What’s Going On?
The most obvious highlight of the last few weeks at VHS was the 2018 prom, with this year’s theme being Midnight Rendezvous. With the Porter County Expo Center decked out in masquerade decor and the typical features of a high school prom, students were treated to a delight of a time on May 18th.
Aside from that, the school is still reeling from the fantastic performances from a couple weeks prior, in the form of the Varsity Singers Spring Show and the ASAP Benefit Concert. Both proved to be absolutely astounding displays of student talent and dedication, drawing impressive crowds for both events.
With the end of the year nearly here, the amount of things to do around VHS are pretty slim. Everyone has their heads down, focusing on the two most important things at this time; final exams and graduation. It’s no shocker that students have set their time exclusively on these pertinent things, obsessing over dorm assignments and future class schedules over preparations for extra curriculars. Not much remains to do other than prepare for the future, and that’s what most of the senior class is attempting to do. While there a good few who just can’t seem to keep still, even in the busiest of times, most are headstrong toward what lies ahead. That’s truly the most exciting thing about the end of the high school experience; everyone that grew up together and changed in the presence of one another gets to see the different paths that they all take. The variety of options and the difference of plans is what really makes it so enticing. While there’s an electric energy around the halls, that mood may change in a weeks time.
Spotlight
Seeing as it’s the end of the school year, all students and staff are spending their time reflecting on the past few months as well as looking to the future. The staff that have been highlighted from VHS are amongst the most important people any one student can meet in their time at the high school. However, there is one person who has a greater effect on student life than any other staff member, and they don’t commonly get a fair shake.
"Students inspire me to keep doing what I do. When I see the pride on parents’ faces as they watch their students succeed, not only academically but in their extracurricular activities, I have a great sense of pride in being part of this school community," said Veronica Tobon, Principal of Valparaiso High School.
The principal at a high school has the toughest job imaginable. Watching over a couple thousand students, all with their own specific needs and stressors, overseeing all of the staff, and making big decisions that most of us will never realize the effects of. Mrs. Veronica Tobon is the principal at Valpo High School, and her job has been especially interesting this year. The 2017-2018 school year has been packed full of surprises, but Mrs. Tobon has managed to make the year feel completely seamless.
"This year has been electric...a non-stop adventure with so many moving pieces, and I mean literally! While this year has certainly been a year of change, I’m especially proud of the resilience of our students," Tobon said. "We look forward to another year of continued success, in an newly remodeled building, celebrating the accomplishments of our school community.
Of course, this time of year brings a lot of different emotions up for students and staff alike. Mrs. Tobon has her own perspective to offer on the way that the end of the school year affects her.
"I have mixed feelings about this time of year. There is that sense of excitement as we prepare for the upcoming year, but also that sense of melancholy because another academic year is coming to an end as both seniors and some of our veteran teachers move on to the next exciting phase in their lives," Tobon said.
Mrs. Tobon began her teaching career in 1999 at Portage High School as a maternity leave position Spanish teacher. After a year and a half, the opportunity arose to teach at Valparaiso High School, and she fell in love with the community and school. In 2006, Mrs. Tobon took an administrative position as Dean of Students at Hammond High School, where she stayed until 2011, taking a role as associate principal at Michigan City High School. And then, as fate would have it, one year later she made her return to Valparaiso High School as Dean of Students. From there, she has rose through the ranks, and this year, assumed the role as Principal in February.
"Personally, the most gratifying aspect of being an educator is working with teachers, staff, parents, and the community to provide students with the tools they need to be successful," Tobon said.
Standing now as principal of VHS, Mrs. Tobon is a beacon of what makes Valpo so great. Her dedication and passion to maintaining the high standards of our community shines through in her every action. For all of the problems that arise, she has a solution. For all of the surprises, she has a plan.
"Find your purpose in life and make a positive difference," Tobon said. "Whatever path you choose, give it your all. If you come across road blocks, don’t give up. Use the tools and talents you’ve been given to reach your goals."
What’s Coming Up?
There’s not much else happening at Valpo High School at this time, other than the plainly obvious. Students have finished their requirements for their clubs and other dedications, and are knee deep in the worries of final exams and, for seniors, graduation. The commencement ceremony for VHS takes place on Sunday, June 3rd at 7pm. Depending on the weather, the event may be held out on the football field, but should it not, it will be held in the fieldhouse. The biggest nights of high schoolers lives is finally coming, and it’s coming quicker than any could have imagined.