The Indiana General Assembly honored the outstanding achievements from the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation on Monday, January 29. Three resolutions authored by State Sen. Joe Zakas (R-Granger) recognized P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker, Penn High School Girls Soccer Coach Jeff Hart and Penn Band Director Glenn Northern for their recent accomplishments.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 21 honored Dr. Thacker for being named 2017 Outstanding Educator by the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents. Dr. Thacker also received this award in 2013. He has received a number of other awards, as well, including Indiana Superintendent of the Year in 2012. The award honors Dr. Thacker for his successful oversight of 15 schools with an enrollment of nearly 11,200 students. P-H-M has consistently been named an “A” rated school district and ranks among the state’s Top 4% of Hoosier public school districts.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 22 congratulated the Penn’s Girls Soccer team for winning their second straight Class 3A state championship. They defeated the Guerin Catholic High School girls team 2-0 for the title. The remarkable Penn team completed the 2017 season ranked first in the nation, as well. Coach Jeff Hart was present at the Statehouse to receive the recognition on behalf of the team’s student-athletes.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 23 honored Kingsmen Band Director & Fine Arts Academy Leader Glenn Northern on receiving the 2018 Outstanding Music Educator of the Year from the Indiana Music Educator Association. Northern arrived at P-H-M in 2001 and he directs more than 450 students in four concert bands, three jazz ensembles, two percussion classes, pit orchestra, pep band, marching band and five winter guards! P-H-M has been recognized as one of the “Best Communities for Music Education” by the National Association of Music Merchants due in great part to Northern’s work.

“It is fitting for the General Assembly to honor these tremendous achievements and to recognize them on a statewide basis,” Senator Zakas said.

State Sen. Ryan Mishler (R-Bremen) and State Sen. David Niezgodski (D-South Bend) also served as sponsors of the resolutions. Rep. Dale DeVon (R-Granger) served as the principal sponsor in the Indiana House of Representatives.

One of Penn High School's defending Sectional Wrestling Champs Evan Light is 22-8 this year, 72-22 overall. And on January 27, he'll go for another Sectional Championship title. But what makes Evan so outstanding and worthy of a #PHMExcellence spotlight is that he's achieved these accomplishments DESPITE losing his feet in a devastating accident. As you can see in the Excellence Happens Here video below, Evan has already overcome his biggest challenge …

Click to see more Excellence Happens Here videos about Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation

First Tech Challenge (FTC) is the third phase of the FIRST robotics program. It's way more than robots. FTC teams are challenged to design, build, program, and fabricate the robot to compete in tournaments. Penn FTC Robotics has been around since 2012 with only two teams. Currently, there are five FTC teams: Team 4600: B1nary B0ts, Team 4601: Beta Bots, Team 6360: Brazen Bots, Team 12091: Bermuda Bots, Team 12092: Bravo Bots.

Last Saturday, the five FTC teams traveled to Elkhart Memorial to compete in their first tournament. As a result, B1nary B0ts won the most prestigious award, the Inspire Award. The Inspire Award goes to the team that embodies the ‘challenge’ of the FTC program and qualifies them for the state tournament. They are strong ambassadors for the FIRST program.

The next competition is in Lafayette, Indiana.Thirty-three teams, including five from Penn, will fight for the limited spots for the state tournament.

Twelve students will represent Penn High School in the Indiana State Debate Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 27.

Bowen Ashenfelter, Nick Casetti, Daoud Haque, Payton Holland, Lyvia Li, Tina Lu, Michael Riley, Nick Sergeant, Curtis Whitt, Renee Yaseen, Sufyan Zackariya and Emily Zimmer will be competing for State honors.

The Penn Debate team competed this past weekend at the District Debate tournament.

Michael Riley placed third (and was named first runner-up to go to Nationals) in Lincoln-Douglas debate. Nick Casetti and Renee Yaseen placed fourth (and were named second runner-up to go Nationals) in policy debate. Tina Lu and Lyvia Li placed 7th in policy debate. Emily Zimmer placed seventh in the District Congress tournament.

Dawn Troyer and Jeremy Starkweather are the Debate coaches.

Penn High School students and programs were the stars of the show at Monday night’s Board meeting (Jan. 22, 2018). Every year, the Board chooses a few schools to hold their Board meetings. The school meeting sites are a way for the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees to not only visit the schools, but to also give the schools a chance to highlight their successes.

As Board Members and guests arrived for the meeting, they were treated to Penn’s Jazz Jazz Combo, under the direction of Mr. Lavon Oke. The group recently received the "Judges Award" (third place) at the Purdue Jazz Festival.

With the help of Board President Chris Riley, STEM Academy/Biology teacher Andrew Warner demonstrated the school’s virtual reality unit that he uses in his classroom with students. President Riley travelled from outer space to Paris and climbed the Eiffel Tower all while never leaving Penn’s IMC!

Penn Principal Sean Galiher also asked students to present on the value of the dozens of Clubs offered at Penn.

More than half of Penn’s approximate 3,700 students take courses within Penn Fine Arts. Academy Leader Glenn Northern updated the Board on some of the recent accomplishments of Fine Arts Students:

• Penn High School students excelled in the Scholastic Art Awards, which is the largest Art competition in the nation. Penn students received 13 Gold Key Awards, 16 Silver Key Awards, and 25 Honorable Mentions.
• Two students have been invited to perform in the 2018 Carneige Hall Honors Performance Series National Youth Orchestra.
• The Penn Orchestra will be performing and participating in a recording soundtrack workshop at Disney World in April, 2018.
• Symphonic Winds placed 7th in the Indiana State Concert Band Finals in 2017.

    
   

Mr. Northern himself was recognized by the Board for his recent award for 2018 Outstanding High School Music Educator of the Year by the Indiana Music Educator Association Board, as well as Penn Softball Coach Beth Zachary for being named 2016-2017 Central Sectional Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Penn’s Wrestling Team overpowered South Bend Adams, 64-12, on Thursday, Jan. 18.

Noah Brown’s pin in :37 highlighted the Kingsmen effort.

Penn winners

106: Hunter Boynton, 11-4 decision.

113: Evan Light, win by forfeit.

120: Vince Sparrow, technical fall.

126: Nate Hadary, pin in 2:59.

132: Jai Pant, 9-7 decision.

145: Jeffrey Harper, pin in 2:35.

152: Austin Heater, pin in 3:24.

160: Noah Brown, pin in :37.

170: Max Chaffee, technical fall.

220: Adam Berta, win by forfeit

285: Hezzy DeVault, pin in 4:16.

Penn overcame a 10-point deficit in the first half, but the Kingsmen were unable to erase another double-digit deficit in the second half as South Bend St. Joseph posted a 67-58 victory against the Kingsmen on Friday, Jan. 19.

Drew Lutz scored 15 points to lead Penn.

Noah Applegate scored 13 points.

Noah Krathwohl scored 12 point.

Kegan Hoskins scored nine points.

PENN  58: Drew Lutz 15, Drew Schneider 3, Beau Ludwick 6, Luke Carlton 0, Noah Applegate 13, Noah Krathwohl 12, Kegan Hoskins 9.

St. Joseph: Joel Strangebye 2, Brady Powers 23, Phillip Robles 9, Hunter West 16, J.R. Konieczny 6, Adam O’Dell 2, Ben Terry 3, Alex Mossey 6.

Three-pointers: PENN 1 (Drew Lutz 1), St. Joseph 9 (Powers 3, West 3, Konieczny 2, Robles 1).

The Penn High School Jazz Combo, under the direction of Mr. Lavon Oke, received the "Judges Award" (third place) at the Purdue Jazz Festival on Saturday, Jan. 20.

The prestigious Purdue Jazz Festival is the largest Jazz Festival in Indiana.

David Richards was also awarded a $200 scholarship to the Indiana University Summer Music Clinic as an Outstanding Soloist.

Penn Jazz Combo members are Ashton Hershberger, Matt Long, Chris Mazurek, Chase Murray, Brian Oke, Santiago Retzloff, and David Richards.

Penn High’s Girls Wrestling Team repeated as the Indiana High School Girls Wrestling State Championship in the second season for the event, outdistancing the state finals field at Lawrence North High School on Friday, Jan. 19.

Penn placed first with 193 points to claim the 2018 State Crown. Hamilton Heights placed second with 64 points. Lafayette Jefferson was third with 59 points.

Penn boasted four individual state champions — Jaden Johnson (88), Madison Burke (152), Aiesha Helepa (170) and Andelisia Henry (220).

Penn results

88: Jaden Johnson, 1st.

106: Eryn Benak, 5th.

126: Anjali Pant, 3rd.

132: Olivia Nixon, 8th.

138: Grace Selis, 4th; Emily Spitaels, 7th; Karmyn Pollock, 8th.

145: Emma Ringer, 5th; Autumn Hale, 6th; Ashley Benak, 7th

152: Madison Burke, 1st.

160: Amanda Feder, 2nd.

170: Aiesha Helepa, 1st

182: Sadie Kunze, 7th

195: Katie Selis, 4th.

220: Andelisia Henry, 1^st

​

The Penn Girls Basketball Team wrapped up the Northern Indiana Conference Championship with a 33-31 victory at South Bend St. Joseph on Thursday, Jan. 18.

Penn is 11-0 in the NIC, and 20-1 overall.

Sara Doi led the Kingsmen with 15 points.

Tia Chambers and Jordyn Smith added seven points each in Penn’s victory.

The Kingsmen look to complete a perfect NIC season when next week they face Mishawaka at home on Thursday, Jan. 25, for senior night.