Penn High School and Principal Steve Hope will host the school's 57^th Commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 27, at the University of Notre Dame’s Purcell Pavilion.

Parents and guests should enter through the main entrance of Purcell Pavilion, between Gates 8 and 10. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the public Tickets are not required for commencement.

Click here for a map of the University of Notre Dame campus. 

Parking is limited due to construction at Notre Dame. Limited parking is available in the area between Purcell Pavilion and the Compton Family Ice Arena. Overflow parking is available in the Baseball Lot, and the Library Lot.

Seniors, parents, guardians, friends and relatives are asked to refrain from activities that would detract from the dignity of this most important occasion. Disruptive noises, noisemakers and/or activities for, or from, seniors or their guests will not only cause undue embarrassment for him/her, but also interfere with the other seniors and guests who desire a dignified ceremony.

Seniors who behave in a disruptive or inappropriate manner will be removed from participation. Individuals who disrupt the ceremony will be escorted from the Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center.

HR Imaging Partners will be positioned to take individual pictures of seniors with their diplomas. Every student will be photographed and all photographs will be available for purchase on a protected website. The website is http://shop.hrimaging.com; select the orange tab, which is ‘order prints from special events’. NO ONE EXCEPT SCHOOL PERSONNEL WILL BE ALLOWED ON THE ARENA FLOOR TO TAKE PICTURES.

Penn's Class of 2016 features 850 students. More than half of the seniors at Penn (432) are graduating with an Academic Honors diploma, and 72 graduating seniors earned a Technical Honors diploma.

One-third of Penn's Class of 2016 (296 students) earned High Honors, which requires a 3.5 grade-point average or higher.

The Class of 2016 earned more than $9 million in scholarships awarded.

By ARIELLE KIRSCH

Penn High School Student Reporter

Just like those of every other year, the valedictorians and salutatorians of Penn High School’s Class of 2016 have worked exponentially hard to earn the exceptional grade-point averages and class ranks they have today.  

Penn’s valedictorians will be in the spotlight on Friday, May 27, during graduation ceremonies at the University of Notre Dame. 

Below, in alphabetical order, are short descriptions of the high school careers of each of these outstanding students.

VALEDICTORIANS

JACK BAO, son of Leiping Lin and Wentau Bao, will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the fall and will be majoring in finance.  Accomplishments include:

• MathCon 2016 National Champion
• Math Academic Super Bowl Captain and State Champion
• Test of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science (TEAMS) State Champion
• United States Presidential Scholar National Semi-finalist
• Indiana Academic All Stars Award
• Discover Math Counts Head Coach
• Tri-Star State Champion
   

CAMDEN BOHN, son of Sharon Bohn and Kevin Bohn, will be attending Harvard University in the fall and will be majoring in engineering.  Accomplishments include:

• Football, Track, and Basketball
• National Honor Society
• IHSAA Eskew Mental Attitude Award for Football
• 1st Team All-Conference and MVP
   

RACHEL CASETTI, daughter of Jennifer Casetti and Alfredo Casetti, will be attending Purdue University in the fall and will be majoring in biomedical engineering.  Accomplishments include:

• National Honor Society
• Key Club
• Test of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science (TEAMS)
• DECA
• Tennis
• Spanish Club
• Indiana Math League
• Freshman Mentor
• Dream Commission Society
   

MEGHA DEVARAJ, daughter of Kalyani Devaraj and Sarv Devaraj, will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the fall and will be majoring in finance and computer science.  Accomplishments include:

• Test of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science (TEAMS) State Champion
• Debate Captain
• National Honor Society Vice President
• Penn Student Ambassador
• Freshman Mentor Executive Board Member
   

RAINA DE VRIES, daughter of Susan Park and Steven DeVries, will be attending the University of Chicago in the fall and will be majoring in mathematics.  Accomplishments include:

• Orchestra
   

RUNYU DING, son of Xiadhong Ding and Derong Ding, will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall and will be majoring in computer engineering.  Accomplishments include:

• Student Council
• Freshman Mentor
• Tennis
• Science Academic Super Bowl
• Chemistry Olympiad
• Indiana Math League
• Research at Notre Dame
   

NORMAN JIN, son of Evie Zhang and James Jin, will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the fall and will be majoring in business science.  Accomplishments include:

• Band
• Science Academic Super Bowl
   

PETER JUNG, son of Kyu-Suk Kim and Sung-Kwon Jung, will be attending Purdue University in the fall and will be majoring in computer science.  Accomplishments include:

• Spell Bowl
• TEAMS
• Student Council
   

JESSICA LEE, daughter of Ping Li and Lei Li, will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the fall and will be majoring in business science.  Accomplishments include:

• Competition Poms Captain
• Student Council
• National Honor Society
• TEAMS
• Key Club
   

RIVKAH LEVINE, daughter of Qi You and Ilan Levine, will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall and will be majoring in statistics and minoring in Chinese.  Accomplishments include:

• Chinese Club President
• National Honor Society
   

MORGAN LUDWIG, daughter of Dr. Jennifer Ludwig and David Ludwig, will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the fall and will be majoring in business science.  Accomplishments include:

• Congressional Award Gold Medalist
• Varsity Tennis
• Handwritten Hearts Club President and Founder
• Symphonic Orchestra
• Kiwanis Youth Leadership Award
• Indiana Math League
• Piano ISSMA Gold Medalist
   

ABIGAIL McROBERTS, daughter of Roxanne McRoberts and Brad McRoberts, will be attending The Ohio State University in the fall and will be majoring in biology.  Accomplishments include:

• Cheerleader
• Track and Field
• National Honor Society
• Key Club
• Freshman Mentor
• Spanish Club
• Kingsmen Against Cancer
• AP Scholar Award
• Indiana Math League
• Mock Trial
• Ohio State Distinction Scholar
   

OLIVIA MERCURIO, daughter of Lisa Mercurio and David Mercurio, will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the fall and will be majoring in engineering.  Accomplishments include:

• Soccer
• Indiana Math League
• Key Club
• National Honor Society Secretary
• TEAMS
• Spanish Club
• AMC & Trigstar Participant
• Track and Field
• Freshman Mentor
• National Merit Scholar Finalist
• Kingsman Tutor
• AP Scholar with Distinction
• District 1 ISCA All-Academic Athlete
• Jr. Irish Soccer Club
• Elkhart County United Soccer Club
   

JEWON OH, son of Eunhee Park and Heungil Oh, will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the fall and will be majoring in pre-professional studies. Accomplishments include:

• South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra
• Orchestra
• Tennis
• Indiana All-State Orchestra
• TEAMS
• National Honor Society
• Fischoff Honor
   

ERIC PFRENDER, son of Janet Pfrender and Michael Pfrender, will be attending Northwestern University in the fall and will be majoring in chemical engineering.  Accomplishments include:

• Quiz Bowl Team Captain
• Science Academic Super Bowl
• TEAMS National Qualifier
• Key Club
• National Honor Society
• Student Council
• National Merit Scholar
   

CHRISTOPHER YUN, son of Minjung Yun and Hayong Yun, will be attending Cornell University in the fall and will be majoring in mathematics and economics.  Accomplishments include:

• National Merit Scholar
• National AP Scholar Award
• Spell Bowl Captain and State Champion
• Econ and Fed Challenge Captain
• Model U.N.
• Fischoff Mentoring Group
• TEAMS
• National Honor Society
• Key Club
• Student Council
• Academic Super Bowl (Fine Arts, Social Studies, Math and Interdisciplinary)
   

SALUTATORIANS

AMANDA AHMED, daughter of Rebecca Ahmed and Arshad Ahmed, will be attending Indiana University in the fall and will be majoring in chemistry.  Accomplishments include:

• National Honor Society
• Student Council
• Handwritten Hearts
• Penn Girls Tennis Team Captain
• Youth Group Leader at church
   

JULIA FORBERG, daughter of Mary Forberg and Jeffery Forberg, will be attending Indiana University in the fall and will be majoring in Spanish and early education.  Accomplishments include:

• National Honor Society
• Student Council
• Handwritten Hearts
• Youth Group Leader at church
   

KATHRYN LAIMAN, daughter of Joan Laiman and Michael Laiman, will be attending Indiana University in the fall and will be majoring in economic consulting and pre-law.  Accomplishments include:

• National Honor Society Public Relations Officer
• Student Council
• Key Club
• Freshman Mentor
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters
• Penn Girls Lacrosse Captain
• National Merit Scholarship Commendation

The Indiana Department of Education has announced the 2014-15 Four Star Schools and six Penn-Harris-Madison Schools made the annual roster for this elite distinction.

Along with Penn, P-H-M’s other Four Star Schools are Horizon, Mary Frank, Northpoint and Prairie Vista Elementary Schools, along with Discovery Middle School.

In order to achieve this designation, a school must be in the top 25th percentile of schools in two ISTEP-based categories. Additionally, a qualifying school must have earned the highest designation in the state’s accountability system and be accredited by the Indiana Department of Education. A total of 287 schools received the award throughout the state. A complete list of the schools that received the award, as well as a more complete methodology outlining Four Star determination, can be found on the IDOE’s website.

In January, the 2015 ISTEP+ scores were released and P-H-M ranked 10th in the state among 293 public school districts. The District earned an 81.4% pass rate for ELA (English/Language Arts); 78.0% pass rate for Math; and an overall combined pass rate of 72.1% for both subjects areas. P-H-M was also rated an “A-rated” school district for the 6^th year in a row.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation serves approximately 10,700 students in 11 elementary schools, three middle schools and Penn High School. Penn High School's graduation rate exceeds the state’s with a 97% graduation rate and is rated a 90-25-90 school by the IDOE. 100% of P-H-M teachers rank either highly effective or effective. 

When Penn High School English teacher Pete DeKever would take remembrance walks on Memorial Day weekends in Mishawaka, he became more and more aware of the profound sense of history in the city as the echoes of the past spoke:

The words of Robert F. Kennedy ringing out to an impassioned crowd in the 100 block of South Main Street during the 1968 Indiana Democratic Primary campaign. …. The vibrant tones of early rock-n-roll and Doo Wop cascading out of the popular teen-age hangout Bonnie Doon’s Restaurant in the 50’s and 60’s. …. The solemnity of walking along West Battell Street past the house where Paul Fechner lived, the Mishawaka native who died in a World War II Prisoner of War camp.

DeKever’s book, Walking Mishawaka: Self-Guided Tours of Historic Sites in the Princess City, weaves historical portraits of Mishawaka landmarks into present-day jaunts. His words paint the picture of 72 significant locations in Mishawaka, and 32 graves in historic cemeteries. The book is organized into seven walking tours.

It’s a chance for a Fitbit society to get a glimpse at Mishawaka’s rich and storied past.

Walking Mishawaka: Self-Guided Tours of Historic Sites in the Princess City pays homage to many of Mishawaka’s historic buildings and citizens.

“I was inspired to write the book by my own walks through Mishawaka and research about many topics in Mishawaka history,” DeKever said. “The genre is historical non-fiction, local history.”

DeKever said that the purpose of his book is to increase the public's understanding and appreciation of Mishawaka history and their love of Mishawaka.

“The biggest challenge in writing the book was finding different ways to convey the topics so that I was not repeating myself,” DeKever said. “The challenge we faced in publishing was integrating photos and maps and working through the proofreading process.”

DeKever found himself becoming a student of the city’s history as he chronicled his walking experiences.

“My favorite part of the process was gaining a more in-depth understanding of Mishawaka history, place by place,” DeKever said.

As an English/Language Arts teacher, DeKever will use his publishing experiences to enhance student learning at Penn.

“Writing the book gave me additional experience with research, drafting, and revision, which I can share with students,” DeKever said.

DeKever’s book can be purchased from him, and copies of Walking Mishawaka: Self-Guided Tours of Historic Sites in the Princess City are also on sale for $20 at the Hannah Lindahl Children's Museum, Gene's Camera Store, Will's Jewelry Store, and Mishawaka Art & Frame.

Walking Mishawaka: Self-Guided Tours of Historic Sites in the Princess City is DeKever’s fourth book. His future projects include a biography of Rose Hartwick Thorpe, the famous Mishawaka-born poet, and a history of the 27 state championships his teams at Penn have won in social studies and Spell Bowl.

Boasting 850 graduating seniors, Penn’s Class of 2016 showcased remarkable academic success, earning a combined value of college scholarships exceeding $9 million!

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Penn High School student reporter Arielle Kirsch attended the talk to Penn High School students by Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor on Friday, May 13. Below is Kirsch’s reflection of what that moment meant to her.

On Friday, May 13, Penn students had the immense privilege to meet Holocaust survivor Eva Kor (formerly Eva Mozes).  A twin and victim of Dr. Mengele’s experiments at Auschwitz, Kor’s earliest memories depict horrific brutalities and inhuman cruelty.  Despite the horrors Kor has lived through, she maintains her strength with a positive and lively attitude guaranteed to inspire anyone who listens to her first-person account of being a Jewish child from Romania during the Holocaust.

At age 10, after four years of living in a village occupied by Nazis, Kor and her family were deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp. While standing on a strip of land outside of the cattle car from which the Mozes family had just stumbled out, Kor and her twin sister, Miriam, were separated from the rest of their family.  What the two young, innocent sisters didn’t know at the time was that they would never see any other member of their immediate family again.

Personally, I feet a very strong connection to Kor’s story.  My two maternal grandfathers both are child Holocaust survivors as well.  My mother’s father, David Tamir, was born in Belgium and lived in hiding in the attic of a Christian family for about two and a half years during the war.  My mother’s stepfather, Peter Daniels, was born in Germany and was trapped in the Czechoslovakian concentration camp Theresienstadt for approximately two years.  Growing up with the knowledge of the outrageous atrocities that my grandfathers experienced at such young ages has given me the motivation that I have to try not to take things for granted, since, when I was seven years old, I was enrolled in a fantastic school and had the privilege to go on family vacations, while, when my grandfathers were seven years old, they lived in constant fear of not surviving the day.

Kor’s speech on Friday was motivational and moving.  As I sat in the front row and listened to this beautiful woman tell of the horrors she encountered as an innocent child in Auschwitz, I realized once again how extremely fortunate I am to be growing up as a Jew in the United States in this time period, instead of being a Jew in Europe 80 years ago.

Kor recounted to her audience at Penn that, upon arriving at Auschwitz, she made a silent vow to herself that she would not let herself die in the camp.  Her incredible story served and continues to serve to empower and educate everyone listening, no matter what their beliefs or background.

A profound sense of history swept across the studio theater at Penn High School on Friday, May 13th, when Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor visited Penn High School and shared her story with students.
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More than 100 students at Penn High School will showcase their skills through the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Expo on Wednesday May 25.

The event in which Penn’s STEM students will be showing and demonstrating their projects is scheduled to be from 6-8 p.m. in the Penn High School Commons and Instructional Materials Center (IMC).

Anyone attending can enter through door A.

"The work that our students at Penn create is amazing,” said Penn instructor Josiah Parker of the STEM Academy. “The STEM Expo will give them a platform to show it off to the public. Students are extremely excited to demonstrate all of the hard work that they have done."

Penn High School and Principal Steve Hope honored Class of 2016 on Senior Recognition Night on May 10, 2016.
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