Born in Korea to parents Sa Op and Robert Kocher, Dr. Elizabeth Kocher-Bentz has built a life and career upon many of the Eastern philosophies from her native land.“Having been born in Korea, and growing up there, feeds into how I live now. Eastern approaches compared to Western are completely diffe
Pianist, organist, and jazz musician, Lars Potteiger, was born and raised in the Reading area. The earliest roots of his musical journey began in childhood. “My earliest memory of becoming interested in music is as a young child. My family was pretty musical; my father was a trombone player, and my
Growing up as the youngest of five children on North 9th Street in Reading, Theron Cook began to develop the skills which led to becoming a widely recognized artist in the region. He attended 10th and Green Elementary, Northeast Jr High, and graduated from Reading High School in 2003. Through these
As summer closes, and school now underway, Antietam High School Class of 2026 graduate, Jakob Shrem, steps out on his new journey as college freshman at Penn State University in University Park, PA. Saying good-bye to his high school was filled with bittersweet memories of rich experiences which pre
The inspirational journey of a young woman diagnosed with Alopecia at the age of 5 is truly a remarkable story of determination and resilience. Born the second oldest of four daughters to Jeffery and Betsy Woytovich in West Reading, Madison’s diagnosis came just as she was entering kindergarten at S
After years of balancing restaurant work with jobs in health care, Chris Layden eventually found a career that brought together two things that had long interested him: medicine and helping others.Layden is a licensed massage therapist at Sensory Concepts Orthopedic & Medical Massage in Wyomissing,
Born in Allentown, Pa, and raised on a small farm in Danielsville in the Lehigh Valley, Todd Glass was the youngest in a family of seven children. He attended schools in Northampton County, graduating from Northampton Area High School in 1980.“After high school, I applied for some jobs and was hired
Samantha Kaag’s story began in Virginia Beach, Virginia, but her family moved frequently throughout her childhood, to Pennsylvania, and New York at various points in her life. She graduated from Candor High School in New York. “My goal after graduation was to go to college and pursue a degree in bot
Young musician Noah Gibney was well on his way to a musical career long before he left his home in Wyomissing for Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Before receiving a full tuition scholarship to one of the most prominent music schools in the country, the 2025 Wyomissing Area High Sc
Most people notice Cricket because of his size.Standing nearly as tall as some adults when upright and weighing around 200 pounds, the Great Dane turns heads wherever he goes. But it’s not his height that makes him remarkable.At 13 years old, Cricket has already lived well beyond the average lifespa
Born in Reading, the only son of Richard and Lorraine McNeil, Ebony McNeil grew up enjoying his boyhood, doing what boys typically love to do; playing outside most of the time, riding bikes, and spending time at places like the Olivet’s Boys Club, a place that was central to kids in the city of Read
Berks County natives Lori (Hinnershitz) Lilley and her husband, Christopher were both born and raised in the Antietam Valley, Lori in Mt. Penn, and Christopher in Stony Creek. Crystal Lake, once a central part of the historical Carsonia Park era, holds a great deal of sentimental value to both. “I w
From behind the microphone and through the airwaves, Toni Reece has rapidly become a popular radio host and story teller featuring the people of Berks County through her new show Real Life with Toni Reece, a different kind of talk radio on WEEU. To say that Toni is simply a people person is an under
Those who have the pleasure of meeting Michael Toledo will quickly pick up on his reference to “family” in his messages to the community he has been serving for the past 16 years as President and CEO of Centro Hispano in Reading. The concept of family is deeply rooted in his early beginnings as a ch
From his earliest days playing football for Penn Alsace as a young boy, to the NFL, to serving as a coach for many aspiring young players, Bernie Nowartarski remains dedicated to the craft, and to the determination which has helped to sustain him through life’s challenges. Born in St. Joseph’s Hospi
Reading native, Wayne Shifflett grew up in East Reading, attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and Central Catholic High School, graduating in 1969. He attended The Industrial Management Institute at RACC for architectural drafting while working at Pantry Pride grocery store. Following graduation, he
Esteban Ruiz is a testament to the value of music in our schools in Berks County. Born to Maria Velazquez and Jose Ruiz, his family lived in Exeter Township, where Esteban attended the Exeter district schools. “I started playing violin in third grade through the school music program at Owatin Creek
Elise Leid grew up the only child of Jeffery and Stacey Leid, living a carefree life in the countryside of Morgantown, Pa. “We had woods in our back yard, and we had chickens, geese, honey bees, five outside cats, and two dogs. We currently have a farmer that grows hay on my parents property which i
Retired U.S. Army Master Sgt. John Burford has traveled around the world since leaving Reading in 1976, straight out of the gate following his graduation. He eventually married and settled in Temple, Texas where he continues to live a productive and active life with his wife and family. His early li
It’s the season of celebrating the milestone of high school graduation for students around Berks County. The occasion represents the culmination of the work students put forth each step of the way from kindergarten through 12th grade, and how they have made the most of their education by adding in a
Growing up with a twin sister, and the youngest of seven children in the Marburger family, Dennis has fond memories of his home and his neighborhood at Pear and Buttonwood Streets in Reading. “We were never altogether in the house at once,” he recalls. “In fact, the first time the nine of us were to
Robert Leonard II arrived in Reading with decades of fire service experience, but he said it was the sense of community that immediately stood out to him.Originally from Washington, D.C., Leonard moved to Prince George’s County, Maryland, as a teenager and joined the fire service at age 16 after see
Born in Kempton, and growing up on the Lehigh County side, Wayne Holben had his sights set on a career as early elementary school. He recalls, “As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a police officer, and I wanted to help people.”Upon graduating from Northwestern Lehigh High School, he wasted no
As a child living in Pensacola, Florida, Jonathan Mashburn had a passion for electronics. “I loved electronics. I would go to the used book depository and buy them cheap and tinker with them, often reselling them. For years I wanted to do this on the side.” The spirit of entrepreneurship was alive i
