< Previous Valley Electric, a locally owned and operated electrical contractor based in Imperial, is searching to immediately hire an electrician. A good candidate will have the following: • 3-5 years’ worth of experience in electrical maintenance • A positive attitude • Strong customer service skills • An ability to work well with others • A valid driver’s license • Ability to pass drug test. The new hire will join a 25-year-old company employing a dedicated and valued team of 22 employees. Those interested can forward a resume to hc@valleyelectriccompany.com or call (724) 695-8810. Help wanted: local contracting company looking to hire electrician CONTENT SUBMITTED Students residing in the Moon Area School District recently participated in the Odyssey of the Mind regional tournament. Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition for students in grades K through 12. Third and fourth grade students from Allard Elementary competed in the in-person regional tournament held at Keystone Oaks. They were Matias Monterrubio, Brooks Kitchener, Elif Turkmen, Asher Berrill and Conrad Brown. They were joined by Liam Hankle from Rhema Christian School and homeschool student Blake Wertz. Moon Area Middle School students also participated in the regional tournament and qualified for the state competition in April at Lockhaven University. They competed in Problem #1 Escape VroOM, the vehicle problem. Students who competed were Dominic Diyanni, Mason Britton, Noah Reed, Brody Faulk, Ryan Stuart and Eli Mahramas. Middle school students on a virtual team, meanwhile, placed first in their division for Problem #2 Odyssey reOMvention, the technical problem. This virtual Odyssey of the Mind competition took place at both the regional and state levels, meaning they qualified for the World Finals. Winners will be announced May 7 at a virtual awards ceremony. Students who competed on the virtual team were Jonathan Stevens, Nicholas Packard, Rocco Reilsono, Evan Miller and Enzo Reilsono. A team made up of Moon Area High School students also placed first in their division for Problem #2 Odyssey reOMvention, the technical problem. That qualified them for the state competition as well. Students who competed on the team were Tyler Giunipero, Tyler Lachapelle, Jacob Puhalla, Patrick Diana, Abby Soxman, Samantha Ray and Dante Mancino. Moon Area students compete in Odyssey of the Mind CONTENT SUBMITTED Students from Allard Elementary (top left), Moon Area Middle School (bottom two photos at left) and the high school (above) all competed in the Odyssey of the Mind regional tournament. % New in Town New in Town 10 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2022y > Learning Curves Learning Curves BY MICHELE P. CONTI Michele P. Conti is an estate planning and elder law attorney. She is also the owner of Conti Law, a concierge law firm. Conti attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Oxford University and Duquesne University School of Law. She received her LL.M. in taxation from Villanova University. She can be reached at (724) 784-0239 or at michele@contilawpgh.com. All too often, I consult with clients who had a parent who passed away who had remarried but hadn’t made the prerequisite arrangements for their estate. This essentially leaves two different families with the task of sorting through what passes to whom. Questions like, “Why wouldn’t they have done this before they died?” or “Why didn’t they think about this before they died?” or “Shouldn’t this have been handled when they remarried?” aren’t uncommon. In these situations, the mystery as to why those arrangements weren’t made remains largely unsolved. I’m sure the decedent’s intention was for everyone to get along and continue to live in harmony when they passed, but in reality that is seldom the outcome. Is the expectation for the second spouse to treat the decedent’s children as their own? Is it the decedent’s intention for the spouse to ask their kids for an allowance? The most common estate planning mistakes, especially when dealing with a blended family, include the procrastination of doing what needs to be done. For instance, did you update your beneficiary designations? No grieving widow wants to hear that your previous spouse is still the beneficiary of your IRA or life insurance policy. If you intended for your children to receive your life insurance rather than your spouse for tax reasons, make sure that you actually complete and submit the change of beneficiary forms. Though changing your beneficiary on financial documents will avoid leaving the balance to your ex, your will determines much of who gets the rest of the assets you and your spouse accumulated during your lifetimes. You probably don’t want your ex to get your home, either. A common misunderstanding is when the will directs the beneficiary and when an asset directs the beneficiary. A specific beneficiary designation trumps your will every day. Therefore, if you have your spouse as your primary beneficiary and your children as the contingent beneficiaries, so long as a beneficiary is living from your designations, then this asset falls outside the terms of the will. Typically, people direct that their surviving spouse gets all of their assets when they die, and only upon the death of the second spouse will the remaining assets be divided evenly among all of the children. This assumes, of course, next year, or in 20 years, everyone will still be getting along AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, that your spouse won’t write a new will that leaves out your side of the family. Will it happen to you? No one knows the future but after 20 years of practice, nothing surprises me. If a will can be changed after a spouse’s death, what other options do you have? To ensure that the children of each spouse ultimately are treated fairly, trusts are often used. You can leave some or all of your assets in a trust that can support your spouse during his or her life. Then, at your spouse’s death, the trust controls who receives the remaining assets. In other words, you can ensure that your children will benefit at your spouse’s death. If your spouse remarries, this strategy protects the assets from passing to a new spouse and their children. If a trust is used, advice regarding the choice of trustee is key. There are other considerations as well. For example, you should consider the relative ages of the spouses. If you leave all of your assets in a trust for a spouse who is much younger than you, your children would not receive any benefit until the spouse’s death, which may not occur for many years. You might consider directing a portion of your assets to your children at your death. On the other hand, if you plan to leave your estate entirely to your children (and not benefit your spouse at all), an agreement clearly waiving spousal rights is needed. Careful consideration of your goals and communication with your spouse is key. People often have good intentions. Consulting with an experienced and skilled estate planning attorney can help you ensure your intentions to provide for your blended family are met and avoid inadvertent conflict. Blended families can become…MESSY! May/June 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 11y > Learning CurvesLearning Curves We’ve all heard the adage, “Practice makes perfect.” When you hear someone say, “Practice makes …” your mind automatically finishes that sentence with “perfect!” That’s because it’s a universal truth: everyone knows that you cannot perform a skill perfectly unless you spend many hours, days, months or years practicing it. The most influential and successful people in history built their lives around practice. Sergey Rachmaninoff (1873-1943), a composer who is widely considered one of the best pianists of all time, was a virtuoso - but he also practiced up to 15 hours per day. Even people with a great deal of natural talent have to practice to hone their skills. It takes practice - and lots and lots of it - to be really good at anything. At Kumon, we believe Practice Makes Possibilities™. What kind of possibilities? Mastery of skills, confidence and perseverance are among the many benefits of regular practice. Mastery of skills First and foremost, practice helps students master skills. Whether kids are working on math problems, playing the piano or shooting free throws, they are most likely working toward the goal of mastery, the possession of a skill or technique. To achieve mastery, students must not only practice but also practice doing things the correct way in order to lay a strong foundation. Practicing a particular skill until it is mastered is one of the core tenets of the Kumon Program. Students are given a worksheet to practice a skill and are asked to keep practicing until they can execute that skill perfectly. Then they begin to work on developing proficiency in the next skill to build on that foundation. As basketball star Michael Jordan once said, “You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.” Confidence Practice also gives students confidence. Whenever they are able to execute a skill perfectly over and over, students become surer of themselves and their abilities. They will complete a task without hesitation, which allows them to do more in less time. As they pick up speed, they will be able to complete homework accurately as well as more quickly. Students and parents often note that the Kumon Program helps to build students’ confidence. They have regular, tangible reminders of their growing proficiency - from worksheets marked with 100% to new pouches signifying the next level to recognition certificates, pins and prizes. Improved confidence helps students excel in all aspects of their lives - whether they are participating in class, speaking before a group or competing in sports. Perseverance Finally, practice helps students develop perseverance. Students practicing a skill that helps them reach their goals will be determined to get better. They will learn to persist until they reach one goal after another, until it becomes part of who they are. Perseverance is a valuable trait for students as well as for young adults searching for jobs or anyone learning a new skill. It teaches students not to give up when something seems difficult. Perseverance promises a payoff at the end of a struggle. Author Victor Hugo called perseverance the “secret of all triumphs.” That’s because students who keep trying, or practicing, eventually will be rewarded by reaching their goals. That is why we teach through practice. Practice helps students master new skills. It builds confidence and teaches the value of perseverance. Practice makes possibilities. Practice Makes Possibilities Practice Also Helps to Develop Mastery of Skills, Confidence and Perseverance Shantha Bharthi is the Center Director of the Kumon Center of Robinson Township at Robinson Town Centre. Kumon instructors prepare individualized lesson plans for each child and support them as they progress through the Kumon learning method. To learn more and schedule a FREE parent orientation and student placement test, call the Kumon Center of Robinson Township at (412)790-6100. BY SHANTHA BHARTHI KUMON MATH AND READING CENTER “There is no glory in practice, but without practice, there is no glory.” ~ Anonymous 12 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2022N Your Schools Your Schools Lots of lava! Both the fifth and seventh grade science classes independently completed science projects that dealt with lava. While Miss Golden’s fifth-graders made lava lamps, Mrs. Ford had her seventh-graders build an exploding volcano. By using the school’s science lab, students at AGS are able to create some amazing experiments. Father-daughter dance A highlight of the year at AGS is a special event where fathers and daughters get to dress up and attend a father-daughter dance. This year’s dance was themed “Knight and Fair Lady” and was carried out in every decoration and refreshment. The parent-teacher group creates many phenomenal events all year to make families feel special and this was no exception. The event was a follow- up to the mother-son golf event which was held in the fall. Student of the Month AGS recently brought back its Student of the Month program, where each home room teacher selects one student per month who displays excellent character, shows honesty and trustworthiness, has outstanding behavior, shows a positive attitude toward others and learning, demonstrates responsibility, is respectful to peers and teachers, and follows classroom rules and expectations. Awardees were presented with certificates after the weekly All-School Liturgy on March 25. Trip to Soergel’s First-graders enjoyed a field trip to Soergel’s Apple Orchard to learn about bees, bugs and barnyard animals. The trip was a follow-up to a reading unit in which they learned about the importance of bees, butterflies and animals. They also planted sunflower seeds. The day provided a hands-on educational opportunity for students. Fairy tale stories shared with school Bishop Canevin High School’s sophomore class recently shared some special fairy tale stories with second- and third-graders. The sophomore class wrote creative stories, designed a cover and put it in a booklet form. Each student read a book and took one home. The importance of creative writing is invaluable and students were blessed to be inspired by these unique stories. CONTENT SUBMITTED While fifth-graders used the science lab to make lava lamps, seventh-graders made volcanoes. Fathers and daughters once again had a great time at this year’s father- daughter dance. High school students created fairy tale stories that were then distributed to AGS students. First-graders had fun learning about pollinators at Soergel’s. Archangel Gabriel Catholic School Read and share stories at awmagazine.com. Find us on Facebook @awestmag and Twitter @alleghenywest. May/June 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 13Moon Area School District News Moon Area students delivered what could very well be one of the school’s best musical performances in March. Over the course of four days, a very talented group of cast members performed a comedy based on characters from “The Addams Family.” The plot revolves around Wednesday Addams as she falls in love with a sweet and smart young man from a respectable family. When the Addams family hosts the object of Wednesday’s affection and his family for dinner, hilarity ensues. According to show producer and director Robert Michael, the cast handled the difficult performance well. “More than 120 students tackled an incredibly challenging musical score, met extremely difficult technical requirements, and the actors delivered comedy in a way that goes well beyond that of a typical high school student,” said Michael. “Audiences laughed, they cried, and our students took them to the moon and back!” The show’s cast now awaits the Pittsburgh CLO’s Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in Musical Theatre, which will be held at the Benedum Center in downtown Pittsburgh on May 28. Nominations for Allegheny County schools are released in May. Last year, Moon Area’s production of “Mamma Mia!” received seven nominations, including the coveted best musical award. Moon Area delivers outstanding musical performance of “The Addams Family” The cast of Moon Area’s spring musical brought the characters from the iconic show “The Addams Family” to life for their latest production.. Mrs. Ashbery’s kindergarten class has been using Bee-Bots to learn coding, which is part of the STEM initiative. Students were placed in groups and then each student selected a card that had a number or picture on it. Next, students programmed the Bee-Bots to go to that space on the board. The class enjoyed the activity. In addition to learning the basics of coding, students learned how to work together and problem solve. Kindergartners learn coding with Bee-Bots Moon Area students Kaveri Guduru and Nivesrita Pulivarthi participated in the Pennsylvania High School Speech League State Tournament in March. The two juniors competed in the News Broadcasting portion - a two-person event - of the tournament and were crowned state champions. In the process, the two have made school history as Moon Area’s first state champions in speech and debate. Students win Speech League State Tournament Kaveri Guduru and Nivesrita Pulivarthi Mrs. Ashbery’s kindergarten class is pictured with their Bee-Bots. 14 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2022Color guard places at championship The Moon Area High School Winter Color Guard traveled to Kiski Area High School on April 2 for the Three Rivers Winter Ensemble Association 2022 Championships. The band’s performance, titled “Somewhere,” featured music by The Beatles and earned them fourth place out of eight guards in the Regional A Classification with a score of 79.87. This marked the 12th year that Moon Area had fielded a winter color guard and competed in TRWEA and it was just the ninth time the group had participated in the championship show. Leading up to this year’s championship, the guard performed in three other competitions, including the Golden Triangles Show on March 26 where it placed first. The Moon Area High School Winter Color Guard is under the direction of Jen Minamyer and Nick Barthen, with instructor Sydney Diehl. Battle of the Books Third, fourth and fifth grade students had a ton of fun at Moon Township Public Library’s Battle of the Books. The winners of the competition are as follows: Third Grade Winners: • 1st Place: The Book Cooks (McCormick) • 2nd Place: The Bad Guys (Bon Meade) • 3rd Place: The Book Stars (Hyde) Fourth Grade Winners: • 1st Place: The Book Barons (Hyde) • 2nd Place: Rainbow Readers (McCormick) • 3rd Place: All Stars (McCormick) Fifth Grade Winners (Middle School): • 1st Place: FBI: Federal Book Investigators • 2nd Place: The Battling Bookworms • 3rd Place: The Book Wanderers The Federal Book Investigators celebrate winning fifth grade’s Battle of the Books competition. Eight high school business students finished first in an entrepreneurship competition held at Westminster College on April 5. Students conducted market research, presented their findings and developed a solution to a real-world business challenge to a panel of college professors. The winning team consisted of Alizabeth Cross, Dan Henry, Austin Hiles, Timmy Kudratullaev, Anthony Lounder, Dominic Prozzoly, Mike Prozzoly, and Anthony Treonze. Each has been offered a $1,000 scholarship should they decide to attend Westminster College. Two students are planning on attending. The competition at Westminster provides an opportunity to enhance the high school’s curriculum. In the process of developing and finalizing their projects, students applied business concepts in collaboration with college students and professors. Business students win Westminster competition These business students bested their peers at other schools in a recent competition. The Moon Area Winter Color Guard competes at the Three Rivers Winter Ensemble Association 2022 Championships. It’s time to register for kindergarten! www.moonarea.net/content/registrationannual Moon Area School District is proud of the impact and positive influence its graduates have on people around the world. A vast number of Moon Area’s alumni have gained unique distinction through success in their professions, service to the nation, and contribution to their communities. The district administration and faculty have established the Distinguished Alumni Award to honor outstanding Moon Area graduates and celebrate their achievements. Distinguished Alumni Award Do you know of a Moon Area School District alum who deserves recognition? Scan the QR code to nominate him or her for the Distinguished Alumni Award today! Nominations for 2022 are due by June 17, 2022. May/June 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 15 In 2019, when local property developer Henry Duckstein decided to bid on the old Western Area YMCA property at 195 Montour Run Road in Robinson Township, he knew exactly how to fix the water problems that had forced it to close in 2018. As the owner of a 51-year-old insurance restoration company, he was also particularly well suited to rehabilitate the building. Now, after two years and hundreds of thousands of dollars invested into the property, the former YMCA has been converted into a commercial flex space and businesses are grabbing up spots in its new storefronts. PetWellClinic, a veterinary clinic that specializes in walk-in veterinary care, recently became its latest tenant. A hair salon is expected to move in soon and CRS, a content disaster recovery business, has established its headquarters there. Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz and former University of Arizona and Duquesne University receiver Wayne Capers have also signed on to open a high-performance training center in the complex called Vizion Athletics. As for the 25,000 square-foot space housing the YMCA’s old tennis courts, Duckstein has a couple of different options for that. While he says converting it into office or warehouse space would make the most business sense, what he’d like to do is turn it into a sports complex. A Montour graduate who grew up in the area, Duckstein says he realizes how important the Western Area YMCA was when it was in operation. When it closed, the 40-year-old facility had nearly 1,000 members who had long relied on it for everything from tennis lessons to summer camps. From what Duckstein has been hearing lately, there are a lot of people in the area who would like to see a sports complex open there again. “As long I’ve been working here on the building, people will drive by and say, ‘Please tell me you’re putting a sports complex down there,’” he says. “I also get stopped when out and about in Robinson Township, and they say the same thing. People ask if they can rent the tennis courts or if they can bring their kids in to play.” The location is so synonymous with former ownership that Duckstein decided to name the complex “The Olde Y - Business Park” because, he explains, “that’s just what everyone calls it.” Duckstein says he’d like to see a big portion of the complex dedicated to local youth sports teams, which would provide them with a place to practice year-round. As a parent of kids who play sports himself, Duckstein says he sees the need for such a facility in the area. He currently drives as far as Washington County to get his own kids to their indoor leagues and practices, which go all year. “My kids are in softball and soccer, and when I went to school, we usually played three sports, but now with how competitive everything is, seventh or eighth grade comes along and they’re focusing on one sport so they can get a college scholarship,” says Duckstein. “So, when you’re playing basketball, you’re playing all season long and you need other places to continue playing as the school districts don’t have enough gymnasium space. Western Allegheny County has a great need for somewhere local, but just doesn’t have anything like this.” To get the ball rolling on the idea, Duckstein has been reaching out to area schools to ask for input. He’s also actively looking to connect with athletic organizations that could benefit from such a complex and to hear how they’d utilize it. To help subsidize operations and pay for upgrades like turf and the proper facilities needed to get it ready for basketball, deck hockey, volleyball, tennis, soccer and more, Duckstein is looking to secure sponsorships in the form of naming rights and banners. Recently, his company determined that the facility could fit 68 12-foot wide by five-foot high sponsorship banners. They’ve also estimated that the facility could attract upwards of 100,000 people each year. From traffic patterns, they’ve estimated that more than 13,000 cars pass the building on Montour Run Road each day, along with another 15,000 on adjacent Beaver Grade Road. Duckstein says he’d also like to see the complex meet the needs of parents. He says that is lacking at the sports complexes he visits on a regular basis. “When I go to these places there’s no place for parents to go,” he says. “I usually end up waiting in my car”. To that end, he says he’d like to convert the second-floor space that the YMCA once used for its offices and that looked out over the tennis courts into a lounge with Henry Duckstein (at center) has rehabilitated the former Western Area YMCA building on Montour Run Road and turned part of it into a mixed-used business park. He’d like to develop the rest, including the old tennis court portion which is still intact, back into a sports complex. He is pictured in front of the building with realtors Christian Wilhelm and Nick McCune of the Wilhelm & McCune Real Estate Team. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY Bringing back “The Olde Y” The Western Area YMCA was once a vital public asset. With some help, the building’s current owner wants to bring it back. 16 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2022 STORY BY DOUG HUGHEYfood vendors and free wi-fi. With service-based businesses moving into the building, the complex could give parents even more options while they’re waiting. Duckstein says he’s also actively talking with several food vendors and would like to see a restaurant open there that could give families a place to go after their kids are done playing sports. All of that could bring back many of the things that the YMCA offered, and more, before it closed. “When the YMCA closed, it created a large void in the community that now needs to be filled,” says Ashley Taylor, CEO of CRS. Taylor says she’s been on board with the idea of converting part of the facility back into a sports complex and has been working with Duckstein on it. “That’s the goal. Ultimately, we have that space here, let’s fill it and provide the opportunity for children to hone their skills and get everyone involved,” she says. One thing is for certain: the water issues that once plagued the facility are no more. Contrary to popular belief, Duckstein says that nearby Montour Run creek had nothing to do with the problem. Instead, stormwater runoff cascading off the facility’s roof and sloped parking lots had caused it to act like a giant retaining pond. The problem was fixed, and no further issues have occurred. To cut down on the facility’s giant electric bills, Duckstein also ran a dedicated gas line a mile down Beaver Grade Road, with the help of People’s Gas, to the building. He says that when he purchased the property, the entire structure, including the dome with the tennis courts, was heated entirely by inefficient electric heaters. He has also installed new LED lights with the help of Duquesne Light in the tennis court area to brighten it and significantly reduce energy consumption. He’d even like to install some new windows at either end of the tennis courts. Though this is the first “sports plex” that Duckstein has ever renovated, commercial development is nothing new to the Duckstein organization. In 2005, after Duckstein took over Duckstein Restoration from his father, who started the business in 1971, he began expanding its operations. Today, the company has 45 employees and several property ventures under its belt. Across Beaver Grade Road from the The Olde Y, Duckstein is rehabilitating property once owned by Robinson Petroleum. Before those ventures, the Duckstein organization developed a 52 single-family home development called King Henry’s Court in Robinson Township and multiple apartment buildings in Kennedy and Robinson. The company is currently working on a patio home development with 20 homes called Sir Henry’s Haven in Kennedy Township and a 40-townhome development called Moon Run Place in Robinson Township. With the proper interest, and help, Duckstein would like to make The Olde Y a resource that would benefit the entire community. Anyone interested in getting involved is urged to visit theoldeY.com and complete the jot form. Storefront space is also going fast in the building, with several build-to-suit units ready for their new tenants. The Olde Y will be hosting an open house June 30 from noon to 7 p.m. with food trucks provided by CRS. Local teams and clubs will be invited to sign up for time spots and collect deposits. For more information, visit theoldeY.com. ABOVE: With 25,000 square feet of available space, ownership of The Olde Y could potentially convert the former Western Area YMCA’s tennis court area into a pair of basketball courts and an indoor soccer field. BELOW: A rendering shows a potential layout for the space. PHOTOS SUBMITTED ABOVE AND BELOW: The exterior of the Western Area YMCA has been completely refurbished and four new storefronts have been built out in the front of the building. New commercial tenants are grabbing up the spots quickly. PHOTOS SUBMITTED Open House - June 30, 12-7 p.m. 195 Montour Run Road, Robinson Township Food trucks! Sports teams and clubs invited! Want to help make the old YMCA into a sports complex once again? Visit theoldeY.com and complete the form. May/June 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 17Your SchoolsYour Schools N Pittsburgh Technical College STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY Magnus Hieber studied welding at Parkway West Career and Technology Center when he was a student at West Allegheny High School. Then, right after graduating in 2017, he enlisted in the Navy. During training, though, he didn’t sign up to become a welder. Instead, he chose to become an aviation technician. About a year later - at just the age of 19 - he was changing out avionics components in the cockpit of one of the Navy’s most advanced jet fighters, the F-18 Super Hornet, aboard an aircraft carrier. For Hieber, it turned out to be just the beginning of a career in electronics engineering. “I did all kinds of electronics troubleshooting, radio communications, software updating, pretty much anything you can think of,” he says about his military career. Hieber says he learned some electronics theory during his high school years but never delved into the field until he was in the Navy. During deployments aboard the USS Ronald Regan in the Pacific Ocean from 2018 to 2021, Hieber gained considerable experience in the field yet quickly found himself wanting to learn more. He says that while pulling apart a display in the cockpit of an F-18 was interesting, he wasn’t crazy about the fact that most of his days were spent troubleshooting equipment. What he really wanted to learn was how the complex circuitry in those components worked. Hieber says that, though he loved the Navy, not being able to take his knowledge and skills further ultimately led to him deciding not to re-enlist. Instead, Hieber became a civilian and began researching electronics programs at technical schools. Through the GI Bill, he knew he could get tuition assistance, but Hieber says he wasn’t optimistic that he’d find a rigorous program. After all, working on some of the most advanced and complicated flight equipment in the world would be a tough act to follow. These days, though, Hieber couldn’t be happier. He’s now in his second year at Pittsburgh Technical College and studying in the school’s electronics engineering technology program. Next March, he’ll take on a required internship that will help him transition to the workforce. “His maturity and life/military experience have assisted him,” says Bryan Martin, one of Hieber’s instructors at PTC. Martin also served in the military and, during his time in the Air Force, became a security specialist. He finished as an E4 sergeant. “He was not afraid to ask questions and he always worked through any challenges,” Martin says about Hieber. “As a vet myself, I usually see most prior service folks do well in our program (and am proud to see it).” During a recent day at school, Hieber spent class time learning about inverting and non-inverting amplifiers. He then stuck around to assist Martin with a class behind his as a lab assistant. Hieber says that what he is learning in the classroom has far exceeded his expectations and advanced his knowledge well beyond what he learned in the military. It was exactly what he wanted out of an electronics education. However, he’s also finding that his military training has been useful, particularly now that he’s delving into those much more advanced concepts. “There were basic troubleshooting steps they’d teach you in the military and now I can put those into effect with my work and with students I’m helping to teach,” he says. “There are basic housekeeping skills, like accountability for all the tools you’re using so you’re not missing anything. Those basic work skills I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t gone into the military. It’s not even just the technical knowledge but the interpersonal and problem-solving skills are really what I’m using now in college.” Hieber’s military background isn’t unique in his classroom. In addition to Martin, there are several students with military experience, and that has also helped Hieber. He says that sometimes when the class is learning a difficult subject they’ll try to break down concepts by relating them to aspects of military service. As he gets ready for his upcoming internship and eventual career, Hieber says his education at PTC is helping him with the transition to civilian life. The only question now is where he wants to eventually end up - but for Hieber, that’s easy. “I’d like to work for SpaceX or Tesla,” he says without hesitation. “I want to get people to Mars. I think that’s the coolest thing.” Through PTC’s electronics program, a service member pursues a future career while adjusting to civilian life Magnus Hieber is pictured in his electronics classroom at Pittsburgh Technical College. PHOTO BY ETHAN MANSBERGER 18 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2022Summer Fun Guide Summer happenings in and around the area Events subject to change. Be sure to check contact information listed for updates to any events. Moon Township’s July 4 Celebration Fireworks cap off Independence Day festivities at Moon Park this July 4 ,but there will be plenty going on throughout the day from 4-10 p.m. Count on entertainment, family-fun activities, a petting zoo, inflatables and more. A special musical guest takes the stage at 8:30 p.m. followed by fireworks at 10 p.m. Be sure to leave your pooch at home as dogs will not be permitted. For more, visit moonparks.org. Janoski’s Harvest Wine Festival, July 9 Head to Janoski’s Farm in Clinton for an annual festival featuring regional wineries. This open-air event takes place on the farm along the lake and features a farm fresh buffet, live entertainment, vendors and more. Attendees also take home a souvenir wine glass. This is a 21-and-over event. Tickets are $55 in advance. Purchase tickets through the link to Eventbrite at www.janoskis.com under the events tab or at Janoski’s Farm Market in Clinton. Tickets are $65 at the gate. Carry-in food, alcohol or pets are not permitted. A portion of proceeds benefits the Beaver County Humane Society. For more, visit www.janoskis.com under Events or info@janoskis.com. The fun takes place from 3-8 p.m. McSummerfest, July 30-Aug. 6 Carnival rides, fair food, live bands, fun and games will all return to Heritage Park for the McDonald VFD’s annual McSummerfest event this summer. The VFD held a scaled-down version of McSummerfest in the department’s parking lot these past two years. This summer, however, the department is planning to bring back all the trappings that have made it such a success over the past couple of decades, including rides, a main stage with bands and lots of fair food. Count on French fries, fried Oreos, funnel cakes, hot dogs and more. There will also be a beer tent and more than likely some additional food vendors. The fun takes place nightly from 6-11 p.m. except on July 31, when the fair will be closed. There will also be a fireman’s parade July 30 at 5 p.m. Fireworks are scheduled for the evening of Aug. 5 with a makeup night Aug. 6. Rides will be at the park Aug. 1-6. Check www.mcdonaldfire.com for a band schedule and more. Crafton-Ingram Rotary Rib and Chicken Fest, Aug. 4 Come celebrate this annual cookout on its 30th anniversary in Crafton Park from 4-7 p.m. Dinners include all the fixings and a choice of either baby back ribs or a barbeque chicken dinner. In addition, count on raffles, auctions, door prizes and a llama plop. Afterwards, head over to Crafton’s Concert in the Park featuring Uptown Rhythm and Brass. Proceeds support Rotary charities. Food tickets are available at the door. Check their Facebook page, @cirotary, for more and to purchase llama plop tickets. Archangel Gabriel Festival, Aug 4-6 Head to the Archangel Gabriel Catholic School on the Holy Trinity Church campus of Archangel Gabriel Parish in Robinson Township for some family fun. There will be rides, games, a casino, food trucks, entertainment, bingo, a white elephant sale and more. The event will be held from 6-10 nightly. Call (412) 787-2656 or visit archangelgabrielpgh.org for more. Proceeds benefit Archangel Gabriel Catholic School. North Fayette Community Days, Aug. 6 North Fayette Township’s annual Community Days festival will return this year to Donaldson Park. The fun kicks off around 2 p.m. and a Zambelli fireworks show closes out the evening around 10 p.m. Throughout the day, there will be live music, lots of fair food vendors, a beer tent, inflatables, a petting zoo, games and more. A car cruise hosted by the North Fayette Police Department takes place the following day (see page 29 for more information). Organizations wishing to participate should contact the North Fayette Parks and Recreation Department at (724) 307- 3725. For more, visit www.north-fayette.com/199/Recreation. Fireworks light up the sky at McSummerfest. PHOTO BY STEVE SKARUPA May/June 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 19Next >