Region schools up their content game during the season of e-learning.
From coaches providing their athletes with home workouts to students uniting virtually to show some serious school spirit, the past few weeks have curated an entire new style of interactive learning for our Region schools. Educators and students everywhere are discovering new ways to stay creatively connected, and some of the solutions have been a blast for wider audiences to share, too.
At GreatNews.Life, we’re thrilled to share the best of local school content. Here are just a few of our favorite videos we’ve found—specially produced by Region educators and/or their students.
Adopt a Senior
What a great idea! On this Facebook group, Crown Point High School parents are encouraged to share photos and fun facts about their seniors who aren’t able to celebrate their commencement in person this year. People can then volunteer to “sponsor” that senior and shower them with encouragement, send goodie baskets or gift cards, and more!
The show must go on
Just because audiences couldn’t come physically see Munster Theatre Company’s production of “Much Ado About Nothing” doesn’t mean the cast and crew couldn’t share a performance! Click here to see livestream table reads of their show.
Memories of Friday Night Lights
As any true Regionite knows, the Hobart Brickie Bowl is one of the most legendary sites for Friday night football games. You had to be in it and see a game in action to believe it! The Region Sports Network and Mayor Brian Snedecor invited Brickies and football fans alike to relive some of the most memorable games in the Bowl’s history. Check it out here!
A Viking Send Off
Sniffles! To pay proper tribute to the Valparaiso High School Class of 2020, VHS staff members celebrated them with some fanfare and put together this sweet video: https://www.facebook.com/ValparaisoCommunitySchools/videos/318272475808526/.
Showing love back
We’ve seen a lot of teachers demonstrating how much they miss and love their students since the pandemic closed school doors everywhere, but it’s nice to see the students show their teachers some love in return! The Michigan City High School National Honor Society did just that for Teacher Appreciation Week: https://www.facebook.com/MichiganCityHighSchool/videos/268831974301854/.
A true honor
La Porte High School welcomed its new inductees to National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society with a video featuring the student leaders’ own voices: https://www.facebook.com/LPCSC.LPHS/videos/872892006545279/.
Portrait of the Artist
It’s true that art is too important not to share, and Morgan Township High School students in Shelby Braun’s advanced art class created works that were too impressive to ignore. Enjoy a virtual showing of their final pieces! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMi8rzaClo8&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR02qMr4rCb0eDfqHh5zdSLIHY678RL235lBr0wW1gjLwV3w7k0hX9dvPJI
All work and no play
The staff members at Union Township Middle School know that all work and no play isn’t good for the soul, so clued students in on some of the other things they’ve been getting up to in between assignments over quarantine...https://www.facebook.com/UTMiddleSchool/videos/291467601851382/.
Birthday parade
The Highland High School varsity softball team showed their coach some socially distant love on her birthday: https://www.facebook.com/HighlandTrojansSoftball/videos/244387383342608/.
A little friendly competition
Highland High School challenged their neighbors at Munster High School to a friendly challenge, #battleofthebridge. Students from each school were given a different set of in-home exercises each day, and were tasked with documenting a video of themselves completing the exercises while wearing school colors. Videos were uploaded to each school’s athletic department Twitter (check out @stohAD1 and @Munster_Sports for each motivating submission). We think this fun video will give you an indication of whether the Trojans or the Mustangs won... https://www.facebook.com/MunsterHS/videos/548003879446847/
Helpful how-to
Sherry Finnerty, home school coordinator for Joan Martin Elementary School and George Earle Elementary, shared this helpful video breaking down how to make face masks for loved ones and frontline workers from home: https://www.facebook.com/schoolcityofhobart/videos/715376139283024/
Step up, quarantine-style
Valparaiso High School athletic trainer Craig Lewin showed off some enviable dance moves for virtual school spirit day. I had to pause writing this article so I could dance along with this contagious freestyle! https://www.facebook.com/627837360580660/videos/523757231860095/
Trying something new
At La Porte Middle School, teacher Patricia Rosenbaum challenged her students to take a photo or video of them doing a craft or baking something. Student Joe made brownies, and his big sis joined in on the fun: https://www.facebook.com/LPCSC.LPMS/videos/225252828578113/
Quarantine fashion
Educators at Joan Martin Elementary School in Hobart had a little fun showing off their e-learning looks during this exclusive fashion show: https://youtu.be/jaczzceKGx4
Well wishes
The faculty team at Crown Point High School shared this touching message of well wishes to their students. The fitting song choice brought a tear to the eye…
Cheering through
The Munster Cheer team reflected over the past year of more happy times together. Here’s a video tribute to the Varsity team: https://youtu.be/Qk820LzuPNU. Here is one for the Junior Varsity team: https://youtu.be/UFIoeFwneGs.
Peace of Mind
These are times of incredible stress. To help, Michigan City Area Schools counselors and social workers shared some uplifting messages with students: https://www.facebook.com/MichiganCityHighSchool/videos/525795948111232/
The impact of a meal
Valparaiso Community Schools shared this video of their food distribution program in action, along with informational details about the number of families positively impacted by the program: https://www.facebook.com/ValparaisoCommunitySchools/videos/530396051198123/
Becoming an inventor
Zachary, an incredibly talented student at Hobart Middle School created his own quarantine game for his Project Lead the Way class. Check it out! https://www.facebook.com/schoolcityofhobart/videos/160108378632374/
Throwback time
The Whiting Oilers shared a video from the program’s first ever Sectional Championship in 1993. The action shows the first touchdown of the game by player Moe Barsich! https://www.facebook.com/WhitingOilersFootball/videos/239736837404407/
Munster High School softball players pass it on
Just because the softball season is cancelled doesn’t mean the sport is! Munster High School junior Sam Sellers spearheaded this fun video project with her senior teammates. Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2665110253726037.
Hit & Ryan
South Central High School senior Ryan Ward and his family purchased “Class of 2020... SC Strong” signs for the entire senior class. Ryan delivered the signs to most of the seniors himself, and is continuing to do so! https://www.facebook.com/southcentralhigh/videos/269469830734565/
A musical dramedy
We got a good chuckle out of this one. Colleen Peluso, a Valparaiso High School English teacher and Drama Club Sponsor, and her husband John, a Valparaiso Speech, Debate, and Mock Trial coach, wrote and performed this “Les Miserables” parody with a few of their fellow theater friends. Click here to kickstart your week with some theatrics!
Professional broadcasting
It’s just like your favorite morning shows! The Hobart High School Radio and TV class will be doing “Live at Home” broadcasts every week to bring their school community updates. Click here to tune in to their first-ever live from home broadcast.
The virtual artist
Portage High School art teacher Trinitie Braner created a YouTube channel to provide step-by-step drawing lessons to her Drawing 2 students. So far, they’ve rendered some amazing celebrity portraits! Check out her tutorials here.
Feeding the community
Like many school districts in the Region, Griffith Public Schools works hard to ensure every student in its system receives nutritious meals they might not be able to afford regularly at home. They recently shared a heartfelt video of the meal preparation and distribution in action: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=600245670837739.
Sharing in song
Some of choir director David Arroyo's students at Hanover Central High School are making videos of songs they have recorded, especially seniors who won’t have the opportunity to perform them live at a final concert. Here are two seniors making their voices heard, Jessica Walters and Jessica Wiersema.
Social distancing to the music
Lowell High School band director Jonathan Flodder created a humorous montage of his average day in quarantine (spent making music, of course). Check it out here!
Chain of command
The Highland High School varsity softball team is creating a series of weekly challenges to keep each other on their toes. Team members are sharing photos and videos to stay in check, like this one. Here’s a moving tribute to the seniors themselves: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=815305968875163.
Kicking into gear
The Andrean High School girls soccer team had some fun virtually kicking the ball to each other. Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/andreanhighschool/videos/517622829128253/
Athletic awards recap
The Michigan City High School Athletic Department proceeded with their winter sports awards ceremony virtually. Check out all the coaches' recapping their season! https://www.facebook.com/michcitywolves/videos/889318068182858/ .
Wish you were here
Chesterton High School educators let their students know how much they were missed in this touching message.
From the Eagle's Nest
Likewise, educators from Thomas A. Edison Jr. Sr. High School reached out to their students with fondness: https://www.facebook.com/EdisonEaglesLS/videos/165360551305679/ .
Sheltering with pets
And last but not least, Northview Elementary School shared a video that encapsulates everyone’s true values during this time especially: a tribute to pets. Enjoy this compilation of teachers and their pet friends!
If you know of a video created by local educators or students, we’d be happy to include it in this article and share it with our Region audience! Click here to fill out a “Share News” form. We’re excited to hear from you.