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The commons overflowing with smooshy couches and chairs. Food vending machines in the lower levels. Eating Executive Inn breadsticks and grabbing a cookie from Blimpie's. As seniors, these memories are already starting to fade. The Signature that we started at four years ago has evolved into a completely new school. Some changes, such as the missing furniture and the changes in downtown restaurants, only changed the image. However, many of the changes have had a much deeper impact on Signature's atmosphere and status in the community.
The school is approaching its first IB class graduation. Sig adopted the International Baccalaureate program two years ago, and along with the school's solid Advanced Placement program, the school is growing in status and national recognition. In 2007, Signature was recognized as #86 out of the top 100 high schools in the nation, as well as Charter School of the year. Signature was also recently voted "Head of the Class" and a "Best Buy" school by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. These awards are incredibly significant considering Signature has only existed as a full time school for a few years. During our freshman year, Signature was not well known in the community-and if it was, there were many misconceptions. Now there is tangible evidence that highlights the work and accomplishments of Signature's students and staff.
Part of Signature's change in atmosphere is due to the change of faces-namely, the changes in staff. Only the 4 year troopers will remember all of the changes, but here's a brief review of how it's changed since our freshman class: Mr. Hanson, Dr. Goebel, Mr. Mayes, Seņora Kinnaird, Mrs. Stucker, Mrs. Jobe, Mrs. Winchester, Mr. Duffy, and Mr. Cox are no longer at Signature. We've also gained some new faculty members: Ms. Knight, Mr. Simms, Mrs. Doyle, Seņora Razor, Mr. Reek, Mrs. Atkinson, Ms. Phillips, Seņora Crane, Guan Laoshi, Mrs. Nejad, and Ms. Sanders have all joined the Signature team.
Signature has recently grown in the amount of clubs and activities offered. First-year teacher Gregory Simms started an intramural tennis team last fall and has worked to create Sig's first official Girls Tennis Team this spring. "Coming to Sig showed me what an incredible in-class experience the school already had, but what I've really enjoyed is creating an extra-curricular activity where the kids could grow and get to know each other outside of the classroom," says Coach Simms. Junior doubles player Brittney Robertson agrees, saying "I've felt more school spirit in the past month than I have throughout my past three years at Signature."
Another major club that Signature has gained is International Thespian Troupe #7004. Sig has always had a strong Fine Arts program, but in 2006 the students wanted more. Teacher Amy Scharf agreed to be the club sponsor, and the students applied for an official charter that May, joining the internationally recognized society soon after. The school is also creating a Fine Arts endorsement program for the students which will begin next year. The program will be a "challenging and exciting opportunity for those students looking to continue in the arts," says Scharf.
In addition to the tennis team and the Thespian Society, Signature has also gained a variety of other clubs for the students to participate in. New clubs from the past 4 years include a track team, Mu Alpha Theta (internationally recognized Math Club), Spanish Club, Linguistics team, Photography Club, a Harry Potter Discussion Group, Art Club, Hiking Club, Robotics Club, Web Club, and a Creative Writing Group. The variety of these activities can be explained by the variety of personalities found at Sig. Senior Emily Alvey is involved in many of these activities in addition to maintaining her academic focus. "Sig has provided me with an array of opportunities to improve myself in many areas, both academic and extra-curricular, such as Speech, NHS, Hiking Club, and Math Club," says Alvey.
The Robert L. Koch Science Center was built in the main level of the commons 2 years ago. The Science Center has strengthened Sig's science classes and created a much better learning environment for the science classrooms. Senior Erin Cheaney has Biochemistry every morning at the Science Center. "There's a lot more room to work with. I remember when all the science classes would be shoved into the one lab we have in the main building of the school. Now we can run a lot more labs and get more hands on experience," says Cheaney.
The school has changed a lot in the past four years, and only a small number of students will remember all of the growth. Between the new incoming transfers and the students that have left over the years, only about half of the people in the current senior class were here all four years. Senior Daniel Poelhuis comments that "the school has grown tremendously in the last 4 years." He adds that "the addition of the science center, a broader curriculum, and increased enrollment has fundamentally changed the feel of the school. I suppose one could argue that these things are good or bad, but in my opinion it's not necessarily either-it's just change, and that's necessary. Nothing stays the same forever; I think the senior class is living proof of that." Although these students will remember the full transformation Sig has made in the past 4 years, the school has become what it is today through everyone that has been here. The conjoined effort of everyone that has been here has elevated Sig to a new level that many of us would never have expected 4 years ago.
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