What’s Going On:
The final bell rang for Chesterton High School at 2:45 on May 25, signaling the end of another successful school year. Students trudged through the last week, taking finals left and right, but the painstaking testing process was made easier by gifts from Student Government. At the beginning of the week, StuGo leaders and helpers taped a little note on everyone’s locker, reading, “Hey smartie! Good luck on finals!” with a pack of Smarties. The treat motivated all the students to keep going and make it through those last four days.
The seniors attended the annual senior banquet on Thursday, May 24. The banquet was held at the Allure on the Lake and ran from 6 pm to 9 pm. There, the class of 2018 was served food and were presented with their senior superlatives. There was a DJ, a photobooth, and a deck for students to mingle on and enjoy the night before their last day of high school.
Finally, on May 23 and May 24, the annual book exchange and coffee shop was held after school in the library. Students were able to swap their old books for ones that were “new to them.” Students were also able to buy treats and the money raised went to the IB juniors to help them raise cash and collect book donations for the Boys and Girls Club of Puerto Rico.
What’s Coming Up:
On Thursday, May 31, the class of 2018 will officially graduate. The 128th annual graduation commencement ceremony will be held at the football stadium if the weather is nice and the gym if it’s raining. If the ceremony is held outside, those with tickets will be able to enter at 5:30 and general admission will start at 6. Tickets will be required for all attendees if the ceremony is held in the gym instead, in which case doors will open at 6.
This year, 477 graduates will cross the stage and officially finish high school. The ceremony will start at 7 pm and principal Jeff Van Drie will present the honors students and diplomas will be awarded by superintendent Dr. Ginger Bolinger, assistant superintendent James Goetz, and assistant superintendent Monte Moffett among others. The ceremony will also feature class speakers and a speech from a faculty member and will end with the traditional turning of the tassels and closing address. Students will also be able to purchase a DVD of the ceremony for $20 on graduation night.
Student Spotlight: Carol Dilts
For years and years, senior Carol Dilts has been the dancing queen.
“I was originally drawn to dance by the idea of performing,” Dilts said. “I’ve always loved getting up in front of people and entertaining a crowd!”
Currently, Dilts takes seven classes a week at her dance studio in Chicago on top of her regular schoolwork.
“It averages about 25+ hours a week,” Dilts said. “I take ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, character, and ballroom. Managing full time school, orchestra, wind ensemble, and other co-curricular activities on top of dancing has been really tough. Every day I spend two hours on a train heading to and from Chicago. That is when I’m doing most of my homework. Any free time I have goes to studying and doing homework!”
The rush of adrenaline Dilts gets from performing is her main motivator.
“Have you ever felt scared, excited, proud, and unsure at the same time? For me, dancing is kind of like that,” Dilts explained. “Dancing gives me this rush of adrenaline, it’s like sprinting the final 100m in a race, singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, and disarming a nuclear bomb all rolled into one! It’s exhilarating. It’s powerful. Its intensely scary, but in the best kind of way. I think it’s this crazy sort of feel that is so complex that has made me stick with dance. It doesn’t matter whether I’m performing for thousands in an auditorium, “interpretively” dancing in the hallways at school, or jamming out in my room at 3AM, the feeling of passion and accomplishment is always there!”
Dilts’ dancing abilities are on par with her academic abilities, and she plans on continuing both in the coming years.
“I am equally passionate about both dance and science! Next year I will be majoring in Biology with a focus on research at IUN full time,” Dilts said. “I will also be dancing with A&A Ballet’s Youth Company full time in the fall! I’m super excited to be pursuing the two things I love most, and am even happier that I did not have to give up my dancing to pursue a higher education.”