Category Archives: profile

Profile: Officer Mullins impacts school, community

by Madi Short/Staff Writer

One of the overlooked an perhaps underestimated staff member of GC is the Resource Officer. Officer Josh Mullins is one of Greenfield Central’s main resource officers. He is well liked by staff, students, and the administration alike.

Principal Jason Cary, when asked what he thought Officer Mullins’ greatest quality was, he said, “His personality. He is very easy to talk to, he is very relatable, and he has great relationships with kids. Officer Mullins does a great job of using his common sense and working with us and our kids. He treats them with respect, but they also know he is here to keep us safe.”

Cary also stated, “He takes his job keeping us safe very seriously, but he is very easy to get along with and work with. He is an integral part of our team, and we are happy to have him here every day.”

Photo Caption: Officer Josh Mullins talks to Mrs. Amanda Slattery, front office secretary.

Officer Mullins, who became a police officer in 2009, always wanted to help people out. “I would say that is a really cliché answer, but it was more that when a certain person from the community relies on you it makes you feel good inside. I come to work everyday thinking how can I impact my community and school.”

Mullins, when asked what the best part of his job at GC being a police officer was, stated, “I would say connecting with the students. I think a lot of the time police officers are misunderstood on who or what we are. Yes, we do take people to jail, (sometimes,) but we are human and people just like you. So giving advice to students to help them in situations outside of school  to maybe prevent them from getting into trouble or just helping with general  questions. I also coach basketball here at GC, so being arounds the athletes at another level lets them know I am more than a police officer and not always here trying or looking to get the kids in trouble.”

Officer Mullins’ advice to teenagers wanting to go into his profession is to first, know that being a police officer’s job is not for everyone, and it requires a certain personality. Second, shadow an officer and see what they do, what they deal with, and how they deal with it. Third, realize there it is a good thing to be an officer, but there is some negativity to it, so be prepared for both.  

Mullins wanted to become a basketball player, until a major injury unfortunately ended it. Another occupation other than a police officer that he considered was a veterinarian. However, he didn’t really understand how much time and studying was needed to become one.

Finally, when asked who his hero was, he said his father. “Definitely my dad. He passed away 5 years ago. He set standards for me when I  was a child that I try to instill into my kids to this day. My father always told me that if you want something in life, you have to go take it. He told me nothing is given and have to work your tail off if you want to succeed. My dad showed what it was like to actually be a father and take care of your family, that family comes first no matter what!”

Profile: Booth re-purposes Holzhausen’s items, puts “unique twist” on her crafts

By Esther Bell/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Here is Ms. Holzhausen’s booth, the Little Green Pineapple, at Red Ranch Shoppes in Fortville.

Four years ago, on October 1st, 2018, GCHS English 9 teacher Jennifer Holzhausen opened a booth for arts and crafts.“I enjoy selling things,” she says. “But related to that, I like finding things that people are looking for, and are excited to find.” Her booth demonstrates her passion. “I enjoy making something new out of something that was old,” says Holzhausen, “and taking materials that potentially were donated or discarded and making them beautiful in a completely different way.” 

For Holzhausen the crafts began when she was young. “I used to do a lot of cross stitching and I made crafts with my mom and I made things in Girl Scouts and in art classes,” she says, “I had an art scholarship because I took a lot of art classes in high school.” She spent a lot of time doing crafts with her dad. “We sort of blended our talents together to create some cheese plates and cake plates or domes that I had found and so it started with that, honestly,” she explains.

    Arts and crafts have always come easily to Holzhausen. “I’ve always been a creative person, and I’ve always had an artistic side,” she says, “I just haven’t had a whole lot of opportunities to explore that; but I really think that I get my creativity and my artistic skills from my dad. He’s very hands on, and he’s a builder and a maker, and I think that’s where I get it.”

    A lot of her inspiration comes from simple tutorials. “I did watch a lot of YouTube videos to kind of get a sense of how these things are built, and how I can do it better,” says Holzhausen, “I took what I learned from those and I made it more complicated, but I feel like I made it more special and unique, and added my own twist to everything.”

Featured here are some of the brooms Ms. Holzhausen is working on for Halloween.

    This can be seen with the broomsticks Holzhausen is making for Halloween. So far, she has made 52. The brooms are made from curtain rods and a variety of other repurposed items. Each of them have been given names, some simply based on the personality of the broomstick, and others after well-known people, both real and fiction. According to Ms. Holzhausen, “Some are named after literary and movie or TV witches or villains (Samantha, Tabitha, Winifred, Evanora, Hermione, Cruella).” Each of them are unique in specific ways, including the types of belts and handles each of them have, that give them personality. “I’m loving these broomsticks,” Holzhausen says, smiling, “I have had more fun doing this than probably anything else in the last twenty-five years. I’m super passionate about it. I’ve really enjoyed the creative outlet.” 

    Holzhausen already has future plans for her business. “Eventually I hope to make this my retirement job,” she explains, “and I wanted to start early so that I could have something that was already well established by the time I do retire, and I wasn’t starting from ground zero. This month has been the best month I’ve ever had in terms of my sales and so it gives me a lot of hope and encouragement that this can be a really decent income in the next nine years.”

There are challenges that also come with having a booth, though. “The challenges for me are that I am only one person,” says Holzhausen, “and so a lot of what I do requires some heavy lifting and moving of furniture. It’s difficult for me because I’m muscling a lot of that myself.” She goes on to say that even with that, it’s far more rewarding than challenging.

As for her teaching, Holzhausen says that having a side business complements it more than anything. “It gives me another creative outlet,” she says “I think that it helps me think outside the box a little bit more, and it helps me to inspire my students to be able to do things that are not necessarily on the college track. If students want to start their own businesses or pursue being an entrepreneur, that is something that I can help them with.”

Holzhausen continues with advice for someone who wants to start their own booth. “I would say start it as soon as possible,” she says, “and be prepared to learn quickly what sells and what doesn’t sell, and the most important thing is to find the right price point for the people that you’re trying to target.” For her, this means understanding what her customers want and using that to create new things. “For the most part,” Holzhausen says, “I think my inspiration comes from my customers and what they’re looking for, which is something different, something they’ve never seen before.”

Profile: students enjoy listening to fields’ “classroom stories,” passion for science

by Andrew Love/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Fields’ class works outside.

Biology teacher Ms. Rebecca Fields has been involved with teaching and extracurricular activities since she began her career here at Greenfield Central. Fields has been known to help out with things like SLA, JSA, Genetics and Engineering, and Robotics club. So who is this “laid back” teacher as former GC student Preston Evans called her, and how has she impacted the school and students?

Teaching for 15 years at our school, Fields has gotten to know the students and staff better than most and it shows as she is very well respected. Students enjoy listening to her “classroom stories, as it makes class interesting and whatever is going on that day just comes out,” says John Stuckey, 10.  

Before getting her masters degree in Biology she worked in business. After getting her masters degree in biology going from Purdue to IU, she transferred to a teaching program and became a registered teacher about a year later. She enjoys the challenge of being a teacher and seeing all of the students’ different perspectives. “I enjoy trying to make unmotivated students motivated,” says Mrs. Fields. Students like that she is relatable and easy to talk to. 

“I always enjoyed how passionate she was about any type of science I talked to her about,” says Evans. Fields says, “I took every single science class I was offered in high school.”  

John Stuckey, 10, says, “Whether we were talking about biology, money, life, whatever it was she was knowledgeable about and could help you out.”

 Students enjoy how her classes are not just “boring homework” as John Stuckey says it, and more about “real biology hands on lab,” as Fields states. Even for the students that were not totally into science, she is usually still able to talk and relate to them about sports or other activities after helping outside of school, for example being an assistant swim coach and a driver’s ed driver.

Whether you had Fields or not, she is a veteran teacher here at GC and wants the best for each student and staff member. “Once I leave I want to know that I helped people here from all ages have a better time during the school year,” she said.

Profile: Hudson enjoys teaching film making, editing in Radio/BRoadcast classes

by Lilly Bowman/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Mr Jonathan Hudson is in the radio station talking into the mic and adjusting sound.

GC broadcasting teacher, Mr. Jonathan Hudson didn’t originally plan on being a teacher. So how/why is he one now? According to Mr. Hudson, “No, I did not originally want to become a teacher because I did not like school at all. They didn’t have Radio/TV. We had a newspaper but I was very censored in what I was able to write because I felt like I was doing real journalism talking about real world issues.”

Mr. Hudson stated of his time at the Christian school he attended, “Within a Christian school they don’t really want you to discuss things that are controversial. So nothing that I ever did really went out. I eventually made my own newspaper and printed it, but I got in trouble for it. So no, I never really wanted to be a teacher because I didn’t feel like I had the school experience. I didn’t have a me or a Mr. Holtzclaw or Mrs. Bernard. Or someone that kinda inspired or expected creativity. Everyone was very ‘by the book’.”

Mr. Hudson then pursued his own dreams. “So you know, I just wanted to work in this industry. I knew that and that’s what I did before becoming a teacher as a video editor and still do to this day. I’m doing freelance projects with a company named Precise take. I’m an assistant director. So I am getting the best of both worlds.”

He knew he wanted to be in the editing industry so when GC had an opening in the Radio/TV department, Mr. Hudson thought to give it a try. According to Mr. Hudson, “I feel very good about where I ended up being at department head and being fortunate enough to be on the leadership team of the school. It’s really really great. There are a lot of older teachers I feel like should be on it but I was asked to be on it to provide a different viewpoint. So I’m really honored to be doing that stuff.” 

Mr. Hudson also said, “I’ve run into some of my former teachers from Heritage Christian just here and there. Because I still live very close to Heritage, so I’ve run into them at restaurants and just that kinda thing. And I don’t have a bad kind of relationship with anyone. But I tell them I am a teacher and they actually think I’m lying or making a joke. They are like ‘what? You’re a teacher? That’s hilarious’ I’m like, ‘No, I’m actually teaching.’ They are like ‘You hated school,’  and yeah I kinda did. But I always said if I ever became a teacher I would be different. I would think differently, I know I don’t come from an educational background, I didn’t study in college to be a teacher, I just teach what I know and sometimes that comes across as I can be very tough. I can be very demanding but I am an authentic person. And I think kids kinda see that, that ‘hey I know he may be on us about certain things but at the same time he’s done it before he does it now to this day’ and I think a lot of kids respect that. And they like the projects and the environment here. So I think I would just say ‘Hey go with the flow, you know everything isn’t always as it appears to be’ 

Hudson continued, “I always wanted to be a video editor and that’s what I did for like four years; that was my full time job was just editing videos. And it gets really boring because you are just by yourself at a computer screen. So I just really wanted to be interacting with people. I think by nature I’m kind of a social person and I just enjoy meeting people and working with people.”

Everybody has a favorite topic they teach. Mr. Hudson stated, “My favorite thing is film making because I love storytelling. And you guys are doing some of that now, with your 15 shots and you know we are gonna watch your projects (Broadcast class) tomorrow. Just seeing how those turn out and how you guys are starting to think about angles. But ultimately I like telling stories, that’s the thing, I like taking an idea you have in your head and putting it on paper and then being able to tell it visually. I think it is a multi-step process but when you, you know, have your finished project. And I always tell you kids, ‘Save everything you’ve ever done’ because you are going to look back at some of your freshman projects and be like ‘God, that was terrible’  but then when you’re a senior you’ll be able to see how good you’ve become over the years. And so, I think here it’s very easy to quantify ‘Hey, this is where I was and this is where I’m at’ just by literally looking at your earliest projects and looking at some of your work when you are a senior.”

Having a job and a home life can be very difficult to most people, but to Mr. Hudson, he said, “It’s been a little bit tougher since I have had a daughter because you wanna be there for all the moments, you do. And that’s kinda the first thing I do when I get home. I try to do it, I change clothes so I don’t bring germs home and I wash my hands and my face and all that because babies grab everything. I go home and I pick up my daughter and I play with her and tell her I love her. And she is always happy to see me, so it’s like I feel like deep down even though she is a baby, I think she knows that I have to leave for work and I have to go make a living and provide. But then when I come home it’s like ‘Thank you, Dad, for doing what you do’. And that is not gonna last long, when she is your age she’s gonna be like ‘What’s up? Where is my money? Money I need for this and that.’ So I am just trying to enjoy this time while she is just happy to see me. It’s the most basic level of love and affection I feel like you get from a baby.”

 While he is happy at his job and at home, he is not alone on this journey in either place. One of Mr. Hudson’s former senior students, Mr. Max Holtzclaw, is now helping side by side with Mr. Hudson in this class. How does it work with two teachers in one classroom? Mr. Holtzclaw stated, “Mr. Hudson is a blast. I got to experience him as a teacher for my senior year of high school, and now I am working with him. It is a different transition but still fun, he is just the down-to-earth kind of guy. So I enjoy that aspect and he is a good mentor as well.” Mr. Holtzclaw also said, “I didn’t originally train to become a teacher, so a lot of things that I am learning now are things that he has kinda guided me along the way to do. So for example, when I was here we didn’t have the iPads especially so working with those have become a bit more of an experience for me. And so if I have any questions Mr. Hudson is always there to give me some guidance with it. So it’s really nice he is always there working side by side helps both of us too. It kinda splits the workload so we are both able to not be overwhelmed by it too.”

Hudson and Holtzclaw work together very well. Mr. Hudson has stated, “I mean, we have small classes and I think when there’s two of us, I know in the upcoming weeks I’ll be a lot more behind the scenes. I think a lot of that is by design, I don’t wanna get in his way, I don’t want him to feel like he has to teach the way I do, I want him to do things his own way. And that’s what our past teacher, (Mr. Bill McKenna) who was here before Mr. Holtzclaw, and I kinda decided ‘Hey, we think we want him to be the replacement.’ We don’t want him to be another version of what we do so I want him to be his own teacher and do his own thing. So I think to do that I need to step  out of the way.”

Hudson continued, “Now for example, it does help to have two of us  because I know that I can work with any student individually that’s struggling or just you know, helps to have two people look at projects because we look for different things. Given our background, yeah, I think it’s a class where two people are definitely needed, two people are definitely helpful. And with our after school responsibilities, we have so much we have to do that if one person had to try to do all the Nine Star productions and all the WRGF video stuff and all of our legal things we have to do would be a whole lot of work. That’s why we have two of us.”

The first day of school is difficult when you’re a student. But what about being a teacher? What’s the difference between the two? Mr. Hudson discussed his first day of teaching. “(It went) smoothly, I am not going to lie. I was confident that I could be a good teacher going into it. Alot of first year teachers doubt themselves, I feel like. And I feel like a lot of that comes from the stresses of being an education major and you hear these horror stories. I feel like when I started, I didn’t start here, I started at a different school. I was just kind of a blank slate, like no one really told me about teaching or how to teach or what to do. So I just did it the way that I wanted to so there was kind of a peace that I didn’t have to be like this robot teacher, I could just kind of come in and just do the things that I saw fit. So I think it went really well. My dad is a pastor and before I was a teacher I would spend a lot of time working with the youth group so I was always comfortable around teenagers. So it was actually a fairly easy transition for me.”

Mr. Hudson is known as big hearted and very friendly and outgoing. Students say they really enjoy the class not just by the extra help but from what they learn. Dugan Rowe, 10, stated, “Personally, I like when there is more than one person to help around. I enjoy mainly learning how to film and the new friends I made in the class make it better. I have learned many things but mainly to be more comfortable with being in front of the camera and how to film.”

Profile: Grizzard helps students enjoy beauty of music

By Esther Bell/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Mr. Paul Grizzard leads GC show choir Legacy in the song “Fireball/Walk This Way.”

GC choir director Paul Grizzard has always loved music, and has been teaching music since 2002. He constantly strives to help students grow better musically and learn to truly enjoy the beauty of music. “You might have kids who are learning to be themselves and kids who are used to seeing the teacher as the bad guy,” said Grizzard, “I try my best to change that mindset so that you have kids who do something because they want to be good.” For him, choir is something to get excited about, something you can enjoy, and he wants to help the students feel that way too.

For Grizzard, music has always been part of the family. When he was a kid, his mother taught voice lessons out of their house, and he began directing their church’s choir when he was seventeen. After college he moved out to Boston to see the world. After that he moved up to Rushville, and eventually came to Greenfield. “I love students in Greenfield. I really do.” Grizzard says, “Greenfield is just a good balance; we have good-natured kids. The talent level is very good here, and it’s just generally good kids, who make me look forward to my job every day.”

When describing his favorite parts of teaching, Grizzard says, “I just love that I can be dumb every day. I love sometimes doing silly things and just being myself, or trying to get kids excited about music. If you’re doing adult choir or things like that, you miss that aspect of it. So students always make my job different every day, and exciting, and it’s something I look forward to.”

Grizzard goes on to explain the challenges of teaching choir, how he’s constantly trying to find the balance between those who love choir, and those who only do it for the credit. “I try to find the balance where it’s a fun class atmosphere that kids look forward to but also they know the limits.” He wants most for the students “to know that I care for them, and that I love them, and that we need more of them in the world. And I think through that comes excellence, because then I think if kids feel that connection, if kids feel that their voice is being heard, and that they can be part of something bigger than themselves, then that’s when I think we are great.” 

Matthew Royster, a senior in Madrigal, talks highly of Grizzard. “He is really good at motivating the choir to the point where we’re really good while still keeping the class really enjoyable, and I think that’s a really good quality of him as a teacher.” 

Ariana Bell, a junior in Madrigal, also has high compliments for Grizzard. “He is a really great choir director. I feel like he really gets everything across really well, just really shoots for a good choir sound. He wants his music to sound good. He wants us to improve. I think I really like whenever we do something perfectly, especially on the first try, and you know, maybe he’s plucking out some of the notes on piano while we’re singing, and then as soon as we finish he looks up with this big grin, and he gets so excited.” Bell says with a smile on her face.

For Grizzard and his students, choir is more than just a class, it’s a community. “I enjoy the memories that we have,” says Bell. “We have a lot of fun times together. A lot of jokes, a lot of sarcasm, but a lot of stuff done, and every once in a while it gets deep. I just love all the memories that we have in the class.” Royster adds on to this: “The thing I enjoy most about choir is just the community that forms between me and the other people in my choir, because especially with Madrigal, I’ve been in choir with a lot of those people for four years now, since Freshman Men’s choir, and it forms a really good community of experience.”

“I want [my students] to know that there’s people who care about them and want the best for them, and hopefully I make that evident in my teaching.” says Grizzard, reflecting on his greatest hopes for GC students, “ And I think through that comes excellence, because then I think if kids feel that connection, if kids feel that their voice is being heard, and that they can be part of something bigger than themselves, then that’s when I think we are great.”

Profile: Mr. Wherry returns to GC

By Connor Griffith /Staff Writer

Photo caption: Mr. Wherry working on his computer.

Mr. Steve Wherry, a new assistant principal at GC, was previously the principal at Knightstown High School. He used to be a math teacher here at GC before leaving to go to Knightstown. Mr. Wherry came to GC to be closer to his family. His daughter is a senior here at GC and this move helped him get on the same schedule as her. Mr. Wherry stated, “I’ve spent a lot of time in Knightstown on their schedule which caused me to miss vacations and trips.” 

        “The biggest difference here from Knightstown is the size difference,” Mr. Wherry stated. Mr. Wherry said the most difficult part about moving here was leaving everyone he knew, and cared about. Mr. Wherry stated he wasn’t worried at all about coming to GC. “Being an administrator for so many years, I’m used to change.” When speaking with Mr. Wherry said quite a lot about how excited he was to work with administrators he highly respected such as Mr. Jason Cary. 

         “Mr. Wherry has been such a tremendous addition to our building,” stated Mr. Cary.  GC administrators Mrs. Susie Coleman and Mr. Jason Cary both had similar responses. “Mr. Wherry has been a great addition to the admin team at GCHS,” Mrs. Coleman said. 

Mr. Wherry said he wants to learn names and grow relationships with students here at GC. It seems like he has already been starting.  “I do love how he has learned names and faces,” stated Mrs. Coleman. 

        When asked about why Mr. Wherry is an administrator, he stated, “I already had been taking my courses for it, and when the opportunity came I didn’t look back, I just went for it.” 

“I look forward to the level of competitiveness (in sports),” stated Mr. Wherry while we talked about what he is looking forward to. He said he liked the amount of people who were involved. “I enjoy seeing different opportunities here,” Mr. Wherry said.

When asked about going from a principal to assistant principal, Mr. Wherry said he didn’t have a big ego, so he didn’t mind working under a principal he respected. “There is no ego in Mr. Wherry. He just wants to show up and make GC a better place,” stated Mr. Cary. 

“I have no worries [about] coming to GC. This is where I want to be,” Mr. Wherry stated. He is happy to be here, he made that very clear. He is happy to get to know every student, and staff member. Most importantly Mr. Wherry is happy to be a part of GC.

‘Dissecting the Material’: Students describe Berrier as ‘hands-on’, creator of ‘fun’

By: Alex Smith/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Mrs. Heather Berrier, biology teacher, teaches her Anatomy class about the tongue. Photo Credit: Alex Smith/Staff Writer


Mrs. Heather Berrier, who has been teaching science classes at GC for 5 years, talked about what makes teaching science worth it. She said, “Every job can be stressful if you let it. That is why it is important to find things outside of your career that you enjoy and take a break. I have had several other jobs before coming to teaching and this job is by far the most rewarding. Working with you guys and guiding you in your science education is a career like none other.” 

Berrier mentioned her favorite part of being a science teacher. She said, “I absolutely love watching students learn, and with that, it is the growth I see from getting a new topic failing with some concepts, but then learning from that. Also when I have students say ‘Wow that’s so cool!’ When it’s looking at a hydra or when they understand exactly how oxygen is used in the body.” (A hydra is a genus of invertebrate freshwater animals.)

Samantha Torres, 12, discussed what her favorite thing about Anatomy with Berrier is. She said, “The atmosphere! She always makes class a fun place to be. Not only does she incorporate labs but we also do a lot of group work, which I appreciate.”

Laney Elliott, 10, talked about her favorite aspect about Human Body Systems (HBS) with Berrier. She said, “My favorite thing about Science with Mrs. Berrier is that she always knows how to keep it fun and she tells us stories of things that have happened to her and people she knows that relate to what we are learning.”

Berrier mentioned how she has handled teaching Biology II, Human Body Systems, and Anatomy during a pandemic. She said, “ ‘If you don’t bend like a willow you will break in the wind’. This is a saying I heard my entire life from my Great Aunt Bunny. And it was so true with the pandemic. I learned so much about how to teach with technology, google meets, Nearpods, video recordings, Flipgrids, things I have never used in the past but now I don’t know how I did without them.”

Elliott talked about what Berrier does to help her learn. She said, “Mrs. Berrier is very good at making lessons hands-on and working with us to make sure we understand the material.” Torres also discussed what Berrier does to help her learn. She said, “Mrs. Berrier is always a helping hand. She often reaches out to students individually when they need help. Berrier is very approachable when you have a question, or difficulty understanding a topic.”

Torres further commented on Berrier, “I have had science class with Mrs. Berrier almost every year of high school. On the first day of my freshman year I had Bio 2 with her fourth period. I was able to go the entire day under the radar…until her class. She broke me out of my shell. She was introducing herself and her family when I saw a familiar face on her ‘Welcome’ slideshow. I had Mr. Berrier for fourth grade English. In front of the whole class she said ‘Miss Torres I’ve heard a lot about you!’ It was helpful having a teacher that welcomed me so early in my high school career.” 

Elliott also had a memorable story: “While we were in first semester we were doing an eye dissection lab and it was always so funny because when it comes to different things that we dissect, Berrier is not afraid to stick her hand into whatever it is we are dissecting, and when we were doing the eye she just took part of it and turned it inside out.”

Berrier discussed the most memorable moment in her teaching career. She said, “The first time I received a thank you card from a previous student, it was an unprovoked thank you card (not on Teacher Appreciation Week) and it caught me off guard. They were thanking me for teaching and telling me I had made such a positive impact on their life when they were in my class. Sometimes you don’t really know the impact you have, and at that moment I was like ‘Wow’.”

Additionally, funny moments happen, too. “Working in the Science department you have to have a sense of humor, we laugh all the time,” Berrier said. “But to me in class it was actually last week. A student told me, ‘Mrs. Berrier I am worried about you’ and when I asked why he said ‘You repeated two jokes twice in class….that’s why we didn’t laugh the second time.’ I immediately started laughing and told him he needed to tell me when I had a grandma moment! Teaching the same class sometimes I know I will repeat myself but him calling me out on it was so funny!”

Elliott talked about what Berrier does to make HBS fun. She said, “Mrs. Berrier tells us stories and lets us do labs to better understand what we are learning.” As for Anatomy, Torres said, “Mrs. Berrier’s attitude makes science class fun! Every other day I’m in class, she walks in the room with a smile on her face. It is contagious.”

Torres mentioned what Berrier has taught her about in Anatomy this year. She said, “This year we have had depth in everything from directional terms, root words/prefixes/suffixes, to the respiratory system and even blood!” Elliott talked about what knowledge she has gained from Berrier in HBS. She said, “We have learned a lot of things this year including the urinary system, joints, and different parts of the kidney and nephron.”

Berrier discussed her favorite lesson or activity to do with the kids. She said, “I love anything with microscopes. Especially in Bio 2 we get to look at living specimens. It is not something you usually get to experience. Looking at the diagrams is learning the structures but when you get to see them moving in real life, not just a video, it is a whole different experience!”

Elliott talked about what her least favorite thing about HBS with Berrier is. She said, “I honestly don’t have a least favorite thing about class with Mrs. Berrier. She is always so fun and personable.” As for Anatomy, Torres said, “Dissections are not my favorite thing to do in science class. Berrier does let us work [with] partners though, which is nice because most times I take notes while my partner does the actual dissection. Although they are interesting to look at, the smell is too much for me!” For her part, Berrier discussed her least favorite thing about being a Science teacher. She said, “I really cannot find anything. I go to work every single day loving what I do!”

Berrier discussed how she balances her work and home life. She said, “When I leave school I turn on the mom mode. I try not to look at my email or grade assignments when I am with my family. It is very important in life to not always be working. If I have to catch up on some grading I will do this after my kiddos go to bed.” She also mentioned what she does outside of teaching Science. She said, “I am a coach of soccer and volleyball with my town’s rec league. I have been coaching for about 10 years. And I have Zumba twice a week!”

Berrier talked about what she wants students to learn in Science class. She said, “That failing is NOT failure. Experiments go wrong…all…the…time. If the scientist said, ‘Well that didn’t work…moving on,’ we would not have the medications or technology we have today. Learn in life from the mistakes you made, do not let them define you.” She also mentioned how she keeps the kids engaged. She said, “I really like group and partner work where they can talk through ideas and assignments. I also tell stories…a lot. I like to try and relate subjects that we learn in class to things that have happened, maybe not to me….but I know a lot of people with interesting lives!”

Torres talked about what she will remember the most about Berrier after she graduates this year. She said, “After I graduate I will remember Mrs. Berrier as one of the first teachers to introduce me to my future career. I plan on attending Indiana University majoring in Human Biology. Her class and attitude really inspired me to look into career paths in the science field. I plan to be a dental hygienist.” Elliott commented on what she is going to remember the most about Berrier. She said, “I will always remember that at the beginning of the year I was new and Berrier just welcomed me with open arms and made sure that I was comfortable and understanding what I was doing.”

Berrier concluded by commenting on what she wants kids to remember about her. She said, “I hope they remember that you can have fun in everything you do. I know Science is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I hope they enjoyed the time in my class.”

National Women’s Month Profile: Albion Fellows Bacon

Photo caption: Albion Fellows Bacon is referred to as Indiana’s Municipal Housekeeper.

By Jeremiah Edwards

The Progressive Era, from the 1890s to the 1920s, was an era of intense social and political reform aimed at making progress towards a better society. During this era issues such as labor rights, women’s suffrage, economic reform, environmental protections, public housing reform, and the welfare of the poor were all addressed. Indiana had its own reformer, someone who wanted to better the spaces people lived in, a woman who would become Indiana’s Municipal Housekeeper: Albion Fellows Bacon.

Bacon was an American reformer and writer. She’s largely remembered for her efforts to improve public housing standards. Bacon was very involved in tenement reform and was vital in the passage of legislation to improve housing conditions in Indiana in 1909, 1913, and 1917. 

 Bacon was born on April 8, 1865, in Evansville Indiana. She was the youngest daughter of Reverend Albion Fellows and Mary Fellows and a younger sister to writer Annie Fellows Johnston. 

After the passing of Bacon’s father a few weeks before her birth, Albion’s mother Mary returned to her hometown of McCutchanville, Indiana. Bacon would attribute her early life in a small, rural town as her motivation for her efforts to achieve urban reform. 

Bacon would go on to graduate from Evansville High School in 1883, she would then work for her sister, Annie Fellows Johnston, who would become a professional writer, as her secretary during her tour in Europe. 

On October 11, 1888, Bacon would marry Hillary Bacon, the owner of Woolworth’s shop in Evansville. The couple would have four children together. 

At the turn of the century, Bacon would become very concerned about the effects of industrialization and urbanization. Her main interest was improving living conditions in Evansville. Bacon then became active in her community; she volunteered as a “friendly visitor” for local charities. She helped organize a Flower Mission group, which donated and distributed flowers to poor working girls.  She formed an Anti-Tuberculosis League that would help with preventing the development of tuberculosis, and also a Working Girls’ Association, that helped young women that were working in factories and mills. The association would later affiliate itself with the YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association) in Evansville. Bacon was also a part of the Monday Night Club, a group of influential individuals interested in charitable work, her focus being its housing committee. 

Bacon showed her dedication and determination to achieve her goals by attending every session of the Indiana General Assembly from 1909 and 1917 due to her agreement with the Indianapolis Commercial Club. The Indianapolis Commercial Club would sponsor her legislation if she attended sessions of the Indiana General Assembly. During her time attending these assemblies, Bacon would garnish support for her legislation from other groups.

Even after achieving her primary goal of establishing a state-wide  law, Bacon would continue working as a social welfare activist. In 1917 she became chair of the Child Welfare Committee, a part of the Women’s Section of the Indiana State Council of Defense. She would then work on the passage of school attendance laws and establish a juvenile probation system.

An organization was named in her honor, Albion Fellows Bacon Center, located in Evansville. The organization currently provides such things as residential and non-residential services, community outreach, primary abuse prevention, sexual assault help, legal advocacy, as well as children’s and crisis response programs.

Bacon would die of heart failure on December 10, 1933, at her home in Evansville. She is praised as a symbol of the housing reform movement and Evansville’s best known and most loved woman. 

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Albion-Fellows-Bacon

Profile: Students describe Voelz as “patient,” creator of “great conversations”

By: Alex Smith/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Mrs. Krysha Voelz, English and Film Literature teacher, helps Chelsea Adair, 9, with her assignment in English 9. Photo Credit: Alex Smith/Staff Writer

Mrs. Krysha Voelz, English and Film Literature teacher, has recently been voted Teacher of the Year for GCHS by her peers. Voelz, who has been teaching English for 8 years at GC, talked about what makes teaching worth all the stress, all the grading, planning, and overall time involved. She said, “It is worth it whenever I see a student feel accomplished and proud of his/her efforts.” 

Voelz mentioned several positive aspects of being an English teacher. She said, “I enjoy multiple aspects of it. I really enjoy forming relationships with teens and watching them mature socially, intellectually, and emotionally throughout high school. I also LOVE analyzing literature with students who discover new meaning and have those ‘Aha moments’!” 

Katlyn Garner, 11, discussed what her favorite thing about Film Literature with Voelz is. She said, “She is a good teacher; she’s really friendly. She really likes to talk about films and it’s nice to talk to her about that sort of stuff.” 

McKenzie Bell, 9, talked about her favorite aspect of English with Voelz. She said, “My favorite thing about Mrs. Voelz is how caring she is about her students’ education and our feelings. She also makes eye contact [with us] when explaining things which shows she’s genuinely communicating.”

Voelz mentioned how she has handled teaching English, Film Literature, and F111, a college composition class, during a pandemic. She said, “It has been extremely challenging. I have had to let some things go and allow myself the same ‘grace’ I give to others. On the flip side, I have discovered new teaching strategies and have added [them] to my ‘wheelhouse.’ “

Bell talked about what Voelz does to help her learn. She said, “Something she does to help me learn is check in occasionally to make sure I’m on track.” Garner discussed what Voelz does to help her learn. She said, “She’s very patient, she’s great at explaining things and creates good conversations.”

Voelz talked about what teachers or mentors that she follows on social media and why. She said, “I chuckle at this question because I am not one for using social media much. However, I do follow one English teacher, Laura Randazzo, on YouTube and Teachers Pay Teachers. She is a high school English teacher about my age who creates fabulous lessons for her students. She also makes some entertaining videos. She is my idol!” She also mentioned who the most influential teacher in her life was and why. She said, “The teacher who impacted me the most was my high school English teacher, Mrs. Barbara Taylor. She was my teacher during my freshman year as well as my senior year. She was tough, funny, and inspired a love for the classics. I was first exposed to classics such as The Iliad and The Odyssey as well as works by Shakespeare in her room.”

Garner further commented on Voelz, “I’ve only had her for a short period of time but she’s just a really good teacher.” Bell told a memorable story about Voelz: “I was struggling with my grades and she noticed so she called me up and talked to me about it and offered to help me which no other teacher has done before.” Voelz discussed memorable moments in her teaching career. She said, “There are so many; however, I am always moved when I receive a card or an email from a student, years after I have had him/her in class, to thank me for making a difference in his/her life.”

Bell talked about what Voelz does to make English class fun. She said, “Something she does to make class fun is letting us work with friends.” As for Film Lit, Garner said, “Like I said, she’s very passionate about films and talking about films and there are good conversations.”

Voelz discussed how she balances her work and home life. She said, “This is tough, as I haven’t fully achieved this balance. It is a juggling act, for sure. Like most teachers, I take a lot home with me. This includes grading, planning, and responding to emails. I go through phases where I am more ‘balanced’ than others. Currently, my husband and I are making an effort to exercise together and get to sleep before 11:00. It always helps to achieve balance when you have someone who provides encouragement and accountability.” She also mentioned what she does outside of teaching English. She said, “I try to exercise regularly and enjoy working out in the gym and outside. I walk, jog, do yoga, and swim. In addition, I spend a lot of time with my family. I have one daughter who lives at home and three other adult children who live in Indiana, whom I see often.”

Garner mentioned what Voelz has taught her about in Film Literature this Semester. She said, “Right now we’re watching a film that’s about history, which is really cool. We’ve watched a lot of different types of films and different styles of films.” Bell talked about what Voelz has taught her about in English 9 this Semester. She said, “She’s taught us about the story Romeo and Juliet and Greek mythology, my personal favorites.” Voelz discussed her favorite lesson or activity to do with the kids. She said, “I really enjoy Socratic seminars. It is extremely uplifting to observe students lead and discuss issues they have independently noted in texts they read for class.”

Bell talked about what her least favorite thing about English with Voelz is. She said, “My least favorite thing is doing work on our own.” As for Film Lit, Garner said, “Most of the reading can be a little bit continuous and the notes can be a bit boring sometimes but there’s good conversations.” For her part, Voelz discussed her least favorite thing about being an English teacher. She said, “My least favorite part is the paperwork (email, etc.) I know it is important to communicate with others, but sometimes it seems to take over my life. Balancing email communication with grading, planning, and teaching is challenging.”

Voelz talked about what she wants students to learn in English class. She said, “My number one goal is for students to realize they are capable of achieving whatever they work to do.” She also mentioned how she keeps the kids engaged. She said, “I typically find that their engagement is related to my enthusiasm. If I enjoy what I am reading or discussing, I usually find that my engagement is contagious. I also think engagement rises as the students have more ownership in the lesson.”

Garner talked about what she is going to remember the most about Voelz. She said, “Probably just the classroom morale and how many movies we watched.” Bell commented on what she is going to remember the most about Voelz. She said, “Something I will remember most is how much she cared [about us] and she is really good at teaching.” Voelz concluded by commenting on what she wants kids to remember about her. She said, “I hope that they remember that I care and that most people in life are willing to help you when you show effort.”

Profile: Meredith Leads Boys Basketball to Success

By: Alex Smith/Staff Writer

Photo Caption: Head coach Luke Meredith and the boys basketball team cheer during the sectional semi-finals at Richmond HS on March 5, 2021 against Mt. Vernon. Photo Credit: John Kennedy

Under head coach Luke Meredith, the boys basketball team ended the 2020-2021 basketball season 14-10, which is the second highest win total since 2004. Meredith, who has been the  boys basketball head coach at GC for 3 years, talked about what makes coaching worth it. He said, “It is very stressful, but this is what I prayed for. This is what I always wanted to do with my life. It’s worth it when you see the growth/development of our players through the season, years, (and) journey of playing high school basketball. It’s never easy, but ALWAYS worth it. Everything you want is always on the other side of hard.”

Adam Lester, 12, co-captain of the team, discussed the positive aspects of being on a team for Coach Meredith. He said, “My favorite thing about playing for Coach Meredith is his passion for our team, and we can really see how bad he wants to win.”

As a head coach, building relationships is very important. Meredith said, “My favorite thing about being the boys basketball coach at GCHS is the relationship I have formed with my coaching staff (Johnson, Mullins, Bolden, Loudenburg) and more specifically the current/former players in the program. We spend a lot of time together and I feel a special bond with all current and former players through this journey of basketball. I care for them, we trust each other, and they play hard for our program, community, and school!”

 Owen Anderson, 11, has seen Meredith’s enthusiasm and spirit for the game on a daily basis. He said, “I love Coach’s energy and how badly he wants us to succeed day in and day out.” 

For his part, Meredith said what his most eventful moments in his coaching experience are. He said, “My most memorable moment in my coaching experience happens to be 3 favorite items: 1) Receiving the ‘call’ from athletic director Jared Manning when I was offered the job to come here from Avon HS to be the next MBB HC at GCHS. It was a career goal of mine to be a (head coach) in the state of Indiana and to achieve that goal was a great moment for me and my family, 2) When we defeated Mt. Vernon in January 2020 here at GC. The faces of our kids in the locker room is something that I’ll always remember. We worked so hard that year, were big underdogs, and they deserved that moment. Pure elation in the locker room,  & 3) Pre-game of New Palestine game at Richmond last year 2021- seeing the fans finally back in the stands and the GC Rage student BLACK OUT gave me chills.”

Both Lester and Anderson described this moment in the locker room as one of their most unforgettable moments in their basketball career as well.

Lester talked about what Coach Meredith does to make the sport enjoyable. He said, “He really likes to joke with us and have a good time, but when it’s time to play he’s the most well prepared and organized coach there is who instills full trust in his players.” Meredith discussed how he keeps the boys engaged and having fun. He said, “I keep the team engaged and bringing the juice by pre-practice talks, music during practice, competitions in most drills, and guest speakers. We always have fun, but work hard as well!!!” Anderson mentioned what Coach Meredith does to keep things light. He said, “Coach Meredith makes basketball fun just by telling jokes and making us laugh.”

Meredith has to carefully balance his home and coaching life. His family is invested in the sport as well, which helps. He said, “I balance home and coaching because our family loves basketball. Having my boys and wife in the stands on Friday nights watching us play is something we enjoy as a family. Both my boys love the game of basketball, play for our youth GC JUICE feeder system, and always pick their ‘favorite’ players every year to cheer for from the stands. My wife does an awesome job of being supportive of me and my dreams/goals to coach basketball. We all do it together; we moved to Greenfield 3 years ago and fell in love with the community, schools, and our TEAM.”

Anderson talked about some benefits of playing basketball. He said, “Some advantages of playing basketball are being able to be with a family every single day.” As for Lester’s thoughts, he said, “The experience and memories that come with it.”

Along with the highs, there can be obstacles along the way. Lester discussed some of those challenges. He said, “The biggest challenge of basketball is fitting in my school work into my schedule as well.” Anderson added, “The biggest challenge is definitely trying to be good enough to benefit your team all the time.”

Meredith mentioned what drills and strategies he plans on using to train the boys for this year’s season. He said, “The team loves one drill: MICHIGAN MONDAY.” MICHIGAN MONDAY is a 10:00 full court competition drill that they do on Mondays in practice. Meredith talked about how he prepares the boys physically and mentally when they are facing a challenging opponent. He said, “Doesn’t matter the opponent- we will do 3 things: JUICE (energy and effort); COMPETE (refuse to lose); STANDARD (play hard ALL the time-standard is the standard). Your practices ALWAYS snitch on you in games.  REPRESENT GREENFIELD.” He also talked about what he wants the boys to learn in basketball and what his number one goal is. He said, “The #1 GOAL: Represent our school, city, and basketball program the right way. Be the best person they can be, best student they can be, best basketball player they can be!!! (In that order)” 

Meredith’s inspiration for a lot of his beliefs and principles comes from someone very close to him. “My mom- Brenda Meredith- is the most influential person in my life because she is the toughest woman I know and (she) raised my sister and I with high expectations to respect teachers/school, work hard, and always try your best,” he said. 

About how he encourages confidence and team-building among the team, Meredith said, “Confidence comes from preparation. If you prepared for the moment, there is no need to become nervous. Prior planning prevents poor performance. You put in the work in the dark when no one else is watching, so you can shine when the lights are on and the popcorn is popping.” 

There is little doubt that the players have been inspired by that light. As for what he will remember from his time with Meredith, Anderson said, “I’m gonna remember that fire he brought to practice and to games everyday which is why we have been so successful. He pushes us to work harder every day.” 

Lester will graduate this year, which makes the memories bittersweet. He said, “I’ll remember most the fun he brought to every practice and workout and how his motivation only inspired me to work even harder.” 

As for Meredith, what he wants his players to take away with them is this: “I want my players to remember that I do care for them more than just on the basketball court- its more than 4 quarters. I’ve been to players’ weddings, graduations, (and) college basketball games, and will be able to continue our player/coach relationship well after their 4 years at GCHS. Once your coach, ALWAYS your coach- that’s what it’s all about.”