What’s recently happened?
Construction on Munster High School (MHS) has continued, with the auditorium and soccer field going under renovation.
Girls wrestling competed and placed fourth at sectionals at the beginning of this month, with Freshman Amelia Mitchell advancing to state.
“My hopes for State are to make it to finals,” Mitchell said.
As Girls Wrestling nears the end of its season, Girls Softball has started conditioning in preparation for its tryouts, which will be held in March.
“I’m looking forward to reconnecting with all the girls and going on overnight trips,” Junior Caroline Sheehan said.
What’s coming up?
After placing first for the fourth year in a row at Regionals, MHS theatre is advancing to State to perform its one act “#censored” on the weekend of Jan. 24.
“Obviously, I hope we are successful in competition,” Senior Evvy Kikkert said. “More importantly, I hope to have a good time with my troupe. It’s my last chance to go to State, so I’ve been super sentimental about it.”
The auditorium at MHS has closed for construction and will be out of commission for the remainder of the school year. For the end-of-year musical review “Some Enchanted Evening,” the troupe will be performing at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts.
“We have not rehearsed since the auditorium has been closed, but I assume we would find a hallway somewhere,” Kikkert said. “Munster Theatre Company is nothing if not resilient, so we’ll figure it out.”
Staff spotlight:
Abigail Brosseau, Human Services Pathway teacher, has taught at MHS for four years. She is teaching Human Services Pathways this year but has always taught Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS).
“I became a teacher because I have always loved helping people learn. When I was in high school, I had a wonderful FACS teacher who inspired me to choose this subject field,” Brosseau said. “I do everything I can to make a room a safe space. I have rules in order to allow people to grow and ask challenging questions. I have color all around. Most importantly, I take time to learn who my students are as people.”
This past November, Brosseau was named teacher of the month at MHS.
“I was so honored to win teacher of the month,” Brosseau said. “Lots of times elective classes are forgotten, but it truly means the world to me that admin and our wonderful school community sees the value in my classes. I strive to teach students realistic life skills they’ll need in their futures.”
Alone with teaching life skills, Brosseau tries to make sure students know they have a safe space in her classroom. She implements rules that allow her students to grow, has color throughout her room, and makes sure to take time to learn about who her students are as people.
“I try my absolute hardest to make sure all students feel welcome and safe in my room, including students who do not take my classes,” Brosseau said. “I know how hard it can be to be a teenager; I was one. I have seen students go through things in high school that people should never have to go through.”
Part of the reason that Brosseau strives to make her classroom a safe space is because she believes that everyone should have a safe person or safe space, and not every student has access to that.
“Whether that means a place they can ask for guidance about anything, a place where they can ask ‘silly’ questions about being an adult, or a place where they can laugh or cry when they are having that kind of day, I try to make sure my room fits all of those needs,” Brosseau said. “Not everyone has a place like that in their lives, so if I can provide that for our Munster High community, I am more than honored to do so.”
Student spotlight:
As Indiana was cooling down over the holidays, Senior Risha Panigrahi was packing up to escape the cold and travel to India during winter break.
“I think traveling is important not only to widen your worldview and make yourself a more knowledgeable and tolerant person but also to escape the mundanity of everyday life,” Panigrahi said. “It can feel like the world is as small as your everyday routine but traveling helps remind you how much beauty there truly is.”
While in India, Panigrahi visited family and friends and did a tour of North India, which is where her mother is from.
“My dream trip is to Southeast Asia, and I hope it’s my summer 2026 trip with my best friend,” Panigrahi said.
Now that college application season has come to a close, senior stress has been lifted off her shoulders.
“I’m looking forward to being able to relax a bit more,” Panigrahi said. “College apps are as hard and time-crunched as you make them. I would start planning and writing my essays the summer before senior year and clean up my resume as well.”
As senior year builds up with important classes, college applications, and more, it can be hard to manage.
“Burnout was big for me in the second quarter,” Panigrahi said. “The biggest thing is taking time to take care of yourself every single day in whatever way you prefer. If it’s exercising or video games or baking, try to spend a little time each day actively doing something that brings you peace.”
Although senioritis can be taxing, senior year is still filled with memories, fun times, and community-driven activities that make it worthwhile.
“Senior year has been amazing because of my friends,” Panigrahi said. “It’s important to take a step back and have people you truly feel comfortable around, especially in high-stress times like these.”