The Penn Intermediate Jazz Ensemble, Advanced Jazz Ensemble and Kaleidoscope Jazz Combo all delivered excellent performances at the “Jazz in the Meadows” festival in Chicago. They also had the opportunity to receive feedback from a world-class panel of clinicians.

The Advanced Jazz Ensemble won the runner-up award in Class 4-A (largest schools). 

Penn’s school musical this year is “The Music Man.”

You won’t want to miss Penn’s talented student performers as they act out the play that follows fast-talking traveling salesman, Harold Hill, as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band that he vows to organize – this, despite the fact that he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef!

This year’s musical also includes the talents of a few P-H-M elementary and middle school students:

• Mary Cortes, 5th grade, Prairie Vista Elementary School
• Maxwell MacMillan, 5th grade, Mary Frank Elementary School
• Anniston Steele, 7th grade, Grissom Middle School
• Ezra Carrico, Katherine Hawkins, Benjamin Robertson and Noah Rohde, all in 8th grade, Schmucker Middle School

Click here to see the playbill.

This isn’t the first year Penn’s musicals have included students from younger grades. In 2016, younger students also participated in “Mary Poppins.” But this is the first year in recent memory to have this many!

Visit bit.ly/PennMusicMan to purchase tickets.

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The National High School Strength Coaches Association (NHSSCA) named Penn Strength and Conditioning Coach Matt Cates the 2024 National Coach of the Year!

Last February Coach Cates was named the 2023 Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year. In 2020, he became the State Director of NHSSCA for Indiana. In January 2022, Penn’s Strength and Conditioning program led by Coach Cates was awarded with a NHSSCA Program of Excellence School designation!

Coach Cates’ enthusiasm and dedication working with student-athletes has made him one of the most popular people at Penn High School. Coach Cates builds lasting relationships with students bringing out the best in them. He is a great motivator, making videos in 2021 to help students cope with the pandemic. Click to watch some of his videos on PHM’s TikTok account. At the start of the 2023-2024 school year, he was one of the teachers who spoke at the Freshman Class Meeting welcoming 9th graders to Penn. He got the biggest round of applause, even from the freshmen! Click to see the pictures.

Cates was chosen from four finalists. The award is given each year to a high school Strength Coach based on their achievements and contributions to their school community. Click here for more information on the award.

Coach Cates will be honored this summer at the national conference in Dallas as NHSSCA’s 2024 National Coach of the Year!

The 2024 FIN Mishawaka FRC District Event will once again be held at Penn High School March 1st – 3rd (open to the public on Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3). The event will be held in Penn’s Main Arena. See below for a daily schedule:

Saturday, March 2

• 10:30 – 11:00 a.m., Opening Ceremonies
• 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Qualifying Matches (No matches during Lunch, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.)

Sunday, March 3

• 9:30 – 10:00 a.m., Opening Ceremonies
• 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Qualifying Matches
• 12:30 – 1:00 p.m., Alliance Selections
• 1:00 – 2:00 p.m., Lunch
• 2:00 – 5:00 p.m., Playoff Matches & Awards Ceremony

Click here for the detailed daily schedule.

For elementary aged children, there’s also the Next Gen event from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The event will be upstairs–above Penn’s Main Arena–in the Fitness Center. This event is open to all children, not just P-H-M students. Children have the opportunity to do hands-on STEM activities, even operate a robot! Click here for pictures from last year’s event.

This year’s game is CRESCENDO^SM presented by Haas; click here to view a video about the game. FIRST^© Robotics Competition teams will use their STEM skills and creative power to turn up the volume as they design, build, and program their robots for action-packed game play. Watch the game animation to inspire ideas.

During our 2023-2024 arts-inspired robotics season, FIRST^® IN SHOW^SM presented by Qualcomm, FIRST Robotics teams will celebrate the roles STEM skills play in the arts and design, and how these skills help build a world of endless possibilities for students. Click here to learn more about FIRST^® IN and the District event being held at Penn High School.

• Cyril Meacham – Gold
• Emma Clark – Silver Eric Rauschenberg – Gold WITH DISTINCTION
• Jackson Mead – Gold
• Justin Meacham – Gold WITH DISTINCTION 
• Lauren Brock – Gold 
• Lucas Robertson – Gold 
• Madison Raper – Gold WITH DISTINCTION 
• Mars Slavinskas – Gold 
• Robertson Barbershop Ensemble (Lucas Robertson, Locke Simpson, Justin Meacham, Carson Flynn) – Gold WITH DISTINCTION 

Penn’s Intermediate Jazz Ensemble and Advanced Jazz Ensemble excelled at the Bethel University Festival of Jazz on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

The Penn Advanced Jazz Ensemble won the “Top Band” award for the festival. Multiple outstanding soloists were recognized, including Aidan Wise on trumpet, Colin Carter on tenor sax, Keyin Hackett on bari sax, and Mahima Vinay on vocals.

Both groups were selected to perform at the Finale Concert featuring the top four bands from throughout the day.

Penn High School Teacher Danielle Black, an Early College Academy Leader & Dual Credit Speech teacher, has received the 3rd Annual President’s Award for Excellence in Dual Credit Instruction from Ivy Tech!

As defined by the IDOE, Dual Credit is defined by: courses in which high school students have the opportunity to earn both high school and college credits simultaneously. Dual Credit classes are an exceptional way for students to advance their academic achievement and save money by completing college classes while still in high school.

About the award:

“President’s Award recipients representing all nineteen Ivy Tech campuses are nominees for the 2024 Statewide Award for Excellence in Dual Credit Instruction, presented annually to honor Ivy Tech’s most outstanding dual credit instructor statewide … The President’s Award recognition is one of the most important awards for Ivy Tech, allowing us to recognize and honor our most treasured asset–the College’s outstanding faculty.”

Mrs. Black is one of 19 recipients, each representing all 19 Ivy Tech campuses. This makes her a nominee for the 2024 Statewide Award for Excellence in Dual Credit Instruction, presented annually to honor Ivy Tech’s most outstanding dual credit instructor statewide.

The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony in June.

About Mrs. Black:

“As the Early College Academy Leader, Danielle oversees 24 teachers from multiple content areas and levels of experience. She works closely with the (best) Ivy Tech College Connections Coach to ensure the individual goals of each of our students are met. Mrs. Black collaborates with the Leadership Team consistently, serving as a bridge between teachers and administration. She collaborates with other teacher leaders to develop and implement professional development to staff on a variety of topics, ranging from formative assessment and feedback to impactful questioning strategies. I get the pleasure of watching her act out what she teaches as she is thoughtful and intentional in curricular and non-curricular decision-making.” – Penn Associate Principal, Rachel Fry

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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