Petey Podcast

Uncle Fester, Morticia, Gomez and Pugsley Addams take the mics in this episode of Petey Podcast, coming to listeners today remotely from Elyria High School. When not in character, this accomplished group of student leaders can be found everywhere on the campus of Elyria High, and participating in any number of clubs and activities. In Drama Club, they are members of Elyria High's historic Thespian Troupe 946. Drama Teacher and Director Bobby Graves also took a seat at the Petey Podcast interview table. The troupe's production of "The Addams Family School Edition" takes place April 28-30 in the Elyria Performing Arts Center of Elyria High School. Show times are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 30. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.elyriaschools.org/performing_arts_center/purchase_event_tickets or at the door on the evening of each performance. Take a listen to our Addams Family guests today on Petey Podcast, and reserve your seats for the show. It's sure to be a scream!

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

It’s not every day you get the chance to share a table with a beautiful princess, a thoughtful beast, a chatty clock and a dashing villain. Guess it was just our lucky day on Petey Podcast as we met up with a few of the cast members of Beauty and the Beast Jr., by the Northwood Middle School Drama Club. Also joining us on the show: Jessica Sammarone, the club’s new musical director. Jessica shares directing responsibilities with J.R. Simons, manager of the Elyria Performing Arts Center.  Both are leading the cast and crew of Northwood’s club in all things theater, and in this musical production—which is the club’s  signature event of the school year. Beauty and the Beast Jr. will take place Friday, March 31, 7p.m. at the Elyria Performing Arts Center at Elyria High School. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.elyriaschools.org/performing_arts_center/purchase_event_tickets
Bravo, Northwood, bravo! 

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

If you enjoy the sights and sounds of a good vendor fair, you're going to love the Elyria Special Olympics Craft and Vendor Fair coming to Elyria High School on March 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Our guests, Sharron Goodsite and Samantha Boneta, members of the Elyria Special Olympics fundraising committee, give us the skinny on this year's event. The Special Olympics Craft and Vendor fair has been going strong for seven years, growing bigger and better each year. This year's event is expected to showcase more than 70 vendors  with everything from candles, candy and cakes to jewelry, makeup and specialty items and treasures.  If you're looking for one-stop shopping for Easter baskets--this is the place! And, as guests peruse the table-top products, they will be entertained by Sharon's Signers and Singer/Songwriter Mike Brand. There's plenty of things to keep the little ones busy, too, with a visit from the Easter Bunny and an Easter egg hunt! There's no cost for entry to the craft fair but donations will be accepted. All donations will benefit the Elyria Special Olympics program. 

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

Elyria Wrestling is a veritable powerhouse in the high school sports arena. New Head Coach Armando Torres joined us on Petey Podcast to talk about taking over the program this year, and about the growth of Women's Wrestling. Joining us on the show is Elyria High School Senior and Wrestler, Riley Banyas. Riley has made her name in the wrestling community, earning many regional, state and national championship titles and just recently logging her 100th career win in the sport. Riley was named the 2023 Lorain County Smackdown Women's Wrestler of the Year, and she's ranked 10th in the nation. She just committed to Campbellsville University in Kentucky after high school for wrestling. Riley's drive and success in the sport has captured the interest of an independent film company, and she'll be the subject of a mini documentary series coming soon. Take a listen to this exciting episode of Petey Podcast!

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

The Eastern Heights Middle School (EHMS) Drama Club gives students in fifth through eighth grade real experience in theater behind the scenes and in front of audiences. But even more important are the bonds the students form as members of the tight-knit group, and the confidence and poise they exude on stage delivering complex dialogue, drawing audiences into each story. EHMS director, Charlene Hartley, has built the club up from just a few members to more than 20-strong, and it continues to grow each school year. The club kicked off its 2022-2023 season with the musical, "Aladdin Jr.," to rave reviews. They are now showing off their dramatic skills in the play, "Walk Two Moons." The production drew so much interest that Charlene had to double cast the roles to allow as many students as possible to participate in the show. We caught up with a handful of the EHMS student actors to hear all about their latest production, "Walk Two Moons." The performance takes place March 8 and 9, 7:30 p.m. at the Elyria High School Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available online here!   

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

An average day in the gaming entertainment world is anything but average. It might include a bit of script writing, some wrangling of VIPs in a green room, a lot of work behind the lens of a camera, a chunk of time editing content, and, of course, assembling a finished product. That sample then has to pass muster by a producer or sponsor before it ever makes it to any online platform. Our guest knows a lot about this process because it's what he does for a living!  Greg Elek, a 2015 graduate of Elyria High School, now makes his home in sunny California. He works for Enthusiast Gaming, an integrated gaming entertainment company, where he is a digital media editor and content creator on a host of products including NFL Tuesday Night Gaming. Greg joined us on Petey Podcast to talk about growing up in Elyria and working his way into the digital career he loves. Take a listen!

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

...Ramaya Lee-Mosley and The TSU Aristocrat of Bands: Tennessee State University Marching Band! Ramaya is a 2022 graduate of Elyria High School, and former member of the Elyria High School Pioneer Marching Band. Ramaya, now a freshman at TSU, marches with the TSU Marching Band, who just made history as the first collegiate marching band to win a Grammy! TSU Marching Band won in the Best Roots Gospel Album category for their album, "The Urban Hymnal." We caught up with Ramaya by phone in Tennessee to hear all about it. Take a listen!

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

The preschool and kindergarten programs in Elyria Schools are ramping up for registration. Elyria Early Childhood Village Principal Jackie Plantner joined us on Petey Podcast to share details of the district's upcoming registration fair for new students, and to delight us with stories about the day in the life of an Elyria preschooler. As the saying goes, kids say the darndest things. Did you know, for instance, that the buzz around the school is that Mrs.  Plantner has a hot tub in her office? That's what the students have surmised is behind a curtain that hangs in the background of Mrs. Plantner's office. Is it true? Guess you'll have tune in to this episode of Petey Podcast to find out! :) The Elyria Schools Preschool/Kindergarten Registration Fair will take place on Saturday, March 4, 2023, from 9:30 a.m. to Noon at Ely Elementary School, 312 Gulf Road, Elyria. Visit our website for registration information. 

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

The much anticipated and always sensational Holiday Spectacular Concert of Elyria High School returns to the Elyria Performing Arts Center on Dec. 16 and 17, 2022. This concert is unlike any other. Call it a collage, a kaleidoscope or a prism; it matters not because the result is the same: a phenomenal display of large group and small ensemble top-notch performances. Take a listen to what you can expect from this year's Holiday Spectacular with our guests Elyria High School Music Directors, Aaron Putka (Band), Greg Smith (Orchestra) and Kalee Bondzio (Choirs). Concert tickets are available at https://www.elyriaschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=13017085&pageId=13206275

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

Have you ever wondered what it's like to mix tunes or cue up the news? Or how about broadcasting on a frequency that sends your voice on waves out to thousands of listeners at once? We got the scoop on all this and so much more from the professional jocks  and Morning Show team of Craig Adams and Bruce VanDyke, WEOL Radio News  AM 930. Take a listen on this episode of Petey Podcast!

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

Westwood Middle School is bringing back a fan-favorite event: The Annual Chili Cook-off and Auction on Nov. 5! Westwood's Chili Cook-off started almost a decade ago, and it's grown in popularity and participation every year. The ultimate goal of the event is to raise enough money to defray costs associated with the school's annual student field trip to Washington D.C. The cook-off draws competitors from every school building and department in the district--all vying to be crowned the Westwood Chili Cook-off Champion. The event has even perked the interest of community partners, some with previous chili competition experience, such as the Elyria Township Fire Department. Westwood staff and students spend months preparing for the auction portion of the event. The prizes they've gathered even include vacation packages to family-favorite destination spots like Disney World, Universal Studios, Gatlinburg and so much more. Principal Jim Rollence shared details of this and so much more on this episode of Petey Podcast! The Westwood Chili Cook-off will take place Nov. 5, 5-8 p.m., at Westwood Middle School, 42350 Adelbert St., Elyria.  Tickets are $10.

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

This podcast was two years in the making. Before the education world was turned upside down by the pandemic, a science teacher in the Elyria Schools had just learned he was named for a very prestigious national award; an award that is recognized as an elite honor in math and science teaching. Elyria High School Physics Teacher, Jeremy Secaur, learned in 2019 that he had earned the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST.) Due to COVID, Jeremy wasn't able to fully celebrate his monumental achievement until earlier this year, on May 24-26, 2022, when he traveled to the White House to accept the Presidential Award in person. We caught up with Jeremy to hear what that experience was like, and to talk with him generally about teaching and the world of physics.  Congratulations, Jeremy!
More about Jeremy and PAEMST

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

Pink Cookies, cotton candy, funnel cakes and just about every deep-fried  delectable you can imagine in one place: The Elyria Apple Festival!  The Petey Podcast crew was on location at the festival, talking up the sights and smells and highlighting the fun to come at Elyria’s signature end-of-summer event.

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

You don't have to be born into royalty to be a princess. . You can sign up for the Elyria Apple Festival Princess Pageant and earn your crown this month at the Elyria Apple Festival! The Elyria Apple Festival takes place Sept. 16-18, 2022. Festival Chair Stacey Francis and Princess Pageant Coordinator Jen Parker joined us in studio to tout the festival and encourage contestant sign-ups for the pageant. Parker is taking pageant registrations through Labor Day weekend at www.elyriaapplefestival.com. The Elyria Apple Festival will have more than 100 food vendors, crafts, musical entertainment, apple-themed activities, children's games, a fun run, a car show, an apple-themed baking competition and the Apple Festival Princess Pageant.  As always, Elyria Schools will be represented with a booth at the Apple Festival selling the district's world-famous Pink Cookie, and hosting the Apple Art Contest for student artists. 

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

Elyria Athletic Directors, Heather Beck and Matt Siwierka, joined us in the Petey Podcast studio to talk sports and particularly, football! Tonight, August 19, Elyria Pioneers will play hometown rival, the Elyria Catholic Panthers at Dan Reaser Stadium at Elyria Catholic. The two teams are well-matched and it's a not-to-be-missed event in the proud city of Elyria. 
Siwierka is new to the Elyria Athletic Office as the Middle School Athletic Director. He grew up in Elyria and attended Elyria Schools, where he returned after college to teach at Elyria High School. He was named Athletic Director in July 2022. Beck  has been the district's AD for numerous years but with Siwierka's hiring, will now focus primarily on high school sports. The two have big plans for Elyria Athletics, with great things to come. Take a listen!

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

For nearly 30 years, Bill Pelko has served the city of Elyria as a police officer. Now he wears the badge of Chief.  Pelko joined us in the Petey Podcast studio in June to talk about assuming the role as Chief last year, and to catch us up on what's new with the Elyria Police Department, including body cameras for police officers and a text tip line called TIP411. Pelko talks about the importance of building relationships in the community and how residents can be active in community safety.
"We all love the city of Elyria, we want to see it prosper and the kids flourish.  We're open 24-7, we encourage residents to call us if they see something or hear something. You can remain anonymous," Pelko said.  "You need to take everything serious. Even if you think it's minor. Reach out to someone: the schools, police, there are lots of resources. Make that phone call. You won't have the weight on your shoulders for not saying something if something would happen. Reach out the professionals and let them handle it." Lots more, too, on this episode of Petey Podcast with Elyria Police Chief Bill Pelko!

In an emergency, call 911. Elyria Police Department Dispatch can be reached at 440-323-3302. 

To send an anonymous tip via text message to the Elyria Police Department,
text the keyword TIPELYRIA and your tip to 847411 https://www.cityofelyria.org/department/police/tip411/

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

There aren't many communities that can boast three individual libraries in their town, let alone brand-spanking new ones! No doubt about it, Elyria's Public Library System is robust and here to talk about it on Petey Podcast is new Director, Jennifer Starkey, and Jennifer Harmon, Community Engagement Director.  Take a listen to the exciting programs coming our way this summer through Elyria Public Library. Here's a hint: You'll have a WHALE of a good time!

Details of Elyria's Oceans of Possibilities Summer Reading Program 2022.

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

Alyssa and Todd Church know a little something about soccer. Actually...they know ALOTTA something about soccer! Both have vast experience in the game--on the field and on the sidelines. Growing up with the sport, Alyssa's earliest lessons were from her dad.  Todd Church is a graduate of Elyria High School and played on Elyria High's first soccer team before becoming a coach himself in Elyria and for many years in Strongsville where his program earned multiple titles. Alyssa came up through the youth soccer programs in Elyria with her dad by her side and went on to play in high school and at the college level. She teamed up with Todd again in Strongsville as his assistant in the Girls High School Soccer program. Now, Alyssa is in the top spot with her dad by her side. They share the same philosophies in life and in coaching. And did I mention they are both Elyria middle school teachers, too? Take a listen to this dynamic duo of Elyria Schools! 

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

Sara Sierra is one amazing student. Three years ago she moved from Colombia to the United States, settling in Ohio with her mom and two sisters. In that short amount of time Sara mastered the English Language AND earned The Seal of Biliteracy, an award granted to students who demonstrate high levels of proficiency in two languages. 
"What's special about Sara earning The Seal of Biliteracy is that she is a former ESL student," said Maria Gilmore, ESL Teacher, Elyria Schools. "She is the first one (student) so far (to do this), because they have to learn English and pass the Ohio ELA II test, which is hard even for native English speakers. Sara passed it with a high score. And this was all going on during COVID.
 "She was always wanting to go higher in the classroom," Gilmore said. " That's what helped her get to where she is now." Hear Sara's inspiring story on this episode of Petey Podcast!

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

Tina Biltz is a history teacher at Elyria High School. She's also the Student Council Advisor. There are very few events going on at Elyria High that Tina isn't part of. In fact, she's often on the organizing committee and many times that committee is made up of Student Council members. As Elyria High gears up for "the senior season"-- when so many of the special recognitions and events take place for the Senior Class--we caught up with Tina on Petey Podcast to talk about the role of Student Council in making these moments memorable.  One of Student Council's signature events is the Scholastic E Awards Ceremony. "The Scholastic E Award is given to seniors who've achieved a 3.75 GPA or higher for seven semesters, which is basically their whole career," Biltz said.  This year, 74 seniors have earned the Scholastic E and will receive the honor on April 28, 2022 at the official ceremony. It was such fun catching up with Tina during the show and learning about the many roles of Student Council. Take a listen!

It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!