What’s recently happened?
Hobart High School (HHS) students have been staying rather busy this month!
Organized by the HHS admin team, students were invited to an outside viewing of the solar eclipse on April 8. During the afternoon, staff and students gathered on the football field with their glasses and watched the eclipse as it passed by Hobart.
“Going outside with all my friends to witness something not everybody gets to see was really awesome, especially considering that the next eclipse won’t be until 2044. That will be our 20 year reunion,” said Senior Addy Black.
Band and orchestra recently took on Lake Central High School performing in the last Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) event of the year. Both symphonic band and wind ensemble received golds in sight reading, while concert orchestra received a silver in the same category. Students did not get back to Hobart until almost midnight; a true testament to their hard work. As this ISSMA season comes to an end, both directors and students are gearing up for next year.
HHS spring athletics are already proving to lead to a great season. The Girls Tennis team competed against Merrillville High School where the team had an intense play against a Sectional competitor. The first doubles team was the first off the court, tying up the score at 1-1. The remaining three matches at first singles, third singles, and second doubles fought hard to make it to a third set. The Lady Brickies ended up taking home the victory at 3-2, with some individual matches reaching around 3 hours of playtime. The team is currently 4-2 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.
“We have one of the best starts to a season this year than we have had in a couple of years. We all work well together and enjoy our time as a team,” said Sophomore Tennis Player Emily Cicillian.
The Varsity Boys Baseball team played against Kankakee Valley High School (KVHS) on April 22 at U.S. Steel Yard..
“Here, you don’t just play one game. You play through all the other games you’ve experienced at this venue,” said Varsity Coach Trevor Howard.
The team was challenged by Alex Barr, a junior at KVHS, who held HHS hitless on seven strikeouts through three innings. Upon entering the fourth inning, Junior Drew Burris had limited the opponent to two runs. The HHS Boys took the win after battling it out at the plate where Junior Jayme Hairston brought the score even with a clutch double. Senior Nick Sobczynski then followed up his diving catch from the previous inning with a run batted in (RBI) single to put HHS ahead.
“It was a consistent, patient effort that carried us to the win,” said Howard.
What’s coming up?
HHS theatre is putting on another show stopping production: “Finding Nemo Jr.”
“Finding Nemo Jr” follows the journey of a single father, Marlin, who struggles to accept that his son Nemo is growing up. On the first day of school, Nemo goes missing, so Marlin sets out to go look for him with the help of his new friend Dory. This adventure shows the importance of friends and family, and with the casts’ catchy tunes and choreographed numbers, the audience is definitely in for an emotional ride.
“After the recent success of ‘The Spongebob Musical,’ we wanted to do another show that appealed to a variety of audiences,” said Sophomore Delaney Williams, who portrays Nemo.
Each spring, the theatre department director, Catherine Nelson, hands over the show to that year’s senior class. The seniors then work together to hold auditions, select the cast, choreograph, and stage a complete production. This tradition not only showcases the many talents and leadership of the senior class but also brings a new sense of collaboration within the department as students come together to create a memorable experience for both themselves and the audience.
Hobart’s elementary schools will attend special performances during May 2 and 3 school days. The shows will be open to the community on May 4 at 7 p.m. and May 5 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $5 for general admission.
With prom just around the corner, the Brickie Boutique is opening its doors. National Honors Society’s (NHS) President, Senior Mackenzie Eberle, has been working over the past few years to provide people with free prom dresses. They accept prom dress donations from students, teachers, the community, and local businesses.
“We originally started with about 30 dresses this year, and now we have more than 50 with donations,” said Eberle.
The Brickie Boutique is open during Power Hours for an hour a day on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
Staff spotlight:
Nanelle Hairston is currently the “We The People” (WTP) teacher for both HHS and Hobart Middle School (HMS). She’s been in education for over 15 years, with the last four years at Hobart, which has become her favorite place to teach.
Hairston grew up and spent most of her life in Decatur, Illinois. There she got her degrees, married, and had her three kids. In 2016, her family moved to Hobart where she began teaching Social Studies at HMS.
“Civics education is often overlooked in the modern curriculum. However, I strongly believe that it is a critical component of a comprehensive education,” said Hairston.
WTP is a civics education course that dives into the history and guiding principles of American constitutional democracy. The class enhances students' understanding of how the government operates while highlighting the relevance of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in the modern world. Hairston emphasizes that students taking advantage of these courses equip themselves with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to be informed, active, and responsible citizens.
For Hairston, teaching is more than just a profession – it’s also a calling deeply ingrained from family history. Her passion for teaching is a tribute to her mother, a dedicated teacher who believed in the transformative power of education. Despite facing personal loss when her mother passed away in 2017, Hairston found a renewed determination to continue her mother’s legacy.
“She instilled in me the values of patience, empathy, and resilience, which are at the core of my teaching philosophy today,” said Hairston.
Hairston finds that the most rewarding part of the job is witnessing both the intellectual and personal growth of her students. Learning is a lifelong journey, one where she not only guides her students but also learns from them. Hairston’s classroom is a place of shared knowledge and constant discovery.
“As teachers, we get to witness young minds blossom into critical thinkers and responsible citizens,” said Hairston.
Outside of teaching, Hairston stays rather busy. As an active member of her church, she leads worship, combining both her love for music and her faith. Hairston also enjoys traveling because of experiencing both new atmospheres and cultures. She has been able to see all 50 states and has also traveled to China, Iceland, Central America, and England.
“The best part of my life is my family. Whether I'm braving the cold to watch my son's baseball game, analyzing the latest Taylor Swift lyrics with my daughters, or simply enjoying sitcom reruns with my husband and a pizza, these are the moments that truly matter to me,” said Hairston.
Student spotlight:
Sophomore Shu Jing Zheng continuously proves to be an influential member of the HHS student body by not only contributing to her school but also her community.
Within school, Zheng can be found in numerous activities, including Student Council, WTP, Youth and Government, Business Professionals of America, HOSA, Band, and most notably, Key Club. She is currently serving as the Calumet Lieutenant Governor where she oversees the HHS, Highland High School, and Wheeler High School Key Clubs in the Northwest Indiana (NWI) region.
As an officer, Zheng had to develop and direct a service project for Key Club groups to complete. This year, she decided to give back to St. Jude House, a local domestic violence shelter located in Crown Point. By offering shelter, counseling, medical services, education, and more to victims of domestic violence, St. Jude House is making great strides to benefit NWI communities.
“I worked with Addy Williams, a junior at HHS and member of Key Club, to collect donations during school lunches. Students who weren’t able to donate could choose to sign an awareness pledge,” said Zheng.
With over 50 signatures and more than $300 raised, both Zheng and Williams bought an abundance of much-needed items such as baby necessities, food, feminine hygiene products, and cleaning supplies.
“These are things that normally get overlooked since most people have access to it. Why not share that luxury with those who need it?” said Zheng.
Outside of school and extracurriculars, Zheng works a part-time job at her parents’ restaurant, Rice Garden. She also enjoys getting to spend time with her friends by going shopping, going to the beach, and just making memories she can look back on after her high school career.
“I really do cherish being able to help others. I think that if anyone has the chance to, they will not only learn more about their community, but even something about themselves,” said Zheng.