Author: Ivy Miller

Tis The Season: Winter Holiday Concert

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By Nancy Dahal ‘28

Wyoming Seminary’s Music Department certainly made their mark this past holiday season, spreading cheer with each of their annual holiday performances. December’s chapel combined beautiful music with heartfelt proclamations of faith and provided students with a magical experience prior to their departure for Winter Break. 

Principal cellist Hannah Salesky ‘26 “thought that the concert went really well, and had so much fun playing!.” Salesky noted The Toy Symphony as a personal highlight of the program, but also “loved the combined choral and orchestra pieces and the way that the sound filled up the entire auditorium.” Under Mrs. Vaida’s instruction, the group worked for months before. Their hard work paid off – from fun melodies such as the “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla to contrastingly slow and smooth sounds such as the “Adagietto from Symphony No. 5” by Gustav Mahler, the compositions were executed with grace and ease. Violinist Zuzana Havlickova ‘26 “really love[d] the way that the music in the concert brought different people together.” 

Along with the string ensemble, the chorale contributed to the fantastic spectacle. Notably, the Madrigals select ensemble touched audience members’ hearts with “The Snow” by Edward Elgar and the Chorale brought fun holiday cheer with Andy Beck’s arrangement of “Sleigh Ride” with its own horse soloists. Chloe Caputo ‘26 also performed an incredible solo as a part of “The Bleak Midwinter,” arranged by Mark Hayes, prior to the full choir/orchestra’s performance of “Silent Night” that closed the concert. Thanks to the hard work of Dr. Hall, Mrs. Hall, and Ms. Tsukasa as well as all the students and faculty involved, the Chorale continues to bring festivities to our campus. 

These two different ensembles fused their talents to present a showcase that truly wowed the community. The variety of pieces performed ranged heavily in manner with somber declarations to triumphant celebrations all packed into an explosive demonstration of technique and passion. Students and faculty involved sang their hearts out for the holiday season, a testament to the countless hours spent perfecting sequences on their individual instruments. 

White Out: Students’ Snow Day Adventure

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By Simran Sharma ‘27 

Who does not enjoy a snow day? From sleeping in to playing in the snow, students make the most out of every snowy moment. This year, Kingston faced a big snowstorm, which led to multiple surprising snow days that students excitedly enjoyed. Snow days are a perfect way to enjoy fun activities and relax and give students and faculty a break from the usual school schedule. 

While boarding students were stuck on campus, there were many fun activities on campus to keep them occupied. Throughout the day, students not only played in the snow, but competed for society points with competitions for creating snow angels and snowmen on back campus. Zuzana Havlickova ‘26 said “Even when it is freezing, it is always really fun to sleep in for extra time, hang out with friends, and play in the snow.” The fun did not stop there, students had snowball fights and went sledding down steep hills in Kirby Park. Melia Benetos ‘26 mentions how “[She] loves snow days! [Her] favorite thing to do on a snowy day is to go sledding and play in the snow!” 

Although some students love the outdoor snow day adventures, many students prefer to stay bundled up inside, watching movies and playing games. Kaila Chung ‘27 “loves to put on a movie and play Roblox games, while enjoying [her] favorite winter beverage, hot chocolate.”  For other students, snow days are the perfect opportunity to enjoy their hobbies. Nancy Dahal ‘28 “loves to paint, read, or do puzzles [on snow days]. It makes [her] feel more connected with [her] passions and lets [her] relax without feeling bored!” While everyone may not spend a snow day the same way, everyone makes the most of them!

As the weather forecast calls for more snow in the weeks ahead, many students are looking forward to even more snow days! Playing outside in the snow or staying cozy indoors, what are some ways you spend your snow days? 

A Tough Homecoming Loss for Sem

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Matt Mascarenhas ‘26

At first glance, Wyoming Seminary’s 26 points might suggest a competitive matchup. But the Pennington Red Hawks proved too much to handle, pulling away for a 50–26 victory on October 10, 2025.

After being shut out 20-0 by Kiski in their home opener, the Blue Knights entered the contest hoping to start a turnaround. Instead, Pennington quickly took control of the game. The Red Hawks forced a quick three-and-out on Seminary’s opening drive, sending punter Cormack Price onto the field early. 

As opposed to the Blue Knights, Pennington wasted no time in making a statement. On their first drive, the Red Hawks needed just three plays to find the endzone, breaking loose for a 47-yard rushing touchdown. 

The Blue Knights’ offense continued to falter during their next possession, losing 10 yards before punting again. Pennington capitalized almost immediately, as its quarterback broke free for a 37-yard touchdown run to extend their lead to 14-0 with 5:24 left in the first quarter. 

Seminary gained its first first down of the game on a catch by tight end Leo Rath, but the drive stalled. A muffed punt by Pennington’s returner bounced harmlessly out of bounds, which was a warning of what was to come.

On the next series, a botched snap rolled to the 2-yard line, where the Blue Knights recovered. Running back Mikey Allard Jr. punched in a short touchdown, though the extra point failed.

Senior lineman Aaron Kutney ‘26 reflected on the team’s resilience: “We made some mistakes early, but we stayed focused and didn’t give up. That’s what this team is all about.” 

Pennington’s ball security concerns continued on their next drive. Another fumble hit the turf, and this time, senior Ryan Crete recovered the ball for a Blue Knight touchdown. The score cut Pennington’s lead to 14-12 after Sem’s two-point conversion came up short.  

The Blue Knights couldn’t sustain momentum. A late safety pushed Pennington’s lead to 16–12, and two more rushing touchdowns gave the Red Hawks a commanding 29–12 halftime advantage.

An onside kick attempt to open the second half backfired, as Pennington scored again in just two plays. Quarterback Nelson Martinez answered with a scrambling touchdown pass to receiver Martin Kasungu, cutting the score to 36–18. But the Red Hawks’ ground game kept rolling, adding two more long touchdown runs to seal a 50–18 lead.