The Colt Connection
March 7, 2025
A National Crisis
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to you today about a growing concern affecting our students and communities: the alarming rise of vaping among teenagers. As your child’s principal, I feel it is essential to partner with you in addressing this pressing issue.
Vaping has become increasingly popular among young people, largely due to targeted marketing, enticing flavors, and the misconception that it is a safe alternative to smoking. However, research has shown that vaping can have serious health consequences, including lung damage, nicotine addiction, and negative effects on brain development. Many vaping devices also contain high levels of nicotine, making them extremely addictive and difficult for teens to quit once they start.
Recent studies have highlighted the prevalence and risks of vaping among adolescents. In 2024, approximately 1.63 million middle and high school students in the United States reported current e-cigarette use, with 26.3% of them using these devices daily. Additionally, a study of 5,000 students found that teenagers who vape are more likely to experience poor mental health.
Within our own school, we have had several incidents where students have been caught using vapes, including THC vapes. These incidents have led to disciplinary actions, and in some cases, students have faced legal charges. This highlights the seriousness of the issue and the need for ongoing vigilance and intervention.
As parents, you play a crucial role in helping your child make healthy choices. Here are a few ways you can address this issue at home:
- Start the Conversation – Talk openly with your child about the dangers of vaping. Approach the conversation with curiosity rather than judgment, and encourage them to share what they know and think about it.
- Be Informed – Learn about the different types of vaping devices, many of which resemble everyday items like USB drives or highlighters. Understanding what these devices look like can help you recognize if your child is using one.
- Set Clear Expectations – Let your child know your stance on vaping and establish clear rules and consequences regarding its use.
- Encourage Healthy Choices – Support your child in making positive lifestyle choices by encouraging sports, hobbies, and other extracurricular activities that promote well-being.
- Lead by Example – If you use tobacco or vape products, consider quitting. Your actions send a powerful message about healthy behaviors.
- Stay Connected – Foster strong communication with your child so they feel comfortable discussing peer pressure and other challenges they face.
Our school is committed to educating students about the risks associated with vaping and providing support for those who may need help quitting. We encourage you to reach out to us if you have any concerns or need additional resources. Together, we can help ensure the well-being of our students and create a healthier future for them.
Thank you for your partnership and commitment to the success of our students. If you have any questions or would like further guidance, please do not hesitate to contact me at kfillgrove@wssd.k12.pa.us.
2025 South Central Pennsylvania Scholastic Art and Writing Competition Awards
The results are in for the 2025 South Central Pennsylvania Scholastic Art and Writing Competition Awards!
One thousand submissions were received, and only 3 in 10 pieces received recognition. Our participating students did an awesome job representing Cedar Cliff!
Our Silver Key recipients are as follows:
- Dzejla Kunovac for her short story entitled "Captain's Orders."
- Lily Ferguson for her personal essay entitled "A Remanent of a By-Gone Era."
Our students who received an honorable mention are:
- Jadyn Arroyo for his personal essay and poetry.
- Olivia Arnwine for her personal essay.
- Eloise Billus for her senior portfolio.
Congratulations to our Cedar Cliff award-winning writers!
National Merit Finalist at The Cliff
The National Merit Scholarship Program is a prestigious academic competition in the United States that awards scholarships to high-achieving high school students based on their performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The highest scorers (typically the top 1%) in each state qualify as Semifinalists.
To be considered for a National Merit Scholarship, Semifinalists must meet certain requirements to advance to Finalist standing. This includes submitting a detailed scholarship application, which encompasses essays and information about extracurricular achievements, awards, and leadership positions. They must also demonstrate a strong academic record, receive an endorsement and recommendation from a school official, and earn SAT scores that confirm their qualifying test performance.
A specific number of students, which varies each year, advance to Finalist standing based on these criteria. At the end of the competition, a select group of Finalists are chosen to receive $2500 National Merit Scholarships. Scholarship winners represent less than 1% of the initial pool of student entrants.
Rayna Johnson, a senior at Cedar Cliff High School, is a National Merit Finalist. We could not be more proud of her and her accomplishments!
Sports Med Visits St. Joesph's University
Students in the Sports Medicine classes recently visited St. Joseph's University in Lancaster, PA, for a campus tour and highlight of some of their 2-year associate degree programs. Students explored over 20,000 square feet of immersive simulation space, where they gained hands-on experience with the surgical technology program. Students even put their suturing skills to the test by practicing on a simulated arm. They also attended a lecture on the university’s two-year sonography program, learning about career opportunities in the field.
Supporting our Students through MTSS
The world of academics has many acronyms. It’s difficult to keep them all straight, even for educators! This may be a new one- MTSS. MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. It is a framework of support that attempts to reach all students in an educational community. MTSS has long been a fixture at the K-8 levels, but not as much at the high school level.
The Cedar Cliff MTSS team has been learning the ins and outs of what MTSS could look like at the high school level. Mrs. Nye, Mrs. Julian, Mr. Barwin, Mr. Tierney, Ms. Crilley, Mr. Gensler, and Mrs. Rizzardo have been attending day-long trainings at the Capital Area Intermediate Unit throughout the school year. We've been looking at the current supports we have in place, what new ones we could use, and how they all fit together. Most importantly, student-centered thinking drives our discussions.
Diving a little deeper into what MTSS actually is, it is a multi-tiered approach to supporting students. Tier One supports are for all students. For example, the focus on high expectations, engaging teaching strategies, and DETAILS initiatives that focus on rewarding positive behavior support all students. In addition, our extracurricular activities including clubs, sports, and theater provide opportunities for all students to engage positively in the school community.
Tier Two supports are for students who need a little more. They include targeted flexes for struggling students and Credit Recovery for those who need to catch up on credits.
Tier Three interventions, that support a smaller group of students with higher needs, include crisis intervention and outside placements.
Research shows that strengthening Tier One supports benefit school communities the most because they're in place for all students. This is why the DETAILS team continues planning and developing ways to make students excited about achieving academically and behaving appropriately.
MTSS support ideas come from all staff members, not just the MTSS team. Cedar Cliff is fortunate to have dedicated staff who strive for ways to help students become the best versions of themselves. As Cedar Cliff is currently in Phase 1 of the framework building process, we look forward to where we are headed in the next few years.
Cedar Cliff's Prom Boutique
Events like prom can be very memorable for high school students, but for others, it can be a very stressful time, wondering if they will be able to afford a gown to attend the formal event. This year, Cedar Cliff will be holding their Prom Boutique on Thursday, March 27th from 10:30- 4:00 in the Counseling Office. We will have lots of gowns, sizes, colors and styles to choose from and they are all FREE!
Also, if you or anyone you know have any prom gowns, bridesmaid dresses, or other formal gowns that you would like to donate for our students, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be dropped off at the Cedar Cliff front office. Last day to drop off donations is Monday, March 24th. Reach out to Jennifer Crager in the counseling office if you have any questions
Winter Sport Honors
The Mid Penn Conference released their All-Stars for the winter sports season. Several Cedar Cliff Colts were recognized for their outstanding seasons.
In Girls Basketball, Lyla Kaercher was named a second team All-Star and Maddy Cavalier was named 3rd team.
Our wrestlers received numerous recognitions. In girls wrestling, both Ava Holjes and Adyson Vogelsong received 3rd team honors. Our boys wrestling team had seven Mid Penn all-stars. Earning 1st team honors were Kavin Muyleart and Aiden Herndon. 2nd team honors went to Josh Weaver, PJ Dent and Guner Hiller. Finally, two wrestlers were named Honorable Mention- Kyle Zeigler and Will White.
We also want to wish good luck to five wrestlers that are heading to the PIAA State Championships held in Hershey at the Giant Center from March 6-8. Heading to states will be Ava Holjes, Adyson Vogelsong, Kavin Muyleart, Aiden Herndon and Guner Hiller.
District Champs!
Congrats to Aiden Herndon on his District Championship at 127 lbs. This is Aiden’s second district championship. He was the 107 lb winner last year.
Congrats to Guner Hiller, as the senior, he captured his first District Championship at 285 lbs.
Finally, congrats to Madi Bogovic for her top ten finish at the Eastern Regional Bowling Championships. Madi placed 5th out of 112 bowlers. Her finish qualified her for the upcoming State Championships to be held in Pittsburgh on March 14th. Good luck Madi!
