Northwest Indiana Schools Showcase Athletic Excellence and Community Engagement

Northwest Indiana's educational community continues to demonstrate remarkable achievements in athletics, academics, and community service, with local high schools celebrating successful seasons and innovative programs that extend far beyond traditional classroom learning.

Athletic Achievements Mark Successful Fall Season

Wheeler High School's cross country program concluded an outstanding season with six athletes advancing to the Regional Championship held on October 25, as reported by GreatNews.Life. Sophomore Rowan Kruszka, Freshman Evelyn Kohne, Junior Juan Carmona, Sophomore Andrew Camp, Freshman Chase Mattull, and Freshman Lincoln Stachowiak qualified by finishing in the top 20 runners not part of the top five placing teams.

The dedication required to reach this level demonstrates the commitment these young athletes maintain year-round. Camp emphasized that success requires going beyond minimum expectations, noting his practice of running additional miles and maintaining training throughout the year. The team's success stems from more than individual talent — it reflects the family atmosphere cultivated by team leadership.

Senior Titus Parrish exemplified this leadership approach, explaining that his role shifted from pursuing personal achievements to setting an example and fostering team unity. This mentality created an environment where athletes support and challenge each other to reach their potential.

Meanwhile, Whiting High School's volleyball team celebrated their seniors on October 8 with a decisive victory against Griffith High School, concluding their season with an impressive 16-7 record, according to GreatNews.Life. The celebration honored five senior players and one team manager with decorations, photographs, and personalized displays showcasing their volleyball careers.

Senior Alexis Perez reflected on the significance of the evening, describing how walking down the court made her realize the support, memories, and friendships she had developed during her time at Whiting. For many of these athletes, volleyball represents a lifelong passion that began in early childhood and may continue into college.

Senior Andrea Cabrales shared similar sentiments, noting that while the conclusion felt bittersweet after playing since age five, she felt grateful for both her fellow seniors and underclassmen who made the season memorable. The team's success provides a strong foundation for future seasons.

Community Service Initiatives Strengthen Local Connections

Wheeler High School's National Honor Society continues its tradition of hosting an annual Red Cross Blood Drive, scheduled for October 29 to align with the Halloween season. This event typically attracts approximately 100 volunteers who donate either a pint of blood or participate in Power Red donations.

Senior Karam Kaakaji expressed enthusiasm about the Power Red option, appreciating that this method allows significant contribution while minimizing blood loss. The event serves as one of the most important activities the National Honor Society organizes, creating opportunities for students to support their community while advancing a worthy cause.

Junior Julia Pearce emphasized the inspirational nature of the blood drive, noting how witnessing community members come together to help others brings her joy. The event demonstrates that even students who cannot donate blood can contribute meaningfully to its success.

Senior Clara Davis exemplifies this inclusive approach, explaining that despite experiencing vasovagal reactions that prevent her from donating, she volunteers by recruiting donors and assisting with setup and check-in procedures. Wheeler High School has established a reputation for attracting numerous volunteers willing to donate, illustrating how individual contributions create significant collective impact.

Whiting High School introduced Socktober, a new Student Council initiative running from October 1 through October 28. This district-wide sock drive aims to collect 350 pairs for donation to those in need, with participating schools competing for cookies as recognition for the highest collection totals.

The program represents Student Council's commitment to ongoing community engagement, with plans to continue the initiative in future years. Students interested in participating can donate through local schools or participating retail locations.

Educational Excellence Through Dedicated Staff

Wheeler High School welcomed back guidance counselor Kim Dobson, who returned after working at Kankakee Valley High School. Dobson assumed the position previously held by Amanda Gibson, who became the school's new vice principal.

Dobson brings passion for helping students succeed both academically and personally. Senior Reese Reittinger praised Dobson's attentiveness, describing how the counselor regularly checks on college application progress and provides assistance when students encounter difficulties. Dobson maintains regular communication with students through surveys monitoring their progress and achievements.

GreatNews.Life reports that Dobson's family support enables her dedication to her career, with her husband and two daughters encouraging her professional commitments. Wheeler High School benefits from having a counselor who combines caring, devotion, and active involvement in student success.

Whiting High School's Nicholas Sanfratello teaches World History, Psychology, and AP Psychology while serving as booster club sponsor and cross country coach. Entering his fourth year at the school, Sanfratello discovered his coaching role through student request, though ironically, the requesting student never participated in cross country.

Sanfratello's background as a former runner provided valuable experience for helping students achieve their goals, but he remained with the program because of the family dynamic within cross country. His Psychology courses have become his favorites to teach, despite originally preparing to be a history and government educator.

After graduating from Lake Central High School, Sanfratello attended Indiana University Northwest. His path to teaching included a two-year gap after high school and an initial choice to study music before switching to social studies. He encourages students to set 10-year goals and embrace changes that occur along the way.

Student Leaders Excel Across Multiple Areas

Wheeler High School senior Ava Radziejeski exemplifies the multi-faceted student leader, participating in cross country for four years while pursuing career preparation through vocational programs. Her experience in the Athletic Trainer vocational course led her to discover her interest in health sciences without the specific environment of athletic training.

Radziejeski's current enrollment in the Health Science vocational program allows her to explore medical field opportunities while working for Tempo Run Timing, operated by cross country coach Luis Guillen. Her verbal commitment to Indiana University Northwest includes plans to run for the women's cross country team while pursuing her academic goals.

Whiting High School senior Maite Navarro demonstrates exceptional leadership as class treasurer, National Honor Society treasurer, cross country captain, and Top Ten student. Her goals include graduating with both technical and honors diplomas while maintaining her Top Ten ranking through consistent academic performance.

Navarro's extracurricular involvement spans National Honor Society, Science Olympiad, class officers, cross country, tennis, and Spanish Club. She identifies Science Olympiad as her favorite activity due to the extensive learning opportunities it provides, despite requiring significant time commitment.

Having participated in cross country since middle school, Navarro concluded her athletic career this year while leading the team as captain. Her future plans include studying criminology, though she has not yet determined her college choice.

Higher Education Advances Scientific Research

Purdue University Northwest mathematics faculty member Grethe Hystad, associate professor of Statistics in the College of Engineering and Sciences, joined a prestigious NASA-funded research project exploring life detection in the solar system, as reported by Purdue University Northwest.

The five-year initiative, "Advancing Multi-Messenger Biosignature Techniques with Machine Learning," investigates whether combining multiple measurement types using machine learning can improve biosignature detection. This research falls under NASA's Interdisciplinary Consortia for Astrobiology Research, supporting large collaborative teams addressing compelling astrobiology questions.

Hystad shares in a five million dollar grant, focusing on developing machine learning methods to distinguish biological from non-biological sample origins. Her work includes analyzing method effectiveness, identifying optimal instruments for data collection, and determining how to combine different measurement types for enhanced biosignature detection.

The project represents a natural extension of Hystad's previous work and provides opportunities for collaboration with familiar scientists. She plans to incorporate research elements into classroom instruction, demonstrating real-world applications of academic techniques to students.

All research and machine learning tools developed through this project will contribute to an open-access database supporting the broader scientific community and future space missions. This approach ensures that the benefits of the research extend beyond the immediate team to advance the entire field of astrobiology.

Northwest Indiana's educational community continues demonstrating excellence through athletic achievement, community service, dedicated educators, outstanding students, and cutting-edge research. These diverse accomplishments reflect the region's commitment to comprehensive education that prepares students for success while contributing meaningfully to their communities and beyond.