Elizabeth Lee Hazen

251 "West Siders" graduate Thursday

Once a West Sider, always a West Sider.

So said valedictorian Maria Genello in her speech Thursday to West Scranton High School's class of 2011.

Maria was joined in saying farewell to West by 250 fellow graduates at the school's 69th commencement ceremony Thursday afternoon.

The ceremony, inside a packed auditorium at the high school, brought remarks from Maria during her valedictory address, an introduction by salutatorian Jessica Reuther, the class president's address by Thomas Dodd, and remarks from school officials including district Superintendent William King.

"We have come a long way from the beginnings of our days as elementary students, making tonight's ceremony all the more significant in our lives and the lives of those who helped us achieve this milestone," said Jessica. "No matter where we travel in life, a part of us will always remain blue and white - proud alumni of West Scranton High School."

The graduates are:

Kwayshawn J.C. Adams, Sabrena Leisha Ajodha, Kristy Ambrosecchia, Robyn Lynn Ammenhauser, Ashley Kathryn Angeli, Michael Christopher Aniska, Elizabeth Anyang, Adam Nicholas Anzulewicz, Taylor John Aquilinam, Garibaldi Aquino, Jacqueline Marie Arnold, Christian M. Baldoni, Nicholas D. Barnaby, BreanynMarie Barnoski, Christian L. Baum, Laura Bazur, Laura Ann Bednarek, Kelsey Joy Bell, Christopher Harold Bellfield, Jessica Lynn Benke, Zachary James Benzeleski, Daniel J. Bernardini, Michael A. Bieniecki, Nicole E. Bieri, Tyler Patrick Bonevitch, Michael J. Bouselli, Stephen J. Boyko, Mary Elizabeth Boyle, Lindsay Marie Brace, Kayla Bunevitch, Thomas Samuel Burke, Kyle Matthew Burrier, Robert Butsko, Colleen Catherine Cadden, Tayler Marie Cadugan, Dominick J. Callela, Michael M. Campusano, Colleen Cassy Caster, Kristina Elizabeth Cerminaro, Mark Andrew Cerminaro, Marcy Chairge, Jordan Checho, Juliana C. Chieffallo, Kristi Churilla, Sabrina Shontelle Coleman, Ryan Michael Cooper, Bridget Coyne, Sarah Pauline Craft, Patrick Joseph Dalrymple, Alyssa Rae Davis, Christine Marie Decker, Robert DeMarco, Seth Anthony Demkowich, Anthony James DeNinno, Alyssia Diaz, Ashley Dixon, Thomas M. Dodd, Colleen Elizabeth Dolan, Raymond J. Dominguez, Michael Paul Donahue, Timothy John Donahue, Michael P. Dougherty, Daniel D. Doyle, Gloria Nancy Dudek, Kaitlyn E. Duff, James J. Dunning, Mia Emiliani, Crystal Lynn Evans, Steven Feng, James Joseph Fenton, William G. Fletcher, Meghan Rose Fletcher, Stephen Michael Florey, Timothy Nicholas Forsette, Heather Ann Marie Fowler, Zvon Antoinette Future, Gene Gantz, Jay Gantz, Maria Kathryn Genello, Gary J. Gerrity, Eli J. Gerrity, Gregory L. Gianacopoulos, Bryanna Michelle Gifford, Isiah Jerrell Gill, Antonio Lawrence Giordano, Sean Allan-William Gisinger, Denise Gonzalez, Daniel Howard Gray, Amanda M. Greene, Kristen Marie Gruss, Carli Colleen Gruzesky, Lauren Ashley Hales, Sean M. Hart, Cory Edward Hazen, Daniel Heffron, Elizabeth Ann Hein, Mariah Ann Hendry, Samuel Herrera, Kelly Ann Hill, Alison Marie Hodanich, Lauren Marie Hokrein, Kyle Robert Holden, Tyler Hughes, Michael John Hull, Kaitlyn Ann Hulse, Erik Richard Hunsinger, Jamie Leigh Hunsinger, Jennifer Lauren Hurst, Joseph Incelli, Gregory Jenkins, Brittany Marie Jerowski, Ariel Danae Jordan, Nora Catherine Joyce, Amanda Lea Keller, Michael Peter Kowanick, Ronald S. Kroptavich, William Joseph Kroptavich, Frank Kucharski, Richard Kucharski, Timothy Patrick Langan, Stephanie R. Lawless, James Anthony Lee, Nicole A. Lee, Cynthia Helen Leonard, Kevin Chester Lewis, Tyler Robert Lipinski, John Stanley Lipowitch, Miellissa J. Lombard, Ian Joseph Lotz, Isenia Denise Lozano, John Raymond Lucas, Christopher Paul Macavage, Molly MacDonald, Allison Yessenia Macias, Charles Robert Maciejeski, Paul James Mackin, Matt Manning, Ashley Marie Manuel, Heather Margotta, Tyrek Seth Matthews, Devin Elizabeth McAndrew, Mackenzie Marie McAndrew, Nicole McClemens, Alexandra Marie McIlwee, Trinity Mariah McIntyre, Brianna May Mead, Katherin Michell Mejia Chavez, Kathryn Marie Merkel, Marissa E. Messina, Brittney Marie Meyers, Shayna Thais Miller, Lisa Mooney, Justin Stacy Moore, Jacqueline Morales, Jovanne Morales, Nolee Marie Morris, Sean Michael Morrison, Courtney Marie Morrow, Lauren Victoria Murfree, Tamra Murphy, Joel Antone Murray, Gabriella Dejanira Niama, Cory Jonathan Nidoh, Dylan Lee Ninemires-Sweem, Ashley Ann Nitch, Matthew Gunner Nole, Alyssa Ann Noone, David Novak, Matthew T. O'Boyle, Tyler Michael O'Donnell, Katrina Marie Oleski, Joseph Matthew Oressey, Amy Elizabeth Osborne, Aaron Alton Owens, Shanice Nasae Parker, Lauren Ashleigh Passero, Romitkumar Rajendrakumar Patel, George Pavlovicz, Robert John Perles, Ryan Patrick Perles, Chrisula Marie Perry, Katherine Lynn Perry, Michael Petillo, Malcolm NaJee Phillips, Brittany Marie Piazza, Andrew Pirritano, David Mathew Pope, Michael Allison Price, Rysene Travis Price, Brittany Ann Quales, Francisco Javier Quintana, Kaileigh Reed, Richard Joseph Rescigno, Jessica Marie Reuther, Thomas Michael Richards, Kayla Margaret Rillstone, Bianca Dominicci Rivera, Joshua James Rogan, Eric M. Ross, Danielle Ann Royce, James Richard Sagona, Eric John Schloendorn, Jamie Leigh Schoonmaker, Joshua Patrick Schroeder, Casey Schultz, Joseph Olin Schulze, Michael David Schwartz, David Christopher Searfoss, Brianna Nicole Shaughnessy, Sabrina Marie Shehadi, Amy Sherman, Stephen Elias Shubrick, Joshua Lee Simon, Ashley Marie Simpson, Kathleen Simpson, Brooke Lauren Singer, Shane M. Skoda, Kara Slack, Kaitlyn E. Sledzinski, Samantha Marie Slota, Kaylee Smeden, Zachary Angelo Smith, Leo Arthur Southard, Steven Michael Sowka, Michael Joseph Staerker, John Stefko, Karalyn Renee Stratz, Christopher Surgent, Allan M. Swingle, Michael Edward Thomas, Jeremy S. Tokash, Wilson Toruno, Alexander Joseph Tulaney, Francheska Marie Valle, Casey Leigh VanFleet, Jason Leo Venesky, Evan T. Vitaletti, Jared W. Vols, Holly Marie Wagner, Samantha Ann Walker, James Edward Walsh, Kyleigh Nicole Walsh, Madelyn Krystine Walsh, William Frederick Warman, Connor White, Arlaina Mary Whitman, Melissa Nicole Williams, Stephanie Ann Wombacker, Kelly Ann Yeager, William Anthony Zangardi and Courtney Elizabeth Zukoski.

variedarts.org » Making Penicillin Available to All

Last week, in part one of this series, we learned how Rachel Fuller Brown and Elizabeth Lee Hazen discovered the antifungal medicine, nystatin. On a recent date with my husband, I shared my excitement about these women and their contributions as scientists. Though I regret not having learned about them when I was a young girl, I feel grateful that both my son and daughter have access to this information right from the start. Getting familiar with women’s accomplishments is one way to feel confident as a girl — women can do amazing things, in every field. It is equally important for boys to be taught about women’s contributions. In fact, all children must be encouraged to recognize their full potential.

Hobby is an excellent role model for us all. An impressive woman in her time, Hobby worked as part of a team to explore and improve on other scientists’ discoveries. As we enjoy learning about the women left out of our textbooks, we can also savor the stories about women who worked with men to make enormous contributions to our health and well-being.

Team Work and Networks in Medical Scientific Research When a scientist first discovers a potentially life-saving drug, he or she has taken the crucial first step in helping others. Next, the drug must be tested, proven safe and produced in large amounts. Penicillin was first discovered in 1928 but it did not become a major medical breakthrough for decades. The challenge lay in learning how to produce penicillin in large quantities. No single person can take credit for this achievement. Each scientist made a great contribution.

During World War I, many soldiers died from infections that could not be effectively treated. That was before the discovery of penicillin’s antibacterial properties. Even then, however, penicillin’s limited production prevented it from being used to treat patients.

Penicillin Penicillin was the first antibiotic scientists developed that could kill the bacteria that cause infections in humans without harming the patient. Many people contributed to the “discovery” and “perfection” of penicillin, including Hobby, who was part of the first team to actually cure a patient through the use of a penicillin injection. She helped solve the problem of how to produce large amounts of the antibiotic.

Sir Alexander Fleming, a doctor working in England, first discovered penicillin mold’s antibacterial properties in 1928. He experimented with the mold Penicillium and found that it produced a liquid that killed germs. However, he could not produce enough of the germ-killing substance to put his discovery to good use. In the 1930s, Howard Florey, an Australian, and Ernst Chain, a German, rediscovered and confirmed Fleming’s work. But, they could not produce mass quantities of penicillin either.

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