Animal Shelter Donation
Brummitt Elementary fourth grade students collected food and other supplies as a holiday giving project for furry friends that do not have a home at the Porter County Animal Shelter. Toni Bianchi, director of the Porter Co. Animal Shelter talked with students about the shelter and their needs for the animals being housed.
Student representatives with their donations are, front row, left to right, Patrick Hansen, Drew Shaffer, Beck Brandstetter and Heidi Hathaway. Row 2, Anna Reichler, Nathan Pierce, Isaiah Flores, Kooper Sutherland, Chloe McGowan, Teah Pierce and Jonah Matuska. Back row, Bianchi of the PC Animal Shelter, Jacob Kerr, Ben Wellensiek, Mason Butler, Cole McGary, David Shook and teacher Mike Stiles.
CHS Show Choirs performing well during season
The Chesterton Show Choirs and Show Choir Band are well into their competitive season. They have participated in four competitions that have taken them to Wisconsin, their home state of Indiana, and most recently Illinois. Their performances have improved each time they have taken the stage.
This past weekend, the groups traveled to Arlington Heights, Illinois to compete at the Chicagoland Showcase. It was a day packed full of wonderful groups, tough competition, and CHS success.
The Drifters, competed in the Unisex Division and were able to capture fourth runner-up and placed third in the Unisex Choreography caption; a true mark of continued improvement and achievement by this talented group of 34 young ladies.
The Sandpipers had a hard fought day in the open division and earned their place in the evening finals. After their best performance of the season, the Sandpipers and their band, The Business, took home second runner-up and the award for Best Choreography. This was the first caption award they have earned this season. CHS Choral Director Kristin Morris continues to be impressed by the growth, perseverance, and commitment to excellence her students have shown this season. "The band continues to dazzle me with their musical growth and attention to detail,” said Morris. “They play better each week, and in turn the singer/dancers are fueled by the energy coming from the band! I am also so impressed with the commitment by every student to be better than they were the week before. Seeing their smiles as they come off the stage after a performance is truly the best feeling."
This week the CHS groups will travel to Fairfield, Ohio to compete against others from across the country.
Members are: Drifters, Caroline Ausema, Miranda A. Brandt, Meghan Cary, Izzy Cindric, Lea Edwards, Anna Engel, Paige Fowler, Taylor Hisaw, Sophie Hruskocy, Alyssa Jones, Sarah Kaiser, Rebecca Lane, Savannah Lee, Ella Lesnick, Madelyn Matthys, Sophia Moody, Jackie Neely, Madi Peretin, Lexi Polite, Delaney Scheller, Hannah Scheller, Kenzie Scott, Mackenzie Simmons, Madison Slivka, Ariana Smith, Maddie Smith, Gwen Storey, Madison Taylor, Amy Thompson, Emily Wegner, Holly Whah, Savanna Whalley, Alex Wierzbicki and Warda Yakub;
Sandpipers, Agia Amezcua, Eric Amling, Calvin Anders, Sidney Augustyn, Mallory Benoit, Samuel Boland, Zachary Bryant, Ashley Clemento, Emily Coleman, Bethany Collins, Emily Conway, Alexandra Forsberg, Logan Ginther, Madeline Haskell, Emma Healy, Ashley Heilmann, Elizabeth Hodge, Alessandrina Hoffman, Samantha Kubacki, Benjamin Larimer, Wyatt Lee, Alec Malenfant, Steven Mayersky, Delaney Nava, Derek O’Dell, Hayley O’Keefe, Kyle Paliga, Lyle Reyes, Caroline Scheidt, Luke Sebring, Jordyn Soffa, Nathaniel Sorenson, Amber South, Jaeden Taylor, Julia Wahl, Anthony Watkins, Elizabeth Watts, Trevor Webb, Simon Williger and Delaney Wright; Show Choir Band “The Business,” Keyon Allen, Vicky Adams, Kris Bodie, Connor Boren, Adam Davis, Garrett Fairbanks, Alex Fine, Tony Hampton, David Kosakowski, Shaye McCarthy, Abby Palmer, Dylan Rodriguez, Ricardo Rosenau, Priscilla Sabourin, Delaney Schavey, Chris Sexton and Harley Wines.
Circle the State With Song
The statewide children’s choral festival, Circle the State With Song, is sponsored by the Indiana Music Educators Association and includes over 300 school vocalists from Area 1, including Lake and Porter Counties in Indiana. With the help of their music teacher Dawn Flasch, singers from Westchester Intermediate School prepared the music in advance and came together for a Saturday rehearsal with a guest clinician, culminating in an afternoon performance at Hebron High School on Feb. 25. Student participants were front, left to right, Kaden Rudd, Sophie Streeter, Cadence Orange, Natalie Arney, Claire Jerome, Hailey Jalovecky, Megan Wilcox, Summer Bokodi, Sophie Hamilton, Kassidy Miller and Josey Parlock. Back row, Principal Shawn Longacre, Connor Katsafaros, Jorana Banseviciute, Abby Atrosh, Faith Hiatt, Erika Eklaw, Aryel Kuhl, Maxine King, Cole Smith and teacher Dawn Flasch.
Chesterton Band and Orchestra beginner signups underway
Chesterton Band and Orchestra beginner signups are underway. The registration process for joining the band (current fifth grade students) and orchestra (current fourth grade students) has begun. The performing arts program in Duneland involves over 1,000 students each year and is always looking for more young talent.
Over the past month, fourth and fifth grade students have been visited by band and orchestra directors as well as some high school students to talk about the opportunity to learn a new instrument and join the band and orchestra programs. Information was also mailed home to parents along with a registration form to sign up for an instrument fitting time. Instrument fittings will take place at Chesterton Middle School (CMS) on Tuesday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 22.
Vince Arizzi, the band director at CMS and Westchester Intermediate Schhool, enjoys instrument tryouts greatly. "There's a ton of energy in the room, lots of new and strange noise,” says Arizzi. “It's a blast! Learning an instrument is incredibly fun and rewarding and I'd love for all students to give it a shot."
The registration form is due back to the student's music teacher by Friday, March 10. If the information was not received at home, please contact Cindi Delich, music department secretary at (219) 983-3730 ext. 7147 or by emailing cdelich@duneland.k12.in.us. If you have further questions, contact Vince Arizzi at varizzi@duneland.k12.in.us
CHS students chosen for Language Speech Contest
Chesterton High School seniors, left to right, Sydney Ghoreishi and Trevor Webb and have been chosen through a preliminary selection process to be speech finalists at the 31st Annual Japanese Language Speech Contest on Saturday, March 25 at the Japan Information Center (JIC) at the Consulate in Chicago. Far right, senior Maddie Hunzelman was also chosen to be on a waiting list in the event that a spot becomes available at the contest. All three of these students are Japanese 5 students. Their Japanese teacher is Aki Tsugawa. The JIC has been hosting this contest to promote the study of the Japanese language in the Midwest and to deepen the mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and the United States. This contest is open to all individuals who reside in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
CHS Jazz Band Receives Gold at ISSMA
The Chesterton High School Jazz Ensemble performed this past weekend at the Indiana State School Music Association’s (ISSMA) annual Jazz Festival hosted at LaPorte High School. The CHS ensemble performed in the group I division for advanced high school and/or college and professional level music. Three experienced jazz educators in all areas of Big Band jazz performance, including solo improvisation, adjudicated the group. CHS was awarded a Superior Gold division rating for their performance.
The group performed three selections at the festival, including a Dizzy Gillespie piece arranged by Michael Mossman, entitled “Con Alma”. This piece featured tenor saxophone soloist Mark Hodgkiss. The group’s second music selection was a “Gospel” style ballad of Arthur Herzog and Billy Holiday’s “God Bless the Child.” This piece featured senior trombonist Trey Bonnema and the entire trombone section. The band closed their festival performance with a high energy Swing composition by Paul Clark entitled, “You’re Welcome Band.” This work featured two students soloists, trumpeter Jacob Winland, and saxophonist Mark Hodgkiss.
The members of the CHS Jazz ensemble include: Saxophonists David Gerth, David Hodgkiss, Mark Hodgkiss, Sam Houghteling, and Sydney Sarver; Trumpeters Keyon Allen, Zane Mauke, Payton Stobbe, Rebecca White, Jacob Winland; and Trombonists Trey Bonnema, Adam Davis, Andrew Figg, Zach Lane, and Anthony Langley. Members of the Rhythm section include: bassist Henry Hoham, pianist Kylie Sabol, and drummer Collin Campbell. The Director of the CHS Jazz Ensemble is Michael Scheiber.
The next performance for the group will be at the Valparaiso University Jazz Festival on Monday, April 3. The group will also perform briefly as part of the 6thAnnual Duneland Education Foundation Gala event on Friday, April 21.
The band will complete their scheduled performance season and celebrate 44 years of jazz education in the Duneland schools when they perform at their “All That Jazz” Opus XLIV event on Saturday, May 13 at 7:00 p.m. in the Chesterton High School Auditorium. At this event, members of the CHS Jazz Ensemble will have the opportunity to work with and perform with several world-class professional musicians.
For more information on these events, contact the CHS Music Department 983-3730.