The Bear Facts
March 8, 2014
Good morning! I’m Zac Kibby!
And I’m Devin Degen! You’re listening to the “Bear Facts”, KLGA’s weekly broadcast from Bishop Garrigan High School.
Last Saturday Garrigan hosted the Iowa High School Speech Association district individual speech contest. In spite of the weather, the contest went on, and more than 300 performances competed during the day. The Bears had an outstanding day at contest, finishing with fourteen division one (or “excellent”) ratings and just one division two.
Senior Levi Bernhard earned I’s in both Storytelling and Improvisation, while junior Christian Matthews got top marks in Musical Theatre and Poetry. Hannah Bernhard got I’s in Expository Address and Prose, and Dorothy Kirsch received I’s in both Prose and Musical Theatre. Also earning I’s were Emily Riesenberg and Morgan Frideres in Storytelling, Taylor Illg in Prose, Mark Fakler in Improvisation, Mariana Pacheco in Expository Address, and Levi Capesius in Musical Theatre.
All the students who earned I’s now advance to the state individual speech contest. State contest will be held a week from today, Saturday, March 15. The contest will be at East High School in Sioux City. Congratulations to Coaches Mary McCall and David Burrow and the speech team, and good luck to everyone as they go on to state!
Last Wednesday was a special day for Garrigan’s vocal jazz ensemble. The group attended a jazz clinic in Clear Lake, and then in the evening they were the opening act at a concert featuring the nationally known a cappella group Tonic Sol Fa that was held at the historic Surf Ballroom. Tonic Sol Fa is based in the Twin Cities and has performed all over the world. The group features 1990 Garrigan graduate Shaun Johnson at tenor.
Last Thursday four Garrigan students were down in Des Moines for Parochial Schools Day at the Iowa Legislature. The Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education organized this event, which brought parents and students together with state legislators to discuss the concerns of private schools. Nicole Behr, Aisha Miller, Nathan Krieps, and Chris Loss represented Garrigan at the event.
Last Tuesday about half the seniors at Garrigan were gone on a special field trip. The Spanish IV class spent the day in the midtown district of Minneapolis, a long-established Hispanic neighborhood. They visited an authentic Mexican market and the historic Midtown Global Market. They also saw a performance of a Spanish play and had dinner at an authentic Mexican restaurant.
Minneapolis will come up again as a destination in the coming weeks. As a special service project during Lent, Garrigan students will be making three separate trips to the Caring and Sharing Hands Mission. Also called Mary’s Place, the mission is located across from Target Field at the west end of downtown Minneapolis. It provides food, clothing, and shelter to people in need all over the Twin Cities. Garrigan students will help prepare and serve breakfast and lunch on three separate dates in April.
It’s that time of year again. The seniors in Mr. Meister’s Christian Vocations class are busy with their marriage project. The most noticeable part of the marriage project involves students caring for their “babies”—that is, sacks of flour or sugar that they’ve dressed up in infant clothing. As part of the project students also plan a wedding and come up with a budget they could live on as a married couple. It’s always one of the most interesting projects that comes up in religion class each year.
It’s just a month until Gala 2014. This year marks the 25th anniversary for Garrigan’s biggest fundraiser, so—appropriately—the theme is “Silver Celebration”. Over the years Gala has brought in $4,831,000 to help support Garrigan and Seton. In recent years we’ve raised around $300,000 each year. Thanks to everyone who has supported Gala over the years.
Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Tess Mayer. Here to tell you about her is Hunter
Theesfeld.
Tess Mayer comes to Garrigan from the St. Benedict area. She says her favorite subject at school is art, and she’s had her work on display at several art shows throughout her high school career. Tess plans to attend a community college after high school, and she plans a career as a veterinary technician. We’re glad to have Tess here at Garrigan, and we wish her all the best of luck in the future.
Thanks, Hunter! On our Golden Bear calendar this week, there’s a junior high quiz bowl tournament today at Garrigan. Also today several danz squad members are performing as part of the All-Iowa Honor Drill Team.
Daylight Savings Time begins tomorrow, so it’s time to spring forward. Intramural basketball resumes in the afternoon, with the last of the regular season games.
We’ll have mass on Wednesday, with an early dismissal in the afternoon. Friday afternoon there’s 8th grade orientation, as the junior high kids get ready to register for their high school classes.
Finally next Friday night is the annual Community Quiz Bowl. If you haven’t registered a team yet, you can call Tony Kollasch at 320-0101 to do so. Spectators are also welcome to come and watch the event.
That’s the “Bear Facts” for this week. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to join us again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
TS 3/7/14
