Some of our local high school students have reached high levels of achievement in extracurricular activities this past week and we and the community are very proud of them.
Sports teams, individual athletes and marching bands are in ,or are entering, the “playoffs” season, a time that recognizes the top talent in extracurricular activities.
Over the weekend, local high school bands competed in regional contests across Indiana. Fairfield, Goshen, Concord, Northridge and Elkhart Central high schools performed well enough to advance to semi-state competitions slated for Saturday.
For those who have never attended a marching band competition, each band plays a selection of songs that is choreographed to marching, dance moves, flag corps performances and on-field props. These shows are incredibly good and take months to prepare for.
Bands begin their seasons with a couple of rehearsals a week just after school lets out in the spring. Practice then expands in scope and time as a new school year approaches. Then, each day during band class and after school the bands and flag corps continue rehearsing and refining their shows. A positive aspect of the competition is that dozens of parents get involved in the show and provide support moving equipment and props, arranging meals during practices, cleaning and mending uniforms, loading and unloading the equipment trailers, and a host of other tasks. Marching band competition is a family-oriented activity that enhances the lives of high school students.
Our local athletes are also enjoying success during the playoffs season. The Bethany Christian High School girls soccer team retained the sectional championship Saturday by defeating Warsaw 1-0. In the boy’s soccer regional, Northridge defeated a talented Goshen team 2-1.
The Concord boys cross country team won the regional and individual runner Trevor Moore of Northridge qualified for the semi-state event. Northridge girls placed second in their cross country regional and NorthWood’s Cynthia Medina qualified as an individual. And the Concord tennis team finished a fine season that got them all the way to the state quarterfinals.
Of course it is sectional football playoff season. The Goshen Redskins will meet Penn High School Friday night, Concord will play Logansport, Wawasee will play East Noble, NorthWood will take on Lakeland and Fairfield will travel to Prairie Heights. We hope all the local teams come away with victories.
We don’t hold, like the late NFL coach Vince Lombardi said, that “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” But a victory, after practicing hard and making a long commitment to running, football, soccer or marching band, is satisfying.
We are proud of all the students putting in the extra effort to be a part of a sports team or marching band. These students are learning that their performance is enhanced by hard work, sacrifice and dedication. Their positive experiences will certainly help them in the coming years as they move on into adulthood.
Opinion
It’s the season of achievement
- Opinion
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13 turnarounds we can admire
Before trustees of Goshen Community Schools met this past Monday night, a reception was held to honor 13 deserving students. They weren’t valedictorians or salutatorians. They weren’t class presidents or all-state student-athletes.
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Recognition as bicycle-friendly city appreciated
Goshen is in the second year of its four-year designation by the League of American Bicyclists as a bike-friendly community. We congratulate city planners and bicycle advocates for this continuing recognition.
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A message that all children need to hear
Gayla Konanz is giving girls the message they need to hear — fitness begins early in life and is the foundation that self-esteem and confidence are built on.
Konanz is a fitness advocate for children and works through the Girls on the Run program. The Goshen News told readers in the May 2 edition how Konanz is working with girls at Bristol Elementary School and is encouraging them to get fit and stay fit. -
We’re No. 12, and No. 1,268! Way to go GHS
This has become a popular space for singing the praises of our local school corporations in recent years. That’s because we believe in the quality work and effort our educators and students are putting forth on a daily basis in and out of the classroom.
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Bill Bloss was a superb servant
Bill Bloss, a man who was always willing to step up and help his hometown of Goshen, died Wednesday. We know that everyone who had met Mr. Bloss and got to know him, will miss him plenty.
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Voters and candidates deserve a 'thank you'
In light of Tuesday’s primary election, we’d like to take a moment and thank two groups of people.
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A portrait of success this past Friday
Goshen’s First Fridays has garnered its fair share of headlines since March when the City Council began considering ordinance amendments geared toward youth attending the monthly festival.
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Time not always on public’s side
One candidate was asked whether or not he was a socialist. Others discussed funding priorities, and even braved the tricky topic of where Goshen’s “south link road” should or shouldn’t go.
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Good news in local education
Public schools — especially diverse urban districts — often get a bad rap by those who choose to look through the narrow telescope of standardized test scores. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Standardized tests are a wonderful tool for educators, but not the end-all, be-all of gauging achievement and effectiveness.
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Gang 'talk' is what we need
Business owners see the evidence on their store fronts. Teachers see it sitting in their classrooms. Police officers see it in their daily reports. Graffiti. Clothing. Violence. While the term “gang” can conjure images of crusty inner-city slums, it is not a term that is lost any longer here in Elkhart County.
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