2023-24 High School Confidential: Week 21

Mar. 7—NEW — Sign up for our High School Confidential newsletter here.

Want to purchase today's print edition? Here's a map of single-copy locations.

***

Welcome to Year 8 of High School Confidential, powered by Danville Area Community College. It's an award-winning project made possible by aspiring student journalists from every corner of our circulation area. Each Thursday through April, they'll tell us what's happening in their hallways at news-gazette.com.

At least once a week, we'll also hand over our Snapchat account (News-Gazette) to our correspondents for behind-the-scenes tours.

Feedback? Email N-G/VP Jim Rossow at jrossow@news-gazette.com.

On to this week's report ...

Academy High

Last week, the senior class traveled to Abbott Power Plant to learn about their unique method of generating power and heat. They had the opportunity to learn about how the plant provides power to the University of Illinois, and got to see the inner workings of the facility. Photos courtesy Natasha Capell and Annie Tock.

— Cassie Patten

ALAH

Congratulations to the 16 new members were inducted into the National Honors Society including: seniors Hannah Carter and Chloe Custer; juniors Skyler Vorck and Maddix Stirrett; and sophomores Anna Rawlins, Avery Alexander, Olivia Binion, Savannah Butcher, Brooklyn Gingrich, Lily Vanda, Abigail Miller, Kimberly Krutsinger, Karaline Vanausdoll, Lucas Butcher, Cruz Hale and Tristan Keagle.

Arcola

Friday was a busy one for students, who kicked off their morning with soft skills sessions. Led by local businesses and leaders, students rotated through classes to learn skills such as entrepreneurship, money management, how to change a tire, interview manners and more. At the end of school, the boys' basketball team, cheerleaders and marching band drumline participated in a school walkthrough ahead of that night's sectional championship game. Students and teachers lining the hallways was just a preview to the gym bleachers packed with Purple Rider fans ready to support their team and community.

— Bianca Arguelles

Armstrong

The track team had a successful opening their indoor season at the 2024 Purdue meet in West Lafayette, Ind. The Trojans, coached by Amy Bailey and Austin Bridgman, led the athletes in competing in events like high jump, pole vault, 55 hurdles and dash, long jump, and more.

— Eli Kennel

Bement

Band and choir students participated in the IHSA Solo and Ensemble contest at Moweaqua Central A&M. The Central A&M Sectional was one of fifteen throughout the state, with nineteen area schools participating. Also, members of Bement's LifeSavers were invited to attend a lock-in at Monticello High School. They played dodgeball, three-court volleyball, board games, and participated in a lab session.

— Quinn Flavin

BHRA

A handful of high schoolers put on the annual Electives Fair for incoming freshmen. There were six base electives represented: Spanish; Orientation to Family and Consumer Sciences and its branch-off classes; Intro to Agricultural and its branch-off classes; Art; World History; and different types of business classes. Each elective had a booth set up for current eighth-graders to ask questions and gain insight on the options for them to choose from.

— Krislynn Kizer

Blue Ridge

With family and friends looking on, senior Ty Meeker signed his letter of intent for Florida Southern College (Lakeland, Fla.) to water ski. Pictured (courtesy Nancy Hoffman): Ty and his parents, Doug and Kristin.

— Addison Warsaw

Centennial

Robert Meagher's small-but-mighty AP Euro class has completed projects on the French Revolution, most recently partaking in a Neo-Enlightenment meet-and-greet. Sigmun Freud (Lydia Shaw) got to psychoanalyze Frederich Nietzche (Evan Piercy), Virginia Woolf (Tessa Valera-Castro) and Emile Zola (Sophia Stuart). Students involved included, standing left to right with Meagher in back: Sean Pratt, Evan Piercy, Jonathan Harrell, Jacob Witte, Tessa Valera-Castro, Kiara Garcia-Reyes, Sophia Stuart, Myra Dodd, Soren Schrag and Lydia Shaw.

— Lydia Shaw

Champaign Central

Last Thursday, the Central and Centennial Art Honor Societies and Culinary Arts Departments organized the Empty Bowls community event. They fundraised for the Eastern Illinois Foodbank by selling handmade bowls along with soup, all made by student volunteers. Pictured (top left to bottom right): Keerthi Jagarlamudi, Aidan Warner, Angelina Ruiz, Eunice Kim, Angela Lin, Evelyn Schuchart and Jane Thomas; also, Enrika Stulpinaite and Kameron Phanrana.

— Samaira Sandil

Chrisman

Nicole Brown, the school's Family and Consumer Science educator, helped students gain a unique experience. She teaches the Early Childhood Education class, which covers the first credentials in becoming a childcare provider. Students get to attend local childcare centers for an hour each week to gain hands-on experience. Last week, Sophia Biddle, Madilyn Bel and Grayson Strange attended their respective classrooms for an entire day to experience being a teacher's aid. Each student enjoyed making memories with their students and are inspired for their futures.

— Grayson Strange

Danville

To wrap up the school's Black Heritage Month celebrations, the Black Heritage Month committee held the second annual BHM Assembly, featuring dance performances by DHS Ubuntu, vocal performances by the DHS Gospel Choir, and original songs and poems by committee members. Held in the historic Dick Van Dyke Auditorium, the 90-minute assembly was upscaled significantly from its first year. Also featured at the assembly was a scholarship awarding four applicants with $700 each. Scholarship winners were Tayvion Diltz, Nia Crawford, Brooklyn Albright and Davari Boyd. Boyd also received special recognition with the Thelma Dye and Jessica Smith Memorial Scholarship for $1,000. Black Heritage Month officially came to a close after the assembly team went on tour across District 118 on last Thursday and Friday.Pictured: Christian Davis; performance by Ubuntu; and, left to right, Tayvion Diltz, Nia Crawford, Brooklyn Albright, Davari Boyd and Destiny Dye.

— Isaiah Easton

DeLand-Weldon

On Friday, the Family and Consumer Sciences department and the music and drama department collaborated for a chili dinner accompanied by dramatic readings of classic Carol Burnett skits. The food included chili, brownies and sugar cookies, all cooked from scratch by FCS students. The audience ate as they watched students from the music and drama department perform, as well as a surprise performance from staff members Tiffany Dirksmeyer and Samantha Kirkton.

— Emma Westray

Fisher

Students in Ani Kelly's Spanish 3 and Spanish 4 classes attended the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago after studying and learning about the different art types in Spanish culture. After attending the museum, they stopped for lunch at a Mexican restaurant, where they practiced ordering their meals in Spanish.

— Jenna Clemmons

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley

The musical "Catch Me If You Can" is Friday and Saturday. Students have been working hard on the show since the first week of January. Tickets can be purchased by calling 217-784-4292 or at the door on the nights of the show. Reserved tickets are $15, and general admission tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens. A free preview for senior citizens will take place Friday morning with breakfast beginning at 9:30 a.m.

— Rylie Huls

Heritage

On Saturday, band hosted its annual Solo and Ensemble competition. At the event, different schools came to perform by either singing or playing an instrument in front of qualified judges. This year turned out very successful.

— Lillian Montgomery

Hoopeston Area

Sean Hudson placed third and was part of the all-tournament team at the Vermillion County tournament for Scholastic Bowl. He also placed third on the VVC all-conference team. The Cornjerkers placed fourth overall in the tournament.

— Emmalee Bruens

Judah Christian

The senior class on Saturday raised money for its annual trip at what is best described as a glorified garage sale in the gym. Students took in donations ranging from appliances to clothing for two weeks before sorting and preparing for the big day. The fundraiser provides money to the senior missionary trip, which will be to Puerto Rico in March. Pictured: senior class students with their teacher sponsors after setting up, as well as the day of the event.

— Hannah Jackson

Mahomet-Seymour

On Friday, M-S hosted the first- schoolwide rock, paper, scissors tournament in school history, called Roshambo. Students received a beaded necklace as soon as they walked in the door which allowed them to challenge anyone else with a necklace to a game of rock, paper, scissors. Whoever won got the necklace from the other player. Once a student had five beads, they were able to challenge a teacher for their medal necklace. If the student won, they got that teacher's medal. If the teacher won, the student had to give the teacher five of their necklaces. If you ran out of necklaces throughout the day, you were able to get them from teachers for being well behaved in class. At the end of the day there was a schoolwide assembly, and those with 40 or more beads were entered into the final round. Lily Bosworth was the grand champion for the students and Tyler Blanchette won the teacher round.

— Maddie Grindley

Milford

Students in Work and Family Relations class got to experience wearing empathy bellies and performing task that others would do when pregnant. The tasks included tying shoes, getting up off the ground, jumping, walking around the school, going to the bathroom, cooking, walking up the stairs and carrying flour which replicated another child.

— Hunter Mowrey

Monticello

Thespian sput on their production of "Sister Act" with performances last Thursday through Sunday. The musical comedy is based on the 1992 film and follows Deloris Van Cartier, played by Addi Barclay (sparkle dress), as she is sent to a convent for protection after witnessing a murder. As a nun she soon finds herself at odds with Mother Superior, played by Tatum Wichus (nun costume), and they must find a way to coincide. The cast and crew delivered a feel-good comedy that made sure to have audiences laughing out loud.

— Tynley Jackson

Oakwood

Spanish 2, 3 and 4 classes have been learning about foods and how to make orders in Spanish. Last week, those classes had a really fun field trip and went out to lunch at La Pot, enjoying favorite plates while attempting to order in Spanish.

— Lily Chesnut

Rantoul

It's a project the FFA students at Rantoul look forward to every year: Serving at Culver's.

The Eagles greet customers as they arrive, deliver orders to tables and cars in the drive-thru and help clean up. In return, Culver's donates 20 % of that day's sales to the FFA chapter, which uses the boost to offset the costs of attending conferences and conventions. Culver;s also dontes an FFA jacket to Rantoul's chapter.

"Culver's is a huge sponsor of the FFA in general so it is always fun getting the opportunity to give back in a small waym," said Danielle Sage, FFA advisor along with Nick Cotter.

The fun night of fundraising took place at the restaurant in Urbana on Feb. 27.

"The best part for the kids is being able to interact with the community," Sage said. "They love seeing the staff members and family that come to support them and they also get a chance to practice communication and social skills."

Also, Rantoul celebrate Winter Sports Awards Night last week, recognizing the many student-athletes involved.

Finally, dance team member Te'shyah Spinks was named athlete of the week, and Ashlee Freeman was named student of the month for March.

— Ashlee Freeman

St. Joseph-Ogden

Veronina Harbaugh and Ashton Harwood's journalism class began working on editorials about school policies. Administrators Shawn Hallett, Gary Page and Justin Franzen came in to answer questions the journalism class had on their chosen policy.

— Mya Bott

St. Thomas More

The school's annual Daddy-Daughter dance took place last week, and about 200 people came to dance the night away.

— Suhani Garg

Salt Fork

The Scholastic Bowl team competed in the county meet. Individual Ben Craddock once again excelled and was named all-county.

— Macie Russell

Schlarman

Among the many students being recognized last week: freshman girls' basketball player Addison Forsyth and junior boys' basketball player Peyton Kuemmerle were named Vermilion Valley Conference honorable mentions; and junior Paul Hurley tied for the No. 1 top scorer at the VVC Scholastic Bowl competition (pictured: Hurley receiving his award from Schlarman director of student services Bob Lehmann).

— Anna Lehmann

Shiloh

Class of 2012 graduate Skylar Smith, returned to school and spoke to science classes about his career path and journey to where he is now. Students were able to hear stories and information about Smith's job as the site superintendent at Homer Lake Park. Smith saide he has previously worked in other conservation fields and went to Parkland College and the University of Illinois.

— Lydia Richardson

Tuscola

Students participated in the Math Carnival produced by Michael Resendiz and his classes. The class used this experiment to project the probability and statistics of common carnival games. The carnival consisted of challenges built by Resendiz and his students. Pictured: ski ball along with a fun wheel made by juniors Andrew Bennett and Andrew Spillman.

— Brayden Gough

Uni High

An artist talk with Stacey Robinson and Dr. Kamau Grantham continued the school's series of Black History Month events. The guests talked about how they became artists, showed art to the audience and held a Q&A session about their work and how they got into art.

— Knox Mynatt

Unity

On Saturday, the school's show choir, Vocal Rush, competed in their last competition of the season at Glenwood. They were Grand Champions of the festival division and also won best choreography, best vocals and people's choice.

— Tatum Meyer

Urbana

Fifteen students went on an HBCU tour in North Carolina, where they saw nine schools including North Carolina Central University and North Carolina A&T University. They had fun bonding, shopping and having dinners as a group. The most important part of the trip, of course, being the school campus tours, exploring the universities and the towns they reside in. The travel party included Teri Hall, Janae Hall, Niyah Gilbert, Asha Williams, Genesis Walker, Evonne Favors, Zaniyah Ward, Nyasia Johnson, Jaliyah Freeman, Donovan Dorsey, Shamar Salter, Nathaniel Johnson Common, Nataniel Johnson-Commons, Cheyanca Gregory-Johnson and Jamira Faust.

— Eisla Madigan

Villa Grove

The celebration of Winterfest included multiple dressup days. Pictured: Alison Pangburn, Logan Lillard and Kayci Leith on Adam Sandler Day. At Saturday's dance and coronation, Gunner Cline and Chloe Reardon won king and queen.

— Alexandria Brown

Westville

On Friday, student council held its annual blood drive, many students 16 and older volunteering to donate. One pint saves three lives. Senior Maddisson Edwards and junior Chloey Gnaden said the nurses were very nice and, even though it was nerve-wracking, the experience was worth it. Pictured: Matthew Reynolds and student council students ready to serve; and Alek VanDorn ready to donate.

— Olivia Troglia