What’s lately occurred?
Griffith Excessive College (GHS) Seniors Bella Andriessen and Madi Worosz competed within the “Senior Duet” division on the Indiana Excessive College Dance Group Affiliation (IHSDTA) State Championship. Within the earlier 12 months, this similar duet acquired tenth place at state for Senior Duet. This consequence was pleasing, however was one they needed to enhance on this season.
All through the 2023 season, this duet had been performing extremely nicely, and the pair is trying ahead to seeing how they are going to fare towards the entire state.
Sophomores Emily DeYoung and Hailey-Marie Guajardo competed within the Junior Ensemble division on the IHSDTA State Championship. That is their first 12 months competing as a duet, and so they have put up some spectacular outcomes all through the season.
Semi-State and State are held on the identical day for this occasion, so each teams traveled all the way down to McCutcheon Excessive College to compete. For the Junior Ensemble, DeYoung and Guajardo positioned eleventh with a rating of 74.16, coming only one spot in need of State qualification. Regardless of the frustration from being that shut, each nonetheless have two extra years to enhance on their efficiency. DeYoung was optimistic when reminiscing in regards to the second.
“Hailey and I gave it our absolute all and carried out the very best we might’ve. It was the very best we’d carried out this season. My expertise was one thing unforgettable, and I couldn’t be extra grateful for the individuals and help I had round me,” DeYoung stated.
Guajardo additionally was fairly optimistic when requested about the way forward for the duet.
“Emily and I can not wait till subsequent season for our junior 12 months duet,” Guajardo stated.
Andriessen and Worosz, nonetheless, did qualify for State. With among the finest–if not the very best–performances of their highschool careers, they positioned second within the Semi-State for Senior Duet. This was a shock for Andrieseen and Worosz.
Quickly after their state qualifying duet, they carried out once more, this time for State. This efficiency was simply as good, inserting third with a rating of 80.9. These outcomes shattered Worosz’s expectations.
“Going into Semi-State, my aim was merely to qualify. I used to be very proud of how the season went, and I needed to complete off by placing all the pieces we had into our final performances quite than fixating on scores. Putting second at Semi-State and third at State was past what I used to be anticipating, and I used to be so excited that me and Bella acquired to have that exhilarating second to complete off our duet season,” Worosz stated.
This duet is simply as robust off flooring as it’s on the ground. Each Worosz and Andriessen have been mates for a really very long time, and the day actually encompassed that. Andriessen stated it was an emotional day for all concerned.
“There have been a number of feelings from all of us; Madi, myself, and even our coach. Madi and I are very intently bonded to the purpose the place she seems like a sister to me. Getting the privilege of dancing a duet along with her, particularly our final one for our senior season was completely phenomenal. There was pleasure, disappointment, all several types of feelings. We each knew that no matter occurred on the market was going to occur with a goal, and we simply needed to give it our greatest and depart all of it out on the ground. When the dance was achieved there was nonetheless a lot pleasure which flooded into tears. The dance, general, was very profitable all through the entire day,” Andriessen stated.
What’s developing?
On Saturday, March 11, the GHS dance staff, higher generally known as the Pantherettes, shall be competing in each a Jazz and a Pom efficiency on the ISHDTA State Championship.
For about half of the staff, these shall be their final two performances of their highschool profession, with 5 of the 11 dancers being seniors. The Pantherettes are going into the State championship with excessive expectations after a Regional championship and undefeated season of their respective division (A Pom) and together with a second place end at Regionals in the identical class (A Jazz).
With so much using on this weekend’s performances, every particular person has totally different roles heading into the weekend. The only Junior on the staff, Catherine Cavazos, shared that preparation has been troublesome but fulfilling.
“Preparation has been each very difficult and thrilling,” Cavazos stated. “We have now actually attacked each element potential to ensure the routines are clear and powerful. We actually need to present everybody how laborious we’ve been working this complete season.”
With 5 of 11 Pantherettes being seniors, their function is essential if the staff is to perform at a excessive degree. As captain, Worosz is a type of with the best duty to ensure all the pieces runs easily. She has each on and off-the-floor staff obligations.
“I need to be sure that everyone seems to be proud of what they depart on the ground no matter our placement. Holding the staff overrated and centered earlier than we carry out in addition to recognizing that these performances are going to be our last runs of the dances we’ve labored so laborious on all season will assist us give it our all on the state flooring,” Worosz stated.
Freshman Janessa Wheatley has considerably of a unique function when referring to off the ground. She feels her affect is extra reliant on her charisma and character than anything.
“I feel my function is to have a constructive perspective and to ensure everybody on the staff is worked up and able to carry out amazingly,” Wheatley stated.
The Pantherettes are performing each Jazz and Pom this Saturday at Lafayette Jefferson Excessive College in hopes of outperforming their earlier years and hopefully successful state.
Workers highlight:
Julie Wencloff has probably the most distinctive backgrounds of all of the employees at GHS. Initially born in Greensburg and from Pittsburgh, Wencloff then moved to Robinson Township the place she attended Montour Excessive College and in addition the place her mother and father nonetheless dwell right this moment.
After highschool, Wencloff attended Edinboro College of Pennsylvania the place she acquired a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology. She continued for one more 12 months and a half so as to obtain her trainer’s certification.
Over that summer time, Wencloff acquired her first internship positioned at Wallops Island, wherein she adopted a gaggle of bottlenose dolphins alongside the east coast.
“My job was to take photos of the dolphins’ dorsal fins in hopes to make a catalog of the inhabitants migrating alongside the east coast of the U.S,” Wencloff stated.
She additionally talked about that this mission was in unity with the Baltimore Aquarium, now referred to as the Nationwide Aquarium.
After that internship, Wencloff moved to the Bahamas to work at a Organic Discipline Station to show children about ecology within the Bahamas. Whereas there, she additionally developed another expertise.
“Whereas there, I earned my Divemaster degree coaching by greater than 100 dives,” Wencloff stated. “This was the very best a part of the job. I used to be in a position to dive day-after-day and benefit from the sea life on the third largest barrier reef on this planet.”
Wencloff began educating at GHS in 2000, and has taught nearly each science class the college has provided. She at present teaches AP Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Biology. She finds educating to be an limitless journey which is continually fulfilling.
“Instructing isn’t boring. There’s all the time one thing new to be taught and somebody new to assist be taught one thing. Studying ought to by no means cease throughout your life. There’s a lot to know,” Wencloff stated.
Exterior of her occupation, Wencloff finds time for her hobbies, which embrace canine breeding, coaching, and crusing. She is a part of a gaggle referred to as NWI Search and Restoration, which she defines as a non-profit group that appears for lacking individuals. She additionally competes in agility, obedience, rally, nosework, and Portuguese water canine trials. Wencloff takes a number of satisfaction in her canines in addition to her occupation.
Pupil highlight:
Terrence Salazar-Ray, a senior at GHS, is a really influential and impactful pupil. Salazar-Ray may be very concerned at GHS. He has been swimming for 4 years, unified sports activities for 2 years, theatre for one 12 months, worldwide membership for 2 years, greatest buddies for one 12 months, choir for 4 years, and yearbook for one 12 months.
One in all Salazar-Ray’s passions helps individuals in addition to the neighborhood. He credit his house life and his environment for nurturing this ardour.
“I really feel like I used to be raised in atmosphere and was round individuals who had been very understanding. I additionally really feel that I perceive what individuals are going by and am keen to assist them,” Salazar-Ray stated.
He’s concerned in each swimming and theatre at GHS. Inside swimming, he says that regardless of the stress the game brings, he enjoys the constructive points of it.
“Regardless that swim may be very tense, I like the game and it helps take my thoughts off of different issues. Swim additionally makes me really feel like I’m part of one thing larger than myself,” Salazar-Ray stated.
Though each are extracurriculars he’s very enthusiastic about, Salazar-Ray feels theatre is each just like and totally different from swim.
“I really feel like if you’re on stage, you don’t have to fret about something. It was enjoyable to step out of my consolation zone and to strive one thing new,” he stated.
All through his time at GHS, Salazar-Ray has had some very memorable experiences. GHS was his first expertise of public faculty, and he felt it improved his life.
“I felt prefer it was actually good for me and attempt to step out. With the ability to be in golf equipment and different actions like which have actually helped me out and made me develop into a greater particular person,” he stated.
After highschool, Salazar-Ray has a really fascinating future deliberate.
“After highschool, I plan to pursue a level to develop into a plastic surgeon in Arizona,” he stated.
Salazar-Ray is a charismatic and passionate one who will discover a good future irrespective of the place life takes him.
