Good morning! I’m Elliot Boisjolie!
And I’m Andrew McGuire! Thanks for tuning in to the “Bear Facts”, your weekly radio update from Bishop Garrigan High School.
Last Saturday members of the Golden Bear math team went down to Iowa City to compete in the state mathematics championships. Because of prom, it was only freshmen and sophomores who represented Bishop Garrigan, and that kept us from being one of the top teams statewide. Four of the six competitors brought home trophies for placing among the top three in their classes, though.
Carolyn Baxter, Devin Degen, and Kylie Fox finished in second place out of all the freshman teams in Iowa in the relay round, and Kylie was also the #2 freshman in the sprint and target rounds. Zach Kollasch finished second among sophomores in the target round, and Dorothy Kirsch took third place in the sprint round. Congratulations to Coach Daryl Kohlhaas and the math team!
The Golden Bear quiz bowl team wrapped up their regular season last Wednesday with the semi-annual Knowledge Master, the last time this event will ever be held. Eight of the Bears are now preparing for their trip to National Academic Championships, which will be held May 31 through June 2 in Alexandria, Virginia.
After more than a month wait due to prom and gala, the intramural championship is finally here. There was no dominant team this year in intramurals. All the student teams had at least one loss, and a lot of the games were close. It’s not really a surprise, though, that the championship game will match up two teams of seniors that most people thought were the top teams back at the start of the season.
The favorites going into playoffs are captained by Victor Berte and Bobby Plathe. They have a 4 – 1 record, and their only loss was to the faculty team. Other team members include Elliot Boisjolie, Andrew McGuire, Dustin Miller, and Jake Kollasch. Facing them in the championship is a team captained by Andrew Eden that came from behind to make it to the final game. Andrew’s teammates are Charlie Thilges, Jason Reding, Jonathan Berte, Thomas Bradley, and Joseph Skilling.
A few more details about intramurals … For more than a decade now Garrigan’s intramural games have been refereed by varsity basketball players. This year most of the refs have been sophomores—including Reece Wadle, Andrew Miller, and Ben Vaske. They’ll also be calling the championship game. Also, at halftime of the championship game the annual all-intramural team will be announced. We’ll let you know who earned that honor on next week’s show.
You’ve probably heard by now that Gene Meister, the president of the Bishop Garrigan Schools, has chosen to retire. After the school board meeting earlier this month it was announced that high school and junior high principal Lynn Miller had been selected to take Mr. Meister’s place. Mr. Miller’s promotion leaves an opening for a principal, and the school is now taking applications for a new principal.
Mr. Meister won’t be the only staff member leaving at the end of this school year. After many years with no staff turnover at all, we’ll have a number of changes this year. Longtime health teacher Jeanne Wunder will be retiring this summer. Mrs. Wunder is officially an Iowa Lakes employee, but for thirty years she’s worked primarily at Garrigan. Office manager Janet Heupel and custodian Chuck McCabe will also be retiring. We’ll miss all these veteran staff members, and we wish them a happy retirement.
Believe it or not, the year is almost over for those of us in the BGHS Class of 2013. Next Friday is our last full day of school, and a lot of people are having their graduation receptions next weekend. Semester tests will be May 6th and 7th, and baccalaureate is on the 8th. Graduation is just two weeks off—on Mothers Day, Sunday, May 12.
Next week we’ll have elections for the 2013 – 2014 student council. This year two girls are facing off to be the student body co-presidents. Nicole Behr and Sydney McNertney will take on Kristin Condoleon and Kara Eischen. We’ll also be electing class presidents and student council representatives next week, and we’ll let you know who won on upcoming shows.
The Golden Bear baseball team will be sporting a new look in some of their early games this summer. In support of Relay for Life, the defending conference and district champions will be wearing pink-colored caps at all their games in late May and early June. Caps are also available for any fans that want to buy them. Fitted caps are $20, and adjustables are $18. You can contact Coach Rob Meister to get yours.
This week’s Senior Spotlight shines on our class valedictorian, Allison Frideres. This weekend is a special time for Allison. She’ll be down in Des Moines tomorrow receiving the Governor’s Award for Scholarship. Allison’s biggest activity is probably quiz bowl, where she’ll be making her second trip to nationals this summer. She also keeps busy with choir and math team, and she’s a National Honor Society member. Outside of school she enjoys twirling the baton. Allison will be studying at Simpson College next year, and we wish her all the best in the future.
It’s time for our Golden Bear calendar, and we’re hoping the weather stays nice so that the events we mention will actually happen in the coming week. Today the girls golf team will be hosting their own invitational at Spring Valley.
Tomorrow will be the intramural championship. The big game starts at 2pm. The Governor’s Scholar Recognition will be tomorrow in Des Moines, and we’ll also have try-outs for next year’s danz squad.
Baseball practice officially begins on Monday, and the team is hoping to be able to head outside that morning. The seniors in Spanish IV will be heading to Minneapolis on Monday. Then Tuesday we’ll have our election for next year’s Student Council Presidents.
Tuesday night the golf teams have triangulars, with the boys at Hampton and the girls at Clarion/Goldfield. Also that night the boys track team runs at Algona High.
We’ll have a school mass Wednesday morning. Then that night there’s the spring concert and art show. Thursday we’ll elect class presidents, and that night the boys host the BGHS Relays at Algona High.
Also on Thursday the girls track team runs at Eagle Grove. There’s more golf that night, with both the boys and girls teams hosting North Union.
Friday we’ll elect student council representatives. That night Garrigan hosts state large group music contest, and then on Saturday the boys golf team plays at Hampton.
That’s the “Bear Facts” for April. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to catch the show again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
