GreatNews.Life Student Voices: Portage’s passionate professionals

What’s recently happened?

A blood drive was held at Portage High School (PHS) on March 5. Donations came from staff and students alike. The American Red Cross staff ensured that every donor was screened almost immediately and taken back for their donation in a timely manner.

The success of the event would not have been as great without the aid of the Health Science Vocational Students. They volunteered their class time to aid by passing out snacks, water, and checking everyone in. 

Junior Zaisha Woolsey enjoyed interacting with the donors.

“I enjoyed the interactions with the donors, like making sure they’re okay and seeing the reason why they donated blood,” Woolsey said.

What’s coming up?

Indianapolis is the destination for the bright minds of the Business Professionals of America (BPA) students; several from PHS are going to the state-wide competition. Students in BPA compete in various competitions, ranging from finance to design. Students get also get to experience the state capital. 

Senior Laila Moses is excited for the trip and being included in the event.

“A lot of the details of what happens at state are kept from new members, so I’m excited to be a part of the secret,” Moses said. 

Students attending the competition will be celebrated with a send-off on Friday, March 6, and will compete starting Sunday, March 8 to Tuesday, March 10. 

Staff Spotlight

Very few corners of the world have been left unexplored by PHS art teacher Aaron Melendez-Castro. He grow up in downtown Los Angeles (LA), before he moved to Indiana for his senior year of high school and attended Valparaiso University to study art. In his downtime, he either visited or lived in Ireland, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Mongolia, Japan, and more. 

Melendez-Castro reflects on his life, from humble beginnings to now.

“I’ve gone from a kid in downtown LA and being very poor, to now having crazy life experiences and getting to do and see many things,” Melendez-Castro said.

Melendez-Castro has found that his viewpoint on art was changed heavily by two key figures, both who taught him different things about the study. The first was a teacher he had in college, who personally took him under his wing.

“Jay Daughtery was my art teacher and he changed my perspective on what should and should not be accepted in the professional art world because of social norms,” Melendez-Castro said.

Daughtery taught him to challenge social norms, while Bob Sirko taught him peace. At a coffee shop Melendez-Castro worked at, Sirko had a show of pieces reflecting on a recent cancer diagnosis. His artistic statement stuck out to Melendez-Castro.

“His statement was very simple. ‘I am a 76 year old man. My son is healthy, my wife is well, I will be okay,’ and there is something so beautifully simple about that. It changed how I felt on knowing when to be okay with my work,” he explained.

A key aspect of Melendez-Castro’s identity as both an artist and person is rebelliousness. He refuses to stick to the status quo, preferring to push boundaries and explore what society deems too taboo. He notes that most famous artists tend to be outcasts from their time.

“The people who have stories to tell are never the people society wants you to see right away, and ironically are the people most remembered,” Melendez-Castro explained.

Melendez-Castro imparts a key message to his students, encouraging them to question what they have been taught is normal.

“Your defiance to what people have accepted as normal is not a negative thing,” Melendez-Castro said.

Student Spotlight

Passionate since preschool, Senior Violet Johnson has been doing art for just about as long as she can remember. The process is something she enjoys, finding fun in all aspects of it.

“The most important thing to me about art is that I’m having fun and doing something I enjoy,” Johnson said.

Johnson particularly enjoys her current class, AP 2-D Art and Design. In this class, students make twenty pieces following a theme of their own choosing. Johnson’s theme is one that hits close to home for many: growing up. 

“My theme is the transition from childhood to adulthood, I have a lot of substance for it and it’s something I think a lot about, so I can create a lot of meaningful pieces,” Johnson explained.

Out of a wide selection of art classes, Johnson saw a unique possibility in her AP class that most others lacked, a possibility which prepared her for a future career in art.

“I know that I want to do art at some point later, and I liked the creative freedom that you might not get in other classes,”

One of her most recent pieces is a painting of her and an important person in her life. It is a piece that stands out both visually and emotionally.

“It’s an acrylic painting of me and my best friend Taylor in a pool. It’s very fun,” Johnson said.

Another pivotal piece was from Johnson’s drawing class.

“There’s one that I really liked that I did my sophomore year. It was a chalk pastel piece of my brother at this creek in Tennessee,” Johnson said.

Johnson notes her fellow classmates as heavy inspirations for her process. 

“My classmate Avah inspires me a lot. She makes so many pieces that are so good. Everyone in my AP class is incredible,” Johnson explained.

A former art teacher, Gretchen Bishop, also helped Johnson greatly during her time at PHS.

“Mrs. Bishop and I, while she was here, were pretty close. She was very encouraging towards my art,”

To other aspiring artists, Johnson has a touch of advice to share.

“Don’t take it so seriously in your art classes just yet. You may want to make your assignments perfect but classes are just about practice,” said Johnson.