What’s Recently Happened:
As of March 11, New Prairie High School (NPHS) officially entered in their last quarter of school. Spring break is coming up and students are looking forward to having time off of school and going on vacation.
NPHS’s indoor percussion band headed to State finals on Saturday March 19. They performed their show “Where the Wild Things Are” on Friday March 18 so they could showcase their talent to the public that had yet to see the show.
NPHS’s track and field team recently had a meet at Culver Military Academy.
Senior Daniel O’Laughlin beat both the Academy and NPHS’s current school record in pole vault with a jump height of 15 feet.
NPHS boys won against the highly trained Culver kids in points, with NPHS coming in first for eight events.
Additionally, NPHS had a sports give-back night. Athletes helped coach elementary and middle school students all night to give back to all of their supporters and future athletes.
In other news, NPHS’s competitive show choirs finished up their competition season with Brownsburg Bulldog Spectacular. They had a nice last performance and their scores were close to the grand champions scores.
Now the show choirs get a small break before starting to prepare for their spring show.
The NPHS dance team also went to state the same night as the show choir’s last competition. The dance team worked hard to make it to state and performed their hearts out on the dance floor. They performed their poms, jazz and hip-hop routines.Even though they didn’t place how they wanted, they still enjoyed their time together, making memories they will cherish forever.
NPHS would like to give a special shoutout to solo competition performer Julie Okrzesik, who scored a 78 and was not far behind the grand champion, who scored an 83.
What's Coming Up:
NPHS’s dance team is now working on their dances for their recital on March 26. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. and the performance will begin at 5 p.m. They will be accepting donations for charity as the entrance fee.
The theater program is continuing to get ready to put on their spring play, "Subtex". Students and staff may have seen the cast members hanging up the play's posters around school, but little do they know the behind the scenes action. Figuring out blocking, costumes, and bows may be stressful but all-in-all will turn out great in the end.
Staff Spotlight:
Kristin Barden is the Mythology, Student Media, and one of the English teachers at NPHS.
“This is my ninth year teaching. Crazy to think it’s almost been a decade," Barden said.
Barden’s favorite thing about teaching is getting to know her students. No two classes of hers are the same.
“Those little moments that make each class special is the insight a student has that I’ve never heard before despite teaching the same books year after year," Barden said.
“If you don’t love the content, if you don’t enjoy working with young people, then this is not the job for you. Everything else you can learn. But there is no substitute for caring about your students. You either have that or you don’t," Barden said.
Her students enjoy her classes and look up to her, as she is a teacher that can make her classes fun and interesting.
Barden values her time away from teaching so she can recharge and spend time with her family and friends.
Student Spotlight:
Sophomore Tristan Foster is a multisport athlete as he participates in boys' soccer, wrestling, and track and field.
In his free time he likes to take quiet walks through nature and hang out with friends and family. His favorite hobbies include playing billiards and wood working.
He is always there for his friends and family, to where he would drop everything and help them. He gives great advice and will encourage everyone in his life.
Not only is Foster a good friend, he’s a good athlete with the multiple sports that he is a part of.
Foster is one of NPHS’s 4x100 meter relay members and a 100 and 200 meter runner for track. He placed first for a few races during his track years.
He also went to sectionals for wrestling and placed third in the 145 weight class. He is an assistant coach for all three elementary wrestling programs.
Finally, Foster is a defenseman for the boys' soccer team. He was on the sectionals boys soccer team the first year NPHS had soccer as an actual sport and not a club, where they placed third.
Foster’s favorite classes are Advanced Placement (AP) World History, trigonometry, and precalculus.
Foster is a very intelligent student. He is an academic honor roll student and in top 10 for the sophomore class.
He is planning to go to college and become an engineer after graduating from NPHS.