February 28, 2016 / Today's Top Stories

Free prom dresses prove perfect fit for girls in need

SHAMOKIN — Many girls dream about the perfect prom, and thanks to Marty Sinopoli
Ministries, some lucky girls get to wear the dress of their dreams. More...

Crazy Critter Crusaders get chilly

Maria Bressi, founder of Bressi Critter Crusaders, was one of a group of attendees who jumped
into a freezing lake in 38 degree temperatures Saturday for the second annual Pussycat Plunge.
More...

Mo’ne at ‘Tailgate’ benefit

Mo’ne Davis, 14, of Philadelphia, joins a dance with the West Scranton High School
cheerleaders on Saturday during the Tailgate For Kids event sponsored by the Children’s
Advocacy of Northeastern, Pennsylvania, held at PNC Field in Moosic More...

Soupie contest winners

Bill Zalinski won first place in the annual Maine Fire Company soupie contest held Saturday
night. More...

Mount Carmel Area keeps lead in Week 4

Mount Carmel Area Junior-Senior High School keeps its number one position in the high school
division in week 4 of the Stock Market Game Challenge at $109,113. More...
Free prom dresses prove perfect fit for girls in need
BY STEPHANIE BETTICK
THE NEWS-ITEM stephanie_ b@newsitem.com

Published: 2/28/2016 11:46 AM

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SHAMOKIN — Many girls dream about the perfect prom, and thanks to Marty Sinopoli
Ministries, some lucky girls get to wear the dress of their dreams.

High school girls lined up on Saturday at Antioch Place, 531 N. Market St., for the first ever
prom dress giveaway, which allowed them to pick out a free prom dress, shoes and accessories.
Within the first two hours, about 16 girls left with their perfect dress.

The ministry spent the past six months promoting and collecting donated prom dresses, and by
the time of the event, Sinopoli said they had more than 100.

The event drew a crowd that lined up at the door by noon, with people coming from as far as
Orangeville, Selinsgrove and Sunbury, as well as from Shamokin and Mount Carmel.

Shamokin Area junior Kelsey Mench showed up at the event with her father, who purchased a
dress for her that did not fit properly. They donated the dress, and she tried on numerous options
before finding one that had volunteers tearing up.

Two sisters from Mount Carmel Area High School also left with the perfect dresses. Senior
Maria Ortega found a floor length green dress, while sophomore Rosalee choose a knee-length
black dress. Maria said with it being her senior year, the two sisters are attending the prom
together.

In addition to free dresses, Marty Sinopoli Ministries also drew the names of four lucky girls
who will receive makeup, hair, nails and a photo session for prom night.
Mount Carmel Area keeps lead in Week 4
BY THE NEWS-ITEM

Members of the middle school Stock Market Game team at Shamokin Area Junior/ Senior High School
are, from left, front, Sophie Rossnock, Rosaline Kane, Rhaeghan Henz and Gabriel Burns. In back are,
from left, adviser Ty Crossley, Tom Mertz, president of Sunbury Motors, game sponsor; and Andy
Heintzelman, editor of The News- Item, media sponsor. The team is still in first place in the middle
school division in week 4 of the challenge. // CHRISTINA TROUTMAN/SHAMOKIN AREA STUDENT PHOTO

Mount Carmel Area Junior-Senior High School keeps its number one position in the high school
division in week 4 of the Stock Market Game Challenge at $109,113. In the middle school
division, Shamokin Area keeps its lead with $108,063, almost $3,000 more than last week. Also
in the middle school arena, Our Lady of Lourdes moves up to take the second place position
from Line Mountain.

The Stock Market Game Challenge, open to students in grades 4 through 12, offers players the
opportunity to invest a hypothetical $100,000 in stock chosen from the New York and NASDAQ
markets. The activity is designed to increase students’ understanding of the economy, markets,
corporations and more.

Week four results were as follows:

Week four
High school
• $109,113, Mount Carmel Area, Kristen Fourspring, adviser.
• $104,676, North Schuylkill, Megan Colihan,
adviser.
• $104,416, Shamokin Area, David Kopitsky,
adviser.
Middle school
• $108,063, Shamokin Area, Ty Crossley,
adviser.
• $100,405, Lourdes Regional, Lee A. Smith,
adviser.
• $100,224, Line Mountain, Karrie Bowman,
adviser.