Has the 7-period day with no SRT affected you? For some students it is a good change, and for others it was not ideal. Not only are the students affected, but teachers and staff are also. Teachers are teaching for more time throughout the day without the 25 minutes of SRT to accomplish more tasks a few. Mrs. Duffy, my student media teacher, said that she voted for the 7-period day, but now wants SRT back. For myself, a football, basketball, and baseball player, SRT was a very useful time to finish some of my homework . Now I am coming home with more homework than usual. The 7-period day has, however, opened up some new opportunities to students; for example, they could maybe take another elective class. There were a couple new classes to take such as criminal justice, taught by Officer Linder. Also new hours of study hall, AP psychology, and AP literature were opened for seniors. This schedule change has many negative effects, but can create many new opportunities for students.
The Taxing Sport by Kevin Paszko
For many at Hanover, the sport of cross country is a little known activity to them. However, for those involved, it offers something completely different. Jared Tomac and Angela Gonzalez are two people who truly believe it takes a healthy dose of certain qualities to participate in the sport. For Jared and Angela, both seniors who have been a part of Hanover’s cross country teams the last four years, they know it takes a large amount of commitment and an unmatched mental toughness to succeed. When someone is two and half miles into a just over three mile race and the humidity is beating down on you while people battle to pass you and gain another spot for their team it presents a tough situation to make a decision for. According to Angela, “Not everyone is willing to go through the pain,” and Jared shares a similar stance: “Most of the sport is a mental game. You have to be prepared mentally and physically.” Those are rather daunting assessments of what the sport takes, but they are true nonetheless. Both knew what they were entering when they started their careers and the added toughness only fueled their inner fires for competing, training, and improving. They chose the sport due to the amount of effort that was required of them, and they take pride in being two of only eleven people who comprise the cross country teams.
Changing a Blank Slate into a Work of Art by Isabella Hathaway
Have you seen the murals in the cafeteria? If you haven’t, then you haven’t been looking. As you turn the corner into the cafeteria, it’s hard to miss the Wildcat breaking through the brick wall. There are streets on each side of the cat with road signs naming other schools in our conference. The mural brings bright color into the room, we no longer have to stare at white cinder blocks. It is a new addition to the cafeteria this year, and it is the artist Mr. Cortese who has enhanced our dining experience. He is a new teacher at Hanover this year, hired to teach the advanced art class during the second period of the day. This special class has been limited to three students: Lillian Knapik, Katie Sivak, and Stephen Kane; each are learning how to paint murals like the one in the cafeteria, and they are currently working on another on a separate wall. You can see their progress every day, and it is looking awesome! I can’t wait to see what they’ll do next! Next time you’re in the cafeteria, make sure to admire their work!
A New Beginning by Matthew Stewart
Welcome Hanover Central High School’s newest PE and health teacher, Mrs. Fakes! A little background information about Mrs. Fakes. Mrs. Fakes is from Cedar Lake and has to drive about 2.5 miles to Hanover. She attended Taylor University and Wayne State University for college and earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a masters degree. Mrs. Fakes has been teaching for thirty-one years. Some of Mrs. Fakes favorite activities to do outside of school is to ride her bike, go kayaking, boating, or any other outdoor activity . Mrs Fakes has one child whom she adopted from a foster care when he was seven years old. Her secret talent remains a secret! After she retires from teaching, she plans to “relax on the back deck looking across the valley at the mountains while drinking coffee,” Mrs Fakes said. She plans to retire when she has tons of energy and tons of money so she can enjoy retirement. Well, everyone, this is Mrs Fakes. Make sure you welcome her to Hanover Central High School!
Sense of Community by Zach Willson
There are nearly two dozen new teachers who have been added into the Hanover Central community this school year. One of those teachers is Mrs. Mesko. First earning her English degree with a certificate in secondary education from Governors State University and having been a student teacher at Rich Central High School teaching English, it only makes sense that she became a 9th grade English teacher here at Hanover. She stated, “Hanover Central is very different than where I did my student teaching. Hanover has a much smaller student body which gives it a real sense of community.” As the school year goes on, she and her students will continue to have connections and grow together. “The students at Hanover seem to be a great group of kids, and I am really enjoying getting to know all of the students,” Mrs. Mesko said. Just like she and many of the new faces at Hanover Central, they are passionate about what they do, and it is going to make the 2017-2018 school year outstanding.
Stereotypical Cheerleaders Vs. Actual Cheerleaders ~ by Ashley Owen
What do you think when you hear the word cheerleading? Most of you will think, “Those are the girls who are super happy all the time, have excessive amounts of school spirit, and chant on the sidelines of football and basketball games, right?” While, yes, cheerleaders are those things, which they should be, there is much more to them and their sport than what you see. The stunts that happen every Friday night are practiced to perfection. Cheers are gone over hundreds of times at practices. Practices are typically two hours long, twice a week, every week. Cheerleaders also have competitions, and your Hanover Central Cheerleaders go to them. On top of making basketball posters and practicing cheers and stunts for football and basketball games, they come up with a two-minute routine and practice it, then bring it to a competition with tons of other squads. At a normal competition there are 5-6 different squads in each division. “It’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears,” says head coach Angel Hoover. “Yeah, I mean, it’s not like we’re throwing around a five-pound football. It’s people.” adds assistant coach Jess. There is a lot more to cheerleaders than what you see.
The Difference by Dominic DeBartolo
Mrs. Coleman is our new ISS supervisor here at Hanover Central. Each student had a similar reaction. Each student said Mrs. Coleman is laid back about most things. The first student told me ISS is not fun at all, but she always helps students and has plenty of patience. The other student claimed ISS is ¨miserable.¨ Well, I did expect someone to say this, seeing ISS is when you’re supposed to be getting punished.
When interviewing Mrs. Coleman, she informed me that she came to Hanover to fill some hours in her day. Mrs. Coleman claimed ΅the ISS day is very long and challenging. A good ISS day is when you have a student that wants to work.” Mrs. Coleman described herself as not mean at all. She only disciplines the kids who disrespect her. When no one is in ISS for the day, Mrs. Coleman is in the media center. Mrs. Coleman lastly included that she enjoys working at Hanover because it makes her feel more connected to her community.
March to the Beat by Jess Wiersema
Hanover Pride, Hanover Central’s band, consists of many students who put a great amount of effort into our fantastic band to give high quality performances. According to their teacher, Mr. James Lowry, an average week leading up to these concerts there is nonstop playing of the pieces they plan to perform. Repetition of these songs goes on until it has exceeded excellence, yet rarely are there any attendants that go to these performances other than the member’s families, raising the question, “is the practice worth it?”
When asked if she believed the hard work is worth it in the end, sophomore Tiffany Lang replied, “It is, but I don’t feel the work is appreciated enough.” When speaking casually with some of the band members, most of them agreed with Tiffany, saying they are glad to put the work in but do feel it almost goes wasted. While most band members are not in the curricular for recognition, it always hurts to feel ignored. Even with how invisible the efforts may seem, the band does appreciate themselves what they do and the people they do it with.
“Marching band is very fun and I enjoy doing it, though it can be difficult sometimes,” says sophomore Kayla Denklau. Learning new pieces can be frustrating. The band is a great puzzle; each member is in charge of their own part and if they mess up, the whole song can seem undone.
When speaking about marching band, Tiffany Lang agreed with Kayla stating, “I enjoy it, but afterward it is painful.” Carrying around the instruments in marching band does seem to add extra weight on the members striving for success. Not only do they learn music in such a short amount of time, sometimes only within a week, but they also learn drills which takes of strength and effort when hauling the instruments with them.
All of the members of band have the same thought process and the same goal, and that is to entertain and please. Though they say it is difficult at times, whether that be physical pain, or knowing their effort goes unnoticed, they do enjoy the activity together as a team.
It is guaranteed by their director, Mr. Lowry, that to be part of this family that you need, “patience and a strong desire to want to do well.”
The Girl’s Golf Team by Charlie Grill
The Hanover Central High School girl’s golf team has had a great deal of victories without being noticed. The girl’s golf team won third place in their conference, led by sophomore Isabel Sitowski, who achieved a third place medal and freshman Kylie McAllister, who placed fifth. The girl’s golf team couldn’t have done it without practicing. They practice almost every day at their home course, The South Shore Country Club, where they perfect their struggling shots. Hard work and dedication goes into the girl’s golf team, and they’ve shown us with their winnings.
Rising Up! by Taylor Aliaga
Hanover Environmental Club is rising up! Everyone who wants to make a difference in our community and within Hanover Central is welcome to help out every Monday morning in Mrs. Demmond’s class. Club member Jess Wiersema says, “ Taking care of the environment is cool! We want to make an impact, not only at Hanover but everywhere!” Environmental Club strives to promote better habits among students such as recycling, cleaning, and reusing. Members collect all the recycle bins and take bottle caps off bottles. FUN FACT! Did you know that water bottle caps are not recyclable? Knowing this one fact can make you question what else you don’t know. Joining Environmental Club expands your knowledge of the world, such as everyday things we do and how harmful they are to the Earth. Knowing simple facts can help prevent hurting Earth and means we are one step closer to a cleaner planet. Help our school get cleaner and greener! Environmental Club is the best place to start a change.
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