Hempfield townlively.com
JUNE 25, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XLI • NO 12
Musical Will Commemorate Memorable Concert BY CAT SHANNON
Addyson Nobile (left) as Sandra Day O’Connor, Riley Stetler (middle) as Betsy Ross, and Kloey Appleby as Shelley Mann. Photo by George Deibel
constructive criticism. “The good thing is when the kids come to meet with you and they think their work is ready to go, if you give them suggestions, they will go back and improve it,” said Bellew. Student Abel Steinbacher did his project on Albert Einstein. “I think his theory of relativity and his equation E=mc 2 are really influential,” Abel explained. “I got a lab coat because he was a scientist. I wore this wig because when he was older, he was famously known for his white hair.” Student Riley Stetler portrayed Betsy Ross. “I really like the American flag, and I like the design she made,” said Riley, who added, “We learned that there are a lot of people in history who affect and influence us.”
In June of 2000, members of the Hempfield United Methodist Church Youth Choir took a trip to Naked Creek Overlook on Skyline Drive in Virginia. Now, 25 years later, one of the participants has created a musical production inspired by a true story from the trip, and she’s enlisted one of the youngest travelers from the group to play her character in the show. “Audience of One” will be performed at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, a t T h e J u n c t i o n C e n t e r, 1875 Junction Road, Manheim. With the book, music and lyrics by Alisa Bair, the show reflects a pivotal moment in the group’s journey. “A church youth choir opts out of its summer choir tour in favor of a concert, just for God, on a mountaintop,” Bair said, describing the musical’s plot. “While convinced that their trip is a holy invitation, a shoplifting incident and inclement weather threaten to derail their plans and challenge their faith.” Bair, a graduate of Hempfield High School, was serving as the minister of music and worship as well as the youth choir director at Hempfield United Methodist Church when, in early January 2000, she felt called by God to switch out the big choir tour the group held every other summer in favor of something smaller in scope but potentially larger in impact. She had recently experienced a personal loss and recalled that the world had just recovered
See Wax Museum pg 2
See Musical pg 4
Mountville Elementary fifth-grader Emma Moser dressed as Neil Armstrong. Photo by George Deibel
Mountville Students Wax Eloquent About Historical Figures BY GEORGE DEIBEL
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ountville Elementar y School fifth-graders put on a living history exhibit for visitors who attended the annual Wax Museum event on May 29. Teacher Larry Bellew said the project is a combination of the school’s social studies and English language arts curriculums. Students were instructed to choose an influential person and then write a paragraph to justify their selection. There are four fifth-grade homerooms. Multiple students from a class are not permitted to pick the same individual. This year, two pupils wanted to portray Jackie Robinson. One student turned in his proposal a minute before the other and got to be
the Major League Baseball player wax museum to see how well students have remembered who broke the color barrier. “The biggest thing is to get the their speeches. Posters and students to try to understand costumes are also considered. how the person they select (had) “They don’t have to be perfect. They just have to a positive impact try,” said Bellew. on society,” Bellew He added, “I said. “How do they “The biggest hope the biggest influence others?” thing is to get the thing they learn Students’ efforts students to try to i s y o u c a n ’ t d o t o re s e a rc h t h e understand how projects like this person carr y the without doing the most weight for the person they background work. their grade, Bellew select (had) a You tell them at said. “We give them positive impact the beginning of a week to read the project, ‘This about the person on society.” will only be as good and take no tes . as the amount of They start by organizing the topics, including the research that you do and the kind challenges they faced, how they of sources you’re using to get your overcame those challenges, and information.’” Bellew was impressed with their impact on society.” Teachers walk through the how the students responded to
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