Congratulations to our own Omar Diaz and Sarah O’farril for being 2 of 62,000 students from across the country to earn academic honors from the College Board’s National Recognition Programs! These National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students with academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications and connect students with universities across the country, helping them stand out during the admissions process. Colleges and scholarship programs use these honors to identify students from underrepresented groups through College Board’s Student Search Service.

Omar is a senior in the class of 2023 at Hanover Central High School. Outside of studies, he is a member of the National Honor Society and the Garden Club. He plans to go to college as a pre-med student after high school. Omar and his family were born in Mexico and moved to America for more opportunities when he was 6 years old. The Diaz family has worked very hard to get to where they are today. Omar expressed his excitement, “This recognition means a lot to me because it shows that all my hard work wasn't for nothing.” Omar is inspired by his desire to help people and his interest in continuing his education.

Omar earned this recognition by excelling on their PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, or AP Exams in their classrooms. Students who may be eligible have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams; and are African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigenous, and/or attend school in a rural area or small town. Eligible students are invited to apply during their sophomore or junior year and are awarded at the beginning of the next school year.

Sarah is also a senior in the class of 2023 at Hanover Central High School. She is involved in tennis, student council, National Honor Society, theater, and show choir. After high school, Sara plans to go to college to major in Computer Science, with a focus on cybersecurity and robotics. She was born in Puerto Rico, with her whole family being born and raised on the island. At the age of two, Sara and her family moved to Chicago, and eventually to Indiana. This recognition means a lot to her because her parents left their home country for her. When asked about her parents, Sara said, “They always wanted me to have the best access to education, and overall better quality of life. Excelling academically is one way for me to make my parents proud and honor the sacrifices they have made for me.” She has always been inspired by her parents and how love and hard work can create things that seem impossible.

Sarah earned this recognition by excelling on their PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, or AP Exams in their classrooms. Students who may be eligible have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams; and are African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigenous, and/or attend school in a rural area or small town. Eligible students are invited to apply during their sophomore or junior year and are awarded at the beginning of the next school year.

Congratulations to both of our amazing students on this incredible award. Way to make Hanover PROUD!

Mrs. Evans and Ms. Mooney teamed up with their 8th grade ELA classes and had to opportunity to watch "Come From Away," the hit musical based on a remarkable true story of the isolated community of Gander, Newfoundland.

The synopsis from broadway.com explains the story. "What started as an average day in a small town turned into an international sleep-over when 38 planes, carrying thousands of people from across the globe, were diverted to Gander’s air strip on September 11, 2001. Undaunted by culture clashes and language barriers, the people of Gander cheered the stranded travelers with music, an open bar, and the recognition that we’re all part of a global family."

Evans and Mooney had the students watch the stage play from Apple TV throughout two days of class. A lesson before watching the show was used to build background knowledge. They discussed articles including "Operation Yellow Ribbon" and Washington Post's "Gander, Newfoundland." They also had a journal prompt with the question, "Do you believe it is your country’s responsibility to help other countries when they are in need? Explain your opinion."

After they watched the film, the students had an exit ticket by answering two of the four questions: "What are the main themes of the show? What surprised you most about this musical?" or, "What is the plot of this musical? What do you think would have been a good alternate ending to the production?" Students discussed their thoughts on the show with Evans and Mooney, as well as with their classmates.

This lesson was beneficial to the students to see a Broadway musical demonstrate such a widely known story on a smaller scale of Gander, Newfoundland.

Students will have opportunities to get "paws" to help their team build points.

Dr. Eckart is the team leader for the Green house called Isibindi. 💚

Miss Schlosser is the team leader for the Black house called Altruismo. 🖤

Mrs. Luna is the team leader for the Purple house called Nukumori.💜

Mrs. Darnstaedt is the team leader for the Yellow house called Sollevare.💛

When a student receives a paw, they are to write their first and last names on the back of the paw. They will collect their paws in their team bins in the lunchroom. Students can earn paws in TONS of ways including: bringing their Chromebook FULLY charged to school, having a sharpened pencil, wearing their house colors on house color days, being a good walker in the hallway, helping a friend pick up their books that they dropped, etc.

We LOVE to encourage our students to be the best people.

The team with the MOST paws at the end of the year will be the HOUSE WINNER and receive a big trophy. Go get em' Bobcats!

On Wednesday, September 14th, Red Cedars Elementary School had its ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Thank you to Skillman Corporation, Gibraltar Design, our Board of Trustees, and our community for making this beautiful building possible!

Did you know that our very own Lincoln Elementary school has an outdoor laboratory? The committee was started in 1998, a year after Lincoln Elementary was built. There are three main parts of the lab: Tall Tree Trace, The Bluebird Trail, and Lincoln’s Learning Laboratory. The school district provides water, electricity, and fencing for the area. Our maintenance crew helps with mowing the property. Money has been raised through fundraisers, grants, memorial gifts, and donations. A kindergarten teacher at Lincoln, Mrs. Romanovich, spends a lot of her free time caring for the area and ensuring that it is ready for her students.

The Tall Tree Trace nature trail is a one-mile trail through a five-acre hillside woodland providing opportunities for observing trees, plants, and wildlife. This walk of nature includes over twenty-five species of trees and shrubs and various wildflowers. There are various stops where you can stop and enjoy the scenery like the Circle of Life, Reflection Point, White Oak Hollow, and Owl Outpost. There are bird nesting boxes and feeders along the trail. Over 35,000 pounds of trash were hauled out of this area before it could be reclaimed. The purpose of this trail is to have students interact with the environment and learn responsibility for the fragile Earth that we live on. The official dedication of Tall Tree Trace was Arbor Day, April 30, 1999.

The Bluebird Trail was once a native of rural areas in Indiana. In the mid-1900s, the population tanked about 90 percent because of human destruction. Since 1978, the Eastern bluebird has had a steady increase in population, with the help of the people. The purpose of this was to have students observe the environment of the bluebirds by monitoring and maintaining the nesting boxes and surrounding shrubbery. The Bluebird Trail was dedicated on April 17, 2000. The students have the opportunity to watch bluebirds, tree swallows, and wrens fledge since 2000.

Lincoln’s Learning Laboratory features various components including a sunflower garden, a butterfly garden, and a pond/bog area for goldfish and frogs. The purpose of this is to provide the students with a variety of educational activities. They can learn about composting, erosion, growing seasons, flowers, pollination, and the development of fruit and seeds. The pond area allows the students to study water, plants, and animals. The outdoor lab is forever growing and changing. In the past, we have had vegetable gardens, a weather station, and a quiet game area.

In 2001, the National Wildlife Federation acknowledged Lincoln as the first Schoolyard Habitat in Lake County, IN. In 2002, the Indiana State Tree Farm Committee chose Lincoln as the Outdoor Laboratory of the year, the first in Lake County. This lab would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our school population and community support. In the future, we would like to have more student and staff involvement in maintaining this beautiful piece of land. This could also help students earn community service hours and credits. The growth and potential of this gem at Lincoln Elementary are something to look forward to. We are proud to have such a unique environment that can be used to educate students, parents, and staff.