What’s Been Happening
February was a successful month for Lake Central sports and academics. The month started off with the girls’ basketball team taking first place in the Class 4A Sectional Championship that was held at Crown Point. The girls went on to regionals where they lost to Penn.
Dance held their annual invitational at home on February 3 and the cheerleaders competed at Walt Disney World for the Cheer Nationals where they made it to Semi-Nationals and came in fourth place.
Indoor track began their season the week of February 12, while the boys’ basketball sectionals were set to wrap up February 16-17.
Outside of athletics news, class scheduling continued as Sophomores and Freshman were able to start selecting their classes for next school year. Both the Freshman and Sophomore classes met in the school auditorium during PE to discuss with their counselors about their classes for next year. Class scheduling closes on February 28. Following that, neither students nor parents will be able to select classes. The school board announced back in January 22 that it would be pursuing a public referendum to fund teacher pay and to keep classroom sizes from growing any larger.
What’s Coming Up
With Lake Central’s immense size, there are always events taking place that students and parents can attend. Here’s what’s coming up within the next month at Lake Central High School:
- 2/26/18 Field House walkers 6:00 p.m.
- 2/28/18 FACS/FCCLA guest speaker
- 3/1/18 9 a.m. Wake Up Call Presentation
- 3/2/18 St. Baldrick's Talent Show Rehearsal
- 3/5/18 Field House walkers 6:00 p.m.
- 3/5/18 School Board Meeting 7:30 p.m.
- 3/6/18 Choir Concert 7:00 p.m.
- 3/7/18 Field House walkers 6:00 p.m.
- 3/7-3/8/18 Kindergarten Registration
- 3/9/18 St. Baldrick’s Talent Show
- 3/12/18 Lake Central Education Foundation Meeting 6:00 p.m.
- 3/12/18 Field House walkers 6:00 p.m.
- 3/14/18 Field House walkers 6:00 p.m.
- 3/18/18 Celebrating the life of Mr. Runyan
- 3/19/18 Field House walkers 6:00 p.m.
- 3/19/18 School Board Meeting 7:30 p.m.
- 3/21/18 Field House walkers 6:00 p.m.
- 3/26-4/2/18 Spring Break: No School
- 4/2/18 Easter Monday: No School
If you want to find out more about what is going on at Lake Central, follow their Twitter or visit their website to get the most up to date information regarding athletics, student life, and school information!
Twitter accounts: @LCHSnews (*student ran) @ LC_School_Corp
Websites:
http://lake-central.lcsc.us/ lakecentralnews.com (*student ran)
Student Spotlight – Kristen Mirabelli
Kristen Mirabelli is a senior at Lake Central who has a passion for social media, though, not in the way you would think. Kristen is Lake Central’s social media editor. She controls all of the Lake Central accounts, ranging from Snapchat all the way to Facebook.
“Being awarded the position of social media editor for Lake Central High School has been a true blessing in my life. At the beginning of my high school career, I struggled internally with self-doubt and not knowing which career path I would take, said Mirabelli. “In my junior year, I was accepted into Publications and I knew it was the perfect choice for me.”
Being part of Lake Central Publications for two years, Mirabelli found her calling this past year and has decided to pursue journalism into college and aspires to work for the Chicago Cubs doing social media.
Mirabelli said, “I have been accepted to Ball State and am intrigued in its very esteemed journalism department. My plan is to attend college and major in Photojournalism and Graphic Design. I would one day like to be the Social Media Editor for the Chicago Cubs because as a lifelong Cubs fan, it seems like a dream position for me.”
In addition to being Lake Central’s social media editor, Mirabelli has also helped out her school in a number of other ways. Mirabelli has organized Caps for Chemotherapy, Valentine’s Day cards for the Westlake program, and has participated in over seven clubs.
“Everyone deserves the right to a happy life and one small change can make a major impact,” Mirabelli said.
Mirabelli has thanked Lake Central for all of the possibilities it opened for her.
“I have enjoyed attending Lake Central High School for so many reasons,” Mirabelli explained. “I feel a sense of community and it is home to me. Lake Central and its staff and counselors have guided me along the way and have prepared me for what I know will be a very bright future.”
Lastly, Mirabelli said, “Journalism has shown me who I am and where I stand in this ever-changing world. It has taught me that no matter what happens in our world, people will still come together to publish professional, truthful news. As a journalist, I have faced highs and lows and have learned that no matter how passionate you are, not everyone will agree with you. As the social media editor, I do not take my responsibility lightly. I want to represent my school well. I am Kristen Mirabelli, Lake Central Social Media Editor, ready to address your comments and never letting anything dull my sparkle.”
Teacher Spotlight
Al Gandolfi is Lake Central’s Assistant Superintendent. Gandolfi has been an educator for 33 years now. Majoring in Biology, he found his passion to teach in his junior year of high school.
“I was probably a junior in high school. I always enjoyed working with people in general. When I determined what I could do with a degree in Biology I found that I would be in a lab by myself. My passion is working with people and attempting to help people, so I gravitated towards teaching,” Gandolfi said.
Graduating in 1983 and getting a job teaching right out of college, Gandolfi taught math to students with emotional difficulties.
Now, Gandolfi has been Lake Central’s Assistant Superintendent for seven years and he’s found that being the assistant superintendent, he’s able to help teachers, parents, and students in a number of new ways. Gandolfi is proud to say he has been a small piece that has helped make Lake Central what it is.
“I am extremely proud to where the corporation is as a whole. I am very proud of our faculty and so happy that we have been able to hold down costs not associated with the classroom, so we can put more money in the classroom,” Gandolfi said.
Besides being an assistant superintendent, Gandolfi owns several companies.
Gandolfi said, “I have been blessed in my life. My wife and I own Tasty Olive Company, a retail store in Highland, that sells high-end olive oils and balsamic vinegars. I also own a company called Athletes by Design, which works with cardiovascular athletes, and I just started a company called SHAPE.”
SHAPE, (Sharing, Hope, Addiction, Prevention, Education) focuses on the opioid addiction problem that has been plaguing the country for the past few years.
“I am very concerned about this opioid crisis in this country. I believe that it all starts with education. We established this company [SHAPE] in September of 2017. We look forward to doing presentations all based on educating parents in the community on this crisis,” Gandolfi said.
To anyone going into education, Gandolfi advised, “I would say be passionate about what you do. Your sole purpose is to pitch the ball so that the kids can hit it. It’s not about what you believe what the kids need but meeting the needs of all the kids sitting in front of you. I think you do the best you can to work with them. For those who are looking for a career path, I tell young teachers all the time, plan your career path wisely. I think most of us go to be a teacher to work with kids and families and communities, and when you get into administration, it’s a long way until you retire, and you get further and further away from doing that one thing you are passionate about – and that is working with students.”
Gandolfi continued to explain, “Plan your career path accordingly. Don’t be too eager to get out of the classroom quickly. I think that’s when you’ll have a career that feels extremely fulfilled.”