The Manheim Township Alumni Association is pleased to announce the recipients of Manheim Township’s Distinguished Alumni Award for 2026. Since 1997, Manheim Township has presented the Distinguished Alumni Award to honor graduates who have achieved noteworthy accomplishments in their chosen fields, have positively impacted their communities, and who will serve as inspiration for students, alumni, and staff of the Manheim Township School District.
The Distinguished Alumni Award recipients for 2026 are Morgan Fogarty, class of 1999; Dr. John Tobias Musser, class of 1995; and Nelson Rohrer, class of 1969.
Distinguished Alumni Award honorees will be recognized at a breakfast reception at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 4, 2026 at Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster. The cost to attend is $20 and RSVP is required. Register online or by contacting Becca Stamp at 717-560-3117 or [email protected] by Wednesday, May 20.
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Morgan Fogarty MTHS ’99 is a television news anchor in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Fogarty graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2003 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. For the past 15 years she has served as lead anchor of Charlotte’s WCCB News @ Ten. As managing editor of the newscast, she leads the station’s nightside news operations. She also reports on a regular basis and covers significant national news events on location. She moderates WCCB News Edge, a news magazine show featuring in depth conversations about news, sports, politics and pop culture.
Fogarty has won numerous awards throughout her career including several from the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas for investigative series and overall excellence in reporting. She has been named one Charlotte’s 50 Most Influential Women by The Mecklenburg Times and Charlotte-area viewers have voted her “favorite anchor,” “best TV anchor” and more in local publications.
Fogarty is a board member of the Greater Charlotte SPCA and Project Halo Animal Rescue and is a nationally competitive equestrian in the discipline of eventing.
She resides in Charlotte with her husband and two children.
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John Tobias Musser, M.D. MTHS ’95 is a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) physician at the Regenerative Orthopaedics and Spine Institute (ROSI) in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Dr. Musser attended Franklin & Marshall College, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in biology. He earned his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine and completed his PM&R residency at Emory University. In 2010 he completed a fellowship in interventional pain management at the Shepherd Center, a spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation hospital in Atlanta.
Dr. Musser has been practicing interventional pain medicine for the past 15 years, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of painful musculoskeletal conditions through image-guided injections and device implantation. A physician partner at ROSI, Musser founded the interventional pain management arm of the practice, expanding patient care access, and added a subdivision of regenerative medicine to the patient care model.
Dr. Musser’s work has been published in textbooks and medical journals. He continues to contribute to the field of interventional pain medicine, mentoring and training medical and healthcare providers through individual proctorships, as adjunct faculty at Emory University, and by speaking at national and international medical conferences. He has been named by his peers as one of Atlanta’s Top Doctors for the past five years.
Dr. Musser resides in Decatur, Georgia.
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Nelson Rohrer MTHS ’69 is a farmer and business owner in Lancaster.
Following graduation from Manheim Township High School, Rohrer joined his father at Rohrer Family Farm, becoming the fifth generation to manage the family farm and grain storage business. With his wife, Rose, he also operated Rohrer Family Farm Produce and later Rorher Family Farm Flowers, which included a retail location at Central Market. He established and operated a compost site on the family farm, which has now become the Manheim Township Compost Park.
In 1983, Rohrer joined Manheim Township Planning Commission, serving seven years before being elected to the Manheim Township Board of Commissioners for two terms, including a term as president. He currently serves as a member of the township’s agricultural advisory committee and continues to advocate for land stewardship in the area.
A longtime volunteer with the Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, Rohrer has previously been honored by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as Volunteer of the Year. He has also served on the boards of Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership and Lancaster Central Market Trust and is a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Rohrer resides in Manheim Township with his wife. His four children are Manheim Township alumni, and nine of his eleven grandchildren have graduated from or currently attend Manheim Township.
Students in the Work-Based Learning, Life Skills support, Autistic support and Multiple Disabilities support programs at Manheim Township High School hosted a Winter Feast on February 27. More than 75 guests from the high school and district office were invited to enjoy a meal of pulled pork, meatballs, macaroni and cheese, salad, baked beans and desserts.
Preparation of this luncheon, now in its sixth year, takes place largely in the kitchen space of the Work Based Learning classroom, which includes an electric range, refrigerator, microwave, storage and prep surfaces —“everything but the kitchen sink” —until recently, that is, when Ashley Cooper, Work Based Learning teacher, shared her Great Idea for the installation of a self-contained, no plumbing sink with MTEF in our Fall 2025 grant cycle. “Students in the work-based learning program learn valuable skills related to hygiene and proper kitchen sanitation. With a full kitchen, students will be able to work on skills necessary for independence and transition into adult-life by being able to work from start to finish on kitchen projects,” she wrote.
Installation of this innovative appliance has been “true game changer,” says Cooper, eliminating the need to transport kitchenware to another classroom for washing and thus streamlining supervision of student activities. Students in the Work Based Learning program utilize the sink during all kitchen preparations, cooking lessons, and weekly mini-business (Great Bakes) work, in addition to the Winter Feast (pictured below).
Thursday, January 15, 2026 was a day to celebrate inclusion, connection and school pride at Manheim Township. With a mini grant from MTEF, Manheim Township School District brought autism speaker and advocate Ben Hartranft to help lead a Day of Inclusion with MTHS students, helping to build empathy, understanding, and a stronger sense of community.
At the heart of Ben’s story are experiences of his childhood and young adulthood—from getting a drivers’ license and getting a job, to winning Homecoming King at North Penn High School and working as Game Day Ambassador with the Philadelphia Eagles— and how the inclusion demonstrated by educators, friends and community members have shaped his life with autism. Ben’s enthusiasm (“Benergy”) helps him connect with audiences and shed light on autism and neurodiversity in powerful and positive way. His presentation includes actionable strategies for students demonstrating kindness within the school environment.
Funded by a grant from MTEF’s Jean Hoadley Peterson Memorial Fund, the Day of Inclusion was comprised of an assembly for nearly 2000 high school students, a unified bocce match and a basketball game, where Ben sang the national anthem and helped fire up the crowd. We asked MTHS students who participated in these events for their perspectives. Here’s what they shared.
“It takes tremendous courage to stand in front of others and advocate for what matters most to you, and Ben did exactly that. During his presentation, Ben shared his personal experiences and helped spread awareness about autism. He spoke with confidence and purpose but most importantly with passion. The way he carried himself in front of the students and delivered such a powerful message made a lasting impression on everyone in attendance.” – Ece Ak, Buddies Unified Club
“My favorite part of the assembly was when Ben shared his story. I really enjoyed having Ben at my unified bocce game and singing the national anthem. It was really cool when most of the people wore the white shirts that said inclusion that we had for the assembly. It made everyone feel included with the different sports and different events.” – Abigail Dehart, unified bocce team
“[Ben’s] message had a clear impact on many, especially within the Unified Bocce team, where Ben visited and encouraged us at our match against Ephrata. Many of my teammates still ask about Ben and when he is coming back, which pretty clearly shows how much he was appreciated.” – Kate Palumbo, unified bocce team
“His energy and message got people excited and created a strong sense of school spirit. Basketball ended up being packed, with so many people showing up to support the team. The gym was loud, full of cheering, and felt electric, which made the game even more fun to play in. Ben and the assembly helped bring everyone together and turn the basketball game into something special.” – Manoli Papadimitriou, boys basketball team
Funding Educational Resources and Experiences for Every Manheim Township Student
Through the support of our generous donors, in 2024-2025 MTEF funded innovative STEM resources, literacy tools, visiting artists and authors, and entrepreneurship opportunities, enriching student learning and deepening engagement. From launching a middle school Science Olympiad team, to hosting a workshop with a Broadway actor, MTEF is proud to partner with the district to provide experiences that inspire.
LEGO SPIKE K-6
Reimagining K-4 STEM Education for Innovation & Equity grant provided elementary students and teachers high-tech and low-tech ways to design, build, and create. This grant funded LEGO® SPIKE Essentials sets, which pair LEGO® bricks and hardware, such as motors and sensors, with narrative-based problem-solving and relatable themes, like camping and carnival games, for highly engaging STEM learning in every elementary STEM classroom. At Landis Run Intermediate School, LEGO® SPIKE Prime sets have been integrated into the 5th and 6th grade STEM curriculum. Spike Prime offers hands-on learning that starts simply but grows in complexity, encouraging creativity, critical thinking, and coding skills.
Student Businesses
Fridays at Manheim Township High School are a little sweeter thanks to WBL Great Bakes, a mini-business run by the work-based learning program! On Thursdays, students prepare seasonal breakfast pastry and on Fridays, deliver the orders, along with a beverage, to faculty and staff subscribers at the High School and District Office. MTEF is proud to have supported this program with a grant to purchase additional preparation and storage space. Work Based Learning teacher Ashley Cooper applied for and received one of MTEF’s first mini-grants, a pilot initiative for 2024-2025 to encourage small but impactful projects.
Artists-in-Residence
The Blue Streaks met bluegrass during the 2024-2025 school year! Through a grant from MTEF, written by music teachers Rachel Swank and Laura Topping, nationally recognized, locally based bluegrass band Colebrook Road made visited Manheim Township Middle School each marking period to conduct songwriting workshops with 7th and 8th grade music classes. Watch a short clip of their first visit here!
Julia Kamanda led students on an unforgettable journey this spring. As artist-in-residence. She took Brecht students on a vibrant, globe-spanning adventure, exploring music as a language that unites people around the world. Each lesson – visits to Sierra Leone, Peru, Mexico, Hawaii and India – included a picture book, photos and videos, the introduction of a unique musical instrument, and the opportunity to create their own versions of the instrument.
Creative Commons
This multi-phase project created an area in the high school library specially outfitted for students to exercise STEM and creative skills independently or as part of curricular coursework. The Creative Commons includes moveable workspace tables, flexible seating, and materials like LEGO® SPIKE™ kits, robotics, video creation equipment, a mobile podcasting studio and 3D printers. MTEF volunteers and donors joined school district faculty and staff to dedicate the space in April. Instructional Technology Librarian Carly McCarthy and Instructional Technology Coach Nick Scales hosted a tour of this unique space and the exciting resources it holds, already in high demand by MTHS educators in content areas from language arts to science.
Middle School Science Olympiad
A Fall 2024 grant from MTEF supported the creation of a Science Olympiad team at Manheim Township Middle School. Science Olympiad is a national competition where students test their knowledge and skills in various STEM fields through hands-on challenges and assessments. On December 14 the team competed in its first-ever tournament. During the Rustin Invitational, a remote/virtual event, students were tested in content such as meteorology, anatomy, and forensics through a timed online platform, while building events were submitted via video. The MTMS team competed in a division for newer teams, placing 17th out of 40 schools nationwide. MT students won a first-place medal in Mission Possible, a Rube-Goldberg machine building event, and took third place in an architecture and building event. The team wrapped up its first season by competing against the best of the best at the PA State Science Olympiad tournament and finishing an impressive 26th out of 78 middle school teams.
Visiting Artist Alex Dorf
A graduate of Penn State’s School of Theatre, Alex Dorf ‘12 has a resume including Broadway productions, tours and off-Broadway shows. Before his current ensemble role in the Broadway’s “Pirates of Penzance,” he was part of the North American tour cast of “Hamilton” During the show’s Fall 2024 stop in Hershey, Alex spent a day back at his alma mater. Organized by district educators and Manheim Township Performing Arts advisors Samantha Haldeman and Katelyn Candiello, and made possible through a grant from MTEF, Alex’s visit gave Manheim Township students the opportunity to learn from a working performing artist. Read more about Alex’s visit here.
See all Fall 2024 grant awards.
See all Spring 2025 grant awards.
The Manheim Township Alumni Association is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award. Since 1997, Manheim Township has presented the Distinguished Alumni Award to honor graduates who have achieved noteworthy accomplishments in their chosen fields, have positively impacted their communities, and who will serve as inspiration for students, alumni, and staff of the Manheim Township School District.
The Distinguished Alumni Award recipients for 2025 are Jeremy Rubenstein, class of 2002; John L. Snoke, class of 1959; and Jill Sebest Welch, class of 1983.
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Jeremy Rubenstein MTHS ’02 is an entrepreneur, national speaker, theater producer, and educator.
At Manheim Township, he participated in Quiz Bowl and Model UN, performed in Manheim Township Performing Arts (MTPA) productions, and appeared in local theater productions.
Rubenstein graduated from Penn State University with a double major in theater and journalism and a minor in history, where he also performed in MainStage productions. He holds advanced degrees in arts education, early childhood development, and social emotional learning. He has starred in national tours, feature films, and Off-Broadway productions, and has taught from elementary school through the college level.
In 2008, Rubenstein created Box Out Bullying™, an interactive live theater assembly. What began as a single touring production has grown into a national organization experienced by millions of students, parents, and faculty, offering student assemblies, parent workshops, and faculty professional development aimed at helping to sustain a positive school culture.
A passionate bullying prevention advocate, he uses the power of theater to spark meaningful conversations around empathy, bystander empowerment, and respect.
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John Snoke MTHS ‘59 is a retired Manheim Township School District educator
As a Manheim Township student, Snoke was senior class president, a member of student council, HI-Y club, National Honor Society and the choir. He played four years of football and participated in track and field and tennis.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in education from West Chester State College (now West Chester University), and a master’s degree in health and physical education from Temple University. In 1964 he returned to serve the Manheim Township school community, teaching at Brecht and Schaeffer Elementary Schools first before moving to Manheim Township Middle School as a health and physical education teacher. During his tenure he helped to develop and facilitate an adaptive physical education program. He is Past President of the Lancaster County Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
In addition to his teaching career, Snoke coached several Manheim Township athletics teams, including championship swimming and diving teams and boys’ gymnastics teams. He was instrumental in helping bring interscholastic soccer programs to Manheim Township, serving on the first coaching staff of the Boys Soccer program in the 1960s, and helping to start the girls’ soccer program during the 1989-90 school year, coaching the team to its first Lancaster Lebanon League Championship in 1991 and again in 1992.
Snoke retired from teaching in 1996, after 34 years of service to the district. He served on the Board of the Manheim Township Historical Society for the past 10 years. He is also a member of Zion Lutheran Church in East Petersburg, where he is the Health, Safety and Security chairman.
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Jill Sebest Welch MTHS ’83 is an attorney at Barley Snyder LLP.
At Manheim Township, Welch was a member of National Honor Society, student council and served as class vice president. She played on the softball and field hockey teams and participated in cheerleading and swim team.
Welch attended Wittenberg University, where she was a member of the Wittenberg College Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society, and Alpha Delta Pi sorority, and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and a minor in biology. Welch worked as a land use planner from 1989 to1994 and served as Executive Director of the Delaware County Transportation Management Association from 1994 through 2000.
She earned her Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law in 2000 with honors and worked as a law clerk to Hon. Thomas L. Ambro, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, before joining the firm of Morgan Lewis & Bockius as associate attorney in 2001.
Welch joined Barley Snyder LLP in 2005, where she has been a Partner since 2009. From 2020 through 2024, Welch chaired the Employment Practice Group. She is an 11-time recipient of the Pennsylvania Super Lawyer honor. As a member of the Lancaster County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, Welch is regular speaker on employment law and ethics.
Welch has been a Pennsylvania Dutch Council Scouting America Board member since 2018, serving as President of the Council since 2023, and volunteers with Scout Troop 99 and girl Troop 99-G. She served as Board member of the Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board from 2009 through 2024, serving terms as both Vice-chair and Chair. She is also a past Board member and Vice-chair of the Lancaster Family YMCA.
Through a grant from MTEF, Gregg Behr and Ryan Rydzewski are serving as “authors-in-residence” with Manheim Township this school year, sharing the research and insights from their book “When You Wonder, You’re Learning: Mister Rogers’ Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids,” through a variety of learning opportunities for faculty and staff.
During their visit at the end of January, they co-taught a lesson with Middle School music teachers, using a few of Rogers’ more than 200 compositions as hands-on practice analyzing theme and message, facilitated professional development sessions, and visited teachers and classrooms inspired by the tools for learning that Rogers advocated. Ryan and Gregg also met with parents and educators, sharing ideas for facilitating curiosity, creativity, and communication with the children in our community.
This Great Idea was brought to MTEF by the district’s Instructional Technology Coaches. Gregg and Ryan’s research emphasizes the importance of the learning sciences utilized by Fred Rogers in his iconic television program. These sciences support the teaching and learning practices that are needed to implement the new Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental Literacy & Sustainability (STEELS) Standards.
A graduate of Penn State’s School of Theatre with a resume including Broadway tours and off-Broadway shows, Alex Dorf ‘12 is currently a cast member of the North American tour of “Hamilton.” During the show’s recent stop in Hershey, Alex spent a day back at his alma mater. Organized by district educators and Manheim Township Performing Arts advisors Samantha Haldeman and Katelyn Candiello, and made possible through a grant from MTEF, Alex’s visit gave Manheim Township students the opportunity to learn from a working performing artist.
Alex shared insights about his educational journey and career path, offered audition tips and performed “Giants in the Sky,” “The Song that Goes Like This” with Katelyn, and “You’ll Be Back.” In the afternoon he conducted a dance workshop with students, leading them through a portion of the choreography for one of Hamilton’s most iconic numbers, “My Shot.”
Growing up, Alex appeared in many productions at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre and the Fulton Theatre, including playing the role of Tiny Tim in “A Christmas Carol.” While at Manheim Township, Alex performed in “Peter Pan,” “Into the Woods,” “Crazy for You,” and “Seussical,” with a memorable turn as The Cat in the Hat. Despite his extensive musical theater experience, Alex initially pursued an interest in science and biology, enrolling as a pre-veterinary medicine major at the University of Delaware. But music and dance kept calling to him. Performing was “not easy to let go of,” Alex explained. “I changed course.” He eventually auditioned for and was accepted to Penn State’s School of Theatre, where he earned a BFA in Musical Theatre.
Alex is currently on his second tour with Hamilton, though he will be leaving in February to make his Broadway debut as dance captain for “Pirates! The Penzance Musical,” slated to run April through June of 2025.
Of course, we had to ask Alex how his Manheim Township experience helped to shape his future. “Township created a space where I could be part of the theater program, and the theater program was a place I could go to where I felt like I belonged,” he told us. He also named the wide variety of extracurricular opportunities, as well the academic rigor, saying “some of the assignments here at Township were harder than in college! Township goes above and beyond to prepare you for your life outside of school.”
Former MT theater directors Mark and Beth Wagner, along with Frank Caravella, pit orchestra director and retired MT music teacher, made a special trip back to MTHS for Alex’s visit.
No putts about it, MTEF’s first-ever Mini Golf Madness was a success! Students representing Aevidum Club, Astronomy Club, Dance Team, Chess Club, Class of 2027, Future Teachers Club, Lions Leo Club, and Tech and Engineering Club wowed us with their ingenuity and teamwork during the Creativity Challenge on Friday, March 22. In less than five hours, they crafted and constructed clever themes and decorations for their designated holes. On Saturday, more than 200 students, parents and community members took to the themed greens and cast their votes for the winning holes. Through a variety of displays and activities, including Legos with Snapology, STEM challenges and more, attendees also had a chance to sample some of the innovative educational projects supported by MTEF grants.
Congratulations to our Creativity Challenge winners, who earned cash prizes for their organizations!
1st place – Class of 2027
2nd place – Tech and Engineering Club
3rd place – Chess Club
At MTEF’s July 2024 Board meeting, Kate Zimmerman passed the gavel to new Board President Chris Flores. Kate joined the MTEF Board in 2018 and has served as President since 2019. We are grateful for Kate’s steady leadership during a period of change and growth, culminating with the celebration of MTEF’s two millionth dollar awarded this spring. As Past President, she will remain on the MTEF Board through June of 2025. Flores steps up after serving four years as MTEF Vice President and chairing our Grant Disbursement and Business Ventures Committees. Chris is Regional Senior Vice President at Northwest Bank, the parent of two MT students, and has served as a volunteer with other local nonprofits, including YMCA of the Roses and Community Action Program. Other MTEF officers serving on the Executive Committee are Greg Herr, Vice President; Ann Bryson, Secretary; Chris Rice,Treasurer; and Joe Buchert and Carissa Noel, Members-at-Large.
July 1 marked the beginning of a new Board term. MTEF is pleased to welcome the following individuals to our Board of Directors —
- Jason Asbell, partner, Gibbel Kraybill & Hess LLP, MT parent (Bucher, MT Middle School);
- Ian Chea, Sales Representative, Hondru Ford of Manheim, and Real Estate Agent, Howard Hanna, MT parent (Brecht);
- Breanne Cornielle, Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid, St. Joseph’s University, MT parent (Reidenbaugh);
- Cindy Guo, Founder and Owner, Silantra Asian Street Kitchen, MT parent (Nitrauer);
- Dr. Liz Prada, Pediatric Dentist and Executive Director, Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic, MT parent (Landis Run, MT Middle School);
- William Lee, MTEF Student Impact Representative, Class of 2026.
With more than $117,000 approved for educational projects during our Spring 2024 grant cycle, MTEF has now awarded more than $2 million to benefit Manheim Township students since 1993. Superintendent Dr. Robin Felty and Landis Run Principal Will Gillis joined Trista Mullin and Anita Shoemaker to celebrate the grant request that marked this milestone, Brick by Brick: Constructing a Brighter Future with LEGO Spike Prime. This project will provide Landis Run students with an engaging approach to STEM learning and hands-on opportunities to design, build, code and apply other skills and concepts. For 30 years, MTEF has proudly supported Manheim Township School District, providing resources to educators, administrators, and school-related groups for projects that enhance the educational experience. Learn about all our Spring 2024 Grant Awards here.
