• Want to receive periodic updates from the Inkspot? Sign up for our newsletter highlighting the latest headlines, top stories and more here
Whatever you are interested in, we've got it covered.

Inkspot

Whatever you are interested in, we've got it covered.

Inkspot

Whatever you are interested in, we've got it covered.

Inkspot

Community, friends, family celebrate Ironmen basketball’s second place 4A State finish, 32-6 record [video]

Inkspot Staff
Mar 12, 2024

Over 200 fans and family members celebrated the Ironmen basketball team's 2024 season on Sunday, March 10, recognizing the team's second-place finish in the 4A IHSA State basketball finals. Public address announcer Mr. Dana Starkey, Athletic Director Mr. Nic Kearfott and principal Dr. Adam Zbrozek...

Continue Reading
Midwest Technical Institute, Illinois Central Colleges Agriculture and IT programs and Saint Francis Medical Centers College of Nursing were among the programs represented at the far.

College and Career Center’s annual college fair showcases post-graduation pathways

Bayli Ferris, Staff Writer
Mar 12, 2024

The College and Career Center hosted its annual College Fair for the junior class on March 12 in the auditorium, with representatives from nearly 45 schools attending. With representatives from trade schools, community colleges, four-year universities and the armed forces, College and Career Counselor...

Continue Reading
Photo Courtesy: Community Athletic Department

Ince, Niekamp named to 2024 IHSA All-State Academic Team

Inkspot Staff
Feb 21, 2024

Ali Ince and Dexter Niekamp were named among the 26 members selected for the 2024 Illinois High School Association All-State Academic Team on Wednesday, Feb.  21. The honorees, nominated by their high schools, demonstrated a minimum 3.50 GPA while participating in at least two IHSA-sponsored activities...

Continue Reading
King, a 2020 Illinois State graduate, is currently in his fourth year as an ESL teacher at Community, where he  “supports the English language learner population  . . . as they’re navigating the school system that we have here at NCHS.”
Photo Courtesy: Mr. Ricky King

New Student Council sponsor Mr. Ricky King oversees Daddy Daughter Dance, blood drive

Ali Ince, Staff Writer
Feb 21, 2024

ESL teacher Mr. Ricky King was appointed Student Council sponsor at the start of the second semester, succeeding Mrs. Jennifer Cole. King, Mock Trial co-sponsor, said his passion for student organizations dates back to his experience with Mock Trial as a high schooler. As a student at Hinsdale South,...

Continue Reading
East gym lighting overhaul improves visibility, energy efficiency

East gym lighting overhaul improves visibility, energy efficiency

Inkspot Staff
Feb 15, 2024

District maintenance staff began replacing the east gym’s lighting in late January, completing the process in early February. The fluorescent lights were replaced with LEDs, improving visibility and energy efficiency.  Discussions of a lighting upgrade, Community’s Athletic Director Mr. Nic Kearfott...

Continue Reading
Ms. Cassie Adelman goes over the daily agenda with her 6th hour English II class.

Ms. Cassie Adelman replaces Zeman in English department 

Kirsten Santana, Senior Staff Reporter
Jan 17, 2024

Community hired Ms. Cassie Adelman, a December graduate from Illinois State University, to fill a vacancy in the English department after Ms. Jackie Zeman’s resignation.  Zeman, after five years at Community, announced in late November she would not be returning for second semester. The former...

Continue Reading
Stock Photo // Envato Elements

The Inkspot’s 2023 year in numbers

Inkspot Staff
Jan 8, 2024

Everyone has their New Year traditions–and the Inkspot staff is no different. Every year, as first semester wraps, we like to dive into our analytics, looking back at all we accomplished at the end of each year and share some of our most notable achievements. With that, we present to you the Inkspot's...

Continue Reading
Course to Career Guide change: Journalism II,III meet senior English requirement

Course to Career Guide change: Journalism II,III meet senior English requirement

Brody Roberts, Staff Writer
Dec 18, 2023

Starting next year, seniors have the option to fulfill their senior English credit requirements by enrolling in Journalism II or III, a change from previous practice. Previously, 12th graders were required to take Dual Credit, AP Literature or English IV to meet their English requirements in their...

Continue Reading
All-District and All-State designation, choir teacher Mr. Ben Luginbuhl said, are significant honors that require students to be “highly motivated” and balance “technical skill” with “fluency and musicianship. 
Twenty Community music students demonstrated those skills this year in the eyes of the ILMEA. 
Photo Courtesy of: Mr. Jeff Christopherson

Music students shine in All-State honors from ILMEA

Twenty Community music students receive All-State honors from the Illinois Music Education Association
Abby Ruebush, Editor-in-Chief
Dec 15, 2023

Twenty Community music students received All-State honors from the Illinois Music Education Association after the building qualified 75 musicians for the All-District festival Nov. 4.  Students practiced this year’s audition material, released to teachers in the spring, over the summer before getting...

Continue Reading
The Normal Fire Department was at Community Wednesday, Dec. 6.   investigating a small fire set by a student in the boys locker room in the Athletic hallway. 
School Resource Officer Mr. Jeremy Flood said the investigation is still ongoing.

Locker room fire investigation nearing resolution

The investigation into a small fire that occurred in the boys locker room on Dec. 6 remains open, according to Community’s School Resource Officer Mr. Jeremy Flood. Flood declined to provide specific details about the ongoing investigation, stating, "It's an open investigation... so I don't want...

Continue Reading
Model U.N. tackles zombie apocalypse in crisis summit

Model U.N. tackles zombie apocalypse in crisis summit

Eight members of the Model United Nations grappled with a global crisis scenario involving the spread of a zombie-inducing virus during the crisis summit on Nov. 17. Hosted by Bloomington High School, the summit brought together young diplomats from BHS, Normal Community, West, Central Catholic and...

Continue Reading
Stock Image // Envato

Teachers express reservations over Automatic Acceleration process

Department heads share perspective on Accelerated Placement Act, test-driven course placement
Kirsten Santana and Abby Ruebush
Dec 10, 2023

For some students, the course registration process will look a little different this year.  Students who met or exceeded state benchmarks on Illinois-mandated tests (IAR, PSAT and SAT) last school year will be enrolled automatically in advanced courses. The change came as a result of the Illinois...

Continue Reading
A small fire occurred in room 75, the boys locker room in the Athletic hallway shortly after 11:10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6.  
In an email to parents, principal Dr. Adam Zbrozek said: The fire was immediately extinguished and all students and staff were safe and uninjured.  Due to the quick response, there was no need to evacuate the school.

Small fire in locker room sparks investigation

Inkspot Staff
Dec 7, 2023

A small fire in the boys locker room was reported during 4th hour on Wednesday, Dec. 6. The incident, still under investigation, was allegedly caused by a student igniting a paper towel dispenser in the Athletic hallway locker room, according to several sources. The fire was quickly extinguished...

Continue Reading
The seven members who attended the Nov. 13 conference (pictured left to right: Jansi Patel, Sophia Boyer, Sophia Hartke, Karmen Singh, Sayonna Edwards, Emily Lin and Sumitra Paramatmuni) were the organizations top points earners, Cole said. 
Members of Student Council earn points based on the number of hours they commit to the organization through activities like attending meetings and volunteering.

Image Courtesy of Community Student Council Instagram // @nchs_student_council

Student Council members gain insight, ideas at Central Illinois Leadership Conference

Pranathi Ganti, Staff Writer
Nov 30, 2023

Seven members of Student Council attended the Central Illinois District Leadership Conference for State Councils on Nov. 13. In her first year as Community’s Student Council sponsor, Mrs. Jennifer Cole saw the conference as an opportunity to award the organization’s most committed members. “We...

Continue Reading
The Dining Room is a series of vignettes—some funny, some touching, —which, when combined, creates a picture of the vanishing upper-middle-class White Anglo-Saxon Protestant.

The play, director Ms. Kevin Vernon said, goes to great lengths to educate audiences about WASP culture.
I want them understand who it is theyre looking at, Vernon said. I want them to laugh.

Digital Illustration // Mr. Brad Bovenkerk

Curtain call: Vernon restages ‘The Dining Room’ as final production

Diverse cast, decades of laughter in 'The Dining Room' culminate Mrs. Kevin Yale Vernon's two-decade theatrical career
Lyra Townsend, Aki Griffin and Kevon Ramsey
Nov 29, 2023

February's production of "The Dining Room" marks the final show of theater director Mrs. Kevin Yale Vernon's two-decade career. Vernon's final show caps a career that spans almost 21 years and brought over 75 productions to the stage. Revisiting a play from earlier in her career, Vernon said, is...

Continue Reading
Load More Stories
Donate to Inkspot
$1780
$3000
Contributed
Our Goal