The Enneagram Quiz is one of the most authentic personality systems of the modern era, giving nine different paths to understanding human motivation and behavior. The Enneagram doesn't just put us into boxes like so many other systems, but instead shows us our fundamental fears, desires, and patterns that decide our decisions. Each type is a different view from the way we look at the world, and each has certain strengths to be valued and limitations to navigate. The Enneagram isn't just a system for typing personalities, it shows us the ideas we have that take control of our response to the different opportunities of life. I'll explain the different types of this system and give some self-improvement advice that I’ve learned from different YouTube videos and different podcasts on Spotify, which will allow you to know more about yourself and others through the Enneagram.

http://enneagraminstitute.com is a website that was useful to me as I wrote the article, as it provided all the information about each Enneagram and how they work. If you have an interest in what Enneagram you are, I highly recommend taking their free quiz that tells you exactly what Enneagram you are.

The perfectionist types are “Ones.” They have strong feelings regarding what is right and wrong. They are also teachers, constantly seeking to correct what they see as wrong, but are afraid of failing. They are also critical and impatient. My advice for Ones would be to attempt to be kinder to yourself, notice why you are afraid of being wrong, and see the potential that you and everyone else have to improve in life.

“Twos” are warm, people-pleasing, generous, and demonstrative. They love without condition and are often selfless in loving and serving others. Twos yearn to be loved and needed, which, while in the process, get lost and forget about themselves and their own needs as they serve others. Twos also fear being unwanted or undeserving of love. My advice for twos is to learn to understand and honor your own needs and others. My advice is to practice saying no when necessary and understand that your worth is not in how much you can give to others. Learn sensitivity to when your giving could be a way of controlling or manipulating others for acceptance. True love is not only through giving but also through authentic receiving.

Threes are go-getters, survivors, and conscious individuals who are driven by a desire for achievement and recognition. They are proficient at goal achievement and setting, often being the best workers in the office. Active and efficient, Threes can read what others value and fit themselves to reinforce those demands. Their main fear is being worthless or not being noticed. Here's my advice for threes: Remember that your worth extends far beyond your achievements. Practice slowing down to connect with your authentic feelings rather than constantly performing. Cultivate relationships where you can be valued for who you are, not what you accomplish. Work on recognizing when you're being honest with yourself versus presenting an image you think others want to see.

Fours are deep-feeling, emotionally sincere, and imaginative individuals with a love for authenticity and depth of feeling. They have an amazing ability to absorb complex feelings and transform inner pain into expression. Fours usually feel separate from others and might cultivate their separateness as a way of forging identity. Their deepest fear is to be without identity or personal significance. As a four myself, my advice is to work at embracing the ordinary experiences as well as the unusual ones you'd already be drawn to. Notice when you might feel negative feelings or create drama in an effort to be authentic. Develop practices that keep yourself stable when you may feel emotional. Your empathy doesn't take away your individuality, but makes you more unique.

 Fives are contemplative, imaginative, and reserved individuals who want to learn and know. They are analytical, often thinking and observing, and gathering information on subjects that interest them. Fives save their energy and resources, setting boundaries to prevent emptiness. Their deepest fear is to be helpless, unable, or overwhelmed by the needs of the world. My suggestion to Fives is to not be afraid of having new experiences and not always analyze from afar. Become aware when your intelligence turns into a replacement for emotional connection or action. Practice awareness of your bodily presence and needs, as these may disconnect from your focus of mind. Recall that your knowledge is most beneficially used in community with others.

Sixes are committed to trust and loyalty and are security-conscious, responsible individuals. Sixes often have a high ability to anticipate problems and ready themselves for them, and they are excellent team players as well as friends. Sixes are motivated by a strong inner sense of fear, which influences them to see potential threats. Their greatest fear is to be lost and alone in a threatening world. Some guidance for sixes is to practice separating realistic caution from worry based on anxiety. Practice trusting your inner self, knowing instead of always looking for approval from outside sources. Notice when your questioning mind gets out of control and causes paralysis instead of wisdom. Keep in mind that preparation is key, but courage is often about pushing forward despite uncertainty.

Sevens are adventurous, versatile, and optimistic individuals seeking experience and excitement. They have infectious energy and can appreciate lots of things. Sevens are busy, quick-moving minds that connect ideas in original relationships, generating possibilities and alternatives. Their core fear is deprivation, stuck in agony, or denied experience. Sevens have to develop the capacity to stay with painful feelings rather than necessarily distracting themselves or reframing. Develop the capacity to invest deeply in fewer experiences rather than sampling many. Notice when your positive reframing is blithely ignoring rich truths that need healing. Depth tends to come from the capacity to stay with one thing long enough to be able to process through initial euphoria into sage mastery.

Eights are forceful, self-assured, and defensive individuals who show fortitude and oppose domination. Eights have a tremendous ability to act and an intuitive feel for power modes in any situation. Eights experience life intensely and take up space without regrets, defending the underdog and opposing oppression. They have the greatest fear of being harmed, controlled, or invaded by others. Some recommendations to eights are to work on being aware of your impact on others, especially those people who might be scared of your strength. Show your ability for vulnerability as a sign of strength, not weakness. Pay attention to when your defensiveness may be pushing away intimacy from others. Realize that real power is not only from assertion but also from the intelligence of realizing when to give in and when to be gentle.

Nines are harmonizing, trusting, and secure individuals who make their environments peaceful. They have an exceptional ability to sense all sides of an issue and problem-solve by really understanding it. Nines may tend to lose themselves in other people's plans and have trouble knowing or communicating their own agendas. Their greatest fear is loss, breaking apart, or separation from others. A few suggestions for nines are to practice recognizing and understanding your desires, needs, and preferences as opposed to automatically giving in to others. Become aware of how your search for peace might be an evasion of necessary conflict. Practice staying present with your own experience rather than giving in to helpful distractions. Keep in mind that true harmony comes not from evading differences but from integrating them into an expanded whole.

The Enneagram reveals more than personality; it reveals our hidden motivations and offers a map to self-improvement. Knowing your type enables you to appreciate your unique strengths and patterns that can prevent you from achieving your best. That awareness creates room for wiser choices and genuine expression. When you use the guidance in your daily life, you'll be moving away from patterned responses toward greater decisions while at the same time developing more sincerity for others in different ways of journeying. It's not necessarily an easy trip, but the reward is a more balanced, authentic expression of who you are.

By: Evie Yeaney

The La Porte High School Agriculture Department has changed in a new direction for the 2024-2025 school year. 

In June, former Agriculture Department head Jessi Davenport resigned left her position at LPHS; however, Davenport didn't settle far from her passion, as she now works for the Purdue Extension Office. Amber Ernsperger, formally Paquette, has taken over Davenport's formal responsibilities and classroom. Ernsperger is now responsible for the Ag Mechanic and Animal Science classes. 

“I am so excited to be teaching the Ag Mech pathway. Although I never saw myself teaching anything like this, I am so excited for the new adventure. I am also super excited to continue with the animal science pathway as that is the one I really worked with in college,” Ernsperger said. 

With this change, there are new faces and a few questions. Despite common belief, the welding pathway taught by new teacher Raymond Goss is not part of the agriculture department. Although they both fall under the CTE umbrella, welding is a different Department. They are currently working on building a shop at the ESC which will bring new opportunities for students. Goss teaches all of the welding technology classes.

“So far it has been a great start to the year from working with the staff to interacting with the students,” Goss said. 

Kaitlyn Parsons has moved into Ernsperger’s old classroom and now teaches Natural Resources, Forestry, and Principles of Agriculture. Switching rooms has brought new opportunities for her students. 

“I was able to move into a bigger room that doesn't have carpet. This means we will be able to do labs and activities that we couldn’t before due to the mess factor, which I am very much looking forward to,” Parson said. 

Former dance teacher Jessica Tenbusch is now teaching a few of the Principles of Agriculture classes. This new change has been a challenge for Tenbusch, but she is persevering. 

Ernsperger is the sole advisor for FFA. According to the National FFA Organization website, FFA is a national organization that provides leadership opportunities, strengthens skills, builds confidence, and overall changes lives. LPHS FFA’s first meeting was August 28th. This year they are hosting a soil competition, attending contests, participating in district events, and so much more.

“The Ag department is happy to be working together on growing and moving in the right directions,” Ernsperger said.

By: Micheal St Arnaud

Standardized testing is one of the most stressful aspects of the high school experience. From NWEA to the SAT, each test brings a new and mentally taxing challenge for the students who take it. 

Although each test deserves time and attention, the upcoming National Merit Scholarship Qualification Test, also known as the PSAT, is especially important. Despite this, most students have no idea about this consequential exam, and it is paramount that the test prep resources, available opportunities, and schedule for this test are known and fully utilized. 

The PSAT will be administered on October 23. All students from freshmen to juniors will take this exam, but only juniors will have their scores considered for the National Merit Scholarship. Details about the exact bell schedule will be released as the test date approaches.

As far as preparation, help is easy to find. LPHS counselor Rachel Herald states that students can get help from Khan Academy for PSAT/SAT preparations. She also recommends CollegeBoard and Kaplan as excellent sources of study material. Local libraries may also have study guides designed for these tests, with those written by the Princeton Review or Barron’s being popular choices. 

In recent years, the test has been shortened and converted to an all-digital exam. According to CollegeBoard, the PSAT will be in two parts: Math and Reading. These two sections total 134 minutes of testing. The math portion is 70 minutes and 44 questions, while reading is slightly shorter at 64 minutes but contains 54 questions. The math portion also allows use of calculators and includes a built in calculator tool powered by Desmos for those who do not have access to one. 

Once test day passes, CollegeBoard will release scores four to six weeks after the test administration. They will be found online on the CollegeBoard website. 

As mentioned before, test takers in their junior year will be automatically entered into the National Merit Scholarship Program. This program highlights high-achieving students, and, according to its website, uses PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index scores (calculated from the Reading and Writing and Math section scores) to determine 50,000 high-scoring participants who qualify for program recognition. These 50,000 students will then compete for over 33 million dollars of scholarships to prestigious institutions. Results of this competition will begin to roll out in the fall following the year the exam was taken. 

Beyond scholarships, the scores give an excellent indication of potential performance on the SAT. 1“The PSAT helps prepare you for taking the SAT since it follows a similar structure. The SAT can check off box 3 for graduation requirements,” Herald said. 

As the days get shorter and shorter, remember that the PSAT is looming on the horizon. Time is still available to improve scores, practice, and to seek help. If additional resources are needed or further questions need answering, contact any LPHS counselor. They will be happy to provide further information to help any student succeed.

For those who have already taken the test, LaPorte National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists and Commended Students will be announced this month.

By: William Tallackson

Dr. Sandra Wood is making a positive impact in her new role as superintendent of La Porte Community School Corporation (LPCSC). 

Wood prioritized building a community presence over the summer, engaging with families and students to understand the interests and needs of La Porte.

Wood quickly found LPCSC to be a special place.

“La Porte is a community,” Wood said. “When I first got here and started meeting with people, I immediately recognized the sense of pride and love for this school, along with the feeling that everyone who is part of our community is truly a family. That is what a ‘Slicer’ represents to me.”

Wood continued her mission and visited each building before the start of the school year. She received a tour from each principal and established a positive relationship with staff members.

 “It was great visiting each school,” she said. “It was a fulfilling experience because it gave me a chance to visit the buildings before students were back.” 

Wood revisited each building on the first day, warmly welcoming all the students back to school. She engaged with numerous students, encouraging them to appreciate learning and providing a positive start.

“The kids are my favorite part of my job,” she said. “Being able to witness the great things kids are doing as a result of some of the planning and development that I’ve been a part of leading is very rewarding.”

Wood is responsible for overseeing daily operations, collaborating with community members, visiting different schools to witness growth, and planning for the future to navigate the challenges in the community.

“I enjoy problem-solving and look at every experience as a chance for us to grow and make changes for the better,” she said. “Also, I am still a teacher at heart, so I like to focus some of my time on helping staff within the school to learn and grow as professionals.”

Wood graduated from Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana, and she obtained a double major in Spanish and English and a minor in secondary education. She worked as a Spanish teacher at South Central High School for seven years. Her passion for teaching and interacting with students inspired her to apply for the principal position at South Central in 2012, and she was offered the job.

Wood was chosen to take part in the Indiana Principal Leadership Institute at Indiana State University (ISU) in 2014. The program supported her in pursuing her doctorate. She would drive to Warsaw on Saturdays to work on her dissertation and eventually earned her Ph.D. in 2019.

“When I started taking classes to obtain my Ph.D., I enjoyed the perspective of looking at things from the district-level and how continuity in education practices is so important from preschool to graduation,” she said. “Once I had taken enough classes to qualify for my superintendent’s license, the position for superintendent of Westville opened up, and I applied for it and was selected.” 

Wood's experience at Westville helped her understand the extent of responsibilities that come with the superintendent position. She was content in her current position, but an amazing opportunity opened up in La Porte, allowing her to apply for the superintendent position.

“I wasn’t looking to leave my job at Westville, but when the position at La Porte opened up, it pulled at my heart because my two sons attend school in La Porte,” she said. “I have always heard so many great things about this district, and with my kids attending here, I thought this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

Wood is quickly making a positive impact at LPCSC, contributing to the improvement of students' lives every day. Her efforts will affect numerous lives and shape the landscape of local education. 

“I think we have a lot of opportunity to refine and develop some of the great things already taking place here,” she said. “Overall, I just want to help build a culture where La Porte Community School Corporation is a place that our community is proud of and that everyone genuinely wants to be here.”

The community can see her leadership in play at the next school board meeting at the LaPorte Educational Services Center at 1000 Harrison Street on Monday, September 9 at 6 p.m.