What’s Recently Happened?
The La Porte High School (LPHS) National Honor Society (NHS) has inducted a new class of students to represent its historical values to the school and the community as a whole.
The National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) and Tri-M also inducted new members. These three groups of distinguished individuals are some of the most prestigious of the LPHS student body.
It took place at the LPHS Performing Arts Center at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 13.
Officers stated the beliefs of each group and then recognized each student. NHS was recognized first, NTHS next, and finally, Tri-M.
A second thing LPHS is proud of is the SlicerTech Robotics team. They qualified for the World Championships in Houston, Texas, and will represent the state of Indiana at the 2023 first Championship, which will host 26 different countries.
The team was also able to win the Indiana District Rookie All-Star Award on its way to qualifying.
What’s coming up?
As the LPHS school year comes closer to an end, an array of new and exciting events are coming to the high school. At the top of this list is the crown jewel of all of the dances throughout the school year: the annual prom dance.
The “Black and White Gala” will be held at La Porte Civic Auditorium on Saturday, May 6 from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The school allows juniors and seniors to go without an invite, but sophomores require an invitation from an upperclassman.
Only 600 tickets will be sold for the event, and students must be in good standing with the school and present a photo ID upon entrance. The first 100 tickets sold will be accommodated with a free smoothie from Downtown Delights.
The LPHS Art Department will be running the “Say Yes to the Dress,” which will provide free prom dresses, shoes, and jewelry for any student. LR Men’s Clothier has also given away five free tuxedo rentals for LPHS students worth about $200.
Aside from the usual excitement for prom, the ASL Club & Honor Society will be selling flowers for Teacher Appreciation Week from May 8-12.
This flower sale will be on every Thursday for the next three weeks. The prices are $3 for one flower, $6 dollars for three flowers, and $30 dollars for a dozen flowers.
Staff spotlight:
Brenda Cooper is one of LPHS's most beloved teachers. She teaches 10th grade English and creative writing.
She loves connecting with the students personally and through their writing. She chose to teach English because she loves how different every day is.
Before teaching, Cooper worked for five years in sales and merchandising. She graduated from Indiana University and set off to Indianapolis.
“After a while in merchandising, I realized how unfulfilling it is. I wanted to make a change and it became so repetitive in marketing. I didn’t enjoy working all of the weekends and holidays either. Now that I am a teacher, I love the curiosity of the kids and the spontaneity of every day,” Cooper said.
While the transition wasn’t easy, her mom supported her decision and helped her along the way. Cooper’s mother is also a teacher and has been a great inspiration for her.
Cooper was back to school for teaching and she was stuck deciding what to teach. She knew she loved history, but she had always excelled in English.
Cooper grew up in La Porte and graduated in 1985, so when a job opportunity arose at LPHS, she saw it as a perfect opportunity.
“I never ruled out intermediate school; it just happened that a high school job opened up, and now I can’t imagine teaching anything else,” Cooper said.
Outside of teaching, Cooper loves to be outdoors. She loves going to the beach and walking the trails. She is often accompanied by her 3-year-old Labrador Retriever.
If she is not outdoors, she can be found supporting her children, Scott and Cara, in their college sports.
Student spotlight:
One of the most important factors to LPHS Senior Pooja Verma is encouraging people to make a positive impact. She is in Key Club and Interact Club at LPHS, and through these clubs, she is able to express herself and the changes she wants to make.
“At the start of my freshman year, I was unaware of the difference and impact I could make on my school and community as a student, but soon after, with my involvement in Key Club and Interact Club, I realized that it is possible,” Verma said. “I realized that we need more students taking a lead and creating that positive impact that our community needs. Therefore, the mark I want to leave behind at LPHS is that I want those behind me to be inspired to create change. I want them to know that they can create change, and they can make a difference.”
Verma has a goal of becoming a doctor to be able to serve in third-world countries. With this, she hopes to travel abroad in her college career and explore the world.
Verma plans on going to Purdue University with a major in Biomedical Health Sciences and a Pre-Med concentration to eventually go to medical school.
“College is going to be a super different experience for me, but I can’t wait to have opportunities to expand my connections and grow as a person. I’m super excited to make new friends from all over the country that have different backgrounds than me,” Verma said.
Verma was fortunate enough to get a full-ride scholarship through the Posse Foundation. She interviewed earlier in the year in group sessions to see how she works and interacts with a larger group. She was then interviewed later in an individual session.
In the end, the students that received the scholarship were those that had shown not only academic success during high school but also a great deal of leadership in their school and community. With the scholarship, the foundation gives students resources and connections, such as mentors and leadership conferences, to succeed in college and even afterward.
Verma has changed so much as a person throughout her highschool years. As a freshman, she tried to avoid attention and always worried about pleasing others. She learned through teachers, friends, and experiences that standing out is not a bad thing.
“I learned to keep my head up with pride and to not be afraid of what others think of me, so the biggest thing that I would tell my younger self is to stop caring about what others think. Be proud of who you are and take a stand for what you believe in. Never let others bring you down because in the end, you’re trying to be the best version of yourself,” Verma said.
Verma feels so fortunate to be raised by her parents the way she was. Her parents are from India so has been able to visit there multiple times. She has a family that lives there and it has become one of her favorite places to visit.
“Through those experiences and trips, I was exposed to the difference in lifestyles and cultures. Those experiences opened my eyes to the less fortunate and inspired me to make a difference. Being exposed to that helped me grow as a person that values giving to my community and helping bring smiles to those around me,” Verma said.
Outside of school, Verma can be found on the tennis court. Her favorite time to go is right when the sun is setting. She has met some of her lifelong friends in the sport and is grateful for all of the experiences she’s had.