What’s happened recently?
The annual Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition aims to celebrate the skills of all creative students in America. Results from the regional competition were announced months ago, and winners from the area were honored at the Century Center on Saturday, February 8.
Over 50 Penn students received recognition for their artwork and writing, all either winning a gold key, silver key, or an honorable mention. A gold key sends a student's piece straight to nationals, and a silver key sends it straight to the regional competition. Junior Eliza Wright won four awards this season: one gold, two silver, and one honorable mention.
“It feels like an accomplishment because there’s so many people that submitted to Scholastic. Knowing that I won not three but four times is really cool,” Wright said.
Results for the national Scholastic competition are to be announced in March. The awards ceremony for those winners will be held in July.
Junior Kai King traveled to Purdue University at the beginning of February to represent the Indiana 4-H Foundation, a program that supplies opportunities for youth skill development, primarily in agriculture. King is a state ambassador for the Indiana 4-H Foundation and was recognized when the legislature read the 4-H joint resolution. The opportunity gave state ambassadors a chance to share their 4-H experiences, expand speaking skills, and learn civil engagement.
“The Indiana 4-H Foundation has affected my future in many ways. It’s shown me a lot of skills that I need, like leadership skills, how to organize a meeting, and how to organize myself. It’s showing me how to speak,” King said. “It’s showing me how to organize my tasks and be a good person.”
King is one of nine state ambassadors for the program, an eight-year 4-H member of Elkhart County, and the president of the local 4-H club.
What’s coming up?
All Penn juniors will be taking the SAT and all Penn freshmen will be taking the PSAT on Wednesday, March 5. Sophomores and seniors will have some form of e-learning assigned to them that day.
On March 6, Penn is hosting a job fair for juniors and seniors. Job recruiters from the community will come to Penn and talk to upperclassmen about different career opportunities. It’s a chance for students to connect with employers, explore career paths, and prepare for life after high school. Assistant Principal Josiah Parker organizes this state-required event.
“It’s a place to find any kind of work, whether that’s a summer job, internship or work-based learning,” Parker said. “If you’re graduating and need a job after high school, you can find one there.”
Students are encouraged to bring personal resumes and other professional documents if they hope to find a job at the job fair.
From March 6-8, Penn’s performing arts students present “Spongebob: The Musical” in the school’s center for performing arts. The days leading up to the main presentation, elementary schoolers from various Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation will visit the high school to see the musical in action.
Penn’s chapter of the National Honor Society is hosting its second blood drive of the school year on March 17-18. Any staff member or student over the age of 16 is encouraged to sign up for a time to donate. All who donate will automatically be entered into a raffle with the chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.
Staff spotlight:
Now in its 56th year, the Penn High School Building Trades program is working on its 57th and 58th houses. In the five decades of the vocational program’s history, there have only been three instructors. The most recent is Les Crooks, who has been with the program for the last 26 years.
The plan for the houses Penn Building Trades brings to life are decided half a year before production even begins. Students are out on the site the second day of school, working with shovels and starting to floor a week later.
This fast-paced timeline is practical, as Crooks does his best to emulate a real-life construction company, emphasizing teamwork along the way. This can be a difficult task, but Crooks finds it rewarding.
“Some days I wonder why I do it. With these students, it's a lot of molding them, cutting edges, and shaping them to be good workers,” Crooks said. “The payout is in May when we do our open house and banquet. The kids get to bring their family around the house.”
Beloved by many, Crooks is known for his dedication to the work he does and the community he builds with his students.
“He’s a big helping hand,” said Building Trades Student Aubrey Click.
In the summer of 2022, Crooks went on a mission with Race Across America through the Crucible Project, a ministry based on integrity, grace, and courage. Crooks biked 3,088 miles from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, raising money for the ministry along the way.
Despite this treacherous feat, Crooks says he’s just a normal individual participating in an extraordinary event, according to the South Bend Tribune.
Crooks has continued to follow his passion for cycling. He’s also picked up on other miscellaneous sports like pickleball along the way.
Student spotlight:
Coral and jellyfish crowd the stage in the Penn performing arts center as students
prepare for the performance of “Spongebob: The Musical.” Of the 35 actors, 20 of them make up the ensemble to support the main cast.
Junior Olivia Blacharski is a key part of that group. Aside from her role in the musical, Blacharski is in choirs such as Viva Voce, Cantabile Voices, and Gold Standard. She’s an active member of the Penn Choir Leadership Board and works with Elkhart’s Premier Arts.
Coming from a sports-centered family, Blacharski wasn’t big in the arts world before she entered middle school. She played softball for eight years, traveling for three. She eventually found herself burnt out from the high-stress world of softball and, after deep consideration, she began to explore the world of performing arts. She started with choir in middle school and fell in love with acting as she entered high school.
“It was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. I felt as if I was tossing out eight years of hard work and practice, but music was calling me, and I just couldn't stay away,” she said.
The world of performing arts at Penn is filled with talented prodigies and a strong community. Blacharski claims she would’ve never met any of the amazing friends she has if it wasn’t for choir.
“Music connects people throughout building a sense of a community. I wish that every person is able to feel like this at some point,” Blacharski said. “I believe music can heal parts of the world and, to me, music is like the air I need to breathe.”
After she graduates from Penn, Blacharski plans to study both music and psychology. Her ultimate goal is to travel the world and experience new music everywhere she goes.