If all the world's a stage, English teacher Jenna Johson is the leading lady.

Johnson's parents were both English teachers and Shakespeare enthusiasts, so Shakespeare was part of her family makeup and dynamic. Her childhood was full of his work, between reading his plays in comic book form and going to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada starting at eight years old.

Being exposed to such rich Shakespeare literature from a young age created Johnson's passion. She and her family have seen every Shakespeare play in live production, and they play a trivia game where they quiz each other on quotes.

Johnson’s parents were both English teachers growing up, and everyone expected her to follow suit. She attended Valparaiso University to stay close to home. Her original plan was to have a career in theater before deciding to switch to education. She holds a bachelor's degree in theater and English as well as Japanese studies. She also has a master's degree in theater history, literature, and theory. She has an associate's degree in Humanities as well.

Johnson teaches English Literature, and she’s one of the most passionate teachers I have had the privilege to have. She takes her experience and turns it into amazing lessons for her students. From putting on a five-star act to having a deep understanding of the literature she's teaching, Johnson is an incredible teacher.

“Something that I really love about my English Literature class is that it gives us a lot of ownership in the language that we speak and what is possible for us to do with that. It is sort of the earliest stage and almost like becoming time travelers,” Johnson said.

As my short-lived senior year officially comes to an end, I am taking time to reflect on my past and plan for my future. These last four years have gone by incredibly fast, and I wish I had soaked in the moments while I had them. It truly feels like just yesterday I walked through the doors of the high school afraid and playing “Fifteen” by Taylor Swift on the bus ride there. Now, I drive behind the school bus instead. I was told a countless number of times that it goes by quickly, and I never believed anyone because it felt like it took forever to get here. But now that it’s over, I couldn't tell you where the time went.

I have set out to climb mountains, I have stumbled down backwards, and I have reached the highest peaks. I am grateful for my failures and speed bumps, because without them, I wouldn't be the person I am today. My path has been winding and intimidating, but I wouldn't let that stop me from trying to reach the top.  I have found that everything truly happens for a reason to lead you exactly where you need to go.

The best advice I've ever received came to me in 6th grade. My history teacher, Mr. O, told us Gandhi's famous quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Since then, I have carried this with me and hold myself to it within everything I do. I believe that one person can make a difference. If you're the only one to speak up, and if your voice shakes, that means you're doing something brave. When you witness unfairness, discrimination, or damage to the earth, don’t stay silent; step in and make a difference. I believe you can’t rely on other people to change the things you wish were different. Stand for something, or you live for nothing.

With that, I will give you my advice. Be part of something. A club, a sport, an organization, anything. I was part of around seven clubs/organizations through high school, and it gave me purpose and drive. It helped me find myself and get to know how amazing my community is. I advise you to step out of your comfort zone. Reach out to people and ask for opportunities. The worst that can happen is you get told no, and in my experience, you’ll get more yeses than you’d believe. Go outside. Go on hikes. Go camping, or start a garden. Travel and explore new places as much as you can even if that's downtown in your hometown that you usually don’t see. I’d also tell you to go places alone; it’s the best way to learn more about yourself. Always be kind. A compliment can change someone's whole view of themselves. Do community service in your free time. Be creative, whatever that means for you. Listen to as much music as you possibly can. From start to finish, without skipping songs, listen to whole albums. Listen to genres you wouldn’t typically choose. There are so many of your favorite songs out there waiting for you.

I have been immensely grateful for all the teachers that I have gotten to know through my time here. I’d like to thank everyone who supported me and helped me grow into the person I am. Ms. Bates, thank you for being there for me all four years as my homeroom teacher. Your kindness and light shone on me every day, and I was so lucky to have you. Mr. Pitts, thank you for showing freshman year me that I have a voice in writing and pushing me to step outside of my comfort zone. Time stopped in your classroom, and I thank you for showing me what it looks like to be passionate about your career. Mr. Varda, thank you for helping me find my love for media. You have taught me so much, from how to properly put away HDMI cables to what it means to work hard. You taught me how to be independent and take my life into my own hands. Thank you for all of the opportunities you have given me. Ms. Reese and Ms. Hancock, thank you so much for being the best 8th grade teachers I could've asked for, and I miss you greatly. Ms. Vincent, thank you for teaching me how important it is to serve your community, care for others, and the environment. You are the most selfless person I know, and I admire you so much.  Mr. Turner, thank you for holding Photography Club and having a space full of creativity and music. Your classroom is always playing amazing songs, and I really enjoyed talking about music with you and Mr. Lawson. Miss Parker, thank you for absolutely everything. Thank you for believing in me and holding me up to reach for stars that seemed unreachable. Because of you, I held stars I would've never gotten without your help. Slicer Newsroom has been one of the most meaningful things I have ever been part of. It has been an honor to share stories with our school, and I’ve found a deep passion for it.

As I close this chapter in my life, I look forward to what my future holds for me.  “I've found time can heal most anything, and you just might find who you're supposed to be,” Taylor Swift.

Thank you, Slicer Newsroom.

Peace and love,

Evie Yeaney

Ms. Bates’ Culinary Arts class is finishing off first semester with sweet holiday cheer. Bates curated the perfect list of six cookies for her students to learn how to bake. It is in the Indiana Next Level Pathway Standard to produce a variety of types of cookies, and Bates added a holiday twist.

Culinary students will be making drop, rolled, and molded cookies. Drop cookies are dropped onto the baking sheet. They will be making red velvet, snicker doodle, and lace cookies, which are a family tradition for her. Rolled cookies are rolled flat and cut into shapes. The rolled cookies they will be baking are sugar and gingerbread cookies. Molded cookies are formed by hand into specific shapes. They will be making Italian Christmas cookies for their molded cookie.

“Making Lace cookies is a family tradition of mine, and I wanted to share that with my students,” Bates said.

These holiday cookies don’t end the fun, as Bates plans to assign a design-your-own cookie project inspired by Crumbl Cookie.

If you are interested in the recipes Bates’ Culinary Arts class will be learning how to make, visit her room (F.10) for more information.

​

​

​

The holidays are full of sweet treats, twinkling decorations, and warming traditions. One of my favorite Christmas-time traditions is driving around and looking at displays of festive lights. Listed below are some of the places I have been to or heard good things about for you and your loved ones to check out this winter.

Washington Park Festival of Lights - Michigan City has a yearly free-of-entry display of holiday lights placed around Washington Park Beach for a drive-through experience. I have to say these are my favorite to visit each year. Every year growing up, my grandparents would take my siblings, my cousins, and me to see these lights, wearing Christmas pajamas and listening to Sunny 101.5 on the radio. The display begins on December 6th and goes through January 3rd from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Address- 115 Lakshore Dr, Michigan City, Indiana

Sunset Hill Farm County Park- Located in Porter County, Sunset Hill Farm has a drive through light display showing from November 26th through January 1st. I experienced these winter lights for the first time this year, and they did not disappoint. The paved path was lined with beautiful lights and the dancing flowers were my favorite. According to Sunset Hill’s website, the lights turn on around 4:30 and turn of around 10 p.m. For more information, you can visit their web page.

​https://www.portercountyparks.org/winterlights​

Address- 775 Meridian Rd. Valparaiso Indiana

Glendale lights - Glendale lights are a must-see drive up holiday light show like no other on this list. This is a house covered in over 30,000 LED lights programmed to music on 91.3 FM, all done as a hobby by the owner of the home. The lights are on an alternating schedule with one set of songs on even days and one set on odd days. You can make two unique nights out of this experience. This special light show is tucked away in a neighborhood on Powell Drive in La Porte. These lights will be on display from November 28th through December 27th from 4:45 - 9:45 p.m. For more information and a song set list, you can check out their website.

​https://glendalelights.net/​

Address - 321 W. Powell Dr. La Porte, Indiana

​

​

​

The first snowfall of the year on November 10th brought roughly eight inches to the city of  La Porte and school closings across Northwest Indiana. LPHS canceled school with no eLearning that will be made up on February 13th with one of the scheduled built-in snow makeup days.

With the development of eLearning days and the ability to have online instructional class time without having to make up a school day, the classic snow day feels like a rare snowflake to find.

On the snowy day off, I visited Kesling Park with my friend to play in the snow as if we were still little kids. The parking lot was full of families and teenage friend groups bundled up in coats and gloves, dragging sleds behind them. We buried each other in the snow and rolled down the hills while laughing and giggling like little girls. In that moment, college, careers, and growing up didn’t cross my mind once.

Being a high school senior who is graduating early, I feel like I’ve pressed fast forward on entering adulthood. This nostalgic snow day was probably my last, and I soaked it all in as the snowflakes fell onto me. I believe classic snow days like this with no school are as important as summer break beach days for everyone from children to adults. If you get the chance to have child-like fun, take the opportunity. You’re never too cool to play in the snow.

LPHS has one more planned snow make-up day scheduled for February 16th. Once that day is used, three eLearning school days are available. After those days are used up, school days are added to the end of the school calendar. Currently, students are scheduled to finish Friday, May 29th. If there are extended days off because of weather, the school district may utilize live eLearning days.

Let's hope with the increasing dependence on technology, we can hold onto this treasured wintertime tradition.

Mrs. Rice’s AP Environmental Science classes took an afternoon scenic and educational hike through Indiana Dunes State Park on Sunday, October 12th.

Rice offered this hike for students to get extra credit. They learned how succession takes place in dunes compared to rock through primary succession.

“The hike was really fun, and it was cool to see how the lesson Ms. Rice taught really works in nature. I got a mug from the park gift shop, and I really like it,” an APES student said.

Rice plans on scheduling a few more field trips for her students this year. She hopes to go on a Hoosier river watch during the second semester, and she also plans to go to the St. Joseph Energy Center and Water Treatment Plant.

“Getting to talk with my students and show them around the dunes that are so close to our home that a lot haven’t explored is my favorite part of this hike,” Rice said.

AP Environmental Science is offered at LPHS for all juniors and seniors who have taken Chemistry and Biology and passed with a B. The course explores scientific topics required to understand the natural world and how humans interact with it. They cover topics like air pollution, water pollution, climate change, population, and ethics.

Fall Break is rapidly approaching, and there are a few things students, teachers, and parents need to know.

Parent-teacher conferences are on October 16, which means students do not have to report to school. Parents can sign up for conferences on Skyward. If a parent has any trouble, they can reach out the the teacher directly and get a conference set up. Conferences are set up in 10-minute slots. Students and staff have October 17 off.

The first midterm ends on October 15, so ensure all assignments are turned in well before that to give teachers time to grade. Grades are pulled on 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

After we come back from fall break, there will be 40 days left of the semester.

The PSAT is on the 23rd of October, which will be a Senior Capstone Day for all seniors. Seniors must complete two requirements from the Capstone and check in with their SRT teachers to ensure that they have done this. Students in grades 9-11 will report to SRT for testing and will remain there for the rest of the day after the test.

Thanksgiving Break will be November 24-28.

Senior photos are scheduled for Thursday, October 2nd and Friday, October 3rd in Schulze Hall.

Senior photos are quite a different concept from students' typical yearly photos, which often leads to some confusion. The first photo set seniors take is strictly for their IDs that are required to be carried in school for safety purposes. This is why seniors did not receive order forms for this first set of photos.

Students will be given a pass with a time during their English class to report to Schulze Hall for their photo. If students are aware in advance that they will not be at school the day they are scheduled, they can talk to Ms. Parker in room J.12. It is strongly encouraged that students dress professionally, as if it were an interview or a headshot. Off-the-shoulder tops are not recommended because of the angles at which these photos will be taken. The photographer will take two to four photos in different poses, and the student gets the freedom to choose which shot they want to appear in the yearbook.

Shortly following the photo date, students will receive an important email regarding the selection of their picture. It is required that students log in and choose the photo they would like in the yearbook, or the photography company chooses for them, which isn’t always what the student would prefer.

Students will receive ordering information after the photos. This order form will preview each photo pose captured, giving the buyer the opportunity to choose.

With any questions or concerns regarding senior photos, you can visit Ms. Parker or contact her at eparker@lpcsc.k12.in.us.