High School News

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a designation established in 2008. This month honors those who have lost their lives to suicide and offers support to individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts. It's a time for communities to unite and provide encouragement.

Eastern Greene has demonstrated this spirit by having its JAG, Art, and Agriculture classes create uplifting signs for their fellow students. Each sign features a positive message or quote, often accompanied by a drawing. These signs are prominently displayed throughout our hallways. The JAG classes even wrote encouraging messages on our sidewalks leading to the back entrances, though unfortunately, the recent rain washed them away.

Our community has been impacted by suicide in the past. As a community, we must be there for one another during difficult times. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please don't hesitate to reach out for help. Our teachers and administration at Eastern Greene are always available to provide support.

The Riley car wash was a success! We raised $307.50 to go toward planning the Riley Dance Marathon. We had about 10-15 cars come to get their cars squeaky clean. A big thank you to Eastern Greene Fire Station for letting us host the car wash there as well as use some of their supplies. All the students who came to help and had a fun time raising money for Riley. 

Riley Children's hospital is based in  Indianapolis Indiana. They treat over 300,000 children every year. On average 5-10 of those kids are from Eastern Greene schools each year. This is why we have the Riley Dance Marathon Committee here at Eastern Greene. We want to help out our fellow students by having them share their stories and giving back to the place that helped them be here today. Last year we raised a little over $4,000 to send to Riley Children's hospital. We do a bunch of fundraisers throughout the year such as a carnival, selling t-shirts, the apple festival and much more. I will be keeping the community updated on everything so everyone has a chance to get involved! We really appreciate everyone's support so far this year. I can’t wait to share all the amazing things the Riley Committee plans on doing. 

Written By: Erica Payne, Social Media Intern

Meet Sidnee Clarke, our new nurse! She has worked in health care since she was 15 years old. She’s been a nurse for the past three years. She worked as a pediatric nurse at Memorial Hospital in Jasper Indiana. Nurse Sidnee graduated from Eastern Greene in 2017. That was one reason she said she returned to Eastern to work. When I asked her how she knew this was what she wanted to do in life she said “ This is all I knew how to do and I just wanted to be able to make a difference in my community.”Sidnee is almost 26 and is a proud mother of two little boys and two dogs. A fun fact about her is that she loves traveling. She went to China the summer after her 8th-grade year with the school. She also went to Haiti on a mission trip in 2015. She also enjoys a good book in her free time. She likes reading almost everything but she is fascinated by more historical non-fiction such as Midwife of Berlin. Sidnee's advice to students: Don't hesitate to reach out to her or other staff members if you need help. We're here to support you, but we can't help if you don't communicate with us.

Written by: Erica Payne

Hi everyone! My name is Erica Payne, and I’m a senior. This year, I’m really excited to be the school’s social media intern. I was able to have this amazing opportunity because I’m doing work experience for my first two classes. Originally, I was supposed to do something else, but my plans changed. I was disappointed at first, but then Mr. Kirkendall came up with this great idea. During my first hour, I help out in the library by setting up databases. Then, I spend the second hour in the main office working on weekly stories, the hallway slideshow, and other projects. I’m having so much fun with this work experience. I’ve never done anything like this before, but I love it. Besides being a social media intern, I’m also a photographer. I’ve been taking pictures since I was ten, and I can’t imagine life without it. I’ll be sharing some of my sports photos on our social media pages. I love our school community and feel lucky to have grown up here. My goal with these stories is to highlight the amazing things our students and staff are doing. Let’s spread some positivity!

Eastern Greene FFA member, Collin Zuckschwerdt, achieved a significant milestone by receiving the prestigious Hoosier State Degree at the 95th Indiana FFA Convention. This award is a testament to Collin’s dedication and hard work in his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project. Collin has invested countless hours in his cattle operation, from early morning chores to long drives to livestock shows. His commitment to improving and caring for his herd of Angus cattle has not gone unnoticed. As he enters his senior year in the 2024-2025 academic year, this remarkable achievement opens new doors for his future endeavors. Earning the Hoosier State Degree is an extraordinary accomplishment, and Collin’s excitement is palpable. His hard work and perseverance have undoubtedly paid off. When talking with Colin he said “ Receiving this degree has opened up many opportunities for my future and I was excited when I found out that I received this.” EG joins in congratulating Collin on this well-deserved honor and commend him for representing Eastern Greene FFA with such distinction. Written By: Erica Payne, Social Media Intern

Meet our new assistant principal, Mr. Howard! He was raised all over the place, but primarily in west Michigan, where he also graduated high school. Mr. Howard has been shaping young minds since 2012, working in Bloomington and Michigan City before joining our Eastern Greene family. He was drawn to our school because of its great reputation and the warm welcome he received during the interview process. Mr. Howard loves the close-knit community here and finds our smaller school setting to be a perfect fit. What truly drives Mr. Howard is witnessing students grow and develop. Even if he's not directly involved in a student's journey, he's proud to be part of a community that fosters growth. It's a job he's incredibly passionate about. Mr. Howard has some great advice for us: develop good habits from the start. It's a key to a successful high school experience. And just for fun, did you know he used to get grounded from books? Yep, he loved reading that much! We're excited to have Mr. Howard on board! Written By: Erica Payne, Social Media Intern