What's recently happened?
River Forest High School officially jumped into the swing of things as the Ingots football team prepared for the annual Homecoming game. This year, River Forest competed against Bishop Noll Institute. The Ingots took the win scoring 49-0. During this game, the 2023 Homecoming Court was announced and crowned King Kaleb Short and Queen Samantha Esquivel. Along with the Homecoming Court being announced, the Ingots’ 2023 Mr. Football was awarded to De´Aris Beason.
Many students showed up and showed out at the 2023 Homecoming dance. All high school students at River Forest were welcomed to join in on the fun and dance the night away. This year's Homecoming theme was ¨All Stars.¨ The themes for the 2023 Homecoming Week were, “Dress as Your Type” for day one, “Biker v. Surfer'' for day two, “Generations” for day three, “Bratz v. Barbie'' for day four, and “Ingot Pride” for the final day. Students of all grades participated in this festive week and showed their school spirit.
The River Forest Lady Ingots volleyball team hosted its senior night against rivals Thomas Edison High School Eagles. Everyone was welcomed to come out to support and show appreciation to the Class of 2023 volleyball players. This game took place at River Forest and was filled with many friends and families. The River Forest Lady Ingots took home the win and crowned the 2023 Ms. Volleyball.
What's coming up?
River Forest is set to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month along with the Independence Day celebrations of many Latin American nations: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. During this time, River Forest will celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. During this celebration, families and friends will be welcomed to join in on games, food, prizes, and much more. This event will be held on October 3 at 5 p.m. and will conclude at 7:30 p.m.
River Forest has partnered with Strack & Van Til in offering free classroom equipment. River Forest students and teachers will be eligible to earn free school supplies such as pencils, notebooks, and other necessary supplies for the classroom. In order to qualify for this, students and their families must shop at Strack & Van Til and save their receipts. These receipts must be dated between September 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024. The school will have a collection box until April 8, 2024, which will be the final day to turn in any receipts.
Staff spotlight:
Sady Gould has been a member of the River Forest community since she was in the sixth grade. She began her adult career immediately after graduating at River Forest as a substitute teacher in 2012. She later returned full time as an athletic secretary in 2021. She is currently the middle school confidential secretary and the high school student council sponsor.
¨I love that I am connected with both the middle and high school since we all share the same building. We're such a small school and community. This can be a really beautiful opportunity to get to know different cultures and let everyone express themselves in their own way,” Gould said.
For the 2023/2024 school year, Gould took on the role of the high school student council sponsor. As a prior student council member herself, Gould takes pride in what she does and is passionate about helping students find their voice in the school community.
¨I truly love seeing the students get excited and pumped up for electives in school. Student council gives the students a way to be involved in their community and gives them a voice,” she said.
Outside of her time spent at River Forest, Gould enjoys nature and spending time outdoors on hikes and adventures. The majority of her free time consists of spending as much quality time with her friends and family as possible. Family and friends play an important role in her life and are one of her top priorities. She plans on spending her vacation next year exploring other parts of the world to understand and indulge in different cultures and to see what life has to offer outside of Indiana.
¨I found a place that feels like home for the first time,” Gould said. “I have a soft spot for River Forest because of that sense of home it brought upon me. I really hope to bring back the school spirit that my peers had once at the school and bring everyone closer as a community.¨
Student spotlight:
Dannika Stevens is a junior at River Forest. She has played volleyball for six years beginning in the sixth grade. From a young age, Stevens has shown potential as a great volleyball player with an immense amount of talent. Starting her freshman year, Stevens was a starting varsity player and will continue on to be a four-year letterman. At the end of Stevens’ freshman season, she fractured her back due to volleyball. She has never been one to shy away from a challenge and refused to let this injury cause any major setbacks in her volleyball career.
¨It hurt me mentally not being able to play. The feeling that I may never be the same athlete again killed me and made me fear coming back. I came back stronger than ever and have had the best seasons ever since. It's a game that will attempt to tear you down as an athlete, but that's when you realize your true potential and ability to push through the difficult times,¨ she said.
In Stevens’ free time, she enjoys spending quality time with friends and family. Family plays an important and huge role in her motivation to be successful in all she does. Her number one goal in life is to be able to give back to the people and community that have played a factor in her success.
After high school, Stevens plans on moving out of state to experience a life outside of Indiana. She plans on double majoring in biology and chemistry to pursue a career as an ultrasound technician. During her college years, she plans on continuing her volleyball career.
¨I love River Forest because it's a place I can 100% call my home. I've met so many amazing people throughout the years, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunities it continues to provide for me and every other student,” said Stevens.