The Bear Facts
March 7

 Good morning! I’m Joseph Espinosa!

 And I’m Logan Capesius! You’re listening to the “Bear Facts”. Thanks for joining us to hear all the latest news from Bishop Garrigan High School.

 Last weekend the Bears hosted the Iowa High School Speech Association district individual speech contest, and we had thirteen events entered in the competition. Things could not have gone better, as every one of the Garrigan entries received a Division I or “excellent” rating. Coaches Mary McCall and David Burrow will now be busy getting the final touches ready to prepare the speeches for the state contest next weekend in Sibley.

 Students earning I’s include Mark Fakler in Musical Theatre and Improvisation, Hannah Bernhard in Expository Address and Prose, Dorothy Kirsch in Prose and Musical Theatre, and Levi Capesius in Musical Theatre and Acting. Others receiving top honors were Noah Buscher in Literary Program, Mariana Pacheco in Expository Address, Emily Riesenberg and Morgan Frideres in Storytelling, and Nick Kayser in Prose. Congratulations, speech!

 Next Thursday we’ll be welcoming back Garrigan graduate Shaun Johnson an the nationally-known a cappella group Tonic Sol Fa. While Shaun has performed throughout the United States and abroad and sold millions of CDs, this will be the first time he’s performed at Garrigan since he graduated. The evening will start at 6:30, with performances from area high school groups. Then at 7pm Tonic Sol Fa and Shaun Johnson’s Big Band Experience will perform.

 Advance tickets are still available fro $10 from the Bishop Garrigan office or at Premier Pizza. On the day of the show, the cost of admission will be $15. The concert is sponsored by the Haggard—Twogood Charitable Trust, and proceeds will benefit the Bishop Garrigan music department. You won’t want to miss this presentation by the country’s leading a cappella vocal group, so be sure to get your tickets now and be on hand next Thursday.

 Next Tuesday evening we’ll have the annual BGHS academic banquet. This event honors students who have a 3.5 grade point average or higher. Even though Garrigan has a higher grading scale than most area schools, we still manage to have more than half of each class on the honor roll. At the academic banquet a variety of special awards will also be announced. We’ll update you on them on our upcoming shows.

 The Golden Bear quiz bowl team has been busy preparing for their fifth annual community quiz bowl tournament. This is a fun community event, and it also helps to raise money for the quiz bowl team’s trips to nationals. The students write the questions, and teams of any age from middle school through adult are welcome to participate. Registration information is available at bggoldenbears.org, or you can contact senior Tony Kollasch at 320-0101 to find out more.

 Tony is one of nine students who will be representing BGHS in their sixteenth appearance at the National Academic Championships. The Bears qualified for nationals by winning both the Algona Invitational and the North Iowa Conference tournaments. They’ll be heading to Alexandria, Virginia (just outside Washington, D.C.) at the end of may for the competition.

 Seniors Tony Kollasch, Hannah Bernhard, and Zach Kollasch are all making their fourth straight trip to nationals. It’s also a return trip for senior Taylor Illg. Making their first appearance at nationals will be seniors Dorothy Kirsch and Mark Fakler, junior Joseph Espinosa, and freshmen Noah Buscher and Ben Degen. Congratulations to Coach David Burrow and the quiz bowl team for once again qualifying for nationals!
 Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Cassidy Vitzthum. Here to tell you about her is Maddie Sullivan.

 Cassidy Vitzthum’s biggest activity over the years is probably publications. She’s co-editor of the Garrigold yearbook and has written many articles for the student page in the newspaper. Cassidy has also been a key member of the volleyball and track teams, she’s active in Christian Leadership in Action, and you’ve probably heard her announcing here on the “Bear Facts”. Cassidy will be off to college next year, and we wish her all the best in the future.

 Thanks, Maddie! On our Golden Bear calendar today the All-Iowa Honor Dance Team will be performing tonight. There’s also a junior high quiz bowl tournament today at Garrigan.

 Daylight Savings Time begins tomorrow, and we’ll have the intramural basketball playoffs in the afternoon. Tuesday night is the Academic Banquet at the KC Hall.

 There’s a student mass Wednesday morning, with an early dismissal for teacher inservice in the afternoon. Wednesday night there will be an orientation for the parents of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders who will be coming to Garrigan next fall.

 Thursday Tonic Sol Fa will hold clinics with Garrigan students in the afternoon, and they’ll have their concert in Friedmann Auditorium at 7:00 Wednesday night. Remember the pre-show starts at 6:30 with high school performances.

 Next Friday we’ll have the al-school pcikleball tournament. That afternoon is orientation and registration for the eighth graders who will be the Bishop Garrigan Class of 2019.

 That’s the “Bear Facts” for this week. Thanks for joining us, and be sure to catch the show again next week to hear more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.