Akiah Swartz Class of 2028

Samantha Pennock, a sophomore at Pennfield High School, took on a job with a clear sense of purpose: to support her passion for vintage cars. Restoring older vehicles can be expensive, especially when sourcing new or hard-to-find parts, and having a steady income allows her to invest in her hobby. While her job isn’t necessarily her dream position, Samantha appreciates the positives: it keeps her active, gives her spending money, and allows her to work alongside people she knows, as well as friendly coworkers who make the experience more enjoyable.

Looking ahead, Samantha has big goals tied closely to her interests. She hopes to build a career in the automotive field and eventually own her own car restoration business. Her current job serves as a stepping stone, helping her stay productive and financially independent while she works toward that future. For Samantha, having a job isn’t just about earning money; it's about creating opportunities to pursue what she enjoys and building a future around her passion for cars.

Erica Gregorie Class of 2028

Natalie Purucker, a junior at Pennfield, started her first job at Battle Creek Christian Early Learning Center. Purucker decided to start working there because she was already placed there through CACC and quickly realized how much she enjoyed being around the kids and the overall environment. Purucker has been working there for about three weeks now. So far, she hasn’t faced any major challenges, but at first, it was a bit difficult to figure out which room suited her best. Purucker worked through that by giving each room a fair chance and paying attention to where she felt the strongest connection with the kids. Balancing CACC, school, and work can be stressful at times, but she manages it by planning ahead on Fridays. Purucker organizes what needs to be done for the upcoming week. Staying on top of schoolwork and making sure everything is completed on time is really important, especially since she goes to work right after school.

Deondre Manalac Class of 2026

Starting high school can be overwhelming, but for freshman Cory McGee, seniors have played a major role in helping him adjust to both academics and athletics. “I have kinda followed under their wings, listening to their advice on how to get a good start with grades and sports-wise, making sure I stay on top of it,” Cory explained. He said that seniors have helped him understand the importance of staying responsible early in his high school journey. One senior in particular, Treven Straham, stood out to him. “Treven Straham gives me rides home after every practice. It’s more of a want to, not a have to, for him,” Cory said, highlighting the kindness and support he’s experienced from upperclassmen. That guidance has also translated into his own habits. Cory shared that he’s learned to focus on “coming to class on time, not procrastinating, and being responsible,” lessons he credits partly to observing seniors. Beyond academics and sports, seniors have also helped him feel included socially. “After a meet, I went to Culver’s with some seniors. They made me feel included and like I wasn’t just an inconvenience,” he said. While he noted that some seniors don’t interact much with freshmen, Cory emphasized that his experience has been mostly positive. “I have a very high social battery, so I converse with some seniors, and they are pretty nice.” He also gave a few shoutouts to seniors who have impacted him most: Treven Straham, Deondre Manalac, and Dre’Shaun Bailey.

Avreen Kaur Class of 2028

Brianna Treadway, a sophomore, recently participated in a dance competition. She has been dancing since she was four years old, this year making her 11th year point. Over time, she has not only been learning throughout the years but has also been teaching for about four years. Throughout her journey, she has faced challenges, including being a lefty dancer in a righty environment, but she can also manage being a righty in some cases. The most difficult challenge that she has faced is validating the difficult transition of moving studios after encountering an unwelcoming and discouraging environment from the team. 

As she prepared for her most recent competition, Treadway described feeling “super duper excited,” especially enjoying the time spent backstage with her teammates. During her solo part of the competition, she favored the part where she had done a firebird and aerial-to-turn combination, which she had practiced often and found very fun during the performance. When the judges announced the results, she was eager to receive an Elite Platinum award as well as the Total Package Judges Award, impressing judges with her techniques, facials, and musicality. One of the most memorable moments for Treadway was after the awards ceremony, when she ran to her teacher, Tori, with a proud look on her face. All in all, it was a successful and memorable experience for Treadway.

Chase Hunsicker Class of 2029

Connor Chupp is a 9th-grade golfer. He’s been playing golf since he was 8 years old. His favorite person to go golfing with is his dad, who introduced him to the sport. Chupp's favorite thing about golfing is walking around the course on a nice day. He joined the golf team because he wanted to play competitively. Right now, Chupp’s drive is about 200 yards at best, but by the end of the season, he wants to drive the ball around 250-280. A regular game for him usually scores around the 60s-70s. The only thing Chupp would change about the team is the number of coaches; he wishes there were more of them so each golfer could have more one-on-one time during practice.

Alora Nuyen Class of 2028 & Amiel Bradd Class of 2028

Carlianna Avery has had a good school year so far, with fairly easy classes and a successful volleyball season. For spring break, she plans to travel to Tampa, Florida, with a friend and visit places like Busch Gardens and the Tanja Lagoon. In the future, she hopes to continue improving at volleyball, keep her grades up, and go to college. Avery is a year-round volleyball player and is also considering joining the softball team. She is especially excited for summer.

Chase Hunsicker, Class of 2029

As the powerlifting season comes to a close, Coach Martin reflected on a successful year while noting that illness impacted a few lifters during the season. In a sport where consistency is key, having the full team healthy at competitions makes a big difference.

Despite the challenges, the team had a strong showing, winning the team title at the Jackson Northwest Regional. Six lifters qualified for the state finals, where they competed against top lifters from schools of all sizes.

Coach Martin said the team made major improvements this season, especially in the squat and deadlift. Moving forward, the focus will be on increasing bench press numbers through consistent off-season training.

The weight room will remain open after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, though it will operate a little differently during the off-season. Athletes and serious lifters are encouraged to attend summer and fall lifting sessions.

“This has been a great season, and it’s all because of the kids in the program,” Coach Martin said. “They support each other and create a great team environment. We’re excited to build on this and hopefully have both a boys and girls team next season.”

Students interested in joining the powerlifting team for the 2026–2027 season can see Coach Martin in room A-101.

Tyler McKenzie, Addysen Gregory, & Amber Draper Class of 2027

College applications for the Class of 2027 may seem far away, but in reality, they are closer than many students realize. For juniors, this time of year is especially important as they begin preparing for the next stage of their academic journey. Treven LeBreton, a junior at Pennfield, also attends KCC and is beginning to focus on the college application process, thinking more seriously about his future plans. As the second semester begins, LeBreton has been considering where he may want to attend college and what kind of environment would best suit him. He has shown interest in both Michigan State University and Western Michigan University, two schools known for their strong academic programs and campus life. His interest in these universities has been influenced by his older brother, who was part of Pennfield’s Class of 2024. His brother currently attends Western Michigan University and was also accepted by Michigan State, which has motivated and inspired LeBreton as he looks ahead to his own college decisions. Seeing his brother succeed has helped LeBreton feel more confident about his options and excited about what lies ahead. As he continues his junior year, he plans to explore colleges further, gather information, and prepare himself for the application process. Starting early allows him to stay organized and make thoughtful decisions as college quickly approaches.

Brooke Miller Class of 2028 & Erica Gregorie Class of 2028

This is Aryah Geairn-Casteel's first year of power lifting. It started around December 8th, 2025. Casteel started powerlifting to get stronger and become a better person mentally and physically. It allows her to meet new people and open up more. Geairn-Casteel’s favorite thing about powerlifting is the people in the group, because they are all like a family. It feels nice to be able to grow and reach their goals together and cheer each other on. She powerlifts because she wants to get stronger. Her teammates cheer her on and encourage her to keep going, so Geairn-Casteel keeps her head up and keeps trying, although it can be a challenge. She said, “If you're trying to get better at lifting, I would really try to focus on your technique because if you have bad form, you could really injure yourself or others.” She tries to make sure that her form is good and takes constructive criticism when needed. After powerlifting is over, she would like to continue going to the gym and just keep trying to make herself a better person.

Avreen Kaur Class of 2028

Danielle Bronson, a sophomore at Pennfield High School taking Advanced Algebra 2, shared how she manages her classes and studies. She said that “staying on top of the work makes it really manageable,” even when the pace of a unit feels fast. Depending on the unit, she might finish homework in class if it’s easier, but harder topics can take “an hour or two at home” to fully understand. Her favorite study method is doing practice problems and reviewing mistakes from past assignments, which helps her avoid repeating errors. She explained that most of her mistakes come from “misinterpreting the questions or only doing part of the equation.” Looking back, if Bronson had a chance to redo the year, she would take more time to practice before tests and ask more questions, saying that “asking questions is crucial and can really help, especially before attempting quizzes and tests.”

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.”

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.

Tyler McKenzie Class of 2027 & Addysen Gregory Class of 2027

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 Class of 2026 & Ryleigh Mix Class of 2026

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 Class of 2029

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 Class of 2029

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 Class of 2026 and Mia Cole Class of 2026

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.