When it comes down to enjoying school, not all students do. Lake Central students have something be proud of though. Actually, a lot of things.
In April, U.S. News & World Report ranked Lake Central the No. 18 high school in the state, and No. 1,527 out of more than 21,000 high schools in the nation. In June, the Indiana Department of Education declared Lake Central a Four Star School. When determining the school rankings, academics are the key focus: passing rate of standardized tests, graduation rates and college-readiness.
“I think the class schedule and the variety of classes we offer makes us stand out. The quality and depth of our staff and our teachers makes us stand out. Our extracurriculars, our theater, our band program... the choir; all of those things are top-notch. So I think any student here, if they choose to get involved, can have a rich and rewarding experience,” Assistant Principal Tim Powers said.
Of the 34 Advanced Placement courses the College Board offers, Lake Central offers 18 of them. In 2012, 68 percent of Lake Central students passed their AP exams, which blew away the state average of 48 percent. At many colleges, passing the AP exam will grant credit hours to a student. In addition to dual-credit classes, Lake Central graduates have the potential to leave Lake Central with 12 or more credit hours ready for them at their university of choice.
Although every school focuses strongly on academics, Lake Central is able to maintain a strong focus on that while branching out to other aspects like athletics and other extracurriculars. From Chess Club to Anime Club to the Table Tennis Club, there’s something for everyone with more than 30 clubs to choose from.
Fine art groups are strong at Lake Central as well. The marching band, the Tribe of Pride, has placed at state, regional and national-level competitions in recent years. Last year, the Lake Central Theatre Company won Regionals for the first time for their show, “The Harvey Girls.” The troupe continued on to place fifth at the state level. The Publications staff who produces the yearbook, Quiver; news magazine, Scout; and website, www.lakecentralnews.com; has received numerous awards at both the state and national levels.
Of course, the Indians athletic program cannot be forgotten. The Tribe has acquired numerous Duneland Athletic Conference Championships across the board. In 2010, the boys’ soccer team won State for the first time, and in 2012 the baseball team followed suit. Besides the team efforts, Lake Central has produced athletes such as Michigan stand-out Glenn Robinson III, who played for the Wolverines in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, and Eric Gehrig, defender for the Columbus Crew Major League Soccer team.
With such a strong athletics program, there is an overwhelming feeling of pride under the Friday night lights in the fall. In 2011, students adapted the University of Alabama’s “Roll Tide” to “Roll Tribe” for the Indians. When the football program underwent a huge transformation thanks to Coach Brett St. Germain, “Roll Tribe” took over the school. Even away from the fields and courts, blue and white fills the hallways on any given day with students proudly sporting their Lake Central spirit wear.
“I think it is terrific, especially with the bigger name sports. With such a large school, one may feel left out, but when we come together as one the feeling is unbeatable. The program is amazing from a spectator standpoint,” Senior Noah Sarkey said.
Despite issues in Indianapolis that have caused many financial cuts for schools across the state, Lake Central is able to stay among the elite schools with what they have.
“Credit [goes to] our teachers. We’ve lost [40-50] positions over the last three or four years, and our teachers continue to meet and exceed top school ratings. Each year, they’ve been asked to do more with less. They’ve been professional about it and dedicated,” Freshmen Center Principal Sean Begley said.
But all of this is Lake Central of 2013. Two years from now, the building will be brand-new and nearly unrecognizable. If Lake Central can do all these great things in a 50-year-old building, the possibilities are endless for success to come out of their new academic wing, football field and auditorium (and pool and science labs and media center and computer labs and band room and field house and offices).
“Here at LC, we keep it real, and we do some good out there.” Principal Robin Tobias said.