What recently happened?
The La Porte High School (LPHS) Advanced Choir held its annual fall choral retreat at Red Mill County Park on Saturday, Aug. 24.
More than 65 students gathered for a fun day, participating in icebreakers and outdoor activities that helped form meaningful connections. The group hiked through the woods, played games, and had Jimmy John's for dinner. They ended the day with the choir singing songs around the campfire, leaving a lasting impression on many students.
“I loved the campfire because we sang our former concert songs,” Senior Adi Alvarez said. “We threw a piece of paper into our campfire to release our burdens and obstacles.”
Choir Director Tom Coe came up with the idea for the retreat a decade ago, hoping it would unite his students and help them build connections while gaining the confidence to perform in front of others.
“I want students to get to know each other better than we can do in class,” Coe said. “It is amazing to witness students positively interacting with others.”
The choir will continue practicing its music to prepare for the fall concert at the LPHS Performing Arts Center (PAC) at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 2. The concert is free and will feature all the choirs.
For more additional information about the concert, please email tcoe@lpcsc.k12.in.us.
What’s coming up?
The LPHS Field House is under construction to expand its strength and conditioning facilities, which will benefit student athletes.
The renovated field house will feature modern, state-of-the-art technology. New flooring and paint will enhance durability and functionality, supporting a new competitive basketball court and turf training area. An additional strength and conditioning room will be built, doubling the space to accommodate more student athletes, and the existing weight room will be converted for cardio equipment use.
“I am very excited about the new strength and conditioning area because it affects every single one of our sports,” LPHS Athletic Director Steve Santana said. “This will allow us to get more student athletes and teams to work out.”
Built in 1998, the field house has experienced wear and tear from extensive use by physical education (P.E.) classes, gymnastics, winter color guard, and spring sports.
During construction, P.E. classes will be in the main gym or outside whenever possible. The weight classes will continue to use the current room until the new facilities are ready.
The new field house is expected to be completed by January. For additional information, please email ssantana@lpcsc.k12.in.us.
Staff spotlight:
Chemistry Teacher John Sherrick inspires his students with a passion for learning and a positive attitude, bringing the world of science to life and encouraging his students to appreciate the wonders of chemistry.
Sherrick has been teaching for 30 years. He teaches on-level chemistry and AP Chemistry, previously teaching Integrated Chemistry and Physics.
“Chemistry can be an intimidating environment, and I try my best to make students feel welcome and respected. I strive to explain and teach chemistry in simple terms with numerous, relevant examples,” he said. “I teach using direct instruction, and it is necessary to help students learn and understand the challenging concepts presented in the classes.”
Sherrick mixes instruction with dynamic and engaging activities and laboratory experiments, such as making gunpowder, creating a silver bottle, and lighting things on fire. He celebrates Mole Day with his students on Oct. 23, commemorating Avogadro’s constant, with a classroom party full of desserts and games.
Sherrick's approach helps students who may feel anxious about chemistry leave the class feeling excited.
“Mr. Sherrick helps students in a positive way that makes the class fun and energetic,” Junior Haley Fengya said.
Sherrick meets with students one-on-one to discuss their test scores and offer suggestions for improvement in his class. In his regular-level courses, he allows students to regain points they missed on major tests by answering the top 10 questions the class struggled with on an extra quiz. This method motivates students to ask questions and participate more actively in learning.
“Students need to overcome challenges by always asking questions, and I do my best to be patient, approachable, and helpful to students who need more assistance with respect, compassion, and generosity,” he said.
During high school, Sherrick developed a passion for teaching that inspired him to embark on a career in education.
“I began teaching music lessons to other students and mentored a few friends in chemistry class. It opened my eyes to the incredible satisfaction and reward teaching offers,” he said.
Sherrick graduated from Chesterton High School (CHS) in 1990. He majored in chemistry and education at Wabash College and graduated in 1995. After college, he taught for one year at CHS and the remaining years in La Porte.
Sherrick will continue to inspire positive change in the halls of LPHS. He is determined to help his students overcome challenges and appreciate the wonders chemistry has to offer, one atom at a time.
Student spotlight:
Senior Drew Bush is having a lasting impact at LPHS through outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments and a dedication to influencing the lives of others through generosity and acts of kindness.
Bush is an exemplary role model in the classroom, consistently demonstrating an optimistic approach to challenges, an outstanding work ethic, and a willingness to help other students.
“I spend a lot of time helping other students, and I try to help as many as possible,” he said. “During my junior year, I worked with a kid from Vietnam who couldn’t speak English and helped him learn math. It was one of the most challenging yet rewarding things I’ve ever done.”
Bush has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA and taken 13 Advanced Placement (AP) classes: Environmental Science, Statistics, English Literature, Calculus BC, Psychology, Biology, Seminar, World History, Chemistry, U.S. History, Research, English Language, and Spanish Language and Culture.
“My favorite AP class has been AP Chemistry,” he said. “This class was the most challenging class I’ve ever taken, and I believe it taught me so much more than just chemistry. I learned lessons about hard work, studying, and determination that I will carry throughout my life.“
Bush reflected on his academic achievements by winning the Rising Stars of Indiana Class of 2025 and the Outstanding Students Award last year, representing the junior class at an awards banquet in May.
“I felt truly honored to be able to represent the Junior Class in such a way. LPHS has so many outstanding students, and it felt amazing to be one of them,” he said.
Bush serves as captain of the Varsity Boys Tennis team. He has been a member of the varsity team for all four years. He has helped the team win three sectional championships by building positive relationships with his teammates.
“As a freshman, I looked up to our senior leaders and admired them,” he said. “Now, I think about our freshmen and their future greatness.”
Bush has won several athletic awards throughout high school. He was awarded Most Improved and Best Mental Attitude during his freshman and sophomore years. Last year, he was recognized for good sportsmanship on the court, receiving an award from the Indiana High School Athletic Association.
"During last year's sectional championship, my opponent hit the ball out of the court after I served. However, a member of my family cheered before he had completed his hit," he said. "I called a point violation on myself and awarded him the point."
In addition to playing tennis, Bush is an active member of various committees and has held leadership positions in several activities. These include the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Future Problem Solvers, Principal’s Advisory Committee, Student Council, Student Athletic Council, Secretary of Tri-M Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society, President of National Honor Society, and United Sound.
Bush is looking beyond high school and planning for his future. He hopes to attend the University of Notre Dame, majoring in business and minoring in Spanish, and plans to attend law school after college. He participated in summer programs at Notre Dame, studying policy writing before his junior year, and went to Italy last summer to study at Notre Dame in Rome.
Bush will leave LPHS with a future full of possibilities, changing the world one step at a time through hard work and determination.
"Hard work is essential to getting ahead and staying on track," he said. "The most important thing I can do as a student is to work as hard as possible because I want to know I did my best."
