Portage High School chemistry teacher Heather Castle does it all. She teaches, sponsors PHS YAR (Young Adult Readers) book club, Recycling Club and coaches PHS’s Academic Super Bowl Team (for science) and coaches the Science Olympiad team.
Castle first started up Portage High School’s Young Adult Readers (YAR) book club in the spring of 2008. They have had several book fairs at Barnes and Noble, and have attended multiple author signings together as a club. But YAR is not the only club that Castle sponsors.
Castle also sponsors the PHS Recycling Club. This club brings students of all grades, (9-12), together to recycle paper, cardboard and plastic.
Addtional clubs that Castle sponsors are Academic Super Bowl for science and Science Olympiad. The Science Olympiad team was first started in 2007, and has competed in the regional competition at Indiana University Northwest for seven years.
With Castle as the students’ mentor, the PHS team managed to place third overall, and place fourth as a school at this year’s Science Olympiad regional competition. Both Castle and the members of the team were more than excited to have placed so high in the regional competition.
By being such a positive mentor in various clubs and teams, Castle is an inspiration to many individuals. She also serves as a positive influence to PHS students who have had the opportunity to come across her.
“Ms. Castle is a great coach and makes the experience of being on the team well worthwhile,” Science Olympiad member Autumn Stevenson said. “She has always been there for me to talk to and motivate me. She is always very helpful and caring and I really appreciate that.”