Penn High School principal Dr. Sean Galiher honored Seniors and Juniors who were named Academic Achievement Award winners for the 2023-2024 school year during a recognition ceremony at Penn Boys Basketball game on Tuesday, February 13, 2024.

Students earn the Academic Achievement Award for maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or better over four or six semesters, without receiving a D or an F. 

A total of 641 students earned the Academic Achievement Award in 2023-2024. Not all students were present.

A Photo Gallery featuring a few of the students who received their Academic letter or chevron is posted below.

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Penn High School students excelled at recent Indiana State School Music Association District qualifying events.

Choir state qualifiers will compete at Perry Meridian High School on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, in Indianapolis.

State competition for Band and Orchestra is Saturday, Feb. 24. Winds are at North Central High School, Percussion is at Westfield Middle School and Strings are at Northview Middle School, all in Indianapolis.

BAND:

124 Total entries

86 Gold Ratings

37 Silver Ratings

1 Bronze Rating

67 Events Qualified for the State Solo and Ensemble Contest

State Qualifiers:

Clarinet Choir: Alexis Varney/Theresa Hunter/Jacob Clay/Maria Cesco/Anna Mroczek/Colin Carter/Zaya Graham/Yousif Ahmed/Michael Mireles.

Bassoon Trio: Joshua Buckler/Emma Bashura/Claire Woolman

Marimba Trio: Greta Lannon/Michael Cenova/Roman Ramos

Trumpet Trio: Eli Joswick/Ar’Rion Love/Ryann Smith

Misc. Brass Trio: Anthony Scott/Raichael Schachow/Flynn Glotzbach

Low Brass Quartet: Luke Yoder/Addison Dunn/Emily Eby/Madelyn Richardson

Trombone Trio: Conner Ingram/Alex Krall/Luke Yoder

Preston Miller, Trumpet Solo

Roman Ramos, Snare Drum Solo

Braedon Hoy, Trumpet Solo

Michael Cenova, Snare Drum Solo

Graham Royer, Trumpet Solo

Melissa Shank, Snare drum solo

Katie Kuzmic, French horn solo

Anna Mroczek, Bb Clarinet solo

Evelyn Shrout, Horn solo

Audrey Wise, Horn solo

Aidan Lee, Clarinet Solo

Maria Cesco, Clarinet Solo

Keighra Michele, Trumpet Solo

Jacob Winget, Trombone Solo

Jacob Clay, Clarinet Solo

Addison Clark. Trombone Solo

Anton Kozelichki, Tuba Solo

Hayden Willard, Tuba/sousaphone

Luke Yoder, Trombone solo

Lillian Szuba, Tuba Solo

Ayva Jelinski, Tuba solo

Robin Sullivan, Flute Solo

Roman Ramos, Marimba Solo

Alex Krall, Trombone solo

Kylie Fravel, Tuba Solo

Rylen Hackett, Tuba solo

Sophia Runyan, Clarinet Solo

Madilyn Richardson, Tuba solo

Keyin Hackett, Tuba Solo

Victoria Chew, Marimba Solo

Eden Hartford, Oboe Solo

Michael Mireles, Bb Clarinet Solo

Gavin Bridwell, Alto sax solo

Delia Heet, Tenor Saxophone solo

Rachel Luebke, Clarinet solo

Alexis Varney, Bass Clarinet Solo

Joshua Buckler, Bassoon Solo

Ellie Satre, Flute Solo

Emma Bashura, Bassoon Solo

Anna Murphy, Clarinet solo

Timothy Austin, Alto Saxophone Solo

Dakota Bengtsson, Bassoon Solo

Lily Meyer, Flute Solo

Emma Bashura, Contrabassoon solo

Therisa McFarland, Flute Solo

Zaya Graham, Bass Clarinet solo

Owen Jacobson, Clarinet Solo

CHOIR

A total of 213 entrants (2 Piano Solos, 38 Vocal Solos, and 13 Ensembles

State Qualifiers:

PIANO SOLO – GROUP I

Ziona Blest

VOCAL SOLO – GROUP I

Cyril Meacham

Emma Clark

Eric Rauschenberg

Jackson Mead

Justin Meacham

Lauren Brock

Lucas Robertson

Madison Raper

Mars Slavinskas

ENSEMBLES – GROUP I

Robertson Barbershop

ORCHESTRA

163 students participated in ISSMA Solo & Ensemble

State qualifiers:

Solos: 

Ella Durand

Teagon Wickey

Reah Frydrych

Joseph Putman

Rebeca Ramirez

Joshua Jong

Shin Sakaue

Fiona Kennedy

Joshua Oh

Zach Jabien

James Pennix

Ensembles:

Oh Trio

Arty Ryzhkov

Joshua Oh

Joseph Putman

Discrepancy Quintet

Bella Grove

Jonathn Iwaniec

Sam Rossow

Lillian Gregory

Jayden Wang

An Evening of Jazz 2024 will be a special night showcasing the various jazz bands at Penn High School, as well as P-H-M’s Discovery Middle School, and Concord High School.

A Photo Gallery of rehearsal is posted below.

The concert is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, at St. Mark’s Church, 55900 Bittersweet Rd, Mishawaka, Ind.

Tickets

Our guest artist this year is John Raymond, associate professor of music in jazz studies–trumpet at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. You can read his bio at https://music.indiana.edu/faculty/current/raymond-john.html.

Your $15 ticket includes a dessert and drinks (water/coffee/tea). Specialty coffee, provided by Cardinal Coffee, will be available for purchase. https://www.cardinal-coffee.com/

The Penn Band Boosters will hold a 50/50 raffle (winner announced at the event) as well as a silent raffle of various items and packages donated by community members/businesses. If you wish to donate a raffle item, please email pennbandboosters@gmail.com.

A big thanks to all those who have contributed time and effort toward the success of this event. We look forward to an amazing night of jazz!

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Attention Penn High School Parents and Students:

Graduation is fast approaching and we want to ensure that you have everything you need for this special day.  Caps and Gowns will be passed out during Rehearsal scheduled for Wednesday, April 24, and Thursday, April 25.  If you have not placed your order, please order no later than Friday, March 1, 2024, to pick up at the scheduled delivery event on April 24 and April 25.

The Commencement Ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m., Monday, June 3, 2024, at the University of Notre Dame.

The following link will take you to your school’s landing page for all your graduation needs.  This link includes all the packages and ala carte items for announcements, apparel and your cap and gown unit.

https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/catalogBrowse/1072642/PENN-HIGH-SCHOOL/Graduation/2260685888/CATALOG_REPOSITORY/

If you only need a cap and gown (includes tassel) here is the direct link.

https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productDetail/1072642/PENN-HIGH-SCHOOL/Cap-and-Gown/2260685888/CATALOG_REPOSITORY/Cap-Gown-Tassel-Unit/2260685910

Congratulations on this milestone achievement.   If you have questions, please contact the Jostens office at 574.216.6336.

All-State Band Auditions scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at Penn High School have been postponed until Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024.

We have been monitoring the forecast for several days and unfortunately have decided to postpone Snowball that is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. The forecasted dangerous temperatures, wind chill factor, wind speed and road conditions factored into this decision. Safety is our top priority and we want to make sure our students would not be put in a dangerous position tomorrow night while traveling.

The dance will be rescheduled and we will communicate the new date next week sometime.

Stay safe and warm this weekend.

The Penn High School student literary magazine, Spectrum, has won the highest honor for recognizing excellence in Art and Literary magazines from the National Council of Teachers of English.

Spectrum is published under the direction of Penn instructor Caelea Armstrong.

Editors of the 2022-2023 Spectrum Literary Magazine were Valentina Gianesi (graduated), Monique Caraman (graduated), Lauren Turnquist, Natalie Reed and Michael Mireles.

“Spectrum has been a literary publication at Penn High School since at least the 1988-89 school year,” Armstrong said. “The mission of Spectrum is to create an outlet for student expression – written, art, and multimedia.

“Over the years, Spectrum has evolved and is now involved in creating monthly newsletters known as “The Bathroom Bulletin,” the People of Penn displays in the stairwells, and events like Reality Cafe,” Armstrong said. “Our main focus is the Spectrum Magazine, and I could not be more proud of our students on the Spectrum staff.”

This year, schools in 46 states and five countries nominated 375 student magazines. Magazines from middle school, high school, and higher education were welcomed for the 2023 contest. A total of 108 magazines were awarded the contest’s highest distinction, REALM First Class.

The REALM program publicly recognizes excellent literary magazines produced by students with the support of their teachers. REALM is designed to encourage all schools to develop literary magazines that celebrate the art and craft of writing. Schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, US territories, Canada, and American schools abroad are eligible to nominate magazines.

For more information about the REALM Program, please visit: https://ncte.org/awards/program-to-
recognize-in-student-literary-magazines/.

Click the PDF for the 2-hour delay schedules during Final Exams:

2 Hour Delay Schedule during Final Exams

Penn High School’s Pep Band, under the direction of D.J. Landoll, performed at the Notre Dame Men’s Basketball Game on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. The Fighting Irish played against North Carolina State.

“Being invited to perform was a reflection of the trust that Notre Dame has in the Penn music program and the P-H-M brand,” Landoll said. “It seems that we have a reputation that inspired confidence in the event organizers, who were gracious professionals and helped create a good experience for our kids.

 “We’re proud of our product and enjoyed getting to show it to a new audience, but I imagine that the students were excited primarily because it was another good reason to be with their friends making fun music – everything else is secondary,” Landoll said. “We honestly love playing together and just being together.”

The Notre Dame Men’s Basketball Team features Penn graduate Markus Burton, who was named Indiana Mr. Basketball last season.

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By LANGSTON ARTRIP

The Penn Debate Team won the Team Sweepstakes at the Ben Davis Debate Tournament. Penn Debate has won the last five consecutive meets they have competed in.

This team’s success is due to the immense amount of work that everyone puts into this team and how passionate they are about the Penn Debate Team. This is assisted by the middle school program that Coach Jeremy Starkweather and the debate team’s captains have put time and energy into to make sure that they are ready to compete at the high school level. The Penn Debate Team expects only excellence and success in its endeavors and they have achieved and overshot many of their expected goals.

These are the top individual awards.

• 1st Place Lincoln Douglas- Akul Bhambhani

• 2nd Place Lincoln Douglas- Sarah Rooney

• 2nd Place Policy- Kevin Wu & Rebeca Ramirez

• 3rd Place Policy- Leena Khan & Sarah Ahmed
• 3rd Place Public Forum- Alina Luck & Jaanavi Kaushik