Board of School Trustees recognizes 23 for core values at Nov. 14 meeting
By Kenzie Gamlin | HCCSC Communications Intern
HCCSC has a set of core values that represents the beliefs of the corporation as a whole. Previously, those who have exhibited behavior that follows these values have been verbally recognized during Board of School Trustees meetings, but Superintendent John Trout thought that this was not enough to recognize such achievements.
Trout decided to put forth a process in which administrators from each school may nominate students or staff to be recognized by the school board for demonstrating core values. After their nomination, they may be recognized more officially by being present at a school board meeting.
During the most recent school board meeting, on Nov. 14, many groups and individuals were invited to be recognized for their accomplishments. The students and staff that were receiving the recognition were called by name by Director of Elementary Education Jay Peters, who also gave a brief synopsis of their achievement.
After being verbally recognized, Director of Secondary Education Chuck Brimbury gave the individuals an official certificate in honor of their core value and took a picture with the individuals and different members of the Board of School Trustees to remember the moment.
There were four different groups and three individuals recognized at this school board meeting: The Huntington North High School boys tennis team, the HNHS FFA horse judging team, the HNHS FFA livestock judging team, the HNHS girls cross country team, PSAT National Merit Scholarship winner Rebeccah Kerlin, boys cross country semi-state qualifier Dom Lisinicchia and Lincoln Principal Jennifer Yarger.
The HNHS boys tennis team competed and won its fourth consecutive sectional championship match this year. The team fought against Norwell High School and left the courts victorious 3–2 in the championship match.
The team was awarded at the school board meeting in honor of its fourth consecutive win. The varsity team consisted of Joe Bowers, Braeden Christiansen, Max Fusselman, Sean Holmes, Mason Kline, Dale Schweller, Ethan Zahn and head coach Peter Kitchen.
The team advanced to regionals, and unfortunately fell to Carroll High School. However, their fight did not go unnoticed, and the four consecutive sectional championships did not either.
The HNHS Future Farmers of America (FFA) horse judging team and the HNHS FFA livestock judging team found success in the 2022 season. FFA is a youth group that focuses on leadership, career success and personal growth within the field of agriculture. As a group, they have a multitude of competition teams to represent examples of agricultural futures, including the horse and livestock judging teams.
In the judging competitions, there are two teams in each group called reasons and questions. These groups will judge their topic, in these cases horses in one group and livestock in another, however, the reasons teams will give their reasons as to why they placed the animals where they did and the questions team will be asked questions about the animals they judged. Some examples are what color they were, special markings, best muscles and how balanced they were.
The horse judging team placed second as a group in the state competition. Kirah Klepper, a current HNHS sophomore, came in third place in the reasons team and 10th place overall. In the national competition, Klepper came in 20th place individually.
The top livestock judging reasons team placed third in their state competition, with Aaron Amick placing first individually. At their national contest in Kansas City, Missouri, the team placed third overall and Aaron Amick placed third individually. The questions team placed fourth at their state competition, with Caden Moore placing seventh individually.
The HNHS FFA horse judging team consisted of Klepper, Eva Marley, Abagayle Wright and FFA teachers Jamie Buckland and Emily Brite. Unfortunately, Brite and Marley were both unable to attend the school board meeting to be recognized.
The HNHS FFA livestock judging team consisted of Amick, Brite, Buckland, Austin Amick, Phoebe Landrum and Allie Raab. Only Buckland and Landrum could accept their recognition at this meeting, however, and the rest of the team will participate in another school board meeting recognizing their high achievements in the near future.
The HNHS girls cross country team has also found great success in their season. The varsity team consisting of head coach Carrie Boxell, Kaylee Brooks, Brenna Cady, Ella Colclesser, Gracie Fields, Hannah Haupert, Elle McDonald and Adrianna Nightenhelser moved their way through the regular season, placing second at sectionals and third at regionals to qualify for semi-state. This was the 29th consecutive year the team made it to semi-state.
With tough competition at semi-state, the girls came in 17th place, but their hard work and effort put into the season was very evident and something the school board thought very obvious to recognize and celebrate.
On the other side of the cross country program, Dom Lisinicchia was recognized for his efforts during the boys cross country season. While the team had its season come to an end at regionals, Lisinicchia had other plans.
Having a time of 17:32.7 and placing 25th out of 88 runners, he was able to qualify for semi-state. As an individual, Lisinicchia placed 161st at semi-state and ran with a time of 18:52.6. As well as the girls varsity team, the school board thought it was evident how hard the runner worked and that he deserved to have this recognition.
Rebeccah Kerlin, a current senior, was recognized at the school board meeting as well, in honor of receiving the PSAT/NMSQT National Merit Scholarship. This scholarship goes to those who receive a high selection index on their PSAT they take in their junior year of high school.
A selection index is a score that is calculated by doubling a student’s reading, writing and math scores. The highest 50,000 selected index scores will be accounted for and then out of those 50,000 fewer than 1/3 will become scholarship finalists. From there, half of the 1/3 will become National Merit Scholars.
Kerlin was one of these students and will receive her scholarship as she attends college in the fall of 2023. Kerlin is also a member of Huntington North High School’s Marching Band and National Honor Society.
Lincoln Elementary School Principal Jennifer Yarger was recognized by the school board for being a nominee for the National Life Group LifeChanger of the Year award. LifeChanger of the Year is a program that occurs annually. It recognizes K-12 educators and school employees across the country. The program recognizes those who make an impact in the lives of children and young adults.
Yarger was nominated by an anonymous colleague for the award. In the nomination, a short passage is written about all the incredible achievements and work she has put in at Lincoln Elementary.
“Mrs. Yarger is in her second year as principal,” the nomination stated. “Since taking this role, there has been a noticeable change in staff morale, and the community has also begun to notice the positive changes taking place. Great things are starting to happen at Lincoln Elementary.”