Lycoming Valley Teen of the Week: Mary Green

MONTGOMERY — At the beginning of her senior year, Mary Green couldn’t read sheet music and had never played an instrument. After putting in the work, Green can now play the saxophone and clarinet.

Green’s drive in music, athletics and academics led the Montgomery Area High School senior to be selected as the Lycoming Valley Teen of the Week, after being nominated by her band director, Trey Fox, and cheer coach, Sierra Aichner.

Since she was a young, Green strived to play a musical instrument. The only thing standing in her way was the expense of purchasing one.

Green was issued a school-loaned alto saxophone in August to begin her endeavors.

“I couldn’t read music. I couldn’t play. I had no concept whatsoever of music,” Green said. “From August up until now, I can read music. I can play pretty much a full scale. I can site read, and I also started picking up clarinet these past couple months.”

Every day, Green practices for three to four hours. Although the training is vigorous, she said it’s a relieving contrast to her commitment to her academics and busy schedule.


“I feel like it's a way to really let go,” she said.


Green recalled the moment of confidence she gained during the Christmas concert. “After we came out, everybody was sitting down, and the lights were pointed at us on stage," she recalled. "I had the moment of, ‘I have put in so much effort and so much time to get to

where I am right now, and if it weren’t for all of that, then I wouldn’t be here.’”


"During my time with Mary, I have seen her take incredible strides in her skills as both a musician and a leader," Fox said. "Anytime that she has a free second in her school day, I find her in a practice room trying to better herself. Many younger students have started to follow her

lead because they have seen the direct results of her hard work."


Another passion of Green’s throughout school was cheerleading. During her sophomore year, she attended the Universal Cheerleading Association (UCA) camp, where she was named All-American Cheerleader.


Her title allowed her to perform at a parade down Main Street USA at Magic Kingdom in Disney World, an experience she repeated during her senior year. “It really is an amazing experience,” Green said. “It was something that I know was never going to happen for me again.”


"Understanding the importance of academics and a growth mindset, Mary accepts change and learns to adapt to any situation," said Aichner. "She maintains a strong sense of organization by committing to her academics and balancing school, work, cheerleading, color guard, and many clubs."


Green has been a part of Scholastic Scrimmage since the seventh grade. “I joined the very first year the advisor was running it... figured it’d just be somewhere I could put my knowledge,” she said. “The teams that we go against either have a skill level similar to ours, or they have a skill level above ours, and the variety of skills students can have to vary based on where you go.”


In April, Green and her fellow students competed against schools from all over the country in a week-long National Scholastic Scrimmage Championship event in Chicago. Her team placed 16th out of 88 schools.


Through the Sign Language Club, Green and her peers took the initiative with Project Linus, supplying blankets to those in need. She has also planted 32 trees and participated with the student council in monitoring a blood donation drive.


“I feel like giving back to the community is super duper important,” she said. “By planting the trees, it helps everything around you flourish and blossom... giving back with things like Project Linus or the blood drive; it’s giving back to people who may not be as fortunate to have those things as I am.”