What’s recently happened?
During the month of February, the Washington Township High School (WTHS) senior class traveled to Orlando, Florida for a week in Universal Studios.
Teachers Michele Jablonski, Barbara Peres and her husband Chris Peres, and Joshua Rappa, traveled with 19 seniors February 13 through February 18 for a week full of roller coasters and much needed Florida heat. The students stayed at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort and learned about the physics of roller coasters and marketing as they ran around the parks.
For their physics assignment, the students had to do research on three of the biggest roller coasters in Universal Studios: The VelociCoaster, The Hulk, and Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure. To do this research, they rode the rides and then asked the workers physics questions.
“My favorite part about the trip was getting to experience lots of new things. I went on my first roller coaster, I tried lots of new food, and I enjoyed simply being able to travel. I also was able to connect with some of our classmates that I don't normally talk to,” said Senior Nathan Lugar.
The students also tried their hand at marketing, making promotional TikToks in the parks. Students were asked to choose one part of the parks, whether that be the New York City part, Jurassic Park world, or some other fun part of the parks and use their creativity to make a video.
After all their work was done, the students explored the parks. The seniors rode as many rides as they wanted, ate unique foods, shop, and even bought wands from Ollivander’s Wand Shop and experimented with the interactive elements in the Harry Potter world. The students also met characters from their favorite childhood movies, getting chances to meet Beetlejuice, the Mummy, and even learn to dance with King Julien XIII from “Madagascar.” At the end of each night, they even saw a Mardi Gras parade and collected beaded necklaces.
After a long day of adventuring through Universal Studios, the seniors returned to the resort and were able to relax, which was the best part of the trip for many.
“My favorite part of the trip was getting to relax in the hot tub with a mocktail and friends after a long day of walking and riding rides,” said Senior Rachel Churchill.
At the end of the day, the best part of the senior trip was getting to be together. After this spring, the seniors will all be going their separate ways. This trip gave the students the opportunity to make unforgettable memories with their friends and teachers. The seniors are extremely grateful to Jablonski, Rappa, and the Peres’ for taking them on this amazing trip.
What’s coming up?
Spring is coming, which means the weather will finally be warming up. Spring sports will be starting soon, such as baseball, softball, and track and field.
The annual band dinner will be on March 9. Birky Family Farms Country Gourmet will be serving chicken and noodles in the WTHS cafeteria, and multiple businesses have already donated baskets for the silent auction.
Key Club is getting very busy this spring. The Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast will also be held in the morning of March 9, and the Key Club students will be working at the event. The next weekend, on March 16, Key Club will be volunteering at Sunset Hill Park for an Easter Egg Hunt. Anyone interested in any of these events is welcome to come out and support the school.
Spring break is coming up this month, and many of the students are very excited to get a head start on the warm weather through traveling. Spring break starts on Saturday, March 23, and school will reconvene on Monday, April 1.
Staff spotlight:
Peres has taught at WTHS for nine years of her career. Originally from Kouts, Indiana, Peres attended Purdue University for her degree in child development and later attended Indiana Wesleyan University for her master’s degree.
Originally, Peres wanted to go into animal science, but it was the teachers around her who changed her mind.
“My mom is a teacher, and I had some influential teachers in my life. I really saw the impact you could make on kids’ lives, how you could connect with them, how to create lasting relationships, and influence someone in a positive way, " said Peres.
On top of teaching, Peres is the Student Council sponsor. Peres actively spends time planning school functions and working with the officers to bring more light to the school. Peres describes herself as a doer and can easily look at what WTHS needs and get it done.
“I like getting to work with the kids who want to make a difference in our building,” said Peres. “The people who want to make an impact on their classmates.”
Outside of school, Peres has a very busy life with her three kids – Addison, Haleigh, and Beckett – and her husband Chris. The Peres family is always busy, whether that be with sports or clubs and is very active in their 4-H club.
“My kids are in 4-H, and they love it. Helping them with their 4-H work is one of my favorite things,” said Peres.
Right now, Peres has pigs, a dog, two cats, a guinea pig, and is trying to convince her husband to get chickens and a goat. When she eventually retires, Peres wants to continue to stay active and have an impact on the people around her.
Student spotlight:
Hailey O’Rourke is a senior and has attended WTHS since she was in second grade.
O’Rourke is incredibly involved in WTHS and likes to stay busy. Just some of the things she is involved in include the WTHS cheer team, where she achieved the All-Conference cheer award, the three-year president of the Washington Wiz Kids 4-H club, president of Porter County Junior Leaders club, a member of the Oakwood Gun Club shooting team, and a member of the Region Ringnecks Chapter of Pheasants Forever of Northwest Indiana.
O’Rourke is fearless and willing to try anything. She enjoys crafting, riding horses, hunting, and working with animals through 4-H.
“I have five dogs, three cats, eight rabbits, and five goats, and I will have more come April. At the fair, I show sheep, dogs, rabbits, horses, draft horses, goats, pheasants, and quail,” said O’Rourke.
After high school, O’Rourke will be attending college for elementary education.
“My dream job is to be a third grade teacher. This is my second year in the Education Professions Vocational, and so far I have worked with kindergarten, third, fourth, fifth, eighth, and ninth grades. I loved helping and teaching the third graders because they still have their childhood days, but they are also starting to mature to older students,” said O’Rourke.
O’Rourke plans to get her teaching degree and move somewhere decently warm with mountains, a farm, and a lot of land where she can continue to have a lot of animals.