PHS seniors enjoy goodbye celebration

PLYMOUTH — Late morning Friday found the seniors of Plymouth High School lined up at buffet tables and ready for some fun. It was time for the annual senior breakfast, one of the most memorable occasions for the students graduating — except for commencement ceremony, of course.
Master of ceremony duties were shared by juniors Patrick Felke, Christina Chipman, and Connor Flynn. While the students ate their breakfast, they were treated to piano music by Jackson Garrison.

The theme for this year's breakfast was "The show must go on."
Each table was labeled with a different entertainment individual, group, or category name written in marker on a helium balloon floating above the table. Some of the labels included: Twilight, Hip-Hop, Michael Jackson, Jesse McCartney, Grease, and Inception.
Throughout the event, the names of tables were called and the students sitting at that table received a door prize.
Several seniors showcased their skills during the breakfast; reciting poetry, singing, playing instruments, and presenting drama skits.
Awards for clubs were given out, including Alpha Delta Rho, Varsity Club, Academic

Club, Broadcasting awards, Seed Club, and Student Council.
The seniors especially enjoyed the "best of" awards, where students won titles like, "best smile" and "best personality."
Each category had a male and female winner, and a prize fitting to the title, including both male and female with the "best legs," received a set of razors, to the audience's delight.

Class of 1976 Reunion invite

Dear Plymouth High School Class of 1976,

We are happy to announce our upcoming 35th class reunion, “Garden Party 20ll!”  Everything from the “venue to the menu” has been decided and all we request is the honor of your presence!

“Garden Party 2011” is scheduled for Saturday, August 6th at a restored downtown Plymouth location called Opie’s Deli/The Office/The Alley, formerly the old J.C Penney’s building (114 N. Michigan St).  The urban-like setting will lend itself well to the sounds of local acoustic band,  “The Prairie Dogs,” bringing their Jimmy-Buffet style tunes to the outside terrace. 

We have kept the price affordable, the menu simple and the dress casual. 

Food

Your choice of sandwiches: 
Burgers (any way you like.) Choose either burger, grilled chicken breast, or
Black bean burgers, when sending payment.)

Variety of finger food:                  
Veggies trays, chips and salsa, Pretzels and bar cheese

Drink

Two kegs of beer (included while they last), Soft drinks (also included), Cash bar

The cost is $10.00/person, or $20.00/couple.

Cocktails start at 6:00; Grill open from 7- 9:00; Band starts playing at 8:30.

Advance registration and payment is required for planning purposes. 

Mail your order of food (burger, chicken or black bean burger), the number that will be attending and your check payable to Rick Vermillion at; 15122 14B Rd; Plymouth, IN  46563.

Questions?  Julie Weidner at (574) 936-5295 or Mindy Langdon at (574) 936-3428.

Looking for Classmates from 1976

Class of 1976 is looking for the following members. If you are listed below or know somebody listed below please call Julie Weidner at (574) 936-5295 or Mindy Langdon at (574) 936-3428.

Randy Ames
Lynette Anderson
David Armstrong
Dave Baker
Marci Baumann
Tom Carr
Gary Christison
Steve Clark
Randy Cramer
Sue Crane
Greg (Marty) Crouch
Sharon Deacon
Bonnie DeSloover
Dave Dorr
Carla Duell
Jeannie Espich
Letha Flory
Tim Jackson
Anne Jansma
Bob Jernstrom
Carol Jones
Kathy Julian
Kim Keener
Mike Kelly
Jon Knepper
Dave Krou
Rod Lathers
Cindy Lewis
Beverly Mart
Sandy Moody
Neil Moyer
Judy Mrozinski
Sharon Penrod
Fabian Pena
Margie Price
Urpo Raunio
Sam Rock
Delana Schrome
Mark Schultz
Patty Schultz
Nancy Sellers
Lyle Snyder
Steve Snyder
Perry Spaid
Ken Stiles
Julie Strong
Tim Sullivan
Herkie Swihart
Teresa Walker
John Walker
Sharon Wallace
Dave Wayman
Rod Waters
Kathy White
Greg Youst
Dave Wakeland

Students getting hands on lesson in building

By Rusty Nixon
Director of Development and Alumni Affairs

PLYMOUTH - Word of mouth can be a powerful tool - especially to get power tools in high school students hands.

For the 33rd year students of the Plymouth Building Trades class will unveil their newly built home on Ohio Street in Plymouth and put it up for sale beginning with their Open House on June 4 from 1 p.m to 4 p.m.

Three years ago 12 students built the home, last year the number taking the class doubled. This year, instructor P.T. McKinnis actually had to turn applicants for the course away.

"We had 40 people apply to take the course," said McKinnis. "It was a very hard decision to make, you really don't want to turn anybody away that wants to learn but we had to do it. It's a hands on experience and we couldn't be fair to anybody with that many students. I really wish we had been able to take everybody but we started the house with 27 students."

Over the years the program has helped many students get a leg up on jobs in the construction industry, including an alum who came back to help this year. Several jobs are subcontracted on the house - carpet, finish drywall in the house's interior and the roof. This year's roofing contractor gave some instruction of his own.

"Eric Simms was a former student and he was the contractor on the roof this year," said McKinnis. "He would take four or five students at a time up there with him to help and he took the time to show them how to do it. It was really helpful because that let me spend some extra time with the other guys doing things in the house."

The class is run just like a regular job site, with students showing up for work and having regular assignments. In the course of the instruction students have an opportunity to try their hand at all aspects of building a home, especially one in particular.

"I don't know that you can actually teach a work ethic but there are ways to help

your students develop one," said McKinnis. "That's something that we know is very important to employers and that's something I work pretty hard to help them with."

Local realty companies take turns selling the homes each year and this year Sam Goebel of RE/MAX Oak Crest Realty will have the listing. The house will go on the market at $139,500.

Washington students learn about Memorial Day

By Lydia Beers

PLYMOUTH — As Memorial Day approached, Washington Elementary 1st grade teacher Lauren Cooper searched for a creative way to teach her students about the holiday.
"We spend a lot of time talking about the calendar and current events," said Cooper. "
To explain Memorial Day, Cooper told her students about her childhood friend, Capt. Brandon Barrett, a Marine from Marion, Ind. who had died in May 2010 in Afghanistan.
Together, Cooper and her class decided to raise money to donate to the Capt. Brandon Barrett Scholarship Fund. The 1st grade students wrote letters to Capt. Barrett's family, created posters to hang around the school,  and organized a fundraiser selling flag keychains for 50 cents each during lunch Thursday and Friday. They also produced a commercial about the fundraiser which was shown to other classes in the school.
"I think they understand a lot more (about) the sacrifice of the armed forces," said Cooper. "This gave them a personal interest in it."

Reprinted by permission of The Pilot News

MAAX puts their products behind education

By Rusty Nixon
Director of Development
PLYMOUTH - A local manufacturer was honored by the Plymouth Schools Industrial Tech Program for a long history of support.

The Industrial Tech Program at Plymouth began 33 years ago teaching students first hand about the construction industry by building a home in the city. Since the birth of the program MAAX of Plymouth has been a supporter providing bathtubs for every house the program has built.

"It started 33 years ago with Don Aker supplying bathtubs for the project," said Jason Wells of MAAX. "It's something that's good for us to do because it's relative to what we do as a company. It's a great opportunity for us and you have to take advantage of those opportunities when they present themselves. Everybody knows about how the economy has been and you do whatever you can when you can to be a good corporate neighbor."

Sam Goebel of RE/MAX Oak Crest Realty - a member of the programs Advisory Board - and the programs Instructor P.T. McKinnis presented the company with a plaque to commemorate their support.

This year's student build house is on Ohio Street in Plymouth and the class will hold their open house to show it to the public on June 4. Goebel will also be selling the house this year and says the list price will be $139,500.

Plymouth Board hires Basketball and Volleyball coaches

By Carol Anders
Correspondent

PLYMOUTH — Plymouth Community Schools Athletic Director Roy Benge introduced the two newest members of PHS athletic team during the Plymouth School Board meeting Tuesday.


Ryan Bales was named boys varsity basketball coach. He replaces former coach Kevin Stuckmeyer who had led the team for the last three years. Among other positions, Bales just completed his fifth season at coach at North Judson High School.

Doug West has accepted the position as volleyball coach at PHS. His two most recent athletic positions were with Warsaw High School (2001-07) and Whitko High School (2009-10). He serves as a pastor for Kosciusko Community Hospital in Warsaw.

The board also welcomed back Reid Gault. Gault was the assistant principal of Lincoln Junior High for three years before taking a position at Lowell Middle School. Currently Angie Mills has held a similar the position at LJH; however, she will be transferring to Jefferson Elementary in the fall as principal.
In other news:

• The board heard a report on the alternative school from teacher Suzie Clevenger, who attributed the success of the program to the student. “We are here to celebrate because of the students’ hard work and determination,” she said.

Three of the current students enrolled in the program also spoke to the board, of the confidence that the alternative program has given them. According to Clevenger, of the 36 seniors in the program this year, 34 are on schedule to graduate with their class. She said it was predetermined that the remaining two would be fifth year seniors and is on track to graduate at a later date. The students will still have to take the PHS finals given to students in traditional settings along with end of course assessments.

Clevenger splits her day up by teaching at the Alternative School classroom form 8 until 11 a.m. and then goes to the Learning Center at PHS in help those in credit recovery classes until 12:15 p.m., and then returns to the alternative school until dismissal.

Clevenger said there were 52 students enrolled in the alternative program this year: “Flexibility is the key to our success.”

An alternative school for students in grades 5-8 has been successful, according to Lincoln Junior High Dean of Students Angie Mills, but due to funding, the program will be discontinued next year. Mills listed a number of discipline concerns that lead to students being place in the alternative setting.

Reprinted with permission of The Pilot News