Octorara APRIL 15, 2026
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Octorara Students Win STEM Design Challenge
ONLINE
Spring
BY LOGAN MOYER
EVENT T CALENDAR
wo teams comprising Octorara Area School District (OASD) students won first place at a regional STEM Design Challenge and have punched tickets to the state competition in Harrisburg. The regional competition, held in March by the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), brought fourththrough eighth-grade students together from the local area to com- Team Citrax, including (from left) Ryan Mitman, Gavin Bowen, Marreitt Zavacki and pete in elementary and Haydin Yoon, won first place in the middle school division. middle school divisions, both of victory in the elementary division. that uses sustainable practices and Working in teams of three to four, then showcase how their functionwhich were won by Octorara. Ryan Mitman, Merritt Zavacki, the students were presented with ing machine works, highlighting Gavin Bowen and Haydin Yoon - the prompt to build a sustainable how it supports environmentally Team Citrax - won the middle production machine in accordance responsible production. Students began preparing for this task in school division while Nathan with United Nations regulations. More specifically, the students January. Campos, Eli King and Seamus “The challenge encompasses all Ralston - Team E-Bricks - claimed had to design a section of factory
townlively.com/ events
See STEM pg 4
OCC
Parkesburg Man Publishes First Book
R127158
BY LOGAN MOYER
Joseph Amaral remembers pulling up the captain’s ring like it was just yesterday. Amaral was a 34-year-old commercial diver when he found the captain’s ring of the legendary DeBraak shipwreck. T h e Pa r ke s b u r g re s i d e n t turned 76 last month, but the day is still clear in his mind. Last year, he decided it was time to write a book to share his experiences from four decades
of diving. He started writing the novel in September, and it was done and published by Christmas. Not too shabby of a turnaround, especially for a first-time author. “Without (my publisher), I couldn’t have moved as quickly as I did,” Amaral said. “I was able to tell my stories.” Amaral’s book, titled “My Hunt for the Lost Ships of Histor y,” is a six-chapter, 225-page novel that details his Amaral’s book, “My Hunt for the Lost experiences with shipwrecks Joseph Ships of History,” came out in December and See Book pg 2 was published by Arnica Press. Photo by Logan Moyer
VOL XXXVI • NO 7
Pennsylvania 4-H Week and National Agriculture Week Recognized C hester Count y o ff ic i als recognized Pennsylvania 4-H Week and National Agriculture Week during a recent Board of Commissioners meeting , highlighting the importance of youth leadership programs and the agricultural industry to the county and the commonwealth. Local 4-H representatives, Penn State Extension staff members, and Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding joined the commissioners to mark the observances and discuss the impact of agriculture and 4-H programs across Chester County. Heidi Bramm, president of Tri-Community Dairy 4-H, spoke about the value of hands-on learning and leadership opportunities provided through the organization. “4-H really gives me the opportunity to grow as a person,” said Bramm. “There are so many great people through 4-H that can guide you because they respect the program, and they know that kids who go there want to learn and do these things, so doing that gives you the ability to learn so much. It’s just an amazing group of people, and it attracts more amazing people.” The commissioners emphasized the importance of supporting programs that prepare the next generation of agricultural and community leaders. In their proclamation, they noted that 4-H continues to play a vital role in youth development and the future of the county’s agricultural community. See 4-H Week pg 6
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