What's happened?
The month of December was completed virtually for Lowell High School. With the number of COVID-19 cases rising, the superintendent, Dr. Rod Gardin, thought it was safest to stay online until after winter break. Even with the high school completely online, extracurricular activities were still able to continue. Basketball, swimming, wrestling, and gymnastics continued with their seasons, along with clubs.
Recently, Christopher Mantis, a senior basketball player for Lowell, committed to Appalachian State University. Mantis has had multiple 1000 point seasons during his high school career, which has led to many offers from other universities. He has gotten noticed by multiple accounts on social media because of his athletic dunks that he makes almost every game.
With the last few weeks of the first semester winding down, most students at Lowell High School were looking forward to winter break. This excitement led to students dressing up as Santa or an elf and could be seen around town during the holidays. What seemed like a small thing to do caused a huge impact on the town's attitudes, and a lot of peoples’ days were brightened.
Coming right out of winter break and into the second semester of the school year, Lowell High School started out online. After the first week of online classes, the school decided to resume in-person learning. After just two weeks of in-person classes, Lowell High School had to switch to online due to the number of students quarantined. However, during those two weeks in person, a lot was accomplished academically and athletically.
For starters, Nadine Summers, a senior wrestler for Lowell, won sectionals and regionals, allowing her to move onto state. Nadine won all three of her matches clenching the state title. This title has made history at Lowell High School considering this was Lowell’s first Indiana High School Girls Wrestling (IHSGW) Girls State champion. Nadine’s future is a bright one for wrestling.
As for girls basketball, due to COVID-19 their first senior night was cancelled, but this did not stop them from finding a new date to represent their seniors. On January 19, the Lowell girls basketball team put on an amazing senior night. Despite being down four players due to quarantine, they still perceived and came up with a huge 51 - 17 win over Whiting High School.
With winter sports coming to an end, spring sports have begun open gyms at Lowell. All spring sports were cancelled last year due to COVID-19, so student athletes are more than ready to begin training for their upcoming seasons. Softball and baseball have started open gyms, while girls and boys track are just about to get started.
Even though Lowell High School has gone virtually, the staff has done everything possible to make learning from home feel as normal as possible. Teachers are reaching out to their students to make sure everything is going okay with them. The staff has also organized a virtual academic fair to help students find the right path to take after graduating. This event has been going on for quite some time as Lowell, and it continues to make an impact on students’ lives.
Student spotlight: Juanita Rodriguez
Juanita Rodriguez is a senior at Lowell High School. Over the past four years, Rodriguez has competed in a multitude of extracurricular activities. This year, she has participated in cross country, National Honors Society, Math Bowl, Diversity Club, and plans to continue her track career in the spring. As of right now, Rodriguez is undecided on what university she wants to attend after high school.
The newest quarantine has Rodriguez trying to find hope in the little things. She believes that everything has its purpose, and learning online can help her get ready for college. The extra time has freed her schedule to fill out scholarship applications, apply for colleges, and spend time with her family before leaving this upcoming fall. Rodriguez also thinks that learning virtually can help her prepare for classes in the future that may be taught online.
Even with all of the setbacks that her senior year has had, Rodriguez still finds enjoyment in her last year of high school. Currently, she is finding enjoyment in being a part of the Diversity Club. Rodriguez was one of the students that founded the Diversity Club because she wants her younger sister to feel welcome when she comes to attend Lowell High School.
“To me, the Diversity Club means that Lowell High School is working towards becoming a school that emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion,” said Rodriguez. “More importantly, though, it means that all students have the ability to feel supported in any struggle that they face.”
Along with her involvement in clubs, Rodriguez is most excited about her upcoming track season. Due to COVID-19 last year, she was not able to compete in her junior season. Rodriguez began to find a new appreciation towards morning weights and track meets that lasted through the nights. Even with the recent shutdown of Lowell High School, her hopes are high that she will run her senior season. Rodriguez believes that her senior year will be her best season yet.