The Bear Facts
January 5, 2013
Good morning! I’m Erin Reedy!
I’m Allison Frideres!
And I’m Thomas Bradley! You’re listening to the “Bear Facts”. Happy New Year from everyone here at Bishop Garrigan High School!
We have some good news to celebrate as we start off 2013. All through the fall we’ve been holding two members of our staff in our prayers as they have been recovering from cancer. Art teacher Steve Brosnan was diagnosed with multiple myeloma last winter, and he had stem cell replacement therapy last fall. We were pleased to see Mr. Brosnan back at school as we started off the new year. He’s just observing for now, but he hopes to be teaching again second semester.
Garrigan president and baseball coach Gene Meister is also battling multiple myeloma, which is a cancer of the bone marrow. Mr. Meister underwent stem cell treatment in November, and he was in Rochester over Thanksgiving and Christmas. We were delighted to hear that he was able to return home on New Year’s Eve. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with both Mr. Meister and Mr. Brosnan, and we wish them full and complete recoveries.
Three Garrigan band students are in Ft. Dodge today for the North Central Iowa Bandmasters Honor Band. Clarinetist Grace Steil and French horn players Hannah Bernhard and Dorothy Kirsch are at Iowa Central for the event. Congratulations, band honorees!
Speech season is here! This year BGHS will have nine entries at the district large-group speech contest, which will be held two weeks from today in Spencer. The largest cast is for the Readers Theatre “A Mad Breakfast”, which includes Alissa Kirsch, Amanda Altman, Betty Straub, Emily Riesenberg, Erica Carlson, Janet Kenyon, Morgan Frideres, Nick Bronk, Taylor Frideres, and Taylor Illg.
The Bears are also competing in the Short film Category, with an original movie called “Barnfall”. The film features exchange student Sia, together with Levi Bernhard, Nick Bronk, Tony Kollasch, and Zach Kollasch. There’s also an improvisation group that includes Sean Hart, Levi Bernhard, Jake Hamilton, and Corey Weydert.
In Musical theatre two groups are entered. Erica Carlson, Hannah Boisjolie, and Melanie Mergen are singing a selection from Nunsense, while alex Matthews, Shawn Vaske, Christian Matthews, Jake Hamilton, Matthew Fakler, and Mark Fakler will present Les Miserables. In Group Mime Anna Hohmeister, Hannah Boisjolie, Logan Kumm, and Makayla foertsch will perform a presentation entitled “Kung Fu Princess”.
Garrigan has two Ensemble Acting entries. Melanie Mergen and Shawn Vaske are in “Floral Fantasy”, and Betty Straub, Mark Fakler, and Morgan Frideres will perform “Deliver Us Not”. The Bears’ final entry is in Radio Broadcasting, with the freshman group of Carolyn Baxter, Joseph Espinosa, and Kylie Fox. Best wishes to all the speech students as they prepare for contest!
We already had one snow day before Christmas vacation, and winter has just barely started. So, it’s time to remind everyone of the policies that are in place for severe weather. When there are early dismissals, Garrigan and Seton always dismiss fifteen minutes earlier than the time announced for the Algona Community Schools. This is because of busing.
On late start days morning practices and rehearsals are cancelled, while afternoon and evening events are cancelled if there is an early dismissal. If there is no school, check later in the day for the status of games that night, because if the weather improves, the games may still be on. Weather announcements are always given here on KLGA, and you can also check our website at bishopgarrigan.org.
Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Jason Reding. Here to tell you about him is Grace Steil.
If you check out the Bishop Garrigan website, you’re sure to see the work of Jason Reding. He’s one of just three students who keeps everything on the site up to date. Jason’s activities include baseball, intramural basketball, the target shooting team, and the Envirothon. You’ll see him in the crowd at other Golden Bear events, and when he’s not at school, you’re likely to see him working at the State 5 Theatres. We wish Jason all the best after high school.
Thanks, Grace! On our Golden Bear calendar today there’s honor band in Fort Dodge. Then tonight there’s basketball—with the JV boys and the varsity boys and girls hosting Corwith Wesley Luverne.
Tomorrow is the annual Knights of Columbus free throw contest. That starts at 3pm in the Garrigan gym. Next Tuesday we’ll have a jeans day, and that night the basketball teams play at Eagle Grove.
We’ll have semester tests next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. There’s a special schedule, and we have open campus when there are no tests. Wednesday the seniors will be treated to the buffet at Pizza Ranch as their reward for finishing first in the magazine drive last fall.
Thursday night there’s freshman basketball at Estherville. Then Friday night there’s a basketball quad, with the JV and varsity teams hosting St. Ed’s. The baseball and softball teams will sponsor a supper at the game.
That’s our first “Bear Facts” for 2013. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to join us again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
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