School Story
The History of EHS- In 1855, the population of Emmaus Borough was 277, and a school was organized there with the title Lehigh County High School. All the elementary grades, together with the secondary subjects of mathematics, Latin, French, German and music were taught in this very small institution.

Beginning in 1861, Emmaus is mentioned in written archives as a separate school district. At that time, the district employed two teachers to instruct 109 pupils for a school term of five months. All of the schools were housed in one four-room building on Main Street.

Eventually, population growth led to the construction of new facilities, and by 1914, the school was located on North Street. In addition to traditional instruction in academic subject areas, the school offered manual training and domestic arts departments, a library, a gymnasium and an auditorium with a seating capacity of 748.

In 1946, the school district expanded by joining with its neighbors, thereby combining assets and providing more comprehensive facilities to effect an efficient and unified school system. After successive meetings, proposals and counter proposals, offers and rejections, Emmaus joined with the boroughs of Macungie and Alburtis and the Township of Lower Macungie to form the East Penn Union School District on July 7, 1952. The area of the district was further extended on July 5, 1955 when Upper Milford Township officially joined.

Emmaus High School opened its doors to students on October 7, 1955. The original building was designed to house 710 students in grades 10 through 12, but has been renovated and expanded several times since then. By 1978, a music area, additional academic wings, a new library and additional cafeteria had raised the practical pupil capacity of the building to 1472. By 1997, a new science wing, cafeteria, and administration wing were added and ninth graders were added to the high school population. In 2003, a new technology wing opened featuring mounted projectors and smartboards in all classrooms. The renovation also included a multimedia room , making possible distance learning and remote conferencing in our high school classes. The final phase addition enlarged the square feet of the school to 410,000.

Today, East Penn School district comprises approximately 50 square miles, and the entire district is served by Emmaus High School (EHS). Though we have a rural heritage, over the past 30 years the district has transformed into a suburban environment. Recently, the Rodale Foundation donated half the cost of the new track in the stadium which can be used by the community any time there is not a track and field meet. Memorial Field, a new turf soccer and field hockey field, was donated by the boys/girls soccer boosters, and the girls' field hockey boosters, and the Gray Family in memory of their son Tommy. The Landis and Muntz families donated a memorial wall located in Memorial Field where bricks and plates can be purchased in memory of a person who worked or attended the East Penn School District. All three; Memorial Field, the new track, and the Memorial Wall; were dedicated in October of 2009.

Emmaus High School boasts a long tradition of academic excellence. Eighty-two percent of our 2009 graduates continued their educations at post-secondary institutions. 56% attended 4-year colleges or universities; 23% attended 2-year colleges and 2% attended business, nursing or technical schools. On average, each graduating class has included nine National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists and twelve Commended Students. During the 2010 - 2011 school year, 1,465 students were enrolled in twenty-two honors courses and 533 students were enrolled in twenty advanced placement courses.

Emmaus High School is accredited by the Commission of Secondary Schools, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, and the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Academic Awards

Here at Emmaus, students are involved in a variety of academic and scholarly competitions. Often, these competitions reflect the practical and relevant application of classroom knowledge. The following are highlights of these competitions.

For the third consecutive year, the Steel Hornets Robotics Team traveled to Atlanta to compete in the World Championship Event, an honor extended to only the best 100 out of 1300 total teams worldwide, and placed 42nd. They received the "Inspire Award," which is the highest honor that the league can offer. In the words of the judges, the Steel Hornets are "the prototype, the team that other teams should strive to be."

The EHS Envirothon Team One won first place regionally and advanced to the Pennsylvania State Envirothon. Team Two won second place regionally. The EHS team has earned the first place award for the past fifteen years.

The EHS Science Olympiad Team took third place in regional competition and 8th place in the state at the 2010 competition at Juniata College.

Three students represented EHS at the 37th Professor John Steiner Gold Mathematical Competition at Bucknell University, where they competed against students from 31 other high schools. They received 1st Place Team, 3rd and 6th Place Individual awards, and an honorable mention.

The Debate Team finished first in the LVIAC's western division in both 2009 and 2010.

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) selected Emmaus High School to receive a rank of Excellent in the 2009 NCTE Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines. The EHS literary magazine is called Collage.

In the regional competition for Odyssey of the Mind, the EHS team earned 4th place.

Ten EHS students competed in the Future Business Leaders of America state level competition.

Two EHS students took first place awards with perfect scores at the PA Junior Academy of Science Competition at Penn State University.

Twelve EHS students participated in the regional History Day competition. Four students advanced to the state competition.

Emmaus Academic Team is the defending champion for the Lehigh Valley League. The JV Academic team had an undefeated season and came in first in the Lehigh Valley Western Division. The entire team recently competed against 678 national and international teams in the Knowledge Master Open. The team placed 3rd in Pennsylvania and 30th in the nation.

Emmaus High School computer science students competed at the International Invitational All-Star Contest over Memorial Day weekend for the 25th time in the last 28 years. We are currently 10th in the nation at both the Senior and Intermediate Levels among many private academies and science and math magnet schools.

Emmaus high school was well-represented in the Pennsylvania Math League competition, where many individual students and teams placed highly among other schools in Pennsylvania.

Student Honors and Awards

The National Merit Scholarship Program identified 15 Emmaus High School Students as Commended Students for exceptional academic promise in 2011. In addition, the NMSP recognized three EHS students in their National Hispanic Recognition Program.

A student took first place in the microbiology category of the Delaware Valley Science Fair in April of 2011, making her eligible for national competition. The same student has received recognition from the Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, The Eastern Pennsylvania branch of the American Society of Microbiology, and Centocor Ortho Biotech, Inc.

A freshman took 2nd place at the Delaware Valley Science Fair in the category of botany.

A freshman is one of 60 global semi-finalists selected for the Google Science Fair. Her project, "Quantitative Determination of Vitamin C" was selected out of 7500 submissions from over 10,000 students in more than 90 countries.

A freshman took 3rd place in the twenty-fifth Calvert Award competition sponsored by the American Entomological Society.

An Emmaus student was one of 15 students from across the nation to win the All-America Service Award, sponsored by PARADE Magazine. The student teaches tennis to autistic children and coordinates others to raise money in the fight against autism.

The Arts at EHS

The Emmaus High School instrumental and vocal music programs, the theatre program and the visual arts program make up a vibrant and talented arts department. Even in a time when focus and funding are being diverted from the arts across the nation, Emmaus students and teachers maintain a growing, engaged, well-respected , and supremely talented artistic community. Recent highlights from our arts department include the following.

Eleven students were selected to participate in the Lehigh County Honor Band and two selected to move on to the Pennsylvania Music Educators' Association District 10 Honor Band.

Two students were selected from Emmaus to participate in Pennsylvania All-State Orchestra.

Seventeen Students were selected to participate in the Pennsylvania Music Educators' Association Region 5 Chorus Festival and three students moved on to the PMEA's All-State Festival, one of whom ranked first in the soprano one audition.

In 2010, Women's Choir traveled throughout Germany, Austria, France and Switzerland performing at many acclaimed venues and Concert Choir performed at Epcot as part of Disney Magic Music Days.

The theatre program, directed by a dedicated alumna, Jill Kuebler, has won many Freddy Awards from the State Theatre Center for the Arts. Most recently, we have won for our musical productions of Phantom of the Opera and Sweeny Todd, both of which involved approximately 150 students in a positive and collaborative artistic experience.

The visual arts department offers a great variety of course selections for students including drawing, painting, computer art, design, crafts, ceramics, architecture, and Advanced Placement Studio Art.

Many pieces of visual art have been installed in a permanent collection at Emmaus High School.

The visual arts department produces an annual and phenomenal art show for students to showcase their skills.

Students in the arts department participate in a variety of annual events including a Raiku firing (ceramics) and a trip to Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater (design and architecture).

Individual Student Accomplishments (2011)

Individual Student Athletic Accomplishments (2011)

Allison Evans of the Emmaus High School field hockey team was named an All-American in 2011. As senior, Allison will be playing field hockey at Princeton University this fall.

Megan Fine of the Emmaus High School Girls' soccer team was named a Lehigh Valley Conference scholar athlete in 2011. Emmaus high school produced 20 Nominees.

Sunniel Yu, a freshman on the Emmaus High School boys' lacrosse team, was named a United States Academic All-American.

Gabby Weis of the Emmaus High School golf team was District XI champion in 2011.

Troy Newhard of the Emmaus High School wrestling team was District XI 3A wrestling champion in 2011.

Megan Fitzmaurice AND Emily Yau of the Emmaus High School girls' tennis team were 2010 District XI Tennis 3A Doubles Champions

Athletic Scholarships

In 2011, nine Emmaus High School seniors representing five sports (golf, volleyball, field hockey, swimming, football) signed NCAA Letters of Intent to division I and division II schools. Their combined average grade point average was a 3.28. One was named an Academic All-American and five were captains of their respective sports. They earned a combined 46 letters. Three earned distinction as All-American, four as All-State, seven as All-Area and Five as All-Conference Athletes. They represented two national championship teams, seven Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Championship Teams, four District Eleven Championship Teams and ten Lehigh Valley Conference Championship Teams.

Scholar Athletes

Established in 2009-10, the Athletic Director's Honor Roll recognizes the outstanding academic accomplishments of Emmaus High School Student Athletes. To earn recognition student-athletes must achieve at least a 3.0 grade point average for the rating period. 308 student athletes earned this honor during the fourth rating period of 2010.

The Emmaus boys' soccer team was awarded the NSCAA National Team Academic Award for the fourth consecutive year.

The Emmaus High School graduating Class of 2011 boasted 20 students nominated as Lehigh Valley Conference Scholar Athletes.

Athletic Director Honored

The 2010 PA State Athletic Director Association's Citation was awarded to Dennis J. Ramella, CMAA, Athletic Director at EHS. This award is given in recognition of exceptional time, effort and energy devoted to the PA State Athletic Directors Assocation (PSADA). Mr. Ramella earned the Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA) designation in 2002 and is a National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) Leadership Training Course Instructor. At the national level, Mr. Ramella serves as a member of the NIAAA Awards Committee and is a member of the LTC National Faculty.

Shave for the Brave

In April of 2011, the track & field teams, under the direction of Head Coach, Shannon Petrunak held our second annual St. Baldrick's Fundraiser for Childhood Cancer Research. Fifty-six shavees went bald for donations raising nearly $20,000.

Coaches vs. Cancer

EHS ranked Number 7 in the list of TOP TEN fundraisers by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Directors Association. The Emmaus Athletic Department has participated in the Coaches vs. Cancer School Initiative for the past five years, contributing over $12,000 to the fight to cure cancer.

Traditions at EHS

Mentor Night is held in the fall before a football game to honor individuals that played an important role in the lives of the senior fall athletes. The faculty/staff tailgate is held before the football game on Mentor Night.

Homecoming festivities include a dance, pep rally, senior breakfast, parade, powderpuff football game and a recently revived bonfire.

After Ball is organized and hosted by STEP, a volunteer group of parents in East Penn that sponsors activities to encourage our youth to have fun without the use of drugs or alcohol. STEP's most important and time-honored event of the year is the Senior After Ball Party which runs all night and includes food, a casino, game shows, carnival games, a hypnotist, a DJ and thousands of dollars worth of prizes. STEP also teams with Student Government for the Homecoming Dance and is available to provide educational activities and information for both youth and adults.

Senior Picnic is held at a community park on the Friday of the Senior Ball .

The Club Fair Cup competition during Freshman Orientation and Parent's Night rewards club displays at the annual Club Fair.

The Academic Hall of Fame senior inductee is presented at Commencement. A portrait of each year's honoree hangs in the EHS library.

The honored designee of this award must exemplify the following attributes: 1. Scholarship: as symbolized by being an National Honor Society member in good-standing and being the recipient of an Advanced Placement Award. 2. Leadership: must display strong character traits and outstanding citizenship. 3. Service and Volunteerism: as noted through active participation in the community at large, as well as the school community. 4. An insatiable thirst for knowledge

Community Involvement

The EHS Angel Network is a team of donors from across the Emmaus family that provides basic assistance to students in need on an immediate, short-term basis due to a loss of job or a serious illness in the family. The Angel Network helps to provide for students' basic needs such as school clothing, food, household supplies and other essentials.

STEP is a volunteer group of parents, teachers, administrators and citizens of East Penn School District that sponsors activities to encourage our youth to have fun without the use of drugs or alcohol.

Civic Engagement in 2010-2011

Key Club members collected 3,100 books for Lehigh Valley Cops N' Kids book drive. Members also took mittens, gloves and books to Sheridan Elementary School in Allentown. This event was so successful, it will be expanded district-wide in 2011.

The "Empty Bowls" event raised $1,640.00 to fight hunger in East Penn by filling sample stoneware bowls with soups from local restaurants. The bowls were created and decorated by art students and their teacher, Lisa Caruso.

The Global Citizens Club at EHS raised over $1100 for victims of the devastating tsunami in Japan. The students sold t-shirts and calligraphy.

The students of the American Red Cross Club of Emmaus High School collected and distributed over 2,300 books.

Members of the Latin and French Clubs entertained the residents of Emmaus Village for Assisted Living.

The Spanish Club made and decorated holiday cards in both English and Spanish for the Allentown Boys and Girls Club.

Faculty Honors and Awards

Mr. Brent Ohl, Physics teacher, was the latest teacher to be inducted into the DaVinci Science Center Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place on Saturday, April 24, 2010. His induction marks the fourth EHS teacher honored in this way.

Lori Sheipe, health and wellness teacher, received the Pennsylvania Health Teacher of the Year award in 2009.

The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) selected Bruce Denmead, Instrumental Music Instructor & Band Director, as a CLAES Nobel Educator of Distinction. He was nominated by a student for outstanding dedication and commitment to excellence in his classroom. This award recognizes teacher role models who have made a lasting difference in their classroom by encouraging students to strive for excellence.


© 2010 East Penn School District