What’s recently happened?
With school officially back in session, Chesterton High School (CHS) welcomes both returning and new students.
Prior to the school year beginning, the incoming freshmen were welcomed to their new environment by means of CHS’s annual freshman orientation called Trojan Charge. Trojan Charge utilizes the help of both upperclassmen and staff members to ensure freshmen easily adapt to the high school.
During the orientation, students were split into groups to tour the school and learn their schedules to prepare for the upcoming year.
“I think being a freshman is not as bad as what people think, but there’s a lot of responsibility. You have more freedom in high school than in middle school,” said Freshman Peytan Belegal.
Since school has only just begun, students can look forward to an action-packed year. Homecoming festivities are quickly approaching as September draws near, and students will be able to participate in spirit days, a pep rally, the Homecoming Parade, and the Homecoming Dance.
The beginning of the school year can be a bittersweet time for incoming seniors. This year calls for seniors to reflect on where they have been and where they will go.
“Senior year is bittersweet for me because I know I will probably be leaving a lot of people I grew up with, but I’m excited to be a leader in Trojan Guard and experience many first lasts,” said Student Rosalie Salentine.
This year is a fresh start and a great time to make new memories and friends, as well as have exciting experiences.
What’s coming up?
Next month, CHS’ marching band will be competing at the Goshen Invitational at Goshen High School.
“I look forward to most competitions because it’s a new experience,” Student River Pryzgoda said.
This all-day event for band students entails traveling, warming up, performing, earning a placement, and going home with a plaque detailing which place the group earned. Over 10 high school marching bands will be competing at the event. The marching band will later be touring Northwest Indiana as well for other competitions, and will later have an out-of-state competition this season.
Last year, the Trojan Guard earned third place at the Goshen Invitational. Best of luck to the Chesterton Trojan Guard and those competing.
Staff spotlight:
Compassionate. Open-minded. Imaginative. These are only a few words to describe CHS Art Teacher Colin May. May is a Chesterton native and 1997 graduate who teaches Intro to 2D Art, Visual Communications, Drawing I, Applied Arts, and Printmaking.
“Printmaking is my baby. I love that printmaking is accessible to everyone, regardless of talent or skill,” May said.
Having attended both Indiana University (IU) Northwest and Ball State University, May earned his undergraduate degree in Visual Art Education with minors in Counseling and Sociology.
“I pursued visual art because it was something I loved doing. I decided early on that being happy was more important than being rich,” May said.
Both of May’s parents were teachers. His high school guidance counselor recommended he be a teacher, but May initially decided to go in a different direction. Instead, May worked as a photojournalist, where he was able to travel and explore his passion for photography.
“I got to interact with people that I would never otherwise interact with. One day I was interviewing police officers, the next day circus performers, another day prisoners. It forced me to confront my biases and see the humanity in everyone,” May said.
Eventually May found himself teaching art at Liberty Elementary School, which he did for a decade before transferring to CHS where he has worked now for seven years.
“I love working with young kids because they're silly, they tell you about their dogs, and their energy is contagious. They are fearless when it comes to making art. I wanted to see what the other side was like, so I made the change, but I still love hearing about people's dogs,” May said.
In his free time, May looks forward to building electronics and keeping in touch with his musical spirit. Music is one of May’s greatest inspirations in life and has shaped him into the person he is today. He began playing in bands from age 15, and learned about art and social issues.
Seeing others perform music planted a force of determination in May, which led him to wonder why he shouldn’t also perform. Being in the presence of loud music served as a safe space for expression and helped him in his understanding of how emotional ranges vary.
“Anger and rage weren’t just for boys, and vulnerability and tenderness weren’t just for girls,” May said.
Music has taught May about the advantages of working with others and trying new things. Having played in over 10 bands, with genres stretching from indie rock to thrash metal, May has spread the power of music around America and Europe.
Likewise, music allowed him to rediscover his love of design and art. Over time, music served as a muse, and May created packaging for his band records. This act later shifted into creating shirts, posters, and flyers. This creativity was guided by a firm use of sensation, guiding the processes of what worked and what didn’t.
Music also helped May learn about veganism. Part of what makes May such a special person is his humane perspective on how people interacting with other living beings affects the world around us. May loves animals and chooses to lead a vegan lifestyle.
He first learned about veganism from literature provided by a band’s merchandise table. From there, he learned about the unethical procedures and dark realities of the meat and dairy industries, as well as how the industries impacted the environment. As a result, he went vegetarian at age 15 and transitioned to veganism at age 20.
From there, May challenged himself to rethink how he viewed animals and how, culturally, people choose specific species as pets and others as sustenance. He also studied how animals feel emotions and knew he had to make a change.
“I thought about my dog and how heartbroken I would feel if she were treated how pigs are treated. After that, I was no longer comfortable with ‘out of sight, out of mind.’ I realized I could still live a happy, fulfilling life without contributing to the suffering of others. I challenge anyone who values life and freedom to do the same,” May said.
May’s art is creative and expressive, his views contemplative. When students are in his art classes, not only will they learn about their capabilities as an artist, but they will also learn about their values and who they are as a person. May does not only teach students how to convey creative aspirations, but how to acknowledge their outlook on different topics. This helps to produce a well-educated and mature group of students at CHS.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have what we do at CHS. We have a staff that cares, clubs and activities for every interest, and an absolutely dynamite art department!” May said.
Student spotlight:
Senior Alejandra Sierazy is an artist and dedicated runner at CHS and is quite involved with extracurriculars. She is a member of the National Honor Society, is an IB art student, and is also in cross country.
“As of right now, I'm running cross country. We race a 5K, which is 3.1 miles. I'm a senior this year so I'm getting a feel for what it's like to lead a team and be a role model to underclassmen. This includes planning routes, leading stretches, and making sure people don't get lost. I also help assist with warm-ups before races and pre-workout dynamics. I enjoy our daily runs—especially the ones at The Dunes! One of my favorite cross-country memories was jumping in the lake after our long run,” Sierazy said.
Sierazy joined cross-country because her mom suggested she could meet other people in middle school. Having a background in competitive swimming helped encourage the decision to choose cross-country due to the similarities of the sports. Soon after joining, she found she loved running and the camaraderie among her teammates.
“Running brings me so much joy and the mental challenge of constantly pushing yourself harder is so fun. I've made so many friends and with some amazing coaches cross country has just become more enjoyable each year,” Sierazy said.
The track team meets in different places to run, which sometimes include Sunset Hill, Coffee Creek, the train station, CHS, and the Dunes. In the summer, there is more flexibility for the meets, allowing the group to participate in a team camp at Indiana University, as well as the annual bike ride throughout Chesterton.
“One of my favorite things we did this year was the ropes course trip, where we all went climbing for a team bonding day. Once a week we have pasta parties, which a different teammate hosts each time. We eat food and hang out at their houses in preparation for the weekend meets,” Sierazy said.
Unfortunately, Sierazy tore both of her hip labrums during cross-country the summer before she became a freshman. Decidedly, she continued to run without having them fixed for the following three cross-country seasons, in addition to two track seasons. During her junior year, she underwent surgery and missed out on the track season as she recovered; although a week prior to the surgery, she ran a half marathon, which she credits as one of her biggest achievements. Thankfully, Sierazy is able to make a great comeback for her final year of high school and cross country, her fortitude inspiring.
When she’s not running, Sierazy loves to read or work on another passion of hers—her art. Recently, she has been experimenting with oil pastels, wood burning, and doodling on seashells.
In 2019, her friend commissioned her to draw on a pair of white sneakers. Over time, family and friends of Sierazy wanted customized shoes. Once Sierazy joined IB art at CHS, she was opened up to her possibilities as an artist. From there, she has decorated mugs, shirts, and tote bags with her designs and sells them under the business name Sierazy Art. Additionally, she has also made prints of her own paintings, as well as stickers of her drawings.
“Sketching on anything I could put my Sharpie marker to, I fell in love with the process of making art to sell. Seashell ring dishes and wood-burned plaques have been my favorite new additions. Today I have a pop-up shop and sometimes appear at the European Market and other shows. I also have a website, which is linked to my Instagram,” Sierazy said.
Sierazy hopes to have her work available in stores or to see her prints hung in cafes with her smaller items for sale. She plans to sell her work online and at markets and wishes to continue to pursue her passion.
“I just draw whatever comes to me in the moment, mainly sticking to mandala-esque patterns. I like to incorporate little Easter eggs within the doodles if it's specific to the piece as well,” Sierazy said.
If you ever find yourself bored on a Saturday afternoon, visit the European Market and you just might see Sierazy’s artwork.
“It's really neat to be around other vendors and see how people respond to my art. Even if they don't buy anything, it always makes me so happy to hear how people like what I've made. I enjoy talking to whoever comes by and supporting other local small businesses,” Sierazy said.
Sierazy has made incredible strides in her personal life and will continue to make many more.
“I'm a bit nervous but excited to see where this year takes me,” Sierazy said.