Within the past few years, the Show Choir has been comprised of a small group of talented singers, but the group is bigger than ever this year with 19 students.

This is the first year in a few years where the class is a year-long course. This gives the students more opportunities to perform than the couple of concerts and outside performances the Show Choir regularly performs in the second semester.

To get into Show Choir, students must go from a beginner class, grades 9-12, to one of the two advanced classes: Treble Chorale or Chorale. Not only is it a requirement to be in one of those two classes, but a dance audition must be performed as well. The dance audition is to help with determining how well a person can learn and perform choreography.

Show Choir is a way for people to express themselves and their love for singing and dancing. As the school year progresses, the group continues to evolve its skills and get to go through new experiences.

Show Choir is run like a normal choir class; students pick up their folders with the music in it and find their seats. When the class begins, students will talk about any important information that needs to be discussed, and then they will talk about what songs to work on and go from there.

Depending on how far into the song Show Choir is, there might be choreography already, depending on if there is any then the class will be split in half. The first half of class will either be spent on working on the songs or working on the dance work, and then halfway through the class period, a break will be given to go use the bathroom and relax. What they didn’t do before the break they will do after coming back from it.

Throughout the year, there are several performances for the Show Choir. An upcoming event is the Spring Concert on May 21, which is the last choir concert of the year and is where the choir seniors will be recognized. Another performance is when the group goes to the elementary schools to perform for the kids; the dates for those performances have not yet been determined.

Show Choir is a great experience; if you’re a choir student and want to try out, go for it. Step out of your comfort zones, and go for something new. The dance tryouts are being held on March 11 during SRT this year. It might not seem all that different from a regular choir; it seems like all you're doing is adding a dance to the song, but the adventure that it takes you on from not knowing a song and its dance to performing is something different. As someone who is in Show Choir, go for it. It’s an experience not to miss out on.

To start the new semester, there has been a change to the ID policy that the students are set to follow throughout the school day and the rest of the school year.

Principal Scott Upp researched what other schools were doing for their student ID policy. In doing so, he discovered that La Porte was one of two DAC schools requiring students to wear IDs all day. The majority of the schools in the area only enforce IDs for students to leave the classrooms.

Previously, LPHS required students to wear an ID at all times, with consequences happening after numerous infractions.

One of the many reasons behind the policy being changed is how it benefits teachers and students.1

“So the student, who may have truly misplaced or forgot their ID, would miss 75 minutes of instruction, possibly miss a test, etc. Not only was this a negative situation for the student but also for the teachers. Teachers had to find time to ‘catch’ the student up on what he/she/they missed in class as a result of missing a class due to an ISD issue,” Upp said.

In the old policy, if a student had forgotten their ID or misplaced it too many times then the student was sent to in-school detention (ISD). A student missing a class period can lead to him/her falling behind. The change also allows teachers to focus more on the curriculum instead of doing ID checks.

“I think this could benefit both staff and students as it allows for more time to be focused on the affairs of the classroom rather than ID checks and writing temporaries. I also think that it is beneficial to have an ID requirement to leave the room,” History teacher Sarah McGuire said.

The purpose of the policy change is to help with increasing productivity in the classroom. It allows students to be able to spend the proper amount of time in the classroom and learn the curriculum with the other students.

Some students like the new policy while others have a different opinion on it. Students here at the high school find it more convenient because the IDs don’t mess with their outfits and their necks don’t get as irritated from the lanyard. Some find it less convenient when they have to go to the bathroom during class but can’t because they don’t have their ID on them. 

The new policy is beneficial, but some things need to be figured out. It’s a step in the right way to ensure that students have a type of identification on them that shows that they are a student here at the high school. One thing at a time, the staff at LaPorte High School is ensuring the safety of the school, students, and staff.

Mental health in veterans is something that is not talked about enough. According to Mission Roll Call, 38% of veterans have a known record of suffering from mental illness after serving their time, and they don’t have anyone to talk to or don’t know where to go to get help.

Veterans have served in the military for some time and then come home and are expected to simply transition back and live a civilian life. The trauma that they endure and have to bottle up with nowhere to put it is not healthy. In society, they have so much pressure put on them. They have to be brave people when they were most likely scarred and probably even more scared now being home after seeing what life is like in other regions of the world and seeing and living through traumatic situations.

We can help veterans with their mental health by showing support for them, whether by listening to them or helping them with basic things like grocery shopping, helping them find a source of income, and helping them stay connected with their family. Helping out with the little things is what shows support - that they are not alone in the world and that they have someone who is there for them.

“Help veterans get medical care and other resources. Volunteer at VA hospitals. Assist veterans in your community with needs such as grocery shopping, running errands, or helping with yard work,” ARAG website said.

Coming home from being away for so long is not an easy adjustment for most. Some find it harder to go back to living a normal life when they have to be on their guard 24/7 depending on where they were stationed or the constant stress on them to ensure they are performing at their best and don’t mess up what their given task was.

Because of all the stress, according to ND Department of Veterans Affairs, at least 22 veterans commit suicide a day.

“Some factors linked to suicide in active duty service members include loneliness, relationship issues, workplace difficulties, trauma, disputed schedules, increased stress, poor sleep, injury, and chronic pain. On top of these factors, veterans may also experience difficulties transitioning to civilian life,” The Conversation website said.

A way to help lower the number of suicide rates among veterans is to help get them access to mental health care. Help get them out of the house and be around people, reduce their access to firearms if they are feeling suicidal. 

A number that veterans suffering from suicidal thoughts can call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 or the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans allows them to speak to trained counselors 24/7. 

If you know anyone who is going through a hard time adjusting back to a normal life, show support. Show them that they don’t need to go through the change alone. If it’s a family member, visit them and help them around the house, go with them to run errands.

The mental health of veterans is an important thing that needs to be talked about more. We people as a society tend to not focus on their mental health until their suicide rates increase or more and more go through addictions. We need to focus more care on them because before they were veterans, they were someone's son and daughter.

Social media is a way for people to interact with each other and see what's going on around the world. It is a gateway to different possibilities but can harm one’s mental health.

Social media has been around for some time now, but it’s been since 2004 that Facebook took over the world. Since the first app was created, people have been using it to put themselves out there in the world so that people can see who they are. Over time, it became a way for people to communicate with each other worldwide. With being able to talk with those from a different country some took advantage of the communication to belittle others.

Not only does the way people communicate with each other affect the mental health of people on social media, but constant scrolling affects it as well. Before going into the effects and tolls, let’s review social media. Some people think that social media are just apps you download and use when it’s a little more complex than that.

“Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks,” Tufts website said.

Social media was intended to be used as a way of sharing information and bonding with people who share the same interests and interacting with one another, as well as getting to enjoy new experiences. It is supposed to be a way to connect with other people, and most people do that but there are those out there who use it to their advantage.

“The link between social media and mental health issues has been well-documented in numerous studies and research papers. A systematic review found that the use of social networking sites is associated with an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress,” Stanford website said.

The increase in mental illness tends to increase due to social media. The pressures of needing to post or get the most likes cause anxiety levels to spike, and seeing someone being more successful or getting more views and likes can send someone into a resentful and jealous state that can lead to depression.

Out of all the apps Instagram and Snapchat have the most influence on a person's mental health. The reasoning behind it is that the apps are more image-focused, meaning it’s more about what you are posting and what it looks like. Due to that anxiety in younger teens especially in girls increases and causes self-doubt and self-esteem issues.

Many things can influence the mental health of someone, whether it’s doom-scrolling on social media to the weather of the day. It is important to understand when to put a boundary between yourself and social media. If you notice yourself feeling off or constantly doom-scrolling take some time away from social media. Spend time with your friends and family or go on a walk. Set the boundary for how long you are going to scroll on social media and what you will and won’t post. Take care of your well-being over your social media accounts.

Mental Health: The Effect of SportsSports are incredibly popular in our society. Participating in sports is a way to gain exercise through your routine, but not taking care of your mental well-being is just as important.

Many don’t know, but sports can take a toll on a person's mental health. The pressure to be a good player and team member or the time commitment can be too much to handle. Some can be good at taking care of their mental well-being, but some struggle and it affects them in their day-to-day life.

The struggle is something that not many people talk about, and it needs to be talked about more, especially in teens and young adults. Not only do teens struggle with this but even adults can have a hard time handling the pressure from sports.

“The intense pressure to perform consistently and endure grueling training regimens can contribute to high anxiety levels. Perfectionism can have negative consequences, and sports teams often want flawless gameplay. However, when someone overthinks their performance, such stress can undermine their ability,” McLean Putting People First in Mental Health website said.

According to Anxiety Disorder in Athletes, anxiety is more common in those who play sports. The fear that they are not performing well is enough to make a person second guess their abilities and can sometimes put a person down an internal spiral about whether or not they are playing at the right level when they most likely are. Sometimes it can even lead to a person dropping out of the sport altogether.

“It can also be due to mental fatigue and the inability to want to perform at a high level. Another way that poor mental health can affect performance is that the athlete can lose interest. This loss of interest may be the reason why they may quit the sport altogether,” Trine University website said.

Too much pressure on an athlete can cause them to lose interest in the sport. Being in a sport should be an enjoyable experience for people, but when their mental health is not doing well, it makes it feel like a chore and makes them think about quitting to quitting.

Not only does the pressure of sports affect teens, but it also adults. In most cases, adults are held to a higher standard because they have been doing it for a much longer time and should be more experienced compared to teens. That standard is enough to affect an adult's mental health and their ability to talk about it because most times they are told to suck it up.

“Older people may have lost confidence in their ability to participate and may require additional support to overcome this. Social support also plays an important motivational role in physical activity participation and can be influenced by friends, family, carers, health practitioners, and activity instructors,” SportScotland the National Agency for Sport website said.

Without the proper support, they lose confidence in themselves because of their age and sometimes go to dangerous methods to make them feel better in their playing ability. Supporting and encouraging those who play sports to go out and talk to someone when it is needed is one of the most important things to be done.

Always remember that someone may seem strong and capable of taking care and handling themselves, but they could be struggling. Show support and let them know that they are not alone and that it is okay to reach out for help or to talk to someone when needed. Everyone’s mental health matters. No matter what it is that they do.

Therapy is one of the more well-known resources for helping people who need it. It is a way for people to communicate their issues and not be judged but to receive the proper feedback to help themselves better cope with their past experiences.

As mentioned before, there is a stigmatization around mental health and the things that go along with it, which includes therapy. The stigma around therapy mainly has to do with people having either an internalized belief or an influenced one that getting help with therapy is seen as a sign of weakness. People just assume that therapy is where you spend money to talk to a professional to get another opinion instead of just asking Google or talking to a friend or family member when therapy is more than that.

“Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy or usually just “therapy,” is a form of treatment aimed at relieving emotional distress and mental health problems. Provided by any of a variety of trained professionals - psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or licensed counselors - it involves examining and gaining insight into life choices and difficulties faced by individuals, couples, or families,” Psychology Today website said.

Therapy is a lot more than just talking to someone; it’s a way for people to understand their emotions and mental health. Some people have a harder time understanding these things and need professional help instead of just talking to a friend or family member. It’s a way to get a better understanding and to find ways to keep understanding no matter what takes place in your life.

“Therapy helps you learn how your mind works. It allows you to navigate your feelings, build healthier habits, and change your mindset so that your life looks more like you want. Many people are resistant to the idea of participating in therapy when they first start struggling with their mental health,” Mental Health America website said.

Not only is it for understanding yourself but to also focus on your mindset and help get it in the right direction. The stigma on therapy has been here for a while. Many of it comes from old myths and historical understandings of the person’s mind. Many believed that it was a sign of weakness, and some of it even stems from outdated scientific understandings.

Just like in the stigma on mental health, the stigma on therapy is something that won’t just go away. Take the time to educate yourself and others on the necessity of it and the benefits it can provide for a person. Therapy is not something to be ashamed of. Take the time to read about it and see that it’s not a weakness but an opportunity to let out the stressors and problems in a healthy way by talking about them with a professional.

There is such a big stigma around mental health, and because of that, it makes people feel weak in themselves for having any sort of mental health problems. Having mental health problems is not something to be ashamed of.

The stigmatization around mental health is something that has been around for a long time now. It can speculate from cultural norms to people not having the right information given to them. Religion also has a big impact on the stigma around mental health. There’s a stigma around mental health when some people don’t even know what it is or what it means.

“...includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through childhood,” SAMHSA website said.

Mental health is more complex than what we think it is, and that makes some people scared and start speculations about it which leads to the stigma surrounding mental health. The majority of the stigma that we know of mainly comes from society, employers, social media, and sometimes even friends and family. Luckily, there are ways to get rid of or lower the stigma around mental health.

“Educate yourself and others - respond to misperceptions or negative comments by sharing facts and experiences. Be conscious of language - remind people that words matter. Encourage equality between physical and mental illness - draw comparisons to how they would treat someone with cancer or diabetes,” Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services website said.

If someone is going around talking about mental illness with incorrect information, lead them in the right direction to the right information so that way they can have a better understanding of what they are talking about. Even when having a simple conversation with someone and they are saying some things that aren’t true or entirely correct or even just talking bad about someone for having a mental illness, sit them down and explain it to them. 

It is always better to research than to just talk with random information that could not be entirely true. If some people are willing to learn and open their minds and understanding, then explain what you know and even talk about your own experiences if you have any. The stigma around mental illness and everything that surrounds it is big, big to the point where some people just won’t change their minds. Sometimes those who do have an understanding or are willing to learn will just have to handle them smartly and respectfully.

Resources for mental health are out there. People just don’t know where to look or who to ask. Getting help for mental health is one of the most important things someone can do, especially when they are a teen growing into a young adult.

Mental health is a broad topic, as is the topic of resources. There are resources out there, like the suicide prevention hotline, that are helpful and genuine, but then there are those resources that have misleading information or exploit the person getting help from them.

When it comes to getting help and seeking out resources for your mental health, it can be difficult to do. Especially if someone grew up in a household that didn’t take mental health seriously or have people around who see it as a sign of “weakness.” Getting help and looking for resources for something important as mental health is not a sign of weakness but strength because one going out of his or her way to get help to improve.

Sometimes finding healthy coping mechanisms is good enough for someone to feel better and improve. Simple coping skills could be going for a walk, meditation,  going to the gym, art, and listening to music are some of the more common ways people cope with their mental health. It also helps to have an accepting and understanding circle of friends and family-people who you can easily talk to about anything including mental health.

Resources are put out there to help people who can’t get help with just healthy coping skills and need a more professional approach or another perspective on what the issue could be. They are meant to help people and to encourage their growth and development.

“It is important to seek help as early as possible when experiencing psychological, emotional, or social difficulties that won’t let go. Without the ability to cope or mentally process what’s going on, individuals will develop unhealthy habits to get through the day,” LCH Health & Community Services website said.

Without using the resources available that are there to help it can cause more harm than good. It is always better to seek help even if it's uncomfortable because it could more issues and make the problem worse. Some more known resources are the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, the number 988, the Crisis Text Line and in more serious situations 911.

Getting help for mental health is critical. It may seem like a minor issue, but there could be more than what many even know. Never let other people influence you to not get help if you feel the need to get help for yourself. You matter to yourself and others, never let the fear of being seen as weak influence or stop you from getting help. If you need the help, get it.