Maura Menapace

• Post by: mcalibrary
• January 3, 2024
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FEMALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE

Running, jumping, hurdling, swimming, diving, cheering, singing, acting, and dancing – a list, you might say, of activities available at our local high school? No, just a few of the things that this year’s female scholar athlete, Maura Menapace, has participated in during her wonderful four year career at Mount Carmel Area High School. Ms Menapace has earned 9 varsity letters during the course of her career at MCA – 4 in track and field, 2 in swimming, 1 in cross country, and 2 in cheerleading.

Maura, as a four year member of the Lady thinclads, has participated in both the 100M Hurdles and 300 M Intermediate hurdles for Coach Angela Farronnato. She has been a part of 2 consecutive Schuylkill League Championship teams in 1999 and 2000 and a one-loss team in 2001 for a career record of 23-1.

Maura’s most successful times have come as a member of the swim team where she swims the 50 free, 100 free, 200 meter free relay, 400 meter free relay, 200 meter medley relay. Recently, she has taken up diving to help the team garner extra points. She has been a previous school record holder in the 100 free and recently helped to establish a new school record in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:50.27. The time was good enough for a second place finish in the Schuylkill League meet, the highest finish ever by a Tornado relay team.

During her sophomore season, Maura helped the cross country team to a fine 9-1 record in her only venture as a road runner. She has also participated in indoor track during her sophomore and junior seasons and was a participant in powder puff football and intramural volleyball as a junior and senior.

Muara has also been a member of the cast in MCA’s productions of “The Wizard of OZ”,”Bye,Bye Birdie”,”Annie” and “Once Upon a Mattress”, and in ACT”s “Fiddler on the Roof”. Maura studies ballet and jazz at the Bloomsburg School of Dance and played the part of the sugar plum fairy in their production of the “Nutcracker”. She has also found time to act as the choreographer at Cardinal Brennan HS Spring Productions for the last two years.

Menapace can also been seen every morning on Channel 13 – WKMC, where she serves as news editor and anchor of “MCA Live”, the school morning news program. She has been elected class secretary for three years and is a student council vice-president. She also serves as a member of the Prom Committee, Yearbook Staff, Science Club, SADD, and Interact Club, as well as lectoring at Divine Redeemer Church, Mount Carmel.

Somehow, Maura has found the time to rank in the top 10% of her class and score a 1250 on the SAT. She is a member of the National Honor Society, the National Athletic Honor Society and is a Developmental Studies Student. She has recently been chosen by the faculty at Mount Carmel Area as this year’s Laurel Queen and will represent Mount Carmel Area at the State Laurel Queen Pageant this June in Wellsboro.

Maura is the daughter of Dr. Mike and Melissa Menapace, Mount Carmel and plans to attend a four- year university to pursue a career in communications.