Connellsville Area High School – 1967
1967 – CAHS Graduate, David Guhl Scholarship Award
1967-1973 – B.S. Degree Secondary and Elementary Education California University of Pennsylvania
1973-1974 – Region 40 Pa. “Outstanding Jaycee of the Year”
1978-2018 – American Heart Association Basic Life Support Instructor
1980-1982 – WCCC EMT/Paramedic -1, CCAC EMT, Paramedic 2
1980-2009 – Pa. Department of Health EMS Instructor
1993 – KDKA Television Award-“Thanks to Teachers Honoree”
1997 – Fayette County Central Chamber of Commerce -“Teacher of the Year”
2003-2009 – Pa. Department of Health EMT -Paramedic Evaluator
2003-2017 – Allegheny General Hospital “Training Center Faculty” for Basic Life Support, Advanced and Pediatric Life Support
Connellsville Joint High School – 1960
Robert earned a B.S. Degree in Physics from Duquesne University in 1964 and a M.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bridgeport University in 1970. He would go on to have a 60-year career as a Research Scientist, Inventor and Entrepreneur. He was a contributor to the invention of the Hubble Telescope and the Space Shuttle. Robert was an inventor and contributor to 34 U.S. Patents. He was the inventor of Thermoplastic Composite used as the primary structure of aircraft worldwide. He received the American Cyanamid Company’s Scientific Achievement Award in 1978. He was an invited lecturer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) from 1984 – 2001. Robert was the founder of Engineered Fibers Technology (1998 – 2020), an industry leader known for problem solving, unique innovations, and consulting for companies and universities around the world. He was the founder of Lyntech Engineering, a consulting company employed by the Department of Defense (2020 – 2023). Robert lived with his wife Lynne in Beacon Falls, Connecticut. He was the father of sons Matthew and Michael. He was also a proud American; a son, brother, husband, father, uncle and friend to all. Robert passed away in 2023.
Connellsville Area High School – 1982
Academic, Athletic and Coaching Accomplishments
• National Honor Society Member
• Three Year Member of the CAHS Wrestling Team (10th, 11th, 12th Grades)
• Henry J. Oppermann Scholarship Recipient
• Cal U Wrestling Team Member 1982 – 1985
• Cal U Wrestling Team Interim Head Coach from 1986 – 1988
• During his College Coaching Career, the Cal U Team was Nationally ranked and under his coaching, his team had 5 All Americans including a NCAA Division II National Champion and Division I All American
• 1986 Graduate of Cal U with a Degree in Education and a Member of Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society
• Connellsville Wrestling Coach for over 30 years starting in 1988.
• WPIAL Section 2 Assistant Coach of the Year four times (2008, 2017, 2018, 2022)
• WPIAL AAA Assistant Coach of the Year (2022)
• Member of the CAHS Coaching Staff for all 8 Wrestling WPIAL Championship Teams
Personal and Business Accomplishments
• Founded Geo Construction 1991 – Present Contractor for many custom homes in the local area. Employed over 30 former wrestlers, and became a Real Estate Investor and Land Developer
• Founded GJ Quarter Horses in 2014 – Present GJ Brand has become Nationally recognized amongst Ranches/ AQHA Breeder of Excellence
• Proud member of the Greater Connellsville Wrestling Club
• General Contractor and Project Manager of T.C. Shallenberger Wrestling Facility “One Heck of a Wrestling Room”
Connellsville Area High School – 2001
A diplomat, Marine, and proud Connellsville Falcon, Dave currently works in the Executive Office of the President of the United States as Director for Africa in the National Security Council. Dave joined the U.S. Department of State in 2015 and is a career Foreign Service officer. His international postings included U.S. Embassies in Central Africa Republic, Congo and Togo. In Washington, he worked as special assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State and the staff assistant to the Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs. Commissioned as a Marine second lieutenant in 2005, Dave transitioned to the Marine Corps Reserve in 2013. A career infantry officer, he led groups of 40 to 1000 Marines and Sailors as a platoon, company, and battalion commander. Dave deployed four times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq) and Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), and his military staff assignments included the Joint Staff; Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps; U.S Africa Command; the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and the 2nd Marine Division. Dave holds a B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and an M.A. from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in Moscow, Russia. While at CAHS, Dave was a multi-year letter winner in football and track and field, assistant editor of the Falconeer newspaper, and member of the National Honor Society and the Quill and Scroll Honor Society.
Connellsville Area School District
John started his academic career at Connellsville Township Elementary School and attended Junior high East through 8th grade. He graduated from Geibel High School and then St. Vincent College, and received a Master’s Degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Upon Graduation from St. Vincent College, John began a thirty-year banking career with PNC. In 2013, John moved to Somerset Trust Company as a Senior Vice President and has been a hanker for over 40 years. During that timeframe, he has been instrumental in many community groups including the following:
• President of the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Free library since 1998 and raised over 2 million dollars for a new roof, new windows, new HVAC, and renovations of the entire Library.
• Has been on the Private Industry Council Board of Directors since 2000 of which he served as President for 8 years until his term expired. Under his tenure as president, the Fayette County Head start Program was named one of the top 10 Head Start Programs in the Country.
• Was instrumental in getting the Bill Mazeroski statue at PNC Park.
• Current Chairman of the Dunbar Township Municipal Authority since 1995 and spearheaded 3 projects over $15 million that provided sewage for over 1500 residents.
• Coached Little League Baseball for many years and wrote grants to get the Little League Lights and Scoreboards.
• Headed the Falcon Baseball Parents’ Association and orchestrated spring training trips to Florida and North Carolina, raising approximately $200,000.
• Vice Chairman to the Board of WVU/Uniontown Hospital.
• Worked with STC and CASD to make the Falcon Branch a reality.
• Professor in Finance at St. Vincent College for 22 years.
• Member of SVC McKenna School of Business Advisory Council.
• Organized STC’s annual Car Cruise which has been a community event for 8 years.
• Organized an annual fundraiser for Community Ministries for a fall bike ride on the trail and handled the office duties at their annual telethon.
• Has worked with the Warrior’s Rock Group associated with the CAHS Patriots.
Connellsville Area High School – 1984
At CAHS, Joe was a two-sport letterman (football and basketball) earning All-County honors in football as quarterback and All-Section honors in basketball. After high school, Joe attended Edinboro University to study social studies education and play football. Upon graduation from Edinboro, Joe taught social studies at Connellsville Junior High East and coached varsity football and junior high basketball. In 1990, he was hired as a social studies teacher and head football coach at South Middleton School District. While teaching and coaching at South Middleton, he worked on earning his Master’s Degree in Education from Shippensburg University which he received in 1995. He served South Middleton as teacher, football coach and assistant principal until 1999 when he was named Boiling Springs High School Principal, a position he held until 2014. During that time, he earned his Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from Widener University (2013). He was appointed at South Middleton School District as assistant superintendent in 2014, a position he held for four years. In 2018, Dr. Mancuso was named the Superintendent of the Eastern York School District. Eastern York has received national recognition for its modern approach to teaching and learning. Dr. Mancuso has served two years as the Chair for the National Council on Modern Learning. Dr. Mancuso has given presentations at the state and national levels on Eastern York’s Modern Learning Model. Dr. Mancuso is married to wife Susan who is also a CAHS graduate, and the Mancuso’s have two children; son Evan and daughter Brinn.
Connellsville Schools – 1880s
Edwin S. Porter was an influential pioneer of cinema and is widely acknowledged as the first great American film director. He was born in Connellsville in 1870 and attended the public schools in town. He left school at age of 14 to work in the family’s furniture business. He was a self-taught electrician and telegraph operator. When he was 21, he received a patent for electric current regulator, which controlled the intensity of electric lights. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1893 to 1895, where he honed his skills as an electrician. Porter was hired by Thomas Edison in 1900. At the time, the Edison Manufacturing Company was the leading producer of films in the United States. Edison was aware of Porter’s background as an electrician and a machinist. Edison wanted Porter to improve and redesign moving picture cameras, projecting machines and perforators, and to make the business more efficient. In 1901, Porter started producing films for Edison’s company. This involved writing, directing, and filming the movies, most of which were very short. In 1903 he directed his most famous film, The Great Train Robbery. Critics have called it ” … the first dramatically creative American film.” Its final scene of a gunman shooting at the camera is iconic and has been copied by many directors. His other notable films include Life of an American Fireman, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Dream of a Rarebit Fiend. Porter is known for pioneering film techniques which today we take for granted. He was the first director to develop dramatic narrative in films through the use of editing. He created gradual transitions and dissolves between scenes, and also cross-cutting to show simultaneous actions. In all, he created over 250 films, and continued to be the most important American film director until 1909. Edwin Porter died in 1941 and is buried in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Film directors today continue to be indebted to Edwin S. Porter for the many Cinematic innovations he either created or refined.
Connellsville Area High School – 1988
Dr. Tammy Tyree is a 1988 graduate of Connellsville Area High School. Her achievements in high school include breaking the 3200-meter record in track and field, obtaining a varsity letter in track and field, serving as a field conductor in the CAHS Marching Band, and being inducted into the National Honor Society. Her major accomplishments include:
• 1991 – graduate of Uniontown School of Nursing with a diploma in nursing
• 1999 – graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in nursing
• 2001 – induction into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
• 2002 – graduate of Arizona State University with a Master of Science Degree in Nursing and Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• 2021 – graduate of Pennsylvania State University as a Doctor of Nursing Practice
• 2021 – induction into Phi Kappa Phi invited International Graduate Honor Society
Dr. Tyree’s background as a registered nurse is in neuro/trauma intensive care and as a nurse practitioner is in the field of neurosurgery. She is nationally certified in both critical care and neuroscience nursing. She has authored multiple journal articles and book chapters in the field of neurosciences. She has delivered several invited lectures locally and nationally at scientific conferences. She currently serves as a clinical assistant professor in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Arizona State University and works clinically as a nurse practitioner in neurosurgery.