The food provider for all the elementary, middle and high schools is still the same as before: Aramark. It is still the same food a student is receiving, though it is just a different touch screen to charge students. 

     The reason they switched was because of an update from Aramark, who they still have a contract with. The old system was called K-12 Meals and it was replaced with the new system, Express Point. 

     This switch comes with a lot of positives for Terry Chavara, who is the Food Service Director for the P-T School District, and the rest of the administration. It makes it easier to keep track of students’ accounts, to report back to the state on any issues and makes the process much smoother to allow any student that needs a free lunch to get their lunch.

 But on top of all these positives on the backend, Chavara said there are a few negatives to the program. The first is that the cafeteria workers had to relearn a whole new system on the new touch screens, which can be hard especially since many of them had been using the old touch screens for years. This has sometimes slowed the line down as workers try to get used to the new screens, but Chavara is not worried.

     “They [cafeteria workers] do not know it [the new touch screens] so it slowed down the service a little bit but it is getting faster,” stated Chavara.

     The only possible other con is the Express Point system relies on the internet to operate, so if for some reason the internet is not working then the program might have some problems. This problem has not occurred so far this year.

     In terms of changes for students, there are a few. The most notable is that students can now see how much money they have remaining in their accounts without asking their parents. All students have to do is go to the website, schoolcafe.com/PennTraffordSD, and click student account and then sign in. This allows students to see how much money they have remaining and what their past transactions were. From the same website, parents can see how much money their child has remaining, see their past transactions and put more money in their account.

     The other notable thing for students to remember is to try not to go into debt. The administration is looking to avoid students going into tons of debt so they do not have to worry about tracking down parents and paying off a lot of debt at the end of the year. 

     This does not mean that the cafeteria workers will not let a student eat lunch or deny a student food. This just means that if a student tries to buy unnecessary items like ice cream and it brings them to a negative total, workers will tell them to put something back. If a child already has no funds, the workers will offer them one of the free meals while reminding their parents they need to pay. Making sure students get proper nutrition at lunch is important to the school so they will not let a child not get the chance to eat. 

     “We [in administration] always make sure students eat lunch,” stated principal Tony Aquilio, “When I am standing there and I see a kid that does not have the money, I will pay for it myself just to make sure they get fed”.

By Mia Williams, Managing Editor and Mia Rutherford, Staff Writer

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Taylor Swift’s record-shattering ‘Eras Tour’ has recommenced in the United States starting on Oct. 18 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The tour, which highlights her musical growth over the last decade, has attracted millions of fans and memories.

     Swift is set to perform three shows in Miami, New Orleans and Indianapolis before officially concluding the U.S. visit on Nov. 3. Her set list consists of the “eras” she has experienced throughout her career — most commonly known through the names of her studio albums. This includes “Fearless,” “Speak Now,” “Red,” “1989,” “Reputation,” “Lover,” “Folklore,” “Evermore,” “Midnights” and her newest addition, “The Tortured Poets Department.”

     When tickets for the original United States leg of the Eras Tour went on sale in November 2023, the demand was so heavy that the primary ticket-selling platform, Ticketmaster, experienced significant technological issues, ultimately leaving some fans empty-handed. 

     Brooke Shaffer, a local teen, went to The Eras Tour in Pittsburgh, Pa., on the second night. Shaffer said that getting her hands on tickets at first was complicated due to the many loops she had to jump through.

      “We got a presale code and tried to get tickets from that,” Shaffer stated. “We were unable to and decided to try the general sale and then we found out it was canceled because there were no tickets left.”

     Around three months later, Shaffer got a message saying she could request tickets for Pittsburgh night two of the tour. 

     “I had never been more excited about a concert than I was for this one.”

     Shaffer noted that buying tickets for the second leg was much easier. She was ahead in the ticket queue and secured the tickets before they sold out. 

     Shaffer said her experience at the concert was like no other. Being around the kindest people who all love Taylor Swift made the atmosphere incredibly magical. 

     P-T sophomore Sophia Lecce attended night two of the Pittsburgh show, as well. On the flip side, Lecce said she did not secure tickets for the second leg of the tour but still had an incredible experience at the first show. 

     Lecce and Shaffer both mentioned how their favorite part of the show was the acoustic section.

     “I am so excited to experience it again,” Shaffer said.

The post Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’ returns for more music and memories appeared first on The Warrior.

     The spotted lanternfly is recognizable by its gray exterior, red underwings and black spots; with its wings outspread, it could be mistaken for a butterfly. The insect itself is harmless to humans but can harm the environment, particularly plants, which can impact the economy. 

     According to Science Direct, lanternflies are a type of ‘planthopper,’ the name that entomologists use to refer to small jumping insects that feed on plants. Although they possess wings, lanternflies are not strong fliers and generally move by hopping from place to place. In addition, Penn-Trafford biology teacher Dave Babik explained that lanternflies consume the sugars inside plant trunks and stems, severely damaging saplings and vines. 

     Lanternflies extensively feed on grapevines; considerable harm has been dealt upon vineyards, resulting in reduced starch levels in roots and lower sugar concentrations in harvested grapes. This decline in grapevine health may also lead to decreased yields in the following year and could potentially kill the vines. Economically, these factors can lead to increased costs for vineyard owners and a potential rise in wine prices, which would affect consumers and the broader agricultural market.

     Babik created a “Lantern Fly Kill Count” in 2022, in which students from his environmental science classes helped reduce the spotted lanternflies’ population while learning about their impact on the ecosystem. While Babik does not teach environmental science anymore and therefore does not have the kill count, he stated that smashing lanternflies is still a good idea. 

     “In [that] class, I was explaining what the lanternflies are, what they do, and why we kill them,” Babik stated. 

     Many people in the local communities — and across the country — have reduced the amount of lanternflies by killing them on sight.  

     “A more effective idea would be to destroy the eggs that they lay on tree trunks and other structures,” Babik added.

     Babik and other experts agree that the best time to kill lanternflies is winter, as that is when they typically lay their eggs; in late spring, they develop into nymphs before becoming adults in the summer. Lanternflies have a one-year lifespan.

     Babik stated that predators native to the United States may start preying on lanternflies and their populations will stabilize.

     “They are an invasive species,” he said. “It is believed that, like stink bugs, lanternflies are now here to stay.”

Abby Dreistadt, Editor in Chief

The post Spotted lanternfly ‘resurgence’: Pennsylvania braces for ecological threat appeared first on The Warrior.

     If you are interested in buying tickets, go to the Ticketmaster website to watch him perform live. The setlist for the shows include songs from his many different albums, such as “BANDIT,” “No Idea,” “FIELD TRIP,” “Too Many Nights,” “TORE UP,” “CAN’T SAY,” “No Pole,” “NEW DROP,” “PURPLE RAIN,” “Cardigan,” “ePiphaNy,” “Private Landing,” “Diamonds,” “I Can’t Save You,” “KRYPTONITE,” “BROTHER STONE,” “ATTITUDE,” “GLOCK” and “ICE AGE,” as well as some others.

     Toliver’s music career started to grow after he was featured in the song “Can’t Say” by fellow rapper Travis Scott. This caused him to grow more and start a career of his own. He has released many albums since that time and his popularity has grown substantially. 

     Toliver has won multiple awards for his 

songs, one of which being “No Idea,” for which he won a triple platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). 

     On this tour, Toliver will have Monaleo as his opening act and Teezo Touchdown as a special guest for the night. 

     The tour itself is said to be very thrilling and exciting. If you are in town or near any of these tour locations, it would be a fun experience to go see. 

Mia Rutherford, Staff Writer

The post Don Toliver begins ‘The Psycho Tour’ appeared first on The Warrior.

     Some of these many costumes consisted from Elia Steele, who dressed up as Stitch once, and Isabella Rager, who was a sumo wrestler this year. 

     Mr Couchenour shared that “I was a beekeeper, and my wife was a bee a couple of years ago.” 

   Jameson Grover also shared fond memories of his childhood. He said, “When I was seven, I dressed up as Spider-Man.” 

     Many looked back on when they were little kids, and what their costumes were. Sydney Lutz was Elsa once, Sammy Sadler was” a little pumpkin when i was a baby”, and Maliyah Graves was a lion. 

     Most of all, Halloween brings back many great memories for people.

Cam Duddy, Staff Writer

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     This is what the girls’ tennis teams have had to experience for the past two seasons.

     I have been very lucky to have played the No. 1 varsity tennis singles position the past three seasons and to be a captain of this team this year. Three years ago, when I was going into my freshman season I did not envision playing half of my high school career without a home facility to host matches. 

     The summer before my sophomore season the three upper courts that are used for the singles matches were torn up due to the slight slope of the courts. As the Warrior reported in its fifth issue last March, the initial project was delayed when workers discovered potential condensation buildup and movement. 

     While yes, they were not perfect, the courts were definitely usable for high school competition. I was naive to think that maybe we would have the courts for the latter half of our short season. Now here we are close to wrapping up our season and we will now have two years of seniors who have to celebrate their senior night without any courts.

     “It really sucks not being able to have my senior season that we got to see all of our previous teammates have and it was sad having senior night at some random school,” stated senior team member Megan Kamzalow.

     Because we only have the two lower courts, we can not host home matches so the school had to find us alternate courts. For my sophomore season we had all away matches which meant a lot of time on the bus with the longest bus rides being Armstrong which is an hour away, Greater Latrobe High School and Kiski Area High School which are both 35 minutes away in each direction and Connellsville Area High School which is 40 minutes each direction all on school nights. 

     This season we had our first three matches at Greensburg Racquet Club, which is 25 minutes away in each direction and the rest of our matches were away. Not only are these long and costly bus rides for the school it also means there was a lot of missed school. Once or twice a week since school started everyone on the team has had to miss their eighth period class so we can get to the matches. Since the matches start at 3 or 3:15 we have to leave class at 1:30 to 1:45 and leave the school and get to the matches with plenty of time to warm up. 

     “I have noticed a drastic difference in my grades for my eighth period class compared to all of my others cause we have to leave school early all of the time,” stated freshman team member Sammy Sadler.

     Junior doubles player Amanda Wendler agreed with Sadler, stating, “It is really inconvenient when I always have to skip my eighth period and miss out on all the work we do. It is a huge setback for my education.”

     Besides the fact seniors have to enjoy their last year with the team without courts and the team feels as though their education is being inconvenienced and the long bus rides the lack of courts also makes practice harder. Because we only have two courts, varsity practices right after school but junior varsity has to wait around for an hour to practice. This forces the junior varsity members to either go home for a little bit and then find a ride back to the school or be stuck just waiting around school every day for an hour, which can be annoying on those days when they have a lot of homework to do. 

     But the biggest problem with no courts is the feeling of being left out. While we know the school is working hard to get us courts, it is difficult to watch the track be completely replaced or the stadium installing a brand new scoreboard and we are sitting in the back of the school with a hole in the ground where there used to be tennis courts.

Mia Williams, Managing Editor

The post Opinion: P-T tennis team finishing up second season without courts appeared first on The Warrior.

     The series premiered on Sept. 18, setting the perfect tone for the upcoming spooky season. Kathryn Hahn returned for the titular role; first introduced as the nosy neighbor Agnes in 2021’s “WandaVision,” Agatha instantly became a fan favorite with her cunning reveal as a powerful witch.

     In the new show, Agatha is freed from the Scarlet Witch’s spell by a teenager and embarks on the Witches’ Road trials, desperate to regain her powers and curious about the motives of the Teen, played by Joe Locke. Instead of paying tribute to classic sitcoms like its predecessor, episode one of “Agatha All Along” followed Agnes — rather than Agatha — in a prestige crime drama titled “Agnes of Westview,” likely referencing the actual series “Mare of Easttown.” It is a take that gives the show a similar initial charm to ‘WandaVision.’

     Hahn’s return as Agatha Harkness allows for a deeper exploration of her character. Viewers are given a more nuanced portrayal that goes beyond her initial role as a comedic side character and antagonist, adding depth to the MCU’s character roster.

     The introduction of Locke’s character, Teen — whose identity is still unknown — opens up room for fans’ theories. Many fans have speculated that he could potentially be Mephisto, Nicholas Scratch or Wiccan — who happens to be a Maximoff child, at least in the comics. 

     One notable aspect of “Agatha All Along” is its TV-14 rating, which feels somewhat

out of place given its horror elements and darker themes. Parents may be wondering whether it is suitable as a family show or for an older audience. This question is particularly relevant now that Marvel Studios is producing more mature projects like “Echo” and “Deadpool and Wolverine,” which are rated TV-MA and R, respectively. By appealing to older viewers — potentially those who grew up with MCU — “Agatha All Along” enriches the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a compelling character arc and broadens its audience.

     Subsequent episodes will come out at 9 p.m. ET every Wednesday until Oct. 30, when the show will conclude with episodes eight and nine.

Abby Dreistadt, Editor in Chief

The post Opinion: ‘WandaVision’ sequel series exceeds expectations, refreshes MCU with spellbinding comeback appeared first on The Warrior.

     Under the guidance of P-T art teacher and drama guild producer Jen Haberberger, this imaginative play combines of creativity, community and the occasional conflict. Haberberger shared her insights into the selection of this play. 

     “The directors chose [the production],” she explained. “I see it as very fantastical. I am saying that our word of the year is imagination.” 

     The overall vision for the production emphasizes a fantastical atmosphere, drawing inspiration from the play itself as well as the best-selling book written by Chris Grabenstein. 

     “The whole concept is this kid has to go with his mom away to a cabin for the summer,” Haberberger said. “With no Wi-Fi or TV, he has to entertain himself with books. This doctor has an old library with all these old books, and as he reads them, the characters come to life.” 

     As rehearsals progress, challenges have emerged, particularly with scheduling conflicts among cast members involved in multiple extracurricular activities. Rehearsals began Sept. 16 with the cast and crew. They are set to continue Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m.

     “Coordinating everyone’s schedules is always a struggle,” stated Haberberger. 

     Sophomore and crew member Abigail Punturi, discussed the set creation process. 

     “Working on the sets early in production has been exciting, but managing schedules has definitely been challenging,” Punturi said. “It is a team effort, and we are all committed to making this a fantastic show.”

     Haberberger talked about the importance of community support for the production of drama guild shows.

     “Coming to see the play is not just about enjoying a cute story; it’s about supporting our peers and the community,” stated Haberberger. “We’re always looking for participants, so anyone interested in joining is welcome.”

     As the curtain approaches, the cast and crew’s excitement builds for “The Island of Dr. Libris.” With a focus on imagination, community, and creativity, this production is set to enchant audiences within P-T.

Sophia Dunnabeck, News Section Editor

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     While some broken panels and digits could be replaced throughout its lifetime, the previous scoreboard’s message center, which cycles through advertisements and names during senior graduation, struggled to perform.

     “The message center could no longer be updated. It was running on a Windows Program from 2010, and there was no update,” said Kerry Hetrick, the athletic director at P-T.

       The $150,000 scoreboard was funded entirely through advertisements and sponsorships.

      “Over a month’s time, I was able to secure six sponsors at $25,000 a piece,” Hetrick said.

     These sponsors each have a spot on the scoreboard for the next five years.

     The revenue gained from additional future advertisements and sponsors will help pay for the officials, police, security, and other employees at any of the P-T sporting events from seventh to twelfth grade. Hetrick said that football ticket sales currently make up 75 percent or more of revenue, but that more scoreboard advertisements will help to produce more revenue.

     Hetrick plans to involve TV and video classes and students from the school to create videos and live feeds, such as livestreaming senior nights and other school events.

     “There’s endless opportunities,” Hetrick added.

     The company that installed the scoreboard was Institutional Specialties, a local business working with Daktronics.

     “They do a majority of schools in WPIAL,” Hetrick said.

     Video boards by Daktronics are also used in Acrisure Stadium, PNC Park and other Pittsburgh sports teams’ arenas.

Annabelle Aquino, Managing Editor

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