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South Hills School and State College Kiwanis Club Launch “Blessing Box” Program for Neighbors and Students

Posted on by Jules Slater

By Eileen Wise

January 25, 2026

On a frigid day this week, an administrator at South Hills School of Business and Technology is working with her student to fill a large wooden box with supplies. The supplies range from socks, dish towels, toilet paper, and toothbrushes, to pencils, children’s books, and boxes of pasta.

A sign on “The Blessing Box,” states, “Take what you need and leave what you can,” and it is filling a need and creating good will among students and residents in the surrounding community. Created as a joint project between two CBICC members, the State College Kiwanis Club and the South Hills School, the Blessing Box was designed to serve anyone in need in the local community.

Barbara Chadick, Director of Student Services at South Hills School, suggested the idea to the State College Kiwanis President, Bill Frantz, as a project to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of this long-standing service club. Bill and club members enthusiastically agreed, and the club treasurer provided funds for the materials. Kiwanis member, John Everhart, designed and built the box to be large enough to hold sufficient supplies. Kiwanis member, Jeff Seamans, helped to securely install the Blessing Box next to the road on Waupelani Drive.

The Blessing Box is maintained by South Hills School, its student club (Future Business Leaders of America or FBLA), and the State College Kiwanis Club. “It’s all about giving back and helping,” Barb observed. She noted that a resident came up to her one day when she was restocking the Blessing Box and stated, “This has been a big help to me. I don’t know what I would do without it.” Barb also noticed a woman pull her car over to the box, and a child got out and contributed a toy. “So children are learning they can be helpers too,” Barb emphasized.

President Frantz states, “The State College Kiwanis Club welcomes anyone interested in learning more to come to our twice-a-month meeting at South Hills. We meet on the first and third Monday from 6 to 7 pm. We are looking for like-minded people who share our vision of making a positive impact on the world, one child and one community at a time.”

State College Regional Airport Records Highest Enplanement Levels Since COVID

Posted on by Jules Slater

Benner Township, Centre County, PA — State College Regional Airport today announced that it recorded 148,196 passenger enplanements (the number of passengers that boarded aircraft) for 2025, marking the highest level of passenger activity since the COVID-19 pandemic. This milestone also represents the third-highest annual enplanement total in the airport’s history.
The strong rebound underscores growing demand for air travel in Central Pennsylvania and reflects the airport’s continued recovery and long-term resilience following the unprecedented disruption to the aviation industry caused by the pandemic.

“This milestone is a clear signal that our community has returned to flying and continues to value convenient access to air service,” said Chris Groshel, Chair of the Centre County Airport Authority. “Reaching our highest post-COVID passenger levels—and ranking as the
third-highest year overall—is a testament to the strength of our market, the commitment of our airline partners, and the support of our passengers.”

State College Regional Airport is co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania State University and the Centre County Airport Authority. They work together with a focus on maintaining safe, efficient, and customer-focused operations while positioning itself for future growth.

“As demand continues to stabilize and grow, we remain focused on enhancing the passenger experience and supporting air service that meets the needs of our region,” Groshel added. “This achievement reinforces the airport’s role as a vital economic and transportation asset for Centre County and the surrounding region.”

About State College Regional Airport
State College Regional Airport provides commercial air service to Chicago, Dulles, and Philadelphia, supporting regional connectivity, economic development, and community mobility. The airport is committed to safe operations, customer service excellence, and
strategic growth

Where Education Meets Opportunity: The Foundation for Free Enterprise Education

Posted on by Jules Slater

The Foundation for Free Enterprise Education (FFEE) is shaping a stronger future for Pennsylvania by equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to thrive. Through immersive and innovative programs, FFEE helps young people build real world skills, explore career pathways, strengthen financial understanding, and discover meaningful opportunities for lifelong success.

Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW) is the cornerstone of this mission and has transformed the lives of over 54,000 high school juniors and seniors since 1979. Students step into executive roles, work in diverse teams, and tackle real business challenges while building leadership, communication, teamwork, time management, critical thinking, and confidence. Many describe the program as life changing, offering clarity, purpose, and a new belief in their potential. This past summer, PFEW added a Reality Fair, an interactive personal finance simulation that teaches students how to navigate budgeting, expenses, saving, and planning. This hands-on experience equips students with essential financial skills for adulthood and will remain a key part of the PFEW experience moving forward.

FFEE also provides year-round programming that strengthens classroom learning and expands student opportunities. The Speaker Series connects middle and high school students with accomplished professionals across every National Career Cluster and provides powerful tools for educators, including a student workbook, a teacher resource guide, and a statewide directory of youth opportunities. These resources help students explore careers, build employability skills, and understand how their interests align with future pathways. The Stock Market Game brings financial literacy and investing concepts alive to students in grades 4-12, offering teachers ready to use curriculum and support while students develop teamwork, decision making, financial planning, and economic understanding through an interactive investment simulation.

None of this would be possible without the incredible partners who make these programs thrive. Each summer, dedicated professionals, community leaders, and alumni volunteer as Company Advisors, Judges, Speakers and Reality Fair mentors at PFEW, providing students with life changing support and encouragement. Many volunteers describe their week at PFEW as one of the most rewarding and inspiring experiences of their year. Support from local businesses, schools, and community organizations ensures that every student can participate in PFEW regardless of financial circumstances.

To support PFEW or learn more about FFEE programs, visit www.pfew.org or contact VP of Marketing and Development Scott Lee at scott@pfew.org or Program Development Manager Alison Shughart at alison@pfew.org. Together, we create a place where education meets opportunity, and every Pennsylvania student can discover their own path to a brighter future.

Xact Metal Achieves Over 30% Growth in 2025 and Names Mark Barfoot VP – Global Sales

Posted on by Jules Slater

STATE COLLEGE, PA – January 16, 2026 – Aiming to expand access to affordable metal 3D printing for small-to-medium-sized companies and decentralize additive manufacturing, today Xact Metal™ reported 30% growth in orders in 2025 versus the same period in 2024 and it named Mark Barfoot VP for Global Sales.

“Our growth strategy and product roadmap to expand the use of metal additive manufacturing by offering a new level of price and performance continues to be welcomed by our customers,” said Juan Mario Gomez, CEO of Xact Metal. “In 2025 orders were up by more than 30% when compared to last year. Our XM200G single- and double-laser metal printer is being well received in defense, plastic injection molding, medical and other manufacturing applications. Plus, we continue to receive positive responses to the launch of our XM200G µHD metal printer—which allows customers to print very small parts using 5-15 µm particle size metal powder and has a 25 µm laser spot size—and to the development of our XM300G mid-size four-laser printer.”

“To further support our growth plans, we are pleased to announce that Mark Barfoot has been named Vice President – Global Sales,” said Gomez. “Mark brings over 25 years of experience in additive manufacturing. His roles have included VP of Engineering at Voxel Innovations; Director of Additive Manufacturing Programs at the Edison Welding Institute (EWI); Director of Business Development at Javelin Technologies; and Managing Director of Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing Lab at the University of Waterloo. In addition, for over 13 years, Mark has been actively involved with AMUG (Additive Manufacturing Users Group), where he served as its President for over two years.”

About Xact Metal
Xact Metal™ is taking the essential specs for metal 3D Printing and combining them with breakthrough technology to establish a new level of price and performance in additive manufacturing. Driven by its desire to enable more and more designers, developers, and manufacturers to experience the benefits of high-quality metal 3D printing at affordable prices, Xact Metal aims to change the perception that additive manufacturing is only for capital-rich companies. The company is privately funded and is based in State College, Pennsylvania. For more information visit: www.xactmetal.com.

State College Regional Airport Recognizes Successful Penn State Student Return Weekend

Posted on by Jules Slater

Benner Township, Centre County, PA — State College Regional Airport (SCE) supported Penn State University’s recent student return weekend, with approximately 2,000 airline seats filled as students and families traveled back to the region ahead of the Spring semester.

To meet the surge in demand, American Airlines added additional flights and used larger aircraft for scheduled flights. United Airlines used larger aircraft for scheduled flights, as well. The coordinated effort ensured reliable access to the region during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

“This weekend highlights the critical role State College Regional Airport plays in supporting Penn State, our local economy, and the broader community,” said Ralph Stewart, Interim Executive Director of the Centre County Airport Authority. “We are grateful to our airline partners for their flexibility and commitment in responding to demand and making travel smoother for thousands of students and families.”

“Student move-in and return weekends consistently generate some of the highest passenger volumes of the year at SCE. The ability to add flights and to up-gauge aircraft, supports operational efficiency. We greatly value our relationship with the airlines,” said Jason McMurtrie, Assistant Executive Director for Landside Operations.

The airport continues to work closely with airline partners, Penn State University, and local stakeholders to anticipate peak travel periods and ensure adequate air service for the Centre Region.

For more information about flights and services at State College Regional Airport, visit www.flysce.com.