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MHS JROTC cadet is marksmanship state champion, team is runner-up

Posted: Dec 10, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

Marion High School JROTC Cadet Levi Hofmann earned the title of Indiana JROTC Rifle Marksmanship State Champion on Saturday, helping the MHS rifle team on their way to state runner-up.

This is the second time that Hofmann, a junior at MHS, has won the state JROTC Marksmanship Championship.

“It felt good to win the championship again,” said Hofmann, who is also the captain of the rifle team. “I think our team did relatively well with all things considered.”

The Giants took on 27 other JROTC teams in the competition, held in Indianapolis.

Other members of the Giants varsity team are:

Abigail Baird, junior
Josiah Hamilton, junior
Jaron Hofmann, freshman
Tyron Rice, sophomore
Hailey Teeguarden, senior

Pictured are, from left: Tyron Rice, Abigail Baird, Coach Dave Keuster, Levi Hofmann (the match’s top shooter), Josiah Hamilton, Hailey Teeguarden, Lt. Col. David Farlow, and Jaron Hofmann.

Retired Lt. Col. David Farlow, who coaches the team and is the MHS JROTC senior Army instructor, spoke very highly of Levi Hofmann’s shooting abilities.

“Levi has shot very well since he joined the team as a freshman,” Farlow said. “His skills continue to improve every year, as does his confidence in his shooting ability. I expect great things from him as our season progresses.”

The rifle team members shoot air rifles at targets 33 feet away. They shoot from three positions: standing, kneeling, and prone (lying flat on the ground). Bullseyes are approximately the size of a quarter coin, and millimeters can separate a shooter from winning or losing. The competition uses the standardized rules established by the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

The MHS rifle team’s season continues through March, with the Giants competing in multiple state, regional, and national competitions.

MHS JROTC announces Cadet of the Quarter

Posted: Dec 07, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

Marion High School JROTC recently completed a promotion board for cadets seeking to advance in the ranks to either sergeant or staff sergeant. At the conclusion, sophomore Kylee O’Neil was recognized as the best cadet to appear before the board.

“I didn’t expect that,” O’Neil said when she was informed she had performed the best from among the nearly 20 cadets to appear before the promotion board. “I really studied hard for the board. I guess I just did really well.”

The promotion boards are led by the senior ranking cadet non-commissioned officers. Each cadet is quizzed on their knowledge of JROTC subjects and their ability to maintain their military bearing (composure). The subject matter for the board covers physical fitness training, military drill and ceremony, uniform wear and appearance, along with other general information.

JROTC is a leadership development course, and cadets are expected to seek advancement through the rank structure. Passing the sergeants and staff sergeants board is a big hurdle for cadets seeking to advance.

“Attending a board can be very intimidating for a cadet,” said retired Command Sgt. Maj. Jon Smith, the Army instructor for MHS JROTC. “These boards are a great way for cadets to learn to perform under pressure similar to what they might experience in a job interview. Many cadets gain self-confidence after the successful completion of a board.”

O’Neil shined through that process, said retired Lt. Col. David Farlow, MHS JROTC’s senior Army instructor.

“Being selected as the best cadet to attend a promotion board is quite an accomplishment,” Farlow said. “Cadet O’Neil is clearly one of our rising stars within JROTC. We expect great things from her in the future.”

The JROTC Department conducts a promotion board two to three times each semester. This year the cadet leadership decided it would be beneficial to recognize the best cadet to attend each board. The Cadet of the Quarter has their photo on display, so all will know of the honor they have received.

Cadet O’Neil is the second to receive such recognition.

MHS students selected for honor band

Posted: Dec 03, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

Marion High School is proud to announce that two of its band students have earned spots in the Indiana Music Education Association’s Honor Concert Band.

Jaelin Lindsey, junior, who plays clarinet, and Sophie Schenck, senior, who plays trumpet, were selected to join this prestigious ensemble featuring some of the best young musicians in the state. This is the first time in a decade or more that MHS students will participate in the IMEA Honor Concert Band.

The band will gather for rehearsal starting Jan. 17, and then will be featured as guest performers at the IMEA professional development conference. They will perform on Jan. 19 at the Grand Wayne Embassy Theater in Fort Wayne. (There will be fellow Giants from MHS, McCulloch Junior High School, and Justice Intermediate School performing with IMEA honor choirs at the same conference.)

The IMEA Honor Concert Band is a great opportunity for these talented students, and will give them the chance to learn and grow as musicians. We are so proud of these students, and their teacher, MHS Director of Bands Josh Huff!

Marksmanship team earns high marks in first precision level match

Posted: Nov 30, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

Marion High School’s new JROTC precision air rifle marksmanship team turned in an impressive performance Thursday in their first shoulder-to-shoulder match, including a pair of perfect scores from the meet’s top two shooters.

The Giants battled a veteran team from Bellmont High School and demonstrated that even though they are new to shooting at this level, they are a team that should be taken seriously. And the results for the Giants were impressive.

The Giants compete in the prone position during competition with Bellmont on Nov. 29.

Junior Levi Hofmann, the MHS rifle team captain, and senior Hailey Teeguarden tied for first place with an impressive score of 288. Hofmann broke the tie having earned one more bulls-eye than Teeguarden. The duo also turned in perfect scores of 100 in the prone position, becoming the first Marion marksmen to ever shoot a perfect score in one of the three firing positions.

“I was excited that I was finally able to shoot a perfect score in a competition,” Teeguarden said. “I have come so close many times and done it in practice. To finally make the perfect score is awesome.”

Cadet Levi Hoffman takes aim, on his way to a perfect score from the prone position, and the title of top overall shooter in the match.

Cadet Hailey Teeguarden takes aim from the standing position, on her way to second place in the match, losing by one bulls-eye to fellow team member Levi Hoffman.

Retired Lt. Col. David Farlow, the senior Army instructor for the MHS JROTC and coach of the marksmanship team, was proud of the team’s work.

“What an outstanding performance by our team,” Farlow said. “I knew the move up to shooting in the precision category would be a challenge for us, but the cadets have responded well and worked hard to learn the techniques to shoot at this level.”

The precision category is the highest level of air rifle competition, the same level that college and Olympics athletes compete in. The Giants are participating in the Tri-County Rifle League made up of teams from northeast Indiana.

The rifle team members shoot air rifles at targets 33 feet away. They shoot from three positions: standing, kneeling, and prone (lying flat on the ground). Bullseyes are approximately the size of a quarter coin, and millimeters can separate a shooter from winning or losing. The competition uses the standardized rules established by the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

Despite the strong performance by Hofmann and Teeguarden, the Giants came up short against the veteran Bellmont, who won 1134 to 1119.

Other Giants competing included Josiah Hamilton, Abigail Baird, Audrey Dickerson, and Jaron Hofmann.

The Giants will host Howe Military Academy next week, followed by a trip to the Indiana JROTC State Marksmanship Championship on Dec. 8.

MHS students, teachers earn recognition (and cash) from AP program

Posted: Nov 27, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

Tackling challenging academic material sometimes pays off in intangible ways, such as improved critical thinking skills and better preparation for college-level workloads. But for several Marion High School students, the reward was literal: a total of $5,900 cash in hand from the AP-TIP IN program was distributed recently.

In addition, MHS science teacher Kristi Phillippe was one of four finalists for the AP Science Teacher of the Year award. She and fellow science teachers Layne Maki and Dave Tippey, along with English teacher Bret Booher and math teachers Angela Sellers and Doug Porter, also received bonus awards for reaching goals for the percentage of their Advanced Placement students who took the tests corresponding to their classes, and/or the number of students who passed the tests.

The mission of the Advanced Placement Teacher Investment Program for Indiana (AP-TIP IN) is to improve college and career readiness for students throughout Indiana by engaging them in rigorous math, science, and English coursework. It aims to increase the enrollment in AP classes at participating schools, and to increase the number of students passing the corresponding tests. The program also delivers high-quality professional development to teachers at participating schools.

AP-TIP IN is administered by the University of Notre Dame's Institute for Educational Initiatives, with support from the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), the US Department of Education, the University of Notre Dame, and the Indiana State Department of Education. Marion High School is among the program’s fifth cohort of participating schools.

MHS students pose for a photo to recognize their accomplishments rewarded by the AP-TIP IN program.

Marion High School students and graduates were awarded earlier this month as follows:

~ For passing three qualifying exams in May 2018, Elizabeth Wuertley, Class of 2018, received $300

~ The following students / graduates received $200 for passing two qualifying exams in May 2018:

Gavin Bass, Class of 2018
Hunter Durbin, senior
Drake Gunyon, Class of 2018
Sean Harnett, Class of 2018
Joshua Kelley, Class of 2018
Zoe Orrell, senior
Kaylynn Scher, Class of 2018
Zach Stephens, senior

~ The following students / graduates received $100 for passing one qualifying exam in May 2018:

James Bell, senior
Trevor Bennet, senior
Saralena Bergsma, junior
Maylen Bowen, junior
Camille Case, junior
Zoe Case, Class of 2018
Kathyrn Erickson, senior
Greer Decker, Class of 2018
Destinee Fannin, senior
Azira Fisher, senior
Eliza Fry, Class of 2018
Jordan Gillespie, Class of 2018
Josiah Hamilton, junior
Joseph Hoffert, senior
Levi Hofmann, junior
Immanuel Israel, senior
Leilanu Jackson, senior
Jozya Johnson, Class of 2018
Emily Lindsay, Class of 2018
Elizabeth Kelsay, Class of 2018
Ayawna Kemp, senior
Cortney Kreischer, senior
Macie McCarthy, Class of 2018
Travis Metzger, senior
Jessica Mooney, Class of 2018
Christian Riggs, Class of 2018
Cristian Ross, senior
Sophie Schenck, senior
Thomas Schenck, Class of 2018
Nenah Seward, senior
Caleb Spitzer, junior
Madeline Stiles, junior
Hailey Teeguarden, senior
Sierra Thornburgh, Class of 2018
Chloe Vermilion, senior
Samuel Vermilion, Class of 2018
Katelyn Wright, junior

Many of these students were named AP Scholars earlier this year for their high scores on three or more exams, including Class of 2018's Elizabeth Wuertley and Zoe Case, who were named National AP Scholars, the highest honor given by the College Board, which administers the Advanced Placement exams. Click here to read more about this outstanding accomplishment!

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