Good morning! I'm Cassie Recker!
And I'm Amber Golwitzer! Welcome once again to the "Bear Facts", your weekly radio up-date from Bishop Garrigan High School.
Last week we finished the annual BGHS calendar drive. With the weak economy, everyone was expecting sales to be down this year, but the development office was pleased to report that sales per student actually went up. Another good sales year means we'll have some money available to update the school buses and suburbans. While the calendar drive involves both Garrigan and Seton students, six of this year's top ten sellers were from Garrigan. Topping the list was senior Scott Stence, whose 91 calendars made him the top seller for the sixth straight year.
Freshman Brian Capesius was the #2 seller, with 80 calendars sold. Sophomore Denise Kohlhaas was third with 53, and senior Mason Elbert was fourth with 50. Melissa Hilbert was fifth. She was followed by Seton students Holly Byrkeland, Bridget Murphy, and Casey Arndorfer. Freshman Alicia Miller was ninth, and Seton student Brian Patterson was tenth. Other Garrigan students among the top twenty-five include Josh Rahm, Anna Bormann, Jason Lallier, Kelly Schmitt, Ashley Waller, Alex Hilbert, Monica Schiltz, Courtney Mergen, and A.J. Lane. Congratulations to all the top calendar sellers!
Rehearsals are underway for the BGHS fall play. Thirteen Past Midnight is a murder mystery with many twists. The plot revolves around a soap opera producer, who hires a consultant to create and market a mystery game based on his show. The game turns against him, though, and the producer ends up dead. John Kohlhaas stars as producer Victor Winslow, while Eric Cassmann plays consultant Pete Griffin.
Others in the cast include seniors Brooke Myers, Jesse Bode, Josh Broesder, Lindsey Becker, Scott Stence, and Amber Golwitzer; juniors Rose Mayer, Samantha Kirsch, Katelyn Besch, and Amanda Thompson; sophomores Jacob Hellman, Ashley Waller, and Brandon Rowley; and freshman Alissa McGuire. Seth McGuire is the stage manager, Jesse and Jude Studer and Matt Courtney will be doing lights, and Gavin Freking will be the sound technician. Allison Even, Joanne Kirsch, Andrea Arndorfer, and Amanda Golwitzer are the costume designers, and alumnus Mark DeLange is the director. The show will be Friday and Saturday, November 7 and 8, so be sure to mark your calendars.
Quiz bowl season is almost here. Thirty-nine students are part of the Golden Bear team this year, and they'll be competing in at least eleven different events this year. Something new is the "Trivia Champions" think-a-thon, where the team will answer questions to raise money for charity. Team members include veterans John Kohlhaas, Tyler Rolling, Amber Golwitzer, Scott Stence, and Adam Cink, as well as fellow seniors Josh Broesder, Eric Cassmann, Mason Elbert, Jesse Bode, and Kris Sutter. Juniors in quiz bowl are national veteran Matt Courtney, as well as Brianne Donahe, Amanda Thompson, Renee Taphorn, Jacob Ricther, Anthony McGuire, and Samantha Kirsch.
There's a huge group of sophomore quiz bowlers. They include Alison Brandenburg, Jacob Detrick, Jude and Jesse Studer, Brandon Rowley, and Noah Devine. Other sophomores in quiz bowl are Bridget Doughan, Gavin Freking, Seth Rogers, Spenser Rahm, Joe Rahm, Amanda Golwitzer, Jacob Hellman, Jeff Lappe, and Andrew Missal. Rounding out the team are freshmen Alex Bradley, Logan Wood, Chris Scobba, Brian Capesius, Josh Rahm, Chris Loebach, and Alex Elbert. Good luck all year long to the quiz bowl team!
Our senior spotlight this week shines on Aaron O'Kane. Here to tell you about him is Scott Stence.
Aaron O'Kane is best known for his accomplishments in baseball. He has been named to all-state baseball teams two times, and his American legion team took the state championship. Aaron also won the state championship in track, and he's lettered in basketball. He's a student council representative and a member of the Christian Leadership in Action group. Away from school you might see him working at the "Y" or refereeing lower level sports. Aaron plans to continue playing baseball after high school, and we wish him all the best in the future.
Thanks, Scott! On our Golden Bear calendar today, the volleyball team has a tournament in Clarion. Then on Monday we'll be getting out our #2 pencils to begin the Iowa Tests of Educational Development.
Also on Monday several health occupations students will be attending the state HOSA conference in Des Moines. That night the cross-country team runs in the Algona High meet at Whittemore, the volleyball team plays at Algona High, and the JV football team travels to Mason City Newman.
Tuesday the marching band will have a special practice that day as they prepare for band day. That night thee freshman and sophomore football players host Clarion-Goldfield.
Next Friday there's no school at Garrigan or Seton. That's because the teachers and staff will have a diocesan-wide in-service session in Ft. Dodge. That night the varsity football team takes on North Iowa. Then one week from today is Band Day 2003.
Finally this week we'd like to extend our sympathy to English teacher Mary McCall, who lost her father this past week. Our thoughts and prayers are with Miss McCall and her whole family.
That's our last "Bear Facts" for September. Thanks for joining us, and be sure to tune in again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
