Coming Up: Natural Helps Hosts Coffee House Talent Show, Substance Abuse Outreach, Sports, and More!
This upcoming Tuesday, Feb. 21, the Natural Helpers program is hosting its annual Coffee House from 6 to 8:30 pm. The admission for this event is $5, and includes two beverages such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate and/or water.
As it is every year, Coffee House is an opportunity for student performers to showcase their talents. The performances this year include acts such as little comedy skits and songs performed by friends. Close to fifty students are participating in the show this year, either alone, with friends, or even with their siblings. The event is going to help raise money for the Natural Helpers.
Also coming to CHS is the annual winter play. This year, the play is an original written by Chesterton alum Tom O’Neill. The play this year is called Subpar Heroes, and it has been described as putting a twist on the traditional superhero genre. The show does so by having the heroes and villains be mediocre at their jobs. The play will have three performances, plus a Feb. 22 matinee for third-graders. These performances will take place on Feb. 24 and 25 at 7 pm, and Feb. 26 at 2 pm. Tickets can be bought at the bookstore, at the door, or on www.showtix4u.com.
Additionally, on March 9 from 7 to 9 pm, the school is offering a completely free substance abuse outreach program. The event was organized by health and physical education teacher David Milligan as well as others. The main goal of the program is to actually do something about the ever-present substance abuse problem, rather than just continue to discuss why it is a program.
Licensed mental health counselors and licensed clinical addiction counselors will be present at the event to help provide resources to any addicted people and their friends and families. Some students are volunteering at the event to help spread the word about the harm that substance abuse can cause in a community.
In these past two weeks, Trojan winter athletics have been booming. February 18 was a big day, with gymnastics coming in first in the Duneland Athletic Conference meet, the boys swim team winning their 19th consecutive Sectionals title, girls bowling coming in second in their state championship and losing the final championship match by only one point, and wrestling coming in second at their state championship. Senior Andrew Davison was also named the 195 state champion. Just a week before that, on Feb. 11 the girls swim team came in second place at their state championship. As all the winter sports come to a close, these victories serve as motivation for the next season.
Student Spotlight: Alyssa Scott-Rich
Many students like to get involved in sports during their high school years, but usually they end up sticking to sports within the school like softball, soccer, or basketball. One sport that many watch on television but few high schoolers actually get involved in is hockey. Junior Alyssa Scott-Rich, however, has been playing hockey since elementary school.
“I have been playing hockey for about six or seven years,” Scott-Rich stated. “It has always been my favorite sport.”
The cooperation of everyone on the team is one of her favorite parts of the sport.
“I love hockey,” she said, “because it takes a lot of skill and everyone is involved in every play.”
Being able to interact with your favorite players from your favorite team is always interesting and can be memorable. But what makes something like that even better is the added bonus of a gift from your ultimate favorite player.
“I actually have two memories that I would consider my favorites. The first one is getting a puck from my favorite player. The second is probably getting to talk to about half of my favorite team, the Vancouver Canucks.”
One of Scott-Rich’s biggest reasons for becoming a Canucks fan was sympathy, especially growing up in an area where everyone always professes their love for the Chicago Blackhawks. And when the team ended up being full of kind and considerate players, that just sealed the deal.
“I became a Canucks fan because I felt bad that everyone around here hates them so much,” Scott-Rich stated. “I ended up looking into them and saw that they really were not jerks like some players can be, so I thought I’d like them.”
The most fun part of being a Canucks fan, in Scott-Rich’s opinion, is the playful competition that it causes in her family.
“I saw that everyone around here likes the Blackhawks, especially my family, so I wanted to be different. It is always fun when the Canucks play the Blackhawks because everyone in my family is such a die hard fan. At that point, it really is me against everyone.”