The 9th Grade Experience

As the Executive Director of the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, Ashley Coleman is one of the lead advocates and activists for the LGBTQ+ community in the Lehigh Valley. But the work that has taken her all over the United States began as a member of the Emmaus High School graduating class of 2003. As one of the only black and openly gay members of her class, Coleman didn’t have the option of being quiet, but rather leaned ...

In the first of our senior rewind episodes, we catch up with Emmaus High School basketball players Dylan Darville and Chase Muckey, two guests from one of our most popular episodes (Season 2, Episode 16). In February 2020, Darville and Muckey were members of a freshman team that finished with a 25-1 record and promise to restore Emmaus Boys Basketball tradition. Through many ups and downs, their high school careers culminated this ...

For the first time since 2020, the EHS World Language Department hosted the EPSD International Fair on Saturday, February 25, 2023. A celebration of culture, food, music, and traditions, this event highlighted many of the unique backgrounds of EHS students and community members in a celebration of our school's diverse population.  

In this episode, we talked to the students that created presentations to represent their chosen ...

Chris Singleton’s personal story has a 9th grade year that isn’t much different than your typical student. He wanted to play varsity sports, found an interest in books, got a low grade in a class for the first time, and had a first relationship. The years that followed sent Chris on many different paths, eventually winding up at Kalahari Resorts on February 14, 2023, to give a Keynote speech at the PETE&C technology conference....

This episode is a wrap-up for the 9th Grade Experience Podcast’s appearance at the Pennsylvania Education Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C) Kalahari Resorts in Pocono Mountain, Pennsylvania, on Monday, February 13, 2023. This is the third time the podcast has been invited to present at the conference.

The conversation featured on this episode were taken from the session titled “Taking the Podcasting Plunge to Tell Your St...

Midterms exams can be a stressful time for students. For all Emmaus High School students except for seniors, this year will be the first time they have taken a traditional middle of the year assessment while in high school.   

In this episode, we hope to ease that anxiety with helpful tips and strategies to overcome the challenge. First, we hear from school counselor Mrs. Demchak about the importance of coming up with a p...

It took until the first snow day of the 2022-2023 school year on December 15, 2022, but we are finally back with the latest edition of the Cole Cast, featuring Cole Stuchko.  It has been several months since we last spoke and a lot has happened during that time. Topics we covered in the episode include the need to stay on top of classwork as the academic rigor increases, how to work back when you don't get the grades that you ...

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, it's a great time to look back and reflect on the many positives in our lives for the fourth annual Attitude of Gratitude special episode. Members of the Emmaus High School community took time during this busy period of the school year to share a little bit about what makes them #EastPennProud and thankful.   

So before you fill your plate food, once again fill yourself with an att...

When students have been asked what topics they want to hear more about on the 9th Grade Experience, mental-health related conversation is at the top of the list.  Zoe Gaumer hopes her story about overcoming her own mental health battles can allow students to feel that they are not alone in dealing with their own struggle.   

Some of the topics Zoe covers in this conversation include 

• The Reality of 9th gra...

As part of their on-going mission as an organization that allows students to facilitate diversity awareness and devise anti-bullying projects that affect the entire student body., the No Place for Hate club welcomed Dr. Mykee Fowlin to EHS on Friday, September 16, to perform his one-man show “You Don't Know Me Until You Know Me.” Dr. Mykee mixes psychology, performance, and poetry to, in his own words, “create an atmosphere of worl...

The first day of school presents challenges to all high school students, but especially to the newest members of the school community. To get the instant reaction to the first day of the 2022-23 school year for the Class of 2026, we catch up with Cole Stuchko for the August edition of the Cole Cast. We spoke about the benefit of walking through his schedule before the first day, what the lunch experience was like, and overall impre...

New school years often bring change, but the 2022-2023 school year begins with a new principal leading Emmaus High School. Beth Guarriello, previously the principal at Southern Lehigh HS and Saucon Valley HS, will look to create a safe, welcome and challenging environment for all EHS students. She is focused on helping students find their niche, create community, and have fun!  

In this episode, we cover:  

• Her fres...

Welcome to Season 5 of the 9th Grade Experience!

In the summer kickoff of new episodes to gear up for the 2022-2023 school year and new season, the podcast is debuting a new feature: a regular interview segment with my son, Cole Stuchko, who will be entering 9th grade. He has agreed to come at least monthly to give us a first-hand account of the what life is like as an Emmaus High School freshmen. On this episode, we talk about his...

The last day of school always brings mixed emotions. Mostly it is relief, for the students and the teachers, on the completion of another year. There is also opportunity for reflection by the members of the Class of 2025 on the transition from middle to high school.  

In this episode you will hear from several students who were in person on the final day of the school year that wanted to share the highlights of their year and ...

As the 9th grade year is quickly coming to an end, it is only natural to think about what is ahead ...

A relaxing summer?

A first job?

A fun vacation?

College, trade school, military service, or an apprenticeship program?

It's never too early to think about what you might want to do after high school and on this episode, we recap the 2022 Emmaus High School College Fair, held Thursday, April 28, 2022. Representatives from over 120 ...

We close out #EHSCareerMonth with a focus on Emmaus High School Class of 2018 graduate Jackie Bassett. She is the Founder and CEO of FD Market, which is a “a sustainable goods shop and zero-waste refillery. We're on a mission to make sustainable living obtainable and beautiful for everyone.” She does not have a linear path to business ownership, rather through a collection of experiences, both good and bad, established her values a...

As part of the #EHSCareerMonth series, we talked to Bob Rotruck, the radio announcer for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, a minor league hockey team based in Allentown that plays in the American Hockey League (AHL). In addition to his duties on the microphone, he coordinates media coverage on the Phantoms’ website and does videos for the team’s social media accounts.

During this conversation, Rotruck talks about his journey from carryin...

As part of the #EHSCareerMonth series, we talked to Amy Keller, who is the Creative Director for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, a minor league hockey team based in Allentown that plays in the American Hockey League (AHL). She coordinates the in-game fan experience for those attending the action at the PPL Center.

She provided a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes work that goes into the production of a game discussing the long hours of...

We are privileged to share the story of one of this year’s EHS Shave for the Brave “Honored Kids,” current EHS freshman Sam Mackaravitz. At the time of the recording, Sam is two years cancer free in his battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).

In this episode, Sam talks about

• His transition to EHS and participation in the marching band
• How did he become associated with Shave for the Brave and become an “Honored Kid”
• ...