The Criminal Justice class at LPHS hosted a hands-on learning experience with the Porter County bomb squad.

Mrs. Brockman set up a field trip to Kiwanis Field to learn about the ins and outs of the bomb squad. Students were able to see the types of chemicals people use to make bombs and various types of bombs.

The instructor, Justin Reeder, led the experience and spoke about the situations and dangerous events that can occur in his world. His job is high-risk, serving Northwest Indiana in high-pressure situations.

Students also saw what having a trained bomb squad dog can look like. They saw the different techniques and commands a dog had to learn to alert for a bomb or to call a falsey, which is a false alarm. The dog goes through years of training. The dog instructor Chase Pfiffer spoke about the difficulty with training, trying to get Quinn, the bomb squad's dog, to understand what not to do and what to do. For example, when Quinn runs to a bag and checks if there’s a bomb, she will sit far away to signal. If there's no emergency, she will run back to her instructor.

Many of the students felt that the activities were exciting and entertaining. For Brockman, the goal for this experience was to inform students about the different and more unique ways of being in law enforcement. One of the students was allowed to try the bomb squad suit, which weighed about 75 pounds. It was hard to be in and move around or do anything, according to Grace Caviston.

The Criminal Justice pathway has been extremely beneficial and popular at LPHS, which will certainly continue to grow.

Fashion is subjective. What one loves, another hates. Pants are no exception.

Peyton:

I’m Peyton, and I think baggy jeans are better than sweatpants. Most of the time, a good baggy jean is great for a night out, work, or even a date. Baggy jeans are versatile, which makes them so much better.

Becca:

I’m Rebecca, and I believe baggy jeans aren’t very comfortable. They are usually not the cheapest, especially when people are looking for the best quality. That is why sweatpants are better.

Peyton:

Baggy jeans have shown time and time again to always stay in the fashion world. From the 1990s until now, baggy jeans have stayed in style. Regardless of gender, many people love  good baggy jeans, whether the jeans are as big as a parachute or the style of a mom jean. Baggy jeans come in many styles for different people.

Becca:

Sweatpants can be cute and comfortable. There are many different styles, from cuffed to baggy. They come in almost any color and shade that someone can think of, which makes it match almost any T-shirt or tank top color.

Peyton:

In my opinion, baggy jeans have a 10/10 on the comfort scale. They fit all types of people. They are flexible. Not only are they incredibly comfortable to sit in, but they are also great to walk around in. These jeans are comfortable to the skin, not squeezing too tightly, making it unbreathable.

Becca:

Working out in sweatpants is easy. Sweat sets can not only be worn on a regular basis but also when you work out. A sweat set is a two-piece outfit usually with a zipper jacket and sweatpants. People can be cute while working out.

Peyton:

Baggy jeans can be welcome at all occasions. They work for a night out with friends, a nice dinner party, or even birthday parties. People are able to wear them in the winter with a cute sweater or in the summer with a pretty blouse, and can even work with a nice shirt and heels. That is one of the many reasons why many are in love with baggy jeans. Baggy jeans have a breathable waistband, too, and even if someone wants a looser fit and a tight waistband, they use belts to style and wear them comfortably.

Becca:

Sweatpants are affordable and can be found everywhere. Usually, jeans can cost $40, and even if they are cheaper, the quality is cheap. With sweatpants, one can find any pair for pretty cheap, and they’re comfortable no matter what. Usually, even when they’re a different style, most of the time it is the same price, even if they’re different colors.

Peyton:

Baggy jeans have a variety of sizes and fit all types of shapes. Many people, including me, love to see how the different types of jeans can fit better. They are fashionable in every style. To teenagers, styling the baggy jeans to  even moms who create an everyday outfit. Men may have been the ones to first wear the looser jeans, but women have also learned to love the baggy jeans, too. Not only are they versatile in style but also color, they range from a dark blue, black, light blue, and tan.

Peyton:

Even though sweatpants have good comfortable wear, they are not always the best pants to wear. Sweatpants can become itchy after a long time, like on a summer day, and can get dirty with fur and lint quickly. Talking about the looks of the sweatpants, cuffed sweatpants are not popular much anymore though people still love the flared sweats.

Becca:

Even though baggy jeans are cute and stylish, they aren’t exactly the most comfortable. Whenever jeans get stained, it is hard to get them out especially when it comes to grass stains. Sweatpants can be cute, stylish, and comfortable, people can wear them out. They are a generational staple and are very popular because of the Y2k aesthetic.

Peyton & Becca:

To conclude, in Peyton’s opinion, many love baggy jeans. They are breathable, stylish, and adorable. In Rebecca's opinion, sweatpants are better than jeans because they are comfortable, cheaper, stylish, and a generational staple.

March is National Caffeine Awareness Month, and energy drinks have recently grown in popularity among teenagers and adults. Still, people often are not aware of how much caffeine is in the various drinks on the shelf.

There are many types of energy drinks, including Monster, Alani, Celsius, Redbull, C4, and Ghost. In one energy drink, the caffeine that is consumed is enough for the whole day. On average, according to the Mayo Clinic a person is recommended to drink 220-400mg a day. But for children 12-18, it is suggested to consume just 100mg.

Here are the current favorites and their total caffeine.

Monster: 150mg

Alani: 200mg

Celsisus: 200mg

Redbull: 111mg

C4: 200mg

Ghost: 200mg

According to the American Beverage Association, energy drinks are more of a “pick me up," whether during the day or in the morning, like a coffee. Some may either use them for caffeine or for a fun drink with fun flavors. The drink is typically made for adults not for children.

According to the American Beverage Association, energy drinks have many ingredients that some people do not know about. The main ingredients are caffeine and guarana seeds. These seeds are one of the plants that naturally carry caffeine. Taurine is also found to be an amino acid and is found in other items such as seafood and poultry. Energy drinks also carry B vitamins and sweeteners for flavor.

There are many myths and facts about energy drinks. According to Mayo Clinic, the positive effects of energy drinks are an energy booster, improved reaction time, and less effect on sleep deprivation. Some negative effects are increased risk of addictive behavior, headaches, insomnia, nervousness, and a fast heartbeat. The FDA notes that toxic effects, including seizures, can happen with too much quick consumption of caffeine.

Energy drinks have a variety of brands and flavors. These drinks become an everyday consumption for teens and adults. It's healthy to a point until it’s not. While many love energy drinks, it is important to note the negative and positive effects they have.

La Porte gymnasts Evie Travis, junior, and Kate Doty, sophomore, have qualified for State at Ball State this weekend.

This is the first time since 2012 that LPHS has been represented at State.

Travis and Doty have had many accomplishments. Travis was beam champion with a score of 9.45 and qualified for all-around with a score of 35.35. Doty earned 8th on beam and qualified with a score of  9.

The team competed in the DAC and placed 7th at sectionals. Tavis and Doty were the only two at sectionals. At Sectionals, Doty was on 3rd on floor, 15th on vault, 29th on bar, and 9th on beam. Travis placed 4th on beam, 5th on floor, 9th on vault, 24th on bars, and 8th all-around.

There will be a state send-off on Friday, the 13th during SRT.

The two will be competing at Ball State’s Worthen Arena on Saturday, the 14th at 10:30 a.m. (CST). Tickets are $15 ($16.48 with fee), and the tickets are digital only.

Travis started gymnastics in 2nd grade and had a couple years off after fracturing her wrist. From that, she has bounced back and worked hard to make it as far as she has and has made it onto the Slicer winter All-DAC Athletes. She also plays softball.

Doty is a sophomore and started when she was 3 years old. She competes for club gymnastics and helps mentor young Slicer gymnasts.

“I am very thankful for all of my teammates and feel very great about how this season has been,” Doty

State will be livestreamed without commentary. It can be purchased on the website www.ihsaatv.org for $15.

Anyone planning on attending go through the main entrance (Gate 1-NE Side). The doors open at 9:00 a.m. (CST). Parking is located directly north of the Worthen Area, and all seats are general admission and are not reserved.

Wicked for Good came out on November 21 and created a huge impact on the Wicked fans.

Before producers decided to make Wicked into a movie, it was a Broadway musical. The musical was around three hours, although, the total time of the movie production was five hours. The first movie introduces us to the characters and their struggles within the Land of Oz. This affects some characters in different ways than the other characters. The movie eventually led us to a cliff hanger, which is why the second movie had such a great impact also.

Wicked for Good revisits the same characters we've had before, just from a new perspective. The movie challenges our understanding of good and evil. The film dives into the themes of redemption and legacy. In the movie, the reflection of Oz and the citizens onto real-world scenarios was brought to life through this movie.

The actors did a phenomenal job of embodying their characters throughout the movie. The actors did not disappoint in bringing all the emotional depth and variation to the movie, the visual elements of the movie bring out a mesmerizing and enhanced view according a review on the Common Sense Media. Revealing a more effective storytelling without overpowering the character’s journey.

The music throughout the film was captivating. It entranced the audience in many different ways than one. The difference in range and vocals between the characters creates the beautiful story that unfolds throughout this film.

To conclude, the movie encourages questioning authority, seeking out the truth, and realizing the potential for good in unexpected places and people. This movie is a must-watch for the Wicked fans. This movie creates strong character development and brings a different narrative to the movie.

AP Seminar is a class that pushes the envelope of the stereotypical English class by requiring rigorous research and thorough presentations.

The AP English class is typically taken by sophomores, but juniors can also enroll in the class.

According to the College Board website, AP Seminar is a course designed to teach students critical thinking, research, and communication skills. It is also a part of the College's Board AP Capstone program, which also includes AP Research. The total goal is to help students analyze more complex issues from different perspectives.

In AP Seminar, students will learn how to evaluate various sources, including articles, multimedia, and stories. The courses teach students how to understand arguments and problems but also how to solve them. Students also learn different points of view and how to identify them.

Many parts of the class include collaboration with others. Students work with their classmates on projects and presentations, which helps them learn how to build ideas off each other. This environment of collaboration helps to eventually solve real-world problems.

A big part of AP Seminar is the research. Students will learn how to not only find evidence but also form their own research questions and solutions based on said evidence. This is important for students to learn about to help them grow and develop strong skills. Among those, another focus is communication. In this class, there will be many opportunities to present the research and ideas that have been formed. This later helps students to become more effective communicators.

AP Seminar is all about developing skills that are valuable later in life, like in college and more. Toward the end of the course, the skills that are shown are critical thinking, solving problems, and communicating effectively. All of these skills are essential for success in academics and in students' future careers.

AP Seminar has a College Board test at the end of the year, after the course. The test is three parts. One part is 45% of the score and will have students analyzing a text and giving three short-answer questions. The second part is 35% and is an essay written by students based on four other sources. This part is done in 2 hours on a specific date. While the third part is 20% and is a presentation done and submitted to the college board by a deadline in the spring.

AP Seminar is a rigorous class that focuses on presenting and communicating effectively and clearly. This is a huge part of the course, so before taking the class, talk to yourself as a student about whether this class is on the right path for you.

Taking Advanced Placement classes in high school can often be a challenging decision when weighing the workload against the benefits of taking the courses.

LPHS offers a variety of AP classes. English has Seminar, Language, and Literature. Math has Pre-calculus and Calculus. Science has Physics 1, Physics 2, Biology, Environmental Science, and Research. Social Studies has Psychology, World History, and US History. The electives are Spanish and 3D Art.

AP classes have pros and cons. APs include earning college credit, completing more rigorous coursework, and standing out to colleges. AP classes offer an administered test at the end of the year. The scoring is 1-5, a majority of schools, a 3, will earn student college credit.

Another benefit of getting college credit is the financial savings. It costs less to earn college credit in high school than in college. A student can begin their college journey with pre-existing college credit.

Students taking AP classes get the chance to learn new, rigorous work and take classes like college. Teachers who teach AP classes have stated that they enjoy teaching the work to students.

“Teaching AP classes gives me the chance to stretch my brain muscles more than I do in my non-AP classes,“ Mr. Martin, an AP teacher, said.

Advanced Placement classes have plenty of homework to do every day to be prepared for their test and quizzes. Some students would say the homework is a con for some of the AP classes, while others find the homework doable.

“The homework is pretty manageable, as long as you do your work in class when it is assigned,” Gabby Tompkins, student, said.

Students taking APs find both negatives and positives of taking them. LPHS provides a variety of AP classes to try out and take. A student wanting to join an AP class can request to take the AP class during scheduling.

LaPorte High School Fall Ball lands on the 8th of November from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The theme of this year's dance is decided by the LPHS Student Council and is A Night in Paris! The dress code for the dance is semi-formal.

The tickets for students are $20; However, only 600 are available. Tickets can be purchased in Mrs. Harton's office.

If students want to go, they must fill out an approval form. The approval is due from Mrs. Ginger before the ticket is purchased. The approval form is due before the ticket is purchased. Tickets can be purchased throughout lunches on the 31st and before and after school throughout next week.

A student ID and ticket are required at the door before entry. Make sure to come prepared and following dress code. LPHS is providing snacks and water. 

If there are any questions, the student council sponsors are Mrs. Lowry and Mrs. Brown; their Gmail addresses are below.

Mrs. Brown: abrown@lpcsc.k12.in.us

Mrs. Lowry: alowry@lpcsc.k12.in.us

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