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Honors Band Visit page 3 to read about the musical accomplishments of two students!
Pettisville students have been busy over the last couple of weeks. The Pettisville Class of ‘28 had their first fundraising event on January 17 during the boys basketball game against Fayette. The freshmen planned a free-will donation bake sale and held a silent auction with themed baskets, such as a Spa Day Basket and Pettisville Spirit Basket. The funds raised at this event will eventually be used for prom and graduation. This winter, the Art Club has been fundraising during high school Basketball games by painting faces. “The art clubbers have been doing a great job spreading school spirit through their artwork, and we have been accepting free will donations,” said Mr. Delphia. The Art Club has painted faces on January 7 and the 17, and they plan to at least one more time at the boys game on February 14. The funds will help pay for their annual field trip. Last year, the Art Club used their fundraising money to travel to Sauder Village to learn how to blow glass with artist Mark Matthews. They are still in the process of deciding where they are going this year. FCCLA members are getting ready for the Flower and Crush Can sales for Valentine’s Day. They will be selling carnations, roses, and pop cans during lunch January 27- February 7 in the cafeteria. Red and pink carnations will be $4.00, and red and pink roses are $7.00. Red, grape and orange pop are each $2.00. All items will be delivered on Valentine’s Day. The funds will go to community service projects. Musical season is now in full swing as the cast gets ready for the spring production of The Prince of Egypt. The musical is based on the story of Moses, found in the biblical book of Exodus. The cast has been busy blocking scenes and choreographing dances under the direction of Mr. Barnaby Wyse, Mr. Beck, and Mrs. Dixon, the directors for this year's spring musical. The musical is set to have great music and choreography. Student council has been hard at work making preparations for the 2025 Homecoming Dance. From planning the pep rally with the cheerleaders to setting up a competition between the HS grades, this Homecoming has been planned to be unforgettable. The JH members of Student Council are currently busy planning their own annual dance. The JH Dance will take place at the school on Friday, February 14, Valentine’s Day, from 3:30 to 5:00.
by Kendall Sears
Here Comes HOCO Go to page 2 to meet the Court for Homecoming 2025.
Minibirds See page 11 to watch a video interview with our youngest athletes.
We've Got Spirit!
Edition #94 | Issue 5 | January 31, 2025
Pettisville High School's
Academic Success Check out page 2 to see how a new academic program is taking place!
Fundraisers & Fieldtrips by Keren Maldonado
PET ECHOES
Working the table at their fundraiser, freshmen Grace Davis and Hannah Fox take a break to smile.
Excited for the game, Kaesyn Miller (2) gets his face painted by junior Echo Eash.
continued on page 4...
The Academic Success Center is a program headed by Mrs. Meller to give students an opportunity to get help outside of school hours with math, reading, writing skills, or organizational skills, and it always starts off with an after school snack. There are many ways a student can participate in the Academic Success Center. Students can sign up by going on the school website and accessing the sign up form there, or by using the link Mr. Wagner sent out in January. A teacher could recommend it to a student, or a parent or guardian can recommend it as well. “It will give them a space to work quietly, [receive] one on one mentoring, [and] develop confidence in core subjects [like] math, English, and writing skills,” says Mrs. Meller. The library is a very calm and quiet place, perfect for working on homework or getting help on homework after school. If teachers are still in the building and students have made arrangements to meet with them, students will be able to meet with that teacher. “We will do whatever it takes to help [students] get the support they need,” says Mrs. Meller. If a student needs help with a problem, and the advisor doesn't know the answer, the student can arrange to see the teacher who assigned the item in the morning to figure out the question. The program will be held in the library after school on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:20 pm to 4:15 pm. It is for any students who are in grades seven through twelve. The Academic Success Center is a great place to study and do homework. It is a very unique program that not every school offers. This program could help the students at Pettisville High School in a very positive way.
Pet Echoes Friday, January 31, 2025
Center for Success by Kyle Galvin
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The Court Commences by Caroline Sterken
Gianna Alencastro works on homework at the Success Center.
Student/Staff Section by Caden Bishop
Quotes out of Context “It’s not verbing. It’s nouning.” “Frogs freak me out. Also so do cotton balls.” “Yeah, we felt it in our Spanish gut.” “Agape is the big kahuna of love.” “Look at all the blooks I got!” “One thing you can’t deny is your father’s fear of frogs.” “I have to eat a lot to fuel my big personality.” “If I had a band saw, a miter saw, and a table saw, I’d be all set. I wouldn't have to go anywhere.” “A house of bricks is built on bricks. And scientists have… facts?” “Luck is gonna run out soon and skill is gonna be all that’s left.” “Geez the wheeze.” “Did you mean LOUISE?” “I didn’t know how to spell that word.”
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Proving yet again that Pettisville has the best student section in the area, staff members and students alike enjoy the girls’ basketball game vs Montpelier on Friday, December 20. The pep band and student section were both reinforced with staff, who got to enjoy a retro jersey theme, knock the rust off of their pep band instruments, and join the students in cheering for some Blackbird basketball. Staff members Mr. Switzer, Mrs. Richer, and Mr. Rufenacht all enjoyed the event. “I had fun trying to remember the pep band songs from my high school years,” Mr. Switzer said. “It was a blast from the past.” Mrs. Richer most enjoyed playing the drums and the throwback music played during timeouts. Mr. Rufenacht had mixed emotions about the theme for the night, “It was cool to wear my high school jersey, but I didn’t think it would be considered vintage yet.“
After several days of practice with students from across the community, junior Leah Roth and freshman Sarah Young performed at the District 1 band and choir concert on January 19. “Getting to play with really, really good people and getting to play with people who also see the importance in music and have put in just as much work as I have,” was Leah’s favorite part of the experience. As a third year District 1 band selectee, she proudly plays with the district’s best instrumentalists while Sarah sings with the members of this esteemed choir. “[District 1] has helped me learn more diverse ways and methods [to sing and perform] because there were multiple choir directors,” Sarah said. Both ladies did an excellent job of representing Pettisville’s music programs.
Honors Band & Choir by Ella Myers
Guess the Teacher Can you guess which teacher uses this waterbottle? Click the picture below to reveal the correct asnwer!
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Presidential Updates by Emily VanDenBerghe
Fundraisers &...
If you guessed Mr. Switzer, you are correct. Stop by his room anytime to learn an interesting history or Star Wars fact.
Dominating the mainstream media since November, the news following the 2024 Presidential Election has held the American public’s attention captive. As the results of the election flowed in, it soon became apparent that Donald Trump would become the president-elect. Donald Trump is the first president to serve two nonconsecutive terms since Grover Cleveland, who served as president from 1885 to 1889 and again from 1893 to 1897. President-elect Trump won the election after competing against Vice President Kamala Harris, who served alongside President Biden since the 2020 election. Over the past year, President Trump has faced two threats to his life while on the campaign trail; he was shot across the face at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania resulting non-life threatening injuries, and was in the vicinity when shots were fired at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. On January 20, 2025, President Trump was inaugurated into office as the nation looked on. That Monday, Trump took the Oath of Office to be sworn in as the country’s newest president amid speeches and performances, all taking place inside the Capitol Rotunda due to cold temperatures. Prior to Trump’s inauguration, Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the U.S., passed away at age 100 on December 29, 2025. Carter served the country from 1977-1981 and left office after a term full of criticism and difficulty. Though his presidential legacy was hurt by poor policies and hard circumstances, he is remembered as a man that made many great humanitarian efforts. Some of his accomplishments include being a diplomat to many countries which aided in restoring international peace, winning a Nobel Peace Prize, and for having a personal hand in negotiating the Camp David Accords, which founded a historic peace between Israel and Egypt. The former president will be remembered as a great humanitarian and will be missed by the American people.
The cast of the musical participates in a read-through of the script.
continued from page 1...
New Year, New Us by Sophia Loar & Macy Hoylman
"I'm excited for archery coming to Pettisville, and I am ready to compete for my school." -Brock Stump, junior
New Year’s resolutions have been used for years to motivate people to get things done. In the spirit of New Year’s, we surveyed 40 students asking what their resolutions are for this year, and here’s how they responded:
"I love playing basketball with my friends during minibirds." -Asher Adkins, 6th grade
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Tucker King, Ty Aeschliman, and Travis Rychener (3) cluster together in their Hawaii inspired spirit week gear.
Bursting through the sign, senior Olivia Miller leads the Girls' Basketball team to warm ups.
As they prepare to play putt putt, Judah Whitmire and Elliot Dunlap (K) celebrate the 100th Day of School.
Decked out in full hippie attire, senior CJ Ridley plays the drumset in pep band.
Attentively listening to a presentation, Keyera Dietrich (12), Olivia Moore, Carmen Vallejo, Echo Eash, and Sammy Minchella (11) enjoy the job fair.
Blackbird Snapshots
Siblings Kelsey (12) and Jake (5) Bennett share a chest bump before Kelsey enters the tunnel of students awaiting her.
Taelyn Miller, Hailey Schwartz, and Molly Bishop (4) join in the Macarena between quarters at the basketball game.
Celebrating the 100th day of school, Belle Sager pieces together the bones of a dinosaur.
Name: Mason Wyse Date of Birth: October 28, 2006 Parents: Shari and Ryan Wyse Siblings: Jaxon and Jayden Extracurricular activities: Soccer, Basketball, FCCLA Plans after high school: College What advice do you have for the incoming freshman? Be normal. What is the most creative excuse you’ve ever used to get out of a homework assignment? My guinea pig got lost in my vent. What trend or fad are you most embarrassed about being a part of? Having long hair What was your biggest childhood fear? Needles What song are you secretly obsessed with? “Redrum” by 21 Savage
Name: Olivia Miller Date of Birth: November 29, 2006 Parents: Terry and Amy Miller Siblings: Taylor Rodriguez, Zach Pursel, Sam Schwartz, Jacob Miller, Madison Miller Extracurricular activities: FFA Vice President, FCCLA, FCA, Class Treasurer, NHS, 4-H, Volleyball, Basketball, Softball Plans after high school: Undecided, college in a math field What advice do you have for the incoming freshman? Be bold, try everything, and make the most of it. What is the most creative excuse you’ve ever used to get out of a homework assignment? I lost it. What was your biggest childhood fear? Mascots What song are you secretly obsessed with? “Big Green Tractor” by Jason Aldean
Name: Rylee Tietje Date of Birth: May 21, 2007 Parents: Kelly Tietje Siblings: Baylee Tietje Extracurricular activities: Band Plans after high school: Attending Northwest for two years What advice do you have for the incoming freshman? Focus on yourself and not others. What trend or fad are you most embarrassed about being a part of? I’m not embarrassed about anything. What was your biggest childhood fear? The dark What song are you secretly obsessed with? “Baby Got Back” Sir Mix-a-Lot
Name: Alex Bolaney Date of Birth: September 1, 2005 Parents: Laura and Tom Bolaney Siblings: Maegan Bolaney, Alyssa Westrick Extracurricular activities: Cross Country, FFA Plans after high school: Start working full time What advice do you have for the incoming freshman? Take new opportunities and try to stay caught up on school work. What is the most creative excuse you’ve ever used to get out of a homework assignment? It's done but I left it at home. What trend or fad are you most embarrassed about being a part of? Bottle flipping What was your biggest childhood fear? Bugs
Name: Ben Boger Date of Birth: December 25, 2006 Parents: Josh and Heather Boger Siblings: Samantha and Taylor Extracurricular activities: FFA Plans after high school: Work What advice do you have for the incoming freshman? Don’t stand in the middle of the hallway. What is the most creative excuse you’ve ever used to get out of a homework assignment? I did my work and didn’t use excuses.
Name: Reagan Michele Steele Date of Birth: September 4, 2006 Parents: Connie Steele, Dean Steele Siblings: Jacob Steele, Rebekah Ater, Hannah Fischer Extracurricular activities: Book Club Plans after high school: College for building a business What advice do you have for the incoming freshman? Just do your best. What is the most creative excuse you’ve ever used to get out of a homework assignment? I didn't remember. What trend or fad are you most embarrassed about being a part of? The choker trend What was your biggest childhood fear? The dark What song are you secretly obsessed with? “Carrying Your Love With Me” by David Morris
Name: Tara Crossgrove Date of Birth: May 15, 2007 Parents: Julie and Trevor Crossgrove Siblings: Lindsey and Harley Crossgrove Extracurricular activities: Soccer Plans after high school: Work What advice do you have for the incoming freshman? Be yourself. What is the most creative excuse you’ve ever used to get out of a homework assignment? I didn’t do it. What trend or fad are you most embarrassed about being a part of? Skinny jeans What was your biggest childhood fear? Getting lost What song are you secretly obsessed with? “Workin’ Overtime” Lainey Wilson
Name: Tyler Layton Date of Birth: September 27, 2006 Parents: Joyce and Tom Layton Siblings: Genny and Jessie Extracurricular activities: Soccer, track, playing drums, lifting weights, and hunting Plans after high school: Working as a welder What advice do you have for the incoming freshman? Get a gym membership, it will solve all your problems. What is the most creative excuse you’ve ever used to get out of a homework assignment? I drew a picture of a penguin and said, " If my answers don't convince you to give me an A on this test maybe this drawing will." I got an A and only got like 50% of the answers right. What trend or fad are you most embarrassed about being a part of? Bleached hair What was your biggest childhood fear? Females (still is) What song are you secretly obsessed with? “California Girls” by Katy Perry
The junior high girls teams are nearing the end of their season. The eighth grade is 10-1, and the seventh grade is 9-1. “Our communication and teamwork has definitely been improving,” eighth grader Evelyn Bieber said. It’s full speed ahead for the junior high boys basketball team. The eighth grade is 8-2, and the seventh grade is 6-3 as they navigate the busy part of the season with three games a week and their eyes set on their upcoming tournament. “This season we are playing better as a team and individually,” eighth grader Hayden Thornton said. After a fast start as they won their first five games, the JV girls basketball team has leveled out. They lost their next three games and are now sitting at 9-6. “Our team chemistry has grown and we have become better as a team,” freshman Hannah Fox said. Midway through the season the JV boys have a record of 9-7. They will take on Ayersville on February 1. “My favorite game was Delta because we were able to pull off a tight game,” freshman Sam Hastings said.
Sports Spotlight by Kobe Hoylman
Mini Blackbirds Broadcast by Creighton Aeschliman and Shiloh Adkins
Sports Friday, January 31, 2025
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Blackbird Sports Broadcast by Creighton Aeschliman & Shiloh Adkins
@ Holgate @ Fairview @ North Central vs. Edgerton vs. Fayette vs. Evergreen @ Edon
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Blackbird Box Scores Boys Varsity Basketball Girls Varsity Basketball
vs. Holgate vs. Ottawa Hills vs. North Central @ North Baltimore @ Fayette vs. Wauseon vs. Edon @ Antwerp @ Montpelier
After many great basketball performances in January, Senior Olivia Miller was named Pet Echoes athlete of the month. Olivia has averaged 10.7 points per game this month. On January 16, Olivia had 23 points in the close loss to Fayette. The birds are 5-13, getting wins over North Central, Holgate, Evergreen, Ayersville, and Edgerton. Their next game is home against Swanton on February 3. “My favorite game was Evergreen,” Olivia said, “because we won in overtime and I had 26 points, which was a career-high.” Olivia isn’t only an exceptional athlete, but also a team player. She always encourages her teammates and challenges herself to be better. She spends extra time outside of practice bettering herself and her skills. “She has done a good job embracing her role,” Coach Kendra Stahl said. “I think she is pretty selfless and does a good job finding open teammates. Her personality is friendly and she is just easy to get along with.” Olivia hopes that younger players will also put in the work to better themselves as well. “My advice to underclassmen is that hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. Give it their all every chance they get,” she says. Olivia’s success is not just skill. It is a combination of hard work, dedication, and hustle.
Athlete of the Month by Sam Hastings
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TO OUR 2024-2025 PET ECHOES SPONSORS
THANK YOU
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