Holiday Concerts
The La Porte High School music program always puts on great holiday concerts, and this year is no exception. Words such as professional, spectacular, and magnificent were all words floating around the high school during the week of the concerts. The bands teamed up with Boston and Kesling middle school bands to showcase all the wonderful music in the community in a two-night concert spectacular.
The jazz band also help their annual holiday concert with both middle schools.
“Tradition is a huge part of the La Porte High School band program. We always play with the middle schools. The holiday concerts are just fun in general,” said Olivia Capusan, junior.
The orchestra also gave a highly commended performance in their holiday concert. The choirs rehearsed for weeks leading up to their holiday concerts. The most talked about song of the entire week of concerts, was one choir’s performance of “Carol of the Bells”.
During the last week of school before the Holiday Break, the show choir took their talents to the teachers of La Porte High School, the hospital, and surrounding nursing homes bringing holiday cheer to the whole community. The La Porte High school music program gave great performances this holiday season.
The Season of Giving
It is this time every year that students at La Porte High School begin volunteering all around the community. From bell ringing to adopt a family La Porte High School does it all. Student council and National Honors Society help the Salvation Army with a food drive and bell ringing, but much of the volunteering is done by the high schools Girl Reserves, GR.
GR girls pack shoeboxes full with toiletries and small toys to send overseas to developing countries. The shoeboxes go towards Operation Christmas Child, a program that helps provide a small Christmas gift to children in need. This year, GR was able to donate 397 boxes. The girl reserves also help by adopting families in the community through the Angel Tree Foundation and help with The Deserving Children's Shopping Spree where underprivileged children in the community I take to get winter clothing and a toy or two to help make their Holiday season more cheerful.
The National Honors Society also sponsored “Slice out the Cold” where they tied scarves around trees all over town with a note attached to it that read, “I am not lost. If you need this to stay warm please take it. Be warm and help someone else when you can.” The holiday season brings out the best in La Porte High School students.
Teacher Spotlight: Mrs. Veen
Mrs. Veen is a Spanish teacher at La Porte High School. This is only her second year teaching at LaPorte High School. Before she became a Slicer, Veen taught ESL, English as a second language, in the Dominican Republic at an orphanage.
Veen spent three years teaching in the Dominican Republic and found her experience very rewarding.
“I think what I liked most about my experience was that I was able to use what I had been studying my whole life every day,” Veen said.
Now her role is reversed here at LPHS. Veen is now inspiring her students to use the Spanish she has taught them in their travels whether it takes them to a foreign country or just down the street.
Student Spotlight: Riley Tuerff
Riley Tuerff is a freshman at LaPorte High School. She is a member of the LaPorte High School Pom and Dance team. This fall Tureff represented La Porte High School in Philadelphia where she danced in their annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. "My favorite part of the whole experience was after our final performance in the parade. Knowing that we were on television and hearing all the parents cheering us on was wonderful." Tuerff now uses her experience in Philadelphia on the high school dance team. Tuerff is upbeat and fun to watch.
Upcoming Events:
Ping Pong
This year, La Porte High School has created a ping pong club. At the end of the last school year, students signed a petition to have their very own ping pong club. While the new club was expected to have minimal participants, its callout meeting proved the expectations wrong. Over one hundred students showed interest in the club, and, as a result, there will be a tournament starting in January to see who will represent the school at outside tournaments.