News & Announcements

Congratulations, Colby Vinisky!
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North Star High School (NSHS) was selected by Amazon’s Future Engineers Scholarship Program to be awarded with two fully-funded Computer Science (CS) courses through their partnership with Edhesive: AP CS Principles and Python computer programming. The program has paid for tuition costs for any student enrolled in either course. Amazon recognizes the deficit of CS course availability in rural school districts across the country. NSHS students are being exposed to CS topics prior to enrolling in post-secondary degrees or pursuing other technical studies. As a side-effect of growing up in a rural-agricultural school district, most students have not had any significant exposure to computer programming. Full story

This story is part of a multi-year public awareness campaign sharing positive news in PA public education. Read more stories and share your own on www.SuccessStartsHere.org.
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For the first time in WestPAC rifle history, three teams tied for the top spot. Conemaugh Township, North Star and Meyersdale each finished with a 7-1 mark in conference competition.

For the Cougars, which also finished their campaign with a 12-2 overall mark, it was a season of highs.

Elissa Barron joined the 100 club for a second time in her career in the prone position. Teammate Hunter Snoeberger also reached the century mark.

Barron finished in the top 15 in the state prone competition. She also qualified for the National Junior Olympics in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

North Star had seven returning lettermen and three newcomers letter this season as well.

It was a memorable year for the Cougars and George Ryniak, who took over as head coach this season.

“I have been with the team for three seasons, two as an assistant and this year being my first as head coach,” Ryniak said. “We have a young, but extremely talented and hard-working group of athletes. They put in the work each and every day at practice. I am fortunate to have excellent assistant and volunteer coaches in Derek Dwire, Stephen Darr and Cory Snoeberger. Our rifle team continues to progress and thrive, making its mark in the history books at North Star.”

The Cougars lose only Charlotte Fetsko and Hannah Bassett to graduation. Therefore they have high hopes for next season.

“We have been blessed with some great shooters over the years and I am proud to call myself their coach,” Ryniak said. “I look forward to what this team will accomplish next season within the league and WestPAC.”
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INDIANA — The North Star Cougars powerlifting team participated in the Sons of Thunder/Indiana County Teen Bench Press and Deadlift Classic on Saturday.

The Cougars, coached by Joe Caola, took first place in the overall team event.

Jamie Augustine took first overall, first in the deadlift and second in the bench press for the female division.

In the men’s division, Shiloh Eagleson finished first in bench and deadlift, Brett King took third in bench and first in deadlift, Hunter Berkey finished second in both events and Zion Musselman earned first place in the deadlift in their respective weight classes.

Sons of Thunder Powerlifting is a Pittsburgh-based Christian sports ministry that promotes teenage powerlifting meets in the Pennsylvania and West Virginia areas.
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Pelesky won three consecutive matches at 106 pounds to earn a rematch with Carlynton’s Chase Brandebura. He started the day with a 14-0 victory over Northern Bedford’s Reyan Imler, then pinned Burrell’s Niko Ferra in 42 seconds and Central’s Jaxon Matthews in 34 seconds.

Brandebura pinned Pelesky in 25 seconds on Friday night — a call that many disputed. On Saturday, Pelesky built a 9-1 lead before Brandebura opted to default due to an injury.

“I was hoping I’d be able to wrestle him again,” said Pelesky, who credited his father, Dave, with helping him stay in the right frame of mind. “I told myself after that match, ‘I’m coming back. I’m taking third. I’m not quitting here.’”
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North Star's Alec Supanick reacts to his pin over Berlin’s Clayton Lee in the 152 pound championship of the District 5 Class AA wrestling tournament, Saturday, at Richland. Supanick pinned Lee in 3:55.
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Cara Augustine stands alongside Liam Dickens accepting their awards flanked by American Legion representatives.

Last week our country witnessed our Constitution in action by our elected officials. Locally a young woman, Cara Augustine, a senior from North Star High School, has been sharing her passion for the Constitution as well.

Augustine continues to carry the torch of freedom in her quest to share today’s youths understanding of our Constitution.

She is competing in the American Legion’s Oratorical contest. Augustine is representing the Stoystown Post at the local level and went on to win the county contest at the Somerset Post on Jan. 11, and then districts at the Berlin Post on Jan. 26.

She competed at the Inter-District level on Thursday evening at the Cresson Post in Cambria County and was honored to find out that she will be moving on to continue representing our region. Her journey will now take her to Zelienople to compete at the Sectional level on Feb. 23.

At each level she has received a scholarship for her to continue her education after high school. Her dream is to compete at the national level for up to a $18,000 scholarship.
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