What’s recently happened?
From June 6 to August 29 every Thursday afternoon, the City of Hobart kicks off the summer with its annual Hobart Summer Market on the Lake celebrations with outdoor shopping, ethnic and baked foods, a children’s craft area, jewelry, handmade crafts, a beer garden, and so much more to enjoy and explore. While also enjoying live music by The Rusted Strings Band, Pawns, Mandalyn And The Hunters, Derek Caruso & The Blues Fuse, and many more amazing local live bands.
For 14 years Summer Market on the Lake has been happening. Every year the crowd and the vendors get bigger and bigger. It’s an amazing event to spend and enjoy time with your family and friends while eating food and listening to music.
Hobart is known for kicking off the most exciting and eventful activities during the summer, other than Summer Market on the Lake, it is known for the Lakefront Festival, the Dam Duck Tape & Cardboard Boat Race, and last but not least, Movies In The Park. Hobart is an amazing city with so many amazing summer events. Come join the fun and have an eventful day at Hobart this Thursday before it's too late.
What’s coming up?
River Forest High School Ingots are getting ready for their first day back to school on August 13, with the first home football game of the season later that same week. River Forest High School is known for its big back-to-school week activities, such as clubs and sports, that are back for the new school year!
River Forest High School football games are known for having concession stands with delicious and traditional snacks. There are other stands such as a pin stand with the football player's photo and number. According to students, football games also have amazing entrances and halftime performances by the River Forest High School band that gives attendees exciting music by famous and well-known American bands.
Cheerleaders put on cheering performances to bring up the Ingot spirit and bring out the power to show support for the football team.
Football isn't the only sport back in season in River Forest High School as the girls soccer team, cross country, and girls volleyball team are training hard for the upcoming season. Coaches and staff work hard behind the scenes to make this all possible.
Community member spotlight:
Noemi Lozano – best known as Mimi’s Lozano by fellow friends and students – is leaving the River Forest District after 13 years to expand her knowledge and her education. Lozano has given so much hope and love to many Latino families and students at River Forest.
She started as a substitute teacher in another school and slowly built her pathway to River Forest High School. She took the opportunity to become a full-time employee at River Forest High School as she was interested in the large population of Latino students there because of the bilingual program at the school. She felt that was where she needed to be. Early in her career, she began to feel inspired to further her education and decided to go back to college. She enrolled herself in Ivy Tech Community College and graduated with an associate degree in business, which allowed her to expand her career
Allowing herself to work with English learners was the reason she found her purpose in education.
“It shaped my life,” Lozano said. “I always knew that I wanted to help, but I didn’t know to what extent. Working with English learners directed me to make that into my career.”
Over the years, Lozano has helped parents get involved with their children’s education, even with the language barrier that stands between them.
Her goal was to not only give hope to English learners and their families but also to share her story as she was also an English learner once. She was born and raised in Mexico and came to the U.S. at the age of 15, lived in East Chicago, and graduated from East Chicago Central High School. She wants to let the students know that she relates to their struggles.
“I knew exactly what they were feeling; I was in their shoes before, so I was able to make that connection with them,” Lozano said.
While working at River Forest High School, Lozano became the coordinator for a program that is known as Juntos 4-H, which is through Purdue University. Juntos 4-H helps families and students give information and resources on how to help their students succeed. It is not only meant to help them with their high school education but also to prepare them for the future.
From having all the special connections with all these students and families at River Forest High School, the school is sad and excited to see Lozano leave and start her new journey. It was a hard decision for her to make, but she knew it was the right choice for her career and for herself.
“Having to say goodbye and end my career at River Forest was bittersweet, but I knew that it was the right thing to do because of my future goals,” Lozano said.
She will still continue working with Latino students who are currently enrolled in college to help them further their education.
“It’s important for me to eliminate barriers. A lot of our students struggle with barriers that can limit their access to higher education, so I want to make sure that I’m there and do whatever it is that I can do,” Lozano said.
Her next chapter is to grow in her career, and she wants to further her education so she will stay enrolled in school. As a personal goal of hers, she wants to travel.
“I want to make sure that I do more traveling. There are a lot of places in the world that I would like to visit,” Lozano said.
She leaves River Forest High School with an amazing history behind her. Her advice to students is to not get too comfortable because when you find yourself in the comfort zone, that means that there is no learning. You're not moving, and you’re not advancing. You always have to challenge yourself.
She wants to follow her advice, which is what inspired her to move on from River Forest.
“No life will take you in a straight line or a linear way. It’s always going to take you on different routes, but if you stay strong, believe in yourself, and find the right connections, you’ll get there,” Lozano said.
The River Forest High School Latino community will forever be grateful for the hard work Lozano has done for families and friends. River Forest High School wishes her the best in her new journey and the best of luck. Thank you, Lozano!