Hale Bowen jumps with joy after finishing first for the Riverview 4×400 relay team. Riverview won the eighth grade boys title and tied for first in the seventh grade meet. (Photos by Nick Goralczyk)

PLYMOUTH- Track and field superiority was up for grabs at Plymouth High School on Saturday as the Rock Pile played host to the 2014 North East Lakes Middle School Conference Championships.

The boys meets were exciting and exhilarating for four local schools, Edgewood, Lakeview, Wawasee and Whitko. A scrappy Wawasee team played an underdog role and managed to tie for first with Riverview in the seventh grade meet as both teams finished with 74 points. Lakeview tied for third with Crestview with 65 points, Edgewood finished sixth with 62 points and Whitko took seventh place with 31 points.

In the eighth grade meet it was Riverview that claimed top prize with a score of 100.75 points. Edgewood (93), Lakeview (69.75), Whitko (56) and Wawasee (26) finished second, fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

In the seventh grade meet each of the four area schools won at least one event but it was depth that helped Wawasee claim first place.

The Warrior seventh graders took first place in the 110 hurdles with Luke Griner (17.70) finishing first in front of Jon O’Dell (17.80) of Indian Springs. Wawasee also took first in the 4×400 relay. The relay team made up of Griner, Braxton Alexander, Dylan Hepler and Bennett Hoffert finished with a time of 4:15.39 to beat out Riverview’s time of 4:16.54.

Hepler took second in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes with times of 12.69 and 26.14, respectively. He also placed third in the long jump 15’8.75″ to help boast the depth for the Warriors.

Griner (2:21.23) and Hoffert (2:27.55) took second and third, respectively, in the 800 meter run for Wawasee. Braeden Schlabach also picked up a fourth place finish for Wawasee in the high jump with his height of 4’6″. The second through fourth place finishes across the board were what ultimately put Wawasee into first place with Riverview.

The win for the Warriors came as a surprise to many but made nobody happier than Wawasee head coach Jay Smith.

“Coming in we weren’t real sure how our boys would do,” said and very pleased coach Smith. “We had to dismiss one of our best distance runners from the team this week because he missed too many practices so we were in a tough spot coming in but the boys made up for it.

“We had two runners, per event, that did well and that picks up big points. I don’t know what else to say about our boys today, they did well and I’m very happy for them.”

Since there was a tie for first and only one plaque to be given out on Saturday, Lincoln Junior High Athletic Director Carol Gilbert decided a fun way for Riverview and Wawasee to determine who would get to take the plaque home and who would have to wait for theirs to arrive in the mail. Gilbert asked for a number between one and ten from each team and Wawasee guessed the closer of the two numbers, which can be seen in the video below.

Lakeview’s placed first in three events on Saturday. Bryce Garner finished first for the Tigers with a time of 57.59 in the 400 meter dash. William Robison took first in both the 800 and 1600 meter runs with times of 2:19.09 and 5:00.68, respectively.

Lakeview’s 4×4 relay team of Robison, Eli Owen, Josse Leyva and Eric Ramirez claimed third place with a time of 4:29.25. Owen also took second in the long jump (16’7.5″).

Edgewood and Whitko each claimed first in one event on Saturday. Whitko’s Zack Freel won the high jump with his height of 4’9″. The Edgewood 4×1 relay team took first with a time of 51.49. The relay team was Gustavo Cartejena, Kane Dawson, Cobe VanHouten and Jack Stewart.

Edgewood did much better in the eighth grade meet, despite not placing first in any event.

Edgewood’s second place finish overall in the meet was highlighted by four second place finishes in various events. The Tigers took second in 100 (Daniel Deantes, 12.86), 400, (Marc Motter, 57.94), 1600 (Motter, 5:11.71) and high jump (Dane Stookey, 5’1″).

Edgewood’s 4×1 and 4×4 relay teams both took third. Deantes, Brandon Bradley, Kyle Hayward and Lucas Harvey made up the 4×1 team. The 4×4 team included Kennis Dye, Taylor Mills, Ridley Lemon and Motter.

John Svinarich claimed a third place finish in the discus throw for Edgewood with a distance of 117’9″.

Lakeview was well represented by Eduardo Calderon. Calderon took first in the 1600 (5:07.70) and second in the 800 (2:15.86). Leytan Perry picked up a second place finish in the shot put ring for the Tigers with his distance of 40’6″.

Whitko’s eighth grade held its own in several events. Matt Smith took first in discus (125’2″) and third in shot (38’8″). Alex Wilson gave the Wildcats something to cheer about on the track as he claimed first in both the 100 and 200 with times of 12.66 and 25.73, respectively. Cory Sandlin also took first for Whitko in the 110 hurdles with a time of 17.76.

Wawasee struggled to break through in most events. Zach Linnemeir claimed fifth and sixth place in the 800 and 1600, respectively, for Wawasee. Travis Harney, Blayne Faught, Jacob Moore and Dalton Pearish made up the 4×1 relay team for the Warriors that claimed fifth place.

Pearish also took fifth place in shot (36’1″) and fourth in discus (114′).

Edgewood, Wawasee and Lakeview all battled at the top of the eighth grade meet at the NELMSC Championships held at Plymouth High School on Saturday morning. (Photos by Nick Goralczyk)

PLYMOUTH – The girls meets at the North East Lakes Middle School Conference Track and Field Championships were dominated by two local schools on Saturday morning.

The Rock Pile at Plymouth High School proved to be anything but rocky for the Wawasee and Edgewood girls track teams. Edgewood slipped by Wawasee by a score of 103-100 for the eighth grade title. The Wawasee seventh graders ran away with their meet championship with a score of 103 points, well ahead of second place Lincoln Junior High who finished with 61 points.

Edgewood only won two events in the eighth grade meet, but cleaned up in second through fourth spots across the board to get a somewhat surprising win over rivals Lakeview and Wawasee. It was not easy, but the Tigers did exactly what they had to do in order to bring home NELMSC bragging rights.

“We had a lot of personal bests today,” said Edgewood head coach Donna Moudy. “Almost everybody that competed had personal bests, they really just ran their hearts out today. I am very proud of these girls. They have improved so much over the year, I can’t believe it. I’m just so proud of them.”

Moudy’s girls took first in the 4×100 meter relay with a time of 56.99. Raina Armey, Kerigan Hatfield, Liza Lewis and Paola Nieves all made up the first place relay squad. Morgan Bruner gave Edgewood its only other first place finish in the long jump with a distance of 14’8″. Lewis (14’4″) took second in the event.

Edgewood also took second in shot put (Katiana Rodriguez, 29’4″), high jump (Alexie Day, 4’8″) and in the 4×4 relay (4:46.41). The Tigers racked up more points with a third place finish in discus from Hatfield (89’1″) and four fourth place finishes in the 800, 1600, hurdles and discus. The second through fourth place finishers were key for the Tigers in surpassing Wawasee by such a slim margin to get the meet championship.

Wawasee still had a stellar day on the track as the Warrior girls won five events, the most of any school on Saturday.  Hannah Marie Lamle picked up one of those first place finishes for Wawasee with her time of 17.19 in the 100 meter hurdles.

Lamle also claimed third in the long jump with her mark of 14’1″. Yanelly Pizana led the Warrior distance runners as she claimed third in both the 800 (2:41.11) and 1600 (5:59.27). Lamle and Pizana were the only Warriors to get third place finishes on Saturday. Wawasee had no second place finishes and the only fourth place finishers for Wawasee were Lamle in the 200 and Harmony Schlabach in discus.

Despite the lack of points gained from second through fourth place finishes, the Warriors still cleaned up in certain events. Wawasee’s 4×4 relay won comfortably over Edgewood (4:46.41) with a time of 4:40.03. The team was made up of Pizana, Lamle, Regan Atwood and Aubrey Kuhn.

Kuhn led the way for Wawasee as she won three events on her own. Kuhn set a new school record in the 100 meter dash with a time of 13.00 seconds and set a new school record for individual points set at a conference meet with 32.5. Kuhn also finished first in the 200 (28.29) and 400 (1:06.19).

Kuhn’s accomplishments did not come easily as she was challenged every step of the way by Lakeview’s Abbi Curtis. The two girls have a budding rivalry as each has gotten the best of the other at one point in their two prior meetings this season. Curtis took second by narrow margins in the 100 (13.07), 200 (28.40) and 400 (1:07.07).

The rest of Curtis’ team had solid finishes across the board as well as Lakeview finished third overall with a score of 79. Lakeview took second place in the 4×1 relay with their team of Curtis, Shunterra Davis, Hanna Leach and Emma Gelbaugh.

Passion Gardner took third in shot for Lakeview with her mark of 25’9″. Gardner also gave Lakeview its lone first place finish with her mark of 94’4″ in discus.

Whitko’s Megan Thomas made herself known on Saturday as she took third in both the 100 and 200 with times of 13.45 and 29.90, respectively.

The results were not quite the same in the seventh grade meet.

Wawasee’s seventh grade girls absolutely dominated their meet, placing top three in 11 of the 12 events.

Wawasee’s relay teams were solid, per usual. The 4×1 relay team of Casey Schroeder, Katie Haines, Jada Parzygnot and Olivia Clouse was the highlight of the the meet for Wawasee. The girls set a new school record in the event with a time of 55.00 seconds.

The 4×4 team, made up of Carmen Yoder, McKenzie Smith, Marissa Hunziker and Caitlin Wortinger, did not set a record but still managed to win its race by a comfortable margin. The girls finished with a time of 4:41.02, well ahead of Riverview’s 4:48.69.

Smith took first place in the 400 with her time of 1:05.89 for the only other first place finish on the track for Wawasee. The Warriors only won three track events, but dominated in the field.

Casey Schroeder placed second in the high jump (4’5″) and first in the long jump (14’2″). Graceanne Kerlin took third in the shot put for Wawase with a mark of 26’8″. Finally, Wawasee cleaned up in the discus throw with Kerlin’s first place mark of 89’8″ and a second place finish from Sara Pritchard (78’7″).

“We’re real proud of this girls team,” said Wawasee head coach Jay Smith. “We knew coming in that we had a strong group so to see them break a record and win the meet is good.”

Lakeview’s best finish of the day came from Lynae Dawson in shot with her mark of 27’2″. Lakeview also saw a third place finish from Abby Wilson in the high jump with her jump that measured 4’4″. Lakeview finished fourth with 41.5 points.

Edgewood struggled, finishing in just sixth place. The Tigers top finishes both came from Kenzie Martz. Martz took second in the 400 (1:05.89) and third in the long jump (13’9″).

Whitko’s day was highlighted by Emalee Duggins’ day on the track. Duggins placed third in the 100 (14.28) and 200 (29.82). Duggins also helped Whitko place fourth in the 4×1 with her relay teammates, Sidney Overmeyer, Kristina Slater and Ellie Snep. The girls finished with a time of 58.00 seconds.

Wawasee Middle School eighth-grade students who earned straight A grades all three years of middle school included, from left, Isaiah Metcalf, Tiffany Koble, Kyndall Fisher, Hannah-Marie Lamle, Rosalie Garro and Amanda Mall.

Wawasee Middle School eighth-grade students chosen to have their artwork displayed in the main gallery of the school until they graduate from high school include, from left, Kaden Kyser, Brady Robinson, Tiffany Koble, Reagan Atwood and Myah Cannon.

Wawasee Middle School presented end of the year awards during the last day of school June 4. Following are the awards:

Eighth-Grade Subject Awards

Social studies — Rosalie Garro, Tiffany Koble, Kabrea Rostochak, Jacqueline Tucco

Language arts — Aubrey Kuhn, Josh McDaniel, Brianna Haessig, Andrew Jones

Advanced language arts — Amanda Mall, Tiffany Koble

Language lab — Dalin Powell

Geometry — Rosalie Garro

Honors algebra — Anthon Anker, Alyssa Elpusan

Mastery algebra — Wynter Rhoads

Pre-Algebra — Libby Goralczyk, Jordan Smith, Emma Alfano, Emily Streby

Science — Tiffany Koble, Brady Robinson, Emma Alfano, Amanda Foy, Jacqueline Tucco

Szynal Leaf Project — Emma Alfano, Jairus Boyer, Amanda Foy, Katelyn Baker, Rosalie Garro, Jacqueline Tucco

Physical education/health — Morgan Perry, Sam Savage

Aquatics — Sam Brugh, Devon DeWitt

Computers — RaeLynn Yoder

Industrial tech — Jairus Boyer

Orchestra — Katelyn Baker

Band — Amanda Mall, Forrest Holsten

Choir — Libby Goralczyk, Natalie Friedrich

FACS — Haley Fellabaum

Visual arts — Morgan Conn, Tiffany Koble, KC Mendoza

Visual arts gallery awards — Aubrey Kuhn, Keegan Silva, Skyla Rodgerson, Haley Fellabaum, Courtney Larson, Elizabeth Brugh

Artwork framed for WMS gallery — Myah Cannon, Kaden Kyser, Tiffany Koble, Reagan Atwood, Brady Robinson, Blake Norris

Eighth-Grade Teacher’s Choice Awards

Social studies — Jake Cowan, Tessa Freel

Language arts — Caitlin Kitson, Adam Spurling

Language lab — Mikayla Hernandez

Science — Reagan Atwood

Pre-Algebra — Librety Sielsenew, Ali Troutman, Ellsie Bowman

Algebra — Zach Hunter, KC Mendoza

Mastery algebra — Jairus Boyer

Mrs. Walmer — Hettie Winegardner, Alison Troutman

Computers — Amanda Mall

Industrial tech — Josh McDaniel

Orchestra — Payton Vandiver

Band — Russell Runyon, Landon Cox

Choir — Greg Cook, Aileen Wolken

FACS — Madelyne Bradley

Visual arts — Rosalie Garro, Keyanne Clevenger, Morgan Jones

Seventh-Grade Subject Awards

Social studies — Genevieve Cierpilowski, Jace Barrett, Lesley Tayagua, Brooke Heche

Science — Amaya Rhodes, Jada Parzygnot, Rhyss Kunkle, Morgan Adkins

Language arts — Anthony Whalen, Allison Saylor, Adrieanna Yoder, Autumn Buell, Genevieve Cierpilowski, Nick Murphy

AR award — Alivia Stidams, Clay Kelsheimer

Language lab — Parker Glick

Math — Olivia Birch, Natasha Noe, Ben Meeks, Nick Murphy, Alex Mathew, Jada Parzygnot

Physical education/health — Aric Krallman, Olivia Clouse

Aquatics — Natalie Winters, Alex Mathews

Computers — Caleb VanLue

Industrial Tech — Jacob Carson

FACS — Madelyn Tucco

Orchestra — Evan Wolferman

Band — Garrett Smith, Megan Harris

Choir — Ben Meeks, Jada Parzygnot

Visual arts — Genevieve Cierpilowski, Rhyss Kunkle

Miss Stoelting — Logan Miller, Aaron Troutman

Seventh-Grade Teacher’s Choice Awards

Social studies — Andrew Weber, Matt Rhodes

Science — Devyn Rhodes

Language arts — Caitlin Kingrey, Hannah Dennis

Language lab — Ashton Stookey

Math — Amelia Dumford, Madeline Zimmerman

Computers — Adrianna Yoder

Industrial tech — Lauren Babb

Orchestra — Aaron Troutman

Band — Anthony Whalen, Chris Rogers

Choir — Caleb VanLue, Abbie Hackleman

FACS — Dakota Jacobs

Visual arts — Jada Parzygnot, Morgan Adkins

Sixth-Grade Subject Awards

Math — Gabrielle Eckert, Logan Adkins, Logan Harter, Lila Fierek, Braxton Studabaker

Advanced math — Elizabeth Kleopfer, Michael Hammer

Science — Evan Coblentz, Grace Morrison, Kasey Gunkel, Carson Hunter

Language arts — McKenzie Click, Logan Harter, Benson Yoder

Language lab — Austin Baker

Social studies — Evan Coblentz, Elizabeth Kleopfer, Jaydon Boyer, Mary McCleese

Advanced language arts — Evan Coblentz

Advanced reading — Carson Hunter

Reading — Jenna Weiler, Lila Fierek

Computers — Nathan Bess

FACS — Valerie Haessig

Industrial tech — Evan Coblentz

Orchestra — Sydney Jaggers

Band — Grace Morrison, Ashley Vazquez

Choir — Rebecca Whirledge, Mason Brown

Visual arts — Evan Coblentz, Kasey Gunkel

Physical education — Hannah Grindle, Dylan DeWitt

Aquatics — Logan Harter, Michael Hammer

Special aquatics — Daniel Dunithan

Sixth-Grade Teacher’s Choice Awards

Math — Daysis Vargas, Hannah Grindle

Advanced math — Grace Morrison, Hannah Cline

Science — Jack Collins, Ryan Zorn

Language arts — Coralee Winegardner, Dustin Yoder

Advanced language arts — Gabby Eckert

Language lab — McKenzie Coy

Reading — Anna Clark, Marissa Hollis

Social studies — Kasey Gunkel, Benson Yoder

Computers — Michael Hammer

Industrial tech — Elizabeth Kleopfer

Orchestra — Kasey Gunkel

Band — Evan Coblentz

Choir — Braxton Studabaker

FACS — Kalyssa Kaase

Visual arts — Logan Harter, Valerie Haessig

By TIM ASHLEY
Staff Writer
tashley@the-papers.com 

Wawasee Middle School’s swimming pool, heavily used by the school, Wawasee High School and the community, is getting much needed renovations in an approximately $1.3 million project.

Funding for the project is through the school corporation’s capital projects fund used each year for various projects as prioritized.

An extensive overhaul is in progress for the pool at a school more than 20 years old. Bob Lahrman, support services director for the Wawasee Community School Corp., said the renovations include new lighting, ceiling work, painting and a completely new scoreboard repositioned for easier viewing by spectators at swimming meets, as well as new lighted swimming record boards.

Additionally, when the suspended ceiling was removed, rusty metal joists and roof decking were exposed. A structural engineer examined the rusted areas and recommended remedial measures.

Lahrman believes the damage could have occurred 15 to 18 years ago but the problem was not reported when the roof for the entire school building was renovated the last few years. There is clear evidence of someone stepping through metal weakened by rust.

Excessive condensation created by high humidity likely was a major factor in causing the roof problem, he said. The Wawasee school board inspected the damage during a special meeting Tuesday and voted on a recommendation to repair the damage.

Although most of the project involves the pool, other work in the school will include replacing carpeting, painting and tile work. Mid-June is the target date for completion of the project. Nearly all of the pipe work has been finished in the pool area, but electrical and other work remains.

While work is being done on the pool, swimming activities have been moved to the high school pool.

For more details on this story and the Wawasee School Board, see this week’s edition of The Mail-Journal. 

By TIM ASHLEY
Staff Writer
tashley@the-papers.com 

During a special meeting Tuesday afternoon in the Wawasee Middle School Natatorium area, the school board for the Wawasee Community School Corp. voted to use approximately $272,000 in emergency funds for roof repairs over the swimming pool in WMS.

While the swimming pool area was undergoing renovation as part of a planned capital projects fund project, rusty metal joists and roof decking were discovered when the suspended ceiling was removed. A structural engineer examined the rusted areas and recommended remedial measures be taken. Without repairs, the area would be deemed unsafe for use.

Bernie Leazier of Barton-Coe-Vilamaa led board members during an inspection of the damage. Leazier noted the most severe damage to joists was on the south end of the pool area where there are exterior walls. Several years of high humidity levels and excessive condensation caused damage. He said measures would need to be taken to improve the air flow and allow it to circulate better above and below the ceiling.

This will change the target date for completion of the overall project considerably. Previously due to be finished by mid-June, it will now be mid to even later in August.

More information on this story can be found in today’s issue of The Mail-Journal. 

By TIM ASHLEY
Staff Writer
tashley@the-papers.com

Competing against 56 teams, Wawasee Middle School’s Academic Super Bowl team in social studies took first place in the state. The English team placed 12th at the state level.
The theme for social studies this year was “Colonial and Revolutionary America.”
Students participate in two contests in the spring. The first is against conference schools and the second against 18 schools in the district. Scores from the second contest are compared with 13 other district scores for the state champions in classes one, two, three and four. Wawasee is in class two.
Each school answers 25 questions at each contest in the subject areas of English, social studies, science, math and interdisciplinary.
Social studies team members included Paige Bontrager, Dustin Brown, Trevor Haessig, Kaitlin Kuhn (captain), Caleb Wedeven. The team was coached by Elaine Bokhart. English team, coached by Heather Walker, included Audrey Dillon, Ashleigh Frecker and Allison Hoffert.
Ryan Edgar coached the science and math teams.

A quartet of Wawasee Middle School girls had the chance to work their basketball skills under the watchful eye of one of the most successful programs in the country. From left, Harmony Schlabach, Hannah Lamle, Aubrey Kuhn and Wynter Rhoads had the chance to work with University of Notre Dame women’s head basketball coach Muffett McGraw and the Fighting Irish basketball program. The camp ran in June and went a whopping 12 hours per day for six straight days.

Jarrod Peace, an eighth-grader at Wawasee Middle School, was one of several students to ask questions to Holocaust-era survivor Simone Liebster during a Skype conference Tuesday morning. (Photo by Tim Ashley)

But not often talked about is Jehovah’s Witnesses followers were targeted by the Nazi regime because of their religious beliefs.

Tuesday morning, through the use of Skype video conference technology, approximately 160 eighth-graders gathered in the cafeteria at WMS to see Simone Liebster of France, a survivor of the Holocaust, answer questions posed to her mainly by students.

Last week, Bill and Christie Keller, representing the Arnold-Liebster Foundation created by Simone Liebster and her husband, Max, in 2002, visited WMS to speak with the eighth-graders and prepare them for the Skype conference. The foundation was created to keep the memories alive of those persecuted for religious beliefs and victims of dictatorships and also exists to support historical research and educational programs.

Simone Liebster, age 82, was born in 1930 in a small village in France. Both of her parents were arrested and taken away by the Nazis to concentration camps. Simone was spared from being sent to a camp, but was sent to a Nazi “reeducation center” in Germany for about two years. The Nazis tried to force her to submit to their regime and embrace Adolf Hitler, but she steadfastly refused.

Though reeducation centers were not nearly as difficult to endure as concentration camps, Liebster nonetheless said her days were filled with hard work. “We spent hours cutting wood and splitting huge stumps,” she said.

She said she relied on her deep faith in God and knowledge of the Bible to deal with the harsh reality of being separated from her parents. “I loved reading the Gospels (in the Bible) and the truth about Jesus being so merciful,” she said.

The Nazis were persistent in their efforts to get Liebster to submit, but she refused. “They warned me I could be sent to a concentration camp,” she noted, adding she was given documents to sign demanding her allegiance to the Nazis.

Being reunited with her father after his return from the concentration camp was something Liebster had longed for, but was still unexpected because so many others had died in those camps. But she could not hug him because he was so frail and literally exhausted after his time in the camp.

Liebster said something similar to the Holocaust could still happen today because “people are still so selfish and use discrimination.” She said it is extremely dangerous to follow ideologies and she learned from her personal experiences “you need to stand up for what is right and good.”

Chris Noel, language arts teacher at WMS, said she has taught about the Holocaust for several years and had never heard of the Jehovah’s Witnesses angle before. “It gives a different perspective on the Holocaust,” she said. Jessica Clayton, another language arts teacher at WMS, also helped with the Skype presentation.

A total of 15 questions were posed to Liebster during the Skype conference. One at a time, students walked up to a computer and read their questions to Liebster. Among the questions asked were “Did you have a favorite Bible verse you would read when you were supposed to be cleaning?” “How did you have the courage to do what you did even though your parents weren’t there to help?”

Also, “Are you afraid something like this would happen again?”

Promoting the annual holiday craft bazaar at Wawasee Middle School are, from left, organizers Deb Rookstool, Steffanie Stookey and Stacey Ritter. Dalton Yoder is sitting in Ritter’s lap. The items shown are typical of what can be found at the bazaar. (Photo by Tim Ashley)

Christmas is less than two months away and some are already looking for gifts. Several gift ideas will be under the same roof during the 23rd annual Wawasee Middle School Holiday Craft Bazaar from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1.

More than 170 vendors will have a variety of items for sale in the three main hallways, the commons area and the gymnasium of WMS, located south of Syracuse on SR 13 at the intersection with CR 1000 North. Many new items will include pottery, ornaments, Santas, snowmen, jewelry, handmade art pieces, dog items, baby doll clothes, woodworking and more.

It is one of the largest craft shows in northern Indiana and is a fundraiser for WMS.

Admission is free and breakfast and lunch will be served. Parking is available at the school and shuttle service will also be provided from the Vineyard Church just north of the school.

For more information, call the school at (574) 457-8839

Patience will be needed for spectators and those involved with swimming teams or programs at the Wawasee Middle School Natatorium. Extensive renovations have been completed (though a few items remain unfinished) within the last few months and it will take some time before the full effect is known.

Anyone who has attended a high school swimming meet, particularly before this season, has felt the warmth and humidity in the pool area.

Concerns have been expressed about the lighting, air flow around the pool and temperature in the pool area. The high level of humidity became a major concern earlier this year when several rusted metal joists were discovered in the roof above the pool. Wawasee Community School Corp. Superintendent Dr. Tom Edington addressed those concerns.

Lighting has certainly changed, he acknowledged. “The lighting is different,” he said. “We had to tear out about two-thirds of the metal in the roof. We have to adhere to (IHSAA) lighting code. You can only have so much electricity running the lights. It’s 1 watt per square foot and you can’t have fixtures over the water.”

Edington provided a copy of a letter from Ron Scheele, engineer for Barton-Coe-Vilamaa in Fort Wayne, which stated the power consumption levels of traditional indirect light fixtures varied from 2.4 to 2.6 watts per square foot. “To use traditional indirect lighting and meet Indiana energy code, we would have had to design with less than half of the IHSAA light level,” Scheele said in the letter.

There is less light in the middle of the pool, but more on the outside edges and it is designed to bounce into the middle of the pool, Edington noted. “Before, the lights came down from the ceiling,” he said. “It (lighting) now meets IHSAA code.”

Lighting technology and standards change often, too.

Movement of air was addressed by installing a new air unit, vents and fans. “It has increased the way air comes in,” he said. “It’s enough to create ripples on the water.”

A big air unit above the storeroom was replaced. “The other one did not dry the air out well,” Edington noted. “It did not remove the humidity. There was still no air movement close to the water. The movement was higher.”

Vents are now close to the floor level and the air comes down the walls and finds its way into the vents, he added. Four new fans were installed.

“The air unit sat for nearly six months without running,” he said, taking into account the summer break and the first couple of months of the present school year. “We had to do some troubleshooting after starting it up.”

A thermostat was moved, too, because it was located too close to a door that when opened let in the cold outside air. It was causing the warmer air to kick on too often, Edington noted.

He said the big air unit does not have a purging unit that takes air out and replaces it with new air. “You don’t want 30 degree air above 80 degree water,” he said.

Another change included installing a new UV filter to remove organic materials from the water. Weekly the pool is tested for bacteria and also the chlorine levels. Reports are submitted to the state and so far the results have met the required standards.

Edington said he is aware of a particular concern expressed about some kids having problems breathing during swimming practice. “We have been working with the swimming coach,” he said, in addition to installing the new UV filter, cleaning out existing equipment, installing the new vents and also using new monitoring equipment.

He said exercise routines of swimmers are being monitored, too, to determine if any problems develop because they exercise both in and out of the pool, such as when they go to the weight room, for an example.

The age of the pool should also be taken into account, he cautioned. It is now more than 20 years old and only so much can be done to improve it. Newer pools, such as the one at Northridge High School, are designed differently.

A few items have yet to be finished at the WMS pool, such as parts associated with the diving board, the record board and others.

The Miss Kosciusko County Scholarship Program is slated for 6 p.m. Saturday night and also includes a contest to name an outstanding teen.

Four young woman are vying for the Miss Kosciusko title and a $1,000 scholarship. There are also four girls between the ages 13 to 17 who are competing for the Miss Kosciusko title and a $100 scholarship. The program is being held at Wawasee Middle School in Syracuse.

The young women in the Miss Kosciusko pageant and the Outstanding Teen contest will compete Saturday night in five categories including interview, talent, lifestyle and fitness, evening gown and on-stage question.

The winner of Miss Kosciusko will win a $1,000 scholarship, an evening gown and other necessities to take to the state contest in June. The runner-up will win a $500 scholarship and a third contestant will receive $50 as the People’s Choice.

The winner of the Outstanding Teen will win a $100 scholarship and will receive other necessities to take to state in June as well. First runner-up and the People’s Choice winners will each received $50 scholarships.

Elizabeth Dowell

Miss Kosciusko County contestants are:
Elizabeth Dowell, 19. Dowell will perform a lyrical dance to Adele’s hit song, “Rolling in the Deep.” Her platform is supporting childhood health and fitness.

Katie Allen

Katie Allen, 18. Allen will perform a country line dance to the song “Country Girl Shake it for Me.” Her platform is on volunteering and impacting, improving and giving hope to children’s lives.

Mary Jane Mix

Mary Jane Mix, 19. Mix will perform a flute instrumental to “Circle of Life.” Her platform is 4-H and making the best, better.

Shana Patel, 20. Patel will perform a Bollywood Dance to “Jai Ho.” Her platform is making a difference one wish at a time.

Outstanding Teen contestants are:

Liz Hardy

Liz Hardy, 14. Hardy will perform a monologue titled, “The Stepsister Speaks Out.” Her platform is “Bump, Set, Serving Our Community.”

Leigh-Ann Schrack

Leigh-Ann Shrack, 14. Shrack will sing “Blown Away” for her talent. Her platform is the Kosciusko Cancer Care Fund.

Katie Ksiezopolski

Katie Ksiezopolski, 13. Ksiezopolski will perform a monologue from The Hunger Games. Her platform is on body image.

Madeline Batista

Madeline Batista, 14. Batista will perform a ballet dance to “Bella’s Lullaby.” Her platform is health and fitness for kids.

Winner of the Warsaw Middle School Spelling Bee Caleb VanLue (right) with runner up Roger Fitzpatrick (left).
(Photo by Tim Ashley)

Caleb VanLue, sixth-grader, was the winner of the Wawasee Middle School Spelling Bee Friday. Roger Fitzpatrick, seventh-grader, also was the runner-up.

The fifth- and sixth-grade county spelling bee will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, at North Webster Elementary School. The seventh and eighth grade bee is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, also at North Webster. Winners of each bee will face off after the seventh and eighth grade bee Feb. 5.

(Photo by Tim Ashley)

Garrett Elder, Wawasee Middle School eighth-grader, placed second at the national level of the NFL Punt, Pass & Kick competition for 12 and 13 year-olds.

The competition was held Saturday in Atlanta, Ga., a day prior to the Atlanta Falcons-Seattle Seahawks playoff game each competitor was able to attend. Elder, a wide receiver for the eighth grade Wawasee football team in the fall of 2012, qualified for the national competition by placing first in the local competition at Wawasee High School, the sectional at Mishawaka High School and the state at Lucas Oil Field, home of the Indianapolis Colts.

Only the top four in the nation qualified for the national event. The competitions involve punting, passing and kicking a football and having the totals of all three added together. Garrett, wearing a Colts T-shirt he was given for winning the state competition, is the son of Michael and Vicki Elder.

Knights of Columbus in Syracuse is teaming up with Wawasee Middle School for a pancake breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 414 S. Sycamore St. The breakfast is a fundraiser for WMS.

Cost is $5 for adults, $2 for kids 12 and under. Shown helping to promote the breakfast are, in front, from left, students Sara Pritchard, Wynter Rhoads and Rhett Coblentz and Shawn Johnson, assistant principal.

In the back row are Rick Vester with the Knights of Columbus, Kabrea Rostochak and Hannah-Marie Lamle. For more information, call WMS at (574) 457-8839.

The music department of the Wawasee Community School Corp. will be conducting an informational meeting for students and parents of students who will be attending sixth grade next year at either Wawasee or Milford Middle school.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, March 11, in the Wawasee Middle School cafeteria. WMS is located just south of Syracuse on SR 13 near the intersection with CR 1000 North.

Students interested in beginning musical instrument study on a band or orchestra instrument can get information about music classes and sign up for appointments to try out different instruments and make arrangements to rent instruments for next year.

Band directors Hope Bechtel and Sara Skow and orchestra director Joyce Dubach will be available to answer questions about the music programs at each middle school. Parents who cannot attend the meeting are invited to contact the band or orchestra directors for more information.

For more information, contact Dubach at jdubach@wawasee.k12.in.us.

SYRACUSE — “You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything,” Bill Ballenger said of young people today. “There just seems to be this grey area everyone operates in, where nothing really matters anymore.”

Break the Grey, Ballenger’s nonprofit faith-based organization, seeks to restore absolutes in the eyes of the youth. Ballenger, founder of Break the Grey, knows the trouble youth can get into when they live in a life where there are no absolutes. Originally from Franklin, Ind., Ballenger found himself in White’s Residential and Family Services in Wabash after getting into drugs and dealing and eventually running away from home.

A few years later, he and his new wife were arrested at home for his role in local violence and burglaries; their daughter was taken from them and they were sentenced to six years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. It was his first offense.

During his time in prison, Ballenger made a promise to himself and to God he would make a change in his life. He began Break the Grey as a pop rock band called Ballenger, recording music in 2001 and, in 2005, he started speaking at schools.

“Our organization is a faith-based organization, however, because we work within the public school systems, we can’t and we don’t bring any of our faith into it,” Ballenger said. “Even though we don’t share any of the biblical references in schools, they know something is different about us.”

Syracuse-Wawasee Ministerial Association has been working with Wawasee High School in the wake of the student tragedies around Kosciusko County.

Next week, Ballenger visits Milford Middle School students at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday. He’ll visit Wawasee Middle School at 2:20 p.m. the same day. On Thursday, April 11, Break the Grey will have a school assembly at Wawasee High School at 8:15 a.m. to present his message to more students lost like he was.

“Can you imagine trying to focus nowadays in school? There’s so many different things going on in your life and if home is terrible, school’s going to suck for you,” Ballenger said. “We try to really focus on what they could be, not all their mistakes. We’re here to talk about it and get it out on the table, the issues we’re dealing with as teenagers.”

“We’ve got to do something. None of us are perfect and the schools are trying. Across America, it’s the same thing,” Ballenger continued. “In almost every school, I ask the question, ‘how many of you know at least one person that has made a decision and they’re, today, dead because of it?’”

According to Ballenger, at least 20 percent of students in most of the schools he visits for Break the Grey raise their hands. “They need some hope right now,” Ballenger said. “We don’t spend any of our time telling them to not do any of those things; all we do is try to raise awareness and ask questions.”

After the assemblies, Ballenger and his group of interns who run the program try to stick around to talk to students who are struggling.

“The stories that these students come and tell us about what’s going on at home or what’s happening to them, or what’s happened to them, that’s how I know it works,” Ballenger said. “Students know if something really cares or not.”

Break the Grey interns also follow up with students after the group leaves the area through social media.

“I’ve got to help think about their choices. We all think about it when we’re at the funeral home, visiting and paying our last respects. Break the Grey is trying to bring it out into the open and talk about it now.”

Thursday night, after all the assemblies have taken place, Ballenger and his crew will return to Wawasee High School for a concert with Ballenger featuring Forever at Last as the opening band.

Tickets are free to students, but every entrant must have a ticket, which will be available at both Milford and Wawasee middle schools as well as Wawasee High School. Dairy Queen in Syracuse will also have a limited number of tickets available, which will be open for pick-up on Wednesday, April 10. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the show, which goes from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and will close with a prayer.

It was a fun-filled, music-filled, sobering morning for Milford Middle School today. Students got to meet with Bill Ballenger, founder of Break the Grey, and his gang of interns for discussions on life, sobriety and friendship at a school assembly unlike any other. Students even got to attempt to perform popular dances like GS Boyz’s “Stanky Legg.”

The interns of Break the Grey introduced the program through a musical-montage of a girl being “played” by a boy she really liked and eventually being swept off her feet by a better suitor.

Other performances involved a girl who lived a rough life. Her family fought at home, she got into fights at school and she smoked and drank. Eventually, the girl felt there was no other choice but suicide, but a friend rushed in just in time to save the her life.

Ballenger then spoke to students about the importance of showing love to friends by keeping them safe. He said it was better to lose a friendship than for a friend to lose a life.

Ballenger and Break the Grey also visited Wawasee Middle School Wednesday afternoon. They’ll take on Wawasee High School Thursday at 8:15 a.m. to spread their message of love and life.

The band “Ballenger” will be at Wawasee High School for a free concert for the youth at 7 p.m. Thursday night. Doors open at 6 p.m. The first 50 students to show up will receive a Ballenger T-shirt along with a backstage tour prior to the show.

Three native trees have been planted in the courtyard at Wawasee Middle School.

Students involved in Builders Club at WMS teamed up with Daniel Landscape Design of Columbia City to celebrate Earth Day Monday and also looked ahead to Arbor Day Friday.

Students placed mulch around the trees — a serviceberry, dogwood and redbud.

Shown is WMS student Leylah Roberson placing mulch at the base of the serviceberry tree. Other students participating, but not pictured, were Logan Long, Michael Sautter, Chance Heminger, David Norris, Kevin Henson, Chris Schmidt, Tony Wasko, Cassie Hunt, Riley Halsey, Kayle Murphy, Erynn Hatfield and Rylee Floyd.

Also present were Jessica Clayton, faculty sponsor of Builders Club; Mike Malcolm, eighth grade science teacher; Dennis Howland, principal; and Dr. Tom Edington, superintendent of the Wawasee Community School Corp. Builders Club, a student led organization, is part of the Kiwanis International family.

Joan Younce, Purdue Extension Office of Kosciusko County, spoke to Wawasee Middle School students about food safety. Here she is demonstrating a thermometer used to gauge food temperature. (Photo by Tim Ashley)

Not all bacteria is bad when it comes to food, but much of it is and caution should be taken to eliminate as much of it as possible when cooking.

Joan Younce, Purdue Extension Office for Kosciusko County, spoke to Darcy Hively’s family and consumer sciences classes Thursday and Friday at Wawasee Middle School as part of Fight BAC (short for bacteria), a program focusing on the four principles of food safety of clean, cook, chill and separate. The goal of the U.S. Department of Agriculture program, which is specifically for middle school students, is to keep bacteria from food as much as possible.

Some bacteria is good, Younce noted, such as that used in yogurt and cheese products. But those are exceptions and usually steps need to be taken to get rid of bacteria. It can’t be seen, tasted or smelled, but it can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto countertops, cutting boards, utensils and food. If eaten, food borne bacteria can cause illness and, sometimes, serious illness or even death.

She cited examples of food borne illness causing major problems, such as one found in eggs that came from a farm in Iowa. As another example, during one of Younce’s presentations Friday morning to eighth-graders, one student noted she had food poisoning and was sick for an entire week.

Certain population groups are considered more at-risk for developing a serious food borne illness, including the elderly, smaller children, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems such as those cancer. Younce pointed out chemotherapy for cancer patients can make them weaker and more susceptible to illness.

Keeping hands clean is important when handling food. Hands should be washed thoroughly before and after preparing food, she emphasized. Cutting boards, utensils, dishes and countertops should also be washed with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before going on to the next one.

Cooking foods at hot enough temperatures will kill bacteria. Younce provided students with papers including a chart of some basic food items and what temperature they should be cooked at.

Chilling food in a refrigerator does not kill bacteria, but will slow its growth, she said. The temperature should be at 40 degrees or below. Food should not be left out and exposed to room temperature for more than two hours, she noted, according to health department guidelines.

Separating involves washing hands before and after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling pets. Don’t use the same cutting board for fresh produce as is used for raw meat, poultry or seafood. Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods in the grocery shopping cart and the refrigerator and prevent juices from raw meat, poultry and seafood from dripping on other foods in the refrigerator.
Hand washing demonstrations were done for students.