THE BEAR FACTS
May 5, 2018

Good morning! I’m Caitlin Thilges!

I’m Sam Trainer!

And I’m Megan Wadle! Welcome once again to the “Bear Facts”, the weekly radio show from Bishop Garrigan High School.

We recently learned that the second time in 2018 a Garrigan student was elected to be a statewide officer in a school organization. In March we told you about John Meis, who is the state vice president of marketing for DECA, an organization for future business leaders. In April it was Lexi Berte’s turn. Lexi has been a local leader in FFA all through school, and the FFA conference in Ames she was elected the state vice president for the north central region of Iowa. There’s lots of responsibility that goes with that position, and we know Lexi will do a great job with it.

 Last Monday three Garrigan students were down in Des Moines to make presentations at the World Food Prize conference. Freshmen Jack Snyder, Aric Laubenthal, and Amanda Thilges all did research on innovative trends in agriculture, and they went down to Des Moines with biology teacher Beany Bode. They listened to world leaders and science experts and also presented the research they’d done. Congratulations to Amanda, Aric, and Jack on being selected for the honor.


 Last Tuesday we held the annual induction ceremony for the Bishop Garrigan Honor Society. Academics are the first criteria for selection to this organization, which also honors activities and service. Students have to write an essay to be considered for membership, which is then reviewed by a selection committee.

This year eighteen juniors were installed as honor society members. They include Sam Vaske, Gabe Trainer, Caroline Bradley, Megan Bronk, Logan Heying, and Madison Illg; as well as Bryce Capesius, Madelyn Cink, Emma Thul, Cacy Steinman, Preston Kohlhaas, and Ashlyn Harrington. Rounding out the group are Lauren Kenyon, John Meis, T.J. Schnurr, Layah DeLange, Sami Darling, and Laurel Degen.

The juniors join outgoing members, who include President Megan Wadle, Vice President Caitlin Thilges, Treasurer Ben Degen, and Secretary Jenna Boelter. Other seniors in the honor society include Alisa Altman, Sarah Brown, Olivia Hart, Whitney Hovey, Sam Trainer, Tommy Kollasch, Aubrey McEnroe, Grace McGuire, and Olivia Hall. Congratulations to all the members of the Bishop Garrigan Honor Society!

After a long, snowy winter, we had to cram spring sports into a very short time frame. This coming week it’s already time for conference golf and the track state qualifying meet. Both the Garrigan boys and girls have done well in the golf meets they’ve managed to get in this year. Andrew Arndorfer and Bella Capesius have brought home medals, while Parker Schiltz, Grace Menke, Lexi Berte, Madison Illg, and Grayson Rowlet have also done well on the links.

In girls track some of the top performers so far have been returning state medalist Caitlin Thilges and fellow seniors Livia Miller, Alisa Altman, Emory Miller, Olivia Hall, Isabelle Davis, Jenna Boelter, Aubrey McEnroe, Gigi Byrkeland, and Megan Wadle. The boys’ side is also led by a senior, returning state weightman Drake Buscherfeld. Ben Degen is a strong senior runner for the Bears.
BBBBB: The coed state qualifying track meet will be next Thursday at Sioux Central. The boys golf team will host sectionals at Spring Valley next Friday, and girls golf sectionals will be the following Monday. Good luck in the post-season to the Golden Bear spring sports teams!

Last week the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors elected student council officers for next year. Eric Thul and Gabe Trainer were elected the student body co-presidents for 2018-19. Aidan Koob and Billy Erpelding will be the senior class co-presidents, Emma Lichter and Katie Noonan will lead the junior class, and Reese Rosenmeyer and Gracie Elsbecker will be sophomore co-presidents. Representatives are Cacy Steinman, Emma Thul, Jordan Hansen, Mackenzie Meister, Tara Kron, and Kiana Book. Congratulations, student council!

Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Grace McGuire. Here to tell you about her is Ben Degen.

Grace McGuire grew up in Bancroft, but she’s now an Algona girl who’s one of the top athletes at Garrigan. Gracie earned all-CYO honors in volleyball, and she won honors in basketball and helped lead the team to the state tournament. Over the years Grace has also been in softball, and she challenges herself with some of the hardest courses in school. She’ll be headed to Iowa State next fall, and we wish her all the best in the future.

Thanks, Ben. On our Golden Bear calendar this week, the softball team is hosting a camp for grades K – 7 today. Then tonight will be the final running of the Algona GLO-Run. Also this weekend is the first round of graduation receptions for the Class of 2018.

Softball practice begins on Monday. There’s conference golf that day, too. The boys meet will be in Armstrong, and the girls will be golfing at Britt.

The fine arts banquet is next Tuesday. There’s mass Wednesday morning, and that night is the baccalaureate service for the Class of 2018. After mass we’ll present numerous activity awards.

Thursday and Friday seniors will take their semester tests. Next Thursday is the state qualifying track meet at Sioux Rapids, and Friday is the Top of Iowa Conference art show.

Also on Friday the Golden Bear boys will host the conference golf meet. We’ll have a rosary that day, and it’s also the last day of school for the seniors.

That’s the “Bear Facts” for this week. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to join us next week for a special show where we’ll be saying farewell to the Class of 2018 here at Bishop Garrigan High School.