ECS Staff, Students Inspire Excellence
Elkhart Community Schools is filled with winners. Our staff and our students are continually being recognized for their outstanding achievement at the local, state, and national levels.
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For example, four Central High School students were chosen to perform in the 2010 Indiana All-State Band.
The participants include, from left in photo, Layne Anspach, French horn; Adam Stutzman, trumpet; Ethan Steele, trumpet; and Gaby Schleining, flute. Layne is making his second appearance with the band, while Adam has won a spot in the honor band all 3 years.
The All-State Band will perform at Purdue University March 14.
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Other recipients include:
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Two Pierre Moran Middle School band students, Joanna Dixon, left in photo, and Allison Valentjin, performed with the Indiana Junior All-State Band Festival at the Indiana Convention Center in January.
Also, several West Side Middle School students are included in the 2010 United States Achievement Academy Yearbook, honored for their outstanding participation in band. The honorees include Danielle Conrad, Jessica Daub, Xitalali Diaz, Adam Gushwa, Shamel Jordan, Andrew Manthey, Dillon O’Brien,Jennifer Rodriguez, Allan Whitehea, Collin Whittaker, and Corrine Whittaker. |
Central High School juniors Josh Bamber and Layne Anspach performed in the 2009-2010 Indiana All State Orchestra at the Indiana Music Educators Association convention in Indianapolis in January.
This was the first time in many years Central was represented in the All State Orchestra. Central’s Orchestra is conducted by Kyle Weirich.
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CHS musicians Josh Bamber and Layne Anspach |
From left, Anna Jacobson, Juan Alarcon, Hayley Whisler, Ashley Luers, Isaac Sanchez, and Zach Rivers. |
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Six Central High School students, Anna Jacobson, Juan Alarcon, Hayley Whisler, Ashley Luers, Isaac Sanchez, and Zach Rivers, participated in the 2009-2010 Indiana All-State Honor Choir at the Indiana Music Educators Association convention in January. |
The Pinewood Elementary School Spell Bowl Team won the annual Purdue University Indiana Academic Spell Bowl Elementary Division Regional contest held at Goshen Middle School Nov. 19. This is the second year Pinewood won first place in their Class 1 Regional Division. The team placed 21st in the state out of 101 Class 1 Division Schools.
Each Pinewood speller received a gold medal and a certificate of accomplishment from the Indiana Association of School Principals, which coordinates the program. Pinewood team member Emily Jacobs also earned a "Perfect" ribbon for spelling all of her words correctly and four team members, Drake Kurtz, Manny Sanchez, Lauren Weirich, and Palmer Vu, received ribbons for spelling "Near Perfect." |
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The 2009 State Finalist Central High School Symphonic Band
The 2009 State Finalist Central High School Symphony Orchestra |
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Central High School's Symphonic Band and Symphony Orchestra competed for the state concert title in Indianapolis last May.
It was the first time in the school's history that both musical groups performed at the state finals in the same year. |
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Memorial High School’s Dance Team brought home two trophies from the 2009 Indiana High School Dance Team Association (IHSDTA) State Finals in Rossville. The Hip-Hop Dance Team won the state championship in the Novice Division. The Jazz Dance Team finished fourth in the Novice Division.
Memorial’s Dance Team includes, front row from left, Kelsey Sanders, Andrea Buckley, Leah Tays, Jordan Smyth, and Tricia Campbell. 2nd row, Sharmayne Jones, Jasney Sereal, Anna Vance, Kayla Bishop, Heather Juillerat, and Aubrey Strati. 3rd row, Jessica Molen, Jessica Redd, Ticelyn Williams, Ashley McLaughlin, and Amanda Ellsworth. 4th row, director Casey Keeler, Breah Scheetz, Briana Ketchum, Kelsey Kilmer, Amanda Carretti, Dusti Smith, Christina Smiechowski, and assistant director Becki Visker. |
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Several Japanese language students from Memorial and Central high schools participated in the 2009 Japanese Olympiad of Indiana (JOI) at Earlham College in February with two teams making it into the final round. The Memorial team of level 2 students, Gage Oswalt, Jordan Creel, and Erik Keister, (pictured at left) won the state title in Level 2.
The Central team of Andrew Schubert, Kaitlin Landon, and Emily Yu placed third in Level 3. |
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Five Central High School students competed in the 2009 State Leadership Conference for Business Professionals of America (BPA) in Indianapolis. Allison Gugel placed fourth in Medical Office Procedures and has qualified to compete in Dallas for the National Leadership Conference. Zach Eppers, Nick Ianigro, and Zach Williams placed third in Video Production Team. This was Central’s first year BPA.
Pictured, from left, Allison Gugel, Zach Eppers, Ashley Robbins, Zach Williams, and Nick Ianigro |
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Central High School brought home a horde of gold from the ISSMA Jazz Festival in LaPorte in March. The school’s jazz string orchestra, jazz band, and "Shades of Blue" show choir" (pictured) all received Gold ratings. |
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Three Elkhart Area Career Center seniors, Molly Rippinger, (Culinary Arts) Danielle Weltz, (Horitulture/Floral Design) and Heidi Anglemyer, (Cosmetology) received the 2009 Indiana Career & Technical Award for Excellence.
In addition, the EACC Collision Repair program received the Indiana Career & Technical Award for Excellence. This is the fourth EACC program to be selected as the best in the state. |
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Three West Side Middle School band members were selected to participate in the 2nd Annual Indiana Beach MS/JHS All-Star Band. Student musicians were chosen from all over Indiana and Illinois.
At left, Mercaedes Rose, Trevon Jackson and Kaitlyn Schaar performed in the All-Star Concert at North White High School in May. The all-star band’s guest conductor was Dr. Jeffery Dobler of Valparaiso University. |
Central winners include, from left, Erik Nickerson, fourth
place; William Ronan, third place; Henning Salm, second place; Megan Ellis, second place; and Alex Potter, fourth place |
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Eight Elkhart students received honors on the 2009 National Latin Exam.
More than 135,000 students in the United States and 11 foreign countries took the 2009 exam in March. |
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Memorial winners include Ryan Wirt, third place; and Brodie Mather, fourth place. Not pictured is Jordan Creel, second place |
The Pinewood Elementary School Math Bowl Team earned first place in Division 1 at the 2009 Indiana Regional Math Bowl at Goshen Middle School.
Team members include, front row from left, Rachel Huang, Casey Radeline, Brandon Ball, Patrick Brennan, Lexi Jacobs, and coach Carol Cantzler. Second row, Jacob Radeline, Tony Keen, Alex Ganshorn, Katy Keifer, and Jessica Daub. Third row, Nathan Munet, Luis de Miran da Leao, Alexandra Brown-Anderson, Jenny Rodriguez, and Amanda Bilancio. Fourth row, Ian Hines, Anna Winkler, Christine Cunningham, and Kaitlyn Ramsey.
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Dustin Crump, Kari Huang, and Sam Que |
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Central High School's Music Department received another All-Music Award banner from the Indiana State School Music Association in recognition of its musical excellence for the 2008-09 school year. This is the seventh consecutive year that Central has been so recognized, with five of those years involving the entire music department.
In order to receive the All-Music (Total Department) Award, each specialization (band, orchestra, choir) of the music department must meet specific criteria in ISSMA events throughout the school year. Only four high schools in Indiana qualified for the Total Department designation in 2008-09. | |
