The CHIEF September 2026

CHIEF PONTIAC TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL The

SEPTEMBER, 2026

PTHS MUSIC AND SPORTS UPDATES Read about what’s new at PTHS

UPPERCLASS ACTS

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

Meet the Mee t th e Editor Ed itor

Hello everyone! My name is Reese Wehri and I am the editor of The Chief for the 2026-2027 school year. I am a high school senior and joined The Chief my junior year. Last year, I enjoyed writing the “Artist Spotlight” and “Meet a Poet” articles. I love reading in my free time and I have always loved English class. My favorite book is Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, but I love any dystopian novel! Other than The Chief , I am also involved in Key Club as a Co President and District Lieutenant Governor, Art Club, Math Team, Student Council, Scholastic Bowl, National Honor Society, and I serve as Senior Class Vice President. I am really excited to be editor this year and work with this amazing team!

Sincerely, Reese Wehri

“Summer to Autumn”

Poem by Sophie Shepherd

Fall is upon us all See the trees turn from green to red From smooth to crisp. Feel the breeze blow cold against your skin No longer temperate and no longer warm. Smell the candles melting And the pies on the windowsills. And the skitter of rakes on the sidewalk Watch them jump into the leaf piles. Autumn is everything all at once Trick-or-treating with your closest friends And gathering around the Thanksgiving table. Savor every moment of it Before long, it’ll disappear, just as summer did. Taste the pumpkin delicacies Cookies and muffins galore. Hear the laughter of children

By Lily Raby On Saturday, September 12, 2026, the PTHS Marching Band participated in the Lake Park Lancer Joust Invitational. Out of six bands in our class, we placed second, along with an award for best visual score. September is a busy month for the PTHS band, with competitions on most weekends and football games. Feedback from judges gives us ideas for what we can include and what we should work on. In our case, common feedback highlighted the soloists and the enjoyment they had with the music. When September is over, we will have participated in three competitions, one of which we host. Concert season is just around the corner, but competition season isn’t quite over yet!

NEW ADMINISTRATOR INTERVIEW: MRS. BOZARTH:

By Jocelyn Cobix

Mrs. Bozarth is our new assistant principal here at PTHS! She brings determination, kindness, and hard work to the table. She returns to us after having taught as a Social Studies teacher at PTHS from 2005 2013. In previous years, Mrs. Bozarth also taught Social Studies at Bolingbrook High School and Bloomington High School. She later became Dean at Thomas Metcalf Laboratory School and a principal for McLean County Unit 5 schools. Before her years at Bolingbrook, Mrs. Bozarth student-taught here at PTHS in 2001 through Illinois State University. A fun fact is that she student-taught Mr. Blair in AP U.S. History! Some more interesting facts about Mrs. Bozarth are that, in her free time, she loves to read and travel. In fact, she recently traveled to Norway for her sister's marriage. She has also traveled to St. Thomas and other areas in the Virgin Islands. Lastly, Mrs. Bozarth shared, “Get involved in clubs and sports this school has to offer and connect with staff and faculty, as they are here to help you throughout your journey of high school.” She also added that it's great to be back at PTHS!

HOBBY REVIEW

BY ANDREW DIAZ

AT PTHS, THERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF CREATIVE, PASSION-FILLED PASTIMES THAT STUDENTS SINK THOUSANDS OF HOURS INTO. I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH JAXON ROACH, A FELLOW SENIOR IN THE CLASS OF 2027. FOR YEARS, HIS HOBBY HAS BEEN BUILDING CUSTOM VEHICLES ENTIRELY FROM SCRATCH. OF HIS PROJECTS, HE SAID THAT ONE OF HIS FAVORITES HAS BEEN HIS JON BOAT. “I FISH ON IT ALL THE TIME, GO TUBING WITH IT, AND GO RIP UP AND DOWN THE RIVER.” EVEN WHEN HE ISN’T CATCHING FISH, JAXON ALWAYS FINDS TIME TO CAMP ON THE RIVER. “I GET TO GO OUT ONTO THE RIVER AND JUST COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR FROM PEOPLE,” HE SAID. “IT IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS FUN, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.” WHEN PLANNING A NEW PROJECT, JAXON CREATES BLUEPRINTS, FIXES A BUDGET, AND REFINES HIS WORK THROUGH TESTING AND ADJUSTMENTS UNTIL IT'S PERFECT. HIS 16 FOOT-LONG, 6-FOOT-WIDE JON BOAT, WHICH HE BUILT FROM THE FRAME UP, INCLUDES A MERCURY 2015 4-STROKE OUTBOARD, A STEREO, A SONAR SYSTEM, 12 FIXED SLOTS FOR FISHING POLES, A SPOTLIGHT, A PAINTED MURAL ON THE FRONT, AND EVEN A CUSTOM-BUILT TRAILER TO TOW IT ON. ONE OF HIS FAVORITE MEMORIES WAS WHEN HIS FRIEND JACOB AND HE “STAYED UP ALL NIGHT JUST CATFISHING, AND WE SLEPT ON THE RIVER.” ANOTHER WAS WHEN HE, HIS COUSIN TYSON, AND I WENT OUT ON THE RIVER TO SET UP A 10-FOOT-WIDE PROMPOSAL SIGN EARLIER THIS YEAR. “IT WAS LIKE COMMANDING A CREW, PIRATING.” THE DRAMATIC FEAT OF HANGING UP THE HULKING WOODEN LETTERS OVER THE RIVER WAS ACCOMPLISHED OVER A HALF-DAY'S WORTH OF BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS, WHICH ULTIMATELY TURNED INTO UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER MEMORIES FOR ALL OF US. ONE OF HIS OTHER FAVORITE PROJECTS IS HIS SHOPPING CART GO-KART, WHICH, AS THE NAME SUGGESTS, IS A GO-KART WITH A PLASTIC SHOPPING CART AS THE OUTER FRAME. IT ROCKED “TWO-BY-FOURS SUPPORTING UNDERNEATH THE BOTTOM,” A HOMEMADE FRAME MADE OF “HALF WELDED METAL BOLTED UP TO A COUPLE STEEL PLATES,” A CUSTOM STEERING SYSTEM, PEDALS FROM “A SNOWBLOWER AND A DRUM SET,” AND AN OLD FORD INSIGNIA STRAPPED ON THE FRONT. “YOU’VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THE THING IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND. IF YOU’RE GOING FAST, IT'S GOT TO BE STURDY, OTHERWISE IT’LL EXPLODE ON YOU.” HIS HARD WORK AND DEDICATION HAVE MADE HIM ABUNDANTLY PLEASED WITH HIS CRAFT, AND HE’D LOVE TO CONTINUE ASSEMBLING HIS “FLEET OF DOOHICKEYS” FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. “WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY ABOUT IT IS THAT IT'S REALLY COOL, ALWAYS BUILDING COOL STUFF. A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN’T DO STUFF LIKE THAT, SO IT'S REALLY COOL THAT I CAN. IF I CAN DO IT, WHY SHOULDN’T I?”

World Wonder

By Mady Herkert

The Taj Mahal is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. With a beautiful marble exterior and an exquisite interior, the Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India. Built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, the Taj Mahal is a universally admired masterpiece of the world's heritage. The Taj Mahal is considered to be the greatest architectural achievement in the whole range of Indo-Islamic architecture, with a rhythmic combination of solids and voids, concave and convex, and light and shadow. Its arches and domes further increase the aesthetic aspect. The colour combination of lush green landscape, reddish pathway, and blue sky showcases the monument in ever-changing tints and moods. The relief work in marble and inlay with precious and semi-precious stones makes it a monument far more unique than the other six. Fun Facts: ● Over 1000 elephants helped transport materials to help the Taj Mahal come to life. ● During World War II and the India-Pakistan wars, large bamboo scaffolding was built over the dome to trick enemy bombers. ● The white marble exterior features 28 types of precious and semi-precious stones, including jade, crystal, amethyst, and turquoise brought from across Asia.

. Gaming Review:: Subnautica Gaming Review:‌ Sub‌nautica

By TJ Murphy

The deep ocean is already a scary place, with sharks and the fear of isolation, but imagine being stranded in an ocean with creatures 20–100 times bigger than sharks and far more aggressive. Subnautica is a game where that exact scenario happens to one lone survivor. The action starts with the main character crash-landing in an escape pod and looking out at nothing but the blue ocean. We are introduced to this brand-new world with a short guide on how to gather resources, find food and water, and create tools to explore. The game is centered around an open-world design and the ability to build whatever base a person could dream of. The progression for brand new players starts slow, with areas needing to be discovered. No map is provided; only beacons can be used to remember areas that have been traveled before, so memorizing directions is key to exploring. The game has an interesting story with some very important storylines only found in the deep ocean. Without spoiling the whole game, the planet the main character crash-landed on is infected by a disease named the Kharaa. Because of this disease, an alien cannon is activated, blowing up any spaceship attempting to save our main character. So, to turn the device off, our character dives deep into the ocean, upgrading his gear and vehicles and discovering new biomes the deeper he goes. Our character eventually faces even larger creatures that pose more of a threat to him and his vehicles. The vehicles he uses help him discover alien artifacts, get more advanced, and help him piece together the cure to this disease. Overall, the game's graphics are a little outdated, but the soundtrack of the game is one of the best that I have ever encountered. The gameplay can get a bit repetitive after the first playthrough, but what makes this game great is the use of darkness and deep drops that add fear to the player's experience. I know when I first played, I was too terrified to leave the safe area because everywhere else was dark and deep down, and the fear factor was extremely effective. The game at times can be very difficult, but that also stems from the fear factor, causing panicked reactions to creatures that could grab you and having to restart at the escape pod. Overall, I would highly recommend this game to anyone who likes scary games or games where they have the freedom to explore. My overall rating of the game is an 8/10.

Tennis Update and Interview

By Taylor Henson

Tennis is a sport most don’t start playing until their high school years. Today, I talked with Bailee Burger, a junior and a third-year tennis player, asking her questions like: When did you start playing? How do you balance your average week with tennis, school, and maybe a job? What’s the environment like at practices and matches? How does tennis compare to other sports you have previously played? What advice would you give to those who want to join in the upcoming years? Bailee explained to me that she started showing interest in tennis during her 8th grade year. Her sister had been playing the game for about two years, which inspired Bailee to try the sport out! For her average week, she said, “My typical week does look busy, but I always make sure to do all my schoolwork at school, and if I don’t, then after tennis practice I make time in my night to complete it. I also utilize the weekends for extra practice and schoolwork.” When discussing the environment tennis brings, she said, “...it’s a good mix of serious, fun, and exciting.” I started playing tennis this fall, and I can confirm she is correct! Mr. Vogt, the tennis coach for high school boys and girls, does a good job of joking around while also giving strong, constructive criticism. Bailee says she actually wants to succeed and set high goals for herself that go both for the current season and the ones to come. Some advice she has for those who want to give the sport a try is as follows: “Don’t compare yourself to current players, come to practices, and give it your all.” So, with what was said, come out to tennis matches to watch, learn, and get to know the girls who could be teammates someday!

Fact FUN By Vanessa Burkett

Have you ever wondered how an animal as small as a shrimp fits all its organs into its body? Well, oddly enough, shrimp and a few other crustaceans crawling around on the ocean floor have had a major organ seemingly replaced by another. Their hearts aren't in their chests; no, that would be way too normal for these sea dwellers. Instead, their hearts are located in their heads! Their brains seem to have been pushed all the way up against their eyes and have shrunken significantly sometime in their 300 million years here on Earth. Shrimps specifically have hearts 3X the size of their brains, which is only a ¾ of a millimeter difference, but to a tiny shrimp that's a big deal! However, this isn't even the biggest abnormality for these algae-eating critters, since their stomachs are located right in front of their hearts and happen to take up half of their whole body. You’d think that they’d store something in those big ‘ol tails of theirs, but all their vital organs are nice and cozy in their heads, and for good reason too! A shrimp has an exoskeleton protecting their head from any other sea creature wanting a quick snack. So next time you're in the seafood aisle and think you want a bite to eat, maybe walk past those shrimp.

ALBUM ALBUM REVIEW REVIEW

Lost Weekend by Phoebe Bridgers

By Nevaeh Lee

After a three-year-long hiatus left fans wondering whether she’d ever return to music, indie rock artist Phoebe Bridgers released her third studio album, Lost Weekend . Despite how specific Phoebe’s music is to her own experiences, she still manages to appeal to a wider audience. Songs like “Kill Me,” “Never Going Back!” and “The Governor’s Waltz” resonate with both frequent listeners of her music and social media at large. My personal favorite songs from the album are the three I just mentioned! ‘Kill Me’ is understood (in the context of Bridgers’s personal life) to be about anxiety surrounding vulnerability in relationships. To me, it rang true as a song about anxiety and perseverance, especially the namesake line “This is gonna kill me / wait,” representing how sometimes things and situations that we think will dramatically impact our lives can often be small blips in time. The song took social media by storm; people began to share their own challenging experiences and how they overcame them with the song playing in the background. “Never Going Back!” read as a bittersweet declaration to me when I first listened to it. On one hand, time passing and life changing is natural. We cannot avoid the fact that the world will continue to spin. On the other hand, it’s awesome to think that you won’t have to go back to bad situations or points in time. “The Governor’s Waltz” is another song from Lost Weekend that’s full of witty references and allusions. For example, the song’s title is a reference to the Governor’s Ball Music Festival in New York, where she performed during the events of the song. Lyrics like “You deserved better / You wanted me” and “Being myself wasn’t easy / Do it for me” struck a poignant chord with listeners, myself included. Overall, Bridgers’s 2026 album is full of emotionally moving lyrics and captivating melodies, and would, in my opinion, be a top contender for an Album of the Year nomination.

Upcoming School Events

By Alexis Legner

As we begin the fall semester of school, it can be easy to feel gloomy about the end of summer. It’s hard to get back into a routine of waking up early, sitting at school, doing homework, then going back to bed, just to get up and do it all over again. However, the upcoming months at PTHS give students a lot to look forward to. The biggest event approaching is Homecoming Week, which brings many fun occasions. Homecoming festivities are a big deal here at Pontiac! They do not last only a day, but rather a full week. The first activity of the week is Powderpuff. On the Sunday of Homecoming Week, a small tournament is hosted. In this, each grade’s girls will face off in a flag football scrimmage. On the other hand, the boys will compete against each other in volleyball games. The winner of each will earn points for their class that will eventually be used to determine which grade—Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, or Seniors—will win the competition that year. Another festivity of the week is the Homecoming Parade. During this parade, all fall sports, some clubs, and other community organizations will ride through town, throwing candy to the families watching. The Homecoming Court also rides in the parade. Additionally, each grade makes a Homecoming Float to fit the theme of the year. These floats ride in the parade and will also be judged and scored to earn points. Furthermore, each class decorates a hallway to best fit the topic of the dance that year, once again to earn credit for their grade. The pinnacle of Homecoming Week, however, is the dance. Everybody gets dressed up, takes pictures, and comes to the high school to dance the night away with their friends or date. Although it may feel nerve-wracking at first, the night is truly so much fun and a day to look forward to and remember. Bear in mind, the celebration and activities are always better when you are participating, so make sure to mark your calendars for the upcoming events!

PHOTOS AROUND PTHS‌ BY GAVIN WEHRI

Upperclass Acts

ANDREW DÍAZ

. NICKNAMES: ANDRÉS, CHALINO

ROLE MODEL(S): Chalino Sánchez, Jorge Hernández, José Díaz (my grandpa)

FAVORITE AUTHOR/BOOK: Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley and Ron Powers

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: Key Club, Spanish Club, Pontio, occasional student tours to Livingston County War Museum

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: Visiting my family in Mexico for the first time.

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Working on HB 4652 with Mr. Ritter

PET PEEVES: People chewing with their mouths open and making fun of others for trying to speak a new language.

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: Historical reenacting, learning foreign languages, and studying Chicano culture PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: I’d like to work in a career involving the Spanish language, whether it be as an interpreter, a Spanish educator, an English tutor, or an ESL teacher. I plan to go to Heartland, then Wesleyan.

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: My compassion and clothing style.

HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? $200,000 to causes that I believe in; the rest is split between my family, friends, and me. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? Water purifier, flares, and some nice speakers bumping some corridazos chingones.

FAVORITE MOVIE: All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: “Oh Qué Será?” by Willie Colón

LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “Leave the world a better place than you found it.”

FAVORITE CLASS: Tie between APUSH and Environmental Earth Science

Upperclass Acts

FAVORITE AUTHOR/BOOK: Not much of a reader but I used to love Girl Stolen by April Henry HARLYN SHOFFNER

ROLE MODEL(S): Mom and Jesus

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: Cross country, Track, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Spanish Club and Art Club

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: Church camp

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Junior year track season

PET PEEVES: Not having common manners and chewing with your mouth open.

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: Running, Art, and Christianity

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: My jokes, good advice and hopefully all the times I have supported them.

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: Hopefully become a teacher.

HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? Buy my mom a house.

FAVORITE MOVIES: The Fast and Furious series

IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? A lighter, lots of water and a knife. LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “Life is too short to keep making enemies. Instead, choose to love the people around you, spread kindness, and make the most of every moment!”

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: “Abide” by Aaron Williams

FAVORITE TEACHER/CLASS: Dr. Soares/College Writing

Upperclass Acts

Reese Wehri

NICKNAMES: Reese’s Pieces, Reese’s Puffs

ROLE MODEL: My dad

FAVORITE AUTHOR/BOOK: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: The Chief, Key Club Co-President and Lieutenant Governor, Art Club, Math Team, Student Council President, Scholastic Bowl, NHS, Junior/Senior Class Vice President, Basketball

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: Getting inducted as Key Club Lieutenant Governor and meeting some of my best friends in the process

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Going to Key Club conventions with my friends!

PET PEEVES: Loud chewing

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: Art, math, and advocacy

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: My art, the many TikToks I sent them, and all of the times I helped them on math homework. HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? I would put a huge portion towards paying for college and invest the rest. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? Clean water, a long book, and a boat LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “Get as involved as you can; you’ll find your biggest supporters and best friends through common interests and trying new activities. It may be scary, but it’s worth it!”

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: Attend a good college, study economics or statistics, and become an actuary!

FAVORITE MOVIE: Everything Everywhere All at Once or Inception

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: I like to listen to Minecraft music when I paint and do homework, and “Dreiton” by C418 is my favorite! FAVORITE TEACHER/CLASS: Mr. Vogt is my favorite teacher, but my favorite class was AP Statistics or Pre Calculus!