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By Nora Marsh
As the 2026 school year comes to an end at Pen Argyl Area High School, students and faculty are looking ahead to the freedom and opportunities that summer brings. From vacations and summer jobs to relaxing days with friends, everyone has different plans in mind.
Carrie Hagen, sophomore, has a busy summer ahead of her, she is traveling overseas to Italy, France, Monaco, Switzerland. She is visiting Portofino, Milan, Lake Como (Italy), Nice (France), Monte Carlo (Monaco), Zermatt, Alps (Switzerland).
She is most excited for hiking Matterhorn in Switzerland, trying traditional foods in Italy, visiting art museums in France, seeing F1 cars in Monaco. She is going to “try to learn Italian and learn more about my Polish culture.”
Amber Krisukas, assistant principal, will continue working by helping students in summer school while still making time for family. She has exciting travel plans, including a trip to Mexico in June and their annual vacation to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, where she enjoys the beach and fishing.
Even though she works regularly, she prioritizes the importance of balance and spending time with her children. This summer, she is especially excited to be active outdoors, particularly paddleboarding on the Delaware River, and she is also exploring new interests like fitness classes. She shared, “I am looking forward to taking more classes in a heated studio this summer.”
Brett Kunkle, science teacher, plans to stay active by going on a hike along the Appalachian Trail with the science department while also taking some time to relax at home and get small tasks done.
He has a family trip planned to Ocean City, Maryland. Although he is not working a formal job, he will still keep busy around the house and enjoy the slower pace of summer.
He is especially excited for the warmer weather and the chance to spend more time outdoors, and he also hopes to push himself physically, as he said, “I am going to try to break some personal records related to running.”
Bethann Plata, math teacher, plans to rest and recharge before using her quiet days at home to stay productive and get organized. She has a short family trip planned to Cancún, where they are looking forward to a more relaxing beach experience compared to past vacations.
Over the summer, she will stay busy by volunteering with the Girl Scouts, taking on multiple roles while still making time for herself. More than anything, she is excited for a slower pace after a hectic year and is looking forward to genuine downtime, as she shared, “What I’m most excited about is honestly doing nothing for a while.”
Meghan Kutzler, Learning Support Teacher, and her family are going on vacation to someplace they have never been before. They are planning to go to a new beach, which they are really excited about.
Outside of vacations she will be working summer school, but is also looking forward to relaxing when she can. She is most excited to “spend time with my family and make lasting memories together.” She's also planning to spend more time with my kids and try out some new recipes.
Amber Cherry, business teacher, plans to get some much needed rest before jumping into a busy summer with work and sports. She will be traveling to Aberdeen Maryland and Hershey PA for Baseball and Soccer Tournaments for her kids.
Along with that she plans to work at Colonial Academy for their summer program while still looking forward to spending time with their baseball family and enjoying a break from early mornings. She is hoping to try something new this summer, like kayaking, but overall they are most excited to relax, as they said, “I'm going to sleep the entire next day.”
Lindsay Shoemaker, guidance councilor, will stay busy finishing end-of-year responsibilities alongside Mr. Sampson, working on student schedules while also taking graduate-level courses throughout most of the summer until early August, when she will finally have a few weeks of a true break.
Although she does not currently have big vacation plans, she enjoys returning to familiar places like Jim Thorpe, where she spends time at Mauch Chunk Lake and walking along the main strip, as well as exploring nature through hikes and visits to new parks.
During the summer, she will also work as a diving coach at a private pool in Allentown, where her team competes against other local pools in the Lehigh Valley a couple nights each week, while still making time to relax by the pool, tan, and enjoy time with friends.
She is especially excited for the warm weather and being outdoors, whether that means gardening, hiking, or simply sitting outside, and she is also experiencing something new by helping her best friend plan a wedding, as she shared, “This month, we are going to a bridal show for the first time to meet different vendors.”
When school ends Ella Garcias, junior, plans to “be going outside and enjoying the warm weather!” She also has a couple vacations planned this year.
She is going on a friend’s beach trip, alongside two family vacations. Between the fun of these vacations she will be working this summer.
She currently has a job at Rita's and as a part time server at a restaurant. She is most excited to “go to the beach and spend time with family and friends.” Her main goal this summer is to get a good routine down, relax and spend it wisely as her last summer in high school.
Photo Courtesy of Sydney Soos
Mason and Sydney Soos playing an arcade basketball game on their annual trip to Long Beach Island.
This summer Sydney Soos, sophomore, plans to spend as much time as possible outdoors by “doing things like swimming, tanning, playing sports, or being with friends.”
She plans to go to Long Beach Island with her family, like she does every summer. But she plans to save some time to find a job so she can “have money I can spend over the summer.”
She is most excited to be tan in the summer, to be able to sleep in, and not having to worry or think about school.
Gracie Smith, senior, plans to “enjoy time with friends and family before college starts up.” When she is not with friends or family she will be working at Giant.
When she gets time off she plans to go to Nashville with her family and maybe New York City. She is really excited to go to new places with friends and family and she is going to try and “go on more small adventures with friends.”
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