Mr. T – Fall Creek Intermediate Wins State Science Bowl

Einstein. Newton. Darwin. TeGrotenhuis? His name may not be quite as famous as the aforementioned, but he is inspiring young minds nonetheless! Joshua TeGrotenhuis (pronounced teh-grow-ten-house) is a popular 5th-grade science teacher at Fall Creek Intermediate School whose Science Bowl team has won the State Championship 3 years in a row! His secret: amazing kids! (And his passion for teaching science!)

Mr. TeGrotenhuis’ students are certainly enthusiastic. Most of the kids who are on the team are current or former students of his. “Mr. T. makes science really fun!” says team member Nate Lytle. “Yeah, he is really cool!” responds another student, Rahil Thanawala. Mr. TeGrotenhuis holds tryouts for Science Bowl in mid October. This year, he witnessed a record-breaking 75-80 students who showed up to take the science exam to participate. He drew the cut line at 34 students. “That size of team is unusually large across the state, but I believe that it is important to give as many kids as possible the chance to be part of a team and to give them some extra science experiences! I’d have taken them all if that was manageable!” said Mr. TeGrotenhuis.

The competition, put on by the Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP) and Purdue University, is held online for teams comprised of middle-school-aged students. There are three rounds of competition. The entire Science Bowl team competes in two of the rounds. The third and final round is limited to 4 students who take individual tests. All schools competing do so on the same day. The test results are then judged, compared, and posted online.

The success of the FCI Science Bowl team is indicative not only of its students, but of the exemplary leadership of their teacher. Coming from a family of educators, TeGrotenhuis realized his calling to be a teacher was genetic. Science has always been a passion of his. When asked what he loves about his “job” – he prefers to call it his “passion” – the response was: “*every minute of it, *the hundreds of little/huge moments daily that I have made some sort of difference in a student’s life, *seeing my students be successful in whatever is important to them, *when a bunch of individual students become a group or team, *when I get the chance to support a student who may have made a mistake or had a loss, *when former students mention things to me that we did in class and I can’t remember, *when i can fully trust students to do the right thing, *when students go beyond my expectations because they want to, *my students inspire me, and inspire me to do more, *when my Science Bowl team will not accept second place…. it scares me too! *supportive parents who truly care about education, *a district that tries hard to equip me with everything I need, *colleagues who care as much as I do, *I could go on and on and on about what I love about teaching!”

Since taking over as the Science Bowl coach, the first year the team came in 3rd place. The next three years, they have come in first place. The students have set an amazingly-high performance standard for themselves in years to come. With an educator like Mr. TeGrotenhuis leading them, nothing seems impossible. There may not be banners hung in the school to celebrate the Science Bowl team championships, like there are in the gymnasium for sports teams, but there should be!

Lawrence Township School Foundation’s New Leader, Cori Korn

Lawrence Township School Foundation Executive Director and Admiral’s Sound resident Cori Korn.

The new Executive Director of the Lawrence Township School Foundation, Cori Korn, is focused on “igniting” the power of community. With public education facing financial challenges nationally, this places an even greater emphasis on the importance of community involvement. Having raised three kids in the district and seeing first hand the excellent opportunities Lawrence schools provide, Korn brings her valuable hands-on experience to her job.

“Volunteering over the years at the kids’ elementary school, middle school, and high school, I was consistently impressed at the dedication and commitment level of our educators,” said Korn. Cori and her husband, Bill, have three children: Brad, a sophomore at Butler University, and twins, Margo and Maddie, both juniors at Lawrence Central. All three attended Lawrence schools since grade school. “We have had the best experience with Lawrence Township Schools,” said Korn. Her hopes are that other families have similar experiences.

Cori Korn brings a high level of enthusiasm to her job. “I have been overwhelmed by the support for the mission of our Foundation,” said Korn. “The caring and compassion shown by the educators is exemplary. I am energized by all that is going on within the Foundation.” She is meeting the demands and challenges of her position with a strong, positive outlook. Korn only speaks of the possibilities for the future, and you can feel her excitement for the Foundation.

The LTSF was formed thirty years ago to provide funds for creative classroom grants, which are “creative and innovative projects that would not be supported by tax dollars.” While the LTSF continues this tradition, several other programs have been added over the years to meet the evolving needs of the students and classrooms. Since its inception, the LTSF has given back $40 million dollars to the Lawrence Township schools.

It is through programs such as AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) and MAC (My Achievement Center)that the LTSF is helping students prepare for their 13th year. “Many of our graduates will be first generation to attend and graduate from college,” says Korn. “The importance of these programs can make all the difference for students whether they attend a 4-year college, trade school, or enter the working world post-graduation.”

Providing these programs and others supported by the Foundation requires the financial support of the community. “Investing in students’ futures is one of the best means to reinforce a strong foundation in a community,” said Korn. Capitalizing on the “power of community,” the Foundation is grateful for every contribution. “Whether it is $5 or $5,000, every dollar counts. All donations provide support and strengthen our schools,” said Korn.

Other programs supported by the LTSF include Up and Running, which is an after-school running club offered at all schools in the district. “This past Christmas, 425 students represented Lawrence Township in the Jingle Bell Run,” reports Korn. The club runners will also participate in the Geist Half this May. “Promoting exercise and teamwork at the same time is wonderful for these students, regardless of age,” continued Korn.

When Cori took over as Executive Director of the LTSF in late September, she quickly enlisted veteran Philanthropist Barb Austin to be the Event Director for this year’s annual Gala, one of the Foundation’s main fund-raising events. Austin, a graduate from LC, takes pride in her community. Barb and her husband, Jim, have participated in numerous fund-raising events in the community over the years. Having two daughters at schools in the district adds to that sense of responsibility. Lexi is a freshman at LC, and Claire is in 5th grade at Indian Creek Elementary.

“We have made some changes to the Gala, such as bringing the event to a host location within our district. This year’s event will be held on March 15 at EventzPlus in Castleton. The theme is ‘Back to the Future’ which will celebrate current academic, athletic, and performing arts successes while building a foundation for the future,” said Austin. The Honorary Chair of the event is Troy Knoderer who is principal at Belzer Middle School.

Another popular fundraising event for the LTSF is their annual golf outing, Fore the Kids, June 6, held at Old Oakland Golf Club. It is these events and generous contributions made to the Foundation that make it possible to continue their programs and scholarship support.

Through a few annual fund-raising events, grants, and generous contributions, the Foundation is able to live up to its mission: To ignite the power of community, connecting education and philanthropy to provide the resources needed for all students to excel.” Cori Korn is proving herself to be the right leader at the right time for the Lawrence Township School Foundation.

The Lawrence Township School Foundation is igniting the Power of Community – building a strong and vibrant community where ALL children are supported and empowered to shine. Find us HERE

Former Carmel Swim Coach Dives in at Lawrence

Former Carmel High School swim coach Tom Burchill dives in as the swim coach at Lawrence North.

Lawrence North’s new swim coach, Tom Burchill, is ready to lead the Wildcats. Burchill is replacing beloved swim coach Mike Parratto. Parratto’s legacy is substantial nationally and internationally. “I have known Coach Parratto for many years, and he significantly placed his stamp of excellence upon this program. I plan to extend his vision for Lawrence North,” Tom Burchill said of his predecessor. Burchill is up to the challenge to continue Parratto’s reputation of excellence. Burchill, originally from Pittsburgh, swam competitively at the University of Maryland where he was captain. He holds an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Burchill’s coaching resume is equally impressive: he led the Carmel Greyhounds to 4 state titles and 1 national title (Girls: 2004, 2005, 2006, Boys: 2004, 2004 national title) before taking a position in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and subsequently Pittsburgh, where he had similar success (1 Pennsylvania State title and 3 state runners-up – all girls). Now back in Indiana, he is ready for this next task.

“I am always training them (the swimmers) for the championship season and for the future,” remarked Coach Burchill of his Wildcats. Practices began at the end of October with the girls swimming a couple weeks prior to the boys beginning due to the swim club schedule. The high school season opener meet is in mid November, and the season climaxes with the state meet in March.

Burchill runs the Lawrence Swim Club in addition to the LNHS swim team. Swimming is more or less year round. Swim clubs provide an important developmental element for the serious swimmer. According to Burchill, “Almost exclusively, swimmers who excel in high school swimming swim year round. It provides the basis for the sport in technical and training purposes, as well as providing the neurological pathways of development that allow athletes to develop long-term success, nutritional development for superb athletic lifestyles, and the cognitive development to desire an ever-growing and changing environment.”

Swim club is a phenomenal developmental experience. Swimming is a fantastic sport for all ages, and to start at a young age and have competitive experience prior to high school is a wonderful foundation. “Club swimming is good at any age, but is significantly beneficial beginning from the Learn-to-Swim (Swim America) programs at the earlier ages to quickly remove fear and inject love of moving through the water.” Burchill is a father of three children: Veronica, 9th grade, Sammie, 8th grade, and Tanner, 4th grade. All are in swim club, and Veronica is swimming on her high school team.

Burchill is optimistic going into this year’s season. He inherits the following state qualifiers: Adam Noens, John Christie, Morgan Meixner (4th place, diving), Morgan Matsuoka, Laura Weiss, Laura Apple, Maya Lee, and Rachel Kindler. There are many more swimmers at LN ready for their chance to excel. “We have a strong core group of swimmers, and time will tell how well we perform. The potential is there for an excellent season.”

For more on the Lawrence swim team, visit www.lawrenceswimteam.com.

Indian Creek Pays Tribute to Veterans

WW II Veteran James McDowell (90), sings the tune “Where or When” to the crowd, just like he did on the BBC in London, England, on V-E Day in 1945.

Walking into the 76th Infantry Brigade Armory on July 21 was like entering a portal to a time not so long ago: Jack Benny comedic skits, swing dancing, Glen Miller band music. Complete with costumes, hairstyles, and memorabilia from the mid 1940s, it’s a step back in time to a USO canteen! This event, the 12th Annual World War II Tribute, originated at Indian Creek Elementary School. Steve Hardwick, now in his 17th year of teaching 5th grade at Indian Creek, began this event to give back to the war Veterans from WWII. Put on exclusively by former and current students of Mr. Hardwick and countless parent volunteers, this year’s event attracted 108 Indianapolis-area WWII Veterans.

As the Veterans enter into the building, they are greeted by enthusiastic students waving American flags. The hall is lined with 1940s-era memorabilia, and Glen Miller big band music is playing. Mr. Hardwick is in character as Jack Benny, the notoriously cheap, noted violin-playing comedian. Throughout the variety show, he is brilliantly supported by a cast of students, ages 9-21, who provide additional comic relief, as well as reciting essays on what the experience means to them. Students sing songs from the 40s and also perform dance routines.

Students dance to the song, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”

From its inception, Mr. Hardwick has credited the success of the Tribute completely to the parent volunteers, many of whom have a father or grandfather who was in WWII. Hardwick said, “You may judge a Nation by how it cares for their [sic] Veterans.” The WWII Tribute is one of the nicest means by which to do so. This celebration was designed by Mr. Hardwick to encourage youth to respect, honor, and especially to offer gratitude to our WWII Veterans for their service.

Participating in the WWII Tribute has a profoundly positive effect on all. Just being in the presence of these brave, selfless men who faced unimaginable challenges and circumstances, makes you want to be a better person. But the Veterans take away as much as the volunteers do. For them, it is like watching their own grandchildren perform, validating the reason they served all those years ago. All of these amazing Veterans who attend look forward to this event year after year, even as their numbers are dwindling.

WW II Veteran Wayne Mocas swings with Linda Bly, retired Indian Creek Elementary teacher. Mocas fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

Mr. Hardwick takes note of which student was matched with which WWII Veteran. Unfortunately, given that the war ended 67 years ago, these gentlemen are of advanced age. “If there is a memorial service for one of our Veterans, I inform the parents and students and I personally attend when I can in order to honor them one last time.” said Steve Hardwick.

Hardwick, who is himself an Army veteran, along with Dr. Duane Hodgin (former assistant Superintendent of MSDLT) are so fiercely drawn to the preservation of the history of the WWII era, have amassed a collection of Veterans’ memoirs. Their book, WW II: Duty, Honor, Country, Memoirs of Those Who Served, will be published around November 2012.

Based on the lessons of humanity, compassion, and honor, the World War II Tribute has been an enduring success. Students (and their parents) return year after year to contribute their talents and efforts to recreate a little piece of the past. Long may it continue.

The Girl with the Olympic Tattoo

Fishers High School junior Cat Bouwkamp prior to the prom this spring. Bouwkamp was one of the first athletes to qualify for the 2012 London Paralympic games this August.

Two years ago, atGeist.com featured an article on a 13-year-old fencing phenom who had just switched to wheelchair fencing from able-bodied fencing. Cat Bouwkamp’s goal at that time was to compete in London at the Olympics. Her goal is becoming a reality. Cat was one of the first athletes to qualify for the 2012 London Paralympic games this August.

Listed as one of the Top 12 Paralympic athletes to watch, Cat is the youngest fencer on the team. Cat is also the only female on the USA Paralympic fencing team to qualify. Her sponsors include Nike and the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana.

This summer, Cat will first compete in the Fencing World Cup in July in Warsaw, Poland. Next, she will attend the Paralympic opening ceremonies in London, with the Queen, on August 29. Her event, foil, will be held on September 4, after she begins her junior year at Fishers High School.

“Life is full of obstacle illusions.” – Grant Frazier. Nothing could be closer to the truth for Cat. Born with fibular hemimelia in her right leg, she endured multiple surgeries. Naturally right-handed, and with her right ankle being a fixed joint, she had to become ambidextrous and fence with her left arm. As she and her peers matured, the challenge with her leg became more pronounced. Her talent and potential was recognized by wheelchair judge, Sean Schumate, whom Cat deeply admires and respects.

Bouwkamp’s Olympic tattoo

Where others see a limitation, some find an opportunity. Schumate and the National Paralympic Coach, Maestro Les Stawiki, approached Cat with the idea of switching to wheelchair fencing. Cat and her parents, Alan and Janet Bouwkamp, carefully considered the switch.

The bottom line of their decision process was that wheelchair fencing leveled the playing field. Once seated in a competition, competitors are at an arm’s length away and held in a fixed position. Arguably, this is the most aggressive form of the sport. Whereas during an able-bodied match fencers are able to shuffle backward, if only for a moment, in wheelchair fencing, the brain/body reactions must be instantaneous. There is nowhere to hide, not even for a nanosecond.

Switching to wheelchair fencing has opened up a whole new world to Cat. She has friends all over the world who share her ethic of good sportsmanship and, like her, have overcome challenges to be where they are. Cat is a golden girl, regardless of the results in London.

Cat Bouwkamp is a member of Indy Sabre. She can be followed on Twitter, ESPNHS, and PBS Medal Quest.