Valparaiso High School Celebrates Creativity with This is Our Story Once Again

Valparaiso High School Celebrates Creativity with This is Our Story Once Again

Monday night was a special night for the Valparaiso Community Schools’ students, as they filled the Valparaiso High School gym by displaying their artwork and music for the community to see. This Is Our Story is an annual event and tradition that began over 40 years ago that is filled with joyfulness and excitement during the holiday season.

The tradition has brought together the most talented and hardworking students. With musical and art presentations by the Valparaiso Community Schools’ choir, orchestra, band, and art students from K-12, the event displayed a wonderful variety of talent.

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Bringing in around 4,000 people each year, This Is Our Story is the biggest Christmas musical and art production in Valparaiso. For many students and teachers, this event holds a special place in their hearts. The Director of Bands, and Music Department Chair, Miguel Rosario, explained why This Is Our Story is special to him every year.

“This Is Our Story is a great opportunity to showcase art and music on all fronts,” Rosario said. “The whole thing is my favorite part. I think it is fun to see the generations of students that have played here and how they are parents, doctors, lawyers, and teachers now.”

As the years go by, students can pass on this memory with their friends and family, and many reflect on it as they get older. This Is Our Story is really about the students that get to tell their story through their artwork and music. A 5th grade student from Flint Lake Elementary School, Lottie Wells, explained why she loves This Is Our Story.

“This is my second time at This Is Our Story,” Wells explained. “My favorite part is when my choir performs!”

Wells not only displayed her beautiful artwork but she also performed in the choir.

“This Is Our Story is a great way to not only let the parents maximize their time with all of their kids in one night, but it is also important for the kids to hear each other play," described Chris Marolf, Director of Orchestras. "Our 5th graders get to hear our seniors play and they get to see what happens over the course of 5 years. You get that progression from middle school to high school. I really look forward to this event as a way for the kids to understand. They get to look back at where they were and also see forward.”

So many people that have participated in This Is Our Story got to see how they have grown within the community. Theirs is a story of music, art, and life, and shows the journey that everyone takes. This Is Our Story is like a fingerprint, marking the creativity that all of these students have showcased on that perfect winter night.