Shaler Area High School senior Hannah Bedeck was selected for Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania’s 18 under 18. Junior Achievement provides educational, leadership, and volunteer guidance to students across the state of Pennsylvania.

This non-charitable organization has many programs that benefit aspiring students such as BizTown, JA Business Communication and JA Economics. Every year Junior Achievement showcases 18 teenagers in diverse cross sections of Western Pennsylvania. This year’s 18 under 18 range from 10 years old to 18 years old.

“I did not expect to get picked because so many of the other participants started major non-profits to aid the homeless or help causes like mental health. I am so thankful for the experience of meeting these amazing people,” Bedeck said.

Bedeck belongs to the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony, serves as concertmaster for the Shaler Area High School Orchestra and was named to the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Western Region Orchestra and All State Orchestra. She has been playing music since she was three years old learning the piano first and later moving onto violin and accordion.

Bedeck has used her musical talent to positively impact her community by playing music for funerals and weddings. At 10 years old, Bedeck’s mom signed her up for a church choir and she was invited to sing and play each week.

When she turned 16, she was offered the position of Liturgical Musician in residence through her church. Bedeck was an ambassador of a group called We Play Music 4 You but the program was shut down during the pandemic. When it was safe again, she started going on her own. She also plays music for elderly patients in nursing homes, most commonly with dementia. Bedeck often plays music or instruments that are significant in the patients’ lives.

Bedeck also played as part of a drive to provide hygiene kits to benefit Ukraine which raised over 500 care packages. During the pandemic she taught an inner city kid who could not afford instructions to play the violin. Bedeck’s old school, CAPA, connected her with a student that didn’t have access to violin lessons during the pandemic. She taught her over zoom for a year and a half.

Bedeck said that anyone is permitted to nominate students as long as they are not a parent. Her grandmother saw an advertisement online and nominated her thinking that it was for  a scholarship opportunity.

After being chosen in October, Hannah and the other nominees meet every month over zoom and discuss leadership with each other.  Hannah has stayed in contact with the other nominees even though it has been a while since being chosen. They all plan to go to a Penguins hockey game that they were rewarded with. They often talk in a group chat. On February 7th, Hannah and the other nominees went to Acrisure stadium and enjoyed a nice dinner and a tour of the Steelers facilities.

Before attending Shaler, Hannah went to Vincentian academy. Which closed halfway through her freshman year and a week before the pandemic began. Needing to find another school during lockdown, she decided to go to the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) school located in the cultural district of Pittsburgh because of its specialty in arts, but she did not feel that it was the right fit.

The school days at CAPA were very long (7:30 to 4:30). She felt that going to the school was not worth it for her and transferred halfway through her junior year to find a better fit which happened to be Shaler Area.

Changing schools each year was difficult for Bedeck, especially during the pandemic.

“The academics (at CAPA) weren’t what I was used to,” Hannah said. “I was behind in a lot of my classes when I came here and had to catch up quickly to take tests my first week.”

After getting caught up, she liked Shaler Area a lot more than her previous schools. Bedeck felt supported in musical endeavors and challenged more academically.  She plans on continuing her music studies in college with violin performance.

She is excited how this recognition will help her help others as well as some of the perks for her that came along with it.

“I hope that from being selected, the publicity from the events will help connect me with more communities that do not have access to live music or music education. The program also gave me a year of free Millie’s Ice Cream and Chick-Fil-A, which I am very excited about,” Bedeck said.