PHS spellers make mark at State Finals

PHS Spell Bowl Team - Front: Zach Mahan Middle: Kelsey Schnieders, Tori Godwin, Allegra Davis, Pauline Dagaas, Angel Figueroa, Abby Schumacher Back: Dakota Bradley, Ashley Stokes, Grace Stokes, Nate Mahan, Dana Hall, Cody Gamble, Kurt Corsbie, and coach Amy Schmeltz

LAFAYETTE, IN - The Plymouth High School Spell Bowl team finished second at the state finals at Purdue University on Saturday.

In Class 2, John Glenn won with a score of 84, followed by Plymouth with 75, and Gibson Southern, 64. Pauline Dagaas, Zach Mahan, Ashley Stokes, and Grace Stokes earned perfect scores. This was the second perfect score this season for Mahan, the team's only senior.

Perfect spellers Ashley Stokes, Zach Mahan, Grace Stokes, and Pauline Dagaas

Two near perfect spellers, Abby Schumacher and Kurt Corsbie, missed only one word each for the second and third time this season, respectively. This was Plymouth's second trip to the state finals in as many years and a season and school-record performance, capping off a highly successful season.

At the NLC meet in October, the team placed first with a score of 70, maintaining conference champion status for the second year in a row. They followed up their impressive Conference Championship by winning the Area Contest with a score of 71.

Team members include freshmen Allegra Davis and Cody Gamble; sophomore Nate Mahan; juniors Dakota Bradley, Kurt Corsbie, Pauline Dagaas, Angel Figueroa, Tori Godwin, Dana Hall, Kelsey Schnieders, Abby Schumacher, Ashley Stokes, Grace Stokes,and senior Zach Mahan.

Near Perfect spellers Kurt Corsbie and Abby Schumacher

Some of the team's winning words at the state contest included seigneury, assent, syzygy,, teraph, tocsin, imbroglio, peperomia, atlatl, Reykjavik, and dermatomyositis.

PHS poet published in anthology

PLYMOUTH - If poetry is the stuff of life, Tyler Hix has a good start on his.

 

A senior at Plymouth High School Tyler was recently published in the poetry anthology Stars in Our Hearts, which is published by the World Poetry Movement as part of their annual Amateur Poetry Contest.  His poem entitled "Concentration" is printed below.

---

Concentration
by Tyler Hix

To not be distracted by friend nor foe,
Brings thoughts that make your single topic flow,
To stay aboard,
It's all in your thoughts of the long and narrow road.
To not be distracted by friend nor foe,
Concentration.

To not be distracted by temptation,
Easily motivated to complete by ambition,
To keep on pushing through the fight with dedication,
It's all in your thoughts to no burst into confusion,
To not be distracted by temptation.
Concentration.

To not be distracted by internal battles,
The slightest thought can cause your thoughts to rattle,
To achieve one thing and not pop like kettle,
It's all in your thoughts to continue the thoughts by pulling from a single petal,
Concentration.

To not be distracted by friend nor foe,
Brings thoughts that make your single topic flow,
To stay aboard,
It's all in your thoughts of the long and narrow road,
To not be distracted by friend nor foe,
Concentration.

Plymouth grad's music video explores deeper questions of aging, joy

By Jeff Kenney
Pilot News Staff Writer

CULVER — First Farmer’s Bank and Trust Culver branch manager Chad Van Herk, a Plymouth High School graduate, was out of the office for several days a few months back for your typical American vacation, in many ways: time away with his wife, relaxing on the beach and soaking up some California sun....oh, and filming a music video. And as it turns out, a bit of an unusual music video, accompanying his song, “Footprints.”

Those expecting to see little more than “eye candy” images of sun and surf, bikini-clad women, and perhaps guitar-playing, singing and songwriting Van Herk himself cavorting around the beach may want to give the video a look, online at chadvanherk.com.

Ok, so there’s a bit of beach cavorting — Van Herk did fly to the Los Angeles area, after all, and he’s never made any secret of the role of water and sand, sails and land, and his own restless wanderings, as threads often running through his music. But he credits California documentarian and director Ken Woodall with the vision and plotline for the final video. In fact, Woodall came to Van Herk, who initially was a bit incredulous when contacted about the project.

In the video, an “elderly” version of Van Herk whiles away his life in an institution, dutifully swallowing pills dispensed to himself and other residents in what is clearly a colorless, rather empty existence.

Woodall is a graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts in Film Production whose credits include documentaries on AIDS in South Africa and deforestation in Costa Rica, besides a lengthy resume of television and short film credits. He explains:
“I have been a huge fan of folk, soft rock, reggae, Hawaiian style music for a long time. One day I heard this brand new song on Pandora (internet radio) and all of these images started forming in my head...warm sand with wet footprints being washed away, a man whistling on the beach, an angel appearing in front of him. It was the best melody I have ever heard.

“It hit me: This (singer) was much older than an innocent, 20-something body. He understands the true potential joy of life because he’s lived through it all. This beach is a dream world, an escape from the rigid reality.

“(In the video), older Chad is a man whose life sped him by... the power in his legs have been stripped away either through idleness or through an old accident (and) no one cared about him any more...(he) had been stripped from power, connection, reality.

“One day a painting appears at his door and he sees color for the first time in decades. It is so shocking that he is able to transport himself to this dream land. (But) reality and dream blend together and Chad is able to bring back some of the elements of that new life back with him.”

In the video, the “older” Van Herk finds himself a young man again, on the beach. As the video progresses, the character realizes “that there is a future,” adds Woodall. “That’s when he is able to transcend his physical and emotional ailments.”
Chad Van Herk, of course, had been oblivious to the impact his song was having on Woodall, multiple states away.

“I get this email one day last year, late summer, from Ken and he mentions he heard my song ‘Footprints’ on Pandora Internet Radio,” recalls Van Herk. “He claimed to have had a vision of sorts for a music video and he explains his status as a graduating film student at USC. He asks whether I mind if he makes a music video as his personal project....I immediately granted him permission.

“‘No,’ he replies the next day.’I mean, I want to make a music video with you here in L.A.’
“I kind of shrugged it off, honestly, thinking, ‘Yeah right,’ and I took everything with a grain of salt. When he forwarded me a rough draft script, however, I started thinking to myself, ‘This guy’s serious!’ Then came the animated storyboard, which I was able to watch on YouTube, which basically walked through each scene as he saw it being played out...I started getting excited.”

A year later Van Herk and wife Elizabeth were on a Virgin Air flight to Los Angeles, where they shot the video in high definition over July 23 through 26 in Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, and Costa Mesa, with a crew of volunteers from various Southern California schools. Collaborators included Entourage and CSI, and CGI work was handled in England.

“I showed up on set with trepidation,” admits Van Herk. “Would this be a rag-tag group of inexperienced college kids reluctantly forfeiting their weekend to half-heartedly move to a director’s chest-beating drum? My anxiety evaporated almost immediately. What I experienced as I walked into the room was a fluid motion of directors, producers and crew flowing in unison toward one goal, one well-planned take at a time.”

The video has been well-received on the internet through social networking sites as well as Youtube and Van Herk’s own webpage. The singer himself, while “very happy with the experience,” doesn’t know where the video will take him professionally.

“If it leads to something greater, I’ll greet the opportunity with a warm smile,” he says. “If asked whether I hope for more, or that it leads to a ‘greater’ experience, well, I tend to believe that it is human nature to progress and succeed at that in which one takes the greatest amount of pleasure in doing. Nothing thrills me more than picking up a guitar, writing songs, and putting them ‘out there’ to be heard. I don’t really seek fame, and I am not driven by monetary success. Success is achieved, not earned.

“I guess I simply hope to achieve satisfaction in living and not ‘when I had come to die, discover that I had not lived,’ he adds, quoting Henry David Thoreau.

Pulling out a ukulele, Van Herk — who had also discussed his life journeys in college, sailing, and songwriting — explained “banking is what I do,” recently to the Culver Kiwanis Club. “It’s not who I am,” he said as he discussed lunch breaks towing a kayak behind him swimming in Lake Maxinkuckee, and riding his bicycle to and from work.

Van Herk, who said he records his self-penned music with a laptop computer and “a pretty decent condenser mic,” serenaded club members with “Footprints” (the ukulele version) and added with a smile, “Mortgage rates are at a new low in the last few years...I’m your man (for banking) during the day!”

Readers can pick up Van Herk’s CDs through the Internet or at Culver Coffee Company, and of course check out the music video for the song Ken Woodall says contains “a deep subtext dressed in such simple melody that it is a profoundly moving piece of art, like a mother covering her child with a blanket during war. It’s reminiscent and optimistic especially in a time where the present seems pretty dim. Everyone has a ‘mother-of-pearl’ that they are searching for.

“‘Leavin’ Footprints’ reminds me of that innocent optimism we all have had,” Woodall adds. “I hope the audience reclaims those emotions and becomes reinvigorated to keep pushing for their goals whatever they may be. It’s never too late to pursue your dreams.”

Reprinted by permission of the Pilot News

Students apply design skills to real world jobs

By Lydia Beers
Pilot News Staff Writer

PLYMOUTH — Plymouth High School business students are taking project-based learning to the next level. The group is creating print and graphic media products for real companies. For a fee (benefitting the Business Professionals of America club) businesses will receive quality design work done by up-and-coming high school students. Although they are still learning, technology teacher Jennifer Felke said that the students are excited about their new skills.

“They’ve created great designs,” said Felke, adding that working on a product that people outside the school will see is particularly rewarding for the students.

“When they know it’s not just a classroom assignment, they put a lot more work into it,” said Felke.

Nearly 40 students so far are a part of this venture, called the Technology Club. The club is currently developing a website for North Central Area Vocational Cooperative as well as improving the PHS website and doing print media for different departments in the school. One of their projects is to create posters and tickets for the upcoming Sweetheart dance, a particularly exciting opportunity according to Felke. Felke said that so many students were interested in designing for Sweetheart that she decided to make it a contest.

“We are very busy right now,” noted Felke.

The Technology Club is in the middle of eight projects, all being simultaneously worked on by different students according to their strengths.

“It’s a great collaboration,” said Felke of the different areas of design. “I try to focus in on different kid’s skills.”

The pricing of the work varies depending on the project, but “it will definitely be less than if (clients) went to a professional,” said Felke.

Businesses interested in commissioning the Technology Club for a project can email Felke at jfelke@plymouth.k12.in.us or call the school, 574-936-2178.

Reprinted by permission of the Pilot News

November PHS basketball newsletter

Three PHS band members honored

PLYMOUTH - Three Plymouth High School band students have been selected to be a part of the Indiana State All-Star Honor Band.  

This band is made up of the top music students from across the state.  They will be performing a concert with some of the best high school musicians in Indiana.

The three students that were selected from Plymouth are:

Elizabeth Wolford - Senior (flute)
Lindsey Holloway - Senior (percussion)
Nicole Splix - Junior (flute)

The flute and percussion sections of the Honor Band are two of the hardest sections to be selected for.  Every school nominates flute and percussion students for the few positions available and the competition can be fierce.

"I am extremely proud of these kids and the fact that they will represent PHS in the honor band," stated PHS Band Director Bryan Ames in announcing the students selection.

A little night music...

PLYMOUTH — For the first time ever, all five Plymouth student orchestras are getting together for a community performance.

“The Plymouth Orchestras Concert and Dessert” will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Lincoln Junior High Auditorium, followed by cookies and punch in the cafeteria.

Featured will be the PCYO Concert, Symphony and Chamber orchestras as well as the Lincoln Junior High and Plymouth High School orchestras.

Mother/Daughter team offering new book for Christmas

By Rusty Nixon
Director of Development and Alumni Affairs

LENOIR, NC - In this technological age it still pays to curl up with a good book.

Doing just that has brought a unique Christmas gift to Deb Venti (PHS class of 1985) and her daughter BreeAnn Fisher. They are able to share that gift with the world, thanks to the publishing of their children's book The Night After Christmas.

"I own a bookstore and when she (BreeAnn) was a little girl she used to come in and gather books around her on the floor and sit there and read," said Deb. "When it came time to close the store and go home she would tell me, 'You can't make me leave, I haven't read all my books yet.'"

Now the 18 year old high school student will have her own title to add to that reading list. The youngest author ever signed by her publishing company - Tate Publishing - BreeAnn will have a star on her resume as she enters college and the professional world - that of published author.

The book is a playful satire of the popular classic poem The Night Before Christmas. Brought up to date by the authors The Night After Christmas examines some poignant themes of our culture in a way that kids can relate to. It leads the reader to traditional family values that have stood the test of time, in the same way as the traditional Christmas poem it is derived from.

The project was the combination of BreeAnn's family tradition of giving a book for Christmas and a school project.

"She came home with a project to write a satire of a Christmas story and of course she didn't want to share with me because - you know how it is - when Mom helps it has a tendency to turn into a big production," said Deb with a laugh. "She finally gave in and we sat and read all our Christmas books and I had her choose her favorite one. I read it to her three times and said 'what's different about this story today?' She said she thought kids were too spoiled and it took off from there.

"We probably wrote the whole thing in 45 minutes to an hour."

And that's where it would have stayed but by chance.

"I was working with (Tate Publishing) on a particular book shipment that was sent to the wrong place and had billing problems, etc. and in the course of the phone calls I became friends with the woman I was calling all the time who happened to be the secretary of the President of the company," said Deb. "We were talking about the story one day and she had me email her a copy and she showed it to her boss. They emailed us back a contract a couple days later."

The company provided the pair of authors an illustrator and the rest - as they say - is history.

"We never planned on writing a book," said Deb. "It's really not in the plans to write another but who knows? If nothing else 20 years from now we can sit around with BreeAnn's children at Christmas and read the book she wrote."

The book is due for release around Thanksgiving and the family bookstore in North Carolina - Venti's Casa - will be holding a book signing on Dec. 9. Anyone wishing a signed copy can contact ventiscasa@gmail.com. The Bookworm in Plymouth will also be offering copies of the book in time to purchase for Christmas.

PHS basketball Red/White Scrimmage

On Friday, November 11^th, the Plymouth High School Boys Basketball Program will be hosting a few events that will be open to the public. 

The first event will take place from 3-5pm that day with the coaching staff conducting a practice. This will be the only practice of the year that is open to the public as all other practices are closed. The varsity and junior varsity players will practice in the main gym and the freshman group will practice in the upper gym. 

The viewing of this practice will be allowed from the upper concourse area. 

Following this 'open' practice, we will run a Red/White Scrimmage which will begin at 6pm and last approximately an hour. This will be an intrasquad scrimmage with officials. This event will take place in the Plymouth High School main gymnasium. Each player in grades 9-12 will participate in this game with the number of quarters yet to be determined. 

If you wish to attend either or both of these events, please bring one canned good item per person in your group for admission.

Following the scrimmage, there will be a meal in the cafeteria for any immediate family members of any player, manager, or coach in the Plymouth High School Boys Basketball Program. During this meal Coach Bales and his staff will also introduce some expectations for each player and manager in the basketball program. The coaching staff would like for at least one parent or guardian to attend this meal.

PHS yearbook a national award winner

PLYMOUTH - The 2011 Mayflower Yearbook received a First-Class Rating from the National Scholastic Press Association. 

The critique is a written evaluation of work submitted by a publication. Professional journalists, experienced media advisers and other media professionals serve on the NSPA board of judges.  The judge writes comments and scores the yearbook in several different categories such as coverage, writing and design.

The composite score from all sections gives the publication an honor rating ranging from Third Class to All American. The All American rating is the highest rating given to any publication in the critique service, and PHS did a commendable job, particularly since this was The Mayflower's first review by the NSPA.

Behind the scenes of The Little Mermaid

Take a trip under the sea this weekend at PHS

By Rusty Nixon
Director of Development and Alumni Affairs

PLYMOUTH - "Under the sea, darlin it's better down where it's wetter, take it from me…"

The Plymouth High School Theatre Department invites you to discover the truth of that advice from the character Sebastian as they present the Disney classic "The Little Mermaid" this Friday at 6:30 p.m., two shows Saturday at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets go on sale 30 minutes before each performance and are $3 for children 12 and under and $4 for adults.

Originally a popular fairy tale by the Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen it is the story of a young mermaid willing to give up her life in the sea for the love of a human prince.
Written originally as a ballet, the tale was first published in 1837. The Disney film version became an almost instant classic on it's release in 1989 and this will be the second time the PHS Theatre Department has staged the favorite - the first production in the late '90's.

"It's really not as tough as you might think to approach the same show in a different way," said Charlotte Tyree, Director of the show. "The cast really lends itself to how things are going to be different. The different kids in the show all approach their parts a little differently and really (the character of) Ursula sets the tone of how the show is going to be played."

As in past years the show has two complete casts - a "White" cast and "Red" cast - in order to get all of the students involved who earned parts. Setting the tone as Ursula in the Red cast is Christina Krozel and Kelsey Shaffer in the White cast.

"I never thought I'd be a villain. It's never been a goal of mine to scare small children," said Shaffer with a laugh. "But I remember seeing the show when I was little and it's the villains and the scary parts that are the most fun and what you remember the most."

Taking on the White cast romantic leads was also a new experience for Jason Pickell and Olivia Hilliard.

"You know I didn't really even really have an interest in the theatre. My dad made me go out for the play in junior high," said Jason Pickell, playing Prince Eric. "I played a dog. I've had those kind of comic roles this gives me a chance to play something different - a different genre."

"I've kind of had some trouble playing a 'girly girl'," said Olivia Hilliard in the White cast role of Ariel. "Last year I was a skunk and I played a boy in the shows so yeah, this is a little different."

One tradition of the PHS children's show is at least one "jaw dropping" special effect. Does this show promise the same.

"We have two," promised Hilliard. "One of them involves some heavy lifting."

Other members of the White Cast are; Becca Houser, Shelby Pratt, Allison Berger, Maura Faulstich, Marissa Daugherty, Grant Ringenberg, Danielle Erickson, Shae Stein, Kendall Cooper, Aimee Ringer, Andria Shook, Edgar Quiroz, Maicee Evans, Kate Peters, Kelsey Shaffer, Faith Read, Jason Pickell, Breanna Morrow, Haley Stein, Cassie Gaines, Bryce England, Kristina Bannow, Dylan Cox, Andrea Finley, Kaydon Fosler, Emily Gadziola, Reneh Gambrel, Christie Gorka, Madison Gunderson, Shelby Harrell, Dylan Holiday, Miranda Hurford, Cayla Jolly, Madalyn Lambert, Clayton Lenig, Moises Solis Lopez, Alaynee Mora, Alexis Moran, Adilene Peynado, Kristen Pressler, Kirstin Riise, Kylee Rippy, Audrey Samuelson, Hannah Samuelson, Alexandria Shangreaux, Melissa Slater, Hunter Stevens, Emily Trump, Luis Valdez, Madison Woods, Courtney Zentz.

The Red Cast is; Kirsten Harner, Sarah Puglisi, Rebecca Brumbaugh, Hope Miller, Elsy Mendoza, Alex Oakley, Megan Senter, Haley Adams, Megan Biglane, Lauren Smith    , Markee Farler, Andria Shook, Jared Hill, Liza Kelly, Ben Piazza, Christina Krozel, Priscilla Hammonds, Connor Flynn, Ali Obrochta, Miriah Brumley, Christy Chipman, Michael Gray, Noemi Aguilar, Stephanie Anderson, Johnna Antich, Kristen Arriaga, Lisa Carnegie, Cristina Reynaga Chavez, Ashley Clemons, Marilyn Delgado, Drew Dodson, Cody Edge, Courtney Edge, Andrew Gerard, Kara Gustafson, Mikayla Haenes, Haley Harrell, Tyler Hix, Chase Holzwart, Megan Maxwell, Abby Patrick, Annalise Piazza, Cassandra Quissell, Christian Radican, Elizabeth Read, Kelsy Risner, Trever Roberts, Thomas Serf, Jessica Stillson, Jenna Wood, Alexandria Wright.

The stagecrew is; Sound Engineers, Jordan Knapp, Daren Miller, Christina Krozel
Lighting Technicians, Billie Carothers, Adam Lacefield, Larissa Tetzloff, Hayley Morris, Denis Watson, Backstage Wing Managers, Andrew Youst, Shaylee Vice, Backstage Crew, Ashton Morrow, Molly Henderson, Bellinda Bottorff, Jeannie Spear, Abigail Schumacher, Emily Blake, Celeste Cook, Emily Denney, Faith Hilty, Danielle Letsinger,  Michael Yoder, Jordan Wendel, Hayden Skirvin, Luke Schumacher, Evan Glaub, Daniel Flynn, Tim Gomez, Micah Harner, Matthew Pearson, Vicente Vasquez, Ben Shortt, Levi Schuler, Austin Rose.