Finals just concluded at Griffith Jr./Sr. High School during the week of December 13-17.
As the students prepared to enter winter break, they spent their final week before the New Year studying to pass their midterm exams. There were two exams given each day, with the rest of the block scheduling periods utilized as study halls.
At Griffith, finals count for 20% of each students’ semester grades. These are the grades that go on most transcripts for colleges to look at when students apply, which is why the main goal for most students throughout the year is to do well in all of their classes leading up to this point.
Finals were given this year in either a test or project format. Some teachers created tests that students were encouraged to study for while others designed projects given within a reasonable time frame for students to complete.
The purpose of this was for the teachers to make a final review of the topics covered and assess each student's knowledge of the content they learned during the first semester.
Finals not only determine the knowledge the students have maintained throughout the school year, but also assess the teachers’ ability to educate their students professionally.
To make finals week a little less stressful, the Booster Club decided to organize a Christmas spirit week. Every day, the entire school was encouraged to dress up in their favorite Christmas-themed outfits to show off their Christmas spirit.
On Monday, students and staff members wore their favorite Christmas-themed pajamas. On Tuesday, they rocked their most festive Christmas socks and accessories. On Thursday, everyone was dressed in their best red and green outfits, and Friday was designated for ugly sweaters.
What’s Coming Up
Various activities are coming up in Griffith to celebrate the holidays.
On Sunday, December 19 and Monday, December 20, kids and parents were invited to the annual Brunch with Santa at The Banquet on Main Street.
Kids were welcome to come to visit and take pictures with Santa and his elf while requesting the gifts they’d like for Christmas. Families were also welcomed to enjoy a brunch buffet with an added kids' menu, as well as bloody marys and mimosas for anyone over the age of 21.
Another holiday event coming up is the New Year’s Eve Celebration at Avenue 912 on Ridge Road.
This event is being headlined by a local band, the Crawpuppies, on Friday, December 31 at 7:00 p.m. The Crawpuppies are encouraging the public to ring in the new year with them, as they play many of their classic and new songs.
General admission is $75 per person, and the entire night will be catered with a buffet and an open bar. The buffet will include fried chicken, sausage, sauerkraut, mostaccioli, mashed potatoes, and green beans.
Staff Spotlight
This school year has already been filled with a multitude of different changes that have affected the students and the staff alike. With a new school name change, hallways being blocked off for construction, the virtual students returning to in-person school, and a new interim superintendent, Griffith Jr./Sr. High School has completely turned around from the state it was previously in.
A huge part of this change is due to a new shift in power with the introduction of Principal Greg Mikulich. Formerly the principal at Lake Ridge Middle School for five years, Mikulich came into this position with three goals in mind for the middle school and the high school: build relationships, increase the graduation rate, and reduce suspensions and expulsions.
When offered this position as principal, he highlighted these three goals as issues that Griffith Jr./Sr. High School has had in the past and requires his attention to fixing.
After creating these three goals, Mikulich also teamed up with the administration to create district-wide goals for students. These goals not only apply to Griffith Jr./Sr. High School, but also Wadsworth and Beiriger Elementary.
The three district-wide goals are to achieve a 95% attendance rate, have 90% of all Griffith Public Schools Students earn passing grades, and have a 50% reduction in suspensions and expulsions.
“We as a team will make decisions based upon these goals”, said Mikulich.
Mikulich has also been enjoying his new position thus far, as he’s been quite impressed with the respect level that he’s received from staff and students alike. The main reason he decided to come work at Griffith is that he wanted a bigger challenge, but also because he’s always enjoyed the family feels within the community that Griffith has. So far, working at Griffith is pretty much everything that he hoped it would be.
“One of my favorite things about working here is the people. The students have been very respectful, and the staff has been very helpful. I appreciate the wonderful welcome that I’ve received. I’m also very impressed by the respect level of students and the fact that we have created such a great and positive environment for the first semester of school,” said Mikulich.
This school year has proven to be quite successful so far, and Mikulich’s goal is to be consistent into the new year. He wants to create a positive work environment where everyone can build relationships with each other and have all of the advantages that they deserve.
By the end of the year, he hopes to achieve all of the Griffith Jr./Sr. High School and district-wide goals that the administration has created with his help.
It’s clear that Mikulich only has the students’ best interests at heart, as he advocates for wanting everyone to be successful.
Student Spotlight
Senior, performer, and lifelong Griffith resident Isabella Aranda has been heavily devoted to the arts ever since she could remember.
Throughout her life, she has acted in several shows for the Griffith Theatre Company, performed in choir concerts, and has been a part of two self-proclaimed rock bands, Clouded Vision and Radical Juice House.
Just this past year, Aranda played Mrs. Paravicini, a woman of unknown provenance who turns up claiming her car has been overturned in a snowdrift, in the Griffith Theatre Company’s fall production of Agatha Christie’s, “The Mousetrap”.
“Nothing beats the feeling of performing in front of an audience,” Aranda said. “It’s something about their energy because it feels like what you give is what you get. If you give a great performance to the best of your ability, then you hook the audience and that feeling just stays with you. In choir, I’ve done it my whole school career when singing alto. In theatre, I’ve done it since middle school when I first discovered my love for acting.”
Aranda attended Eldon Ready Elementary School and Griffith Middle School before transitioning to Griffith High School her freshman year.
After having the lead role of Mama in the Griffith Theatre Company’s fall production of “I Remember Mama” her sophomore year, Aranda spent most of her time providing vocals and writing songs for her then band, Clouded Vision.
After the band dissolved, Aranda became the lead singer for her current band, Radical Juice House, with drummer, Jason Czyz, and guitarists, Kyle Rassel and Daniel Sheffield.
“Radical Juice House is one of the best things to ever happen to me. I love performing, but I enjoy singing in a band versus singing solo because when we jam, it’s way more enjoyable. All of us are constantly feeding off of each other’s energy and creativity to make something great,” said Aranda.
When she’s not honing her skills on stage, Aranda keeps herself busy with her many hobbies. The two most frequent ones in her life are sewing and roller skating.
Fashion is a prominent aspect of her personality, as she takes most of her inspiration with looks from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. She also creates a lot of her outfits based on her favorite, diverse genres of music: classic rock, psychedelic rock, Motown, and new wave.
When it comes to rollerskating, it’s something Aranda had dreamed about taking up for months before she got her first pair of rollerskates this past summer. From not knowing how to rollerskate to doing it every day, Aranda now can do all sorts of flips and tricks.
Aranda is hoping to attend Indiana University Bloomington in the fall to major in business.