Author: Ivy Miller

Sem Rowing ‘25: A Season of Trials and Tribulations

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By: Abby Ryu ‘26


Wyoming Seminary Rowing has had a rough journey these past few years. Coach-less and boat-less at the start of the 2024-2025 season, the team feared they wouldn’t be able to pull together. Nonetheless, the team persevered, training all throughout the winter on the school’s erg machines or in the weight room. Thanks to continued persistence and hard work by everyone; rowers, parents, and coaches, the team was finally able to make it onto the lake for the spring season.

Going in, both the team and Dr. Froelich still knew the season would not be “normal” and they were right. While the team was thankfully able to resolve the boat situation by continuing their previous partnership with Harvey’s Lake Rowing Club, they still lacked a coach. When the long search for a head coach failed to resolve this problem, Dr. Froelich offered to step up for the position. However, given the risks associated with being a water sport, the school would not allow brand new rowers on the water without the supervision of a familiar licensed professional. Even after the season was approved (with only returning rowers being allowed to participate), the team struggled to get spring practices up and running on a regular basis because of the sport’s unique reliance on weather. The team only started consistently rowing on the lake at the start of April. Initially planning to row three regattas, the team will have only rowed one (City Championships) by the end of the season due to their late start to practice. 

As far as specific goals for next year, second-year rower Claire Woo ‘27 hopes to “row in more races and get better at rowing in general.”. Franny Froelich ‘27, acknowledging the gap left by the many graduating seniors on the team, hopes to also “continue to support the team as a whole.” Considering the many trials successfully overcome by the team this past year and their strong crop of passionate underclassmen, Wyoming Seminary Rowing will certainly be a team to look out for next year!

Regardless of all the trials, the team has also encountered tribulations; nearly all 2024-2025 rowers returned and the team atmosphere remained positive in the face of uncertainty. Reflecting on the season, varsity rower Clare Griffin ‘25 said “Even though it’s been a very unconventional season, I’m really grateful we still have a chance to row. Our team chemistry is really good.” 


Wyoming Seminary Envirothon

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By: Emily Lin ‘25

Envirothon is an annual competition that happens at Camp Kresge in White Haven, PA. The competition challenges students across five core disciplines: Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils and Land Use, Wildlife, and a rotating Current Event, which for this year was, “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change”. This year Wyoming Seminary sent a total of 3 teams: Team A, the “Woodcocks,” consisted of Gia Cella ‘25, Kaelee Potoski ‘25, Emily Lin ‘25, Gwen Simbar ‘25, and Eva Blaum ‘25; Team B consisted of Daisy Gao ‘28, Chi Ebi-Ekweozoh ‘25, Coco Kong ‘26, and Nicole Yang ‘26; Team C consisted of George Malloy ‘28, Thomas Li ’28, Kevin Yang ‘25, Ellie Hannon ‘26, and Moira Poepperling ‘25. In the months leading up to the competition, the teams worked together to study the five different topics, creating various study materials and engaging in weekly group sessions where they practiced applying their knowledge to real-world scenarios. 

The competition, which recently took place on April 29, 2025, gave students a chance to connect classroom learning with environmental issues and develop skills in problem-solving, fieldwork, and teamwork. They applied their preparation during the field-based event, completing practical assessments like identifying aquatic organisms, classifying soil types, and analyzing forest health. Through this process, students learned not only scientific facts but also gained a deeper understanding of environmental systems, the challenges facing modern ecosystems, and the importance of forest stewardship in the face of climate change. Team A member Eva Blaum ‘25 especially appreciates the opportunity Envirothon offers to be fully immersed in nature: “Envirothon has really helped me broaden my horizons of environmental knowledge. It’s really helped me see the beauty in all of Pennsylvania’s wildlife diversity and natural systems.” 

The team was wildly successful this year: Team A medaled, coming in second place, and will be going to states which will take place on May 21st at Windber Recreation Park. Gia Cella ‘25, also a member of Team A, when asked about the future “really encourages students to try [Envirothon] out. It’s a uniquely collaborative, informative, and interactive experience that I promise, you won’t regret!”

2025 Sem Bowl: Kicking Off End-of-Year Festivities 

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By: Abby Ryu ‘26

Wyoming Seminary’s annual trivia competition, lovingly referred to as Sem Bowl, is a fan-favorite among students. Christopher Pons, Wyoming Seminary teacher, cat enthusiast, and Sem Bowl master of ceremonies (MC), asks questions contributed by faculty members, ranging from “NEPA” (Northeast Pennsylvania) to theatre. Participants come from every grade level to represent all four societies (Athenian, Oxonian, Alexandrian, and Florentine). The competition, which this year took place Monday, April 28th during morning assembly time, gives participants a special chance to show off knowledge that they most likely would not elsewhere. 

As fun as it might sound, the experience also puts immense pressure on the participants; as a former Sem Bowl competitor myself, one answer really can feel like a life or death choice. When asked about his experience, staple Sem Bowl Oxonian participant Jacob Nivert ‘25 responded “It’s definitely my favorite part of the year. It’s a challenge, and I always feel like I’m about to throw up, but having your whole society behind you, cheering you on, and getting to collaborate with a team makes it all worth it. I’m really going to miss it.” 

While only 16 students actually buzz in, Sem Bowl brings together the whole school community. When asked about her thoughts on the event, devoted Sem Bowl “mega-fan” Eva Blaum ‘25 gushed “I always get really excited for this time of year. The auditorium feels electric–kind of like a lacrosse game–which is really fun!” The entire audience, regardless of society membership, participates, cheering for right answers and holding back frustrated noises for wrong answers. 

As the years have gone by, Mr. Pons’ pre-SEM bowl announcement has certainly become longer and longer, with more reminders that it’s just a game, and no, students should not get that upset over someone incorrectly identifying the sunshine state as California instead of Florida (Shoutout Paul Stevenson ‘24). It is definitely strange to witness as an outsider; nowhere else can you see kids so happy over someone being able to identify the sum of the interior angles of a nonogram. But what else can I say besides “we at SEM show up” (and society allegiances really do run deep).