GreatNews.Life Student Voices: Unity Within the Community, Chesterton Back at it Again

What’s recently happened?

On Tuesday, August 11, a destructive storm swept through Northwest Indiana, creating chaos throughout the region as people from several counties in the surrounding area were affected. These storms not only pushed back the starting school dates for many districts, but also caused significant damage throughout neighborhoods. This storm caused a regional power outage that left over 290,000 Indiana residents without electricity; some households continued for weeks without power.

While these powerful storms have devastated the Northwest Indiana region, they’ve also brought the community together to help one another in these desperate times. Several Strack & Van Til locations offered free meals for those in need, along with water and external support. Local churches also held supply distribution events, providing food and necessities for those who had lost their resources. Ultimately, the biggest support system throughout this catastrophe came from people who shared the same struggle.

Whether it’s residents from the town over or neighbors down the road, we were able to see this misfortune fuel a glint of altruism. A genuine concern for one another, as locals were experiencing a crisis together is what strengthened them at this time was a universal wish for peace.

What’s coming up?

The Chesterton High School (CHS) Girls Volleyball team has had an exciting start to their 2026 season. With a 6-2 standing score for games played in August, the girls are optimistic about what the team has in store for the rest of the season.

​“We expect wins from the team,” said senior Kristianna Spencer.

This past week alone has had epic games against the La Porte Slicers, beating them 3-0, along with Lake Central High, dominating another 3-0 game.

Senior Luca Bombacino is a force to be reckoned with. An outsider hitter with an average 5.7 kills per set, Bombacino comes into her own as she steps onto the court, ready to bring her best for her school. Asset seniors Madison Gilliam and Kristianna Spencer have also honed in on their skills to help carry the team through the rest of the season.

Junior Reese Dilbeck recently reached her 1000-set milestone during an August 25 game against the La Porte Slicers. This accomplishment was a testament to the hard work that is seen within the girls’ team. Their synchronized chemistry is unlike any other, constantly communicating on the court to help generate consistency throughout matches.

“I think everyone’s really stepped into their positions,” Bombicino said.

With the Plymouth Powerball Volleyball Tournament around the corner, the Lady Trojans are confident that they have what it takes to bring home another victory, and many more to come.

Staff Spotlight:

Chesterton’s top geometry wiz, Natalie Kaczmarski, has been teaching at CHS for seven years. She graduated from Butler University with a double major in middle and secondary mathematics, along with a master’s in secondary education. What started as playing pretend school as a child led to a meaningful career of teaching her favorite subject and having an impact on other kids’ lives.

Kaczmarski is quite the whimsical teacher at Chesterton. She storms the halls on the last day of every school week, yelling “happy Friday” to kids to get them excited for the weekend, and offering high fives to those who walk past her. She is all about good vibes, a standard in her classroom that she is passionate about upholding.

Kaczmarski is famously known for her viral TikTok video of an original remix to the popular Drake song, “Rich Baby Daddy.” Her rendition has 21.6 million views on her personal account alone, with over 4 million likes.

“It was accidental,” said Kaczmarski. “I had no intention of it going viral.”

The hit video swept the internet, growing in popularity on countless creative platforms. She had the opportunity to do interviews with big media news outlets such as Fox 32 News, Good Morning America, and the Northwest Indiana Times.

Kaczmarski explains the vigorous process that goes into practicing her yearly back to school raps. With a performance date set to the first day back from summer break, it takes about a month and a half to produce her unique version from start to finish. A lot of dedication goes into this sacred tradition, as she enjoys concocting her own interpretation of popular hits.

She starts her process by first choosing a song to transform, Drake always being the top contender. Kaczmarski then spends her summer writing the lyrics to her rap, along with practicing over the instrumental version of the original song. After she’s conquered the beat, she memorizes her lyrics and makes final tweaks before the summer’s over.

This staple Kaczmarski production is one of the reasons why students love her class. An environment built off of a love for knowledge and positive energy, she’s shaped her classroom into a place for kids to feel excited about learning. With a good mindset and a hearty motto, she instills that same way of life into her students.

“Good vibes. Good vibes only, ” Kaczmarski said.

Student Spotlight:

From the wrestling mat to the nursing home, Ally Williams is set on making senior year unlike any other. With one final year at CHS, Williams wants to go out with a bang and make the most of her high school days before graduation.

​This dedicated athlete has been a part of the Chesterton wrestling team for the past four years. Even before it was considered an official sport, Williams committed herself physically and mentally to being the best. She is dedicated to improving, and spends hours working out after school at the gym, sometimes not getting home until 9 p.m. One of her favorite wrestling moves is the snapdown, known for slamming your opponent to the ground, getting an advantage point on them. With her last year as a Trojan wrestler, she wants to continue to grow alongside her teammates, doing what she loves and making memories that will last a lifetime.

In the future, Williams hopes to go into the medical field. She’s currently in an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) profession program out of Hobart, on track to receive her EMT certification by the end of the year. She credits this as one of her favorite classes.

“In a few weeks we’re gonna start clinicals, which is going on ambulances and going to the ER. We’ll also get to go to the fire department, so I’m really excited for it,” Williams said.

Williams is also considering bringing her medical abilities to a nursing home, as she’s grown a love for working with senior citizens. Her previous job at StoryPoint Chesterton as a waitress helped solidify this passion for helping others.

​“I love the residents so much,” Williams said. “I would even get them birthday presents; I really didn’t want to leave.”

​While she no longer works at StoryPoint, she still stops by to visit from time to time, as she’s built strong relationships with many of the residents.

“We had this one lady, Betty, and I would always visit her on my off hours. One time she said to me, ‘Nobody’s called or checked up on me today; you’re saving my life right now.’ It’s things like that that make it so special,” Williams said.

One thing about Williams is that she’s always going to be there for the people she cares about. Her social personality and inviting smile come from a genuine love of others and getting to be a part of their story.