Kouts High School students have been waiting for the week of January 18 for a long time, which marks the start of the Porter County Conference (PCC) for both the girls and boys varsity basketball teams. Both of the teams have been preparing for this week all season, and this PCC championship is sure to be an interesting one.
Not only are the athletes preparing for PCC, but students are as well. During the week of January 18, students are encouraged to dress up according to different daily themes. Off to a relaxing start, Monday’s theme is Pajama Day. Tuesday is Wild West Day, Kouts High School’s main theme this week. Fun fact: both the Cheerleaders and the Poms team are dressing up in Wild West fashion for the games, and the Poms team’s dance routine is based on it. Wednesday’s theme is Crazy Sock Day, Thursday is Jersey Day, and ending the week with tradition, Friday’s theme is Black and Gold.
So far, the boys’ varsity high school basketball team played Westville on Tuesday, January 19, winning 84-60. They also played on Thursday, January 21 against South Central and won 69-44. They are to play the championship game on Saturday, January 23.
As for the girls’ varsity high school basketball team, they played a close game with Boone Grove on Monday and won 55-52. Fans were on the edge of their seats the entire game. On Wednesday, the girls played again against Lacrosse and won 41-27. The next time they play is on Friday, which is the championship game against South Central.
What's coming up?
As the new year progresses, other things are also progressing and starting up again. This includes the Academic Super Bowl teams at Kouts. These teams consist of the Math, Science, English, History, and Fine Arts Bowls. These teams will compete against other schools to see who knows their subjects and topics the best. There is one Super Bowl team studying a very interesting topic this year: the Fine Arts Bowl.
The Fine Arts Bowl’s theme this year is Women’s Suffrage. Last year’s theme was all about the Roaring 20s. Members of the team are excited to study their theme and learn about all of the various art forms their material covers.
Fine Arts Bowl studies a wide range of topics regarding the arts for their competition. These include musical artists as well as artists such as painters and sculptors. Competitors in the Fine Arts Bowl are studying a number of musicians this year, including Laurie Anderson, Beyoncé, and Aretha Franklin. A couple of artists that are being studied are Louise Bourgeois and Isabel Bishop. These women are within the general time frame of the 1920s-2020s, and they have achieved a lot of “firsts” in their respective industries.
All in all, there are numerous activities starting up this year, and that includes the Academic Super Bowls. Students and coaches are excited to compete!
Student spotlight
One senior at Kouts High School who stands out academically and also extracurricularly is Lily Belle Nuest. Nuest has been on the All-A Honor Roll all four years of her high school career at Kouts. Nuest is in both the East Porter County Honor Society and the Kouts Student Council. She has been in the Science Club for three years as well.
What stands out most about Nuest is the extracurriculars she participates in. She is involved in quite a few things, both creatively and athletically. For example, she is the Captain of the Fine Arts Bowl, has been involved in the Drama Club as well as various theatre programs, and has also been taking voice lessons since 2015. As for athletics, Nuest does Cross Country and Track and Field, and has received awards for both of those sports.
Some of Nuest’s favorite things to do include people watching and spending time with the girls on her Cross Country team. She also enjoys all aspects of art, whether that be theater, visual art, instrumental music, vocal music, literature, or dance.
Teacher spotlight
There are only a few English teachers at Kouts, and all of them are quite special in their own ways. One of those teachers is Mrs. Carol Flanigan who teaches English for 9th and 11th graders. She has been teaching those grade levels for all of the 37 years she’s been at Kouts. Before teaching at Kouts, Flanigan graduated from Valparaiso University with both her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree.
One thing Flanigan likes to do in her free time is read. Her favorite genres include true crime as well as biographies and autobiographies. Another hobby of hers is gardening, specifically herb gardening. She also enjoys spending time with her family.
Another thing Flanigan loves is animals. She has a “household of animals,” which includes four dogs, two cats, three goats, and two sheep named Hansel and Gretel. Flanigan is anxiously awaiting a new baby lamb from Hansel and Gretel. She also volunteers at Begin Again Rescue Co. (BARC) in Valparaiso, Indiana, and works as a foster parent to dogs at BARC.
Flanigan does a lot for others, and that includes people and animals alike.
“I love what I do, and I am the most blessed person on this planet.”