crier
munster high school
vol 49/Issue 4 Oct. 3, 2014 mhscrier.com
8808 Columbia Ave. Munster, IN 46321
Saturday 49/38
Sunday 53/42
Upcoming n
Football plays against Hobart tonight at 7 p.m.
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Volleyball plays Morton on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
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Boys’ Soccer plays Valparaiso tomorrow at 12 p.m.
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Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country compete in Conference Theater company looks forward to meet tomorrow morning. novice play performance Page 2
Volleyball prepares to continue winning season Page 7
Check out photo gallery from Career Day at mhscrier.com
School kicks off celebration for 50 years of education Administration works with faculty to celebrate school’s 50th anniversary by honoring teachers, alumni Danie Oberman News Editor photo illustration by Peyton Puckett
SEEKING GUIDANCE Mrs. Sharon Vail, guidance counselor, shows Maddie Purcell, senior, the paperwork and requirements
needed when going through the college application process and explains how to go about completing everything.
Finding the balance
Students deal with the pressures of performing well under time crunching deadlines while faculty understands the challenges they go through Meena Kandallu Copy Editor With impending Common Application due dates within the upcoming month, the end of the first grading period of the 2014-2015 school year occurring next Friday and quickly approaching SAT and ACT testing dates, Jessica Layous, senior, feels the pressure of performing her best under such demands. “I always feel like there’s always pressure. I’ve had this pressure ever since junior year and people say that you can just blow off senior year but that isn’t true,” Jessica said. “In addition to everything already going on, college apps are also a very stressful process.” In addition to the academic demands placed on students, Jessica considers a competitive environment another contributing factor to the pressure that students feel. “Growing up in such a competitive environment, especially in Munster in the honors program, it’s hard not to compare yourself and doubt yourself,” Jessica said. Mr. Steven Lopez, social studies teacher, understands the struggle to balance everything, but he feels that the responsibility of managing a difficult workload remains with the student. “I see seniors now in the fall trying to get their college applications together and the juniors are doing everything they can to increase their GPAs and to make themselves college ready,” Mr. Lopez said. “I understand that’s still one other element of demand that’s placed upon them;
however, I cannot necessarily adjust my syllabus to outside demands that every student is going to face one way or another.” While he considers himself sympathetic to students’ schedules and other commitments, Mr. Lopez believes that students must be aware of their own abilities before pushing themselves toward unrealistic goals. “With my regular U.S. History classes, if students really feel that there is a problem, I try to make extra time in class, but AP is a whole other ball game,” Mr. Lopez said. “Regarding my AP U.S. History class, it’s almost as if there was an understanding prior to the enrollment in the class to expect the workload.” Rohan Chatterjee, senior, has felt the pressure of trying to compete and succeed but believes that he has acquired skills that allow him to cope with it. “I think I’ve learnt to work efficiently and use my time wisely, and if you do that, I think you can make time for everything you want to do,” Rohan said. “I’ve learned to work hard but also enjoy high school.” Although it may initially prove tempting for students to overload their schedules in hopes of achieving success, they must always remember to keep their final goals in mind, according to Ms. Sharon Vail, guidance counselor. “In the big picture, it will be to students’ advantage to challenge themselves, but that doesn’t always mean six AP classes,” Ms. Vail said. “If you put your head on your pillow every night and you’re satisfied with what you have done, then that’s really all you can do.”
Since its founding in 1965, Munster High School’s students and staff have experienced parade floats going up in flames, record-setting floods and rapid technological advances that have turned the school into its present form, 50 years later. “I think it’s the strong tradition and community. How highly they value education (has contributed to the school’s success),” Mr. Mike Wells, principal, said. “Not just the community - families, students, teachers, everyone values how important it is.” The Alumni Hall of Fame will hang pictures of elected members next to the portraits in the Commons, and will commemorate alumni who have accomplished extraordinary things in their careers, according to Mr. Wells. “It’s the 50th year of the school, and we thought it would be nice to recognize alumni and alumni accomplishments that reflect well on the school,” Dr. Larry Brechner, auditorium director, said. The school plans to create the Pathway to Excellence, a brick walkway in front of the school. Anyone can buy a brick to have their name engraved in it. “First of all, it’s a great fundraiser, and it’s a great way to show you are part of the school system whether you are alum, faculty or someone that just supports our school,” Dr. Brechner said. Throughout its 50 years, Munster has become a goal destination for teachers and administrators. Mr. Wells encourages students to make the most of the time they have here and the opportunities offered in clubs, sports and academics. “I would say don’t take for granted the four years you have here in high school,” Mr. Wells said. “You don’t realize what you have until something is gone.”