Good morning! I’m Grace Steil!
I'm Shawn Vaske!
And I’m Allison Frideres! Thanks for joining us for the “Bear Facts”, where each week we bring you the news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
It was hard to believe it was May when we looked outside this past week. No one can remember having snow this late in the season before, but this year we Sleet on May Day and a snow day on May 2nd. All the winter weather has meant that more than half of the golf and track meets this spring have been called off. We also had to postpone our annual service day, and we even had to cancel the spring concert and art show. We’re hoping the pattern will finally end and we’ll have some more spring-like weather.
The year is essentially over for those of us in the Class of 2013. Our last real classes were Friday. We’ll finish up next Monday and Tuesday with semester tests, and that will be it for the year. The official baccalaureate mass will be next Wednesday at 7pm, followed by an awards assembly and reception. Commencement will be a week from now, Sunday, May 12, at 2pm.
The Class of 2013 has definitely left its mark at Garrigan. Some of the biggest accomplishments of the class have been in dance—where the Golden Bear danz squad has won both state and national championships and individual dancers have also placed at state. This year’s seniors have also helped lead the quiz bowl team to nationals and excelled at state-level competitions in math and cheerleading.
Members of the Class of 2013 helped lead the girls and boys golf teams to state championships and to state appearances in track and cross-country. Senior baseball players were part of just the second Golden Bear team in history to advance to state, and the football team continued its perennial success—qualifying for playoffs for each of the last four years.
Bishop Garrigan seniors have also excelled in the arts. Seniors have earned all-state honors in both individual and large-group speech, and also in choir. The band and choir have earned top honors at contests all through the past four years, and our seniors have also won awards for their writing and artwork. In every field the Class of 2013 will be definitely be missed when they’re done.
It was seniors who ended up winning the intramural basketball championship. The team of Victor Berte, Bobby Plathe, Andrew McGuire, Elliot Boisjolie, Dustin Miller, and Jake Kollasch ended up winning last Sunday’s championship game 101 – 78. What’s more, for the second straight year Andrew McGuire was named captain of the All-Intramural Team.
Other first-team All-Intramural selections include Elliot Boisjolie, Corey Weydert, Charlie Thilges, and Zach Kollasch. The second team includes staff members Brandon Schwab and Mark Meister, as well as students Jonathan Berte, Jake Kollasch, and Santiago Schmitt. This year’s All-Intramural honorable mentions were Joseph Skilling, Bailey Kohlhaas, Mallory Schiltz, Kaitlyn Fogarty, and Shawn Vaske, and the All-Intramural referee was Reece Wadle.
This past week the Golden Bear quiz bowl tam announced its awards for 2012 – 2013. Junior Levi Bernhard was named this year’s team MVP. Letterwinners include seniors Allison Frideres, Grace Steil, and Dustin Miller; juniors Levi Bernhard and Jake Hamilton; sophomores Zach Kollasch, Hannah Bernhard, Taylor Illg, and Tony Kollasch; and freshmen Devin Degen and Joseph Espinosa.
Broadcasting letters were also passed out this week for announcers on the “Bear Facts” radio show. We’re happy that the two of us—Grace Steil and Allison Frideres—received “Bear Facts” letters. So did seniors Erin Reedy and Elliot Boisjolie. Each year an Outstanding Broadcaster is named for the “Bear Facts”, and for 2013 that honor went to Andrew McGuire.
Last Monday three Garrigan students participated in the World Food Prize Youth Institute at Iowa State University. Senior Dustin Miller and juniors Brittany Kisch and Morgan Muller wrote papers on the food problems at different countries and presented them to other students at the institute. The institute is sponsored by the World Food Prize Institute, which is a legacy of Iowa scientist Norman Borlaug. Congratulations to Dustin, Brittany, and Morgan for being selected to participate.
Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Whittemore natives Jamie Baumann and Janet Kenyon. Jamie’s biggest activity is probably softball. She also keeps busy with Christian Leadership in Action and the National Honor Society. She plans to attend the University of Iowa next year, where she’ll major in business.
Janet Kenyon’s activities have included band, choir, speech, softball, rack, and Christian Leadership in Action. Outside of school she keeps busy with 4-H. Janet will also be off to college next year, and we wish both her and Jamie all the best in the future.
On our Golden Bear calendar this week, there’s boys golf today at Hampton. Then tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo.
Monday the seniors will have semester tests. Monday afternoon the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will elect representatives for next year’s student council.
The North Central Conference track and golf meets are scheduled for Monday. The boys golf meet is at Clear Lake, with the girls at Webster City. Eagle Grove is hosting the conference girls track meet, while the boys meet is at Clarion.
Tuesday the seniors finish up final exams. That night is the fine arts awards banquet. Wednesday there’s an all-school mass in the morning, with an early dismissal for teacher inservice that afternoon.
Wednesday night the seniors have baccalaureate, followed by an awards presentation. Thursday there’s district track at Lake Mills. We’ll also dismiss hold our service day that afternoon.
Next Friday there’s a blood drive at Algona High, and many Garrigan students will be participating. Also on Friday the boys golf team will be hosting sectionals at Spring Valley.
That’s the “Bear Facts” for this week. Thanks for tuning in. While we’ll be gone next week, some of the younger Golden Bears will be here, and we hope you’ll join them for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
