The CHIEF May 2023

CHIEF PONTIAC TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL The

MAY, 2023

UPPERCLASS ACTS

SENIOR RETROSPECTIVE Read about a senior's reflection on their years at PTHS

Check out which PTHS seniors are this month's Upperclass Acts

Farewell from the Editor By: Vanessa Kapper

If I could give one word to my 2022-23 PTHS school year, or my junior year, I would give it “progress.” This progress is alluding to my personal character development and how much I was able to grow as a student and a human. A huge portion of this development was done by me being the editor of The Chief this year and the incredible, creative staff. By becoming the editor, I was given a monthly responsibility to make sure well-done, relevant, and entertaining articles were put out so that you, the public, can gain an understanding of what it means to be a Pontiac Indian. I believe this was accomplished thanks to Dr. Soares, Mr. Blair, our amazing digital design team, the writers, and everyone else who made The Chief remarkable this year. Thanks are also due to you, the public, for taking the time out of your day to explore life here at PTHS. I look forward to seeing how much greater The Chief will be next year! Thanks again!

Sincerely, Vanessa Kapper, Editor-in-Chief

Coach Brunner Retires By: Addisyn McKinney

For many years, our soon to be retiring Athletic Director, Mr. Brunner, has served us in multiple ways as being at PTHS. From being the school’s golf coach to being the best PTHS role model for school spirit, he has never let us down when it came to the well-being of our school. Now that he is retiring, he shared some of his best and favorite memories that he will be taking from our school. Coach Brunner says that his greatest memory would be working at the same building as his wife and seeing his two sons go through high school before him. His greatest achievement while being at PTHS is doing what was best for the school and putting his best foot forward. Every effort was to show his school pride and bleed the colors of orange and blue. One thing he says he is going to miss at PTHS is talking to the people he sees every day, whether it be the other teachers or the rest of the staff. Outside of being the Athletic Director, Mr. Brunner also took lead in being our school’s golf coach. He says his best memory of being the golf coach is when the girl’s golf team won their first regional game and when they won a conference title. Mr. Brunner says that his greatest honor at PTHS was being named Athletic Director in the first place, in the addition to the past athletes who have kept in touch with him about life in sports and life in general. The last thing Mr. Brunner says is that after his retirement he plans on spending this time working partially at the Wolf Creek Golf course and staying involved in athletics.

Interview with Mr. Bohm By: Lauren Russow

Mr. Bohm is our principal at PTHS. He went to high school in Cornell and college at Heartland and ISU. Mr. Bohm decided to work at PTHS because he knew a few teachers at the school and thought the building seemed like a great place to work. Before coming to PTHS, he worked in Flanagan as a Social Studies teacher. He was involved in coaching Girls golf for three years. The thing he finds most enjoyable about being the principal is having the ability to watch students excel during their time at our school. I asked Mr. Bohm about some of his favorite things, and he explained that outside of school, his favorite hobbies are spending time with his family and being a cyclist. His favorite song is “Where I Find God,” by Larry Fleet. His favorite quote, by John F. Kennedy is, “Only when the winds of adversity blow can you tell whether an individual or a country has steadfastness.” His favorite book is Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy. Finally, his advice for freshmen is to build positive relationships, ask questions, be respectful and be involved.

Mental Health Counselors By Lauren Russow

May is National Mental Health Month! Mental health is a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health affects the way students think, handle stress, and act on a daily basis. Throughout their teenage years almost 50% of the population reports having a mental illness by 14 years old. There are many ways to keep the brain healthy without the use of medication. However, talking through frustrations with trusted adults is great to help strengthen a student's mental health. Whether this be parents or a counselor, it is good to let a trusted adult know about frustrations a student may be facing. Our school offers free counselors, and the Guidance Department will call students in on a semester basis, and students can come in any time they need for extra assistance on whatever they may be facing. Whether it is an academic or personal issue, the Guidance Department, as well as the counselors are here to help! They will help students by listening to their concerns and will find a solution while working with the student to best help them. So if you have any concerns about your mental health, make sure to let your counselor know, they will be happy to help you.

Senior Retrospective By: Caroline Paulson

High school has been such an interesting experience. It’s both a huge relief and a sad reality that I’m going to be leaving it behind. There are so many things I wish I had done, and so many I wish I hadn’t. I’ve only been writing for The Chief for less than a year, and it’s one of many things I wish I had gotten involved in sooner. I wish I would have done more in general, but I am happy with what I have. I have had some of the best, and some of the worst, experiences of my life. I’ve met people who have changed my life forever, for better or worse. It’s hard to really sum up such a conflicting, beautiful, important, and insane chunk of my life. It will be so strange to abandon this routine I’ve been building since I was 5 years old, and step out into the “real world.” We 2023 seniors had a pretty rough go at it these past few years, but, as we finally prepare ourselves for what comes next, I think we’ll all see just how well we’ve been prepared for it. To my fellow seniors, I wish you all the best of luck in whatever you’re doing after high school. To the current freshman through junior classes, I hope the rest of high school treats you well, and I hope you treat the incoming freshmen better than that. I’ll miss a lot about high school, but I’ll miss the friends I’ve made the most. I wish you all the best.

New Faces: Mr. Zega Interview By: Lauren Russow

Mr. Zega is the Plane Geometry and Algebra 2 Trig teacher at PTHS. He is an alumni and graduated from Illinois State University. He has worked at our school for two years and describes our high school as welcoming. What he finds most enjoyable about being a teacher is being able to work with students to help them understand and enjoy mathematics. He student-taught math at Dwight High School for a year before coming back to Pontiac, thinking it would be the perfect place to continue starting his teaching career. Mr. Zega’s favorite memories from working here surround the extracurricular activities at our school. He enjoys coaching basketball and he also is excited that all of the sports-related teams are successful. From cheerleading to basketball, the clap outs and pep rallies have made him overjoyed. His advice for freshmen is, “Be involved in whatever you enjoy, communicate with your teachers if you are struggling, and always try your best.” He is involved in coaching the Freshman Boys Basketball team. He thinks students should be involved in his team because it is very fun and the basketball team is very strong. He also states that even if basketball is not your passion, you should find something that you are interested in. Whether it is anything from band to E-sports, he thinks it is important to be involved in something. In his free time, Mr. Zega enjoys playing video games with friends, watching movies with his wife, and taking his dog on walks. His favorite song is “Good Things Fall Apart” by Illenium. His favorite book is Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. His favorite quote is by Abraham Lincoln: “Die when I may, I want it said of me by those who knew me best, that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.” Mrs.Telford is our school librarian. Like many of the teachers at our school, she is an alumni! She attended Heartland College and Spoon River College in Macomb. A career change led her to becoming a librarian because she wanted to do something that was more rewarding than her last job. Mrs. Telford enjoys getting to know the PTHS students, learning about their favorite books, and getting feedback on what books should be in the library. Although she has only worked at PTHS for six months, she has many favorite memories, including the Veteran's Day Assembly and learning that a few of her former teachers are now her co workers. As a reult, she gets to now connect with them on a different level. She also enjoys meeting the students and assisting them with their literature needs. Her hobbies include watching her children play at their sporting events, boating, playing golf, and spending time with her family and friends. She loves all types of music, from classic rock to some of today's hip hop. One of her favorite books is The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. Her favorite anonymous quote is: “Enjoy the little things in life, for one day, you will look back and realize they were the big things.” Her tip for freshmen to have a successful school year is to be confident in themselves and their abilities, get involved in activities and clubs, stay on top of schoolwork, and make good choices. New Faces: Mrs. Telford Interview By: Lauren Russow

2023 Music Awards Night By: Hannah Ricketts

On May 2, 2023, we celebrated all music students for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. Mr. Gary Brunner, Athletic Director at PTHS, spoke about his experiences involved in both athletics and music during his time in high school. We wished him a happy retirement that night and gave our congratulations to him for creating an environment that is flexible for students in situations similar to his own. Every student received an award; however, a handful of students from each grade level were chosen for doing an exceptional job and showing great responsibility and work ethic. Starting with the freshmen, there was one outstanding student who earned both the Band and Choir awards, which was Madelynn Gramp. She plays the clarinet in Concert Band and is an alto in Treble Choir. Next, there were three sophomores awarded for their hard work this year: Jonathan Cassady, percussionist, received a Band award; Levi Rients, tuba player and baritone in Concert Choir, received recognition for outstanding achievement in both Band and Choir; Olivia Yedinak, soprano in concert choir, received a choir award. Similarly, there were also three juniors awarded for their hard work throughout the year: Colin Kristich, drum major, clarinet player in Symphonic Band, and singer for Concert Choir, received a Band award; Emma Reichardt, flute and piccolo player in Symphonic Band, and alto in Concert Choir, received both a Band and Choir award for outstanding achievement; and Emma Donze, flute player in Symphonic Band and soprano in concert choir, received an award for choir. Lastly, five seniors received recognition for their efforts and dedication to the PTHS music program: Caroline Paulson, euphonium player in Symphonic Band, received a Band award; Megan Henkel, clarinet player in Symphonic Band and alto in Concert Choir, received an award for both Band and Choir; Nicholas Pelletier, trombone player in Symphonic Band and tenor in Concert Choir, received an award for Choir; Glorianna Birkett, French horn player in Symphonic Band and alto in Concert Choir, received an award for Choir. Finally, Doralyn Lee, first chair trumpet in both Symphonic Band and Jazz Band, soloist in both Band and Choir, and soprano in Concert Choir, received both the John Philip Sousa Award and the National Choral Award. Congratulations to all music students for working hard all year and to those students recognized for their outstanding achievements throughout the year! As students at Pontiac Township High School know, the end of the school year is very close. This means that in the fall, many sports will begin starting, like football! With football season being here before we know it, Pontiac Marching Indians will soon be taking the field as well! After the recent completion of Color Guard tryouts, Color Guard went from having 14 girls on the team to 26 people! The returning Color Guard members are Summer Negray, Mickala Travis, Kalli Johnson, Olivia Edinger, Nevaeh Maroon, Hailee Bressner, Ashleigh Heath, Addison Hall, Mariah Wallace, Lily Fetgatter, Megan Wiechmann, and Addyson Brannan. The newest members are Emma Bolen, Alexis Kindred, Maddie Sancken, Grace Murphy, Audrey Negray, Benji Valadez Mustonen, Annabell Baker, Haley Shadwick, Brinlee Dearth, Maddie Bressner, Kylie Hall, Kloe Vaughn, Kat Mercer, and Kori Johnson. Congrats to everyone who made the team and I hope everyone is looking forward to the upcoming school year! Color Guard Update By Lily Fetgatter

Upperclass Acts

Sydney Gragert

NAME: Sydney Gragert

FAVORITE AUTHOR: Ridley Pearson

NICKNAMES: Syd

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: Winning a national level scholarship through Ducks Unlimited.

ROLE MODEL(S): My mom and dad

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: Volleyball, Track, Student Council, Key Club, Spanish Club, SkillsUSA, National Honor Society, National Tech. Honor Society

PET PEEVES: People who walk slow and being late.

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: I value my education, friends, and family.

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Varsity Boys Basketball making it to the elite 8

HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? I would buy many acres of land and build a beautiful house to live in with my future family. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? I would bring my dog, food, and a tent. LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “Treat everyone with kindness and stand up for what you believe in. Don’t be afraid to stand up for others and be caring even when your friends are against you. You never know what people are going through.”

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: Sports, reading, science

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: I will be attending Illinois Wesleyan University majoring as a Pre-Physician Assistant

FAVORITE MOVIE: 13 Hours

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: “Hall of Fame” by the Script

FAVORITE TEACHER: EMT

Upperclass Acts

Michael Aaron

NAME: Michael Aaron

FAVORITE TEACHER/CLASS: Mrs. Baumgardner’s Life Skills class.

NICKNAMES: Fast Hands Mike

FAVORITE AUTHOR/BOOK: The Witches by Roald Dahl

ROLE MODEL(S): My grandpa, Doug

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: Unified Basketball and Soccer for 3 years, College Inclusive Committee, Unified Theatre.

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: I helped raise money for Special Olympics.

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: My knowledge of trivia.

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Unified Basketball tournament

HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? To pay for another 5 years t PTHS.

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: The 1940’s, working with elderly people, basketball without COVID.

IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? Food, water and my phone to call for help to get off the island. LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “If you can’t fix something in the past, try to move on the best you can and focus on what you can fix in your life. Only you have the power to fix your future.”

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: Living with family and eventually living in an apartment, maybe.

FAVORITE MOVIE: Poltergeist (the original, not the remake).

FAVORITE SONG: “So Am I” by Ava Max

Upperclass Acts

Logan Brummel

NAME: Logan Brummel

FAVORITE BOOKAUTHOR: Peak by Roland Smith.

NICKNAMES: Brumm, Brummel

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: My most positive moment was working with a fellow student to raise money for Pontiac athletes. PET PEEVES: My biggest pet peeve is when people expect good outcomes without working for it.

ROLE MODEL(S): My biggest role models are my mom and dad.

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: I have participated in Basketball, Track, Unified Basketball, and FFA.

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Watching my best friends play in the basketball supersectional.

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: I can turn any situation into a joke.

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: I would say I am most interested in agriculture, antique vehicles, and investing.

HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? If I had $1,000,000 I would buy 100 acres of class A soil. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? I would bring a knife, water jug, and a lighter.

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: I plan on going to Iowa State for Ag Business and Agronomy.

FAVORITE MOVIE: The Longest Ride

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: “Buy Dirt” by Jordan Davis

FAVORITE TEACHER/CLASS: Teacher: Mr. Stein and Class: Crop Science

LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “We only have one life, so do what makes YOU happy.”

Movie Review

By Summer Negray & Brieaunna Duck

Matilda (1996)

In this month's Chief article, Summer and Brieaunna got together to review an old classic, Matilda (the 1996 version).

Brie- Matilda was a big part in both of our childhoods. I rate this movie ⅗ stars for the music being a great factor that adds to the movie, nostalgia, and the fact that the movie changes meaning as you age. A negative about the movie is that it puts abuse in a bright light, normalizing it. I noticed that now that I am older the popular cake scene is a little hard to watch as it is overall just really sad. However, I remember being a kid and finding a lot of the humor to be enjoyable, so it gets points for that as well. Overall, it makes me remember good childhood memories and I enjoy watching it. Summer- I rate the movie Matilda as ⅘ stars. I took a star off because of the discomfort I felt when I re-watched it due to the theme of abuse in this story. For example, Matilda is abused emotionally, physically, and mentally by her parents. This abuse can be seen when Matilda is left alone as a very young child, her parents not sending her to school, her father destroying her books, her adoptive parents sending her to a school that is known to have an abusive principal, and so much more. Miss Honey is abused in the movie as well. The theme of abuse does however let our main character bond with Miss Honey. As a result of their childhood trauma that both characters share, they are able to emotionally connect. Both Miss Honey and Matilda learn to care for each other even though they themselves were not cared for. Watching Matilda again as a teenager has made me see the movie differently from when I was a kid. It made me feel uncomfortable and sad that I didn’t realize that abuse is a big theme in the movie.

Favorite Summer Recipe By: Willow Dodson

Summer is the season for all kinds of good fruits and vegetables! As the days get warmer, and the evenings get longer, fresh produce usually begins to taste better and become more affordable. So, summer cookouts or just dinner with family can be upgraded into delicious dishes using a variety of produce. Take advantage of the wonderful fruits and vegetables available during their peak season. What better way to celebrate summer, than with my refreshing fruity dessert!

My favorite: Fruit Pizza Ingredients: ● 1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough ● 1 package (18 oz) cream cheese ● ⅓ cup sugar ● ½ teaspoon vanilla ● 2 kiwifruit, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced. ● 1 cup halved or quartered fresh strawberries ● 1 cup of fresh or frozen mandarin oranges ● 1 cup fresh or quartered strawberries ● 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries ● ½ cup apple jelly

Recipe: 1.

Heat your oven to 350°F. Spray your 12 inch pizza pan with the cooking spray. Break up the dough in the pan, then press on the dough evenly on the bottom of the pan to within ½ inch of the edge. Put it into the oven and bake it for 16 to 20 minutes or until its golden brown. Once done, cool completely on the cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

1.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on the medium speed until it’s fluffy enough. Next, spread the mixture over the cooled crush.

1.

Arrange your fruit over the cream cheese. Stir the apple jelly until it is smooth by spooning or brushing over the fruit. Now, put the fruit pizza into the refrigerator and wait for about 1 hour. Now you will officially have a refreshing dessert! When serving your fruit pizza, cut it into wedges. If you have any leftovers just cover and put it back into the refrigerator! Most likely, you won’t!

Editor-in-Chief: Vanessa Kapper The Chief Staff

Kyla Baker Willow Dodson Lily Fetgatter

Enjoy creative writing? If you ever would ever like to see your creative pieces in The Chief , contact Dr. Soares or Mr. Blair!

Rebekah Hendershott Addisyn McKinney

Summer Negray Caroline Paulson Lauren Russow

Mr. Blair, Faculty Sponsor Dr. Soares, Faculty Sponsor The CHIEF logos designed by Abbi Schott

“Summer Poem” By Lauren Russow

The end of school is near Summer is almost here Ice cold refreshing drinks The smell of grilling sausage links Swimming in a pool Weather no longer being cool Summer is almost here