Category: News

By Ayza Ali ‘28

Setting the stage for yet another amazing year at Sem, one of Wyoming Seminary’s beginning of the school year traditions, the Bell Tower Dance, was a huge success this year. Held on September 25, 2026, students gathered at the Bell Tower for a memorable night of laughing, singing, and most importantly, dancing. 

Traditionally, the dance is held at the end of the first week of school, but due to some other school events, the dance was postponed. However, this did not stop the students from celebrating the beginning of the year, and joining together for a great night. The beginning of the school year can cause a lot of stress; finding your classes, meeting new people, and figuring out your teacher’s teaching style can be a lot for both the new students and those returning. The Bell Tower Dance allowed students to let loose and forget about their stress for the night. It also allowed them to socialize and get to know one another better, helping strengthen the student body’s connections. Rhea Mascarenhas ‘28 attended the dance and said, “I loved this year’s dance! The best part of Bell Tower is getting the opportunity to make new memories and getting to know unfamiliar faces.” Thanks to the dance, the bridge between the boarding community and the day students was broken down, allowing students to familiarize themselves with one another, creating lifelong friendships.

The entire dance would not have been possible without the help of True Blue. After the school day, the group of students worked to make sure that the Bell Tower was decorated with lights, the DJ had curated the perfect playlist, and most importantly, that the students would show up and enjoy themselves. They advertised the dance for weeks leading up to it, getting the students excited to get a chance to celebrate the beginning of the new year. Andreanna Vavlas ‘27, a leader of True Blue, says, “As a senior, I can confidently say that the Bell Tower Dance is one of the best traditions to kick off the school year. Being able to work alongside my peers and watch an idea come together into a night enjoyed by the entire school was one of the most rewarding experiences. From jumping into mosh pits to singing ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ and swaying together on the steps of the Bell Tower, every moment captured makes this tradition so meaningful. It was more than just a dance; it was a night that brought us together, created lasting memories, and reminded us what it means to be Blue Knights.”

It is clear that the Bell Tower Dance means a lot to the Sem community, and that any chance for the students to live in the moment is a chance to create core memories. There isn’t a better way to start off the year, and the Blue Knights can’t wait to carry on the tradition forevermore.

By: Matthew Hufford ‘27

The Wyoming Seminary Business Club is working on various initiatives to prepare for the upcoming 2027 FBLA State Competition in Hershey. FBLA, or Future Business Leaders of America, is an organization focused on business, leadership, and career development. Individuals involved in FBLA can compete in events regarding different business, financial, technology, and management topics. FBLA qualifiers happen in January, and members who advance to states will compete in Hershey from April 12-14, 2027. 

Although it is months away, the Business Club has already begun preparing. One way is by holding FBLA preparation sessions, which occur every Wednesday from 3:00 to 3:30. According to Mr. Michael Silverman, one of the faculty advising the Business Club, these sessions are for members who want to “come by to get more information about your competition, ask questions about how best to prepare, or just spend some time actually working on your event.” 

These sessions respond to concerns that Business Club leaders have about members being unprepared or not studying for their event. These concerns are justified, as Business Club members rated their satisfaction with performance in competitions at 6.56/10 on the Business Club End of Year Member Survey. 

Business Club members also support the initiative for competition preparation. In May 2026, 77.8% of members said that they “would like to see more competitions and competition preparation sessions.” Most members when asked about FBLA felt that they were underprepared. 

Alongside the practice sessions, the Business Club needs to prepare financially as well. With 51 members involved in FBLA, the Business Club administration and its members are ultimately responsible for paying membership fees and Hershey lodging costs. 

Business Club Leaders plan on doing this in several ways. The Business Club sells concessions at the SEM football games, hosts fundraisers, and sells snacks during breaks in Fleck Hall. These financial initiatives have been mostly successful. Andrew Kurilla ‘29, a member of the Business Club Operations Group, which helps with fundraising efforts, said “the fundraising has been a success so far as we have sold a good amount of items and many people have bought from us.” 

The Business Club also plans to reach out to alumni, who can donate to the club and help coach members for FBLA. Prem Patel ‘27, the Business Club’s Chief Development Officer said, “connecting with alumni helps students and club members connect with business owners and people who work in various different industries both across Northeastern Pennsylvania and around the country.”

The Business Club hopes that these combined efforts will allow them to have a successful season this year. 

Dexin (Dora) Wang ‘28

On September 17th, the Stettler Learning Resource Center was buzzing with academic curiosity as Wyoming Seminary students gathered for the Summer Work Presentations. This event offered opportunities for students to share projects they had worked on during summer. This year, eight students presented projects based on topics spanning scientific research, community service, psychology, theater, and personal reflection.

The presentations covered a wide range of subjects and personal interests. For example, Peter Zhuang ‘27 presented on Uranium and Uranium dating while Yolanda Zhou ‘29 focused on her community involvement with migrant children; Jayden Li ‘28 discussed Isolation of Mouse Intestinal Crypts Organoid Culture while MJ Michaels ‘28 explored how theater affects mental health and builds confidence; Stella Ruiz ‘28 examined the psychology of confidence; Anaya Choudhry ‘28 reflected on her experience in the STEM/STEAM concentration; lastly, Benen Griffin ’27 and Adam Salam ‘27 presented on their trip with the Normandy Academy. Across their varied subjects, the presentations also revealed how these events had shaped students’ confidence, academic interests, and future goals.

Among the presentations, Stella Ruiz ‘28’s project on the psychology of confidence connected closely to students’ everyday experiences since confidence can influence how they learn, communicate, and interact with others. Through vivid examples such as sports, she explained how people can fall into self-depreciation and examined the reasons behind this process. Reflecting on what she learned and how she hopes to apply it in the future, Stella said, “Confidence is something that can seem so abstract, but in reality, it’s a process that you can strengthen in your own brain. I’m really excited to learn more and maybe help my peers train their own brains in the future!”

Beyond exploring a topic that affects everyday life, some presentations offered reflections on students’ previous firsthand experiences with academic research. Anaya Choudhry ‘28 looked back on her time in the STEM/STEAM concentration and how working in a university environment changed her understanding of science, as explained in her presentation:“I saw that an experiment is only the beginning. The real scientific work continues when you analyze the evidence and decide whether it actually supports your hypothesis.” Anaya’s experience also helped her see research as a possible future path rather than simply a school assignment.

The presentations ended, but the ideas continued to resonate in the SLRC. They demonstrated that learning does not pause when the school years end. The presenters returned to campus with new perspectives and questions, carrying their summer experiences into the academic year ahead.