GreatNews.Life Student Voices: Valparaiso begins school year late due to storms

What’s recently happened?

The start of the school year here at Valparaiso High School (VHS) has been an eventful one. Freshman and new student orientation on Tuesday, August 11, went as planned, as incoming students toured the building, became familiar with their schedules and learned about clubs and activities they can join in VHS.

Soon after students began to be dismissed, alarms and sirens sounded, warning of severe weather. New students, the students at orientation to volunteer for National Honor Society (NHS) and clubs, and teachers were all stuck in the building until the storm ended around an hour later.

The storm, which swept through Northwest Indiana, postponed the start of the school year until Tuesday, August 18, a week after the storm. Due to lost time, many classes had to condense beginning-of-the-year activities in an effort to catch up.

Many activities started right away, too, such as handing out the 2025-2026 yearbooks, which had the theme of “Building Connections,” during all lunch sections during the first week of school.

“We did a fabulous job of carrying our theme throughout the book, it was one of the best yearbooks I’ve ever produced,” Yearbook Advisor Susan Hoffman said. “I felt confident that we created a yearbook that people would be happy to have!”

Another unique aspect to the beginning of this school year is the district’s new cellphone policy, which was created in alignment with Indiana’s Senate Bill 78, which outlines the bell-to-bell personal wireless device ban.

As the school year begins, many clubs begin meetings too. Most clubs and extracurriculars have had their callout meeting in the past few days, and Drama Club has already finished their audition process for the fall musical, “Wonderland.”

What’s coming up?

One major event that happens at the beginning of every school year is the Popcorn Festival. This year’s 47th annual Popcorn Festival will be held on Saturday, September 12. This year’s theme is “Poppin’ Through the Decades.” The festival takes place in downtown Valparaiso and begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m., giving attendees the opportunity to browse over 300 booths.

The Popcorn Parade, which ends its run on Campbell Street, will begin at 10 a.m. During the parade, local businesses, schools, political groups, and more make floats to advertise their goods and celebrate Valparaiso’s Popcorn Fest traditions.

Last year, VHS’s own orchestra won the title of “Best New Float,” for their float, which included a cello covered in popcorn kernels. Many other VHS groups will be represented in the parade, including the marching band, Varsity Singers, and the Vikettes.

Inside of VHS, many sports have begun having games and events every week, in addition to practices. Upcoming home games include a Girls’ Golf home match and a Girls’ Flag Football home game on September 14, a Boys’ Soccer home game on September 16, Boys’ Tennis and Girls’ Volleyball meets on September 17, and a home Football game on September 18 against Chesterton.

In addition, senior picture day is coming up on September 14-15. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors already had their school photos taken in late August.

After the rest of the school pictures are taken, VHS’s Homecoming football game and dance will take place on September 26.

Staff spotlight:

School Counselor Kari Owney has been familiar with the Region since she was little. A native of Lake Station, Owney received her Bachelors from Lincoln Christian University in Illinois. After taking a few years off when her kids were young, Owney decided to pursue a masters degree in school counseling from Indiana Wesleyan University.

“I had a really good high school counselor. She really poured into the students and made a difference for us. That definitely influenced me, and also having older kids myself, I would have wanted them to have really good counselors too,” Owney said. “I wanted to do something that made a difference for kids, where I could be a support for them and be available for them when they made their decisions in life planning.”

Owney has been living in Valparaiso for 13 years, and has spent eight of those years here at VHS. Before being a high school counselor in Valparaiso, Owney was an elementary school counselor in Portage for two years.

“I like high school much more than elementary,” Owney said. “As far as the individual time with students that I get, the post-secondary planning with elementary was more lessons in the classroom and social work type work.”

Owney’s main job at the high school involves making schedules for students, helping them with post-high school planning, and answering students’ daily questions.

“The most important part of my job is listening to kids and supporting them,” Owney said. “Each student is different in what they want to do after school, so it’s my job to support them however I possibly can in whatever decisions. That’s the most important part.”

Though Owney enjoys this part of her job, and understands the importance of what she does, she also acknowledges that there are some challenges when helping students through their high school career.

“My students share painful things that they’re going through in their lives or difficulties they’re facing,” Owney said. “I want to be there to support them. Sometimes, I go home and think and worry about the things that I can’t necessarily control.”

Through the ups and downs of high school, Owney helps guide VHS students towards what they want to achieve, whether that be crafting the perfect schedule for sophomore year or helping a senior through the college application process. Her process of helping students is influenced by her own wishes for her students.

“Looking back, when I was a teenager, I feel like I made a lot of safe decisions, as far as careers and that kind of thing,” Owney said. “It’s okay to not be afraid to take a risk. To really chase your dreams and your passions, and try to find a job that you enjoy working in every day.”

Student spotlight:

Senior Tyleia Wash has achieved a lot in her three years at VHS. She moved to Valparaiso in the November of her Sophomore year from Kansas City, Missouri, which was an adjustment.

“I’m a big family person. Most of my family lives in Illinois, so being farther away from them can be difficult. My family is my peace, and being around them helps me feel comfortable being myself,” Walsh said. “They have taught me to love and care for other people and have created a healthy and supportive environment for me. I think those experiences have shaped me into someone who values kindness, family, and being true to myself.”

Despite having to be away from a lot of her family members, Wash has created her own community here in Valparaiso, as she is involved in many of the extracurricular activities that VHS has to offer.

“I’m the vice president of Key Club and the president of S.T.A.N.D.,” Wash said. “I’m also a member of Team Lead and recently joined HOSA. I enjoy being involved because these activities give me opportunities to meet new people, develop leadership skills, and contribute to my school community.”

As President of Students Together and Naturally Diverse (STAND) Club, Wash also has the opportunity to create communities for those around her. STAND Club’s mission is to create safe spaces for everyone by leading events that promote cultural awareness and exchange.

“I’ve always cared about diversity, especially because I’m part of the smaller percentage of African American students in Valparaiso,” Wash said. “I wanted to help spread love and kindness and create a strong community where everyone feels welcome and accepted. It’s important to bring people together and create an environment where everyone can feel comfortable being themselves.”

In addition to being involved in community-building activities, Wash was also on the yearbook staff for three years, one year at her high school in Kansas City, and two years here in Valparaiso. While on the yearbook staff, Wash designed pages, interviewed her peers, and took photos around the school.

“Yearbook helped me develop my communication skills and taught me how to approach and talk to people more confidently,” Wash said. “It also created a positive environment and gave me an interest in journalism. Overall, the experience helped me become more open and comfortable connecting with others.”

Wash’s favorite class at VHS has been zoology, which is taught by the sponsor of STAND club, Ms. Bernardi. She is also currently taking one of the vocationals that VHS offers.

“I’m taking dental as my CTE course because I want to become a dental assistant,” Wash said. “I’ve been enjoying it so far. I find it interesting to learn about teeth, gums, and oral health. It’s exciting to learn more about a career that I hope to pursue in the future.”

Along with becoming a certified dental assistant, Wash wants to have the chance to explore many different cultures and travel, specifically to Seoul, South Korea.

“I’m excited to see where life takes me and to experience different places and cultures while continuing to grow as a person,” Wash said.