A La Porte County Life in the Spotlight: Kris Staats

A La Porte County Life in the Spotlight: Kris Staats

Those who have attended high school know that there is little to no reason to return once you have received your diploma- it’s comparable to visiting your great aunt’s house annually: awkward, and frankly unnecessary. In hopes of changing the dread that comes along with revisiting what may have been the most awkward, or greatest years of your life La Porte High School implemented the Learn Today to Excel Tomorrow initiative.

The key goal was to showcase former Slicers and their accomplishments since graduation. This initiative showcases individuals who achieved academic success throughout college or success in their careers after college. It’s like a gold star for adults- a small, juvenile gesture, but one that is needed in this day and age. Kris Staats is the new leader of this initiative

"This initiative is meant to recognize former Slicer graduates that are doing great things in our community or wherever they now reside," says Staats. "They are living this mission statement with excellence."

This initiative is a relatively new concept, but it allows for previous Slicer graduates to showcase their success in the real-world. Not only does it allow for older generations to receive gratification from telling old college tales, it allows for current, and future Slicer students to strive towards the excellence showcased by previous inductees.

Staats, a former Slicer himself, went on to become the ideal example of what someone in the Learn Today to Exel Tomorrow Initiative, successfully graduating from La Porte High School to lead a successful college football career at Purdue University, where he played as a wide receiver before finishing his marketing major and returning to his original high school as an assistant principal working along with current school principal Ben Tonagel.

The initiative is reflected throughout the school, one that is heavily embraced by Staats through his personal experiences and beliefs,

“La Porte High School ensures that all students reach their maximum potential and that parents and the community are actively involved.”

Slicers learn today, in order to excel in their future. Not only does this initiative allow students to hear relatable, real-life success stories, it also enables them to become more proactive in the community.

While the vision statement is a sole reflection of the high school, La Porte Community School Corporation echoes the same encouragement in their core values. Staats along with the rest of the corporation believes in each individual’s ability to succeed, show respect towards other, inhibit uniqueness, but most importantly: to learn, no matter what the circumstance.

The initiative isn’t just geared toward college-ready, advanced placement track students, but for the Slicer community as a whole. It encompasses each individual who is willing to take on the responsibility of fostering a change, setting an example and showing that everyone has the potential to achieve greatness.

Staats continues to seek more nominees for this program, wanting to ensure that past greatness is recognized and that individuals from the community and La Porte High School are given the attention for setting an example of what someone who learns today, to excel tomorrow can accomplish.

"I'm here to recognize some great things that are happening," says Staats. 'As well as some great people in and from our community."