CSIU Program Highlight: Youth Mental Health Summit
The second annual Youth Mental Health Summit, hosted by CSIU AWARE IMPACT youth mental health interns, Ruth Kraus from Lewisburg and Caleb Biddinger from Watsontown, was held on March 11, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Miller Center in Lewisburg. Funding was provided by the CSIU AWARE grant in partnership with Wellspan Evangelical Community Hospital and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Grace Project. The summit was open to all CSIU school districts’ students and advisors, and up to 200 people registered. As mental health concerns continue to rise, this summit served as a vital platform for youth across the region to share their experiences, gain meaningful insights, and access valuable information. Participants left equipped with resources and actionable ideas to enhance mental health awareness and prevention in their schools and communities, with a strong emphasis on youth leadership and advocacy.
English Language Development Day, Columbia-Montour Transition Council Career Expo, Media and Design Competition Spring is a busy time for expos, conferences, and competitions! Three events were recently held at the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU). The Columbia-Montour Transition Council Career Expo allowed more than 150 students to explore employment and postsecondary education options.
On March 26, students from Benton Area, Berwick Area, Bloomsburg Area, Central Columbia, Danville Area, Millville Area, and Southern Columbia Area school districts and the Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech engaged with industry professionals, explored career pathways, and participated in on-the-spot interviews.
A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who made this event possible: 👮 Military & Law Enforcement – for your service and for sharing career opportunities in public service.
🏗️ Construction Professionals – for showcasing in-demand careers in the skilled trades.
🏫 Postsecondary Education Representatives – for guiding students toward future education and training.
🏢 Vendors & Employers – for providing valuable insights and career connections.
Special thanks to the Blue Jay Academy for hosting and all who contributed to making this event a meaningful experience for students. Your support helps shape our region’s future workforce.
A full day of professional development designed for English Learner (EL) specialists, classroom teachers, administrators, and professionals working with English Learners was held at the CSIU on March 27.
This engaging event, offered at no charge, focused on supporting English Learners' literacy and academic language growth.
Highlights included:
Updates on EL regulations and resources
Innovative uses of AI tools to support English learners
Effective strategies for developing literacy and academic language for multilingual students
--------------------- Students from five area school districts participated in the PA Media and Design Competition held at the CSIU on April 2. Participating districts included Berwick Area, Danville Area, Line Mountain, Milton Area, and Shamokin Area. This year marked a special milestone as it was the first time since the pandemic that the showcase was held in person. The event provided students with a unique opportunity to set up and display their projects, explore the work of their peers across all categories, and deliver a two-minute presentation highlighting their creative process and project design.
Special thanks to the teacher leaders from all participating districts and the CSIU staff who assisted with judging, organizing, and supporting the event’s live stream.
First-place winners from each category are invited to attend the state PA Media and Design Competition at Elizabethtown College on May 20-21, 2025.
Middle School Division Winners Animation
1st Place – Stay by Rachael Feng (Grade 7) and Madalynn Norfolk (Grade 7) – Danville Area Middle School
2nd Place – Timmy by Noah Hayes (Grade 6) – Danville Area Middle School
3rd Place – Short Form Animation by Adelena Mori (Grade 8) – Danville Area Middle School
Digital Movie
1st Place – Control 3186 by Hannah Wardeh (Grade 7) and Avery Hack (Grade 7) – Danville Area Middle School
Graphic Design and Logo
1st Place – MADCom Logo 2026 MS by Ellie Williams (Grade 7) – Danville Area Middle School
2nd Place – Brenna's MADCom Logo by Brenna Atkinson (Grade 6) – Danville Area Middle School
3rd Place – Artist's Dream by McKenzie Hauck (Grade 7) – Milton Area Middle School
Web Page Design
1st Place – Foreign Foods for Kids – Danville Area Middle School
High School Division Winners 3D Design
1st Place – 3D Design by Westin Mutschler (Grade 12) and Jesse Villari (Grade 10) – Shamokin Area High School
Animation
1st Place – One Stop Closer by Angel Parada-Viera (Grade 11) – Berwick Area High School
2nd Place – Hakai by Amber Long (Grade 12) – Line Mountain High School
3rd Place – Fragility by Eliyahu Venarchick (Grade 12) – Line Mountain High School
Digital Movie
1st Place – No Dice by Landon Hess (Grade 12) – Berwick Area High School
2nd Place – Poor Sleep Can Cost You by Jayde Bafile (Grade 12) – Berwick Area High School
3rd Place – Share the Road by Emily Brekke (Grade 11) – Berwick Area High School
Graphic Design and Logo
1st Place – The Artificial Mind by Carter Schadel (Grade 11) – Line Mountain High School
2nd Place – Logo by Gianna Venna (Grade 11) and Gabrielle Venna (Grade 11) – Shamokin Area High School
Web Page Design
1st Place – Edgewood-Spective by Joseph Hile (Grade 12) and Case Lichty (Grade 12) – Shamokin Area High School
2nd Place – Munster Fit by Logan Munson (Grade 11) and Nathaniel Fairlamb (Grade 12) – Shamokin Area High School
In addition to showcasing their creativity and technical skills students gained valuable experience presenting and communicating their ideas to an audience. Congratulations to all participants for their hard work and impressive accomplishments!
Innovation Summit More than 75 business leaders attended a five-hour Innovations Summit hosted by the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce at CSIU. Keynote speakers included the Executive Vice President/COO and Vice President of Diagnostic Services at WellSpan Health and the Chief Population Health Officer at UPMC. Their speeches addressed the innovative ways that AI is being used for early detection of cancers and fractures, ambient doctor/patient note-taking, virtual patient coaching, and identification of social determinants of health. Keynote speakers and a Bucknell University professor addressed questions from the audience in a panel session designed to transfer the knowledge and experiences learned in the medical field to those in the audience representing a wide range of sectors.
Bernadette Boerckel, CSIU’s chief outreach officer served on the steering committee for the event and introduced the topic of AI at the conference. She led one of three breakout sessions intended to help leaders grow their understanding and use of AI to enhance their current practices.
Conference attendees widely praised the facilities and technology staff of CSIU for their hospitality and expertise during the event. Several CSIU employees participated as attendees.
The Innovation Summit presented an opportunity for CSIU to join community leaders in shaping the use of AI across the region.
PAIU Day on the Hill
The CSIU participated in PAIU Day on the Hill at the Pennsylvania State Capitol on March 25, 2025. Six staff members met with local legislators to advocate for key educational priorities, including Early Intervention, Special Education and school-based behavioral health services. The team advocated for both policy changes and increased funding to support these priorities. Legislators were engaged and receptive, leaving the team optimistic about bipartisan support for these initiatives that directly impact students and families across the CSIU region and the Commonwealth.
