The Bear Facts
January 28, 2012


Good morning! I’m Elliot Boisjolie!

I’m Alex Matthews!

And I’m Andrew McGuire! Welcome to a special episode of the “Bear Facts”, where we’re celebrating Catholic Schools Week here at Bishop Garrigan High School.
Catholic Schools Week is a special time each year when we celebrate the difference that schools like Garrigan and Seton make. This year’s Catholic Schools Week theme is “Faith, Academics, and Service”, and we’ll be stressing all of those throughout the week. The celebration starts this weekend, when Garrigan students will be serving as lectors, cantors, and ushers in all the area parishes.

We’ll begin our school week with a special Catholic Schools Week mass. Garrigan graduate Fr. Paul Eisele, a former priest at both St. Cecelia’s and St. Joe, will be coming back to celebrate the liturgy. We’ll have a black and gold day on Tuesday, and the cheerleaders and danz squad will hold a special pep rally at Seton. Wednesday night the speech students will hold their annual Speech Spectacular, and Thursday the middle school will have their Education Fair.

Friday Garrigan will host the Chamber of Commerce coffee, and that afternoon Garrigan students will be treated to a special movie presentation. We’ll finish up Catholic Schools Week with a “pack the gym” night as the Bears take on Iowa Falls.
Thirteen Garrigan students got up very early this morning. They left at 5:30am to head over to Sioux City for the first-ever Crusader Quiz Bowl at Bishop Heelan High School. Garrigan is the smallest school entered in today’s tournament, and they’ll be competing head-to-head with the Class 4-A schools in Sioux City.

There are three Golden Bear teams competing today. The first team includes senior Craig Kohlhaas; junior Matthew Fakler; and freshmen Hannah Bernhard, Zach Kollasch, and Tony Kollasch. Playing on the second team are seniors Philip Detrick and Rachel Berte; junior Allison Frideres; and sophomores Levi Bernhard and Jakob Hamilton. The Bears’ final team includes junior Grace Steil and freshmen Gaby Steil, Mark Fakler, and Taylor Illg. Good luck to Coach David Burrow and the quiz bowl team!

Last weekend the Golden Bear speech team competed at the district large group contest at Algona High. Garrigan earned seven division one (or “excellent”) ratings at district contest. Earning I’s were the acting ensembles “Taking Off” with Lizzy Hohmeister, Philip Detrick, Sean Vaske, and Rachel Berte, and “A Moustache and a Mattress” with Amelia Golwitzer and Matthew Fakler. The short film “Uninvited” also earned a “I”. It was produced by Austin Salz, John Richter, and Sam Evers.

Also receiving top ratings were two improvisation groups—which included Levi Bernhard, Hannah Boisjolie, Matthew Fakler, Melanie Mergen, Corey Weydert, Sean Hart, Jake Hamilton, and Neal Koob. The group mime “Amusement Park” earned a “I” for Logan Kumm, Makayla Foertsch, Hannah Boisjolie, and Alissa Kirsch. The final “excellent” rating went to the musical theatre presentation “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid” with Philip Detrick, Shawn Vaske, Alex Matthews and Neal Koob.


The speech performers will present their award-winning presentations at the annual speech spectacular, which will be next Wednesday, February 1 at 6:30pm. They then move on to the state contest, which will be Saturday, February 4 at Spencer. Congratulations to Coaches Mary McCall and David Burrow and the speech team!

This past week the BGHS senior class headed over to Cedar Falls, where they spent two days at the North American Martyrs House for their class retreat. For the past several years the senior retreat has been planned by Garrigan graduate Fr. Tim Johnson. The seniors enjoyed having a couple days off from their classes, but they also learned more about themselves and their faith.

Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Andrea Altman. Here to tell you about her is Victor Berte.

Andrea Altman’s biggest activity is probably cheerleading. She’s also involved in both large group and individual speech, as well as Christian Leadership in Action. Andrea is a National Honor Society member, and she’s also one of the few girls to work on the Bishop Garrigan website. You may have even heard her announcing here on the “Bear Facts”. Andrea will be off to college in the fall, and we wish her all the best in the future.

Thanks, DDDDD. On our Golden Bear calendar, the quiz bowl team is in action at Sioux City Heelan today, and tonight the varsity basketball teams host Garner—Hayfield. Catholic Schools Week begins this weekend, with Garrigan students helping out with parish masses.

Tomorrow afternoon the KCs will have their regional free throw contest at Garrigan. The event was re-scheduled from last Sunday, and it starts at 3pm. Monday we’ll have short classes, followed by the big Catholic Schools Week mass. We’ll have a collection for the CARE Team at mass.

Tuesday there’s a Black and Gold Day at school, and that night the Golden Bears will take on Algona High. The JV games are across town, and Garrigan’s hosting the varsity contest. A tech team meal will be served during the games.

Wednesday we’ll have an early dismissal for teacher inservice. That night at 6pm large group speech students will present their Speech Spectacular. Then Thursday night the 7th and 8th graders will have their Education Fair—which is at Garrigan this year.

Friday is the Feast of St. Blaise, and we’ll have the annual Blessing of the Throats that day. Garrigan hosts the Chamber coffee Friday morning, and the whole school will go to the State 5 Theatres for an afternoon at the movies.

Friday night will be Senior Night for the basketball team, cheerleaders, and danz squad. The after prom committee will serve a meal that night, when the Bears host Iowa Falls—Alden. Then next Saturday there’s the state speech contest at Spencer.

That’s the “Bear Facts” for Catholic Schools Week. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to join us again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.

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