EXPRESS FILE PHOTO Bucktail students and public officials following their presentation on the Hynerpeton at Bucktail High School in April 2025.

HYNER — Students from the Bucktail Student Government are continuing their efforts to designate the Hynerpeton bassetti the state fossil — meeting with legislators on Nov. 18 to lobby for a bill sponsored by state Sen. Cris Dush, R-Pine Creek Township and state Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, R-McElhattan.

A news release noted the Trilobite, currently designated the state fossil, was discovered in Ohio and found everywhere from Canada to Morocco.

The Hynerpeton bassetti. “was even named for the Village of Hyner, Pa., where it was first discovered,” the news release said. “He represents change, adventure, and comes from our very own home.”

“The Student Government is working on the legislative end of this and getting inside knowledge of how our state government works. It’s great for educating our group,” then-student government President Martin Lewis said in an April Sun-Gazette report. “The Ecology class is learning about fossils — we spent a whole unit learning about the history of the Earth to get background on this” topic.