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UDHS Purple & Gold

October 2026

UDHS Purple & Gold October  2026
UDHS Purple& GoldOctober 2026

UDHS Purple & Gold---October 2026 Issue UDHS Purple & Gold---October 2026 Issue

Ms. Zoccola's cat Esmeralda enjoying some morning coffee
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Cute Photos of the Month

We asked and boy did you folks deliver! See below for a plethora of cute photos! And to the left, Ms. Zoccola's cat Esmeralda enjoying some morning coffee.
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Ms. Vandermulen's new cat Romeo

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Ms. Gray's cats Dante and Nero

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Mr. Ballard's bonded cats Chip and Dinah

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Ms. Ryker's pups Chandler (the Bernedoodle), Noodle (the Labradoodle), and Sushi (the Shar Pei)!

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Mr. Phillips' pup enjoying some couch time

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Ms. Perloff's dog Lucky posing for Halloween

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Ms. Freeman's grandson with the book named after him

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Ms. Onorato's daughter Sylvia Rivera (a teacher at Clifton Heights Middle School) getting engaged at Cape May Winery

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Ms. Bartl's reading class taking a group pic on the library steps

Academic Arena Academic Arena

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Busy Month for TAPS Academy

This month was a very active one for the Upper Darby High School Teen & Police Service (TAPS) Academy. Students had the opportunity to use special goggles to simulate intoxication in order to see firsthand the dangers of walking and driving under the influence. They met with Upper Darby Police Superintendent Tim Bernhart, who spoke to their class about his career and experience in law enforcement! They also worked with members of the Upper Darby Police Department in learning the steps taken to follow a proper crime scene investigation procedure.

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Global Foods Celebrates Italian Cuisine

This past month, students in Ms. Zampirri's Regional & Global Foods class did a tour of Italy, preparing a meal of pasta and sauce from scratch, chicken cotoletta, and topped off with biscotti for dessert.
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UDHS Represents at Model UN Conference

Eleven UDHS Model UN students participated in the Moorestown Friends School Model UN on Sunday, November 1st.


Maheen Arshad, Mohammed Furqan, Mathin Salfan, Amira Mahugu, and Ahmed Billah represented various historic personalities in a debate concerning the Commission of the Roman Empire after Caesar was killed. Romel Aleman and Aniyah Richardson represented various countries in addressing Transnational Crime in the Organization of American States. Ezra Ring and Faheem Abdul debated the actions of the Crisis presented by the Executive Cabinet, and Marly Wyatt participated in a debate called Inside Out, a problem solving exercise.


Says club moderator Marlene Brubaker, "we are proud to represent our UDHS community in these prestigious invitationals, and hope that the participating schools will join our Model UN on April 10, 2027."

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Future Educators Club Welcomes Speaker

The UDHS Royal Educators Club had a guest speaker at a recent meeting. Ms. Brooke Kern, UDHS speech therapist, spoke to the students about her valuable career, which helps so many of our students. Says Moderator Sharon Donohue Boettcher, "the students in the club are getting exposure to other types of support staff careers as well and learning ways to develop their own path to becoming a teacher. We are always looking for new members!"

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National English Honor Society

Congratulations to the new and returning members of the UDHS chapter of the National English Honor Society! They were recently honored at their annual induction ceremony this month.

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College Application Week

In celebration of College Application Week, UDHS students participated in a variety of activities, including workshops, informational assemblies, and raffles.

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Sports Center Sports Center

Fall Sports Ends with Senior Nights

Congratulations to all of the seniors who recently celebrated their participation in their sports at one of the final games of their seasons!
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Boys Soccer

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Cheerleading

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Cross Country

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Girls Field Hockey

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Football

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Girls Soccer

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Marching Band

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Girls Tennis

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Volleyball

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Class of 2027 vs 2028 at Annual Powerpuff Game

Congratulations to the Upper Darby High School seniors, who came out victorious over the junior class during their annual Powderpuff Football game with a final score of 20-14.

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Student Medals at Rose Tree

Congratulations to our Upper Darby Cross Country team, which showed determination, consistency, and incredible competitive spirit as they battled a tough course and delivered some outstanding performances at a competition at Rose Tree. Senior Kadi Golembiewski earned a medal with her 19th-place finish, with several other runners delivering course bests, season bests, and personal bests across all four groups.

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Cross Country Teams Take on District One

Speaking of cross country, the boys and girls cross country teams had an outstanding performance at the District One Championships in October, during which the entire team ran personal and season bests.

The Varsity 7 girls were Kadi Golembiewski, Nieva Golembiewski, Leah Saddick, Isabel Boggio, Saniyah Lisbon, Chloe Thompson, and Ramat Olalekan. The Varsity 7 boys were Brandon Couts, Jaidyn Brown-Glover, Evin Morett, Sahid Momoh Kamara, Sulaiman Bangura, and Richard Mercure.

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A Pep in Everyone's Step

On Friday, October 16, Upper Darby High School filled the stadium for their annual fall pep rally. Students cheered on our fall sports teams, competed in a series of games, and enjoyed a performance from our Marching Royals.

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Arts Corner Arts Corner

Bandarama
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The Marching Royals Enjoy an Action-Packed Season

It's been a busy season for the Marching Royals. In addition to performing at football games and school events, they also competed in several events. They won first place in their group at the 56th Marple Newtown Bandarama on October 3. They then earned their consecutive first place win of the season at the USBands competition at Unionville High School on October 10. And finally, they captured a bronze medal at the USBands competition at Unionville High School on October 10. And finally, they captured a bronze medal at the USBands Pennsylvania State Championship on October 31.

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Bandarama

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USBands at Unionville

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USBands at Coatesville

A "Showstopper" of a Fall Play

Upper Darby's Performing Arts Department topped themselves again with several performances of "Showstoppers," which featured songs, dances and scenes from such Broadway shows as Pippin, [title of show], Songs for a New World, Anastasia, Something Rotten!, Finding Neverland, and Eurydice. Performances were held on Friday, October 23, and with two performances on October 24.

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Odds and Ends Odds and Ends

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Red Ribbon Week at UDHS

This year's Red Ribbon Week theme is “Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free." Students and teachers showed their heroic sides at their Red Ribbon Week photo booth kickoff.
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Halloween Fun

The Spirit of Halloween was very much alive and well at the high school this past month! Enjoy a photo compilation below.

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The art teachers as their favorite artists!

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The Freshman Center Staff

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Students of Room 233

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Miss Fern as White Rabbit

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Ms. Deker's Rubik's Cube!

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Miss Fern as Superhero

Teacher's Take Teacher's Take

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Spotlight on...Mr. Levinson!

This is my 11th year at UD. I teach Tech Ed, which varies, but this year is Engineering 1, CAD (Computer Aided Design), EPT (Energy, Power and Transportation) and Drafting and Design. I was a vocalist first, then learned guitar to accompany myself. I played a handful of chords and songs when I was 16-17 and got more serious when I moved to California in 1979. I was in bands for several years playing in bars and at parties. I became a computer programmer which lasted until I was outsourced in 2003. In 2004 I began the process to retrain as a teacher and finally got a teaching job in 2009. I taught in Philly, Chester, and then in 2016 came here. In my youth I loved to go to concerts and became a sound man for local bands and my girlfriend got an internship in WMMR in the mid 1970's. Through connections I made then and just luck, I met several famous musicians including Bob Marley, Chuck Berry, Yes (Jon Anderson, etc), Chicago (Terry Kath, etc), The Grateful Dead (Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart), Al Dimeola, Chick Corea, Jan Hammer, Jerry Goodman, David Bromberg, Hot Tuna (Jorma and Jack), Bruce Springsteen, Hall and Oates and the Hooters, among others. I have played guitar and sang backup for my wife's synagogue since about 2007 and perform there monthly. I am hoping to have time to start a new band once I retire and work on my neglected original music.

Star Students of the Month Star Students of the Month

Cheer Captains Destinee Sparrow and Thalia Zacharatos

This month we are spotlighting two young ladies on the UDHS cheerleading team, suggested by Assistant Athletic Director Mrs. Conley and their coach, Ms. India Gibson-Brooks.


"Destinee is a senior and captain of our Varsity Cheerleading Team. As head coach, I had the pleasure of selecting Destinee as captain because she has consistently demonstrated the leadership, dedication, and positive attitude that represent what it means to be a true leader. Throughout the season, Destinee has shown a willingness to work hard, lead by example, and bring positive energy to the team. She approaches each practice with determination, remains committed to improving, and continues to demonstrate the qualities of a strong leader both on and off the mat. As a senior, Destinee has an important role in setting the tone for our team, and she has continued to show that she is ready to embrace that responsibility. Her hard work, commitment, and leadership do not go unnoticed, and I am proud to see her growth throughout the season."


Regarding Thalia:

"Thalia is a junior on our Varsity Cheerleading Team and the first non-senior in our program’s history to be selected as captain! This is a special accomplishment that speaks volumes about the leadership, dedication, and character she has demonstrated throughout the season. Thalia has consistently shown what it means to be a true leader. She is always willing to lend a helping hand, support her teammates, and make sure everyone feels included. One of the things that stands out most about Thalia is her ability to bring the team together and encourage strong bonds among her teammates. She understands that being a team means more than just cheering together; it means supporting one another, building relationships, and working toward a common goal. In addition to her leadership, Thalia is an extremely hard worker who continuously pushes herself to improve and reach new goals. She challenges herself, remains determined, and sets an example for others through her effort and commitment. Being chosen as captain at a younger grade level is an incredible accomplishment, and Thalia has shown that leadership is not defined by age or seniority, but by your actions, attitude, and the impact you have on others."

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The Spirit of Upper Darby

This picture of Mrs. Beck and Mrs. Burns viewing the Milky Way Galaxy at Cherry Springs State Park in Coudersport, PA, perfectly captures the spirit and wonder of all of the incredible people who serve the students of Upper Darby High School.

Mrs. Beck and Mrs. Burns This Summer at Cherry Springs State Park
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Dianne Zoccola
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