Fox Chapel area student achievements for the week of March 11, 2025

Thirteen Fox Chapel Area High School students placed in the Pennsylvania High School Speech League District 16 state championship qualifying tournament. First-place awards went to the team of juniors Prachi Behal and Maya Agarwal in Parliamentary Debate, the team of juniors Joanna Li and Zachary Rubin in Policy Debate, and junior Sabina Mantella in Informative Speaking. Second-place awards were given to freshman Ottilie Happold in Persuasive Speaking and to the team of junior Steven Li and sophomore Elaine Huang in Parliamentary Debate. All eight of these students qualified to participate in the PHSSL State Championship Tournament, which will be held March 21-22, at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania – Bloomsburg.

Additionally, five Fox Chapel Area High School students placed at the tournament and will serve as alternates to the state competition. Junior Zehra Ozkaya won third place in Prose Reading, junior Atia DiGioia was awarded third place in Poetry Reading, freshman Divya Thirumala won third place in Dramatic Interpretation, and the team of junior Priscila Hayetian and freshman Amelia Tedesco won third place in Policy Debate.

The state qualifying tournament hosted students representing seven public and private high schools in the eastern portion of the North Hills region, as well as the city of Pittsburgh. It was held at Pine-Richland High School on Feb. 22.

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Three O’Hara Elementary School fifth graders were chosen to participate in the 2025 Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 1 Elementary Sing Fest Addison Coyle, Lucas Liao and Sarah Mobley.

Approximately 120 students from Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties participated in the PMEA District 1 East Elementary Sing Fest, which was held Feb. 21 at Plum Senior High School. The festival was led by guest conductor Dr. Mark Boyle from Seton Hill University, where he is the director of choral and vocal activities.

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Five Fox Chapel Area High School students had artwork chosen for the 2025 Youth Art Month Exhibit: juniors Ava deBruyn, Raina Guzman, Nora Kelley and Mira Owens, and freshman Lily Rice. Each of the students submitted pieces in the painting and drawing category. Additionally, Nora won a Division Award for her piece titled “Feline’s Feast.”

Youth Art Month is sponsored by the Council for Art Education and is a celebration of the visual arts. It encourages support for quality school art programs and provides a medium for recognizing skills developed through visual arts experiences. The artwork of more than 300 students from throughout Pennsylvania are exhibited in the virtual show and will be celebrated as part of a virtual artists reception and awards ceremony on March 14.

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The following students made the dean’s list at their respective colleges or universities for the fall 2024 semester:

• Andrew Begg, Isaac Jacobs and Troy Susnak, John Carroll University

• Jacob McWilliams, University of Pittsburgh

• Alexandra Sroufe, Seton Hall University

• Parisha Wilojanapa, Tufts University

• Katherine Appleman and Walter Scheri, Hamilton College

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Georgia Dale and Christopher Frandozzi made the president’s list for achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average in the fall 2024 semester.