What's recently happened?
Basketball season has begun, and the River Forest High School Boys and Girls Basketball teams have put things in motion for their season. The Boys Varsity and Junior Varsity (JV) Basketball teams opened their seasons with a bang, with victories over Tri-Township Schools on Wednesday, November 22. The ending score for this match was River Forest with 54 and Tri-Township scoring 37. Many families and community members stood proudly in the stands as they watched these young athletes show their great sportsmanship and athleticism on the court.
River Forest's senior class had its annual class meeting in regards to ordering information for caps and gowns. This meeting took place during student resource time in the ¨Round.” Seniors were recommended to come to this meeting as important information was given out. If any senior at River Forest missed this meeting, they were directed to the guidance office to collect package information. For River Forest, seniors time is just ticking as the countdown to graduation is rapidly speeding by.
¨I can't believe I'm a senior. It feels like time has just flown by, and I was just in the sixth grade. Enjoy your underclassmen years because they don't last long; before you know it, you're a senior expected to decide how you want the rest of your life to go,¨ said River Forest Senior Makayla Troutman.
What's coming up?
Time is approaching for track athletes to get back out on the field. River Forest is set to host its annual call out meeting in the days coming up. For more information regarding the schedule and important dates, students are directed to contact Coaches Lauren Erickson-Vega and Elisha DeRamus.
As Christmas time approaches, many classrooms at River Forest begin preparations for finals. Students are reminded that final exams are worth 20% of their grade and are recommended to get prepared and begin studying.
An important save the date announcement has been put in place for seniors and juniors at River Forest as this year's prom is tentatively scheduled for May 11. Many upperclassmen look forward to it, and it is a memory that will be engraved into their lives forever.
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 - March 31. The school will have a collection box until April 8 which will be the final day to turn in any receipts.
Staff spotlight:
Ryan Gregory is a math teacher at River Forest. He Teaches Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry and AP Statistics. He also coaches Girls Varsity Basketball and previously coached track. He has been working at River Forest for three years and began his teaching career here.
¨I am happy to have begun my journey in education here at River Forest and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way,¨ he said.
Gregory coached at Whiting High School for nine years as a JV coach, Wheeler High School for one year as a JV coach. The 2023 basketball season is his first year as a varsity coach.
Gregory attended college at Purdue University Northwest (PNW), obtaining a bachelor’s in mathematics and a minor in statistics. He enjoyed his time at PNW and highly recommends partaking in intramurals.
¨I love the at home feeling at River Forest. The students are very welcoming and interactive. Many of the individuals are hardworking and really make it rewarding,¨ he said.
Outside of Gregory’s time at River Forest, he enjoys working on his house, spending quality time with friends, and coaching/playing basketball.
¨Don’t be scared to try and be prepared to have to work for your sport and place on the team. Practice doesn't always make perfect, but it always makes progress. It takes time and effort to get decent at any sport. Anyone can play; you just have to throw in the commitment,¨ he said.
Student spotlight:
Levi Harper is a junior at River Forest. He is from Tennessee but transferred to River Forest in 2020. Harper is a varsity athlete participating in football, basketball, and baseball. He has played football for two years and basketball and baseball for six years.
From a young age Harper has shown great interest and passion for sports. In his free time, he enjoys working out, playing sports, and spending quality time with friends and family.
¨My biggest motivation is definitely my little brother. He looks up to me in many ways and pushes me to never give up,” Harper said. “In other ways, I look up to him and always strive to make him proud. Another motivation is my uncle and my coaches. All these people push me to be better at my sports, academics and all around in life.¨
After high school, Harper plans on going to a trade school to pursue a career as a pipe fitter and electrician. Once completed, he will attend a college to pursue a degree.
Though Harper is passionate about his sports, he is also just as passionate about his academics. Harper is taking three dual-credit classes and two honors classes. School is one of his main priorities and something he strives to always do his best at.
¨Some advice I would like to give to people trying to join sports for the first time is to work hard. Whatever your goal is, try to accomplish that goal by your senior year,” he said. “Sports require a lot of hard work and dedication. It’s not going to be easy. Mentally prepare and focus on your goals, but school still comes first. You have to be academically able to play sports, so take school seriously.¨