What’s recently happened?
On December 4, John Adams High School Student Council partnered with South Bend Medical Foundation (SBFM) to host their annual blood drive. All proceeds go to hospitals and institutions that need to use blood for a variety of procedures, as blood supplies tend to lower with vaccinations, illness, and busy schedules.
In order to participate in the blood drive, participants needed to be 17-18 years old, or 16 with parental consent. The event was held in the main gymnasium, or the A gym from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the school day.
Lastly, the whole process took about an hour due to an overall wellness interview about the health of the participant, blood pressure and hematocrit screening, the donation, and a brief recovery to ensure that the participant was well enough to go back to class.
“I think that a blood drive is an opportunity to save lives, give hope, and make a difference for those in need,” said Allison Kinney, class of 2024. “I think around this time of year everyone needs a little hope, so if I can give back to the community, even if it is something small, I want to.”
What’s coming up?
On December 12, the National Honor Society (NHS) is hosting its annual Holiday Party with the Harrison Boys and Girls Club, this year focusing on students from kindergarten to third grade. Working tirelessly on this event beginning in August, NHS members are excited to meet the students and complete different activities within the created winter wonderland.
“While the planning process and decoration-making has been tedious, being able to see the joy on each of the children’s faces will make it all worth it,” said Grace Kelly, officer of NHS.
The idea is to set up Santa’s workshop within the B gymnasium at John Adams. With the help of many meetings, the vision is in progress and a plethora of decorations have already been created to transform the B gym into a space that the students will never forget.
While decorations will bring the whole night together, the event is also full of fun, winter-themed activities. A group of officers created a list of activities such as cookie decorating, making holiday cards and ornaments, and the coveted snowball fight which takes place in the center of the gym.
“It was very enjoyable to create holiday-themed activities for the kids, and I think the night will be a smashing success,” said Eavan Kelly, NHS vice president.
Each NHS member is paired up with a student from Harrison Boys and Girls Club and will be able to spend the entire evening with their buddy. NHS members are also required to buy a gift for their buddy to give on the night of the event to ensure a magical time and a personal connection.
“I am just as excited to meet my buddy as they are to meet us! I think that all of the work that we put in to make this event happen will mean a lot to the kids,” said Mabel Ferdig, member of NHS.
Staff spotlight:
English Teacher Grace Jozwiak was born and raised in Indiana and has come to appreciate all that the city of South Bend has to offer. Some of her favorite activities to do in the city include walking on the Riverwalk and visiting Potawatomi Zoo every year on her birthday. She also enjoys trying new restaurants and spending time with her friends and boyfriend.
“South Bend has really developed over the past few years, and we’ve had so many wonderful additions to our city to make it feel like a true community and home,” said Jozwiak. “It’s nice to live in a small town, but still be able to easily experience those ‘bigger city’ aspects.”
Jozwiak attended Penn High School and enjoyed her collaboration on the literary magazine and the connections she made throughout her four years of high school. From there, Jozwiak attended Indiana University of South Bend (IUSB), which she believes shaped her as a person, and helped her to become a more developed and mature individual.
Jozwiak teaches English 10 Honors, English 11 Honors, and English 12 Higher-Level (HL) International Baccalaureate (IB) and finds a lot of fulfillment in her job. Jozwiak has a creative personality and is able to exhibit that personality within her classroom. This also helps her work to not feel monotonous, and she can choose what to do on a daily basis to keep ideas exciting. The connections that Jozwiak is able to create with her students encourage further engagement.
“Since I teach so many different grade levels, I get to really ‘follow’ my students through their high school years in a sense and experience their growth and development,” said Jozwiak.
Jozwiak was first introduced to the IB program upon coming to John Adams, and the unique perspective has taught her a lot as a teacher. Not only is the John Adam’s community supportive, but Jozwiak appreciates all her coworkers who allow collaboration and guidance, especially Amy Elliott, an English teacher at John Adams.
“She’s like a mentor to me and helped me survive the craziness of my first year of teaching so I could get into my groove as a teacher,” said Jozwiak.
Student spotlight:
Daniella Morales-Garibay is a senior at John Adams and is working towards obtaining the full IB Diploma. Morales-Garibay has a rigorous schedule, taking six IB classes and one Advanced Placement (AP) class, as well as numerous clubs and sports to be an involved member of her community.
“IB has been difficult but definitely a good experience, because it has taught me valuable skills and has allowed me to understand the ways that I learn best,” said Morales-Garibay.
Morales-Garibay is a part of the swim team for John Adams and is also involved in Spanish Honors Society and Spanish Club, NHS, Mock Trial, and John Adams Volunteer Association (JAVA). Outside of these clubs, Morales-Garibay swims for South Bend Swim Club and participates in a local traditional dance group called Tierra Vida.
“I joined these clubs because they align with my interests, and allow me to express myself in different ways,” Morales-Garibay said. “They push me to be more organized and have also developed my social and leadership skills.”
Morales-Garibay greatly appreciates her time spent at John Adams, due to the people she surrounds herself with and the classes that she has taken. While it can be overwhelming and difficult at times, Morales-Garibay understands that it comes with her demanding schedule and has allowed for greater connections with her peers.
Many of her memories stem from the environments her teachers have created, including playing hockey during theory of knowledge because the weather was too good to pass up. Some of her favorite teachers include Jim Bartholomew, Bryan Cline, and Cecilia Stanton-Verduzco.
“I deeply enjoy their classes and the environments created within. I particularly admire Stanton-Verduzco’s dedication to her students,” said Morales-Garibay.
Morales-Garibay will attend University of Notre Dame in the fall 2024 semester and plans to study political science with the intention of becoming an immigration lawyer.
“It is scary being a senior because it is my last year here, but I am excited to move onto the next chapter of my life,” Morales-Garibay said.