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Articles by Maddie Cimino
Moravian Story Summit Unites People Through the Power of Stories
We live in a world where division is evident everywhere you look. In grocery store aisles and on the streets, we are constantly focused on what makes us different rather than realizing we are all fighting for the same fundamental values and ideas. Our health. Our happiness. Our safety. Those we can all agree on, so why not look at that? This is the idea Professors Liz Gray and Kate Brandes are trying to emphasize at the 2026 Moravian Story Summit.
Mrs. Theresa Arduino submitting her own absence after 27 years at North Penn
Home Office Attendance Secretary, Mrs. Theresa Arduino has spent the last 28 years keeping tabs on roughly 1000 students. From call outs to no shows, Arduino has logged it all. After spending 27 of those years in the same desk, with the same routine, she has finally decided to take a step back from her duties in K025. While many students may only see her every once in a while, Arduino is at her desk by the time the sun comes up most days, and doesn’t leave until well after the final bell rings.
Cell Phone bans spark the question of where do the kids go?
“Kids need to get off their phones and go outside!” This has become a trite phrase in 2025, a time in which North Penn School District and many others opened the school year with policies to crack down on the ever growing cell phone epidemic. Yes, we hear you. Get off your phone and go do something… But it’s not that easy.
Mr.500
North Penn High School Softball is a powerhouse known across the state and even the country. Winning the state championship three out of the last four years, there is no doubt about the team culture or the talent of the athletes as they prove themselves game after game, year after year.
200 wins for 28
“Win. Compete. Outwork everyone.” This is the attitude Coach Kevin Manero engraved into North Penn Baseball. From 5am lifts to late night practices, there is no sliver of the program lacking hard work or dedication. “Dedication might as well be Coach Manero’s middle name. The amount of work he puts in behind the scenes, most of which we don’t even notice, is unreal. This man lives and breathes baseball.
Knights lose close battle to Rams to close out the regular season
NORTH WALES – North Penn Baseball is all about community. Before the Knights (15-5; 10-5 SOL) lost their final regular season battle to the Pennridge Rams (11-9; 6-9 SOL) by a single run Monday night, they celebrated their seniors and the next generation of baseball players under the gleaming lights of Hostelley Field. Seniors were escorted onto the diamond by their families and the teacher they were most inspired by from their career at North Penn.
Mr. 500: NPHS softball's David Torresani achieves milestone claimed by few coaches | NorthPennNow
North Penn High School softball is a powerhouse known across the state and even the country. Winning the state championship three out of the last four years, there is no doubt about the team culture or the talent of the athletes as they prove themselves game after game, year after year.
North Penn falls to Council Rock North in 11th annual Lax for Leukemia Game
It is very easy to forget that there is so much more to sports than the ticking clock, tweeting whistles, and the zebras making controversial calls. Behind efforts being displayed by the teams on the field, is usually a bigger cause, one that propels them to push their limits and fight for much more than the numbers illuminated at the end of the night.
North Penn School Board recognizes Peer Connection Mentorship program | NorthPennNow
April’s action meeting was held at the North Penn School District Educational Services Center on Thursday, April 24. The board started the meeting with a North Penn news update video. They highlighted moments of charity, community service, diversity, and accomplishments carried out by students throughout the district within the last month.
Board recognizes Peer Connection Mentorship Program
LANSDALE- April’s action meeting was held at the North Penn School District Educational Services Center on Thursday, April 24. The board started the meeting with a North Penn news update video. They highlighted moments of charity, community service, diversity, and accomplishments carried out by students throughout the district within the last month.
Board elects Mrs. Tara BG Houser and Mrs. Joanna Chavez to fill previous vacancies
LANSDALE – April’s work session was held at the North Penn School District Educational Center on Tuesday, April 8th. During public comment, residents continued to bring up concerns regarding DEI policies and progress in the district. The board approved the recommendation of the attached MCIU 2025-26 Intergovernmental Agreement for Shared Services to be addressed at the April Action Meeting.
2025 North Penn Promposal Contest Results
It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for—the results for the promposal contest are in. And the winner is…Jugurtha Hameg and Demi Webb-Dennis! The Knight Crier Staff wants to thank all of the contestants for submitting their entries and for all the thought and preparation they put into it. The breakdown of the results can be found below:
2025 Promposal contest submissions
This year, The Knight Crier received many creative promposal submissions. We’d like to thank everyone who submitted and wish each contestant the best of luck! In the article below, you will find all of the submissions that qualified for the contest based on the rules stated in this article. Voting will begin today, April 5th, starting at 10:00 am and will end at 3 pm on April 7th. There is only one vote per email, so the more people you get to vote the better off you are.
The Ultimate Disney Food Review
Skip to Content April 4, 2025 DISNEY SPRINGS Paradiso 37 Tropical Chicken Salad – 8/10 This salad was delicious and had great flavor, but it was far too expensive for what I got. The chicken was perfectly cooked but again, not worth the $40 I spent on it. Sprinkles Cupcake ATM Black and White Cupcake – 8/10 SO GOOD. A little small for the price, but so worth it for the experience that comes with it. It had lots of frosting on it, but it wasn’t sickeningly sweet.
2025 Knight Crier Promposal Contest is here!
Knight Crier’s most anticipated event is back! The Promposal Contest! The entry with the most votes wins two free senior prom tickets. The winners will be based on the number of votes received on the Google Form which will be found in the voting article posted on Friday, April 4rd. The two promposals with the highest number of votes will be contacted by Knight Crier staff.
North Penn adds new valedictorian to the mix in sign of the times
On March 19th with the confirmation of the 2025 Commencement ceremony, North Penn High School also leaked information regarding this year’s valedictorian. Except it’s not a student… This year more than ever, Chat GPT has become students’ go to online assistant for all assignments. From test answers to homework help, Chat GPT is the common denominator for every student’s good grades and administration felt it needed some recognition for its outstanding work.
2025 Spring Sports Preview
Team: Boys Track Head Coach: Jaimey Jones Assistant Coaches: Ron Jaros, Dom Calamia, Jon Fluck Last Year’s Record: 5-0 League Champs Key returning players: Dave Costa, Mohamed Ahmed, Ahmed Abdalla, Trip Campbell, Achilles Shui, Eric Boyce, Kyle Gordan, Layton Holt, Dan Olabanji Notable Losses: Marc Cobbs, Vinny Edgar, Brady Sweeney, Jalen Gaymon, Nick Barna, Mervin Joseph Connor Others to watch: Morgan Brown, Musa Herzi, Justin Landis, Matt Connelly, James Boyle Strengths: We are a fairly...
2025 Knight Crier Promposal Contest is here!
Knight Crier’s most anticipated event is back! The Promposal Contest! The entry with the most votes wins two free senior prom tickets. The winners will be based on the number of votes received on the Google Form which will be found in the voting article posted on Friday, March 28th. The two promposals with the highest number of votes will be contacted by Knight Crier staff.
Knights Next Quest: Lisa Bueters
What schools did you apply to? I applied to 5 schools, Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, University of Virginia, University at Buffalo, and Northeastern. Where did you commit and why? I committed to University at Buffalo since I really loved the programs as well as the area and the weather. What are your academic/career aspirations? I want to go into medicine in the future, but I haven’t decided if I want to go pre-med and become a doctor or go into research and development.
Knights Next Quest: Emmie Salmon
What schools did you apply to? Clemson and Penn State were my top two, but I also applied to JMU, University of South Carolina, University of Pittsburgh, and Deleware. Where did you commit and why? I committed to Penn State because it was best for my major. I got into all of my schools, but it was smartest to go to PSU since it has a much stronger business school than Clemson. What are your academic/career aspirations?
Knights next quest: Katie Harkins
What schools did you apply to? I applied to West Chester University, Penn State University, and Millersville University. Where did you commit to, and why? I committed to Millersville University because I wanted to be on a lacrosse team with a positive atmosphere close to home so my parents could still see me play. What are your career/academic aspirations? I want to be a teacher and I’m thinking about following in both my parents’ footsteps and teaching middle school math.
Knights Next Quest: Emmie Salmon
What schools did you apply to? Clemson and Penn State were my top two, but I also applied to James Madison University, the University of South Carolina, the University of Pittsburgh, and Delaware. Where did you commit and why? I committed to Penn State because it was best for my major. I got into all of my schools, but it was smartest to go to PSU since it has a much stronger business school than Clemson. What are your academic/career aspirations?
North Penn French students connecting with students across the world | NorthPennNow
Bonjour! Je m’appelle Maddie! J’ai 17 ans. J’habite à Lansdale Pennsylvanie… Stamped on a postcard and shipped back and forth, North Penn French students start letters similar to those above, sending them to their pen pals. While this may seem like a common act, letters and pen pals have fallen through the cracks with the rise of technology and are very rare, especially in the younger generations. “I did [pen pals] when I was a senior in AP French,” North Penn French teacher, Eileen Burner said.
North Penn French students connecting with students across the world
Bonjour! Je m’appelle Maddie! J’ai 17 ans. J’habite à Lansdale Pennsylvanie… Stamped on a postcard and shipped back and forth, North Penn French students start letters similar to those above, sending them to their pen pals. While this may seem like a common act, letters and pen pals have fallen through the cracks with the rise of technology and are very rare, especially in the younger generations. “ I felt like it made learning a language real, and not just something on paper that I was studying.
Board recognizes North Penn High School Unified Bocce and celebrates Mr. Steve Skroki’s final meeting
LANSDALE – February’s action meeting was held at the North Penn School District Educational Center on Thursday, February 12th. The board started a meeting with a North Penn February update video featuring recent events across the district before highlighting the North Penn High School Unified Bocce program as part of the student spotlight. This was also Chief Financial Advisor, Steve Skrocki’s, final meeting on the board as he is officially embarking upon retirement.
Board discusses 2025-2028 Comprehensive Plan and reviews phase one renovation bids
LANSDALE—February’s work session meeting was held at the North Penn School District Educational Center on Tuesday, February 11th. At this meeting, the NPSD Comprehensive Plan for 2025-28 and alternate bids for phase one of the high school renovation project were presented to the board.
Stoll looks back on seven years as School Board President
Upon graduating high school, Tina Stoll never imagined herself as school board president, let alone for her alma mater. Fast-forward 41 years, she is stepping down from her position as president after steering North Penn through unprecedented waters for the past seven years. “I am a North Penn grad. Although, when I went to high school here, I did not care for it,” former school board President Tina Stoll said.
North Penn flips the script on Council Rock South; claims lead in SHSHL
COLMAR – Wednesday night, the North Penn Knights (13-2) clashed with the Council Rock South Golden Hawks (14-0) at their home rink looking to flip the script. The last time these teams met, the Knights were defeated 6-3, but not this time. The Knights entered the rink with a vengeance, returning the favor and beating the Hawks 5-3, giving South their first loss of the season, and dropping them down to second place in the league behind North Penn.
Cultural Kaleidoscope: a glimpse into North Penn’s Multicultural Knight
North Penn High School’s Multicultural Knight took place on January 31st, 2025. Students and community members gathered at the high school to show appreciation and recognize the diversity that walks the halls. Posters from all the cultural clubs at North Penn participating in the festivities lined the main entrance way of the building Jewish Cultural Club serving latkes, jelly donuts, and more in the Aux Gym
Souderton grapples to a win on NP Youth Night nail-biter
TOWAMENCIN- Youth Night at North Penn Wrestling brought excitement but did not extend the win column for North Penn. In between junior varsity and varsity matches, three members of the North Penn Wrestling Youth community swept Souderton youth wrestlers 3-0. These matches were all won by pin, and all done in one period. The gymnasium erupted in support for the upcoming athletes as the North Penn Wrestling community cheered them on.
School Board honors life of former athletic director Donald C. “Doc” Ryan
LANSDALE- January’s action meeting was held at the North Penn School District Educational Services Center on Thursday, January 23. The board started the meeting with a video to recognize the board members for School Director Recognition Month. Superintendent Todd Bauer started the meeting by honoring the life of the late Donald “Doc” Ryan, North Penn’s former Athletic Trainer and Director, with a moment of silence.
Knights next quest: Ashleigh Barwis
What schools did you apply to? I applied to Penn State University, West Virginia University, James Madison University, and East Carolina University. Where did you commit to, and why? I committed to West Virginia University because I loved the campus and the environment of the school. What are your career/academic aspirations? I am studying finance and minoring in biology. What are you most excited about next year? I can’t wait to meet new people. What is your favorite North Penn memory?
Knights next quest: Isabella Kee
What schools did you apply to? I only applied to Wilkes University. Where did you commit to, and why? I committed to Wilkes University to play soccer. They also have a 4+1 accelerated master’s program for biomedical engineering. Also, the atmosphere there was exactly what I was looking for. What are your career/academic aspirations? I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. What are you most excited about next year? I’m most excited to meet my new team and all my new friends.
Knights next quest: Ali Reed
What schools did you apply to? I only applied to two schools: West Virginia University and Penn State University. Where did you commit to, and why? I committed to West Virginia University. Even though I loved both campuses, it came down to the major. I really wanted to major in Exercise Science and Penn State didn’t have that, so I decided to become a Mountaineer! What are your career/academic aspirations? My endgame is Trauma Surgery.
Opinion- Something needs to change in the College Football Playoffs
The new twelve-team college football playoff model has raised lots of controversy in the world of sports. Many people are upset with the seed that their team ended up in, which has led them to doubt the legitimacy of the committees’ reasoning behind their choices. Not only are the fans suggesting changes, but the results are, too. The Basics This new playoff model features twelve seeds compared to the four seeds used since 2014. With eight more spots, how are they figuring out the rankings?
Wagner tracking down her goals
January 8, 2025 The life of being an athlete. Early mornings. Late nights. Long practices. Grueling workouts. All to see the end goal, a championship. Although many try, very few succeed. North Penn sophomore cross-country runner, Bailey Wagner, did succeed. In her freshman year, Wagner placed 74th. Exactly one year later, she improved by nearly 50 spots. “[Going into the season], I wanted a medal.
2024-2025 Winter Sports Previews
December 5, 2024 The following NPHS Winter Sports previews include all teams who replied to The Knight Crier’s request for information Team: North Penn Girls Swimming Coach: Andy Walton Assistant Coaches: Ericka Makaron, Eric Weathers, Beth McConnell, Ethan McCalla Last year’s record: 9-1 Notable losses: Emma Raser, Sarah Poach Key returners: Maddie Faikish, Anna Heebner, Mikayla Potts, Zoe Welsh, Kailey Forte and Ruth Kim Others to Watch: Kathyrn DiLenge, Meghan O’Donnell Strengths: This...
Cathy McMurtrie named President, Julianne Ramic named VP of NP School Board
The annual reorganization meetings and the postponed November Action meeting were held at the North Penn School District Educational Center on Monday, December 2, 2024. At the reorganization meeting, new members were elected President and Vice President for a one-year term. Mrs. Cathy McMurtrie was elected as President, and Ms. Juliane Ramić was elected as Vice President, both for a one-year term.
Board addresses concerns regarding Title IX policies North Penn is seeking to adopt
LANSDALE—On Tuesday, November 12th, the North Penn School District Educational Center held its November work session. The board discussed adopting new Title IX policies and approved furthering quotes for projects at North Penn High School and Gwyn Nor Elementary. Mr. Christian D Fusco, Board Vice President, addressed the concerns regarding the purpose and reasoning behind the discrimination and harassment policies going into place.
Whipping up the next generation of pastry chefs
Two and a quarter cups of flour. One teaspoon of baking soda. One cup of butter. Three-quarters cup of sugar. Two cups of chocolate chips. Sound familiar? It should. These are the basic ingredients for making classic chocolate chip cookies. Although this may be the extent of many people’s baking abilities, it is far from it at North Monto’s Technical Career Center (NMTCC).
Wieloch is proving girls can ball too
October 16, 2024 Many young athletes have one dream in mind. Make it to a US National Team and compete at the Olympics. With the crowd roaring and the adrenaline pumping, the feeling is unmatched. Unfortunately, only 1 in every 500,000 youth athletes get to experience this. At 16, North Penn Sophomore, Tessa Wieloch has defied these odds accomplishing the first goal, and is well on her way to the next.
OPINION: Are we teaching the wrong things?
From birth, children are taught two things. Right and wrong. If right, you get rewarded. If wrong, you get punished. Although this is beneficial for creating habits in young minds, is there a point where it becomes counterproductive? Many students, especially under the judging eyes of their peers, veer away from answering questions due to the embarrassment they feel when they are wrong. “From what I’ve seen in many students, school has trained them to simply seek the correct answer for everything.
Operation Retirement beginning soon for Mrs. Giermann
After teaching for 37 years at 3 schools and 8 different courses, Ellen Giermann is leaving her final career stat as 2024 North Penn retiree. “[Over my nineteen years here] I have taught Algebra 2 part B, Honors Algebra 2, Honors Precalculus, Algebra Geometry 4, Math Proficiency, Algebra Geometry 3, Honor Calculus, and AP Calculus” stated North Penn High School’s math teacher Ellen Giermann.
Knights next quest: Charlotte Gildea
What schools did you apply to? I applied to Coastal Carolina, the University of Tampa, Hawaii Pacific University, Eckerd College, and the University of Rhode Island Where did you commit and why? I committed to the University of Tampa because of the amazing opportunities they had for me, the warm weather, and being close to the beach. What are your academic/career aspirations? I am going to college for marine biology and I want to pursue animal rescue and rehabilitation.
Knights defeat Tigers regaining winning streak
TOWAMENCIN – North Penn (8-5) controlled their out-of-conference matchup against Harry S. Truman (2-7) Friday afternoon on the diamond, looking to improve their record as they head into the second half of their regular season. Nolan Walker started on the mound, tossing five hitless innings. “The pitching has been good,” Head Coach Kevin Manero stated.
Knights Next Quest: Emma Gildea
What schools did you apply to? I applied to the University of Rhode Island, Penn State, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina, and the University of Tampa. Where did you commit and why? I committed to the University of Tampa because of the warm weather and because it was good for my major and the internship opportunities they offer. I am also excited to go to Tampa with my sister, Charlotte. What are your academic/career aspirations?
Knights Next Quest: Molly Miles
What schools did you apply to? I applied to Elizabethtown, Holy Family, East Stroudsburg, and Desales Where did you commit and why? I committed to Elizabethtown in March. When I first toured the school, I felt a sense of belonging that I didn’t feel at any other school. Elizabethtown checked every box on my checklist, there’s so many opportunities and their carrot cake is amazing. What are your academic/career aspirations?
What can North Penn do for you: Medical field
In this installment of “What Can North Penn Do For You”, we take an in-depth look into what North Penn can do for students interested in the medical field. Are you an underclassmen at North Penn High School? Are you interested in pursuing a degree or career in the medical field? Don’t know how to move forward?
North Penn JROTC taken by Storm
Things don’t always go as planned. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse, but always for a reason. “I spent 36 years in the military, been around the world, seen some cool things, seen some bad things, and I have experienced a lot. If I went into the classroom as a social studies teacher, I would have to take everything I have learned in the military and put it in a little jar up on a shelf,” SMSgt Robert Storm explained.
North Penn quiets national panic with purchase of Tik Tok
LANSDALE – Scrolling on social media, especially TikTok, is a common pastime for many teens,. While this can pose an issue for focus among students, North Penn has seen a significant decrease in the need for disciplinary action since TikTok became popular. On March 13, 2024, the House passed a bill that could lead to the nationwide ban of the beloved app, TikTok if it is not bought within the coming months.
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