What’s recently happened?
Over winter break the Valparaiso High School (VHS) girls basketball team played Chesterton High School on the road. The VHS versus Chesterton rivalry is always a fun game to watch.
Coming into the game, VHS was looking to stay undefeated in the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC).
What everyone thought was going to be a close game and a close finish was actually a blowout win by VHS. The final score of the game was 63-35. VHS pulled away during the second quarter and the second half and ended the first half with a 10-point lead.
“We really tried to approach it like every other game. We had a great week of practice and worked together to prepare for what Chesterton does,” said Kelly Kratz, VHS Girls Basketball head coach.
As of January 9, VHS is 5-0 in the DAC, and coming up in two weeks on January 24, the Boys and Girls Basketball teams have a doubleheader against Lake Central High School at VHS.
Kratz seems to have found her stride at Valpo as they are cruising in the DAC and looking to hold onto their first place lead till the end of January.
What’s coming up?
In the month of February, the VHS Drama Club will host “Mocha Madness.” Auditions just ended for “Mocha Madness,” so ticket sales should be open very soon.
The dates for “Mocha Madness” this year are February 27, February 28, and March 1. The dates have not yet been posted but once ticket sales come out then the date will be out.
For more information about “Mocha Madness” and other plays and shows by the Drama club, visit its Instagram page @valpohsdramaclub.
The show only happens once every year at VHS, so don’t miss it while you have the chance.
Staff spotlight:
Brett Polizotto has been teaching for 31.5 years at VHS. He spent a half year filling in for other teachers for various reasons.
“I have been teaching at VHS for 31.5 years,” Polizotto said. “During the half year, I filled in for a teacher on maternity leave and then for another teacher who moved to a different state.”
Polizotto teaches in the science department at VHS and has taught a wide variety of science classes during his time at VHS.
“For the last several years I have taught Biology I and Zoology,” Polizotto said. “In the past, I have taught General Science, Applied Chemistry, Basic Chemistry, Chemistry I, Biology II, and AP/IB Biology.”
A top priority for Polizotto is to keep his classroom a safe place for students.
“I try to create a safe, caring, and fun environment that students look forward to coming to,” Polizotto said. “I model and try to instill in my students my classroom rules of being respectful, being responsible, being yourself, accepting others for who they are, and showing empathy.”
This year Polizotto teaches many zoology classes and a biology class at VHS. His favorite memory from teaching actually came from a zoology dissection.
“During a shark dissection, I had a group discover a very large fish inside the stomach of the shark. Their response and amazement at what they had discovered was priceless! To this day, the fish they discovered sits in a jar on my window sill,” Polizotto said.
Polizotto cares about his students and always wants them to succeed.
“I have always thought there is a lot of truth to the saying ‘Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care,’” Polizotto said.
Student spotlight:
Tyres Morris is a senior at VHS and has played football all four years of high school. Morris played cornerback for varsity and had a couple of impactful interceptions this year. Friday nights were eventful for Morris in the fall. For him that has been his favorite part of playing football at VHS.
“Friday nights were the best part of every football season and I think everyone can agree,” Morris said.
Morris was a part of the Vikings football team that won State a couple of years back.
“My favorite season has to be my sophomore year when we went all the way to State and won,” Morris said.
After this year Morris will graduate, but he has plans outside VHS. Morris still wants to pursue football in college.
“I plan on playing college football somewhere and getting my major in communications,” Morris said.
Even though Morris plays football, he keeps busy when not on the field. His favorite memory of VHS is freshman year breakfast.
“Easily my favorite memory has to be freshman year before school when we had a group breakfast table every morning,” Morris said. “My favorite class had to be English 9 when I took it freshman year and I would just hang with friends in a good environment. That was the best part of it.”
People close to Morris confirm his skill on the football field. Demari Gordon, senior wide receiver, played with Morris all four years of his high school career.
“Tyres is a very energetic player in general. He is like my brother on the football field, and being able to watch him play in games is truly amazing,” said Gordon.