Bret & Laura Wiest

 

 

 

 

 

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Bret Wiest graduated from NL in 2005.  He has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Economics from Ursinus College (2009), and he holds a Juris Doctor degree from Widener Law School (2012).  Bret has been an attorney at Buzgon Davis Law Offices in Lebanon, PA since 2012, and he was recently named a partner in the business.  His practice focuses on assisting for-profit and non-profit businesses of all sizes and in all phases of their life cycle, from start-up to transactional to sale and dissolution; residential and commercial real estate; and estate planning and administration.  He also co-owns a coffee company, Tioga Rise, that focuses only on premium instant coffee for outdoor enthusiasts; it is sold through e-commerce channels and a few small retailers.  Additionally, along with his wife, Bret is a real estate investor with a focus on multi-unit properties.

Laura (Martin) Wiest graduated from NL in 2003.  She has earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education degree from Millersville University, a Master’s degree in Education from Gratz College, and a Master’s degree in Online Teaching from Wilke’s University.  Laura taught at Fredericksburg Elementary school for three years, and she has taught sixth and seventh grade English Language Arts at the NL Middle School since 2010.  During her time at NL, Laura has coached soccer and field hockey, advised the MS Service Club, and taught in the V3 Academy.  Currently, she is a sixth grade team leader, advisor for the Valiant Vikes (NLMS student rewards program), and a chaperone for the Ski Club. 

Laura and Bret live in Fredericksburg, PA, where they purchased land on a family farm.  They have twins, Grady and Ava (age 4), and a younger son, Miles (age 1).  The Wiests look forward to raising their children as Vikings.  As a family, they enjoy skiing, hiking, bike riding, swimming, and spending cabin weekends in Tioga County and beach weekends in Delaware with their extended families.  Laura likes to spend her free time reading, playing games, and spending time with family and friends.  Bret enjoys hunting, fly fishing, backpacking, mountain biking, skiing, and cooking. 

During her time at NL, Laura appreciated “the way teachers went above and beyond teaching me academics. It was evident that my teachers cared about my life outside of the classroom. They demonstrated it by supporting me in ways surrounding my health, sports, future, and life in general.   These interactions inspired me to become a teacher who works to show my students that same sentiment as well as to teach them more than the curriculum.”  Bret adds, “I made lifelong friends at Northern Lebanon that I remain close with today. I learned the value of setting goals, developing a plan to work towards your goals, maintaining focus, and following through with action.”

The following is Laura’s advice for current NL students: READ. One of my main goals each year is to help my students become lifelong readers and in turn; lifelong learners! Explore books, find a genre(s) you enjoy, and continue learning through reading! 
The following is Bret’s advice for current NL students: Attitude is so important. It dictates how people receive you and your own success; with the right one you will see opportunity in each experience and all of the ups and downs of life.

 

 

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