THE BEAR FACTS
December 9, 2017
Good morning! I’m Drew Bacha!
I’m Jenna Boelter!
And I’m Olivia Hart! Thanks for joining us for the “Bear Facts”, the weekly radio show from Bishop Garrigan High School.
Last week the Golden Bear danz squad competed at state, and they continued a long tradition of success. The team finished in first place statewide with both their pom and kick routines. In addition, the danz squad won a special commendation for volunteer service, and Aubree McEnroe was presented with a statewide scholarship.
Garrigan’s danz squad features seniors Olivia Hall, Kat Wille, Grace Menke, and Aubree McEnroe. Juniors in dance include Bella Capesius and Laurel Degen, and the team also includes freshmen Cora Ricke and Abbi Heying. The danz squad managers are sophomores Olivia Kajewski and Tabi Kollasch. Congratulations to the state champion BGHS danz squad!
The Golden Bear quiz bowl team also had a very successful week. Last Saturday they competed in the Spirit Lake Invitational, one of the oldest quiz bowl tournaments in Iowa. The varsity team of Ben Degen, Will Eggers, Trevor Darling, and Nolan Greene was undefeated in preliminary matches and was seeded second going into playoffs. They lost in the semi-finals to the overall champions from Sioux City Heelan, a team they had already beaten in Round 1.
The quiz bowl team also competed on Monday in the semi-annual 3-2-1 contest, an online competition that features schools from all over America. Scores above 240 are generally considered good in 3—2—1, and Garrigan managed to score 286 this fall. We should know next week how that score compares with other schools around the country.
There’s even more quiz bowl action today. Garrigan will be competing in Paullina at the South O’Brien Invitational. Ben Degen, Alex Mammen, Jordan Hansen, Aubree Altman, and Grant Bormann will be on the Bears’ team today, and they’ll be competing against schools from all over northwest Iowa. Good luck to Coach David Burrow and the quiz bowl team!
When we recorded this show, both the boys and girls basketball teams had started off their seasons undefeated. The Bears took on Lake Mills in their first home match-up last Tuesday, and they ended up winning the entire quad—with the JV and varsity boys and girls teams all racking up victories. We hope the rest of the season continues to go as well as the start. Congratulations, Bears.
The basketball cheerleaders held a cheer clinic for elementary and middle school students this past Tuesday. The girls have been working hard to cheer on the basketball teams. This year’s basketball spirit squad includes Gigi Byrkeland, Caitlin Thilges, Sarah Brown, Caroline Bradley, Skye Waters, and Samantha McIntire; as well as Bailey Kollasch, Andrea Pacheco, Emma Thul, Layah DeLange, and Madison Illg. Rounding out the squad are Megan Besch, Ashlyn Harrington, Megan Bronk, and Tabi Kollasch. Thanks to the cheerleaders for all they do!
With the holiday season here, both the band and choir are planning their Christmas concerts. The annual band concert and art show will be next Wednesday. Students from fifth grade through high school will be performing, the high school and junior high bands will join together on one special number. As is traditional every year, there will be a special art show taking place before the concert. The following week the choir department will present their holiday concert at St. Cecelia’s. Be sure to mark your calendar for the special Christmas concerts.
Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Skyland Meraz. Skyland is an Algona native who enjoys social studies classes and politics. He’s been in choir all through school, and his other activities include speech and drama. Skyland plans to continue his education after high school, and we wish him all the best in the future.
On our Golden Bear calendar, the quiz bowl team is in action today at South O’Brien in Paullina. Then tonight the Garrigan staff has their Christmas party.
Tomorrow is the second Sunday of Advent. We’ll have a special Advent prayer service Monday morning to start the day. Monday night the JJV boys basketball team will play at Garner.
Tuesday the student council will be helping with the North Iowa Conference holiday service project at the Salvation Army in Mason City. That night the Bears will host a basketball quad against Garner—Hayfield.
Wednesday we’ll have an Advent reconciliation service. There’s early dismissal that day for staff development, and that night we’ll have the Christmas band concert and art show.
Thursday there’s JJV basketball, with the Bears hosting North Union. Friday we’ll have a meal packaging event, to supply food for needy people in the American South. That night the Bears travel to Armstrong to play North Union.
Next Saturday the Garrigan math team will host a Great Plains Math League contest. Also on Saturday there’s a special benefit the family of Kristin Bacha, who is undergoing cancer treatment.
That’s the “Bear Facts” for this week. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to join us next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.