What’s recently happened?
On Saturday March 3, Griffith High School (GHS) held its annual “Dancing with the Panthers” event through the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) club.
The purpose of the event is to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer. Students were asked to create teams of 10 people who would donate $20 to compete in a series of games. The winner of each game was given additional money to contribute to their total money earned and, the team with the highest donation won.
“Dancing with the Panthers doesn’t feel like a traditional fundraiser because you just get to hang out with your friends and have fun while raising money for a great cause,” said Student Bella Andriessen.
This year, the fundraiser's theme was “Disney,” so all teams were required to come up with a team name that fit the theme and dress up according to their team name. The themes of this year's teams were “101 Dalmatians,” “Toy Story,” and “Inside Out.”
The event provided games, music, snacks, and even a bounce house.
“Even the teachers get involved which is really fun. There was a point where even Ms. Jenna Berzy was in the bounce house,” said Student Maya Perez.
During the fundraiser, the games that were played included musical chairs, ships and sailors, a dance competition, and an obstacle course.
“My favorite game was the obstacle course because my team was really good at it. We were in and out in a second,” said Student Analisa Fuentes.
The fundraiser raised a total of $723 that was donated to families battling childhood cancer in Northwest Indiana.
What’s coming up?
Students at GHS have been working diligently since the start of the second semester, and they’re ready for a well-deserved break.
Spring Break is an exciting time at GHS. As the weather begins to improve, students and teachers alike have the opportunity to spend some time outside and even do some traveling.
“I’m going to Universal Studios, and I’m really excited to get out of Indiana, especially because I haven’t gone in so long,” said Student Kylee Crafton.
While many students have plans to leave, there are plenty of people who just want to stay home and relax during their time off.
“I’m going to catch up on some much needed sleep,” said Student Lily Helfen.
Students and teachers alike can both take a step back and enjoy the time they have to not worry about school work, but for many, Spring Break will not be interrupting practices for sports and extracurricular activities.
“Most of my Spring Break will be spent at track practice,” said Teacher Kristina Taylor.
Whether they’re traveling, staying home, or working on their extracurriculars, everyone at GHS has plans they look forward to over break.
“I’ll probably be playing a lot of volleyball, but I also want to go to the roller rink,” said Student Milah Castro.
Spring Break will begin at GHS on March 20 and will continue until March 24.
Students and staff are all looking forward to a week of relaxation, vacation, and all of their favorite activities.
Staff spotlight:
Virginia Bellamy is the attendance secretary at GHS.
Bellamy plays a vital role at GHS ensuring that all students are accounted for and making sure they are in class when they’re supposed to be. She also acts as a secretary to the principal and assistant principals in the school.
“I answer a lot of phone calls and emails throughout the day as well as helping students and directing them to where they need to be,” said Bellamy.
This year is Bellamy’s second year working for the school. She has expressed her love for the community that GHS provides.
“There are just so many tight-knit relationships here, and I think everyone just does what they can to help and uplift everyone,” said Bellamy.
Bellamy has become a favorite staff member for multiple students because of her ability to uplift everyone in the building.
“I think it’s so important to show respect to everyone, not just the staff and not just the students. I try to constantly stay upbeat and smile at everyone I see,” said Bellamy.
During Bellamy’s time at GHS, she has done an impeccable job at getting to know the kids and adults at the school, creating great relationships.
Behind the scenes, Bellamy is also a mother to three kids. To balance her job and her kids, Bellamy will tell you that her family keeps a good routine.
“We are up and running right at 6:30, and we keep busy until about 8 for bedtime,” said Bellamy.
In her free time Bellamy likes to ride bikes and play in fantasy football leagues.
“People will underestimate me as a woman playing fantasy football, but it’s all worth it when I beat all the boys in my league,” said Bellamy.
Bellamy is a great role model at GHS and a vital part of the community at the school.
Student spotlight:
Courtney Adams is a sophomore at GHS. She is involved in bowling, Paranormal Society, Class Council, and Booster Club.
“My favorite thing about going to GHS is definitely our bowling team. I think we’re just a really good group, and they provide me with a place to be myself,” said Adams.
Last month, the GHS Girls Bowling team won the State Runner-Up title at State, losing only its final match.
“Winning State Runner-Up at State has definitely been my biggest accomplishment this year. It was great to see all of our hard work start to pay off,” said Adams.
Adams also works hard in school to be the best student she can be. Her favorite class is Psychology.
“It’s really cool to learn more about myself and how my brain works. The topic has always been interesting for me, so I’m glad I get to learn about it,” said Adams.
Adams’ favorite teacher at GHS is Berzy. She said Berzy always pushes students to do their best and is great at teaching.
Outside of school, Adams paints and dances at a studio.
“I love to be creative, and painting and dance both provide me with the opportunity to express myself through a new medium,” said Adams.
Adams is an enthusiastic student and an active community member at GHS and everyone is excited to see what she does with her potential.