Nova Lear News
Leslie Seadorf is a first-year special education paraprofessional at LPHS, and she has been making an immense impact on all her students.
As a paraprofessional, she helps students with their accommodations, provides more individualized attention to follow the IEPs, and helps manage the classroom as needed. She mainly works one-on-one or with small groups to reinforce lessons, explain concepts, and to help with reading, math, or other subjects.
“I really try to focus on a growth mindset, which means I praise them for their effort and give them chances to fix their work and improve. Ultimately, my goal is to give students both the emotional support and the real-world skills they need to succeed in life,” Seadorf said.
Before she became a paraprofessional, she was interested in education. Seadorf is an LPHS graduate, and many of her teachers inspired her to eventually become an educator. School was important to her, and she carries these same values into her teaching.
“I believe that high school students cannot learn if they do not feel safe, supported, and seen first; My primary job is to build strong relationships and make the classroom a safe space where it is okay to make mistakes. Once students know I have their back, I challenge them to think critically and put forth an actual effort. I do not just lecture; I connect our lessons to the real world so they understand why it matters,” Seadorf said.
Outside of the classroom, Seadorf is an assistant troop leader for a local group of Girl Scouts, as well as, a leader for a Girl Scout camp. She spends her time biking, walking, and overall spending time in nature when she can.
“I have been a Girl Scout or been in the Girl Scout scene my entire life, so I have many stories and memories, my favorite memory being at Camp Soni. I have a deal with the lifeguard that I can flip the canoe as long as I help him put the canoes away. What started as a once-a-year end-of-camp canoe flip has turned into a yearly end-of-week tradition; now leaders and campers line up at the banks to watch me flip the canoe,” Seadorf said.
Seadorf hopes to continue in special education assistance, as it is rewarding and she enjoys watching her students succeed.
The La Porte Marching Band (LPMB) is heading to state once again on Saturday, October 17. They will perform at 8:52 p.m. at Franklin Central High School in Indianapolis.
To get here, the band had to either place in the top 50% in the bands at the prelims site or place high enough among the bands that did not automatically qualify. The LPMB traveled to Plymouth High School and competed against five other bands: Lake Central High School, New Prairie High School, John Adams High School, and Warsaw High School. The band placed fourth, but scored high enough, so they will be attending State Finals.
“I've been in the LPMB for five years, and have gone to state twice. In those five years, I believe this year has been one of the most improved we've had, having a nearly 10-point jump between our first competition and our second competition. I'm so proud of all the growth we've had this year, and happy to have called myself part of the LPMB,” Senior LPMB member McKenzie Long said.
Now that the band has qualified for State Finals, they will have two more weeks of practices on Mondays 5:30-8:30 and Thursdays 5:30-8:30. They will not perform at any more football games.
The band will be leaving for state at 10:15 a.m. On Saturday, students are expected to be at LPHS by 9:30 a.m. Their performance time is at 8:52 p.m. (EDT), and they will be returning to the high school at approximately 1:00 a.m. (CST).
The ‘90s were a generational decade for music, and, in my opinion, some of the greatest albums of all time were released in this era. From alternative rock to rap and even to pop, artists created some of the most masterful and polished albums of the era.
I grew up listening to music from before I was even born, and it had a great influence on what I listen to now. I would hear Radiohead one day and Less Than Jake another day. There’s a variety of things that I would listen to on a regular basis, and even now I try to expand my taste more every day.
Music is my biggest passion, and after listening to it all my life, I compiled my favorite albums from each year of the decade into the 100 albums that I believe define the 90s.
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Senior picture day will be taking place on September 30 and October 1 in Schultze Hall.
The pictures taken are higher quality and will be used in the yearbook instead of the standard student ID photos. Since the pictures are higher quality, students are encouraged to wear professional clothing. Students are highly recommended to wear shirts with straps. This week is homecoming week, so if one plans to participate in spirit week, bring a change of clothes if needed.
With this, students will be given the option to choose which photo they would like in the yearbook. HR Imaging will email them to each student soon after they are taken, and then one will be able to decide. Multiple poses and angles will be taken to ensure a satisfactory photo.
Students will be given passes to go down with specific times unique to their English class. These passes are three minutes apart to prevent long lines and traffic. Students do not have to bring money for their photos when they go down. Those without an English class will be scheduled in open times throughout the day.
There will be an all-call for photos in one’s fifth hour on Oct 1, and there will be retakes in November if needed.
Micheal Scheck taught at South Central High School for 15 years before moving to LPHS this summer. Sheck is now the head director of the marching band and has made an immense impact on the music program.
Previously at South Central he taught band in grades 5-12, music theory, classical music history, and a history of rock and roll. Now at LPHS, he is co-teaching concert band, symphonic band, wind ensemble, and jazz band. Scheck also teaches electronic music, music theory, and music history. His passion for music is clear in all of his classes, and it shows in his teaching and playing.
“I started playing trumpet in band class when I was in 5th grade and started taking piano lessons the summer before 6th grade, but I didn't really start taking music seriously as a possible career path until about my sophomore year of high school. I remember the first time I heard the song Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen very well. I was at my Uncle's house, and he put it on. I borrowed that cassette tape from him, and I listened to that song about a thousand times in a row. I had no idea a song could do things like that…” Scheck said.
Before Scheck became a band director, he was in the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corp. He marched in the Bluecoats for five years from 1999-2003, and was the trumpet section leader in 2002 and 2003, as well as the Horn Sergeant in 2003. He also marched in the 50th anniversary alumni corps in 2022.
With all of his experience in bands and drum corps, he has watched many peers and students grow to be better musicians.
“I want all students to always give their best efforts and enjoy themselves while they are doing it. In teaching music, my goal is that all students develop a love for music. Successful performances are great, but not as important as developing a lifelong love of the art. I strive to instill in all people an awareness of music's important role in the enrichment of the human spirit,” Scheck said.
Scheck has made a great impact on the music students at LPHS, and he hopes to continue inspiring students for years to come.
At most rock concerts, many attendees will partake in a particular dance style that is only seen in rock and hardcore subgenres. Some know it as slam dancing, while others simply know it as moshing. This is observed in nearly every venue where people can stand, but how did it start, and how did it become so popular?
According to Wikipedia, moshing is simply concertgoers slamming into each other, and it began in the Southern California hardcore punk scene in the late ‘70s. Before this, there was a style called pogo, where people would jump up and down with their arms by their sides.
Throughout the ‘80s, moshing spread to major cities across the country. The So-Cal scene continued to pioneer new ways of moshing and having fun at concerts. Around this time is when stage diving gained popularity, but it is rarely seen in modern-day concerts.
Then in the ‘90s, Lolopalooza introduced the Chicagoland area to moshing and slam dancing, leading to the development of their own regional style. By this time, moshing was so mainstream that bands such as The Cranberries and Bush began having attendees mosh. Even electronic and techno groups began seeing crowds mosh, crowdsurf, and more.
Now, in the 2000s and beyond, moshing is seen at most concerts, from rap to hardcore punk. Each scene has its own style and culture, with most having some overlap with the original slam dancing from So-Cal.
There are many types of moshing seen at concerts, but the most common are circle pits, wall of death, hardcore, two step, and crowdsurfing.
A circle pit is a form of moshing in which participants run in a circular motion around the edges of the pit, often leaving an open space in the centre. While a wall of death is a form of moshing that sees the audience divide down the middle into two halves on either side of the venue, before each side runs towards the other, slamming the two sides together.
Hardcore dancing is a term that covers multiple styles of moshing, including windmilling, two-stepping, floorpunching, picking up pennies, axe-handling, bucking, and wheelbarrowing. A two step is a style of hardcore dancing done during mid-tempo sections of songs. It is a running-in-place motion in which legs are crossed over one another while the opposite arm punches downwards.
While crowd surfing isn’t technically moshing, it is often associated with it. Crowd surfing is the process in which a person is passed overhead from person to person. The "crowd surfer" is passed above everyone's heads, with everyone's hands supporting the person's weight.
Moshing is often seen as a fun activity, and while it is, it can also be dangerous, and many artists have spoken out against it due to injuries. In a performance by the band Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan spoke against moshing after there were multiple deaths due to the practice.
“I just want to say one thing to you, you young, college lughead-types. I've been watchin' people like you sluggin' around other people for seven years. And you know what? It's the same shit. I wish you'd understand that in an environment like this, and in a setting like this, it's fairly inappropriate and unfair to the rest of the people around you. I, and we, publicly take a stand against moshing,” Corgan said.
But this has not stopped concertgoers from throwing themselves into the pit, and in most instances, the people in the pit will help someone if they're not doing well. It's common practice to pick someone up if they fall, get someone out if they're hurt, and to be conscious of the people who don't want to mosh. There will always be people who do not follow this and ruin it for people, but the majority of people in a mosh pit will help if something happens.
Lillian Quadlin is a rising freshman at LPHS, and after making new friends and gaining experiences, she’s excited for this new chapter in her life.
In middle school, Quadlin was a member of the Yearbook Club, club swim team, and Concert Band for percussion.
Quadlin swam for the Turbos swim club throughout middle school, and in her time, she was primarily a distance swimmer. Her main event was backstroke, but she competed in every type.
“Swimming was a big part of my childhood. I learned a lot growing up on deck, from how to control my breathing to how to make new friends. I started swimming at 7, so I did end up getting burnt out from how demanding it was. I like to think about it as one thing ending, so that another part of my life can start,” Quadlin said.
She has participated in the Indiana State School Music Association’s Solo and Ensemble for multiple years with different ensembles and in each one has received a gold ranking. This past summer she joined the La Porte Marching Band (LPMB) and played bass drum in both the 4th of July parade and their upcoming field show “Dragondance.”
“I really love the community I’ve found through the marching band and the friends I’ve made through it. I find learning all the new music fun, and getting to hang out with everyone so often makes it really wonderful,” Quadlin said.
Quadlin hopes to continue Marching Band and Concert Band throughout high school. She aims to continue being active in the performing arts while being social and continuing to work hard on her academics. After high school, Quadlin hopes to attend Anderson University to become a therapist, so she can help others and make a difference in her community.
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The Slicer Squad returned to the local elementary schools this year.
The Slicer Squad consists of juniors and seniors from the football team, cheer squad, dance team, volleyball team, and marching band. Jennifer Goss is the sponsor for the Slicer Squad, and she organized this to bring school spirit and cultivate positivity across La Porte.
“I started with that particular group of high schoolers because they are the ones on the field on Friday nights. They serve as positive role models and ambassadors of Slicer spirit. It’s been a wonderful experience, and I’m excited to continue it,” Goss said.
Each elementary school has a group that is split throughout the school so every student gets a greeting. Some stand by the bus while others stand in the pick-up line. Cheerleaders will do cheers, and music is played to get the kids hyped up for the day.
“When the Slicer Squad shows up at the elementary schools in their Slicer gear, they are doing so much more than just saying hello. To the elementary students, seeing a high school student they can look up to who might have the same interests as them, it creates excitement, pride, and a sense of belonging. For our high school students, it is an opportunity to realize the impact they have just by showing up and being a positive role model. When we build connections across schools, we are strengthening the pride, spirit, and sense of community that makes being a Slicer so special,” Crichfield Elementary School teacher Katie Talbert said.
These students love going to their elementary schools to visit their teachers, but they also love it for how happy the kids are seeing their upperclassmen.
“Slicer Squad is an amazing program that allows us to connect with younger students and get them excited about our school. We get to sit down with them during breakfast, talk about the upcoming Friday home game, and encourage them to show their school spirit. It’s really rewarding to see how excited the students get and know that we’re helping build school spirit in our community,” senior cheerleader Elizabeth Ford said.
The final Slicer Squad days this year take place on this upcoming Friday, September 26 as well as Oct 2.