Chase Hunsicker Class of 2029
Pennfield’s powerlifting group is welcoming several new athletes this season, each bringing unique goals and plenty of enthusiasm to the weight room.
Jeslyn Hunsicker is one of the newest lifters. She originally joined because her brother encouraged her to try it, but she’s already enjoying the challenge. Hunsicker says she’s looking forward to getting stronger and spending time with her friends. Her personal goal for the season is simple: don’t miss practice. She predicts that squatting will be her strongest lift.
Jacob Plante decided to join powerlifting because he wanted to stay active with a winter sport and continue improving in the weight room. Plante is excited to push for new personal records this season—especially his goal of benching 225 pounds. He believes deadlift will be his best lift.
Brody Baldwin joined the team because he enjoys working out and wants to build strength and speed for football and baseball. Like Plante, he’s aiming to set new personal records across all lifts. Baldwin has big long-term goals as well: he hopes to qualify for the state meet one day and make his mark by setting a new school record.
Avreen Kaur Class of 2028
Shoshauna Dodd, a sophomore at Pennfield High School taking her AP U.S. History course online, says the experience has been positive overall. Dodd explains that she enjoys the class because "it's pretty easy, and I like working at my own pace,” though she admits the biggest challenge is not having a teacher present to guide her through assignments. She appreciates that straightforward setup and the freedom to work independently, and when distractions arise, she simply removes herself from the environment so she can refocus. With an AP exam scheduled for May, Dodd plans to study in two stages - reviewing the first semester during the first week and the second semester the week after. While she believes AP U.S. History isn’t the right fit for everyone since it can be overwhelming, Dodd explains that “if you’re able to keep yourself on pace, then you should be fine,” showing both confidence and realism about the demands of online learning.
Bella Gillson Class of 2027
Lily Odette shares about the Allied Health Program at CACC.They have completed a CPR course and learned many medical terms for body functions, the skeletal system, and the integumentary system so far. She said, “One of my favorite things about the career center is having hands-on experiences and learning things that I've never done before.” A few study tips that she uses for the Career Center are creating quizlets, booklets, and flashcards, due to the amount of vocabulary to cover.
Odette also has a part in this year’s spring play, “Let’s Hang Him And Read The Will.”
She said, “I was ecstatic when I found out that I was in the play this year.” Odette has been a part of two plays already, and her favorite part is meeting new people and creating new bonds. She comments that “It can also be difficult, because being in a play is just as much of a commitment as a sport or club,” but also that “it's all worth it in the end.”
Cason Wright, a sophomore, is an active student-athlete who plays baseball and basketball. Outside of sports, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family as well as playing Fortnite and 2K. His favorite class right now is Chemistry, mainly because he shares it with his friends, making learning more enjoyable.
Wright stays motivated thanks to his strict parents, who push him to meet high standards. He admits his biggest pet peeve is “loud 8th graders in the morning,” and when it comes to future goals, he keeps things simple: he’s “just tryna make it to Friday.”
Erica Gregorie
Class of 2028
Keyon Miller is a sophomore at Pennfield who participates in football and basketball. In Miller's free time, he enjoys sleeping and watching TikTok. His favorite class right now is gym because he finds it fun. To stay on top of his classwork, Miller ensures that he completes it either in class or at home. Miller's biggest pet peeves are people yelling early in the morning and people touching him. If he could change something about school, he would have it start at 1 p.m. and end at 3 p.m. In the future, he hopes to become a millionaire. Miller's favorite school memories are sports. Miller's favorite restaurant is Taco Bell, where he likes to order a grilled cheese burrito.
Dre’Shaun Bailey
Class of 2026
Cory McGee is a 9th-grade student who is passionate about sports and staying active. He plays both football and basketball, and enjoys working out, sleeping, and following sports in his free time. He loves history, and McGee appreciates how the subject helps him understand the ways of the USA. He believes in tackling tasks immediately to avoid procrastination. He is also mindful of respectful communication, disliking when others speak over him, and he values understanding people's actions. His future goals include becoming a great NFL player and a great father. Outside of school, he enjoys spending time with friends. When it comes to food, his favorite meal is a Culver's butter burger with cheese curds and a chocolate concrete mixer.
Carson Wright
Class of 2028
Brooks Peek, a sophomore at Pennfield High School, is an active member of the baseball, basketball, and football teams. His favorite class at the moment is chemistry. Although many of his friends are in that class, he still finds the subject both interesting and challenging. In the future, Peek plans to graduate in the top 15 of his class academically and hopes to continue playing one of his three sports in college. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends and family while also making sure to get plenty of rest to stay ready for his athletic commitments.
Kellay Dickerson
Class of 2029
Haydyn TenBrink is in 9th grade and plays basketball, softball, and golf. She plays on a year-round basketball team called Michigan Premier, which travels to various states throughout the season for tournaments. TenBrink's favorite class is weightlifting because she loves the teacher and it helps her prepare for her upcoming sports. She keeps up with her classwork because she and her parents push her to do her best. In the future, she would like to attend a college with good classes, but especially a good basketball or golf team. TenBrink would love to get a scholarship for both, but she mainly wants one for basketball. She also wants to follow in her mother's footsteps and win a basketball state championship for Pennfield.
Ashlynn McDaniel
Class of 2029
Keira Holderman is an 8th-grade student at Pennfield High School. She participates in basketball and Art Club and frequently works on her own art projects outside of school. She feels very passionately about her science and choir classes, for she feels they have a very “fun” method of teaching. “Fun teachers help me learn easier,” Holderman states. In the future, she would like to have all good grades and possibly make her way into honors classes. In order to do this, she states that she stays on top of her classwork by using up her class time to get as much done as possible and concentrating during lessons. If there was anything she would improve about her learning environment, Holderman claims she would try to quiet down the learning place. She sometimes feels uncomfortable when people speak negatively, so she would help prevent this and make the school community more positive.
Bella Gillson
Class of 2027
Jonathan DelaCruz, a new student at Pennfield, shares some about himself and his thoughts about our school. In his free time, he likes to talk to as many friends as possible and play games. Jonathan stays on top of his classwork by checking his Gmail to see what work he needs to get done. Jonathan also attends the CACC, where he studies criminal justice. His biggest pet peeve is negative people and sometimes loud people. Something that Jonathan would change about our school is to have the school open earlier to prevent the long lines as much as possible. “I would like to accomplish a simple and quiet life,” he said. Lastly, Jonathan likes Chick-fil-A’s spicy Deluxe meal.
Kellay Dickerson 29’
Khloe Henry is a freshman in Ms. Royer’s digital photography class. Digital photography is Henry’s favorite subject because she loves taking pictures and spending time outdoors. She especially enjoys the class because Ms. Royer is a kind teacher who gives clear and straightforward explanations of the assignments. However, Henry finds using Photoshop challenging because it can be confusing and less enjoyable to use. She also struggles with manually focusing the camera. Below are a few of her favorite photos taken in class.
Tyler McKenzie ‘27 & Addysen Gregory ‘27
Connor Wood and Kaden Grupczynski are two juniors who attend the construction program at the CACC in the morning. They both enjoy building things and have been friends since kindergarten, so they decided it’d be good to take the class together. So far, they have been learning about different power skills and a lot of measuring. At least three times a week, they are working on hands-on activities. Wood's only complaint would be, “The class talks a lot, and I don't enjoy it.” Grupczynski has no complaints about the class. They both recommend the class to anyone interested in construction, as they have learned and have experience in the field.
Kylie Daguer ‘26 & Ryleigh Mix ‘26
Kylie Daghuer was one of the powderpuff participants. Kylie says she didn’t exactly decide to join — she was simply added to the group chat and started attending practices. “I ended up really liking it,” Daghuer said.
Before the game, she explained that she felt nervous about playing in front of her parents but was mainly focused on having fun. After the game, Daghuer said she was tired and ready to go home, but excited because the seniors won and got to ring the bell. Her practice routine involved running plays as a team and working on both offense and defense. The team also split into groups to focus on specific positions, which helped them improve their skills.
Overall, Kylie described the experience as “super fun” and encouraged more students to participate. She enjoyed playing football alongside other girls in her grade and appreciated the supportive atmosphere.
She added that she wished the game were longer to give everyone more time on the field. She also believes many girls would enjoy Powder Puff more than they expect, and that guys would have a great time as cheerleaders—especially now that the school has varsity male cheerleaders.
Ashlynn McDaniel ‘29
Dylan Kaynor is a freshman who has taken band every time he’s had the chance. This is his first year marching, and he feels good about how it’s going so far! He states that in the beginning, he struggled playing the drums while marching, but as time has passed, he has adjusted to the rhythm of marching and feels much more confident about it. He claims that the other children in the band with him are helpful and understanding of one another, showing care and supporting each other through their mistakes.
Kaynor’s favorite parts of playing on the drumline are being able to do cadences, or distinct rhythms that pair up with the playing song, and run-ons. His favorite piece to play is “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen, for it is “kind of basic, but there are definitely some fun parts” while playing it. Even though he has struggled in the past with keeping beat and continuing to march on, he now enjoys marching during the games. Look out for Kaynor and his fellow drumline players at the next home game!
DeeAna Black ‘28 & Brooke Miller ‘28
Noah Labonte planned a Homecoming proposal for Brooke Miller. His theme was Florida/ beach. “I came up with the idea from her friend, and she came up with the idea I should ask her to hoco.” He felt nervous about asking her because it was his first time actually asking someone. “It felt surreal, but I'm glad she liked it and it made her happy.”
Amiel Bradd was asked to Homecoming by Tyler McKenzie. “I was happy because I got to go to the dance with Tyler, but I had a feeling he was going to do it.” The theme for her hoco poster was Starbucks. Her poster said, “Will you be my star at homecoming?”
Louis Wilcox planned a Homecoming proposal for Emmee Kooi. His theme was Curious George. “I came up with the idea by checking her TikTok repost and asking her friends.” He felt happy but was a little nervous. Wilcox's poster said, “I'm a little curious if you want to turn HOCO upside down with me?”
Alora Nuyen ‘28 & Amiel Bradd ‘28
Gavin Mclane has been a part of the student government for all four years of high school, but not for the usual reasons. “I joined mostly for the scholarship and the leadership opportunity,” He stated. While he doesn’t feel it improved the high school experience, Gavin did say his fellow members are “good people.” For this student, student government was less about fun and more about planning for the future. One of the juniors on the student government is Madison Lajoie. She shared that she joined mainly to boost her college applications but has since appreciated being more informed and involved in school events. She’s been part of the group for two years and enjoys helping plan things like dances. Madison recommends joining the student government, saying it's not as much work as people might think and is a great way to stay connected and involved in school life.
DeeAna Black ‘28 & Brooke Miller ‘28
Pennfield High School’s student government is full of new faces this year, and the 9th- and 10th-grade representatives are eager to make a difference in school spirit, activities, and leadership.
Freshman Leaders
Freshman Mayilyah Longstreth joined the student government because she wanted to get involved in planning school events and making them better for students. “I want to help make a change to Pennfield’s activities,” Longstreth said. Though she was nervous about running, she’s excited to be part of a team that organizes decorations and brings creativity to events.
Freshman Isabella Bunch shares a similar passion for improving Pennfield’s atmosphere. “I joined the student government to become a more effective leader,” Bunch said. She believes the experience will help her connect with classmates while also improving the school environment. “I’m looking forward to planning events and supporting Pennfield,” she added.
Sophomore Leaders
For 10th-grader Mia Wells, this isn’t her first year serving on the student government. After enjoying the experience last year, she wanted to return to help make school activities even more fun. “I’m looking forward to getting feedback from my peers and fixing problems,” Wells said. She’s especially excited to help plan major events like dances and assemblies.
Another sophomore, Xander Swank, said he joined because he wanted to have a voice in school improvements. “I joined to have a better high school experience by having a say in changes,” Swank explained. Though he was nervous about running at first, he’s now ready to help create a positive impact.
Ashlynn McDaniel ‘29
Bella Gillson and Mariah Worthington of Pennfield’s SADD club spoke about their plans for the 2025-2026 school year. Gillson, the president of the club, described this club as a “club that promotes positivity” in the school community. Every Thursday, students meet after school until 3:15 and work on a variety of activities and crafts to bring awareness to different situations. Gillson and Worthington shared that they have done some activities about Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month together such as making ribbon pins and giving them out along with stickers to the student population. According to Worthington, the vice president, they have also written some caring messages along the sidewalks of the high school, such as “You’re not alone” and “You’re enough.” They said that they plan on making anti-bullying posters to put up around the school next month.
If you would be interested in helping bring positivity to the PHS building, the SADD club is still available to join! In order to join, attend the weekly meetings, and help spread joy and awareness to your peers! Talk to Mrs. Sare or Bella Gillson for more information.
Chase Hunsicker ‘29
The drama program has a full lineup of performances planned for this school year.
This spring, the extracurricular play will be “Let’s Hang Him and Read the Will,” a goofy murder mystery about a wealthy old man who dies, leaving behind family and friends scrambling to locate his will. Auditions for the play will take place in late November, with performances scheduled for March 12, 13, and 14.
For his classroom productions, Mr. Collins has chosen “15 Reasons Not to Be in a Play” and “18 More Reasons Not to Be in a Play.” Both are lighthearted collections of funny excuses students use to avoid the stage. Acting students will also perform a series of 10-minute plays later this year.
Collins explained his choices, saying, “The murder mystery is fun, and the actors will get to create silly, entertaining characters. The 15 and 18 Reasons plays are a great introduction to performing because they don’t require props or sets.”
While Collins admits that memorizing lines can be a challenge for new performers, he’s confident in his students. “They always do better than they think they will,” he said. He mentioned the after-school play will be a great experience, and that the actors will have lots of fun with the characters.
Collins is especially excited about this year. “I’m looking forward to the opportunities for acting and for students to get involved,” he said.
Clare Hackworth ‘26 and Mia Cole ‘26
Kaylynn Armstrong is an 8th grader at Pennfield High School. Armstrong said she felt good but nervous taking a tour around the high school because it is a lot bigger than she was used to. She thinks having lunch with upperclassmen is crowded, but she feels fine with it. She struggled to find her classes. Armstrong doesn't have an opinion on the new phone policy because she never really has her phone with her. Overall, being in high school as an 8th grader doesn't affect her much.
8th grader Chanse Rliey shared his thoughts on his first experiences at the high school. When asked about the 7th-grade tour, Rliey said he felt good and nervous because the school is bigger. Regarding lunch with upperclassmen, it does not affect him because it still feels the same. He also mentioned that art and acting were the hardest classes to find because he did not know that acting was upstairs. Finally, the phone policy, he thinks we should be able to have them in the hallways.