What’s recently happened:
This past weekend, Wheeler High School’s (WHS) drama club, the Bearcat Theatre Company (BTC), put on the play “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” The show ran for two days and was a major success. The students in the play dedicated their time to preparing for show day, which was presented during the magnificent performance.
The play had the audience laughing profusely, crying sometimes, and loving every second. When BTC gave a preview to the school, the students loved it. They definitely engaged with the audience by bringing teachers on stage to keep everyone interested.
In other news, English and math teachers have banded together to recruit students for their academic teams. The Math Academic Team has 17 studious members and is preparing for a win in academic competition. WHS’ rigorous academics have prepared them for success.
Elsewhere, the WHS Cheer Team has recently been doing some team bonding. They love to have fun and try to connect with each other to form a united team. Their bonding has led them to engage in at least three service projects a year.
What’s coming up:
The end of November is looking very exciting for the Bearcats. On November 20, the Point Guard Club is hosting a Craft and Vendor Show. The previous year’s craft show was filled with holiday trinkets, which was a great way to prepare for the upcoming holidays. Vendors will get a chance to sell their crafty creations to the community. Many are looking forward to enjoying this Holiday Bazaar.
The Annual Holiday Food Drive will be held from December 13 to 17 at WHS. The online auction will also be held from December 8 to 13. The food and proceeds will be donated to local food banks and to support the Lunch with Santa program.
Students are also looking forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving Break. The days off will give everyone a chance to enjoy the cool weather, take a break from school, and connect with friends and family.
This Tuesday, seniors have the opportunity to attend the Purdue University Northwest and Indianapolis University Northwest Express Admission Days. These appointments will take place in the Media Center and will be about 10 to 15 minutes long.
This opportunity will be great for students who are looking for a great, local college education.
The WHS Girls Swim Team travels to La Porte at 5:30 p.m. this Tuesday. They have been training extremely hard and are looking forward to the meet. The WHS Girls Varsity Basketball Team also has a game against Washington Township at 6:00 p.m.
Teacher spotlight:
Teri Anderson is one of WHS’ most loved teachers. She has dedicated 33 years of her life to teaching her rigorous math classes. Students dote over her engaging lessons. When asked what her favorite class to teach was, she discussed how she really can’t choose just one.
“It may sound cliché, but all of them! Whether it be Calculus I, II, or Algebra, they all have their own special place in my heart,” said Anderson.
Aside from teaching many math classes, Anderson also coaches the Math Academic Team. She has coached previous Math Academic Teams to victory and plans to do the same with this year's team. The students are either recruited by Anderson or join on their own.
Aside from academically cultivating the classroom in a caring manner, Anderson spends time showing her horses. Since she was eight, she’s had a passion for horse showing. No matter how stressed, when she gets on her horse to ride, the stress is alleviated immediately.
Anderson is highly respected because she spends time with each individual student to make sure they understand what they are learning and keeps everyone on track. She takes no excuses and demands excellence from her students because she knows what they are capable of. She truly wants the best for all her students, which is shown by her kind-hearted demeanor.
It's safe to say that Anderson is loved by all.
Student spotlight:
This month’s student spotlight focuses on Senior Kaylee Hedge.
Hedge is a dedicated student-athlete. She has excelled in her classes, extracurriculars, and social life. Hedge takes a particular interest in gymnastics. She has been a gymnast since she was two years old and described her experience as a gymnast as being memorable.
“It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I couldn’t imagine my life without it,” said Hedge.
Along with dedicating herself to her sport, she has been working at her place of practice to help younger gymnasts. She usually trains children between the ages of two and ten.
Hedge and fellow gymnast Sarah Mella have been trying to recruit members for a WHS Gymnastics Team. With the goal of gold in mind, Hegde and Mella decided to host a call-out meeting for anyone interested in competing. With a great turnout, they formed a skilled team and are ready to hit the uneven bars.
The team plans to practice five days a week to train for competition. Since there is no gymnastics equipment at WHS, the team will practice at Lisa’s Gymnastics, the home gym to many of the girls. Hedge plans to continue her gymnastic career throughout college and maybe even make a career out of it.