Shelly Wilfong credits great relationships with teachers and coaches as inspiring her to also go into education. Now the 38-year-old heads the International Baccalaureate program at Goshen High School.
Where did you grow up?
Goshen — Purl Street and C.R. 40/C.R. 140
How long have you lived here?
I’m a lifer!
What Schools did you attend?
Chandler/Waterford, Towncrest Junior High, Goshen High School (1990 graduate), Huntington University (bachelor’s degree), Indiana Wesleyan University (master’s degree), Indiana University Bloomington.
What is your fondest memory of this community?
Being a part of the GHS track team is my fondest memory. My throwing coach was Betts McFarren (current Parkside principal) and my head coach was Carl Weaver (current GHS teacher). The coaches made me work hard and pushed me to be the best I could. I had great friends on the team, which made practice and track meets lots of fun. It is because of track and my two coaches that I received a track scholarship at Huntington. If it weren’t for that, I probably would have never gone into the education field.
Describe the essence of this community in your eyes
Goshen has a small town charm with big town diversity.
What about this community would you like to improve?
I would like to see stricter guidelines and/or better enforcement of the law in regards to rental housing units. I have been in rental apartments and houses that are in deplorable condition with the landlords doing nothing to improve the living conditions. There are rentals in Goshen that have little or no heat, no working smoke detectors and other poor conditions with residents afraid to speak up due to a backlash by the landlord.
What is this community’s best kept secret?
The best kept secret is Goshen High School. Students can graduate with a year’s worth of college credit, participate in music and art programs that lead the state, take engineering classes that design homes of the future, participate in Shakespeare experience and take a marine biology course. You would be hard-pressed to find a place in the area where so many people from different ethnic, political and economic backgrounds come together everyday.
Who We Are
Related Photos
-
Shelly Wilfong, a 1990 graduate of GHS and a former track standout, is the director of the GHS IB program.
Who We Are: Shelly Wilfong
Embracing education and diversity in Goshen
- Who We Are
-
-
WHO WE ARE: Hispanic storefronts dot the community
As the Hispanic population in Goshen has grown over the years, an increasing amount of Hispanic-owned store fronts now dot the business landscape in the city.
-
WHO WE ARE: Soccer's popularity keeps growing
When exploring reasons for the increased popularity of soccer in Goshen one fact that can’t be denied is the cultural diversity the city has and its contributions.
-
WHO WE ARE: Technology is changing the face of business
Business fronts are no longer just on Main Street. They fit in phones, computers and tablets.
-
WHO WE ARE: Goshen's park leagues are not forgotten
Since my daughter was 8 years old she has played travel softball. Our family vacations are always planned around weekend regional tournaments, four-day state tournaments, and even week-long national tournaments.
-
WHO WE ARE: Local churches using technology
Turn your hymnal to page such-and-such and proceed to make a joyful noise.
-
WHO WE ARE: Living the lake life in LaGrange County
When people in Elkhart County hear about going to the lake, they typically assume you are speaking of Southern Michigan or of the lakes in Kosciusco County.
-
WHO WE ARE: Infrastructure changes with needs
Elkhart County residents have come along way since settlers traveled on foot and horseback through the forests on Indian paths 180 years ago.
-
WHO WE ARE: A growing interest
Ever wish you had a better idea of where your food comes from? Ever wish you could see first hand what that food went through before it got to your plate?
-
WHO WE ARE: Misconceptions about the Amish
The Amish religion has been part of the Elkhart and LaGrange county communities and cultures since the mid-1800s.
-
WHO WE ARE: 175 years of communication
The community’s need for reliable information is as old as the city itself. The Goshen News is proud to trace its roots all the way back to 1837.
- More Who We Are Headlines
-
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
