GreatNews.Life Student Voices: Courts, curtains, and comebacks: Staff take on seniors, Variety Show shines, history teacher inspires, and students excel across events

What’s recently happened?

The yearly La Porte High School (LPHS) Staff versus Senior Basketball Game was held on Wednesday April 1, and the staff won with a score of 102-70.

Many beloved teachers participated in this event, from physical education staff to the Girls and Boys Basketball coaches. Even administrators participated in this fun tradition.

Many members of the Girls and Boys Basketball, Girls Flag Football, Boys Tennis, and Boys Swim teams also participated in this event.

This year had one of the highest scoring games from both sides, leading to a thrilling game for both teams.

This event is run by the Student Council and is sponsored by Angela Lowry. The proceeds for this event went to Riley Children’s Hospital, which LPHS has worked with closely for many years.

What’s coming up?

The LPHS annual Variety Show will be held this Friday, April 17 in the Performing Arts Center.

The Variety Show is a fun and exciting event for students, teachers, and clubs to show off their hidden talents. Students go through an audition process, and the teachers of the Performing Arts department decide what will be presented.

This year, there are many students who have made it, and many will be singing covers. Junior Molly Cooper will be singing “Stars and the Moon,” Senior Andy Harbich will be singing “Ring of Fire,” and many more will be seen. Senior Henry Denger will be performing an original song titled “Once a Slicer, Always a Slicer.”

“I am very excited to do it. After all, who wouldn’t want to hear a song written by Henry Denger, with the only instrument being crash cymbals?” Denger said.

There will also be musical performances from the LPHS band Hard Copy. They will be performing the song “Beaches,” and sophomore Max Weiler will be performing “Not Ready To Die.” One of the musical performances will be with the duo Wes Wagner and Ryan Panos, who will be singing “Write this Down.”

The class acts will be from the show choir, who will be singing “Come Alive,” and the jazz band performing “Tank.”

The Variety Show is sure to be a hit, tickets are $5 and can be purchased on the day of the performance. The show will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Staff spotlight:

Taryn Grin has been teaching LPHS for five years, and she has made learning history fun for those interested and new to the subject.

Grin has been at LPHS her whole teaching career. She has taught World History & Civilization as well as Geography previously. She currently teaches AP World History: Modern and United States History.

“Some things that make LPHS special are the collaborative bond I have with my social studies colleagues and the support and trust of our building administration. Educators know how rare it can be to have both of those qualities within a school,” Grin said.

Grin is extremely passionate about what she teaches. Originally, she was going to study history and anthropology. Her end goal was to pursue museum studies with an interest in archival curation and preservation, but teaching history became her main focus.

“When teaching, in my opinion, liking a subject is not enough. There needs to be a passion to help students learn and grow academically and personally,” Grin said.

In the classroom, Grin helps students learn by challenging their thinking. By going in depth and exploring beyond the surface of the topics, students learn and retain information more effectively.

“Learning is all about collaboration where teacher-driven and student-centered learning should coexist for maximum learning. In my classroom, I strive to create an environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, challenging ideas, and engaging in meaningful discussion. My role as a facilitator of learning includes guiding students as they interpret primary sources, construct arguments, and make connections between the past and present by encouraging inquiry and student voice,” Grin said.

Grin hopes that students gain a better understanding of the world around them through her class. Teaching students the past can unlock a better understanding of the current world, which is what makes Grin’s teaching so effective for many students.

Student spotlight:

Avery Bean is a senior at LPHS who has walked every route of high school campus life. From choir to track, she has tried anything and everything.

Bean excels in more than just extracurricular activities; she has taken AP US History as well as many honors classes. Some of her favorite classes over the years have been 3D Art, Geology, Probability & Statistics, and American Sign Language.

“I always told myself that I needed to push myself until I succeeded in my goals. Even when it gets challenging, I stick to it until I see the reward that I worked so hard for,” Bean said.

Outside of academics, Bean has participated in French Club for four years, Advanced Choir for three years, and this year will be her second year in track. Previously, she ran the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, and long jump. This year, she is throwing the discus and shot put.

“I do track and have friends that I made on the team; it’s like a little family that I love being involved in. I also do track for the discipline that it gives me. It makes me work harder for my goals, and that makes me a better person in the long run,” Bean said

After high school, Bean is planning to attend Valparaiso University with a major in economics. The goal is to work in finance so she can have a stable career to rely on. She chose this because of her teacher Rob Schellinger, who inspired her to pursue a career in business. Though her decisions aren’t set in stone, Bean knows that she wants to pursue a career in economics.