What’s recently happened?
Earlier this month, Chesterton High School (CHS) officially added a new coffee bar to its cafeteria. This project has been in the works for many years and is finally complete after numerous setbacks. The COVID-19 pandemic, construction within the school, and even federal regulations were just a few of the obstacles that prevented the coffee shop from being finished sooner.
Thanks to the help of many CHS staff members, The Daily Grind Coffee Shop and Bistro is finally open and here to stay. The shop is open every day for students between 7:30-10 a.m., and it closes before reopening for lunch hours between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The Daily Grind aims to give students more food options throughout the day. With hours starting before school, students can get their morning coffees directly from school instead of sitting in a busy line at local coffee chains and risk getting a tardy slip. The Daily Grind is also intended to give students healthier options for food and drink that comply with nutritional standards the school must meet.
“I was able to get a free sample at the coffee shop recently, and it was really nice. It’s been very busy, but I think it will calm down later on. I also think the cafe will continue to get better and better as the years go on since it is still in the early, experimental phase,” Senior Alyssa Pitts said.
With the addition of the cafe, students have something exciting and new to look forward to daily. The Daily Grind is a great opportunity for students to try new foods and drinks CHS offers, outside of the traditional hot lunches served each day.
What’s coming up?
The past few weeks at CHS have been filled with dress and tuxedo shopping, promposals, and preparation for one of the biggest end-of-the-year high school events. CHS will host its Prom this year on Saturday, May 3, at Duneland Falls Banquet Center in Portage. The theme for the special night is “Rockin’ The Night Away,” something students are strongly encouraged to do.
The night will be filled with dinner, dancing, and excitement beginning at 5 p.m. The students must be inside the banquet hall before the doors close at 6 p.m., as they will no longer be allowed in after that. Once everyone is taken to their assigned seats, dinner will be served. When dinner is finished, the music will take over the night and people can party on the dance floor until 10 p.m.
Before Prom, the annual CHS Grand March will take place inside the Fieldhouse at 4 p.m. Students and families will be allowed to enter the school starting at 3 p.m., and students will begin lining up to parade through the Fieldhouse and show off their formal attire upon entering.
“I’m most excited for Prom this year because it’s my first one. I had to miss last year due to a cheer competition, so I’ve been waiting for this weekend all year! The theme makes me even more excited as well,” Senior Marlee Wilson said.
With all the hard work that has gone into planning prom, CHS students are sure to have a wonderful night filled with memories that will last forever.
Staff spotlight:
Jacob Lukach is an English teacher at CHS who will complete his 10th year as a teacher this May. He has spent seven of those years at CHS, and was even a Trojan himself as he attended the school from 2006-2010.
Like many teachers, teaching wasn’t the initial career path for Lukach. He attended and graduated from Purdue University in West Lafayette and started out studying mass communication.
“While I always knew that I would enjoy the profession, I actually spent my first semester of college studying mass communication because I wanted to be a radio broadcaster. My mother was a teacher, though, so there was some influence there,” Lukach said.
Outside of being a teacher, Lukach holds numerous important roles at CHS to keep himself busy.
“I am a member of the district AI (automated intelligence) committee, I serve as the co-coordinator for the CHS Prom, and I am a coach for the Speech program. I serve as a class sponsor for the 2026 class currently, and will serve the same role for the class of 2030 when they get here. For the last five years, ending after this school year, I have served as the newspaper director here too. I am also a building representative for our Duneland Teachers Association (teachers’ union). Finally, I am the “Official Voice,” aka the announcer, for the Boys’ and Girls’ soccer teams here at the school,” Lukach said.
As a Purdue Football season ticket holder, Lukach spends his free time religiously supporting his alma mater. He also aims to attend four or five Purdue basketball games each season, often wearing a jersey to the games. He even followed the team to Arizona for the March Madness National Championship in 2024. Along with attending all kinds of sporting events, he also enjoys watching movies and listening to music.
Lukach’s heavy involvement at CHS and in the community of Chesterton is representative of who he is as a person. He is dedicated to his students and contributes to the town in many different ways.
“The most rewarding part about teaching is being able to give back to the community that gave so much to me growing up. I love Chesterton, and I love helping young Chestertonians learn and grow as students,” Lukach said.
Student spotlight:
Kamille Spencer is a senior at CHS. She first came to Duneland schools in fifth grade, attending Westchester Intermediate School. Spencer has been working towards her future with the intention of becoming a nurse practitioner.
All of Spencer’s hard work as a student has led her into a path of attending St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame this fall for nursing. Not only did Spencer get accepted into the prestigious school, but she was also directly admitted to the nursing program at the school.
Nursing first became an interest to Spencer because of a family member who took care of her.
“One of my family members is a nurse practitioner, and she was mine. I was encouraged by her and my other aunt to go into the medical field, and being a nurse seems so cool,” Spencer said.
In preparation to become a nurse, Spencer has taken the Health Science vocational program at CHS for the past two years. Here, she has learned what day-to-day life is like working in the medical field and while gaining hands-on experience working with real patients. Spencer even earned her license as a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) in March. Becoming a CNA at 17 years old is a huge accomplishment that sets Spencer ahead of the game in the nursing industry. Spencer credits her mom and God for being role models and the inspiration for her future.
“I look up to my mother a lot. She told me God led her on the right path of becoming a special education teacher, and I’m hoping that I am also being led on the right path to becoming a nurse practitioner,” Spencer said.
Outside of school, Spencer keeps herself busy by volunteering and being a member of Key Club, ASL Club, and National Honor Society. She also values reading, watching movies, spending quality time with her friends, family, and is looking forward to spending this last summer before college with all the people she loves.
