Steel Valley

By Elizabeth Spiker

I have been telling this story to a few people for years now. I’d like to share it with everyone because, quite simply, it will make you believe in people. We could all use a story like that.

A few years ago, I was teaching English at Steel Valley High School. For those who don’t know, it’s a small school district serving Munhall, Homestead and West Homestead. Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch is one of Steel Valley’s most famous alums. The kids all walk. There are no buses from the school district. The kids are a mixed bag of black, white and Asian and come from varying economic backgrounds. While no one I ever taught came from a “wealthy” family, I did teach many poor students for whom school was often a safe haven from their home lives.

When I would tell people my livelihood, they would often say, “My, I couldn’t ever teach school! Kids today are just awful.” Or, “Surrounded by teenagers all day? No thanks!”

[ Full story available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08336/931924-294.stm ]

By MICHAEL DIVITTORIO
Daily News Staff Writer

Director Mike Altman has lots of faith in this year’s crop of Steel Valley drama students.

He’s challenged them to perform “Hedda Gabler,” often called “the female Hamlet,” a play rarely performed at the high school level.

“It’s rare for a high school to tackle such a staple of the theatrical canon,” Altman said. “It’s not something you would normally see at a high school. Some would tackle Shakespeare, and do it badly, (rather) than tackle this.”

The classic realist drama explores the aristocratic Hedda Gabbler’s motivations for marrying middle-class academic George Tesman, who not only is below her station but is hopelessly uninteresting to her.

[ Full story available at: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20201813&BRD=1282&PAG=461&dept_id=182115&rfi=6 ]

Six individuals and one family will be recognized at the inaugural induction of the Steel Valley Hall of Fame on Nov. 14.

Ronnie Lott, former San Francisco 49er and NFL Hall of Fame member, will be keynote speaker at the induction banquet that evening.

The Hall of Fame is a collaborative effort of three Steel Valley nonprofits: The Best of the Batch Foundation, the Munhall-based Carnegie Library of Homestead, and the I-TEAM, or Ironmen Technology Enrichment Academics Mentoring organization. The groups are joining efforts to honor current and former residents who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in the arts, sciences, business, sports and community service.

The 2008 Hall of Fame inductees are:

• Jack Butler: A longtime resident of Munhall and former Pittsburgh Steeler, he was named one of the 33 all-time greatest players in the 75-year history of the Steelers.

[ Full story available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08297/922013-55.stm ]