Words are one of the most powerful tools we have, and one LPHS club allows students to strengthen their skills. Speech Club is a group that allows students to develop public speaking skills and compete with other people all around the state and even country.

Speech Club is a student public speaking opportunity that creates many skills needed in later life such as communication skills and public speaking with confidence. Members will learn to write an expressive piece that really speaks. The club is open to new members throughout the season. Everyone is welcome to join the club, and meetings will be on in Shultze Hall during SRT.

Throughout the speech season, there are many different competitions. LPHS will battle against schools in the northwest region like Chesterton, Valparaiso, Penn, Crown Point, Munster, Michigan City, and Lake Central. The competition days are Saturdays from around 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Not every competition needs to be attended; it is recommended to go to more than four of the competitions to be in the Speech Club.

Speech Club used to be a class for students to add to their schedule. Unfortunately, not enough students signed up for the class last year. There has to be 25 students signed up for it to become a class again. Signing up for the class is easy; it’s a full-year class and can be added to the selected course list.

Mr. Stewart is the advisor of the speech club and the teacher when it's a class. He did Speech throughout his high school years. He is experienced and knowledgeable in the subject area. He has helped many grow as public speakers. He is highly supportive and encouraging.          

Speech is a great way to be more confident in public speaking. It can also help people communicate, knowing what to say on the spot in a time when social skills are diminishing. The Speech class is also credited for two English electives in the diploma.

Speech is a club and course worth being a part of. Students will meet great people, learn so much about each other, and develop skills that will carry them through life. Each competition is more fun than the last. Everyone is passionate about the club and wants to improve. Consider joining the club and signing up for the class. See Stewart in H.17 for more information.

The Criminal Justice pathway is a new addition at LPHS for the 2025-2026 school year.

The pathway consists of four classes: Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement Fundamentals. Corrections and Cultural Awareness, and the Criminal Justice Capstone.  

 “I believe a day in service is never a day wasted and it’s important to teach not only the fundamentals of law enforcement but also the ethics and understanding behind it,” Mr. Edwards, Criminal Justice pathway teacher, said.

The Criminal Justice class covers three components: Law Enforcement, Courts, and Corrections. Law Enforcement goes over the critical examination of the history of perspectives in criminology. Cultural Awareness dives into the social and pubic part of the American criminal Justice system. Last is the Criminal Justice Capstone, which allows students to get a secondary certificate, including a work-based learning component such as job shadowing or an internship.

Edwards leads the pathway, but before he worked at LPHS as a career coach. Edwards has a background in many components of the justice system, which makes him a Fantastic teacher. He was in the Army and National Guard for 20 years, and during 12 of those years, he worked at the sheriff’s department.

Many students are excited about this class because of the teacher.

 “Mr. Edwards is very experienced in the criminal justice field, and he genuinely cares about the class and his students,” Aspyn Beaty, LPHS student, said.

This pathway was intriguing to many students. Since many students couldn't get into AK Smith, they decided to make it a class. Many of the students have shown that they are actively engaged and want to learn more about the American criminal justice system. 

“Criminal Justice is a good class to take because it goes in depth into the justice system and the job oportunities it offers in the system, ” Kiera Lewis, student at LPHS said.

Since this is a new pathway, many students wanted to sign up to get a feel of the class. Students who want to join the class can talk to their counselor about taking the class. If you want to learn more about the class, you can talk to Edwards, who runs the program. Any other information can be found in the link below.

LPHS girls' flag football is sprinting into its inaugural season.

The new sport at LPHS has 22 girls and is led by Industrial Tech teacher Mr. Ruff. Girls' flag football is a new and learning experience for everyone, but the girls are excited to learn about the sport and how to play.

 “The outlook is looking really good so far this year. I’m really excited to see where the team goes,” senior Jasime Grzesiowski said.

Ruff is also optimistic about the team’s progress and the season as a whole.

“I think the athletes are excited to learn about the game and have picked up on it quickly!  They get it and are now practicing with confidence,” Ruff said.

 Girls' Flag Football is a new emerging sport in the IHSAA. The sport has been gaining popularity among schools in Indiana, creating numerous opportunities. After the next two seasons, the IHSAA will then evaluate whether the sport will become sanctioned or not. Up to that point, there will be a state tournament sponsored by the Indianapolis Colts.

 “The Colts have sponsored 100 teams for two years to get the IHSAA to admit the sport to the state,” Ruff said.

 This season's schedule will be fairly light, with the girls just starting the new sport. The next games will be against Valparaiso, Munster, Crown Point, Chesterton, and 21st Century. The girls' games are on Thursdays, mainly at 6:00 p.m., but the times do vary. Their next home game is September 4 against the 21st Century at 6:00 p.m.

Although the girls didn't win their first games, they tried their hardest and represented La Porte well.