What’s recently happened?
Twenty-nine seniors left Kouts High School (KHS) on Saturday, March 18, taking a trip to the nation’s capital in Washington D.C. They were gone for four days, returning early in the morning on Wednesday, March 22.
The trip started with a long overnight bus ride before finally arriving at Mount Vernon on Sunday morning. The majority of Sunday was spent at Arlington National Cemetery before finishing out the day at Ford’s Theatre.
Monday was spent at Capital Hill. Starting with a photo at the White House, the students then toured the Capital Building and explored the National Archives, where the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights are located.
A guided tour of the National Mall and Memorial Parks took up the morning of Tuesday. Lunch was at the Smithsonian Museums before the powerful United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Finally, the students attended a performance of “Shear Madness” at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts before starting the drive back home.
Senior Aubrey Lundquist had a blast spending time with her friends on the trip. Her favorite memory was visiting the National Archives.
“I enjoyed the power and age of the documents there as well as the amazing historical exhibits also on display,” she said.
What’s coming up?
One of the most looked-forward-to events at KHS is fast approaching. Prom will be on Saturday, April 22, and will last from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. The formal dance will again be held at the Duneland Falls Banquet & Meeting Center in Chesterton, Indiana.
This year’s theme has already been selected, and it will be “A Night on Olympus” with a laurel wreath-like crown for this year’s King and Queen to match.
Another aspect that will be returning this year will be the Grand March. As it was for the 2022 Prom, this Grand March will also be optional for students. The Grand March will commence before prom at 5 p.m.
Prom tickets went on sale the week of April 3 after the students returned from Spring Break, and tickets will continue to be on sale until Friday, April 15. Tickets cost $55 for a single person and $50 each for those going with a partner.
With prom right around the corner and the temperature rising, there can be no doubt that the year is drawing to a close. After prom, there will only be three and a half weeks left in the 2022-2023 school year.
Staff spotlight:
Beth Birky is nearing the end of her sixth year as a full-time teacher at KHS. She teaches high school business classes which include everything from Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Personal Finance, Business Math, Intro to Business, and sometimes Marketing.
“I enjoyed substitute teaching while my own children were in school, so when the last one graduated, it made sense to put my two careers together and teach business classes,” she said.
Before being a full-time teacher, Birky worked as a certified public accountant and was a substitute teacher at KHS for 13 years.
Birky’s classes are packed full of practical skills and lessons that students can take away and use every single day after high school and this is Birky’s favorite thing about being a teacher.
“I am blessed that my subjects cover many practical life skills and knowledge that a student can use in nearly any career for the rest of their life. If I can show them why they need to learn these things and how useful this knowledge will be, students typically want to learn these lessons, and that makes my job much easier,” she said.
Outside of teaching, Birky can be found supporting her students and her community. She attends KHS’s sporting events and other school functions. She is also actively involved in her church. Some of her other hobbies include reading, traveling to new places, going for walks, and spending time with her family.
The most important thing Birky has learned while being a teacher is everyone needs to know they are supported, and she gives a shout-out to her students.
“My students are amazing, and I want them to know their hard work is noticed and appreciated. Even their smallest successes make the world a better place, and that is worth celebrating,” she said.
Student spotlight:
Angela Zengler is a senior at KHS, and she has participated in so much inside and outside of class. She volunteers at the Kouts Public Library, attends vocational classes, and is a member of the Color Guard team.
Varying from once to twice a week, Zengler is at the library, helping out wherever she is needed.
“I help out with programs, I make craft kits for kids to take home, I alphabetize shelves in each section, I cut things out, I color things that they use for decorations for holidays, and change display cases when needed, “ she said.
Zengler works with kids daily; not only does she work with younger kids while at the library, but she also goes to the Early Childhood Education vocational program at Flint Lake Elementary School in Valparaiso, Indiana.
“My favorite thing about vocational is bonding with the students that I student teach,” she said.
As a senior, this was Zengler’s last year on the KHS Color Guard team. The year is drawing to a close, and this became apparent to Zengler at the Senior Night for the Band and Color Guard.
“Hearing everyone’s name be announced made me realize that we are closer to graduation,” she said.
Some of Zengler’s other hobbies include putting together puzzles, coloring in coloring books, hanging out with her friends, and spending time with her family. One of the most important family members she has is her mom as she is Zengler’s biggest inspiration.
“She is always my cheerleader if I am stressed that I won’t get stuff done,” she said.
After high school, Zengler will be taking online courses for the University of Nebraska and working full-time at Save A Lot in Kouts.