Duneland Schools Update, April 29, 2016

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Sign Language Club opens communication at Westchester Intermediate School
Westchester Intermediate School (WIS) students and staff are committed to eliminating communication barriers within the school by starting a new sign language club.

Westchester Intermediate houses the Corporation’s fifth and sixth grade deaf and hard of hearing students. “I noticed that students and adults were sharing personal experiences with me about their family and friends who are deaf or hard of hearing and expressing the same passion I have for sign language,” said Mary Skube, an educational interpreter with Porter County Education Services who is housed at WIS.

“Trouble communicating is a silent dilemma that deaf individuals face on a daily basis,” expressed Skube. “I wanted to offer my time and my love of signing to anyone who wants to learn a new way to communicate to make our deaf and hard of hearing students feel more welcome and accepted.”

Skube saw a need so with the help of her colleagues, Courtney Kozinski and Becky Holmen, she successfully started an American Sign Language (ASL) club at the school.

Communication barriers, while common among pre-teen and teenagers, can have a profound effect on a student’s development. “This club is changing the entire school dynamics and changing lives,” said Skube. The club members meet two days a week at lunch. They eat lunch together and then go to the computer lab to learn ASL through casual, multi-modal educational strategies.

Skube’s hope is to establish a signing community and show each ASL Club member that no matter how many differences each may have with others in the club, they all share one very important attribute; dedication and signing. “ASL is more than throwing signs together, ASL is a culture. My goal is for each ASL student and adult club member to go beyond having a meaningful conversation in ASL. I want every member to end the school year with exposure to deaf etiquette, history, culture and proper signing,” added Skube.

The ASL Club will also put together an ABC book, available to everyone in the building, that will teach the alphabet and basic school-related terms and briefly tough on deaf culture. The book will feature photos of teachers, support staff members, administrators, and volunteers signing. Skube feels that by involving everyone in the book, students can see that everyone at WIS is important.

The club is hosting its first annual WIS ASL Club event, ‘ASL Game Night’, at the school on Friday, May 13 from 6-8 p.m. This event, co-sponsored by the Purdue University North West ASL Club, will feature each club member practicing conversational ASL in a relaxed environment.

This is a WIS family event that will include games and activities for the students. is for all ages and for anyone with an interest or curiosity in sign language. Attendees do not need to know any sign language, the WIS ASL Club members are preparing themselves on how to properly teach others what they are learning, which only reinforces their own knowledge and understanding of concepts in the process.

“We are inviting our community to this event, and as a thank you, we will be providing free pizza and drinks. It is our way, as ASL enthusiasts, to come together and show how we are taking steps to break down communication barriers at WIS,” said Skube.

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Chesterton Middle School Students Donate to Earthquake Victims
Chesterton Middle School Japanese students had an Earthquake Relief Bake Sale early this week to help and raise awareness for Kumamoto, Japan, where many people have been suffering from the initial earthquake on April 16 and ongoing tremors since then in Kumamoto areas. Students raised $455 and all the proceeds will be donated to the affected areas through the Japanese Red Cross Society. Front row, left to right, David Read, Grant Gilbertson, Calvin Carden, Joseph Arulandu, Caroline Liapes, Emmy Babcock, Peyton Westphal, Adam David, Jacob Cabo, Logan Archambault and Seth Conway. Row 2, Billy Shook, Jordan Carlson, Andrew Green, Josh Leath, Nathan Arthur, Danny Anderson, Elise Dorsey, Caroline Ausema, Peter Girzadas, Eric Ailes, Cody Shidler, Julia Dujmovich, Eve Senderhauf, Grace Finke, Kaleb Cole, Jack Tilden, Andrew Alders and Ian Kudrecki. Back row, Adam Little, Olivia Lee, Olivia Lyons, Katrina Payne, Hannah Grimes, Justine Keiser, Carly Sparacio, Samantha Henderson, Hannah Caprous, Rachel Carey, Lianna Ramirez, Ronnie Stone, Freddy Whitlow and Andy Emmons. Absent from photo is their teacher Aki Tsugawa.

Chesterton High School Receives National Student Council Award
For its exemplary record of leadership, service and activities that serve to improve the school and community, Chesterton High School Student Government has been awarded a 2016 National Gold Council of Excellence Award by the National Association of Student Councils (NASC).

"Receiving an NASC National Gold Council of Excellence Award reflects the highest dedication on the part of the school to providing a strong, well-rounded student council program," said Ann Postlewaite, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) student programs director. "NASC applauds the work of the National Gold Councils of Excellence and challenges them to continue their leadership and service to their schools and communities."

To meet the requirements for the NASC National Council of Excellence, a student council must meet a variety of criteria. In addition to basic requirements such as a written constitution, regular meetings, a democratic election process, and membership in NASC, councils demonstrate such things as leadership training for council members, teacher/staff appreciation activities, students recognition programs, school and community service projects, spirit activities, goal setting, financial planning, and active participation in state and national student council associations. Those councils awarded the gold level have successfully demonstrated the highest levels of leadership.

To learn more about the National Council of Excellence Award, visit www.nasc.us/ncoe.

CHS students named state winners in 2016 high school writing contest
The Woman's Press Club of Indiana (WPCI) announced its state winners for its 2016 high school writing contest late Tuesday. Coordinator Elizabeth Granger said the winners included six staff members of the Chesterton High School Sandscript.

Editor-in-chief senior Katelynn Williams placed first in the state for her editorial "Stores boycott consumer America." The judges said of the article, "The hands-down winner in th[e editorial] category. A strong, persuasive argument about the true meaning of Thanksgiving and how some businesses are not letting the almighty dollar dictate their holiday sales. Well done!"

Sports editor sophomore Jennie Moran also was first for her sports story "Crumb rubber turf alleged to contain carcinogens." The judges commented, "Great topic, great reporting, great sources, great length. This is a fantastic example of journalism at the high school level, [and] it shows a maturity in taking a larger, more serious topic, and bringing it home. A good example of how sports and the rest of our lives can intersect in ways that we might not think of."

In page design, news editor junior Erin Grimes took third place for her single-page layout, while creative design director/feature editor Katarina Gregurich won third place for her double-truck layout.

In sports-writing, staff writers sophomores Kady Chael and Patrick Sosby were named as honorable-mention winners.

Williams and Moran will now compete in the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) high school writing contest, and countrywide winners will be announced before the NFPW national convention in Wichita, Kansas, in September.

The Sandscript was just one of two northern Indiana schools to have staffers place in the contest.

Advisor to the Sandscript is English/journalism teacher John Hayduk.