Wind Ensemble for one year. He has been a member of the marching band for the past four years and helped lead the brass section as a Section Leader for the past two years. Franks has been accepted into and participated in PMEA District Band, PMEA Honors Band, PMEA District Jazz, PMEA Region Band and the Allegheny Valley Honors Band.

• Zachary Spondike: Ranked among the top saxophone players in the state and also ranked nationally through the NAfME All-National program, Spondike has been a member of the high school Honors Jazz Ensemble, playing the lead tenor saxophone, for the past four years. He has also been a member of the Honors Wind Ensemble for four years, earning principal chair clarinet. Spondike has helped lead the 160-member Titan Marching Band as a Drum Major for the past two years. He has been accepted into and participated in PMEA District Band, PMEA Honors Band, PMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble, PMEA District Orchestra, PMEA District Jazz, Allegheny Valley Honors Band, NAfME All-Eastern Jazz, NAfME All-National Jazz and the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestra. He has also participated in Shaler Area’s Musical Pit Orchestra for the past four years.

Japanese speech contest success

Shaler Area High School students took top awards in the annual High School Japanese Speech Contest held through the University of Pittsburgh.

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania and the University of Pittsburgh’s Asian Studies Center hosts the Japanese Speech Contest each year for Japanese learners of all levels.

Shaler Area junior Margaret Rea, who competed at the Advanced Level, received the top award and was named the grand-prize winner.

Seniors Zoe Babbit, Jamie Eichmiller and Abby Sawa tied for first place in the Advanced Plus Level.

In the Advanced Level, Shaler Area junior Mai Swendsen placed second and junior Riley Pegher placed third.

At the Intermediate Level, sophomore Isabella Drischler placed third.

Students are required to memorize a speech in Japanese on the chosen topic for the speech contest. The Shaler Area students who participated in the 2021 event spoke about the place they most want to visit in Japan.