What’s recently happened?
School is back in session. This year, Bishop Noll Institute (BNI) has over 684 students and welcomed 17 new staff members.
On the first day of school, seniors went to Whihala Beach for Senior Sunrise. Although the day was gloomy, they made the best of their morning and had fun.
This is the first year BNI has let seniors paint their parking spots. Students spent several hours designing, painting, and having fun.
“It was fun seeing all my classmates' ideas come to life. I am super happy with the way my design worked out,” said Senior Molly Whelan.
Additionally, the football team has been growing. The team bond is strong even though most of the team just met. Their first game was against a tough 4A school and the second game showed a lot of mistakes to overcome. Win or lose, the team’s goal is to improve.
Coach Tyler Milby joined the team last year. This is his first home game at BNI with the new field, and he is ecstatic.
“I expect students and fans to pack every home game. The field should be jumping every home game, and I know we are excited to see everyone come out and see us,” said Milby.
The soccer teams also had their home opener, and they were excited for their big night on September 6 against Whiting High School.
The girls golf team kicked off their season with a great win in the Hobart Lady Brickie Golf Invite, led by new coaches Trenton Haraminac and Hannah Lareau. The team feels refreshed to have new coaches that bring different techniques, drills, exercises, and a different perspective to golf as a whole.
The team has three seniors and juniors and one sophomore. Although most of the team is just learning, the group has done well in each of their matches. The team practices every day after school, working on putts and cutting down unnecessary strokes.
”Golf gets discredited a lot, but it is difficult because it is a mental game. It takes a positive attitude, patience, and hard work,” said Senior Hailey Wojtaszek.
What’s coming up?
Nora Wragg is the new theater director at BNI. Her first play she is directing is "Leaving Iowa." This play tells the story of Don Browning, a writer from Boston who returns to his hometown to return his father’s ashes to his childhood home. When he discovers his home has been turned into a grocery store, Don realizes he needs to find a place to honor his dad. As he journeys, he remembers fond moments from his childhood vacation that reconnect memories of his father.
The show has 24 students in the cast and several more in the crew. The shows are on November 14, 15, and 16 at 7 p.m. and November 17 at 2 p.m. The cast has a lot of personality and talent to bring to the stage. They want to have fun with each other and learn about their own creative process and how to improve.
“I am excited to work behind the scenes creatively and allow students to bring themselves to the project,” said Wragg.
The band has been busy at football games and competitions. The students performed at Goshen High School in a competition and won second place. They have been practicing since July for their halftime show called "Angels Among Us," a tribute to Rocco Carioto. Their next competition is on October 5 at Plymouth High School for the Indiana State School Music Association Scholastic Prelims.
Homecoming is right around the corner on September 28. Students voted for the theme to be a masquerade ball. The dance will be held in the cafeteria and in the courtyard. Student council, Teacher Advisor Elizabeth Unzueta, and Counselors Jasmin Fonseca and Lizette Munoz are in charge of the dance and decorating the hallways with black, gold, and champagne colors.
Juniors and seniors voted for the Homecoming court. The seniors who were voted in are Janice Flores, Johnathan Jerry, Khalel Johnson, Alexandra Magallanes, Augustus Matushek, Sophia Nowacki, Anais Reyna, Khalil Tucker, Enya Zavala, and Zekiel Zukley.
Staff spotlight:
Mariann Laird has been a part of the English department at BNI for 10 years. Laird currently teaches senior composition and literature and previously taught freshman English. She wanted to work at BNI because she liked the location and wanted to work at a Catholic school.
“I like the kids at BNI. We are able to do things that I think would be hard to do at other schools. They are college-bound scholars who know where they want to go and what they want to do. My coworkers are great. Lorenza Pastrick, our principal, has great leadership that sets a good tone for BNI,” said Laird.
Laird went to Lewis University for her undergraduate degree and went to Northern Illinois University for graduate course work. She wanted to go into teaching because she has a passion for English. Laird enjoyed working with kids, tutoring, and had great English teachers who inspired her to become a teacher.
Laird loves it when students are immersed in a story. She loves to share her passion for reading with kids, which is why she loves teaching. Laird is the advisor for the National Honor Society and started the Creative Writing Club last year.
When she was a freshman in high school, she wanted to become a fashion designer. She had a lot of designs and took sewing classes. Another career she wanted to pursue was a publisher at a publishing house.
When she is not teaching, she is spending time with her kids, reading, or baking. The “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling is her comfort book. “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is her favorite short story. She enjoys baking and experimenting with recipes.
Student spotlight:
Maurice Georgia can be seen sprinting on the track or jumping into the sandpit. Georgia is a senior at BNI, and he has been in track and field, video game club, and tennis while also having a part-time job.
“Track is where I found myself. I have made all my friends through this sport. I love the community surrounding it,” said Georgia.
Georgia won Best Mental Attitude his sophomore year and won Most Valuable Player his junior year in track. He is looking forward to the upcoming track season and hopes to qualify for Regionals, apply for a scholarship, and have a good season overall. He is looking forward to track senior night and prom.
His goal this year is to be disciplined in everything he participates in. Georgia will miss the school experience and his friends after graduation. His favorite memory from his time at BNI was almost making the whole track team late because he was sleeping.
Georgia’s favorite class he is taking this year is photography because it is something new and he desires to take better pictures. It is an interesting subject to learn about.
In his free time, he enjoys having fun with his friends. He also likes to draw, read and play video games.
Georgia is thinking about going to trade school for culinary or art because he wants to learn how to draw.
“I want to do this to set a good example for my younger siblings,” said Georgia.