DJHS Basketball in Full Swing

 

This year has been looking bright for the DePue Junior High Basketball team. The team has played 6 games to date.. The 8th grade team has been very good this year with a record of 4-2. The 7th grade team hasn’t been as lucky with a record of 1-5.

Recent games included: Monday, November 2, the Spartans had a home game against Malden with the 7th grade team losing, 38-30, and a win for the 8th grade team 44-9. Thursday, November 5, the Spartans traveled to Neponset. The 7th grade team won their first game of the season with a score of 19-16, and the eighth grade team also won with a score of 53-20.

After the Neponset game Coach Zapf said; "The 7th grade team trailed 12-1 after the first quarter and 15-9 at halftime. Our boys allowed only one point in the second half and came back to win 19 to 16 for their first win of the season." Ramon Puga came off the bench to lead DePue in scoring with 7 points and Salvador Raya with 6. In the Neponset game the; "8th grade team led from start to finish," Coach Zapf said, "with a very strong defensive game. DePue won 53-20. Austin Zimmer led all scorers with 14 points and Jesse Lopez added 11." The next game for the DePue Jr. High Spartans will be on Monday, November 9. Good luck Spartans!

DePue Schools Receive Donation

 

 

On Wednesday October 21st, at the School Board meeting, Depue School received a donation of $10,000 from The James Blair family. Mr.Blair’s sisters, Ann Quesse and Norma Lopez, presented the check to the School Board on Mr.Blair’s behalf. James Blair graduated from Depue High School in 1948. Mr.Blair always talked highly of DePue and wanted to leave something to DePue School. After Mr. Blair passed away in July, his son contacted the school about the donation. According, to Superintendent Mrs. Chandler, the $10,000 will be used to purchase books and computers for the library. $2,500 will be use to buy 3 new computers. The rest of the money will be used for library books

October Teen of the Month at DHS

 

Every year there are many awards presented to the seniors at all area schools. Here at DePue High, one award is called the Elks Teen of the Month. The Elks Teen of the Month is a program sponsored by the local Elks Lodge in Princeton.

Mrs. Gorenz, the guidance councilor at DePue Unit Schools, said, "The program encompasses the entire county so there are representatives from every school in Bureau County. The faculty at each school elects the candidates from each school for about five months. The school alternates students by their gender. For example, if there is a boy chosen one month, then a girl will l be chosen for the next month. But our school is also different in another way than other schools," she said. "Bigger schools pick two students a month, a boy and a girl, where we just pick one a month. That’s why we alternate genders each month."

The criteria for being nominated are based on academics, leadership, involvement in school activities, and overall attitude for school. "You get a certificate and a lunch," Mrs. Gorenz says. Mrs. Gorenz gives the faculty through out the whole school a list of seniors that they can choose from and then they vote. Then the Elks have a committee that reviews the applications and from there they choose the Elks Teen of the Month.

For the month of October, the nominee was Lorena Escatel.

"I feel much honored that out of my whole class I was the one who was nominated," Lorena said. "It’s also an tribute to be thought of for such an honorable award. I feel like I have earned it though because I have worked very hard in school and it’s very nice to see all of my hard work has finally paid off."

Though the Elks did not choose her as the Elks Teen of the Month, she was still much honored and was in good spirits that she was  nominated and was given the chance to win.

Congratulations Lorena.