Ms. Vincent is a selfless, dedicated, and determined English teacher, and while she has a tight schedule, she manages to make time for the things she loves.
Vincent teaches 9th grade English and 12th grade Technical Communications. She has been teaching for around six to seven years. Vincent began teaching at Boston Middle School, then she moved to La Porte Middle School, and now she is at LPHS.
She loves helping students because when she was in high school there were teachers who would set her straight during the difficult times of her life. It means so much to her to be able to help the students who need and deserve that extra bit of support.
She became an English teacher because she wasn’t the best in school, but she loved to learn. English was just a subject that no matter what level she was able to feel at home. She began to feel confident. She loved the structure, the organization, and the absolute freedom of expression while writing. Vincent wanted to give that same feeling to kids who also think they aren’t good at something such as writing and hopefully show them how they can write their own version of something so that hopefully students can also feel at home while writing.
“Helping others is a privilege and, in my personal opinion, a responsibility we should all take part in. Even little things like opening doors for others, picking up trash on the road as you walk, spending your time with loved ones that treat you well--all these things and so many more leave a lasting impression, which have ripple effects into our community. If we all did more of that, how much more kind would our world be?” Vincent said.
While teaching, she also runs two community service clubs--the Kiwanis Key Club and the Rotary Interact Club. She loves to lead the Interact and Key clubs because she enjoys helping people, and she firmly believes that people have to “Be the change you want to see in the world."
Some of her favorite activities she does for her clubs consist of painting nails and game days with nursing home residents, holiday parties at daycares, dancing with the Life Skills students, Christmas presents for families in need and children in third world countries, and helping other groups in the community with their community service projects. She hopes that in the future they can do a mural collaboration with the parks department for the walkway into Fort La Play Porte at Kesling Park made from bottle caps that has “HOPE” spelled out with hands of different skin tones holding the world.
In the little free time she has, she likes to look for beach glass, fossils, driftwood, and various other items. She uses some of them to make art and sell it at fairs, but some of it she keeps for herself. She also loves gourmet cooking, recycling, collecting Pokémon cards, colored glass bottles, and seashells. For Vincent, balancing her day that is full of activities is hard, but through determination, she excels at it. They have become her greatest skills because of the repetitiveness of planning.
These are the numerous reasons why Vincent is an outstanding teacher and a phenomenal person. She brings joy to so many people around her and here at LPHS.
By: Gavin Shaw
Mr. Stewart and the Speech team are gearing up for another year of successful and competitive events starting in November.
The Speech team has competitions from November through March with the state-qualifying Sectional competition in early March. In February, the team may also co-host a tournament with a local higher ed institution.
Stewart is in his second year as the speech coach, and he chose to teach Speech because he was in it as a high school student here at La Porte.“I was thrilled at the chance to coach the Speech team here at LPHS because it was such an important part of my high school experience when I was a student here,” Stewart said.
The Speech team is considered a co-curricular, which means it is a class and a club. Students can participate in whichever one they want. For students who can’t take Advanced Speech and Communications, the after-school meetings are always open and looking for more members to add. The after-school meetings are on Mondays and Tuesdays and provide students an opportunity to work on their competitive pieces and hang out with fellow team members.
Students who need more information about the club can see Mr. Stewart in room H.17.
“Being on the Speech Team offers a lot. It trains you to become a more effective communicator, which is really important in life, plus, students can win awards. It’s kind of like competitive acting. There are 14 different events that involve everything from dramatic or humorous monologues to radio broadcasting, so there’s something for everyone,” Stewart said.
By: Gavin Shaw
Ms. LaRocco and her Principles of Entrepreneurship, New Venture Development, and Small Business Operations classes are starting up a coffee shop for the students at LaPorte High School in October.
The coffee shop will be available from 7 a.m. to first period, but there are high hopes for it to be expanded to more hours as more students enroll into the program.
The coffee shop will have custom coffee and espresso options as well as refreshers and smoothies for all Slicers to enjoy. The price per beverage will be comparable to coffee shops in the area, but they are subject to change.
If students want the opportunity to work in the coffee shop, they must be enrolled in the Entrepreneurship pathway and have completed their first year. If students are looking for an alternative way to get in, they could be enrolled in the New Venture Development or Small Business Operations class. If students take this option, they will be working directly in the coffee shop.
Students working on the coffee shop project will be rewarded with the chance to get college credits, hands-on experience, and the opportunity to be a part of a small group of students who get into the program.
In the future, the shop wants to be available for more hours with an expanded menu. They also plan to advertise other student businesses inside of the coffee shop.
The coffee shop idea was started by the New Ventures course last year while they were discussing new ways to enrich the school spirit. They also want to give students a safe place to hang out rather than the common areas.
Since LPHS has a closed campus, the coffee shop can be a way for students to get a morning treat without being late to school.
The coffee shop has access to a grant from the CTE (Career and Technical Education) program. It is helping to fund start-up costs, but LaRocco and students are hoping for the coffee shop to be self-sustaining, student-run, and a business that promotes entrepreneurship at any age.
“I am excited to upgrade the space and see the students that show up,” Brock Stewart, junior student who will work at the coffee shop, said.
See Ms. LaRocco in room B.10 for any additional information and updates.
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Lindsey Brown is a passionate teacher, but outside of the classroom, she is a skilled singer whose talents need to be shared with the world.
Brown has been teaching for 10 years, and nine of those years have been here at LPHS. She teaches English 12 and 9. In previous years, she has taught all four grade levels of English as well as Drama Arts, Advanced Acting, and Speech.
“The best part of teaching is that my students teach me as much as I teach them. I also really enjoy that even though I’m teaching the same material over and over again, every day and every class period is different from the ones before,” Brown said.
Brown is also a new mother and learning how to balance caring for her son and still thriving as a teacher.
“Sometimes it can be hard to flip the switch. I’m not a teacher OR a mother. I’m a teacher AND a mother,” Brown said.
In her free time, Brown also likes doing puzzles, building Lego projects, working on diamond paintings, doing Sudoku puzzles, and watching new TV series with her husband. She also tries to do theatre as much as she can. She can often be found on the stage at the La Porte Little Theatre.
Brown has always loved being on the stage especially when she is singing. She loves to know that she is making an audience happy, while also having fun being able to perform for someone other than herself.
She has auditioned for numerous talent shows including American Idol, America’s Got Talent, The Voice, Wheel of Fortune, and even The Glee Project. If it’s a singing show she at some point has probably auditioned for it.
“I never want to stop trying and auditioning. Even if the answer is never yes, I don’t ever want to wonder what would have happened if I had auditioned. I want my son to see me always reaching for my dreams. Maybe someday it will happen. I’d love to act and sing for a living someday,” Brown said.
She is a true testament to never giving up. No matter who told her that she wasn’t good or didn’t look good enough to be a singer, Brown kept pushing forward.
“Always keep trying. Just because one director or producer doesn’t like you, it doesn’t mean no one will. American Idol told me I had 'the right voice and the wrong look.' It hurt, but I didn’t let it stop me from trying. I hope to prove them wrong one day,” Brown said.
Whether she is in front of a classroom or on a stage, she is passionate about everything she does. She loves to put herself out there and see what she can do no matter what others will think of her. It has left students and audiences in awe for years.
By: Gavin Shaw
La Porte High School’s new front desk secretary Jenny Hartson, has had a lifetime of experiences working in and out of LPHS. She is a pleasant person to be around and loves people. She wanted to see the happy faces and be able to help people get to where they need to go.
Hartson is often the first face or voice that Slicer students and guardians see or talk to. Her position is stressful, but she has the skills needed to make the job work.
“It takes organization skills, time management, and a good phone voice,” Hartson said.
Being a happy person is crucial for being a secretary because most want to have a friendly face to greet them in the morning or any time of the day that they come into the office. Hartson is just that.
“Mrs. Hartson is a great addition to the La Porte office; she is kind and upbeat” Samantha McKiel, attendance secretary, said
Hartson’s favorite part about being a secretary is the relationships she gets to build with teachers, students, and colleagues. So many students and staff stop by in the morning just to chat.
“Getting to know the office staff has been a gift,” said Hartson.
The job is never predictable, but Hartson loves that.“Amazing encounters happen every day,” Hartson said.
Outside of the walls of the school, she has numerous activities that she enjoys doing such as singing. She has sung the “National Anthem” at hundreds of sporting events. On top of that, she loves to snowboard, hike, kayak, and swim.
“I love to find joy in the journey”, Hartson said.
Before she was a secretary, she did many different jobs. She spent 16 years in retail. While in retail, she worked for a Levi store in California. She also worked in acupuncture where she was the intake person to bring in new patients. She worked in an antique shop as well. All of these prepared her well for her role at LPHS.
LPHS is fortunate that the first face that visitors see is that of Hartson. The Slicer family is lucky to have her.
By: Gavin Shaw
La Porte High School's English teacher Edward Lake had the experience of a lifetime teaching in Japan and experiencing Japanese culture.
Lake first went to Tokyo on vacation with his wife where he was offered a teaching position at a private school in Japan because he was registered with an international teacher’s organization. He taught the International Baccalaureate Programme, which is a rigorous academic program. He taught a higher-level literature course for grades 11-12, and he also taught grades 7-9 standard English.
He judged speech and debate and was in charge of the Horticulture Club. He lived in Tokyo for four years and while he was there he visited Mount Fuji and the city of Sapporo. Lake's biggest takeaway from teaching in Japan is how orderly and polite Japanese society is as well as how much people take pride in their work.
Lake found that the people and culture of Japan to be full of kindness and respect.“People are so friendly and polite. Society is very orderly and everyone takes pride in the work that they do,” Lake said.
When Lake was in Tokyo, he indulged in delicious and unique foods. He regularly ate at TonKatsu, Karaage restaurants, and Wendy’s, which in Japan has delicious pasta.“Some Japanese food has a subtle flavor, but it is excellent when you develop an awareness of the subtleties,” Lake said.
Out of all the places that Lake has been, Tokyo is his favorite.
“I think Tokyo was the best place I have ever visited. The culture is exciting, the food is great, and there are lots of places to visit in Japan that are interesting to see. Singapore is my second favorite place to visit because it also has a rich food culture, and similar to Japan, it has no crime and a polite society,” Lake said.
Lake would recommend visiting Japan, but there are a few tips he has before going.
“You must know that most people don’t speak English, and students should teach themselves basic phrases before they visit Japan. Also, be sure to say thank you and please often and learn to bow. Also, Americans tend to be loud and Japanese people are aware of their noise levels on buses, trains, and in public places, so be aware of the volume in Japan,” Lake said.
Lake believes that American students can learn a lot from Japanese students because Japanese culture has the idea that whatever job one may have, they should give their best effort. No matter if someone is a construction worker, garbage collector, or a cashier at Dunkin Donuts, one should be excellent at the job. This is how Japanese people live their lives and that is why people can see excellence in so many aspects of their society.
La Porte is lucky to have such a cultured and experienced educator.
By: Gavin Shaw
La Porte High School Debate kicked off its new season with a larger team and hopes for more growth and success.
This year, Debate has increased in popularity. Last year, LPHS had only 12 debaters, but this year it has 40.
Debate requires a student to have researched a topic thoroughly, develop opinions about the topic, to speak clearly, and confidently while responding to opposing viewpoints.
Mr. Lake, Debate coach, is having the debaters learn different formats, organization, and ways to clash with opponents. Week by week students see tremendous growth.
“The most memorable thing about Debate was seeing the dramatic difference between students at their first tournament and their later tournaments. It is exciting to see students develop confidence and expertise in public speaking,” Lake said.
Meetings are used for additional help for debaters as they prepare for tournaments. The meetings are also aimed at the kids who can’t take the debate class or who have already taken the class and need more advice for their speeches.
This is Lake's second year leading LPHS’ Debate team. He became interested in debate while teaching at an international school in Tokyo. Their team needed judges so Lake volunteered and enjoyed it. He enjoyed it so much that he was a judge for six years.
“I am thankful for the amazing legacy that La Porte has in Indiana debate. I am hopeful that we can revive that reputation and build a solid team of confident, eloquent, and insightful speakers,” Lake said.