THE BEAR FACTS
April 9, 2022

Good morning! I’m Eva Snyder!

I’m Ava Eisenbarth!

And I’m Marguerite Fakler! You’re listening to the “Bear Facts”, the weekly radio update from Bishop Garrigan High School.

Last Saturday Garrigan’s annual Gala fundraiser was back in person for the first time in three years. It was a great event, and we ended up generating record income for the school. When everything was added up, the grand total was $413,000. That’s up more than 35% from what we brought in during COVID last year, and it breaks the previous record we set in 2019. Thanks to everyone who helped out to make Gala 2022 a huge success!

Today lots of Bishop Garrigan students are over in Britt for the state solo and small ensemble music contest. Garrigan has 18 choir entries and 11 band entries competing today. In band, a percussion ensemble performed a few minutes ago featuring Riley Rosenmeyer, Avery Lichter, Gavin Swift, Griffin Geving, Isaac DeLange, Marguerite Fakler, Meredith Tigges, Xander Darling, Benjy Trainer, and Savannah Waechter. Then, in just a few minutes Molly Peterson will be competing with an oboe solo.



Later this morning there will be a woodwind trio featuring Izzie Waechter, Molly Peterson, and Alaina Bormann; a clarinet trio with Violet Bode, Ava Hough, and Lauren Swift; and a flute solo by Joey Doerning. This afternoon Hollis Bode, Xander Darling, and Benjy Trainer will perform in a trombone trio. Then Savannah Waechter and Marguerite Fakler each have sax solos.

Alaina Casey has a clarinet solo late this afternoon. Then the band competition finishes up with a sax quartet featuring Marguerite Fakler, Sam Plathe, Meredith Tigges, and Savannah Waechter. Good luck to all the band competitors, and to director Katherine Wiemers.

In choir, Madelyn Bronk has already performed a solo, and there’s been a duet with Sophie Meraz and Ellie Vipond. The first of two madrigal groups is performing right now. Later this morning Meredith Tigges, Marguerite Fakler, Xander Darling, Isabella Waechter, Ali Lallier, and Savannah Waechter will all compete with vocal solos.

There will be a men’s quartet entry from Xander Darling, Drew Casey, Drew Muller, and Sam Plathe; a vocal trio by Nate Bronk Hollis Bode, and Benjy Trainer; and a duet from Alaina Casey and Madelyn Bronk. The morning will close with a performance by the second madrigal group.

The afternoon features two vocal trios. One includes Meredith Tigges, Marguerite Fakler, and Isabel Casey; and the other includes Eva Snyder, Ava Eisenbzrth, and Savannah Waechter. There will also be vocal solos by Eva Snyder and Benjy Trainer; and finally an entry called “Prelude to Peace”. Best wishes to director Antonia Rupert and all the choir entries at solo and ensemble contest.



The Golden Bear quiz bowl team recently competed in two different online events. Last week two Golden Bear freshmen—Griffin Geving and Alaina Bormann—took part in the Iowa State University virtual quiz. Then last Wednesday Xander Darling, Brendan Plathe, Alaina Bormann, Brooke Ludwig, Griffin Geving, Nathaniel Darling, Zach Warren, Nick Laubenthal, Marguerite Fakler, Meredith Tigges, Sam Plathe, and Benjy Trainer all competed in the spring 3—2—1 contest.

The 3—2—1 takes place twice each year. This time around the team scored 249 points. That’s one higher than their score last fall, when they were #3 in Iowa. We should know the overall national results for the 3—2—1 contest in a week or two.

Monday the Golden Bear track team is scheduled to host a coed meet on our new track. The CYO meet that was scheduled for last month had to be cancelled due to weather, so we’re hoping things warm up and dry up a bit so Monday’s meet can go ahead as planned. There should be eight girls teams and three boys teams competing.

Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Molly Bormann. Here to tell you about her is Xander Darling.

Molly Bormann has been very active in 4-H, including serving on the county council. She’s also been an FFA officer, and her other activities have included speech, drama, and golf. Next year she plans to major in nursing at Briar Cliff, and she’d like a career as a nurse practitioner. We wish Molly all the best after high school.

Thanks, Xander. Because of the Easter holiday we have two weeks of events on our Golden Bear calendar. Today there’s state solo and ensemble contest in Britt, and tomorrow is Palm Sunday.

Monday Garrigan will be hosting our coed track meet, and there’s also coed golf at North Union. Tuesday we’ll begin the day with mass, and that afternoon there’s girls track at Algona High.

Wednesday night there’s a junior retreat, and Thursday will be the annual Day of Reflection for the high school. There’s no school next Friday, and no activities over the Easter weekend.

Activities resume with cheer try-outs on Monday the 18th. We’ll be back in school on Tuesday the 19th. That night there’s coed golf at Eagle Grove, boys track at Belmond, and girls track at Garner.

The senior retreat will be Wednesday and Thursday, April 20 and 21 at Okoboji. On the 21st there’s girls track in Estherville and boys track at North Iowa. Finally on Friday the 22nd there’s a coed golf meet at Lake Mills and boys track at Pocahontas.

That’s the “Bear Facts”. We’ll be off next week because of the Easter holiday, but be sure to join us two weeks from now to hear more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.