What’s recently happened?
In early May, Washington Township High School (WTHS) had its Prom at Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton, Indiana. The banquet hall was decorated with floating lanterns and purple and gold balloons everywhere, matching the “Rapunzel” theme.
The students started out the night at the high school, where they participated in the Grand March. This was the students’ first opportunity to show off their outfits and their dates.
“My senior Prom experience was amazing, I finally got to live out my Disney princess dreams in a pretty pink dress and a horse and carriage!” said Senior Hailey O’Rourke.
After the Grand March, the students had a little bit of time before Prom. Many went to take pictures at Coffee Creek or other parks in the area.
Prom itself was the highlight of the night. After being served dinner, the students danced for hours.
“I had a wonderful time hanging out with my friends. Prom is a great opportunity for kids to spend time together and the perfect excuse to get a princess dress,” said Senior Emma Howard.
At the end of the night, Cody Johnson was crowned Prom King alongside Grace Cutean, Prom Queen. Ava Hart was crowned Prom Princess, and Rocco Carden was crowned Prom Prince, which was then followed by a song requested by Carden.
It was definitely a night to remember for the juniors and seniors and is now a favorite memory for a lot of WTHS students. Special thanks goes to the Prom committee run by Christina Gulbrandsen for making this night so special.
What’s coming up?
It’s finally summer – the last day of school is May 30, and graduation will be June 4. Graduation is open to all, and will be held at 6:30 in the Senator gym at WTHS.
The seniors have worked hard to get to this point in the year. All of the seniors are beyond relieved to be done with school but are also excited for the next chapter in their lives, whether that be college, the workforce, or the military.
With the seniors moving out, the juniors are moving up, and are ready for their senior year.
“I’m excited for all the fun senior activities next year, such as the Senior Sunrise and the senior class trip. Most importantly, I’m excited to actually graduate,” said Junior Nicole Bunag.
Most of all, the students are all incredibly ready and excited for summer. After a successful year, everyone is excited for this well deserved break.
Staff spotlight:
Brandon Swann, a WTHS graduate, has been the freshman English teacher for two years. Swann is originally from Valparaiso, Indiana, and attended Washington Township schools from third grade to graduation. He then attended Indiana University (IU) Bloomington for a bachelor's degree in English Language Arts education.
“I originally went to IU for business, but after a year there, I was dissatisfied. For me, it was essential to pursue something that was existentially significant - work committed to the improvement of the world. Because I was working with the soccer program as a summer volunteer then, I learned that I enjoyed working with young people. The puzzle pieces fell into place, and I switched my major much to the initial shock of my parents,” said Swann.
Running on caffeine, Swann is completely committed to helping his students learn and grow. He even took on teaching AP Literature in only his second year of teaching this year alongside Elizabeth Chatwell.
“The Washington Township staff and community supported me tremendously as a developing young person. The theme of my journey is to pay it forward. Practically, being a new teacher is really hard. I knew the professional environment here would be fertile for me to root, toil, and grow. I am grateful to have a vocation working with young people in a community so dedicated to their success,” said Swann.
Along with teaching, Swann coaches the high school Boys Soccer team. This coming season will be his ninth year being a part of the team, as he played four years in high school and volunteered for two before becoming a coach.
Outside of school, Swann enjoys running, reading, biking, watching soccer, listening to music, traveling, hiking, and attending concerts.
Student spotlight:
Senior Nathan “Nate” Lugar has attended WTHS for two years. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Lugar moved to Portage, Indiana when he was a toddler, and then moved to Valparaiso, Indiana later on. He attended Valparaiso High School (VHS) for a short time before attending WTHS.
“What I like about WTHS is the family-like feeling due to the small size. Everyone knows each other, and that’s something I hadn’t experienced at Valpo,” said Lugar.
At VHS, Lugar was a part of the drama club as a sound and light producer. At WTHS, he is a key member of the Mathematics Academic Team. Lugar is also very committed to his education, receiving the Family and Consumer Sciences Award, Social Studies Award, and being a member of the Class of 2024 Top 10.
After graduation, Lugar will be attending Purdue University Northwest for a degree in mechanical engineering. After his first year, he plans to transfer to Purdue University West Lafayette to finish his degree.
“I will absolutely miss all of my friends and teachers here. I’ve managed to get a really good group together,” said Lugar.
Lugar’s family consists of his parents, his little sister Natalie, and their two dogs and two cats. Lugar enjoys photography, playing video games, working on cars, and drawing. Along with that, Lugar is very proud to be a year long staff member at Chick-fil-A.
