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Area state legislators meet at Luzerne County Courthouse to discuss funding and other concerns

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Dallas and Coughlin trying to stay ahead of Wyoming Valley Conference track and field pack

<p>KINGSTON &#8212; Wyoming Valley West high school students had a chance to interact with senior citizens Tuesday morning at a bingo game held at the Kingston Senior Citizen Center.</p><p>Susan Demko, of Kingston and a parent of a Wyoming Valley West student, organized student participation in the event and others like it.</p><p>She said by reaching out to the community, young people are able to look outside themselves for a moment to members of the community who might need them. But, said Demko, students also benefit from the experiences of the seniors, who are often able to put life into perspective.</p><p>Demko&#8217;s daughter, Mercedes Jasterzenski, said she was more than happy to get up a bit early on a day off from school and join three other students in calling a bingo game and making new friends.</p><p>Jasterzenski, a sophomore at Valley West, said she has a long history of helping others, with an early memory of singing Christmas carols at a nursing home as a Girl Scout. She said she hopes to continue to participate in such community-oriented events not simply during her high school years, but throughout her life.</p><p>Sarah Derkhammer, 66, of Kingston Township and a member of the center, was thoroughly enjoying the game. She said the students were an example of all that is good in the area.</p><p>Derkhammer said, in addition to participating in center activities, she also volunteers.</p><p>&#8220;Because I&#8217;m here and there are things that need to be done,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Derkhammer said she thinks of young people who come into the center as grandchildren.</p><p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t you see them like that too?&#8221; she asked those at her table, who all agreed.</p><p>Seniors and students sat together, sharing bits of information or laughs.</p><p>Center Director Sandra Acornley said participants at the center look forward to interacting with young people throughout the year.</p><p>&#8220;You can see them bloom when they have a chance to interact with others,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Several colleges also have students visit the center throughout the year.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Three students from Wyoming Valley West High School took turns calling numbers for a bingo game at the Kingston Active Adult Center. They are Savion Saunders, 11th grade; Marcy Jastenzenski, 10th grade; and Morgan Klosko, 10th grade. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL033016KingstonCenter.jpg</photo0><caption0>Three students from Wyoming Valley West High School took turns calling numbers for a bingo game at the Kingston Active Adult Center. They are Savion Saunders, 11th grade; Marcy Jastenzenski, 10th grade; and Morgan Klosko, 10th grade. </caption0><photoCredit0>Clark Van Orden | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Students from Wyoming Valley West visit Kingston Senior Citizen Center</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @tlggibbons.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wyoming Valley West students host bingo for seniors in Kingston