2024 Hair Donation Event Doubles Previous Year
Penn student club Short Hair Because We Care event, held on Saturday, Nov. 16, had it’s largest turnout yet!
In all 66 people showed up at the event and donated their hair–695 inches worth! Click to see the photo gallery below. This year’s turnout was double what was collected in 2023. There were so many people a few of the stylists from Salon Nouveau stayed over an hour-and-half to make sure everyone was able to donate. Last year 33 people donated a total of 334 inches (click to see last year’s photos).
Anyone in the community, men, women, children, can donate their hair, but a minimum of 8 inches is required. The donated hair is sent to the Children With Hair Loss organization.
To get the word out on the event, the students promoted it to students within Penn, on social media, and even had media coverage! Click here to see.
This annual event was started in 2019-2020 by a group of students when they were in 7th grade at Grissom Middle School.
“It started as something that students could give, that wouldn’t be money or something they wouldn’t have control over being young students, but everyone can donate their hair, so that’s why we started it: to give everyone an opportunity to serve even if they don’t have other resources,” Ella Smoker Class of 2024. Click to see the WNDU-TV’s story from November 2023.
Penn students share the stage with “The Piano Guys”
Eight Penn student violinists performed with The Piano Guys on Thursday, November 14th at the Blue Gate Performing Arts Center in Shipshewana for an audience of nearly 1,300 people!
Our Kingsmen got a resounding round of applause & praise. Take a listen …
Penn Spell Bowl Team Wins State Runners-up
Penn High School #25, U.S. News 2025 “Best High Schools” ranking
U.S. News and World Report released its “Best Schools” rankings for K-8 public schools by state.
Out of Indiana’s 395 Indiana public high schools Penn was ranked #25!
They also ranked the best public elementary and middle schools. For Indiana, 1,000 elementary schools were ranked.
Several P-H-M’s elementary schools are at the top of the list:
- Northpoint #1 in Indiana
- Prairie Vista #2 in Indiana
- Horizon #19
- Mary Frank #32
- Bittersweet #56
- Moran #163
- Madison #200
- Elm Road #205
- Elsie Rogers #393
- Meadow’s Edge #239
P-H-M’s middle schools were also recognized:
- Discovery #3 in Indiana
- Schmucker #40
2024 Penn Showcase set for Monday, Dec. 2
Penn High School’s exceptional learning opportunities and programs will be on display for prospective and current students at the 2024 Penn High School Showcase, 6-8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 2nd (Snow Date Tuesday, Dec. 3rd).
Penn is a recipient of the Indiana Department of Education in College Readiness Award and is ranked No. 1 in Indiana for students earning College Credentials.
Incoming Freshman click here for additional details.
Sophomore Scheduling information click here.
The Showcase allows incoming Freshmen (current Eighth Graders) and prospective move-ins, along with their families, to have the opportunity to tour Penn, meet with staff and students, and hear about the all the college and career readiness opportunities Penn offers through its eight Academies.
All prospective Penn students and current Penn 9-11 graders and their families are welcome to join us to learn about classes and clubs they can look forward as Penn students.
Penn High School is filled with so many opportunities that the choices can be overwhelming. This is a great time to speak to teachers and current students about course options. Some classes will be available to see live in action!
Besides the Live Classrooms, students and parents are encouraged to visit the Academy booths, which will be set up around the building, to gain information into the Academy structure at Penn High School. Teachers representing both Academy and elective classes will be available to answer questions and provide information. We will have representatives of the Early College Academy, Exceptional Education and the Elkhart Area Career Center. We will also have tables with club representatives set up in the Sunshine Hallway. Stop by to see the many club and extracurricular activities available to Penn students.
If you have any questions about courses, scheduling, or graduation requirements, Penn counselors will also be on hand to meet with students/families.
Your involvement in your child’s education is vital to making their high school experience a positive one. We value your participation in decisions related to planning your child’s class schedule. A collaborative effort between parents, students, teachers and counselors is essential and represents P-H-M’s “Triangle of Success!”
Incoming Freshman click here for additional details.
Sophomore Scheduling information click here.
2024 HOCO Parade Winner Results
-
Penn Swim & Dive, $1,000
-
Latino Student Union, $500
-
Girls Wrestling, $250
Six Penn students named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
Penn High School Principal Dr. Sean Galiher announced that six Penn students have achieved the prestigious status of being named a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist.
Stanton Barnes, David Guarraci, Calum Jessop, Hannah Kang, Stanley Liew and Proshun Nishorgo are among 16,000 Semifinalists nationally in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring.
“We couldn’t be prouder of these students for being selected as National Merit Semifinalists,” Dr. Galiher said. “This prestigious achievement reflects their hard work and dedication, along with the support of the outstanding teachers they’ve had throughout their time at P-H-M schools.”
More than 1.3 million Juniors took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in October of 2023, which is the initial screening of program entrants.
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.
Sarah Hildebrandt Parade Photo Gallery (Sept. 8, 2024)
On Sunday, September 8, the Michiana community joined Penn and P-H-M in giving Olympic Gold Medalist Sarah Hildebrandt a Heroine’s Welcome!
Before Sarah’s “Welcome Home” kicked off, the local media got some one-on-one time with Sarah, her parents, and Penn Head Wrestling Coach Brad Harper during a news conference. Coach Harper was Sarah’s wrestling coach when she was at Penn; he became her personal coach and coached her at the Tokyo Olympics wear she won Bronze. Coach Harper planned this special homecoming for Sarah. Click to see the full photo gallery below.
The parade left from Penn High School and went down McKinley approximately two miles and ended at Zolman’s Tire.
Thank you to all the parade participants who volunteered their time on a Sunday afternoon: Mishawaka and Penn Twp. Fire Departments, St. Joseph County Police, the Marching Kingsmen, Penn Girls and Boys Wrestling Teams, Penn Cheerleaders, Penn Youth Wrestling Club, Rocket Football cheerleaders, and Dr. and Mrs. Thacker. Along with Sarah with her mom Nancy and dad Chris, Sarah’s extended family were also in the parade. Sarah and her parents were in a golden yellow convertible Mustang driven by St. Joseph County Sheriff Bill Redman. Thank you to Zolman’s Tire for supplying some trucks.
After the parade was over, hundreds gathered at Urban Swirl in Granger for an Olympic Celebration emceed by Mark McGill. A representative from Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood’s office read a proclamation declaring September 8th as Sarah Hildebrandt Day! U.S. Congressman Rudy Yakym read the historical entry on Sarah’s Olympic achievement that he will be submitting to the official U.S. Congressional Record.
Sarah was able to see and catch up with the coach who gave her first break, then Discovery Middle School Wrestling Coach Raoul Donati.
Sarah threw out free T-shirts featuring her smiley face tattoo on the front and her viral X tweet on the back.
Check it all out in the photo gallery below.
2024 Community Connections Fair
Yeoman Family Plaza Dedication Photo Gallery 2
Friday, August 23rd was the Home Opener for Kingsmen football. It was a perfect night for the dedication of the Yeoman Family Plaza at Everwise Freed Field. See the full photo gallery below.
Penn-Harris-Madison Superintendent Dr. and Mrs. Thacker donated $10,000 to the P-H-M Education Foundation Naming Rights Campaign to rename the plaza after former Penn High School Head Football Coach Cory Yeoman and his family.
The Yeoman Family bleeds black and gold. Coach Cory’s father Wally Yeoman was an assistant coach with legendary Chris Geesman. Coach Cory and brothers Trent and Todd all played for Penn. Male members of the Yeoman family and those who married into the family have either played for or coached for the Long Black Line at some point. The wives of Cory, Trent, Todd, their children and grandchildren were all present for the dedication along with Dr. and Mrs. Thacker and P-H-M Education Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom.
Cory earned all-state honors at defensive tackle. In 1979, he led a Kingsmen defense that only allowed 33 yards rushing a game. That Kingsmen team finished 11-1, winning an NIC Championship before losing to Hobart in the second round of the playoffs. Cory graduated from Penn in 1980.
Cory played for Miami (Ohio) University. He was a roommate and teammate of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl winning head coach, John Harbaugh. He joined the Kingsmen coaching staff after graduation from Miami, and has been on the Kingsmen sidelines for 40 seasons.
In his first season after replacing legendary Coach Geesman, Cory guided Penn to the 2003 State Championship Game. Yeoman also led Penn to Semi-state titles in 2017, 2015 and 2011. In addition to winning four Semi-state Championships, the Kingsmen have won nine regional crowns under Yeoman’s leadership, 13 sectional titles and 17 Northern Indiana Conference championships.
Yeoman retired at the end of the 2023-2024 school year after 40 years with P-H-M.
Dr. Thacker has been superintendent of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation since 2006 and has supported the Education Foundation wholeheartedly. Over the course of 18 years, Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have donated $232,500 to the P-H-M Education Foundation. Most of this money has either been unrestricted donations or used as matching funds for fundraising initiatives.
Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have made five donations since 2021 totaling $65,000 as part of the Naming Rights Campaign, recognizing the contributions P-H-M employees have made to the community:
- Chris Geesman Kingsmen Athletic Center (formerly the Kingsmen Athletic Center), $25,000 donated in December 2021 ($5,000 per year over five years, for an overall period of 12 years)
- Al Rhodes Kingsmen Court, $10,000 donated in October 2023 (one lump sum)
- Arthur M. Klinger Planetarium (formerly the P-H-M DVT & Planetarium), $10,000 donated in January 2024
- Yeoman Family Plaza, $10,000 donated in March 2024
- Greg Dikos Field, $10,000 donated in August 2024