The student news site of Baldwin High School

The Purbalite
The student news site of Baldwin High School

The Purbalite
The student news site of Baldwin High School

The Purbalite
Seth Franco

Seth Franco, Multimedia Editor

Multimedia Editor Seth Franco is a senior in his third year on the Purbalite. When he’s not writing, he often practices the drums, plays tennis, and sketches. 

Baldwin alum Shawn Purcell is an adjunct professor of jazz guitar and jazz arranging at George Mason University. Photo courtesy Shawn Purcell. Photo courtesy Shawn Purcell

Baldwin alum has made a life in music

Sean Galentine and Seth Franco
May 30, 2024
The Twenty One Pilots are a musical duo from Columbus.

Essential Listening: ‘Trench’ is a concept album with many themes

Seth Franco, Multimedia Editor
May 30, 2024
Overall, Clancy is an amazing album with raw messaging and punchy instrumentals. Photo via Fueled by Ramen.

‘Clancy’ brings Twenty One Pilots back to older style

Seth Franco, Multimedia Editor
May 30, 2024

Video story: Baldwin hosts Special Olympics Spring Invitational

Seth Franco, Aria Majcher, and Ben Majcher
May 13, 2024
The BWSD Prom Shop will occur from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the community room at the Whitehall Public Library.

Pop Up Shop to offer free prom dresses for those in need

Seth Franco, Multimedia Editor
May 7, 2024

Ben & Boros podcast discusses the struggling Pirates

Connor Boros, Seth Franco, and Ben Majcher
April 30, 2024
The boys varsity volleyball team competes during the spring sports season.

Boys volleyball comes up short against Seneca Valley

Ben Majcher and Seth Franco
April 24, 2024
The Baldwin High school softball team competes in the WPIAL Class 6A division.

Softball loses to Seneca Valley

Eliza Swanson and Seth Franco
April 19, 2024
The President will be voted for on Election Day but many have conflicted thoughts. Photo courtesy of Pexels.

To vote or not to vote: A presidential question

Sean Galentine and Seth Franco
April 15, 2024
The boys varsity volleyball team competes during the spring sports season.

Boys volleyball defeats Bethel Park

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
April 15, 2024
The Baldwin indoor percussion and color guard competes with other schools around the area.

Indoor percussion, guard wrap up their seasons

Seth Franco, Multimedia Editor
April 8, 2024
The State of Debate is a political podcast aiming to prove that people can disagree without being disagreeable.

State of Debate podcast discusses the border crisis

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
March 26, 2024
Jujutsu Kaisen season two is split into two major storylines. Photo courtesy of Crunchyroll.

Second season of ‘Kaisen’ puts characters in new conflicts

Seth Franco, Multimedia Editor
March 15, 2024
Sophomore Max Marzina crosses the court prior to the game.

Strong basketball season draws to a close with state playoff loss

Seth Franco and Sean Galentine
March 11, 2024
Freshmen Hayden Fredrick (left) and Carson Bender compete at speedcubing events in Pennsylvania and nearby states.

‘Speed Cubers’ put a twist on competition

Kenzie Hirt and Seth Franco
March 7, 2024
The Baldwin swimmers felt they had strong performances at the competition.

Stokes qualifies for states in swimming

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
March 4, 2024
The boys basketball team won against Peters Township 61- 57 on Tuesday night.

Boys basketball loses to Peters, looks toward playoffs

Seth Franco and Kevin Hutchinson
February 13, 2024
The Baldwin Fighting Highlander girls basketball team plays in the 5A division.

Girls basketball defeats Canon-Mac

Seth Franco and Garrett Gusten
February 5, 2024
The boys basketball team won against Peters Township 61- 57 on Tuesday night.

Boys basketball loses to Lebo, rebounds with tourney win

Seth Franco and Dom Brown
January 29, 2024
Senior Tom Ojo was the first-place winner at Baldwin's 2023 Poetry Out Loud competition.

Ojo draws on experience to win Poetry Out Loud competition

Seth Franco and Sean Galentine
January 16, 2024
Cowboy Bebop is a space Western anime with intricate characters. Photo courtesy of Bandai Namco Filmworks.

What to Binge Watch: Characters in ‘Cowboy Bebop’ wrestle with their pasts

Seth Franco, Multimedia Editor
December 22, 2023

The 16 School Days of Christmas: Student entrepreneurs set up at Holiday Market

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
December 22, 2023
Baldwin High School esports teams compete in both fall and spring seasons.

Rocket League team loses in second round of playoffs

Sean Galentine and Seth Franco
December 14, 2023
Godzilla Minus One has performed well with both eastern and western audiences. Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd.

‘Godzilla Minus One’ much more than a monster flick

Seth Franco, Multimedia Editor
December 12, 2023
Rocket League is one of the two video games that the Baldwin esports program plays.

Rocket League team swept by Pocono West

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
November 30, 2023
Sophomore Carter Smeal has made second place two years in a row at the PMEA Honors Orchestra competition.

Smeal places second at PMEA Honors Orchestra

Seth Franco and Kenzie Hirt
November 21, 2023

Video story: Esports teams enjoy new home

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
November 6, 2023
Rocket League is one of the two video games that the Baldwin esports program plays.

Rocket League loses to Bishop McDevitt

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
November 2, 2023

Podcast debates whether `Five Nights at Freddy’s’ is terrible or terribly fun

Aria Majcher, Seth Franco, Brendan Harris, and Sean Galentine
November 2, 2023

Podcast discusses Israel-Hamas conflict

Seth Franco, Sean Galentine, and Brendan Harris
October 23, 2023
Rocket League is one of the two video games that the Baldwin esports program plays.

Rocket League team starts season with win

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
October 5, 2023
The Baldwin girls soccer team is losing 4-0 at half-time to Upper Saint Clair.

Girls soccer loses to USC

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
September 28, 2023
Senator Mitch McConnell is 81 years old and has been serving in office for 38 years.

Pro/Con: Should there be an age limit on elected positions?

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
September 19, 2023
Senior Kevin Hutchinson was proud to receive his black belt.

Hutchinson earns black belt in karate

Seth Franco, Multimedia Editor
September 15, 2023
Custodian Jim Werner has enjoyed his time at Baldwin so far.

Werner comes from engineering background

Seth Franco, Multimedia Editor
September 12, 2023
The Baldwin boys soccer team plays in 3A and the girls team plays in 4A.

Boys soccer loses to USC

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
September 1, 2023

Fashion `Four’ward podcast discusses summer looks

Seth Franco, Brendan Harris, Eliza Swanson, and Mandy Wu
June 7, 2023
Baldwin High School serves the Baldwin, Whitehall, and Baldwin Township communities.

Schedule changes in the works for BHS

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
June 6, 2023
Kellin Quinn is one of many artists who were vocalists on the music for the game Sonic Frontiers

Opinion: Video game soundtracks deserve more respect from music fans

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
May 25, 2023
'Pasta guy' Ryan Peters talks to students in Michelle Kilburn's business classes.

TikTok’s ‘pasta guy’ serves up a batch of business advice

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
May 11, 2023
volleyball girls

Moon Township shuts out boys volleyball

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
May 3, 2023
The boys varsity volleyball team competes during the spring sports season.

Boys volleyball loses to Seneca Valley

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
April 25, 2023
The Baldwin girls softball team loses after a hard fought game against NA.

Softball team loses to Seneca Valley

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
April 20, 2023
Upper St. Clair defeats boys lacrosse

Upper St. Clair defeats boys lacrosse

Avery Barrett, Seth Franco, and Brendan Harris
April 12, 2023
Baldwin High School now has a therapy dog to help ease student stress.

The boys varsity volleyball team competes during the spring sports season.

Boys volleyball shut out by Central Catholic

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
March 24, 2023
In recent years, AI has been able to create artwork, but is this positive or negative?

Pro/Con: Is AI artwork doing more harm than good?

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
March 20, 2023

AI cheapens artistic expression

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
March 20, 2023
Some students have expressed frustration with the scheduling process this year.

New scheduling plan gets mixed response from students

Evelyn Esek, Hailey Dietz, Seth Franco, and Brendan Harris
March 13, 2023

Podcast discusses surveillance balloon controversy

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
March 8, 2023
The Baldwin boys and girls swim teams compete in the winter season.

Baldwin swimmers compete at WPIALs

Grace Spozarski, Seth Franco, and Brendan Harris
March 6, 2023
The final season of Mob Psycho 100 provides a great ending for the series.

Anime’s final season brings satisfying conclusion to story about psychic abilities

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
March 1, 2023
The Baldwin boys and girls swim teams compete in the winter season.

Swim teams fall to Gateway

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
February 6, 2023

Podcast discusses Disney remakes versus the originals

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
January 30, 2023
The Baldwin boys and girls swim teams compete in the AAA division.

Girls swim defeat Penn Hills; boys team suffers a loss

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
January 27, 2023
Baldwin High School gymnastics has a history of competing well at states. Photo via Internet.

Gymnastics team places second in weekend invitational meet

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
January 17, 2023
Sonic Frontiers includes more content and offers more playtime than prior Sonic titles.

Sonic Frontiers offers fresh new gameplay features

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
January 11, 2023
The Baldwin boys wrestling team competes in the 3A division.

Boys wrestling wins first match

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
December 22, 2022
Junior Julia Graham, a member of the indoor color guard, began performing in her freshman year as a continuation of the outdoor color guard.

Graham readies indoor guard for new season

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
December 14, 2022
The Baldwin Fighting Highlander girls basketball team plays in the 5A division.

Girls basketball team defeats Shady Side

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
December 9, 2022

Video story: Ping-pong tourney raises money for charity

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
December 2, 2022
Dr. Randal Lutz is the superintendent of Baldwin Whitehall schools.

Lutz named finalist for PA superintendent of year

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
November 22, 2022

Cost, power issues mean the world is not ready

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
November 2, 2022

Podcast compares classic, modern horror movies

Seth Franco, Brendan Harris, Olivia Rechtorik, and Mandy Wu
October 31, 2022
Valorant is a first person shooter, that was released in 2020.

Esports Valorant team loses to Central Bucks

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
October 31, 2022
Both cafes will be getting new seating after winter break. Principal Shaun Tomaszewski said that when he started here four years ago, he noticed that the cafeteria seating needed to be updated.

New seating coming to both cafes after winter break

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
October 19, 2022
Valorant is a first person shooter, that was released in 2020.

Esports Valorant team shuts out Shadyside in first game of season

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
October 6, 2022
The girls tennis team plays in the fall sports season.

Girls tennis splits double header

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
September 30, 2022
Senior Dylan Stone (left) and junior Annan Gurung (right) are on the esports team.

Baldwin’s new esports team ready to level up

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
September 22, 2022
The Baldwin boys golf team plays in the 3A division.

Golf team members fall short of WPIAL sectionals

Brendan Harris and Seth Franco
September 19, 2022
The Baldwin boys golf team plays in the 3A division.

Golf team defeated by Peters Township

Seth Franco and Brendan Harris
September 8, 2022
Twenty One Pilots make a grand return to Pittsburgh after their last performance in 2019.

Concert review: 21 Pilots bring a new setlist and show to Pittsburgh

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
September 8, 2022
After a few lessons from a family friend on a sewing machine, she taught herself using YouTube videos. Now, Moore makes dresses and skirts and more.

Moore stitches together a creative hobby

Seth Franco and Ava Bell
June 2, 2022
Twenty One Pilots released a film that mimics the concert experience through a variety of sets and performances.

Twenty One Pilots film captures concert experience

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
May 25, 2022
Senior Payton Fleszar and sophomore Rachael Bonneau are both members of BHS's fencing club.

3 Baldwin students find friendship, competition in fencing

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
May 25, 2022
The Girls Softball team takes on Norwin today in first round of play-offs.

Softball team looks to keep season rolling with playoff game against Norwin

Seth Franco and Paul Kercher
May 16, 2022
Baldwin's boys track team is not advancing to WPIAL championships.

Boys track team season over after loss in playoffs

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
May 5, 2022
Lacrosse plays another game.

Tamburri scores 9, but boys lax falls to Latrobe

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
May 3, 2022
The Slow Rush B-Sides & Remixes is a remix for Tame Impala's 2020 album, The Slow Rush.

Tame Impala’s new remix album is stylistically diverse

Seth Franco, Staff Writer
April 14, 2022
The Baldwin indoor percussion and color guard competes with other schools around the area.

Indoor percussion places first in four-school competition

Ethan Stock and Seth Franco
April 11, 2022

Music 4Cast podcast discusses 4 songs the Grammys snubbed

Seth Franco, Alizabeth Klein, Kalonga Mwenda, and Ethan Stock
April 10, 2022

The Music 4Cast podcast has four new songs you need to hear

Seth Franco, Alizabeth Klein, Kalonga Mwenda, and Ethan Stock
April 1, 2022

Podcast: Crew, pit orchestra offer unique perspectives on school musical

Evelyn Esek and Seth Franco
March 28, 2022

New podcast series discusses 4 songs you need to hear now

Seth Franco, Alizabeth Klein, Kalonga Mwenda, and Ethan Stock
March 10, 2022

Video story: Polar Pop brings the chill

Amanda Booth, Seth Franco, and Maddison Houser
March 7, 2022
The Baldwin boys and girls swim teams compete in the AAA division.

Swim teams lose, but set 27 PRs

Seth Franco and Andrew Barret
February 18, 2022
Members of the bowling team, Nolan Malloy (from left), Paul Kercher, Cade Stanko, Kelson Kleinhampl, and Brady Malloy hold their plaques they received for placing second in the section.

Boys bowling places 8th in WPIAL championship

Dibya Ghimirey and Seth Franco
February 17, 2022
Teacher Virginia Pfatteicher is the first to receive the 'Highlander Hive Five' award.

‘High Five’ program at Baldwin leaves teachers and staff wearing a smile

Seth Franco and Kalonga Mwenda
February 15, 2022
The new Star Wars show, The Book of Boba Fett, paints Boba Fett in a unique light.

The Book of Boba Fett provides background on key Star Wars character

Seth Franco, Club Member
January 26, 2022
The movie focuses on the difficulty of the emotions that humans experience, and how sometimes life can appear hopeless.

The 17 School Days of Christmas: `Wonderful Life’ is a movie that speaks to today’s problems

Seth Franco, Club Member
December 21, 2021
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