The Senior Center celebrated a 90th birthday on Thursday || Monica Sager 
Monica Sager presents to a Swampscott Senior Center crowd. || Brendan Cassidy 
Bob Cass stands with Caiden Lau, who Cass depicted in the bottom painting || Monica Sager Some pieces were very colorful || Monica Sager 
Teddy O’Neill attempts a free throw. || Brendan Cassidy LEC presented about rebuilding the seawall at Mission on the Bay. || Monica Sager Six high school students made it to the district choir || Courtesy Photo The Spiritualist Church hosted an event || Brendan Cassidy Bob Wollerscheid stands with his work || Monica Sager
Much of this week focused on students in Swampscott. The Swampscott High School boys basketball team remains undefeated, after a strong showing against Marblehead High School. Sophomore guard Teddy O’Neill scored 10 consecutive points for the Big Blue, helping them take a lead they never relinquished. Head Coach Jason Knowles said a key factor in the win was the team’s ability to “get to the line.”
The team has a busy weekend ahead, hosting Saugus Middle High School on Friday at 7 p.m. and Agawam High School on Saturday at 5 p.m. Both games will be played at home in Swampscott.
On the creative side, six Swampscott High School students participated in the 67th Massachusetts Music Educators Association Northeastern District Senior Festival. Seniors Michael Schwartz and Scout Myers-Smith, sophomores Hadley Husted, Kira Madruga, and Niamh Murphy, and freshman Kristy Van Dam performed as part of the 181-member choir at the festival, which was held Saturday, January 10, at Arlington High School.
All six students also qualified to audition for the All-State Choir. Auditions will take place Saturday, January 24, with the festival scheduled for March.
Elsewhere in the community, School Committee Miguel Contreras has been exploring a new hobby in pottery. Additionally, 15 students from health teacher Hadley Woodfin’s “bridging generations” elective course showcased the art they made with Senior Center participants of the Opening Minds through Art (OMA) program.
The school is also exploring approaches to curb teen vaping.
On the governmental side, the Capital Improvement Committee discussed the middle school’s need for new windows at a meeting on Monday. At the committee’s Thursday meeting, Department of Public Works Director Gino Cresta, Police Chief Ruben Quesada and Fire Chief Graham Archer presented their budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year.
Finally, a meeting was held Tuesday to review potential plans to rebuild the seawall at Mission on the Bay.
