Whiting Oilers Football Class 2A State Runner-Up
The Whiting Oiler football team proved to the state of Indiana how motivation can fulfill dreams.
“I hope that the team will realize that a group of people who share a common goal, a common dream and work together can make the goal a reality. This group came together at the right time and worked towards their goal and they should be proud of that accomplishment,” said Head Coach Jeff Cain.
The Oilers spent 18 consecutive years until they earned another sectional champion title and went beyond their goals to become Class 2A State Runner-Up.
“I hope this accomplishment keeps the players hungry for another state championship game. We proved it this year that it’s possible, it just takes W.O.R.K.,” said senior captain Rudy Becerra.
The team dedicated their season to Coach Vic because of his time and effort he put forth into the program. The post-season was dedicated to the community and former Whiting football players that didn’t get the chance to have played at Lucas Oil Stadium for the state championship.
“I appreciate the coverage media outlets like NW Indiana Life gave us. It gave us a platform to tell Coach Vic's story far before the state title run began. I also like to thank not only the Whiting community but the entire Region. The support has been overwhelming, and it was a fun ride,” said Coach Jennings.
Science Olympiad
Whiting High School hosted their 10th Science Olympiad competition on Saturday, December 5, 2015. The Whiting Science Olympiad A team placed 4th overall and competed against 14 teams.
“I think that our team realized what we were capable of this weekend. We also had a bit of a reality check and have acknowledged that we are capable of great things. Nonetheless, we did quite well for our first competition, but we will most definitely realize our potential into improvements for the next competition,” said junior Will Ramos.
Students on A team placed number one for three events: Lilliana Ruiz and Julianna Scivinsky for Forensics; Maggie Mills-Groninger and Hector Cossyleon for Game On; and Will Ramos, Oscar Figueroa, and Kelsey Kovacik for Protein Modeling.
“Sci oly is very competitive, but it’s up to us if we want to work hard at it and do our best. Sci oly has also given us a chance to show us how to overcome the obstacles that come our way and become better students,” said junior Lizbeth Villaseñor.
The Science Olympiad team is preparing for their next competition, the Valparaiso University Invitational, on Saturday, January 9th.
“Our expectations for this year are the same as every year – we expect to compete at a high level at every competition and show that we belong with the top teams in the state,” said Science Olympiad sponsor Mr. Long.
Teacher Shout out: Mrs. Marina Klochan
Mrs. Marina Klochan not only spends her days teaching Spanish I-IV, but she is also the sponsor for National Honor Society for two years now. She is the advisor for Service Learning, a course students take to submit community service hours for half a credit per semester.
“We want to make the community aware that there are students who are willing to assist the community with their needs and to help out whenever and wherever possible. We focus on the good for the community,” said Mrs. Klochan.
Her Spanish students improve language skills through speaking, reading, writing, listening, and cultural awareness. They have access to eStudio and an ebook.
“I always am looking for my students to love the culture and the language, respect new cultures and accept their differences, and hopefully, be successful enough to test out of the language for college or continue studying it at the university and perhaps obtain a minor in Spanish,” said Mrs. Klochan.
Spanish I is learning the conjugation of –IR and –ER verbs in the present tense while Spanish II is learning the irregular preterite tense. Spanish III discovering rites of passage and how the Hispanic community celebrates it and focusing on the subjunctive mood. Spanish IV is reading Lazarillo de Tormes, a classic picaresque novel, and reviewing the two past tenses.
“I like the fact that the Spanish four has a literature day and then a grammar review day to keep things exciting,” said Mrs. Klochan.
Student Shout Out: Cecilia and John Bock
Cecilia and John Bock are two new faces to the hallways of Whiting. Their older sister, Samantha, was a Whiting graduate in 2012. Samantha has influenced Cecilia to play the saxophone as she did in high school. The Bock siblings attended St. John the Baptist prior to Whiting.
Although they are not twins, they developed a strong relationship while growing up together. They both have a love for outdoor activities.
“I go to rodeos with my friend sometimes and ride one of her horses in a warm up arena,” said Cecilia Bock.
She has a retired racehorse of her own, Coco Chanel, that she trains but can’t compete with due to her horse’s old age.
While Cecilia spends her time with her horse, John likes to play catch and do a salmon ladder. He wants to focus on getting “big and brutal” for football.
“In school, I am very interested in Project Lead the Way (PLTW),” said John Bock.
PLTW has sparked an interest in John because he feels he learns about how to make the world a better place. Cecilia hopes to become a veterinarian.