Penn opened the Volleyball State Tournament with a 25-7, 25-12, 25-9 victory against South Bend Adams in the Class 4-A South Bend Clay Sectional on Thursday, Oct. 12. 

Penn (29-4) advances to the Semifinal round to play at noon on Saturday, Oct. 14. 

Italia Fields and Rachel Rupert blasted 11 kills each. 

Alyssa Torres had eight kills. 

Naomi Willis dished out 33 assists. 

Rachel Hickey had 16 digs, Julia Beers 14, and Sophia Cruz 10 digs.

Penn High School Biology Teacher John Gensic was recognized today among Indiana’s finalists for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the nation's highest honor math, science and computer science teachers. This is the second time Mr. Gensic has received this great honor; he was a state PAEMST finalist last year as well. 

Mr. Gensic, 2016 P-H-M Teacher of the Year and Top 10 Finalist for 2017 Indiana Teacher of the Year, is now in contention to win the national award.  His application will move on to the U.S. Department of Education for the next round of selection. 

National winners receive:

• A certificate signed by the President of the United States.
• A paid trip for two to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities.
• A $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.

In addition to recognizing outstanding teaching in mathematics or science, the program provides teachers with an opportunity to build lasting partnerships with colleagues across the nation. Since 1983, more than 4,100 teachers have been recognized.

Need help with your science or math homework?

“Ask Rose,” Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology’s Homework Hotline is a free service with student-tutors available Sundays – Thursdays, 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

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Penn High School Theatre Instructor Crystal Ryan looked over an English class reading list supplied to her by English Instructor and fellow actor Michael Coffee, and immediately spotted what would be an ideal play for October.

The Penn High School Fine Arts Department will present “Jane Eyre” on Thursday, Oct. 12, and Friday, Oct. 13, in the Studio Theatre. The play is slated to start at 7 p.m. on both nights. Cost is $5 and may be purchased online at www.ticketracker.com or at the door.

“Jane Eyre is a Gothic love story!” Ryan said. “Be ready for ghosts, eerie shadows, fantastic lights and a soundscape that might make you jump in your seat a little!”

Ryan read through several adaptations of “Jane Eyre” and then chose a version by Thomas Hischak to challenge her students.

“The major reason I found this version so enticing was the 90-minute run time, combined with its intrinsically dramatic feel,” Ryan said. “The script calls for three different Janes. One as a young girl, one as a young woman, and one who is a mature woman looking back at the past. These three Janes even interact with one another.”

Ryan said that working with Penn’s students on the play has been a rewarding experience.

“One thing I am most proud of is the incredible work ethic of our students that matches some professionals I have worked with outside of Penn,” Ryan said. “The show has student technicians, designers, and performers, but some have also even done things such as design our posters and the cover for our programs.”

Cast

Jane Eyre: Kala Key

Jane: Caroline Carrier

Young Jane: Katie Byers

Mrs. Reed: Cali Katzenberger

Georgiana, Girl at Lowood, Girl at Morton: Madison Lacy

 Eliza, Girl at Lowood, Girl at Morton: Paige Mihalick

 The Ghost of Mr. Reed, Rev Wood: Easton Meyer

 Mr. Brocklehurst: Dawson Best

Miss Temple, Leah: Jessica O’Brien

 Miss Miller, Bertha Rochester: Deborah Arnett

 Helen Burns, Girl at Morton: Jasmine White

 Bessie, Lady Ingram: Sky Taylor

 Mrs. Fairfax: Sam Grocock

 Mr. Rochester: Ian Janowsky

 Grace Poole: Emmalee McConnell

Adele, Girl at Lowood: Melody Shimba

 Blanche Ingram, Girl at Morton: McKenna Yankel

 Mary Ingram, Marie Rivers: Angie Ramirez

 Richard Mason: Kenny Collymore-Williams

 St. John Rivers: Monte Teeple

 Diane Rivers, Lady Guest: Logan Pritchett
 

By GARRETT WENZEL

Defending State Champion Penn Girls Soccer started its run at a repeat by defeating South Bend Adams, 6-0, in Class 3-A Sectional action on Thursday, Oct. 5.

Allie Lankowicz and the Kingsmen struck quickly. Lankowicz scored off an assist from Maya Locognato in the fourth minute to put the Kingsmen up 1-0.

Kristina Lynch would get a hat trick in a seven-minute span to put the Kingsmen up 4-0 by the 25th minute.

Molly McLaughlin had all three assists in Lynch's scoring flurry.

Mary Kaczynski scored on an assist from Maya Locognato in the 36th minute to put the Kingsmen up 5-0.

Lauren Cernak scored of an assist from Kristina Lynch in the 47th minute to give the Kingsmen their final 6-0 margin.

Penn seniors Brandon Stahl, Micah Craig, and Daniel Gries were named First-Team All-Northern Indiana in Boys Soccer.

Seniors Sammy Atkins and Evan Mercurio were named Second Team All-NIC. Junior Dorian Clayton was named honorable mention. 

The Penn Kingsmen ended the season with an NIC record of 9-1.

By PATRICK WHITEHEAD

Penn Volleyball will open sectional play on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 6 p.m. against South Bend Adams in the Class 4-A Sectional at South Bend Clay.

Penn finished the regular season 28-4 and the Kingsmen are ranked No. 11 in the state.

After the Penn vs Adams match, Mishawaka will take on Riley to wrap up Session 2 on Thursday, Oct. 12.

Semifinal action is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 14, at Clay. The first match starts at 11 a.m. as Plymouth will face the winner of the LaPorte-Clay match. After that, the winner of the Adams vs. Penn match and the Mishawaka-Riley match face off. 

The Championship Match is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, at Clay.

By GARRETT WENZEL

Penn's Kingsmen celebrated Senior Night in 2017 by capturing a share of the Program's 36th Northern Indiana Conference Championship and seventh in a row. The Kingsmen beat Elkhart Central 47-3 to clinch a share of the NIC North Division crown on Friday, Oct. 6. Penn can win the title outright in the season finale with a victory at Mishawaka on Friday, Oct. 13.

Hunter Whitlow scored on a 2-yard run on Penn's first drive to put the Kingsmen on top 7-0. 

Ryan Whiteman scored from the two as Penn built a 14-0 halftime lead.

Camryn Szynski ignited a huge second-half for the Kingsmen with 23-yard Pick-6 for a Kingsmen TD.

Whitlow scored his second TD of the night on the next possesion for the Kingsmen, a 10-yard run to put the Kingsmen up 27-0.

Zach Usenick made a sensational over-the-shoulder catch on a pass from Ryan Lynch for a 37-yard TD.

Trenton Horvath added touchdowns of 60 yards and two yards to complete the Kingsmen scoring.

Penn is 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the NIC North.

By GARRETT WENZEL

Sammy Atkins scored a header goal off assists from Micah Craig and Hayden Hurn with 19 seconds left to stun South Bend Riley, 2-1, and lift Penn to the Championship of the South Bend Boys Soccer Sectional on Saturday, Oct. 7. It was the seventh consecutive Sectional Championship for Penn and the 11th overall.

Atkins struck in the 36th minute off an assist from Hurn to give Penn a 1-0 lead.

The Kingsmen, 15-1-2, play Goshen at 10:30 a.m. in the Merrillville Regional on Saturday, Oct. 14. The Penn-Goshen winner plays the Lake Central-Crown Point winner at 7:30 p.m. for the Regional title.

By GARRETT WENZEL

No. 1-ranked Penn fought through a torrential downpour most of the game and overpowered LaPorte, 7-0, to capture the Class 3-A Sectional Championship on Saturday, Oct. 7. The Kingsmen own the state's best Sectional Championship winning streak, owning 11 Sectional Championships in a row.

Kristina Lynch ignited the Kingsmen attack off an assist from Lauren Cernak in the seventh minute.

Allie Lankowicz sliced through the LaPorte defense for a goal in the 19th minute.

Lynch scored her second goal in the 38th minute to give Penn a 3-0 lead.

Lynch wrapped up the hat trick one minute later, scoring in the 39th minute.

Molly McLaughlin scored off an assist from Lynch to put the Kingsmen up 5-0 in the 44th minute.

Brooke VanDyck scored in the 45th minute as the Kingsmen built their lead to 6-0.

VanDyck scores her second goal in the 48th minute to put the Kingsmen up 7-0.

Penn is (19-0-1) and plays Northridge at noon on Saturday, Oct. 14, at South Bend's Tallman/Beyrer Field in the Class 3-A Regional. The Penn-Northridge winner plays the Munster-Chesterton winner at 7 p.m. for the Regional Championship.