GreatNews.Life Student Voices: Chesterton High School wraps up another year of success and memories

What’s recently happened?

On May 30, the Chesterton High School (CHS) Varsity Boys’ Baseball team boarded the buses to Valparaiso High School to play in the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Sectional tournament. The Trojans faced the Portage Indians in the matchup, where the winner advanced to play in the Sectional championship game. 

The top of the first inning started with a bang as Junior Rob Czarniecki, returning from multiple injuries this season, hit a home run. Sophomore Caden Hackett, also returning from injuries, followed after he hit a double, scoring the Trojans another run. 

Entering the second inning with the lead, the Trojans scored another run, bringing the score to 3-0. However, the lead was short-lived after the Portage High School Indians took over and scored six runs to end the inning.  

After frustrating game delays due to inclement weather and two more runs scored by the Indians in the fourth, the Trojans fell. After the game ended with a score of 8-3, so did Chesterton’s 2025 baseball season. 

“It was definitely frustrating the way we went out. We went into the game confident and were hitting better recently, but a few things didn’t go our way, and we just couldn’t get the job done. This offseason, we will prioritize working on our swings and being in the zone more consistently when pitching. I’m very excited for next year, but this offseason we have to stay focused and work to get better every day,” said Czarniecki.

With high hopes for the next season, Trojan baseball fans can anticipate an exciting performance by the team as they come back determined for success. 

What’s coming up?

On Wednesday, June 4, CHS seniors will take to the football field one last time to attend their graduation ceremony. The long-awaited moment is finally here to be celebrated amongst students, staff, and family members alike. 

“I’m looking forward to new beginnings and a fresh start after high school. I am also really excited about going to college to start my career in teaching,” said Senior Katie Rehtorik.

Gates for early entry will open at 5:30 p.m. Early entry is granted only for friends and family members of graduates who have been given tickets. General entry for the ceremony will begin at 6 p.m., which allows all guests to join in the celebration of these students and their future endeavors. 

The ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. after students walk from the fieldhouse to the football field and have been seated. Once graduation concludes, friends and family are welcome to join students on the field to take pictures and celebrate the class of 2025 as they move on to the next chapter of their lives.

Staff spotlight:

Danielle Gingrich is a business teacher at CHS. She has been a teacher for four years and has spent all those years at Chesterton. Growing up in Valparaiso and being familiar with the area ultimately led Gingrich to apply for a teaching position at Duneland Schools. 

Gingrich always knew teaching was in her future. After high school, she attended Ball State University where she started in education, but later switched to business. After switching to the business route, Gingrich graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s in marketing. She then attended Indiana Wesleyan University, where she graduated with her Transition to Teaching certificate, and Western Governors University, where she obtained her master’s of Business Administration degree. 

“Education was always something I knew I wanted to end up doing. I want to make a difference in kids’ lives and provide them with multiple opportunities to explore different avenues and approaches to learning and life,” said Gingrich. 

Outside of teaching, Gingrich sponsors the CHS Red Cross Club and is a co-advisor for the Business Professionals of America (BPA) club. As the co-advisor for the BPA club, Gingrich takes students to participate in business-related competitions against schools from all across the country.

Free time for Gingrich is spent outside or with her family. Gingrich travels across the country watching her daughter play soccer competitively, but she also enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and daughter-in-law. She also loves reading, tending to her plants, and soaking up sunshine during the summer months.

Gingrich wants her students to know they can do anything they put their minds to. She hopes they are inspired to do great, big things, and she loves to see where her students end up after graduation. 

“The most rewarding thing about being a teacher is watching kids grow, finding their path, and connecting with them. The 2025 class is my first four-year group, and I’m so excited to see what they go on to do and hear about all of their life adventures,” said Gingrich.

Student spotlight:

Jocelyn Ringler is a senior at CHS. She just completed her last days of high school and is now waiting to cross the stage and receive her diploma at the upcoming CHS graduation ceremony. 

Throughout her high school career, Ringler has kept herself busy each spring and fall as a member of two CHS sports teams. Ringler was a player for the Varsity CHS Girls Soccer team and a player and captain of the Varsity CHS Girls Lacrosse team. Ringler also channeled her knowledge and talented skills in lacrosse to teach and coach the sport to middle schoolers, allowing younger lacrosse players to gain first-hand experience from a high school-level athlete.

“Outside of sports and coaching, I was a captain for spellbowl, a staff member on natural helpers retreats, an editor of the school yearbook, and a cadet teacher,” Ringler said.  

Cadet teaching is a great opportunity for aspiring teachers to gain classroom experience and connect with real students. As a member of the program, Ringler was able to assist a sixth-grade teacher at Liberty Middle School and learn more about the day-to-day life of a teacher. Cadet teaching was right up Ringler’s alley as she plans to become a social studies teacher after going to college and getting her degree. 

“After graduation, I am most looking forward to attending Purdue University. There, I will study Social Studies Education with the plan to become a teacher someday,” Ringler said.

After arguably one of the busiest years of high school, Ringler is just one of many students celebrating the completion of a major chapter in life. A new adventure awaits Ringler in West Lafayette, and her hard work throughout the past four years has gotten her to this point. This tremendous accomplishment will soon be celebrated on the CHS football field with her friends, family, and the community of Chesterton.