Student Highlight
Senior Hayley Johnson has dedicated much of her time toward the school. When she is not doing school work, Johnson can be found in the east wing of the school. She is a member of concert choir, show choir, theatre, and a student director for the middle school production of Lion King Jr.
Johnson has been a part of choir since elementary school. She loves all of the different parts of it, including the people she gets to interact with.
“My favorite part of choir, though, is challenging myself,” explained Johnson, “Currently, our choir likes to choose more complicated music to perform, but I’m definitely up for challenges.”
Although Johnson had taken part in productions and talent shows in elementary school, she hadn’t thought about continuing in middle school. One of her friends urged her to audition with her for the production of Mulan Jr. when she was in sixth grade. Once she started, she wasn’t able to stop. Her favorite production she has taken part in would be the most recent of Godspell, in which she played the role of Annemarie.
“Being on stage is a feeling like no other,” told Johnson, “It has honestly taught me to be who I am.”
Her experience in theatre has allowed her to be the student director of the middle school’s Lion King Jr. alongside Marcos Buslon. She is involved in the set, costumes, and blocking of the musical. She is also excited to work one on one with the cast of the show. This is especially exciting for her, because she is planning on studying elementary education in college.
After highschool, Johnson is planning to major in elementary education to become a kindergarten teacher and minoring in dance. However, she will not be stopping there. Johnson would like to go to cosmetology school after college. As for performing, she would like to take part in community theatre throughout her life.
Giving Back
The holiday season is always the time of year when people are feeling the most thankful and the most generous. This year, Wheeler is showing its generosity and giving back to the community during this holiday season. The student council will be putting on both a food drive and a coat drive, and the key club will be participating in bell ringing.
The coat drive will take place from December 13th to the 20th. Students are encouraged to bring in new or gently used winter coats to donate to those who are not able to buy their own. The student council will then be donating to Hilltop Neighborhood House, who cares for the needy children and families in Valparaiso.
The food drive will take place from December 13th to the 19th as well. Students are asked to bring in specific canned or nonperishable goods, such as vegetables, fruits, and noodles. They are also asked to bring in hygiene products such as shampoo and toothpaste. The students then collect the goods as a resource class, and try to fill three boxes with every item they were asked to bring in. Each resource is given three families from Union Township who they will directly donate to. The families will be invited to come to the school for Lunch with Santa on December 23rd, where they will receive the donations. As an incentive, the class that donates the most boxes of goods will be taken out to lunch by the school.
To go alongside the Lunch with Santa program, Wheeler is holding an online auction. The proceeds will go directly toward the program. Items to bid on range from Albanese candy to tickets for a Cubs’ game. Bidding will take place on the Wheeler High School website.
On Saturday, December 16th, the key club will be bell ringing outside the Walmart in Valparaiso in the morning. The donations will go to American Red Cross. The key club volunteers to take part in this every year.
Spreading Cheer
After finishing their Madrigal performances to start the holiday season, the Wheeler choirs are just getting started with their holiday festivities. The Madrigal dinners took place on December 2nd and 3rd and kicked off the choirs celebrations. Next, they will perform at Innsbrook Country Club in Merrillville for the annual McColly Real Estate Christmas Party on December 14th. After that, they will hold a fundraiser at Barnes and Nobles in Valparaiso on December 17th.
Performing at the McColly Real Estate Christmas party has been a holiday tradition at Wheeler for the choir for almost twenty years. All of the students look forward to this festive event every year. The choir sings to individual tables at the event and also performs songs as a large group.
“I look forward to wearing my madrigal dress again, and I really like the atmosphere at Innsbrook,” tells senior Brooke Perry, “Everyone is so happy and in the Christmas spirit.”
The Barnes and Noble fundraiser is a new event for Wheeler that first took place last year. During the event the choir sang and gift wrapped for customers for free. The choir will receive a percentage of all sales at Barnes and Noble that day. They wear their Madrigal costumes and will be in the store from 1PM to 5PM. The choir will sing Christmas carols for the customers at 2PM and 4PM. In between these performances, the choir will be involved with a hot chocolate party, festive stories will be read by a few of the members for children to listen to, and customers can get a face painting. A few choir students will also be gift wrapping after the event from 5PM to 9PM.
Teacher Highlight
Lauren Makaraukas has been eager to guide Wheeler through education and activities since she arrived at the school in 2013. Makaraukas began teaching chemistry at Wheeler only 4 years ago, but since then she has been involved in student council, theatre and choreography, and dance team.
Makaraukas had not always been set on being a teacher even though both of her parents were teachers. She has not looked back since she made her decision, though.
“Becoming a chemistry teacher was not something I could have predicted for myself, but it has been one of the best decisions I ever made,” said Makaraukas.
She attended Indiana University in Bloomington to receive her bachelor’s degree in chemistry education and minored in Spanish and psychology. Makaraukas currently teaches Chemistry I and AP Chemistry.
Makaraukas is the sponsor of Wheeler’s student council alongside Ms. Eveland.
“One of my favorite parts of sponsoring student council is working with the most proactive, creative, and hardworking students to think up new ways to enhance the high school experience at Wheeler!” explained Makaraukas.
Since her joining, the council has had much success and growth. They put on their first Pansy Plunge for Special Olympics her first year, and sponsored the Champions Together program at Wheeler the next year.
Makaraukas is directing the middle and elementary school production of Lion King Jr. Being one of her favorite musicals, teaching vocals, choreography, and blocking has been made that much easier. She is also thankful to have students Marcos Buslon and Hayley Johnson directing alongside her.
With dance being one of Makaraukas’ favorite hobbies, she was eager to start a dance club back up when a student came to her about it. She was on her high school’s varsity dance team herself, so a chance to share that love with students is thrilling. They will be starting with the basics of improving flexibility, technique and strength and learning at least one routine to be performed at a school event. However, Makaraukas is optimistic for the years to come, hoping to eventually have a competition team.