Click here for important information about Penn High School’s graduation ceremony on Friday, May 27, at the University of Notre Dame.

Jostens will be delivering caps and gowns and graduation products to Penn High School on Friday, April 15, during lunch. 

If you have a balance due, you can pay online or call 1-800-Jostens to pay by debit or credit card.  Jostens will only accept cash or money order at delivery. 

If you have not yet placed your cap and gown order, please call 1-800-Jostens immediately.

Put a book in front of Penn High School student Tyler Richardson, and assign him a chapter, and he will do the reading.

Effective learning, however, takes a different path for Richardson.

Penn High School’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Academy has helped Richardson discover a learning path that is leading to the future that’s the best fit for him.

“If you put a book in front of me and make me read a chapter, I can tell you what it’s about, but I won’t learn anything from it,” Richardson said. “It’s the same way with anything.”

Penn’s wide range of electives, and teachers to engage students with different learning styles has helped Richardson construct a solid foundation for his future. He will be attending Lincoln Tech in Indianapolis, and plans to go into mechanics.

“Penn has helped me with a lot of things,” Richardson said. “It’s given me options that I wouldn’t get anywhere else, such as the Career Center, and the different diploma tracks that I can choose from.

“I’ll be getting an Academic Honors diploma when I graduate,” Richardson said. “That will help me get into a lot of different colleges, but I’m going to a Tech school, because that’s what I want. Penn gives you a lot of different paths and options that will help you in life.”

Richardson said that Penn’s classes – primarily the many electives that the school offers – helped him find a future.

“I’ve always liked working with my hands,” Richardson said. “The woodshop and manufacturing classes helped me cement the idea that I liked working with my hands. Once I got to the Career Center, that’s when I realized that’s what I wanted to do with my life.”

Richardson said that he’s glad Penn has such a strong Tech component in its curriculum.

“It’s very important that high schools offer a Tech option,” Richardson said. “Not everybody likes to sit down at a desk and do paperwork, or sit down and do what the boss tells them to do. Some people like to diagnose things and fix things and work with their hands. I’m one of those people. You can’t sit me at a desk and make me read a book and expect me to learn. I have to put my hands on something to make or fix … I have to work with my hands in general. It’s very hard for me to learn any other way.

“I really liked that I had a lot of classes at Penn that had different ways of teaching, and worked with my learning style,” Richardson said. “I really like what Penn has done for me.”

Penn High School Principal Steve Hope and Fine Arts Academy leader Glenn Northern were on hand Monday night as the Penn Advanced Jazz Ensemble departed for Savannah, Ga., and the Swing Central Jazz Festival. The Kingsmen Jazz ensemble left at 11 p.m. on Monday, March 28, and is expected to arrive in Savannah at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29.

Penn’s Jazz ensemble, under the direction of Bill Leather, is one of just 12 high schools across the nation to qualify for the prestigious Jazz competition.

Members of the Penn Advanced Jazz Ensemble include:

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation learned today (Thursday, March 24, 2016) that it has been honored with the “Best Communities for Music Education” designation from the NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. P-H-M is just one of 13 Indiana school districts and 476 districts across the country receiving this prestigious award in 2016.

The Best Communities Music Education (BCME) designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

Districts that have been recognized by the NAMM Foundation are often held up as models for other educators looking to boost their own music education programs.  The BCME award acknowledges the commitment of P-H-M’s music teachers and administrators in the District’s 11 elementary and three middle schools and Penn High School.  One of the reasons why Penn’s music program is so strong is because of the music programs at Discovery, Schmucker and Grissom Middle Schools. All students have the opportunity to choose choir, orchestra or band as an elective starting in 6^th grade. In our elementary schools, music class is part of the regular curriculum following state standards. Students are instructed in both vocal and instrument classes.

Thursday’s ’s news of the BCME award comes as Penn High School’s Jazz I Ensemble is preparing to perform and compete in the prestigious Savannah Jazz Festival competition coming up March 30 – April 1. Penn’s Jazz Ensemble I is just one of 12 high school jazz ensembles to qualify for this event. Penn Jazz I was selected by audition as a finalist and will have the opportunity to work with some of today's best jazz musicians and educators as a part of a three-day workshop and competition.

Penn High School has a Fine Arts & Communication Academy as part of its unique academy structure. The seven academy design provides Penn students with relevant and meaningful coursework taught in smaller, supportive environments where each student is known well by his teacher and peers. Almost of Nearly a third of Penn’s total 3,500 students are enrolled in the Fine Arts Academy with the majority being involved with music programs, either Choir, Orchestra, Band or another music program. Three students were selected to perform as part of the Indiana All-State Choir in January 2016; and 62 students will be traveling to Ireland next week (March 30-April 6, 2016) for performances. Three students participated in the All State Orchestra also in January 2016. The accolades go on and on for Penn’s Fine Arts program … you can read more about them by clicking here. Ticket information for upcoming spring 2016 Fine Arts performances click here. 

About The NAMM Foundation:

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. To qualify for the Best Communities designation, school districts have submit answers to a detailed survey. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.  For more information about the NAMM Foundation or the BCME award, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.

By KAYLA COLE

Penn High School student reporter

Penn High School Robotics Team 135 participated at the Tippecanoe District Event in West Lafayette on March 12.

Being the first competition of the season, there were many ups and downs for Team 135. The robot's performance improved throughout the day as the drivers and the robot adjusted to the game.

At the end of the 76 qualifying matches, Penn’s Team 135 were ranked 11th out of 38 teams, with a win-loss ratio of 7-5.

Team 135 was part of the sixth-seeded alliance that included Team 292 (PantherTech) and Team 447 (Team Roboto).

During the elimination round, Team 135 played its best game, winning with a score of 127 to 117. The fans went crazy as Team 135 lifted the robot up the tower and scored the most scale and challenge points of the competition.

In the next match, Team 135 played well but lost.

Team 135 won Judges’ Award for its robot.

Currently, the team is taking what it has learned from the first event and improving. Sub-teams are now working on an improved robot design, strategy, scouting, and addressing minor details that will point to significant improvement in the future.

Penn’s next competition is at Perry Meridian (March 25, 26, and 27).

A Battle of the Bands concert is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 24.

The concert will feature the bands Ultra Violet and Last Minute.

Thursday’s concert is set to start at 7 p.m. in the studio theater.

Admission for the concert is free.

Applications for admission to the National Honor Society are due to Mrs. Knight in room 240 by 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29.

The application packet can be picked up in room 240, or in the Guidance office.

Applications are being accepted for current juniors only at this time.

Penn High School students excelled at Model United Nations competition on Saturday, March 19, at Michigan State University.