The CHIEF March 2025

CHIEF PONTIAC TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL The

MAR, 2025

UPPERCLASS ACTS

FFA QUALIFIES FOR DISTRICT COMPETITION Read about the accomplishments of our FFA members

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

Pontiac FFA Qualifies for District Competition

For the first time ever, Pontiac FFA members qualified for District Competition in both the Parliamentary Procedure Leadership Development Event and the Conduct of Chapter Meetings Leadership Development Event by winning our Section Competition! This event was right before break. They turned around and competed at District on Wednesday, March 26. The Conduct Team Won District and is headed to State! The Parliamentary Procedure Team competed well and finished 6 in their event. This is the first time we have had a Conduct of Chapter Meetings Team qualify for State. They will compete in May. th

2025 Choral Showcase Concert By Nevaeh Lee

Last month, PTHS hosted our annual Pops Concert. This year’s theme was “Broadway.” The Barbershop Quartet, featuring Levi Rients, Elijah Hartke, Isaac Yedinak, and Jake Davis, opened the show with the iconic “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast . From there, the Cantabile Choir sang “I See Stars” from Mean Girls: The Musical , “When I Grow Up” from Matilda the Musical , and “Defying Gravity” from Wicked , where Daisy English shined during her solo. Following that, Elena Krause and Olivia Yedinak sang “For Good,” the penultimate song in Stephen Schwartz’s Wicked . Chamber Choir followed their performance, singing “No One Is Alone” from Into the Woods , “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman , and “We Know the Way,” where Ava Tickle and Benji Valadez-Mustonen sang a duet and Emily Bailey, Nola Dial, Kylie Hall, and Grace Murphy performed on percussion instruments, aiding in the instrumental aspect of the piece. The Route 66 Jazz Choir, a continuation of the Madrigals Choir from the previous semester, performed “One Hand One Heart” featuring soloist Lauren Russow, as well as “Seize the Day.” If you loved the Jazz Choir, or the Jazz Band from the winter band concert on February 27th, you can hear more of both groups at “A Night of Jazz” on April 12th at 6:30pm. Jaleen Woolford sang her first division Solo and Ensemble piece, “On My Own.” Concert Choir closed off the show with “Facade” from Jekyll & Hyde , “From Now On” from The Greatest Showman , “Come What May” from Moulin Rouge! , and “You Will Be Found,” an emotional piece from Dear Evan Hansen that featured Megan Wiechmann’s graceful dancing. Thank you so much to Mr. Durbin, Ms. McCleary, and everyone else who made this night possible. If you missed this concert, but would like to see something else from the music department, you can see the Spring Choral Concert on April 27, 2025 at 3:00 pm and the Spring Band Concert May 4, 2025 6:00 pm. Both will be in the auditorium!

Key Club Update By Myley Remkus

Through February 21-23rd, our Key Club had the opportunity to go to the District Convention and Leadership Conference. This was a Key Club convention that involved all of Illinois and Eastern Iowa. During this time, we learned leadership skills, ways to improve our club, and made so many new connections. The days consisted of workshops, speakers, and fun activities like karaoke and a dance. The workshops were very informative and motivating! Prior to the convention, I was unaware of how big this organization is. It was amazing to see how everyone works together to better our club and community. Additionally, we received an award for winning first place for our t-shirt design, how cool!! Our 2025-2026 Key Club officers have been appointed. Haidyn Francis is our President, Morgan Dewald is our Vice-President, Reese Wehri is Secretary and Mallory Masching is Treasurer. As the school year is coming to an end, we are still participating in various activities. Our Key Club did an amazing job at providing concessions for the Super Sectionals! It got very busy, but members worked efficiently together, showcasing their teamwork! This is the 100th year anniversary of Key Club, which will be very celebrated at the International Convention over the summer. The International Convention is similar to District, but it is just on a bigger scale. Many key clubbers are looking forward to gaining more knowledge on how to incorporate the Key Club pillars into our school and community!

Upperclass Acts

Meeya Prawl

NAME: Meeya Prawl

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: My most positive moment was when I got to go see my favorite artists in concert and interact with them this year. PET PEEVES: People walking slowly in crowded areas, texting or asking questions during movies and shows, people who don’t say thank you, bad driving habits

ROLE MODEL(S): My sister who is following her dreams and thriving in her career; she is everything I strive to be and more.

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: Yearbook, Spanish Club, Choir

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Getting to go to Disney with the band and choir class was my fondest memory because it was filled with all my favorite people in an environment that I never thought I would get to experience with them.

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: My kind demeanor and bubbly personality

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: Reading books, watching TV series, and going to concerts

HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? I would probably make sure my parents and siblings were taken care of and also donate a portion of it to shelters and organizations. With the remaining money, I would buy whatever I wanted, but make sure I saved enough to have a secure future with no financial stress. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? I would want to bring an MP3 player because I would need to have music, a puzzle to keep me entertained, and coffee because I always need a sweet treat. LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “Join at least one activity during high school because almost every college application will ask you about your extracurricular activities. Make sure you are doing what you enjoy, don’t just join things because your friends are and you don’t want to be alone. That experience will only leave you with negative things and waste your time.”

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: Attend UIC for a business degree and work in the city.

FAVORITE MOVIE: Howl’s Moving Castle

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: "CROWN" by TXT. It’s a song about embracing change and self-discovery despite growing pains. FAVORITE TEACHER/CLASS: My favorite teacher is Maestra, and my favorite class throughout high school was Algebra 2/Trig because I have always enjoyed math and its straightforwardness.

FAVORITE AUTHOR/BOOK: My favorite book is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and my favorite author is Sarah J. Maas.

Upperclass Acts

Sienna Metz

NAME: Sienna Metz

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: Being able to make it to state 4 years in a row for cheer and ending off my last sectional as sectional champs.

ROLE MODEL(S): My grandpa

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: Basketball Cheer, Track, Spanish Club, Peer Partners, Unified Peers, National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society

PET PEEVES: People chewing with their mouth open.

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Going on our school trip to London, Scotland, and England.

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: They will remember me by my sense of humor, and the fun times that we have shared together. HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? I would like to donate a portion of it, then travel the world with my family. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? Water purifier, fire starter, and first aid kit. LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “Relationships matter. Surround yourself with positive people who inspire and uplift you.”

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: Cooking, drawing, working out

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: Go to a 4-year college, major in Biochemistry, then go to med school to become an obstetrician.

FAVORITE MOVIE: Anyone But You

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: “Super Bass” by: Nicki Minaj

FAVORITE TEACHER: Mr. Krause

FAVORITE AUTHOR/BOOK: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

FFA Update: Ag in the Classroom By Casey Taylor

On Monday March 10th, FFA members were given the opportunity to go to classes all over Pontiac to teach younger students about Agriculture. We taught about 46 classes of PreK-5th graders. We had three main lessons, which were created by Emma Riley, Jasmine Ray, Madison Franklin, Lainey Rexroad, Abi Gall, and me. We taught lessons about soil layers, fruits, and where food comes from. It was truly a great learning experience not only for the students, but also for us. The people who made the lesson plans got a taste of what it was like to be a teacher, and what it takes to create a lesson. Everyone who came on the trip was able to see what it was like to be a teacher in a real classroom. My favorite part of the day was hearing and seeing the reactions from the kids. They were all so good and grateful for everything we did. It was also a huge honor to see the kids have so much fun learning about Agriculture.

St. Patrick’s Day is a Useless Holiday!

By Alexis Legner

Originally, St. Patrick’s Day was brought into the United States to celebrate Irish heritage, and that is amazing. However, I do not know a single person who actually observes this holiday in that manner. Many people simply use this holiday as an excuse to party. It is actually a very dangerous holiday. On this day, drunk driving accidents increase by a ton. It is unnecessary to encourage a holiday that no one really celebrates and is causing harm to many people. Although it could happen any day, St Patrick's Day especially leaves impaired drivers on the road which could change everybody’s life in an instant. Whether it be the drivers or other passengers, life-changing moments can happen when they are least expected. Also, it increases illness in the population. Being around so many other people in close corridors amplifies the exchange of germs and causes a rush of people in the hospital. It was meant to be a celebration of one of the many ethnicities in America, but people have abused it to justify drinking and being irresponsible. The intent of the holiday was great, and everyone deserves recognition, but the problem that it causes needs to be addressed.

Spanish Language Facts By Taylor Henson

The Spanish Language is one of the most spoken languages around the world! Out of an estimated 7,000 languages spoken, Spanish is ranked around 4th place. This means that there are more than 500 million speakers worldwide! The Spanish language has Latin roots and has an Arabic influence. In fact, Spanish is thought to originate from the Iberian Peninsula, which is now known as Spain. It is the official language for about 21 countries! This language is said to arise during the ninth century. Spanish is a language that is growing in importance. This is because many people are being born into these countries with Spanish as a first language. Many celebrities from the United States speak Spanish as a second language. Some include Will Smith, Dakota Fanning, Gwyneth Paltrow, and more. While this language is one of the most common languages that people learn, it does not make the language easy to learn. The Spanish language is one of the most unique languages because the words are assigned genders. This makes Spanish more difficult to learn. The Spanish language is not only useful to learn, but also sounds charming. This is because of the accents that some speak with. Overall, the Spanish language is one of the most unique, charming, and useful languages to exist in the world!

Musical Review

By Mady Herkert

The Little Mermaid: The Musical Music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater

Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen's most beloved stories and the classic 1989 animated film, Disney's The Little Mermaid is a hauntingly beautiful love story for the ages. With music by eight-time Academy Award winner, Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater and a compelling book by Doug Wright, this fishy fable will capture your heart! The story centers on Ariel, a young and adventurous mermaid princess who longs to explore the human world. She makes a pact with Ursula, the sinister sea witch, trading her voice for human legs in order to win the love of Prince Eric. As Ariel navigates her new life on land, she faces challenges both from her lack of voice and Ursula’s scheming to thwart her. Along the way, Ariel learns valuable lessons about love, sacrifice, and staying true to herself. The musical features iconic songs from the film, such as "Under the Sea" and "Part of Your World," as well as new numbers like "She's in Love." With vibrant sets, imaginative costumes, and captivating choreography, The Little Mermaid brings the magic of the underwater world to life, highlighting themes of self-discovery, the consequences of choices, and the power of love.

Editor-in-Chief: Lilian Rainbolt The Chief Staff Tyler Drechsel Brieaunna Duck Emmaleee Hammer Taylor Henson Mady Herkert Abe Jean Jacques

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was signed into law on June 10 by John F. Kennedy. The law was introduced as a part of Kennedy’s New Frontier Program and established mixed feelings among US citizens. While it was a huge advancement in women’s rights, many employers, for obvious reasons, opposed the law, claiming that the government had overreached into business prerogatives. It is for these reasons regarding the selfishness and greed of corporations and people that women today still struggle with maintaining equal pay in comparison to their male counterparts. As of 2023, research has shown that women working full-time, year-round earn 83.6 cents for every dollar earned by men. While this gap has lessened over the years, it is still important for us as a society to acknowledge and fight against the inequality that is: the gender pay gap. (Not So) Fun Fact of the Month By Emmalee Hammer

Angelyn Lee Nevaeh Lee Alexis Legner Ben Melchers Lily Raby

Myley Remkus Hannah Ricketts Devin Skrzypiec Michelle Stevenson Casey Taylor

Mr. Blair, Faculty Sponsor Dr. Soares, Faculty Sponsor