A Word From Our East Penn Students

College Costs Way Too Much, Emmaus High Student Says

Emmaus High School sophomore Kelsey Patterson contemplates the rising cost of college education.

Special to Emmaus Patch by Kelsey Patterson College; it is a simple yet complex word most teenagers my age think about. Progressing through high school, this word appears in our lives almost every day. When thinking about college, many things pop into a young person’s head. Where will I go to college? What will I major in? How far will I be from home? The most important question a teen can ask themselves in this generation is, “How much will college cost?” College tuition in community colleges alone have risen 40% over the past decade. As for four-year public schools, their rates have gone up by 68%. It should not be outrageously expensive for anyone in the United States to better their knowledge by attending college. College is a …

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ted.dobracki

6:04 pm on Sunday, May 19, 2013

I just looked up costs at my college. Tuition for next year is actually 15 times what it was during my senior year and more than 20 times during my freshman year. Tuition now is about double the price of most very nice new cars (and triple my car) , while back when I was a student, the opposite was true -a new car used to cost more than double one year of my tuition. So tuition there went up …   more ›

Lincoln and Jefferson Duel at Rita's

Lincoln and Jefferson elementary schools are having a scoop-off on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Rita's Italian Ice in Emmaus to benefit Autism Speaks.

Faculty and staff, students and families of Lincoln and Jefferson elementary schools are putting their school spirit and their sweet teeth to the test at Rita's Italian Ice Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. During the Lincoln-Jefferson scoop-off, customers check out in two lines -- one designated for each elementary school -- and the school with the highest tally at the end of the four-hour period is declared the "winner." Proceeds from this year's "scoop-off" benefit autism research, with 10 percent of all register receipts from the event being donated to Autism Speaks.

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East Penn School District

Costco Could Net East Penn $1.5 Million Annually

The East Penn Board of School Directors Monday night approved a tax increment financing plan that could bring the Lehigh Valley its first Costco in 2014 and eventually bring East Penn $1.5 million a year in tax revenue.

After a lengthy discussion and two failed attempts to table the decision, the East Penn Board of School Directors Monday night approved a financing plan that could bring the Lehigh Valley its first Costco as soon as fall of 2014 and ultimately put an estimated $1.5 million per year into the school district's bank account. The plan approved by the board to help fund the proposed $140 million Hamilton Crossings shopping mall in Lower Macungie Township is what is known as Tax Increment Financing or TIF. Basically, a TIF is an economic tool to help develop a site that requires a large amount of money to pay up-front costs. In this case, the land – 63 acres off of Krocks Road between Hamilton Boulevard and the Route 222 bypass – needs …

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East Penn School District

No Tax Hike in Approved East Penn Budget

The East Penn School Board at its Monday night meeting unanimously approved a proposed final school district budget for the 2013-14 school year with no property tax increase.

With surprisingly little discussion on the matter, the East Penn Board of School Directors Monday night unanimously approved the proposed final 2013-14 school district budget. The $130 million budget will not raise property taxes, calling for a property tax rate of 16.129 mills. However, Board President Charles Ballard acknowledged that even though the East Penn budget does not increase property taxes, in the end things could still be confusing for East Penn taxpayers whose property tax bills may increase as a result of a Lehigh County reassessment. “I want to make sure that this goes out loud and clear,” Ballard said. “This is a zero percent tax increase budget. If your tax bill goes up, call Lehigh County.” No matter how things are …

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This Week in East Penn

5 Things to Know About East Penn This Week

Here are some highlights of what's happening in East Penn School District this week.

Is there something happening in East Penn School District this week that you think we should know about? Tell us in the comments or email jennifer.marangos@patch.com.

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Emmaus High School Lands 4 Freddy Award Nominations

Emmaus High School's "Legally Blonde" secures four Freddy Award nominations, including for Outstanding Featured Performance by an Actress and Outstanding Featured Performance by an Actress.

Emmaus High School's production of "Legally Blonde" is nominated for four Freddy Awards, including Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role and Outstanding Featured Performance by an Actress. The nominations were announced live Thursday on WFMZ, Channel 69. The nominations are as follows: The awards ceremony will be broadcast live on WFMZ from the State Theatre in Easton beginning at 7 p.m. May 23.

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East Penn School District

Emmaus Wins an Emmy Award

Three Emmaus High School seniors were awarded an Emmy for their video about the dangers of distracted driving.

Special to Patch by Emmaus High School Senior Chrissy Cilento Three Emmaus High School seniors were awarded a Regional Emmy on Tuesday by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Megan Famularo, Christina Cilento and Isaiah Zukowski created a video about the dangers of distracted teen driving for a class project in Communications 2, then decided to enter the video into the Writing category of the NATAS Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy Awards. Juniors Bryce Haines and Sawyer Long also worked in collaboration on the project. Many other video projects from the Communications 2 class were submitted to the awards as well. Emmaus received four nominations for awards in various categories. Senior Madison Wexler was nominated for the Young …

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A Word From Our East Penn Students

Let's Make Our Own Non-Toxic Paint, Seven Gen Student Says

Seven Generations Charter School 4th-grader points out the environmental dangers associated with some paints and suggests people use natural alternatives.

Special to Emmaus Patch by Hannah Ketner Picture a paint can that was used at the side of the road. The next day it’s taken to the trash center. Then you see a poor hungry seagull eating the paint you just had. That same seagull comes so close to dying. Just so close. Now picture that seagull dying by the second. Just dying. Out of our selfish decisions and choices that we just made. I think there should only be natural paint instead of toxic paint.  Animals in the world usually will go to a trash pickup to find food. Some may eat the leftover paint because they think it’s good for them, but it can kill them and get them really sick. When they digest the paint that’s when they start to get sick and die. Also when they are near paint that’s…

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