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Go team! Our cheer leading squad puts lots of hard work into their sport. Yet, majority of the girls on the team feel that their work isnt appreciated enough

More Recognition Towards the Cheer Team

Londyn Runk, Reporter January 5, 2024

  Cheerleading is not an easy sport. The girls on the cheer team practice for hours to perform at a game.   However, even with all of this hard work, many girls on the team feel that...

Haulmans Therapy. Zach Haulman is helping Ayla Hieman with her injury from basketball. Haulman selects the best exercises and treatments to help everyone with their own individual injuries. “I especially like working with athletes because of their motivation to get better and back on the field,” Haulman said.

Altoona Fitness Center: Fantastic for Student Athletes!

Andie Kephart, Reporter December 21, 2023

When you walk into Altoona Fitness Center, weights will be crashing, music will be booming  and you can smell the determination and perspiration in the air.  Altoona Fitness Center is different from...

Bang! Eighth grade right side hitter Harley Prough  and Eighth grader middle attacker Ava Miller smile at the camera. Miller and Prough played in the last volleyball game. Miller said, Yes, the last game took a toll on all of us but doesn’t make any of our less effective to us.”

” ’98 Braves” To Volleyball

Lydia Schimansky, Reporter December 21, 2023

The  Lady Spikers had a great season with very few losses. But, in the last game of the season, something unexpected happened. Both A and B teams lost to opponents they beat early on in the season. That...

To play or not to play. Many children are starting sports earlier than ever before. Eighth grader Livi Adams shared that she thinks that kids should start early. “I think children should get into sports as soon as possible because they need to be introduced to a healthy lifestyle before it’s too late,” Adams said.

Youth Sports – The Positives And Negatives

Emma Hovan, Reporter December 21, 2023

As a little girl was rushing through the grass, with the summer sun blaring on her skin, her cleats being mired down by the muddy field, something in her sparked.   Eighth grader Brianna Hudson...

Eighth grade science teacher Paul Neatrour is seen here back in his successful university days of playing baseball. He is still very proud of his accomplishment to this day. Neatrour said,“I was voted into the Hall of Fame because of my four years of successful baseball playing at Mansfield University.”

Famous Teacher Hiding in Plain Sight!

Ella Heverly, Reporter December 21, 2023

Eight grade science teacher Paul Neatrour was nominated to be in the Hall of Fame in 2014, but has sadly retired from his baseball life.   Many students do not know of him being famous in the...

The outside of SK8-1-4 is relatively big, and it also has a big parking lot.

Central PA’s Most Popular Indoor Skatepark Enters Eight Years of Business

Londyn Runk, Reporter December 5, 2023

An abandoned warehouse was turned into an indoor skate park. Eight years later, SK8-1-4 became Central PA’s most popular indoor skate park, and the largest skate park in Altoona!   Owner Matthew...

Buzzer beater! Teachers push to finish the work. It might of been hard at times, but it was all worth it. Teachers always made sure they knew student came before athlete in student athlete.

Student Athletes to Teachers

Lydia Schimansky, Reporter December 5, 2023

Whenever we think of our teachers, our first thought usually isn’t their college life. But, not surprisingly, many of them were former college athletes in their days. They weren’t always the person...

Lost in the Jungle! This part of her room has everything from lions to trees. She had every Lion King character you could think of.

BANG! Disney is Taking Bronson’s Room by Storm

Andie Kephart, Reporter December 5, 2023

Eighth grade American cultures teacher Elizabeth Bronson is well known from her teaching, running the eighth grade student council, working almost every sporting event at the school and her fun, crazy...

Still gleaming! The Mountain Lion glistens in the sunlight as the sun sets on Nov. 26. It still stands proud on the hill looking down on the schools. The lion is located only a short walking distance from the Altoona Area Public Library. According to, The Bronze Lion, 

The Mountain Lion was placed there in 1972, by the builder Heinz Warneke.

The Mystery of the Mountain Lion Mascot

Ella Heverly, Reporter December 4, 2023

Our school has been here since 2008 and is honored to be built around the mountain lion. According to the online website, Symbolismandmetaphor.com, "The mountain lion shows leadership and courage...”...

This is the record breaker. She is ready to run next year for high school and keep her running life alive.

Record Breaker Ashlyn Noce!

Ingrid Steward, Reporter May 25, 2023

Track and Field is one of Altoona’s many dominant sports. For Junior high girls, they have kept a winning streak at the qualifiers meets for five consecutive years in a row! This year there were several...

Always practicing. Witherspoon doesnt only practice during school practices. He also participates in clinics for basketball and football and is going to Brooklyn for a basketball clinic this year.

Multi-Sport Athlete Ezrah Witherspoon

Conner Ryan, Reporter May 24, 2023

Imagine waking up at 6:45 a.m, going to school until 2:40 p.m., going home for just long enough to finish homework, then to track practice, working out, practicing basketball at home and finally getting...

Here is Wendle in her area of teaching. She is soon going to be a retired woman!

Patti Wendle

Ingrid Steward, Reporter May 24, 2023

Eighth grade science teacher Pattie Wendle has been teaching for 30 years! She has had a great deal of experiences with students throughout her teaching years.   Wendle has been teaching ninth-grade...

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