Pedas has, over the last 46 years, contributed more than $780,000 to Farrell Area School District. His donations continue to fund monetary awards and school programs.

This year, he donated $50,000 to fund several initiatives, including nine monetary awards, the Model Rocketry and Flight in Education program, the Alumni Hall of Fame and renovations and technological enhancements to the Ted Pedas Planetarium.

He also announced the anticipated return of free public planetarium shows, absent for more than a decade, the first of which is Christmas themed and scheduled to start in December.

One of the renovations making new programs possible is "allsky" technology, which allows for full-dome, 360-degree viewing, according to Pedas.

"We're making a lot of additions," he said. "We can do just about anything the large planetariums can do."

The facility is ready for the year's academic programs, he said, and is waiting on some final touches before public programming begins later this year.

Pedas spoke briefly about growing up in Farrell and, despite traveling the globe and hobnobbing with some of the world's academic elite, continuing to reside in the city to leave his footprint - making a difference in the lives of students and community members.

"I look at my city, Farrell, as my family; my extended family," Pedas said. "If there's love amongst people, there's no better way to show it than by giving."

Monday's presentation saw a total of 25 students recognized for academic improvement and "Student of the Year" awards.

Prior to the awards presentation, Pedas said he's been questioned over the years as to whether giving young students monetary awards is appropriate.

"It's a great feeling for someone to recognize them," he said, having received numerous positive responses about how his awards inspired confidence in students past and present. "An award with their name on it is very meaningful."

One new award was announced for presentation in 2016 - Junior Citizen of the Year, which will recognize residents of Farrell or Wheatland - one male and one female - who exemplify good citizenship through their actions both at school and in the community.

Fourteen district employees and volunteers were honored for their contributions to the district. One of the most notable awards, Volunteer Citizen of the Year, was presented to longtime Farrell High football coach Lou Falconi.

"I made my living in Farrell and thought it was time to give a little back," he said of his volunteer efforts for Farrell football and, most recently, helping to bring back Farrell's Homecoming event. "To put it simply, it's nice to be appreciated."

Falconi said if the award had cost the district anything, he would refuse it on the grounds that the district would need the funds more than he.

"Good work is definitely noted here," Adams-King said. "And we are so fortunate to have one of our alumni donate to the school on an annual basis."

Terry Harrison, school board president, remarked that "every employee impacts the children" throughout the district, whether they attend the elementary or high school.

He also applauded Pedas' ongoing contribution to the district's planetarium, which now includes nearly $30,000 for operation and technological improvements which will allow for new programs for both students and the public.

"I remember when I was a kid, the planetarium was the most popular place to go," Harrison said.

Seven-year planetarium lecturer Mike DeMuzio expects the new technology will keep the district's programs up to date with the latest scientific discoveries and hopes the facility will continue to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity in students.

"With these improvements, we can show the sky so students can start to recognize scientific and astronomical things and ask questions," he said. "We'll be able to show Pluto this year (and other) topical things for students."

Pedas also announced he enlisted some additional professionals to help fortify planetarium programming; Christina Pedas and Kevin Lynch are expected to work on public shows.

"I'm very fortunate to have (them); they're very knowledgeable," Pedas said.

Lynch said bringing back public programming will be "very nice; many people grew up with it and can now bring their kids, making it a generational thing."

"People won't have to travel; it's local and free," Christina Pedas said of the upcoming public shows. "With the much-needed improvements, we're OK to go. We're just fine-tuning."

Adams-King voiced her excitement for the facility's updated tech as well, mentioning its benefit to the district's ongoing Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics initiatives, commonly known as STEM.

"Students here have something no one else has access to," she said of the planetarium. "Let's continue to work together to benefit our students and the greater community."

"When I attended kindergarten, I didn't speak English," he shared at Monday's Farrell school board meeting.

Now he speaks clearly, on Monday stating how his appreciation of the school district hasn't wavered. Pedas, who is 75, has shown that appreciation by making annual donations to the district for 45 years - for a grand total of $730,132.34.

"Some people make it in life and forget home," Superintendent Lora Adams-King told Pedas. "You made it in life and never left home." Pedas, 1956 Farrell High graduate, is well known as a teacher, astronomer, scientific cruise leader and philanthropist.

This year, his check amounts to $40,000. The money was allocated to a variety of things:

• $17,050 to awards for students, staff and volunteers, all with monetary prizes.
  
• $1,000 for supplies and costs to the Model Rocketry and Flight in Education program, which teaches students through building model rockets and planes, as well as launching and flying them.
  
• $16,950 to the Ted Pedas Planetarium for equipment, supplies and maintenance.
  
• $5,000 to the Farrell Alumni Hall of Fame, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year.
  

After the check was presented to Adams-King, she distributed certificates and checks to a student of the year from each grade for the 2013-14 school year, and to 12 employees of the month, also from last school year. She then presented the Employee of the Year Award to Linda Odem, and Citizen/Volunteer of the Year to Mavis Shannon Odem.

"Thank God we have people like you," school board member Ronald Weston said after the presentation, thanking Pedas.

"You don't toot your horn, we want to toot it for you,"" Adams-King said to him.

Pedas encouraged people to nominate students, staff and citizens for the different awards throughout the year.

"My part is the easy part," he said, acknowledging those who help in organizing and distributing the awards and running the programs he's started.

Over the course of his donations, he's funded more than 50 programs. Some of them weren't successful, but they helped nonetheless.

"One becomes wise through failures," Pedas said.

Ted Pedas, a 1956 graduate who has put his money behind his fondness for Farrell schools, returned to the hallowed halls of learning, checkbook in hand, to make his annual donation to the district.

This year that donation totals $35,000.

"These annual donations have been given as a small token of appreciation," Pedas said in this year's 10-page report to the district, which includes specifications each year for how the cash is to be spent.

Pedas appreciates the education the district provided for him, his brothers Tom and George, and his sister Marcy Pedas Sigler.

That education enabled the family "as children of immigrant parents to make our way in the world," he wrote.

"Each of us in our own way owes a debt of gratitude to our school, community and those dedicated individuals who paved the road for us," Pedas wrote.

This year, Pedas is inaugurating a "student of the week" award for kids in grades seven through 12.

One student in each grade level will be chosen each week for 30 weeks, allowing the district to reward 180 students this school year.

Those honored will receive $20, and the staff will nominate students using these criteria: good deeds, improvement in behavior or academics, leadership, self-initiative, positive attitude, helpfulness, or some other reason not specified.

The high school principal will administer the awards, as directed by Pedas.

Pedas' donation will also fund:

• High school and elementary school "student of the month" awards of $50 each for high-schoolers and $25 each for elementary students.
  
• High school and elementary school "student of the year" awards of $100 to one student in each grade level.
  
• Employee of the Month awards for noninstructional staff of $100.
  
• Employee of the Year $1,000 award for non-instructional staff.
  
• Citizen of the Year $1,000 award for an exceptional volunteer in the district.
  
• $1,000 for a model rocketry program.
  
• $16,950 for equipment, supplies and maintenance of the planetarium, which is named in honor of Pedas.
  
• $5,000 for the Farrell Alumni Hall of Fame.
  

Pedas has donated $655,132 over the past 43 years to the Farrell district. "These annual donations have been given as a small token of appreciation to the Farrell Area School District, which has provided an education for my brothers and sister and me, enabling us, as children of immigrant parents, to make our way in the world," he said.

FARRELL — Ted Pedas has become as constant as the changing of the seasons.

In fact, every fall for the last 40 years, the former teacher and director of the Ted Pedas Planetarium of the Farrell High School has appeared before the Farrell Area School Board to make a personal contribution to the school district.

It has been Pedas who has created such recognition as the "Student of the Month" and the "Farrell Alumni Hall of Fame" and he's been a regular benefactor of equipment for the planetarium that the school district named in his honor.

He came back to the school board this week, announcing contributions totaling $30,000 this year, bringing his 40 year total to $565,132 to enhance school district programs, activities and facilities, benefiting students and the community.

He said the gifts have been a “small token of appreciation” to the school district which provided an education for him, his brothers and his sister.

Pedas announced the creation of two new awards this year — Elementary and High School Student of the Year and Employee of the Month for noninstructional staff.

Pedas, who said he is a believer in merit pay, said he is activating the Employee of the Month award to give recognition to employees who contribute beyond expectations.

He said he'd like to see Farrell be a pacesetter in the use of the bonus system.

In addition to his monetary gifts, Pedas said he will continue to Personally fund the Farrell Area School District, the FHS Alumni, and the History of Farrell, Pennyslvania web sites. He had funded the creation of all three.

He's also put $25,000 into the Farrell Area School District Foundation and told the school board that he is seeking to revitalize the foundation and take it in a new direction.

A breakdown of this year's contributions shows:

• $2,700 — High School Student of the Month providing 54 cash awards of $50 each to be presented September through May to students in grades 7-12.

• $1,350 — Elementary School Student of the Month providing 54 cash awards of $25.00 from September through May for students in grades 1-6.

• $1,200 — Elementary and High School Student of the Year, providing an award of $100 to be given to one student at every grade level.

• $1,200 — Employee of the Month for noninstructional staff, providing $100 monthly awards one to be presented each month of the year.

• $5,000 — Farrell Alumni Hall of Fame. The organization's fifth recognition dinner will be October 17.

• $18,550 — Planetarium equipment, supplies and maintenance. The planetarium has scheduled 144 presentations for students this year.

  In addition to his monetary gifts, Pedas will also give of his time.

  He said he will be working in the planetarium as a volunteer assisting instructors (paid for through his planetarium contribution) who will be handling the student presentation.

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  Ted Pedas — Index of News Articles

Pedas, former Farrell High teacher and now a world-traveler, this past week announced his donation of $30,000 to the Farrell Area School District.

It marked his 39th annual contribution for a total of more than $535,000 in the span of his benevolence. Now that's giving back to a community!

Over the years, Pedas has directed how his grants should be used. The school's planetarium - Farrell is one of the few schools in the state to have such a resource - has always been one of the key recipients of the astronomer's funding.

He also has provided almost $5,000 to reinstitute the school's rocketry studies, a program he started in the mid-1960s during the height of interest in the United States space program.

One of the more interesting uses of his money is to inspire students to work harder in school and get better grades.

We know of some parents who reward their kids with $5 or $10 for every "A" on the report card. But Pedas really steps up to provide monetary awards for top students.

He offers $2,700 for "Student of the Month" awards in the high school and $1,350 for similar awards at the elementary level.

Pedas has doubled the value of the high school awards, which were discontinued because of the lack of interest by recently fired Principal Lee McFerren. The funding provides for 54 awards of $50 each to students in grades 7-12. Elementary students will receive $25 each.

Pedas has said those awards have provided the most joy for him because they have touched so many students. You can bet the students also get great delight in receiving them.

Every school district would love to have a dedicated alumnus like Pedas. His dedication to Farrell students has been legendary. He has supported projects benefiting not only current students, but others such as Farrell Area School District Hall of Fame, which recognizes outstanding alumni.

Pedas, in presenting his annual awards, also offers advice. This year's words of wisdom were:

• A new superintendent should live in the community.
  
• Merit pay should be given to employees who exceed expectations.

While they may be difficult to institute because of residency-requirement laws and teaching contracts, they are items to consider.

However, there is no barrier to offering the Farrell-Wheatland community's thanks to a dedicated alumnus who has always lived up to the words of the 1960's Beach Boys hit song, "Be True to Your School."

"We have a Santa Claus that comes every September", Superintendent Richard R. Rubano Jr. said at Monday night's board meeting. "I don't have to give him any introduction. Everyone in this room knows who he is."

While many schools scramble for funding and often have to cut programs, Farrell has been able to continue and establish many projects for the good of the school and community thanks to generous benefactor Ted Pedas.

Pedas, director emeritus of the district planetarium named after him, has contributed $454,643 to the district over the past 36 years "to further enhance school district programs, activities and facilities for both students and the community."

Monday, Pedas presented the district a check for $20,800 and shared several stories of students who received awards funded by his generosity. Rubano said they enjoyed the history lesson because "if you understand the past, you understand the future."

School board president Michael Wright thanked Pedas for all he's done for the district over the years. "You bless a lot of people...and it comes from the heart."

Board vice president Lester Robinson said it's nice to see someone who can do something to help better the city and the school.

"Thank you very much," said board member Sadie Benham. "You're one person who truly loves Farrell High School and you show it."

Board member Terry Harrison agreed, adding that Pedas "didn't just say it - you do it."

District solicitor James Nevant II said Pedas' commitment and loyalty are admirable.

"You don't have to do it," noted board member Ronald Weston, adding that Pedas himself will be blessed for his actions.

"Keep up the good work, Ted," said board member Larry Manilla.

On behalf of all the students Pedas has touched over the years, Rubano said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

A 1956 Farrell graduate, Pedas is an internationally known astronomer, planetarium lecturer emeritus at Youngstown State University, former astronomy columnist for The Vindicator and a world traveler who has organized many historical and astronomical cruises.

He has been steadfast in his mission to improve his community and the education and quality of life of people - especially young people - who live there.

Upon his retirement as director of the planetarium several years ago, Pedas continued to donate his pension to the school and also volunteers his time to teach youngsters about the stars. In fact, he said he has received letters from former students serving in the first Iraq war asking for star maps. If you know where two stars are in the sky, you'll never be lost, Pedas said.

"These annual donations have been given as a small token of appreciation to the Farrell Area School District which has provided an education for my brothers and sister and me, enabling us, as children of immigrant parents, to make our way in the world," Pedas said. "Each of us in our own way owes a debt of gratitude to our school, community and those dedicated individuals who praved the road for us."

Pedas dropped off a check for $20,080.00 Monday night to the Farrell School Board to fund a bevy of programs he helped institute in the district.

This is Pedas' 36th annual donation. He has contributed $454,632 to the district in that time.

Pedas said the money is a small token of his appreciation to the district that provided an education to him and his brothers and sister.

"Each of us, in our own way, owes a debt of gratitude to our school, community and those dedicated individuals who paved the road for us," he said.

The money is used to fund several monthly awards including student of the month, employee of the month and money to fund the school's planetarium. Pedas is the planetarium director emeritus.

The money also is used to pay for the school district's Web site and a hall of fame that recognizes outstanding alumni in conjunction with the city's annual homecoming festival.