GreatNews.Life Student Voices: Seniors take the focus in September at Morgan Township High School

What’s recently happened?

As the first quarter progresses, seniors at Morgan Township High School (MTHS) have been participating in a variety of school-wide activities.

In late September, seniors at MTHS were allowed to paint their parking spots for the first time in the school’s history. The parking spots are now individualized with the unique designs courtesy of the seniors’ creativity and hard work, a bright splash of color that is a tribute to senior year and what it may bring.

“The parking spot painting was super fun! It was so cool seeing all the different colors and designs everyone was making, and it was nice to spend the day outside in the sun,” said senior Joselyn Jurasevich.

The first round of senior banners were taken in September, for a variety of fall sports and other school events. Seniors in girls and boys soccer and cross country, girls volleyball, and Drama Club all had their pictures taken and their banners ordered.

September 21-25 was College Go Week and seniors at MTHS were encouraged to explore options for their future, apply to college, and learn about the admissions process and scholarships.

“College Go Week was very helpful for figuring out what college you want to go to, especially for people who haven’t extensively planned out their future,” said senior Lola Forney.

What’s coming up?

In October, both the MTHS band and choir will have their fall concerts. The band concert will take place on October 7 in the high school gym, and the choir concert will be on October 28 in the high school cafeteria.

The East Porter County School Corporation (EPCSC) will have its annual music festival in October as well. This concert will be held on October 14 at Kouts High School (KHS) and will feature the MTHS, KHS, and Washington High School bands and choirs.

“I’m really excited for the upcoming choir concert. I love every concert, but the EPCSC Music Festival holds a special place in my heart. It’s really cool how all three schools can come together just to make music as one big group. This concert includes the band and the choir, with both performing on the same night,” said choir senior Luke Snow. “For choir, we are singing a wide variety of beautiful music, including a latin song, ‘Ad Astra,’ a spiritual song, ‘Hold On,’ an ABBA medley, and more. It’s going to be a fantastic concert!”

On October 19, the MTHS National Honor Society (NHS) will be holding its annual induction ceremony for new members in the high school cafeteria. The induction ceremony is a time spent celebrating new NHS members.

October is also time for fall sports sectionals. The girls and boys soccer teams, girls volleyball team, and boys and girls cross country teams will all be competing in sectionals this October. With several games and meets, there are countless opportunities for students to come and support the athletes.

“We’re pretty confident going into sectionals after such a strong season. We’ve been working hard and hope to show that,” said soccer senior Matthew Turski.

Staff spotlight:

Michelle O’Dell is the MTHS guidance counselor and has been working closely with the student body to support them through their educational journey.

“This school year I am looking forward to getting to know the students better and to understand each of their future goals. High school is a stepping stone that can open the door for many opportunities,” O’Dell said. “We have so much to offer at MTHS, so some students must make difficult decisions on which direction to go — there are only so many hours in the day to accomplish everything one wants to pursue.”

O’Dell began working at MTHS last year as an interim guidance counselor and started this year as a full-time employee. She enjoys the tight-knit community in MTHS and looks forward to attending various student events, such as volleyball or basketball games and Drama Club productions.

“I was a special educator for 12 years and decided to go back to school for my masters degree. I wanted to help guide more than a small population of students,” O’Dell said. “Being a guidance counselor allows me to work with a full spectrum of students.”

O’Dell encourages students to strive to be the best they can be, to compete against themselves instead of each other. She also advocates for kindness and a welcoming attitude that fits MTHS’s values.

“I want to make a positive influence on those I interact with. I am here to guide and help individuals see different possible opportunities and not feel they are locked into one thing or another,” O’Dell said.

Outside of MTHS, O’Dell is a wife, mother, and grandmother to three granddaughters. She also enjoys escaping into her sewing room for some quiet time and creating quilts and other crafts.

Student spotlight:

Laila Barker is a senior at MTHS, and an integral part of the community. She is involved in Student Council, Varsity Girls Soccer, the MTHS choir, Drama Club, and NHS. Outside of school, she is part of her church’s youth group, which she has been the president of for the last few years.

“In high school, I was honored to receive the Morgan Award, an award given to a select number of students each year that demonstrates citizenship, academic rigor, and character — everything it means to be a student at MTHS,” Barker said. “I was also nominated my junior and senior year as a captain on the girl’s soccer team for my leadership skills.”

Barker plans to serve on a mission for her church after high school and later wants to attend Brigham Young University for a degree in English education. After college, she plans to become a middle school English teacher.

“My senior year has been kind of hectic so far, but I have been loving my teaching cadet program,” Barker said. “I get the opportunity to observe a sixth grade class and teach them creative writing skills. Their energy and humor cracks me up, and I can’t wait until I have my own class.”

Barker enjoys spending time with her peers, cheering them on in extracurricular activities and in life. For many students at MTHS, Barker is a friendly face and someone they know they can rely on.

“MTHS may be small, but I think that’s the beauty of it. Everyone knows each other: their families, their talents, their struggles. As I’ve bounced around friend groups, I’ve gotten to know a lot of different kinds of people on a deeper level, and I’ve learned that everyone really does have a spark of light in them that deserves to be seen,” Barker said.