#1StudentNWI: Inspiration Found Everywhere at Hammond High School

Senior Night Girls and Boys Soccer

It is a right of passage to celebrate the night when you graduate from either your home field or court, September 30th the boys and girls soccer teams have graduated from their beloved Kruger field. These Wildcats are maturing and soon will move on to pass the field to the underclassmen so that they too can create more memories on the field. Hammond High school has said goodbye to 13 seniors of the girls team and 8 of the boys. The celebration was emotional warming and enchanting.

Upcoming events

Friday, October 2, Kruger Field will also say goodbye to many Football Seniors. As for the future of other upcoming events, Sectionals are closely approaching for the Soccer teams, as well as football and volleyball.

Teacher of the Month

Mr.Erik Figge, works in the math department of HHS and also as the girls soccer assistant Coach. To coach after school but also tutor his students that are in need of extra help is very time-consuming but Figge does not complain, he works hard to make sure his students are fully aware of his criteria in the best way possible.

He teaches all Honors and AP Calculus. All he ask in return is that his students show effort, he has taught many students that you have to keep working and not give up on any task that is thrown in front of them.

The motivation he is able to bring to HHS is moving, the students that have class are very lucky as well as the players on the soccer team. Myself as a writer, student and player of HHS would love to commend Mr.Figge on the positive actions he presents.

Student of the Month

Julissa Meraz, Senior has been through a remarkable journey. Her story is uprising and determined. I spoke with her of the obstacles she has faced, and how she has overcome them.

Julie manages to participate in Soccer, Swimming, Tennis and Cross Country.

She has spoke of her story, "Since I was in middle school I had trouble hearing so I told my parents and they decided to take me to the doctor and that's when they found out something was wrong. I went to many hospitals to do testing on my ear and it came out that I have conductive hearing loss on my right ear due to my test results saying that my right ear had extra skin that didn't move where it was supposed to when I was a baby."

Julie continued to talk about the complications with her ear.

"It grew around my ear drum so I had post open right ear cholesteatoma surgery two days after my surgery. I got dehydrated from the medicine I was taking and had to go to the emergency room and was diagnosed with colitis. I missed a lot of school, but I made it through as an A-B student and also still managed my sports even though I was out for two weeks."

Despite the rough patch, Julie soon came bouncing back and was able to continue participating in playing before more complications developed.

"I couldn't play, but once those two weeks were done I was back at it after having a rough time with surgery and catching bacteria. Six months later I was told my hearing went down even more than what it was so I had no choice but to get a second surgery on my right ear."

Julie then described the process to repair her ear and how she still was able to overcome this difficulty.

"I had to get tympanoplasty and ear bone reconstruction and everything went well, but this time, I had to miss not just one sport but two sports for a couple of days. After I was better, I started going to cross country and soccer practice.

Julie, now a senior claims that she will do her best to not let surgeries or injuries hinder her dreams and love of sports.

"I love what I do and even though I went through a lot in surgery. After surgery I still manage to do the sports and what I love to do the most and stick to it even though people told me I shouldn't because it was dangerous for me, but as I told them I will only have my sports and my team for so long, I'm not going to let them down or myself down and tell myself I can't do it. I wouldn't let my hearing affect me to the things I do."