Students donated their time recently to complete a stream bed stabilization project for a trailer park in Aliquippa that was heavily damaged by flooding more than a year ago.

Students filled wire cages with gravel hauled to the location in wheelbarrows. The rock-filled wire cages will provide stabilization of the stream bank in an effort to prevent future flooding.

School directors have approved a contract through June 30, 2014, with its Secretarial, Cafeteria, Aides Bargaining Unit, calling for 3 percent raises each year, but requiring employees to pay more for health care coverage.

Workers' wages range from $2,000 to $30,000. In the existing contract, the contribution rate is 0.75 percent of an employee's salary for individual coverage and 1 percent for family coverage. The increases range from 1 percent to 1.5 percent.

Not all employees qualify for health care coverage, which is based on the number of hours worked. The board approved the contract last Thursday by an 8-0 vote with director Thomas DiPietro absent.

• The school board honored the Rev. Dr. Edward Bowen last Thursday in recognition of his time and service dedicated to students.

A minister of the Crafton United Presbyterian Church for nine years, the Rev. Bowen said he was humbled and surprised by the presentation. He often attends board meetings to maintain a bridge between the district and the church.

Dr. Bowen has sustained an after-school tutoring program for children, opened the church as a social outlet to teens and pre-teens by hosting dances and other activities, and offered book bags and other school supplies to children.

• The high school guidance department will host a financial aid workshop from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the high school cafeteria.

Bridget Hotrum, president, CEO and founder of the College Bound Admissions Academy, will talk about college admissions and tips for completing financial aid applications.

• The high school Interact Club, a community service organization, was selected as the 2009 Club of the Year at the recent 14th annual District 7300 Interact Conference. The club was chosen among a group of nine schools, and it received $100 for future projects.

A book fair from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Robinson will benefit the St. Joseph school library.

Any purchase at any Barnes and Noble in the United States can be credited to St. Joseph School by using this ID number: 10007391.

The 10th-grade honors English class will launch its Voices for Veterans biography project with a veterans breakfast at 8 a.m. Wednesday in the high school cafeteria.

The yearlong process begins with the students interviewing veterans who served in Vietnam, the Korean War and World War II. They will use the information shared by the veterans to write their biographies.

Later in the school year, students will host a reception for the veterans and present them with a copy of their biography. Funding for the project was provided by the West Allegheny Foundation.

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