Penn’s DECA business club excelled at the state DECA competition in Indianapolis on March 5.

A total of 37 Penn students qualified for the International Career Development Competition in Orlando, Fla., April 22-25. Students in the Top 4 of their event qualify for Internationals.

Placing first at state for Penn were Chris Chen (Independent Business Plan); Anna Craig, Soha Jahangir, Zoya Turk (Innovation Plan); Faith Bayingana, Chiara Von Eschenbach, Anita Hartland (Integrated Marketing Campaign-Product); Kenna Kelsey, Taylor Little (Integrated Marketing Campaign-Service); Matthew Deahl Stanley Liew (Hospitality Services TDME). 

State results:

Business Services Operations Research: Chole Fischer, Ella Smoker 3rd place

Buying and Merchandising Operations Research: Michael Greenlee, Jude Roach 9th place

Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research: Stanton Barnes, Calum Jessop, Wasi Rasul 2nd Place

Business Growth Plan: Emily Jin 4th place

Franchise Business Plan: Joel Bell, Aadil Qasim: 2nd Place. Jaden Shim, Jayden Wang, Felix Zhang 6th place

Independent Business Plan: Chris Chen 1st place. Elizabeth Eshowsky 4th place

Innovation Plan: Anna Craig, Soha Jahangir, Zoya Turk, 1st place. Amrit Kaur, Cameron Poznanski, Rhea Rakhra 3rd Place. Reese Clark, Elizabeth Huchko, Lillian Norris 6th place.

International Business Plan: Adam Ho, Ali Nasser, Ethan Rendell 5th place. Maria Goffinet, Olivia Nijim, Audrey Wise 6th place

Start-up Business Plan: Sarah Ahmed, Areej Arif, Jennifer Yang 2nd Place

Integrated Marketing Campaign: Larissa Evans, Alexis LeDonne 4th place. Lyla Sharpe, Sophie Sharpe, Angelina Smith 9th place.

Integrated Marketing Campaign-Product: Faith Bayingana, Chiara Von Eschenbach, Anita Hartland 1st Place. Zaina Arain, Avery Ferris, Lucy Salwin 4th place.

Integrated Marketing Campaign-Service: Kenna Kelsey, Taylor Little 1st Place. Mason Botka 3rd Place. Albert Lee, Anthony Wang 6th Place. Ishita Masetty 7th place. Owen Black, Connor Schmitt, David Son 10th place

Hotel and Lodging Management Series: Layla Berry 8th place

Human Resources Management Series: Lana Ealdama 8th place

Restaurant and Food Service Management Series: Ansar Fitwi 6th place

Buying and Merchandising TDME: Ryan Cloonan and Max Scheidler 3rd Place

Entrepreneurship TDME: Ben Doster and Will Tang 2nd Place

Hospitality Services TDME: Matthew Deahl Stanley Liew, 1st Place. 

Marketing Management TDME: Wesley Harper and Nicky Schnabel 2nd Place

Limited tickets are available for the Boys Basketball Semi-State on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at Michigan City.

Click the link for tickets: https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=30952

A sellout is expected.

No. 2 Penn (27-1) plays No. 3 Hammond Central (26-1) at 1 p.m. ET

Fort Wayne Wayne (21-4) plays No. 5 Kokomo (22-4) at 11 a.m. ET in the Semi-state opener.

The Championship Game is set for 8:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Michigan City.

Markus Burton is a University of Notre Dame Class of 2023 signee.

Get to know Markus Burton with this podcast. 

Click here to see the Markus Burton Photo Gallery posted below.

Burton finished his prolific high school career with 2,273 points – ranking him No. 20 on the all-time Indiana High School Boys Basketball Scoring Leaders List.

Burton is the first Boys Basketball player in the rich hoops history of St. Joseph County to surpass the 2,000-point mark, owning both the County and Penn High School all-time scoring records.

He led Penn in scoring (30.3 ppg), rebounding (5.7 rpg), assists (5.1) and steals (3.6).

Here is a highlight video of Markus Burton starring in a summer showcase with victories against the past two state champions, Indianapolis Cathedral and Carmel.

Here is a highlight video of Markus Burton rallying Penn from a 20-point deficit to a victory against No. 6 Zionsville this season.

Here is a WHME interview & highlights after Markus Burton led Penn to a victory against No. 1 (3-A) Marian. Burton set the all-time Penn career scoring record in that game.

Click here for a story/video of Burton becoming the all-time leading scorer for Penn High School Boys Basketball.

Burton also owns the Penn single-season scoring record with 908 points.

Worth noting:

•     Leads state in scoring 30.3 points a game
•     Leads Penn in scoring (30.3 ppg), rebounding (5.9 rpg), assists (5.1 apg) and steals (3.8 spg)
•     First scorer in St. Joseph County to reach 2,000 points
•     All-time leading scorer for Penn & St. Joseph County
•     IHSAA Sportsmanship Award winner
•     Penn 28-2 (ranked No. 2 in the state) in the 2022-2023 season
•     Scored in double-figures in 57 consecutive games
•     Career-high 47 points vs. South Bend Washington

To download a high res image of the pictures below, click on the image, and then click the “DOWNLOAD” button.

Penn High School hosted a Robotics competition on Saturday, March 4, and Sunday, March 5, 2023.

Penn Robotics Team 135 and Team 328 competed in the event.

A photo gallery is posted below.

Congrats to Penn Girls Basketball Coach Kristi Ulrich on being named head coach of the Indiana Girls Basketball All-Star Team.

Ulrich has a 312-50 record at Penn, and coached the Kingsmen to a state title in 2016.

The All-Star Girls-Boys Teams play a doubleheader against Kentucky set for Owensboro, Ky. (June 9) & at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (June 10).

Mahima Vinay, junior, was announced on Thursday as one of 4 Gold Winners in the state in the Indiana Music Educators Association 2022 Composition Competition. Her piece “Anadromous Salmon” for String Quartet won along with two other high school compositions and 1 collegiate composition.

The Penn Orchestra will be performing her piece at our Spring Concert on April 19 and awarding her the IMEA plaque. Her piece is also featured on the IMEA Composition Competition website: https://imea.memberclicks.net/composition-competition-winners-2022

She also won a Silver rating for her piano piece, “The Night’s Rolling Waves”.

If you are interested, please email Varsity Coach Rita Szweda at rszweda@phm.k12.in.us to be added to the tryout list and provided with tryout information.

The state of Indiana replaced ISTEP testing with the school day SAT as a measure of accountability at the high school level. All 11th-grade students will take the school-day SAT Exam on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

Attendance for the test at Penn High School is extremely important. A qualifying score on the SAT satisfies one of three graduation pathway requirements for high school students, and can lead to merit scholarships for trade schools, community colleges, four-year colleges/universities, and more. We want our students to perform well in order to experience these benefits for their future endeavors. Please review the logistical details below for the modified day on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. A light breakfast will be provided for all students prior to testing.

Students in Grades 9, 10, and 12:

This will be an e-Learning day. Seniors who attend programs such as the EACC, Building Trades, Cadet teaching, & etc. should report to them at their regular time.

Students in Grade 11:

All Juniors should report to Penn High School for testing. Juniors who attend the EACC, Building Trades, Cadet Teaching, etc. will be excused from those programs in order to test.

SAT School Day Schedule for ALL JUNIORS:

• 8–8:25 a.m.: Students report to assigned test room
• 8:25-9 a.m.: Test Instructions, Collection of electronic devices
• 9–10:05 a.m.: Section 1 – Reading Test (65 minutes)
• 10:05–10:15 a.m.: 10 Minute Break – Snack time
• 10:20–10:55 a.m.: Section 2 – Writing & Language Test (35 minutes)
• 11–11:25 a.m.: Section 3 – Math Test – No Calculator (25 minutes)
• 11:25–11:30 a.m.: 5 minute Break
• 11:35 a.m.–12:30 p.m.: Section 4 – Math Test – with Calculator (55 minutes)
• 12:30 – 1 p.m.: Test Material Collection
• 1 p.m.: Dismissal for students whose parents have completed the Google Form that was emailed to parents/guardians
• 1-1:30 p.m.: Lunch
• 1:35 – 3:17 p.m.: Study Hall

Please be aware that students who have extended time accommodations for testing will have a longer test day and finish testing at approximately 2:30 p.m. The school will provide a sack lunch for these students.

If you have questions about this schedule or need to request an alternate test date, please contact Mr. Hall in the Testing Office. He can be reached via email at dhall@phm.k12.in.us or by phone at 574-258-9507. Make up dates are established by the IDOE and are currently planned for March 2-3, and April 12-13, 2023.

If you are the parent of a junior who will be taking the SAT on March 1, please be aware of the following:

1. The SAT comes with a Student Questionnaire that includes demographic questions and the opportunity to send student scores to colleges. One item is required while all other items are optional. Penn High School asks that parents read and complete this important Consent Form by Friday, Feb. 17, which will allow your student to participate in the entire questionnaire.
2. If you wish for your student to be dismissed at the completion of testing, please complete the Early Release Form that was emailed to parents/guardians. Standard time students will be dismissed at 1 p.m. at the earliest. Extended time students may be dismissed at 2:40 at the earliest.

A photo gallery of the Jazz Band rehearsal for the Evening of Jazz concert at St. Mark’s Church on Feb. 10, 2023, is below. The event is sold out.

Friday, January 20, 2023 will go down in “Penn History Books.” It was a sell-out crowd at the Palace, all there to for two reasons:

1. to see the Kingsmen (No. 2 in 4A) beat rival, No. 1 (Class 3-A) ranked Marian; and
2. to see senior point guard Markus Burton beat Penn’s All-time Scoring Record.

The atmosphere was electrifying! Watch the video below of the starting line up.

The anticipation had been building for a few weeks as Markus was hitting bucket after bucket, averaging  29.7 points a game (the State leader according to MaxPreps). And Markus and his fellow Kingsmen teammates lived up to the hype!

Going into the game, the Notre Dame commit needed just 11 points to tie (12 to break) Noah Applegate’s All-time Scoring Record of 1,709 points set in 2019 (the previous scoring record of 1,413 points set in 1964 by Keith Berkey). The packed student section, a couple hundred students deep, were on the their feet from before the beginning of the game anxiously counting down each shot Markus made until he broke the record. The students erupted in cheers as Markus came closer and closer to breaking the record with each shot. 

Finally the big moment happened in the second quarter. Markus stole the ball, drove the court and swooped in for a lay-up for the record-setting basket giving him points 11 and 12 pushing him into the Penn Athletic record books as Penn’s All-time Scoring Leader. Click the image below to watch the video of the record-breaking shot.

After that, the Palace (at least Penn fans) took a collective sigh of relief—for at least that milestone portion of the game. The stakes were still high. Coach Rhodes, the senior Kingsmen players, heck all the players, students, parents, and Penn fans wanted to beat Marian, who have beaten Penn the last eight times. All of Kingsmen Nation wanted the win, and the Kingsmen didn’t disappoint.

The Kingsmen took command early and kept up the attack. Markus proved once again why he’s a top candidate for Indy Star’s Mr. Basketball! Markus eventually racked up a total of 32 points, five assists and four steals, finishing the January 20^th game with a  total of 1,730 points.

Trey Miller scored 11 points for the Kingsmen against Marian.

Joe Smith scored eight points and had five assists.

Dominic Bonner scored six points, Joey Garwood scored five points.

Penn outrebounded Marian 32-13 and owned an 11-2 edge in second-chance points.

Penn pounced on Marian early, taking a 16-7 lead after the first quarter. Penn’s biggest lead was a 17-point margin, 53-36.

PENN 66: Joey Garwood 5, Markus Burton 32, Joe Smith 8, Josh Gatete 2, Dylan Derda 2, Trey Miller 11, Dominic Bonner 6, Ethan Good 0, Mookie Ward 0, Maverick Brown 0.

Marian 52: Deaglan Sullivan 15, Dareon Thornton 7, Paxan Sullivan 0, Zion Rhoades 0, William Oweens 10, Jackson Price 11, Jackson Horvath 0, Ben Warnell 2, Thomas Murphy 0, Jordan Maust 0, Grant Mishler 0, Elias Norgaard 7.

PENN             16        15        22        13 – 66

Marian            7          15        16        14 – 52

Three-pointers: PENN 7 (Markus Burton 3, Trey Miller 2, Joey Garwood 1, Joe Smith 1), Marian 4 (Price 3, Thornton 1).

Penn’s student section went wild, albeit somewhat constrained. The students held off storming the court until Penn Principal Sean Galiher gave the students the final OK. Once on the court, the students celebrated with the each other and the team, hoisting Markus onto their shoulders chanting MVP, MVP, MVP! Watch the videos below of the different perspectives of this memorable night.

Click the image below to watch the aerial view of the students storming the court.

So if you missed this monumental night, don’t despair you’ll probably get at least another chance, maybe a couple … Markus isn’t done yet! After Penn’s win over St. Joseph Tuesday, Jan. 24 (where he was recognized with his parent’s before the start of the game as Penn’s new All-time Leading Scorer), Markus now sits at 1,809 points!

Markus is on track now to become All-time Leading Scorer for St. Joseph County beating out his soon-to-be Notre Dame teammate, former St. Joseph player J.R. Konieczny. His record of 1,996 points was set between 2017-2021. Markus is 188 points away from breaking this record, and 191 points shy of the 2,000-mark, which has never been achieved by a St. Joseph County Boys Basketball Player—that includes athletes selected in last year’s NBA Draft, Jaden Ivey (Pistons) and Blake Wesley (Spurs).

At his current pace and averaging 29.7 points a game, it’s very possible Markus could set both records at Elkhart (Feb. 17), or at home against Mishawaka (Feb. 21). 

It could happen sooner, Markus scored 44 points on Jan. 24^th against St. Joe, Penn winning 86-69. That shooting record just projected Markus into first in the state in scoring.

Penn students and fans, you’ll want to make sure to catch as many games as you can if you want to continue to watch history! And hopefully, Markus Burton will become Penn’s first Mr. Basketball and the second in South Bend area’s history. Dave Magley, LaSalle High School, won in 1978, who went on to play for Kansas and was a 2^nd round draft pick in 1982 for the Cleveland Cavaliers.