Student Spotlight
Senior John Unmisig is a laborer for Balash Trucking and Excavating Company located in Merrillville, Indiana. This company builds foundations, tears out concrete and asphalt, do asphalt paving and seal coating and installs drain systems.
Unmisig is known around Merrillville High School as one of the “smart kids,” but many students do not know that he has a side job that is unusual for a high school student.
He has a 3.73 GPA and is involved in National Honor Society and Freshman Mentor at Merrillville High School. Although he cannot graduate early because of the year round AP classes, Unmisig leaves school at 11:35 a.m. every day, after the third hour, and goes straight to work.
“I chose to do this because I’m going to go to college for construction project management and this is a great opportunity for me to gain experience,” Unmisig said.
Working in construction runs in his family. Unmisig said he is the fourth generation to be involved with construction.
“I’m continuing it because it’s something my family has a reputation for being skilled at and it feels natural to me,” Unmisig said.
“The most interesting thing is that construction is actually fun,” Unmisig said. “The people you meet working can make the hardest of days of work great. If you enjoy what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
Teacher Spotlight
Ms. Amanda Kennedy is a first year teacher at Merrillville High School and this is her first year teaching overall.
“I picked Merrillville because of the students,” Ms. Kennedy said. “I liked the whole family atmosphere. Everyone takes care of each other.”
She teaches English 12, World Literature, Classified Literature and British Literature.
“I have Ms. Kennedy for Classical Lit,” Senior Jazlyn Martinez said. “I like her teaching style because she gives us all sorts of options and responsibilities and we don’t feel like we’re in a high school class anymore.”
Since it is Ms. Kennedy’s first year teaching at Merrillville High School, the students and staff have yet to know about her personal life.
Ms. Kennedy said that she “fancies” herself as a writer because when she was in middle school, there were not many good books, so she decided she should write some.
“I enter into short story contests,” Ms. Kennedy said. “I send them into literary magazines because they are always calling for short stories to be written.”
“It’s not challenging for me,” Ms. Kennedy said. ”It’s something I can do that’s fun and lets me be creative.”
Ms. Kennedy plans to stay at Merrillville for a while and the students would appreciate that.
“She just always goes out of her way to make sure you get it and always makes sure your grade is where it needs to be,” Senior Tyreek Wilson said.
“The Dead Prince” -Fall Play
Merrillville High School is putting on their annual fall play which will be “The Dead Prince” this year.
“The Dead Prince” is about a princess who is searching for the love of her life, but every magic mirror tells her that the prince she is looking for is dead. She then meets a mirror that agrees to bring him back to life if the princess frees him.
“It’s a funny twist on the fairy tell genre,” Director Mr. Tom Mackey said. “Kind of similar to how Shrek turned fairy tales on their head. This will be the same thing. It will be enjoyable to a wide variety of audiences.”
Merrillville Thespian Troupe and Director Mr. Mackey have been rehearsing this play since the second week of September.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the audience’s reaction especially any kids that are in the audience,” Mr. Mackey said.
“I’m nervous about how many people are going to show up,” Senior Hope Krajnak said. “So come out and see the show.”
On October 30, 31 and November 6 and 7, the shows will be at 7 p.m. On November 1 and 8, the shows will be at 2 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens.
On Halloween night, there will be a food drive to help feed children and families in need. Anyone who brings in canned goods will receive $5 off admission.
“We are also encouraging parents to bring their children after trick or treating with their costumes,” Mr. Mackey said.
Sports Wrap-up
The Merrillville Boys’ Tennis team won their sectional this year against first against River Forest (5-0), then against Hobart (4-1).
They will be competing in the regional tournament at Munster High School on Tuesday, October 6 at 4:30 p.m.
The team is motivated to win their next game in the tournament because they are going into regionals as the underdog.
“We’ve probably lost more matches than ever before, but something late in the season sparked an uproar and gave us an unmovable determination to win like no other,” Senior Derel Shell said.
Winning is the only option for Shell as the post-season comes along.
“I am the only senior on the team and a leader amongst the rest of the team,” Shell said. “The team looks up to me and counts for me, so for me to lose would be most certainly unacceptable.”
As the tennis team is in the middle of the postseason, the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams are preparing. The two teams ended their regular season games last week with their senior nights and are headed to their sectional games next week.
The boys will play Kankakee Valley at Merrillville High School on Wednesday and the girls will play Crown Point at Crown Point High School on Thursday.
“What I’m looking forward to most for sectionals is getting another chance to face Crown Point and beat them because when we first played them, a handful of our team was unhealthy,” Sophomore, Captain Meagan Wise of the girls’ soccer team said. “I feel like, for sectionals, we will be stronger and more prepared as a team to defeat them.
According to Senior Brian Baran, the boys had the same problem during the regular season.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how the team plays as a whole now that everyone who was injured or out is back and the team is healthy once again,” Baran said.