PHS MEDIA NEWS

Misty Busick graduated PHS in 1995. Busick went to college at Oakland City University of Bedford, IN and earned a business degree. She started her own business in owning a daycare and has been taking care of children for 20 years.

After college, she started a family. Busick wanted to go into childcare because she always loved working with children. Busick worked in the social department at the French Lick Hotel. In this department she worked mainly in the Kids Club Summer Program, kids parties at the hotel, and children’s holiday activities. This experience influenced  Busick to start her own daycare. Another helpful determining decision was that Busick also wanted to stay home with her children when she started a family.

“Advice I have for high school kids today are to study hard, enjoy your time in high school, look up from your phone every once in awhile, talk to people. Happiness is not on Snapchat,” said Busick.

If Busick could go back in time, she would study and focus more on her classwork, instead of staying up late talking with her friends when she could have been studying.

“My favorite memory of PHS was my photography class because I liked taking pictures at sports events, developing them in the dark room, and working on the pictures for the yearbook,” said Busick.

Busick learned how to develop pictures in a dark room, how to be organized and how to prepare for college in high school.

“One regret from the high school days is I wish I pushed myself more academically,” said Busick.

Busick plans to keep her daycare and someday hopes to start a preschool.

Story by Laykin Busick

Mary Magner, Throop Elementary Counselor, graduated from PHS in 1994. She had learned many important things over the course of high school.

“If I could have gone back into time, I would have enjoyed every minute of it because it goes by too quick,” said Magner.

Magner was a honor roll student and spent most of her time with her friends and being involved in clubs.

“The activities I was in included in were Student Council, Booster Club, Chess Club, National Honor Society, tennis, cheerleading and school mascots,” said Magner.

Over the many years of being at Paoli, Magner has learned valuable lessons through the way.

“One lesson I have learned is the sincerity of Paoli,” said Magner.

All though she has had some great memories at PHS, her favorite memory was when she won the speech contest her freshman year in high school.

“My all time favorite memory was when I won the speech contest my freshman year, speech was one of my all time favorite classes in high school,” said Magner.

Although Magner had had a good time in high school, she regretted not worrying less and have a little more fun over her high school career. Magner went to college at Franklin and  is the school counselor. She has two kids going through high school also.

“I hope my kids learn to study more and have fun in high school,” said Magner.

Story by Corinne Magner

Staff members at PHS share more things with the students than you know. Many of them have been where PHS students are today.

The staff has walked the same halls, sat through the same classes and some have even had the same teachers.

There are many friendships made with families that go way back. PHS Athletic Director Darek Newkirk graduated from PHS in 1996. He came back after graduating college at Indiana State University in 2000 with a major in mathematics. Newkirk became a teacher then later followed in his father’s footstep as athletic director.

As students, we have all been told that the memories you make in high school are the ones you never forget. As Newkirk looks back on his high school days, his favorite memories are spending time with friends.

“That includes classes, practices, games and anytime we could get together,” said Newkirk.

Unfortunately, for some people, high school isn’t the best time of their lives, but Newkirk must have done something right. While reflecting back, he has no regrets at this point in his life. Newkirk claims that if he could go back in time there would be nothing he would do differently.

When you ask someone that has graduated high school what their greatest lesson learned was, they usually don’t remember a certain chapter in their physics book. They are older and more wise to realize what things they learned that they use in everyday life.

If there is one lesson Newkirk remembers it is knowing who your true friends are.

“Be active in school activities and have fun. You are only in high school one time, make the most of it. You will be working the rest of your life so enjoy school and everything it has to offer,” said Newkirk.

Story by Bela Brewster

It’s no doubt that being a PHS student and walking through these hallways is something that will stick for many years after high school is over. The graduates of Paoli can be found in all areas of life. They are set apart in different career fields, values, and lifestyles, but they all share the common origin of Paoli High School. What does it mean to be a graduate of PHS? And what kind of effects does it have throughout a person’s lifetime?

Clara Sears graduated in 2008 as salutatorian of her class. She went through high school in a family of five including one brother and one sister. Like most graduates of PHS, her high school years still have a lasting impact on her today. The lessons and memories created by her time in our classrooms and hallways are something she values to this day.

“I would say I enjoyed most of my time at PHS. I had some really good friends and we made some memories that will last a lifetime,” said Sears.

Life in PHS is still happening much like it did years ago. Sears recalls that her favorite part of high school life was being with her friends, something that is still heavily valued today. Sears also recalls some aspects of high school that she may have missed out on.

“If I had one regret it would probably be not going out for the volleyball team. As weird as that sounds I always thought it looked fun, and now that I don’t have that chance I wish I would have taken advantage of it while I could,” said Sears.

The community of Paoli is often closely tied with the happenings of the high school, in Sears’s case, the feeling of a close knit community was something she enjoyed and heavily relied on during her high school years.

“The lesson I learned from PHS was how important a solid community is to the development of students. Being surrounded by people and teachers that genuinely care about you is more valuable than most people think,” said Sears.

Today, Clara is currently enrolled in a doctorate program at the University of Louisville. She studies epidemiology, otherwise known as the branch of medicine dealing with control of diseases and factors related to public health. Sears feels that the work she is doing and will do in the future is very important and could help a lot of people stay healthy.

“I am interested in my field and finding new ways to help people stay well by controlling and slowing the spread of diseases,” said Sears.

All of these accomplishments can be traced back to Sears’s start at PHS, something that has given her academic and social experience for her life. Reflecting on her time in high school as a whole, Sears gives advice on what today’s kids should expect:

“If I could go back I don’t think I would do anything hugely different. I am happy with how my life was and where my decisions have brought me. I would say kids today need to learn work ethic for their lives after high school. They should read and study often. What you learn and do in high school is the mold for how you will be later in life.”

With the future bright for Sears she is continuing to explore her options for future employment, as well as working with doctors in hospitals currently to better the public health system. Sears is just one of the stories of PHS, finding its way out into the world to try and change it for the better.

Story by Dietrich Sears

Former 1989 PHS graduate, Carol Fullington is an inspiration to many. With a very full life after graduation, she is a now a very successful woman. Looking back at her high school years though, she would have changed some things.

Fullington is not one to regret things in her life, she feels it is a waste of time, but if she had to do high school over she would have added more variety to her dating life instead of spending so much time going after one love interest. She also would have taken better care of herself in mind, body and spirit.

This is why she wants current PHS students to “Soak it up! Every bit of it!”

“Life is fleeting, you only go around once, and kids need to enjoy all the moments. Not just the big ones,” said Fullington.

Fullington learned so much while attending PHS. Her biggest lesson learned was that the whole community was a part of her family and having teachers, parents of friends, peers, etc. looking out for her gave her a security she has found nowhere else.

Fullington and two of the three of her children have all experienced their high school careers here at PHS and lived by that same advice. Fullington ended up coming back to PHS to be an English teacher.

“Teaching at my old high school is awesome. I am proud to represent the hundreds of success stories that have come out of PHS. I am eager to play a small role in the lives of the future success stories. I want PHS students to realize they have so much potential. Paoli students are not doomed to a life of drugs or unemployment,” said Fullington

Coming back to teach here at Paoli was never a plan for Fullington, but it all just had a way of working out. Bringing her kids back to Indiana to be surrounded by family was what she wanted. She had always wanted her kids to have a similar childhood experience of growing up in a small town which Paoli offered.

The high school performance and people that her two oldest children have grown to be are Fullington’s best achievement and she is eager to see her youngest son follow in their footsteps.

Story by Kennedy Embry