The Dance Choreography Showcase is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, at the Penn High School Center for Performing Arts.

Click here for ticket information.  

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The Penn Debate Team won the Team Sweepstakes at the Chesterton Debate Tournament. Penn Debate has won the last four consecutive meets that they have competed in. 

Penn Debate coach Jeremy Starkweather credited the team’s success to Leadership and the Middle School Debate Program.

“My team captains have shown some of my all-time best leadership skills, and have put in countless hours preparing not just for their performances, but also for our rookies and veteran members alike,” Starkweather said.

In the last two years, Penn Debate has invested in the middle schoolers, hosting an all-PHM District Tournament.

“With the preparations happening at the middle-school level, our team is starting their careers ahead of the game compared to some of the other teams throughout the state,” Starkweather said. 

Penn’s top individual awards at Chesterton:

• 1st place Public Forum: Noah Schafer and Bohdan Kolomiiets

• 1st place Lincoln Douglas: Akul Bhambani

• 2nd place Lincoln Douglas: Sarah Rooney 

• 2nd place World Schools: Noah Shafer, Stanley Liew, and Danielle Esgeuerra 

• 2nd place Novice Policy: Danielle Cilliberti and Addison Schlundt

• 1st place Novice Congress: Selin Biligicer

• 2nd place Novice Congress: Langston Artrip

In the Lincoln Douglas Category, both Akul Bhambani and Sarah Rooney were undefeated. Their match was very close and came down to a tiebreaker round in which Akul Bhambani persevered to the end.

Penn High School Principal Dr. Sean Galiher announced that Matthew Deahl, Jaanavi Kaushik, Stanley Liew and Megan Zhang have been named Rising Stars for the Class of 2025 by the Indiana Association of School Principals.

The Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP) is proud to present the Rising Stars of Indiana Class of 2025. Each Indiana high school was invited to recognize up to four students currently in the 11th grade, based on their academic achievement. The Class of 2025 is surely promised success with these students. 

Please join Penn and the IASP in congratulating these students on all they have already achieved, as well as offering support and encouragement as they continue their accomplishments and expand their knowledge, growth and leadership skills well into the future.

The P-H-M Education Foundation has wrapped up the grant announcements for the 2023-2024 school year; and it’s been a big year with tons of recipients. Walt Disney was the recipient of 12 grants for the combined total of $12,123.04!!!

English teacher Caelea Armstrong partnered with student Akash Singh to apply for $1,000 to purchase basic self-care and hygiene products for students. The money will be used to buy soap, hair products, deodorant, etc., as well as storage containers and distribution bags for students in need. Printed awareness materials, such as posters and other informational materials, will also be paid for out of the funds.

Robotics and Manufacturing teachers Kyle Marsh and Scott Shelhart applied for and received $3,000 for the “Kingsmen Karting through STEM project. Students collaborate with each other to design, manufacture, fabricate, test and evaluate two go-karts. The initiative encourages collaboration and further develop students’ understanding of physics, math and technology.

Penn Art Gallery Curator Jessica Marsh was awarded $1,000 to purchase the necessary materials to start a jewelry program at the high school. Students will be encouraged to submit to Scholastic Arts and Writing competitions while learning a real applicable life skill (related to/uses welding, manufacturing, robotics and other disciplines.)

Early College Biology teacher Toni Boger-May received $1,000 to use in her Integrated Chemistry and Physics classes. Students are required to design, build and refine a device that converts one form of energy into another form of energy. Students will construct a simple AC generator using Neodymium batteries and magnets as well as build dye-sensitized solar cells to harvest sunlight into electricity.

The National Honor Society teacher sponsors Karen Tagliaferri and Lana Ealdama worked with student David Son to write a grant for $610 to purchase five plastic recycling bins for classrooms. NHS plans to increase student awareness of recycling materials in the school. The Foundation is encouraging NHS to look into expanding it to a school-wide recycling program partnering with other clubs/local agencies as necessary.

John Gensic and Amanda Bates were awarded $2,770.70 to purchase MyGardyn 3.0 to cultivate edible plants within Penn to support students facing food insecurity. The funds will also be used to provide hands-on learning experiences for Agriculture Students, Plant Club, Key Club, Environmental Awareness Club and Biology students who will all participate in the growing and harvesting of plants. 

American Sign Language teacher Delicia Huckleberry was awarded $1,577 to buy a second projector for ASL room which will allow student presenters to reference the screen on the other side of the room when presenting. Unlike other presentations, students are not able to reference their presentation slides when doing ASL so the projector will support confidence In student presentations.

Penn also received five EZ Grants:

• $216.34 to purchase fishing equipment and supplies for Penn Fishing Club, “Luring Biodiversity”
• $200 to purchase mobile white boards for students in computer science classrooms
• $249 to purchase new music selections for use at Penn and in demonstrating to 4th and 5th grade students
• $250 to purchase t-shirts for Penn Counselors to wear at school and raise awareness about the Safe School Helpline and Suicide Prevention
• $250 to purchase small gifts, candy, and cards for Penn’s “Random Acts of Kindness Club.” The items will be distributed to students.

This cycle the Foundation Grants Committee awarded $42,819.63 in funding to 15 EZ grants and 20 traditional grants. Click here for the full list of funded grants.

PHMEF has moved to one grant cycle per school year, now moved to the Fall, to allow teachers and schools time to put their grant dollars to good use right away.

Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom traveled across the district to surprise various grant recipients with the good news of their funding amount. Grants awarded this year cover a wide array of innovative programs and activities from $10,000 to Grissom Middle School to purchase keyboards for the music room to milkweed plants for Madison Elementary so the school could attract monarch butterflies.

Click here to see the photo gallery on the District’s website of the check deliveries or click to follow PHMEF’s Facebook page.

Penn High School presents its annual “Sounds of the Season” concert at

• Thursday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 87:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 9, 2 p.m.

Click here to purchase tickets in advance online. Tickets in advance are $6 + a processing fee. But by buying your ticket online, you can pick your seat!

Tickets are available for sale at the Box Office, which opens one hour before the concert begins. Tickets at the box office are $8.00. The Box Office can take cash or card.

Check out the Photo Gallery posted below to get an idea of what a great student production this is. You won’t want to miss it!

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On Friday, December 1, 2023, the Basketball Court inside Penn High Schools Main Arena was officially renamed “Al Rhodes Kingsmen Court” in honor of long time Basketball Coach and Hall of Famer Al Rhodes.

As part of the P-H-M Education Foundation’s Naming Rights Campaign, P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and his wife, Donna Thacker, generously donated $10,000 to have the court to pay homage to former Penn basketball player, turned teacher and coach!

It was a special night for Coach Rhodes, his family, friends and all of the Kingsmen community.

Watch the video below to relive the evening.

Penn High School hosted its annual Showcase for prospective students.

A photo gallery is posted below.

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Penn High School’s National Honor Society held its 2023 Induction Ceremony on Monday, Nov. 20.

A Photo Gallery is posted below.

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