Latest News

The High Arrow

Indiana Area Senior High School

SWIMMING SENIORS SHED TEARS DURING THEIR LAST HOME MEET

By JENNY TODD

Hunter Fanella finishes off her last race as a senior - PHOTO COURTESY of JOEY MARGITA - IHS DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION I STUDENT

IHS Swimming seniors have just participated in their last home meet. This is an unimaginable day that sadly has to come for every senior athlete. 

Swimming is a physical sport but it also holds a place in the mind. Countless hours of staring at the bottom of a black lined swimming pool is something you take head on. Imagine doing this for every single day of your life. 

 

Most of the seniors have been swimming for longer than just their high school years. Maggie Bennett, Anna Margita, Hunter Fanella, Leah Amsler, Abby Killam and Loughlin Pagnucci have all spent many years swimming on the local YMCA team aside from highschool. Bernadette Buchanchag was the only new swimmer to the highschool her freshman year. Senior night was quite surreal for them. Imagine looking around at kids that you have known for years, have raced, argued with and loved all come to an end. 

 

When swimming, one of the main things you are always told is “this is your family, you will see these people more than your own parents.” That stands the truth when it comes down to it: who do you have to see when you’re having a bad day or good day, your teammates. Walking away from the sport is hard but leaving behind family is harder.


I talked to senior Anna Margita who said “It is very hard for me to walk away from this sport and I can’t imagine not getting back into the pool next year.” This is something that the other seniors agreed with. That surreal feeling doesn’t go away. When asked if Anna thinks she’s going to regret anything about the sport she said “I regret not being in the moment and wishing that the end date would come faster. The time really flew by and I can’t believe it has gone this fast.” That seems to be a feeling that everyone relates to, even students who aren’t in a sport but the saying “life goes fast” lives true.

The only senior boy Loughlin Pagnucci said “My favorite memory has been all of the success that we have had over the past four years, especially beating Mt. Pleasant to win the section sophomore year and beat Laurel Highlands to win the section junior year, as well as winning the West A invitational this year.” This quote truly brings out what it means to be on a team. Loughlin’s favorite memory was not a race he individually won, but something the entire team was able to accomplish. Even though it is not a team sport exactly anyone would do anything for their teammates. 

Senior Hunter Fanella has been swimming for 12 years. That is more than half her life.  She said “I have been swimming since I was 6 years old, so this sport has grown with me. I have made so many friends and memories through this sport, and knowing that all of that will be behind me is sad. I’ll miss the practices, meets, and memories I’ve made. My favorite memory is going to states at Bucknell with my relay and enjoying our time there. it’s pretty hard, I have been doing it for 2/3 of my life so making an adjustment to not doing it will be difficult. I’ll miss the friends, the workouts, the racing, and the memories I made.” The number of hours she has put in has been truly inspiring and shows a lot about not just her but everyone’s character to persevere through tough times shows how truly successful this group of seniors will be.

The IHS swimming seniors Leah Amsler, Maggie Bennett, Bernadette Buchanchang, Abby Killam, Hunter Fanella, Anna Margita, and Loughlin Pagnucci are definitely going to have a hard time walking away from something they love. They will soon be able to share a memory with each other.

The IHS swim team will compete in WPIALS, on March 3 and 4th. Good luck to all the swimmers attending. Your hard work will pay off!

You May Also Like...

IHS students jump back into school routine

By Addison Mosco IHS students returned to the building on August 30, 2023. Faculty and staff welcomed students to the 2023-2024 school year bright and early that morning.  Students were to jump right back into the school routine for this year. Sophomore Sydney Anderson comments, “I feel pretty good starting school again. It was a challenge to start waking up early. Other than that, I’m feeling excited about my schedule. During the summer, I would usually sleep in but for school, I’m up much earlier. I’m also much more productive during the school year rather than over the summer. It was pretty hard getting up early since my sleep schedule usually gets messed up over the summer. Now that I’m into a routine though, it’s much easier.” Students got used to being able to sleep in late, but now they have to get up early to go to school and

Read More »
October 4, 2023

Freshmen adjust to new environment at IHS

By Anna Cutter A new class of freshmen join IHS this year. Due to graduate in 2027, IHS freshmen have been hard at work these first few weeks, adjusting to their new environment at Indiana Senior High School.  Adjusting to a new place can be hard. Freshman Emma Strittmatter says, “It’s easier to get from class to class, but the hallways are really crowded in some places.” Here at IHS, the students get the chance to choose from a wide selection of classes, some of which include Chef’s Corner, A’la Carte Baking, French, Journalism and many more. IHS also has a large collection of lunch foods ranging from simple foods such as Bosco Sticks and different types of pizza, to more complicated foods such as Chicken Parmesan and Cheesy Meatball Subs. At IHS students are able to keep their school Chromebooks over the summer for their remaining years of high

Read More »
October 3, 2023

Homecoming signs: cringe or cute?

By Michael Jadzak Making a sign to ask a partner out for a dance can be considered a tradition by many. This year, students at IHS share their opinions on Homecoming signs and determine the majority feeling if they are cringe or cute. Many students have their opinions on signs, which plenty have already made and received them.  Sophomore student Edmond Lin gives his opinion on Homecoming signs, “ I think using signs for Homecoming could be cute, but some people use it just to brag that they have a date to Homecoming.” Some students take the side of Homecoming signs being cute rather than cringe. Of course, if anything is done correctly, it can’t be all bad. Junior Richard Cortez states, “I think they are corny to an extent, I don’t feel it’s that big of a deal for Homecoming. I wasn’t asked for a sign, and I feel

Read More »
October 2, 2023

IHS prepares for Homecoming

By ELIZABETH OLSEN The week of homecoming is upon Indiana Area High School, and Student Government is creating fun events to keep students ready and excited. A lot of work goes into preparing for the homecoming dance, and there is a lot to discuss.  One of the biggest events leading up to homecoming would be the IHS pep rally. The event will be this Friday, September 29th, anyone from any grade level is able to attend. The pep rally gets everyone together to take a break from the busy school day, and participate in fun activities. SGA (Student Government) has been going around getting teachers to sign up for different events that will take place during the rally. So far, there will be a guess-the-song challenge, musical chairs with the teachers and a dance routine by some of the senior boys. Some events will not be shared until that day,

Read More »
October 2, 2023

IHS 2023-2024 Homecoming Court 

By MADELINE SHIRLEY As the 2023-2024 school year settles down for the year, the first major event for the student body is rolling into play. IHS homecoming theme for this year is Gardens of Glamour. Tickets are being sold in the school store during all lunches and tenth period. Single tickets are $10 and $20 for couples. Along with other years, 2023-2024 Homecoming Court consists of ten wonderful Seniors. For Homecoming Queen, the nominees consist of Grace Cook, Tess Kuzneski, Emma Masengale, Brynlee Schawl, and Kyla Weaver. The nominees for Homecoming King include Ben Cochran, Maddox Duffee, Kadin Homer, Hunter Martin, and John Trevorrow. The king will be announced at the pep-rally on Friday. The queen will be announced at the football game, Friday September 29th. During halftime at the game, students will have the opportunity to buy cups of colorful chalk. Students will then throw the chalk in the

Read More »
September 28, 2023