What’s recently happened?
The 2023-24 school year has approached with a quickness many didn’t expect with festivals and family orientations that help reconnect scholars with endless academic opportunities. The year is starting off strong with reassuring words of encouragement for teachers from one of Morton High School’s (MHS) choral directors, Dr. Deborah Jones.
“You teach because of your love for teaching,” said Jones. “Nobody said it was easy, but it is always worth it.”
Educators in the School City of Hammond have been preparing their classrooms for the next wave of student successes, with MHS having its freshmen and new student orientation on August 9 to say hello to the new Governors.
Split up into groups, the students were given a tour of the school and its new fashion. This included the freshly painted gymnasium, new hardwood floorboards along the Hammond Academy of Performing Arts (HAPA) hallway, and renovated science labs located on the second floor.
Understanding which way to go in a school as big as MHS is most applicable for academic success. Getting lost on the first day of school is one incident previous students wanted to prevent from happening the next year. MHS faculty members are undoubtedly doing their best to lead the freshman Class of 2024 in the right direction. The tour included sign-up stations for students to explore the many sports, clubs and other activities at MHS.
Creativity is just one thing MHS and HAPA encourage students to implement in everything they attempt during their four years of high school. Students are given plenty of opportunities to showcase their talents and passion through activities of their choice. Even if students don’t sign up for anything now, all extracurricular activities are open until the very end of each school year.
“Do everything you can; high school only comes once. Try everything! Who cares if you fail? Do it anyway,” Jones said.
To be as prepared as you can to start the next chapter of your story is a realistic goal for every student around this time of year. If you see a fellow student in need of assistance, remember that it takes a village.
What’s coming up?
A season like no other is ready to shower MHS seniors with endless memories and fun with football games, pep rallies, senior picnics, Homecoming, and more. There is no season like senior season, and the Class of ‘24 like to go big. Starting with the playoffs, the MHS football team will have its first game on Friday, August 18 against the Portage High School Indians. With plans to start the season right, the boys have been training hard and giving it their all to come out victorious.
Summer conditioning has been no joke for the athletic department this year. Everyone breaking a sweat from Girls Tennis to Boys Volleyball became very popular this time around. The MHS cheer team is preparing to cheer its team on at the game this Friday. Girls Soccer is teetering on the edge of success, hoping to stay strong during its first week of games August 14-18.
Sports isn’t the only thing keeping the school spirit alive because traditions at MHS will never pass students by.
The first week of school is what students like to call Fit On Fit (FOF) This is when the entire school shows up and goes all out in their favorite clothing selections, rocking trendy brands such as Marc Jacobs, Ksubi, Ed Hardy, True Religion, Rick Owens, and more. Stay tuned for the freshest outfit inspiration and singular senior show outs, not to mention our MHS senior interviews and advice columns featured on GOV news.
Community member spotlight:
Nicole Ibarra is a student-athlete at MHS, and has spent her summer preparing for her last year of high school. With college talk taking over her life and responsibilities stacking, trying to make the most out of her youth has been no easy feat. However, attending practices consistently and building bonds with her team has created a solace in her that said teammates share the same struggles she has.
Ibarra hopes to have an amazing season as well as improve as a team despite all of the external obstacles in each of their personal lives.
“I know soccer has been my favorite sport because it is truly a team sport. We win together and we lose together. That creates a bond like no other,” Ibarra said.
Student-athletes often harbor the responsibility of maintaining a good grade point average and performing to the best of their abilities at every game. Ibarra is one of many students who also has Advanced Placement (AP) classes and clubs that require the utmost amounts of concentration. Balance has become one of the most important things that Ibarra added to her list of things to master. Without balance and sleep she wouldn’t be able to do it all.
Ibarra mentioned how crucial it is to get at least eight hours of sleep every night and how the importance of sleep is often overlooked. With proper rest, overall performance in anything you do will undoubtedly improve.
“If it’s all about focusing within sports and academics; you cannot do that without the proper amount of sleep,” Ibarra said. “It’s all about mindset; you can’t wait for motivation to strike, you have to work day in and day out if you want to see progress.”