Student in the Spotlight
From Marching Band to Student Publications and even Thespians, Senior Nick Blue is involved in numerous programs at Portage High School.
Although Blue is involved in seemingly every program, Blue’s true calling is music. Blue is the Drum Major of the Marching Band, plays piano in the Pit Band, is a member of Pep Band and is the Rehearsal Pianist for Thespians.
This past winter, Blue was accepted into Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. In the state of Indiana, approximately 8% of students who apply get accepted. In order to become accepted, Blue practiced playing Clarinet for nearly four hours a day to prepare for his audition.
The love of music is what keeps Blue motivated.
“I know this is cheesy and lame to say, but I love music because it's a universal language,” said Blue. “You don't have to speak a certain language to understand music because you can hear the emotion without even speaking.
Blue is also the Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper, the Pow Wow.
“Being the Editor-in-Chief of the Pow Wow makes me want to truly rip my hair out, but it’s really fulfilling and I learned so many things that I would not have been able to without Pow Wow,” Blue said.
Although Blue enjoys his high school experiences, he is looking forward to his college experiences where he will be studying Music Education.
Teacher in the Spotlight
This past year has been different English teacher Josh Cavan, over the summer, Cavan dealt with a brain tumor, but came back this fall ready to teach several different classes. This year, Cavan is teaching Advanced English 11, Pre-AP Honors English 10 and Creative Writing.
“Creative Writing has always been my favorite class to teach,” said Cavan. “It allows students to see that English can and does have a fun side. I also find that it’s very therapeutic for many of the students who take it. It’s the one class where socioeconomic levels and educational backgrounds come together to form the most caring dysfunctional family you can imagine. These students share their souls with each other and often form bonds that last long after high school.”
Many students, feel personally impacted after having Cavan as a teacher. Junior Maddie McConnell has had Cavan as her teacher for creative writing, Pre-AP Honors English and leads his student publication which is Saga, a magazine filled with student artwork and writing.
“English has always been easy for me, but in his class, I struggled at first because he was making me both in Creative Writing and in English class to do my best and work for good grades instead of just receiving them."
Although Cavan teaches English and Creative Writing, the lessons he hopes his students learn does not have to do with either of those subjects.
“I hope the lasting impact I have on my students is that they will strive to be independent and creative thinkers,” said Cavan. “Students leaving my class liking or hating me will always take a back seat to whether or not those students have learned from me the significance of questioning the world around them.”
What's Happening
Celebrities like Malia Obama and seniors around the country announced where they will be attending school on National Signing Day on May 2. Portage seniors Ben Brock and Jesse Bustos are among that group.
On National Signing Day, Brock and Bustos both announced their commitment to attend Indiana University South Bend in the fall to both study and play baseball.
The duo has been playing baseball against one another since they were nine, but once they entered high school they had grown close and become teammates and best friends.
“We used to pitch against each other in games,” said Brock. “One time I hit a walk off on him when we were kids.”
The boys started off as competitors, but with all the time they spend together, they have grown close.
“It's literally a job, I run every day during weightlifting,” said Brock. “I go to practice and throw and run then I'll ice my arm and go home and run.”
Baseball is a sport they both love and dedicate a majority of their time to, but neither of them ever imagined being given the chance to play college baseball.
Going into high school, Brock believed he would never be good enough to continue his career in college, but after receiving an offer from IUSB, Brock could not say no.
“[It helps] to know you always have someone there for whatever it may be being away from home, said Bustos. “It takes away being on your own for the first part of going away”
Although both will be spending a large amount of time playing baseball, Brock hopes to earn a Master's Degree in Business and Bustos a Bachelor's in Nursing while attending school.
“I'm very blessed and have been gifted to get to the next level of baseball and words can't explain the feeling,” Brock said.
What's coming up
With the school year coming to an end, many Portage High School students are excited for one of the biggest events of the year: Prom.
Each year, members of the junior and senior class volunteer to plan prom. Along with the stress of planning for their own special night, this group plans every detail of what happens at prom, including deciding the theme.
This year’s theme is a masquerade and many students are fully embracing the theme. Junior Arianna Scott is excited to see how many other students dress for the big night.
“I spent this last prom season working at Pink Boutique, a local dress shop, and after seeing so many girls come in and try out dresses, I can't wait to see how they look with all their hair and makeup done,” Scott said.
Although many are excited, like Scott, but an equal amount of students are stressed. Junior Ashley Music feels the opposite.
“Prom is stressful because there’s so much to do in such little time and all you can focus on is the actual events,” said Music. “You don't even want to think about all the events leading up like the planning.”
While some are more stressed than excited, everyone is looking forward to the big day on May 7.