#1StudentNWI: Chesterton’s Summertime Plans

#1StudentNWI: Chesterton’s Summertime Plans

What’s Going On

Now that school is officially out, summer is in full swing. Chesterton’s spring sports all finished strong, as well. The baseball team made it to semi-state, senior golfer Mitch Davis made it to state, the softball team beat out rival Valpo for the Sectional title, and girls track won the IHSAA sectional title. Also, boys volleyball won Regionals and many senior track boys medaled or won titles at state. On top of all of that, seniors Braden Corzan (track/football), Lucas Davison (wrestling), Jakob Kintzele (cross country/track), Austin Peterson (basketball/baseball), junior Eli Pokorney (wrestling), and sophomore Jake Wadding (basketball) were all named candidates for NWI Times’ Athlete of the Year award. Finally, Chesterton athletic trainer Bernie Stento was named the 2017-2018 Newell Award National Athletic Trainer of the Year. Stento has been an athletic trainer for the past 28 years.

What’s Coming Up

1Student-Chesterton-JuneJennie-2018-02Since summer is here and the days are free, most Chesterton students have taken to hanging out downtown or at the Dunes. Every Saturday throughout the summer, Chesterton holds its European Market full of food, music, and goods. The Market is held in Downtown Chesterton in Thomas Park. It’s open from 8 am to 2 pm Saturday with over 80 vendors every week, some come every single week and some do as special visits. Of course, the big hit of the summer is the Fireworks on the Lakefront event held on July 2 from 6 to 10 pm. Every year, the event is packed with people lounging at the State Park and watching the spectacular. This year is the 10th annual event. Vendors will also be selling food starting at 6 pm with the actual fireworks show kicking off at 9:15 pm. The cost is $7 per car.

Student Spotlight: Jackie Neely

1Student-Chesterton-JuneJennie-2018-03Rising junior Jackie Neely has been a part of the Chesterton High School Drifters since she was a freshman, and this summer she decided to go to Show Choir Camps of America.

“I wanted to go to camp because I was interested in improving my skills,” Neely said. “At SCA, there are tons of opportunities for campers to grow.”

One of the biggest takeaways from the whole experience was the friendships.

“The friendships I made at this camp are irreplaceable,” Neely noted. “I gained so many friends and took away new techniques to help me as a performer.”

Entering her third year of performing, Neely said that she never gets tired of the excitement.

“My favorite part about being in show choir is the rush I get from being onstage. The feeling I get from dancing and singing alongside 44 of my best friends onstage is absolutely incredible.”

Student Spotlight: Sarah Kaiser

1Student-Chesterton-JuneJennie-2018-04This summer, rising senior Sarah Kaiser made it her goal to help others in need by joining a mission trip. While it wasn’t her first trip, she explained that the experiences are always interesting.

“I think it’s a great way to help those in need!” Kaiser said. “I learned that it doesn’t matter where you go, there’s always going to be people in need of some form of help.”

Kaiser spent a lot of her time with children on the trip, making friends with them and playing games. The kids, she said, impacted her life and vice versa.

“My favorite part was knowing that I was making a huge impact on those kids’ lives,” Kaiser explained, “as they did on mine. Seeing them smiling and having fun is a very rare thing, and I was able to witness that firsthand.”

Involvement in her school and community isn’t a new things for Kaiser, however.

“Besides mission trips and my youth group, I’m going on my fourth year of show choir and I’m so lucky to be a part of that!” Kaiser said.