What’s recently happened?
On June 18, two Marquette Catholic High School students departed Michigan City to participate in a week-long program called ALA Hoosier Girls State. ALA Hoosier Girls State is a program funded by the American Legion Auxiliary.
The program gathers girls from schools across Indiana to teach them about the American government, more specifically state government, through interactive roleplay. During this roleplay, students are encouraged to run for government offices, create campaign posters, and participate in elections. Candidates for larger offices, such as the governor, give speeches and participate in debates, which are held in front of all of the students in the program.
“The election gave the delegates a chance to experience what elections are like, and it also helped to understand the importance of voting in elections,” said Misty Patel, one of the two delegates chosen to represent Marquette.
Not only do the delegates invited to participate in this program learn about government, they also get an introduction to college life. ALA Hoosier Girls State is held at Trine University in Angola, Indiana. During this week-long experience, delegates dine in the university’s cafeteria and stay in Trine’s student dorms. This gives the delegates a taste of the college experience.
Through the close quarters of the dorms and cafeteria, aided by the early mornings and late nights, delegates form lifelong friendships and bonds with their fellow delegates.
“My favorite part was the people! I loved getting to meet all the new girls,” said Patel. “They were all so nice, and I couldn’t have asked for better roommates.”
What’s coming up?
The 177th annual La Porte County Fair is swiftly approaching. The fairgrounds’ gates will open for the season on July 8. The La Porte County Fair promises great music and entertainment, fantastic food, and lots of family fun.
Every year, the La Porte County Fair produces a lineup of smashing chart toppers in the country genre. Last year, La Porte offered up Billboard Music Award Winner Walker Hayes as its headliner. While at the time this headliner seemed unbeatable, La Porte upped its game, putting forth the 2023 Academy of Country Music (ACM)’s Female Artist of the Year Lainey Wilson as the headliner. She is scheduled to play on Wednesday, July 12. Wilson is expected to play her number one single “Heart Like A Truck” off of her latest album, “Bell Bottom Country.”
The La Porte County Fair has not only booked Wilson, however. Scheduled for Tuesday, July 11, is 2022 ACM’s Song of the Year Award Winner Jordan Davis. Davis is well known for his song “Buy Dirt,” which was his fourth Number One on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
La Porte County Fair’s entertainment options do not end there. The fair has a jam-packed itinerary of action filled activities for all ages. Every day from July 8 to July 15, there will be fair rides open to the public, starting at 1 p.m. There are also several opportunities for children to visit the fairground petting zoo. On Saturday, July 8, there will be a rodeo taking place at 7 p.m., and on Sunday, there will be a demolition derby.
While all of these events are going on, students from across La Porte County will be displaying projects for 4-H. 4-H activities include a wide variety of projects ranging from archery to cake decorating to showing animals. During the week, there will be auctions held for these 4-Hers to sell the animals they’ve raised.
Community member spotlight:
Jill Wozniak is a 25-year member of 4-H. She began 4-H when she was just 9 years old, joining her township club, the Springfield Spitfires, taking up cake decorating as her main project. She continued to participate in cake decorating for 10 years, becoming a 4-H alumnus.
During her time as a 4-H participant, she was mentored by Dick and Jan Glassman, leaders of her township club, as well as Mike Glassman, Dan Glassman, and Ken Havlin.
“They challenged me to make the world around me better,” Wozniak said. “They reminded me that younger 4-H members were watching me, so I needed to show them how to be a leader. They helped mold me into the person I am today.”
After completing her time as a participant in 4-H, Wozniak decided to continue to be involved because of these mentors, donating her time to the organization that molded her into the person that she is today. She began volunteering with a township club, the Springfield Hoosier Rebels. Currently, she is the junior leader advisor.
“I choose to donate my time in 4-H to give back to a program that has given me tools to be successful, forever friends, mentors that hold a special place, and knowledge that I can ‘Make the Best Better.’ I can make a difference,” Wozniak says.
While not donating her time to 4-H, Wozniak chooses to spend it with other community organizations, such as the National Junior Honor Society at Queen of All Saints School.
This summer, while not working with 4-H, Wozniak plans to spend her time with her family, preparing her oldest daughter to begin her second year of college at Purdue University - West Lafayette, her youngest daughter to start her first year at Manchester University, and her son to begin his eighth grade year. She also plans to prepare her classroom for new students, as she is a sixth grade teacher at Queen of All Saints.