What’s recently happened?
Repping its spirit in the days leading up to Homecoming on September 30, Munster High School (MHS) students participated in various spirit-themed days and events to celebrate the week.
Monday, September 25:
Starting off the spirit week, underclassmen who participated came to school in their best jock, goth, or preppy attire. Seniors had their traditional “Nerd Day.”
That evening, a powderpuff football game organized by Student Government was held for the first time since 2019. A team of junior girls and a team of senior girls were coached by Senior Football Players Matt Opat, Jackson Collard, Daniel Elias, and George Dovellos. Junior girls took the win with a final score of 28-6.
“My favorite part was getting to learn about the game because, at first, I didn’t understand football at all,” Kylee Marshall, senior, said. “Even though the seniors lost, we had really high energy the whole game.”
Tuesday, September 26:
Pulling out grill tongs and tight zip-up jackets, underclassmen students were able to have the choice between dressing up as a barbecue dad or a soccer mom. Senior students showed off their personality and humor with their spirit-week random costumes.
“Random costume is my favorite spirit day,” Lily Hestjean, senior, said. “I wore a Grinch costume because I always make fun of the head of the Science Olympiad team about being in a slump about Christmas. He is always like, ‘It is too early to listen to Christmas music.’ By wearing this costume, I can joke around and rub it in his face that my costume is what he looks like.”
Wednesday, September 27:
On this day, underclassmen dressed up according to their grade. Freshmen were babies, sophomores were either elementary or middle schoolers, and juniors were adults. Seniors dressed up as senior citizens, and some students even brought walkers and canes to pull together their outfits.
“My favorite spirit day is ‘Senior Citizens,’” Pranshu Aryal, senior, said. “The past years, I have loved looking at the previous seniors and seeing their costumes. I just find this day to be really fun.”
Thursday, September 28:
Matching with the ‘70s disco theme of the Homecoming dance, underclassmen who participated came to school in a ‘70s inspired outfit. Seniors had the highly anticipated ‘80s workout spirit day, and even held a before-school ‘80s workout on the football field to go in-hand with the theme.
“My favorite spirit day is ‘‘80s Workout’ because I love all the colors and outfits people choose to wear,” Eva Andric, senior, said.
Friday, September 29:
Ending off the school week, students wore their assigned class shirts. Freshman had gray shirts, sophomores had white, juniors had red, and seniors had black. Some seniors collaborated to decorate and paint jeans to wear with their class shirts.
That evening, the football team came close to a win in an overtime match against Highland High School for the long-running Battle of the Bridge tradition. Started in 1966, Munster vs. Highland football games would not only call for a win in the records but also a reclamation of the bridge on Ridge Road connecting the two towns. After the game, the students from the winning school go to the bridge to paint it in their school’s colors.
To top off the evening before Homecoming Day, Kameryn Hubbard, senior, was voted and crowned as this year’s Homecoming Queen. Former Queen Gracie Kisala did the honors of crowning Hubbard during halftime.
“I was scared at first when I found out I was even nominated for court,” Hubbard said. “I was called out into the hallway, and I thought I was in trouble. When I was told the news, I was so excited.”
What’s coming up?
The Marching Mustangs have a competition this weekend at Lincoln-Way West High in Lenox, Illinois. After this competition, the group will be headed to Semi-State at Pike High School in Indianapolis on October 21.
To prepare for the competition season, highly experienced band directors came in to teach the band the choreography for this year’s show of choice: “Impossible Dream.” The band has been perfecting the choreography throughout their several hour practices each day.
“It is exciting to be a part of a determined group that has worked extremely hard for months since the middle of summer break,” Owen Hoogeveen, freshman, said. “The show is really fun to play and be a part of. Each practice of it allows us to make our music even better and play more confidently.”
Staff spotlight:
Kristin LaFlech, business teacher, started teaching at MHS in 2021. Previously, she was a district manager for Starbucks for 13 years. However, she wanted to do something different and applied for the business teacher job opening for MHS. LaFlech now aims to provide her students with a multitude of opportunities to explore real-world and hands-on learning experiences.
LaFlech has taken charge of MHS’s lasting work-based learning program. This program has four different pathways of internship opportunities students can choose from: medical, business, technology, and engineering. The medical interns are able to walk across the street from the high school to work at Community Hospital. Technology interns go to the district’s technology center. Engineering interns work with Purdue University Northwest professors through mechanical, computer, and electrical engineering.
Business interns within the pathway of LaFlech’s specialty are dealt with differently from the others. LaFlech creates connections and lines up businesses within the community for students to shadow for.
“I have a network of people that I have built,” Laflech said. “This allows students to have a rotation of places where they can go through and experience a couple of different things all at the same time.”
LaFlech has set out her time to make connections with places, such as Land ‘O Frost, local small businesses, and Promise You Art House in Highland. At Land ‘O Frost, her students have the opportunity to work in their Human Resources department to see how that feels. For marketing opportunities, her connections to small businesses allow for her students to develop a marketing plan for the business to execute. At the Promise You Art House, LaFlech’s students are able to help create or market their events through social media.
“I am glad I can help provide these experiences,” LaFlech said. “These opportunities are the best way for students to build those bridges to make connections in the future. It can even just make things clearer for students to see if what they are doing is what they want to do for the rest of their life.”
LaFlech is grateful to be in a position to help guide students in the right direction for their future paths and careers.
“I have a student that just recently reached out to me,” LaFlech said. “He is looking for a specialty doctor to shadow. With his experience with the hospital internship here, they are more than eager to help him find a shadowing position. He has built that connection, and that is going to be a lifelong connection for him to continue where he wants to go.”
Student spotlight:
Senior Ini Edet followed in her sister’s footsteps as she joined Student Government her freshman year. She had always been interested in being a part of Student Government in middle school but never acted upon it. With her sister being a senior during her freshman year, Edet found it convenient to follow her sister along to the meetings.
This year, Edet is a senior class representative. She most recently played a prevalent role in running the Homecoming pep rally that was held during the school day on September 29.
“The feedback we got from students and teachers was very promising,” Edet said. “I heard little to no complaining from students about being bored or it being ‘cringey.’ We got many compliments about how smoothly the pep rally ran and how many students were actively participating.”
The pep rally is one of Edet’s favorite events to help out along with the charity volleyball tournament. This year’s volleyball tournament will be held on November 7.
“The volleyball tournament brings out a different side in people,” Edet said. “As opposed to football or basketball, volleyball gives more of the majority of the student body the chance to participate in a fun and good-cause game while staying safe.”
Throughout her time in Student Government, Edet has been able to experience the strong value communication can have for others and in her own use.
“Student Government allows each grade level to have a voice,” Edet said. “We communicate the student’s feedback to adults who will listen and act. We get insight on what students really think about certain issues in the school, and we truly get to see how miscommunication and misinformation flows through the hallways. We are here to help clear and address these issues.”
Along with Student Government, Edet is involved in the Class Executive Council (CEC) and Black Culture Club. She works concession stands for the pool and baseball fields and spring Track and Field. Edet hopes to go to a four-year-college to study biochemistry to become a diagnostic radiologist.