Foundation Logos by Jan Engle Chau Design
Happy Birthday Susquenita Elementary!
Calling all alumni! We'd like you to share your pictures of Susquenita Elementary throughout the years to help celebrate it's 50th anniversary of being open. You can send pictures to sqnblackhawkfoundation@gmail.com, or send them to us on Facebook.
We'll be selecting photos to put In a calendar, along with pictures of our media contest winners from students celebrating Susquenita Elementary. The calendar will be for sale this fall.
Deadline to send us photos Is October 1, 2022.
We can't wait to share all of your memories of Susquenita Elementary with our community!
We'll be selecting photos to put In a calendar, along with pictures of our media contest winners from students celebrating Susquenita Elementary. The calendar will be for sale this fall.
Deadline to send us photos Is October 1, 2022.
We can't wait to share all of your memories of Susquenita Elementary with our community!
SBF Thanks our eitc partners
spotlights
honoring our susquenita community members
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Top of the Class of 2022
Pictured Above Sarah Oiler (left)
Bryant Rohrer (right)
Featured September 2022 Healthcare, Emergency and Essential Workers Hero
DeAnna Hill Brown graduated from Susquenita High School in 2005. During her time at SHS, she participated in numerous activities and was a member of our Varsity Softball Team. DeAnna received awards for her dedication to the fire service and for becoming an EMT before graduation. After high school, DeAnna attended University of Phoenix for criminal justice. However, realized that Emergency Medicine was her calling. She worked full time at Harrisburg Hospital with toxicology and respiratory patients and eventually transitioned to working full time on an ambulance at West Shore EMS (now Penn State EMS). Over the years, she has worked per-diem or part time in other municipalities, keeping the citizens of the area safe and well. DeAnna began her emergency services career when she was 14 years old by joining the local fire department. She then started working towards medical certificates and credentials, where she eventually became an EMT prior to graduation. DeAnna volunteered most of her teenage years with Perdix Fire Department and Duncannon EMS. During that time, she has seen more than most teenagers would want to see, but that has only made her who she is today. She has continued to work hard at what she does, even when the pandemic of COVID made it difficult. Currently she is employed by Evangelical Regional Mobile Medical Services, out of Lewisburg, Pa; serving those who live in Snyder, Union, and Juniata Counties all while continuing her education to get her RN / PHRN. DeAnna now resides in Snyder County with her husband, Bill, and their children (Hailey, Kylie, Carson, Alivya, and Karli). Outside of work, school, and taking care of her family; DeAnna continues to serve her community by volunteering any free time she may have with the local fire department. She also loves to travel with her husband and children when time allows. Featured September 2022 Small Business Owner
Hey! We're Keren and Sarah, owners of Wilderlove Coffee Co. located right here in Duncannon! Keren, a native of Duncannon, and Sarah, from Camp Hill, quickly grew a heart for Duncannon and all the beauty it has to offer. it was easy to have a vision for Duncannon, especially being located right along the Appalachian Trail and surrounded by mountains. Wilderlove Coffee Co. opened about 6 months ago and we have already met so many amazing people while serving them a great cup of coffee. We both came together with our love for coffee, love for small business, and a vision for Duncannon. We also love the people of Duncannon and the community! Our coffee Is locally roasted by Sherman's Valley Coffee. Both being creative people and musicians, we love to showcase that here. We have a variety of artists and vendors, and we're always looking for more people wanting to showcase and sell their art. Every Thursday night is an open mic night. It's open to anyone wanting to share music, poetry, spoken words, or just to listen. It's always a good time. We desire for our shop to be an oasis for anyone and everyone; an inclusive gathering place. Whether you need a pick me up, a bacon egg and cheese sandwich, a place to get away, an event space, or free WiFi, we're here for it. Come visit us, we're happy to be here serving you! 11 South Market Street, Duncannon www.facebook.com/wilderlovecoffeeco/ |
Featured September 2022 Susquenita Teacher
Ms. Mary Beth Simonic began her tenure with Susquenita School District with the 2001-2002 school year. She taught Spanish levels 1 through 4, guided by her enthusiastic mentor and colleague, Ron Julian. In 2017, Ms. Simonic transferred to the Middle School teaching Spanish to all 5 th , 6 th , and 7 th students. She also taught 8th grade students who wanted to begin their Spanish High school Spanish 1 course early, growing the program from 1 to 2 sections. At the High School Ms. Simonic was advisor to an international exchange program matching our local students with teenagers from other countries all over the world. She also Advised the High School Spanish Club for about 10 years. Presently, she co-advises the National Junior Honor Society at SMS. The universities Ms. Simonic attended include the State University of New York at Fredonia with a major in Spanish and minors in History and Political Science. During her junior year of college she attended La Universidad de Salamanca in Spain for a deeper understanding of Spanish language, culture and history. In 1996, She returned to college to get a teaching degree from Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA. At the time, she was teaching at Harrisburg Academy and upon receiving the PA Teacher Certification, starting her career in public schools. Before coming to Susquenita, she also taught at the Hong Kong International School, Cumberland Valley, and Carlisle High Schools. Ms. Simonic grew up near Niagara Falls, NY. She was a softball player, cheerleader and teen journalist for a local student newspaper. Loving to travel, she has lived in Spain, Australia and Hong Kong. In addition, she has visited over 30 countries around the world. Ms. Simonic has 3 adult children who share her love of travel and learning about other cultures. She has participated in 4 mission trips with her church and regularly works and supports the special needs ministry at her church as well. Ms. Simonic likes arts and crafts, having knitted and crocheted since she was very young. Presently, she plarns, which is the recycling and transformation of plastic bags into a ball of plastic yarn. She has made over 5 homeless mats since the pandemic started as well as other craft projects using plarn. Last year’s NJHS even helped by cutting and assembling the bags in the balls needs for the homeless mats. Featured September 2022 Those that Serve(d) Our Country
Matt Warnock is a 1992 Susquenita graduate. While there, he played free safety and wide receiver on the 1991 division championship football team, was a three-year starter on the basketball team, and earned 1992 track MVP honors while setting what were the school records in the 110 and 300 meter hurdles. He also served as the 1992 yearbook’s sports section editor, acted as a suitor in the 1992 production of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” and participated in other social and school events such as the annual volleyball marathon. Matt left Duncannon to attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and graduated in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He was one of the founding and charter members of the IUP chapter of Acacia Fraternity, where he served as president and vice-president. He also served as the secretary and president of the Interfraternity Council and was a student ambassador. After high school and college, Matt made several moves around the country while trying out all kinds of things – mostly living and learning the hard way. The adventure goes something like this: Duncannon, to Indiana, PA, to Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia to Indianapolis to Arlington, VA, to Key West, FL, back to Arlington, to Great Lakes, IL, to Meridian, MS, to Coronado, CA, to San Diego, back to Arlington…again, to Aldie, VA, and finally, to Lewisburg, PA, with visits to 46 of these United States, 10 countries, three continents, and several oceans, seas, gulfs, and bays somewhere in between. Fast forward to one fateful September day in 2001. And suddenly, after five years of bouncing around, Matt had a purpose and a direction. He wanted to go fight. A phone call on September 12, 2001, to his grandfather, who had served in WWII, advised him to be patient, to wait, to let the anger pass. “Give it time,” he said. Matt waited a year, and during that time determined that the best way he could serve was to try to earn a spot as a U.S. Navy SEAL. At 27 years old, he signed his enlistment paperwork and a couple months later was sent to the U.S. Navy Recruiting Command in Great Lakes, IL. There, Matt qualified and earned selection to go to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado, CA. Also, while in Great Lakes, Matt earned a Commanding Officer’s Letter of Commendation for being voted “Honor Recruit” by his recruit division’s shipmates and received the commanding officer’s salute in front of the graduating divisions. At his “A” School in Meridian, MS, he finished at the top of his class, which earned him his choice of duty station and an accelerated advancement to Petty Officer Third Class. He recalls his instructors looking confused when he told them he already had orders to the Naval Special Warfare Center and that was his choice of duty station. Arriving at the Naval Special Warfare Center is as intimidating as one may think. One instantly feels its intensity, its legend…the 85 percent dropout rate. What no one who hasn’t been there can really understand is what it’s like to be cold and wet and completely uncomfortable or in pain for 16 or more hours a day. On certain days that ship’s bell on the far side of what’s affectionately known as “The Grinder” looks awfully inviting. For what it’s worth, Matt feels fortunate to have at least been a part of the 85 percent. After “Dropping on Request” from BUD/S Class 247 he was sent to the USS BELLEAU WOOD (LHA 3), an amphibious assault assigned to Naval Station San Diego. Aboard BELLEAU WOOD he was part of Expeditionary Strike Group 3, which conducted a surge deployment with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In November 2003, one month after Matt arrived on board, he became part of history as Marine Brigadier General Joseph V. Medina took command of Expeditionary Strike Group 3 aboard BELLEAU WOOD as its flagship. That event marked the first time in history that a U.S. Marine Corps officer had taken command of a naval formation. The strike group deployed in May 2004 and while on station in the Arabian Gulf conducted several assigned missions. While deployed Matt earned his Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist credentials, and set foot in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Honolulu, HI. After deployment, he was awarded the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. The following year, in 2005, Matt was part of the ship’s decommissioning crew and given an Honorable Discharge. Matt has continued serving his country as a civilian. Within a year of his separation from the Navy, he helped plan and execute 27 homeland security and first responder exercises across the country and American Samoa. While in Samoa, he earned the privilege and was authorized to undergo a form of the culture’s traditional tattooing ceremony by the island’s homeland security director and the matai (chief) of his village. After that, he became the first director of public relations for a $2 billion systems integration firm that developed a suite of autonomous IED robots and other critical war fighting technologies. Today Matt works for The MITRE Corporation, a nonprofit company that oversees six federally funded research and development centers. As an operations and engagement strategist in a transportation-related Innovation Center within the company’s Applied Sciences organization, he works with an elite group of practitioners and executives with deep expertise in systems engineering, mathematics, economic modeling, and data science to understand their technological developments and technical objectives so he can help them engage with industry, academia, and government to build more efficient, secure, resilient, and safer transportation infrastructures. Matt, his wife Nicole, and their daughter Jordan, have recently left the hustle and bustle of suburban Northern Virginia behind and have relocated from Aldie, VA, to Lewisburg, PA. They enjoy road trips to find restaurants featured on the Food Network or Travel Channel, exploring new towns and back roads, finding a good hiking trail, or trying out a new winery or brewery. They’re looking forward to exploring that part of the world, being closer to old friends and their families and hopefully going to a few more Penn State football games. |
our foundation
Supporting Susquenita school district students and educators
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About the Foundation
The purpose of the foundation is to support the educational and extracurricular activities in the Susquenita Schools through financial and in-kind resources.
For more information click About Us. |
Donate
You can help the Susquenita Blackhawk Foundation provide learning opportunities for our students and help support our educators.
All donations are tax deductible. You can donate by clicking here: SBF Donation |
Programs
The Susquenita Blackhawk Foundation provides direct support to students and educators and enhances the educational opportunity through citizen and corporate support.
For more information click Programs. |
Be sure to watch Susquenita the Movie to learn more about the history of Susquenita School District.
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