GreatNews.Life Student Voices: Whiting High School is ready to finish the year strong

What’s recently happened?

The ISSMA solo and ensemble is here for Whiting High School (WHS), and the band and choir has had much success this year.

ISSMA solo and ensemble is a chance for instrumental and vocal students to show their talents by performing classical music in front of a judge for a chance to win medal. The high school band has seen much success in ISSMA and is excited to go back again this year.

There are multiple divisions that students can choose to perform in. Any division lower than division one allows students to choose their own song under certain guidelines. If students enter into Division One, they pick their song from a certain list, which is updated every four years.

If a student earns gold in division one, they are given the chance to go to state, if they choose to do so. At state, students will perform the same song they did the first time for another judge for the chance to medal again.

Going to state is an amazing opportunity for students looking to go into music and show off their skills. It can also build the confidence of students to expand their knowledge of music.

The three choir members who participated in ISSMA this year all got gold, as well as all the band members who went to state.

What’s coming up?

The Whiting High School Theater Company, formerly known as The Drama Club, held auditions for the “Brunch Club” and is now starting practices for their new production. The play will be open to the public in April.

Students involved in the production are very excited to be back. Due to construction in the auditorium, all activities there had to stop. This didn’t just close production for the theater company. The music department had to move its concerts to the high school gym for the past two years. Other activities, like National Honor Society inductions and 8th-grade promotions, had to be moved as well.

The auditorium had its official reopening at the last music concert. It started with a cutting ceremony, followed by music, and ended with a discussion and cupcakes. The construction done was just for the stage and the roof. The auditorium now has a better setting, a new catwalk, and so many more options for lighting.

As for the Theater Company, this opens the door for them to bring back plays. Their first production, The Brunch Club, is a twist on the iconic movie “The Breakfast Club.” Instead of six normal seniors alone in detention, what if they turn into zombies? The show takes over four hilarious scenes to show the outcome of a zombie Saturday.

The cast consists of students from all grade levels. For some, this is their first production, and for others, this is something they are used to doing. Even those who have not been in many plays have other experiences that allow them to perform well in front of an audience. Activities such as band help many of those in theater, as they are used to being in front of people and learn how to use the sound systems.

“Working with different parts of the crew and not just us actors and seeing the show come together through our hard work is all worth it in the end,” said senior Joaquin Sanchez.

Those not interested in performing on stage can still be part of the Whiting Theater Company. There is hair, makeup, lighting, stage props, and so much more to get involved in. By getting involved in a production like The Brunch Club, students have the opportunity to learn many things.

“Our goal to accomplish through the Whiting Theater Company is to build a program where students can discover their voice, creativity, hone their craft, and grow as a student, individual, and artist. We want this program to grow in our school community to allow more extracurricular options for all students. With time, we hope to put on 3 productions. One in the fall, winter, and spring musical. We also hope to bring in our music, art, and ELA departments for co-curricular cooperation. We want our Theater Company to reflect our student body and show our Oiler pride,” said Jill Monroe, WHS teacher.

Staff Spotlight:

Adam Musielak is the athletic director and Dean of Students at WHS. He is in charge of running all athletic events for the high school and making sure everything runs smoothly. Even though he is not a teacher anymore, he always knew he wanted to be a part of education.

“I knew I wanted to be in education or coaching from a young age. Helping others was always an interest of mine. Doing youth camps while in high school, I enjoyed teaching and coaching the younger player,” said Musielak.

Musielak has had a long history of teaching already. He has been in education for over 10 years at multiple locations. He started teaching in Griffith, went to Munster, worked at Calumet College of St. Joseph for a bit, then became the Dean of Students at River Forest before coming to Whiting.

He hopes to help his students succeed through many factors. It starts when hiring new coaches for athletic programs. Hiring the right people to help motivate students, he says, is very important. He publicly celebrates academic and athletic achievements as much as he can to help motivate students to keep going. He encourages students to always try something new and continue growing in all that they can.

“Remember to take time to reflect and appreciate where you are in life. Although there may be tough days and things out of your control, it is important to really appreciate things. It is impossible to get through life alone, and although it may feel like it at times, know that there are a lot of positives going for all of us in life,” said Musielak.

Student Spotlight

Fatima Torres is a senior at WHS and has been attending since her freshman year. She is a top ten student. She is a member of the National Honor Society, WHS Band, Spanish Club, and Art Club.

Her goals this year are to get good grades and get a bit out of her comfort zone. She hopes to make many memories with her friends before graduation and keep those connections through college. She is doing her best and can’t wait to start a new chapter in life.

Even though she is a part of many clubs, she says the art club is her favorite. She has been drawing for a long time and is very good at it. She says she enjoys the freedom to create whatever she is thinking and try new ideas.

Her motivations include her friends and family, a strong support system for her. She is also excited for college. She plans to attend Purdue University to study Interior Design. Knowing where her future can lead her gives her strong motivations to finish out her high school career strongly.