2.20.13. The Messmer Boy's Basketball Varsity team beat Milwaukee Lutheran 78-73 in a close contest last evening in the first round of regional action. Leading the way was Jonathan Carson with 19 points and Dallas Polk-Hillard with 18 points. Coach Alan Vance said he is proud of the great senior leadership on display last night, which he is sure will continue when Messmer travels to Wisconsin Lutheran this Friday for round two. Go Bishops!
There Must Be Blood
Every year Messmer has various activities and programs to help people in need.
One way we help people is by having blood drives. Each
year, two blood drives are held. The first blood drive this year took place in
December.
The Leadership Class helped organize the drive and ran it that day. Forty-seven pints of blood were donated from students and faculty. With 47 pints of blood, 141 possible lives will be saved.
Ms.
Julia Olson, U.S. History Teacher and Leadership Class Instructor, is in charge of the blood drives. She said, “The students were well organized
and they did a great job at keeping people comfortable, and moving through
systems so lives could be saved.”
The students who volunteered to give blood enjoyed the opportunity. Senior Lashondra Terry-Lewis said, “I’m glad I gave blood because it will
help someone else who really needs it.” A second blood drive will be held on April 25th in
case you missed out on this one. Get ready to save lives!
--Contributed by junior Ishmael Ali
Nothing to Lose But Weight
Out
of shape? Don’t have a fit, join Fit Club. Here at Messmer the
students are working hard to lose a few pounds for prom, the new year,
or for other personal reasons.
Mr. David Price, the Fit Club trainer and U.S. History
teacher, is responsible for this club. He provides the motivation, help, and the tools to ensure that students receive the best workout
possible.
One student who
has taken advantage of this opportunity is junior Ishmael Ali. He says,
“I’m doing Fit Club to get stronger physically and I enjoy it because
Mr. Price pushes us to do our best.”
Others who have participated in the
club say the results and accomplishments are worth it. Junior
Kentaurias Johnson commented, “Fit Club really helps
your physical strength and physical physique.” When asked what a person
needs to do in order to be successful in Fit Club, Mr. Price said, “Come
regularly.”
If you would like to attend Fit Club be sure to visit Mr.
Price in room 206 for a permission slip. Fit Club meets every
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after school. Come out and try it! You
have nothing to lose except weight.
--Contributed by junior Christina Tenner
The Blessings of Theology
What is Theology? Theology is the study of God or more
generally, the study of religious faith, practice, and experience. Theology is required all four years at Messmer. It is just as important as Math, Science, English,
and History. The department consists of six educators who are all very
dedicated to teaching their students as much as they can about our Father and His son Jesus Christ.
The Theology Department added new educators this year. New faces mean newer ideas and interesting contributions. One new educator, Mr. Kollin Petrie said, “My main goal this year is to live and teach in such a way that my students can see the truth of Christ's love in me.” Mr. Petrie, along with all the other Theology faculty members, takes great pride in what he does.
Making such a dedication to teach his students all he can about God shows the importance and love of Christ in him. Theology, like other things in life, comes with challenges. Mr. Petrie said, “The biggest challenge is trying to communicate the beauty of the gospel and its justice.” The Theology Department here at Messmer is willing to work hard to meet that challenge.
From the outside, one might think Theology could be boring. One student who thinks otherwise is junior Ishmael Ali. He expressed his feelings by saying, “I like Theology because I like learning about God.” Another student, senior Michael Gladney said, “Out of my four years being here, Theology has been my favorite class.”
There is always something new and interesting to learn in Theology. This is true because there are a lot of mysteries and theories about the Bible. Conversations are always exciting whenever God is the subject.
Messmer's Theology Department is truly blessed!
The Theology Department added new educators this year. New faces mean newer ideas and interesting contributions. One new educator, Mr. Kollin Petrie said, “My main goal this year is to live and teach in such a way that my students can see the truth of Christ's love in me.” Mr. Petrie, along with all the other Theology faculty members, takes great pride in what he does.
Making such a dedication to teach his students all he can about God shows the importance and love of Christ in him. Theology, like other things in life, comes with challenges. Mr. Petrie said, “The biggest challenge is trying to communicate the beauty of the gospel and its justice.” The Theology Department here at Messmer is willing to work hard to meet that challenge.
From the outside, one might think Theology could be boring. One student who thinks otherwise is junior Ishmael Ali. He expressed his feelings by saying, “I like Theology because I like learning about God.” Another student, senior Michael Gladney said, “Out of my four years being here, Theology has been my favorite class.”
There is always something new and interesting to learn in Theology. This is true because there are a lot of mysteries and theories about the Bible. Conversations are always exciting whenever God is the subject.
Messmer's Theology Department is truly blessed!
--Contributed by senior Jaron Carter
ACT--Prepping for the Future
The
most difficult school year of everyone’s high school career is junior
year. That is the year colleges look at the most, judging you by your cumulative GPA and your scores on the ACT or SAT.
A one-semester ACT prep class is offered at
Messmer to help provide students with the informational
material they need to do well. The class is not required, but highly recommended
for students to take. The average ACT score in Wisconsin is 22, but since Messmer is a college preparatory school, the students are encouraged to aim higher.
The class consists of taking practice ACTs and doing exercises aimed at reviewing previous material and thinking critically. One
student, junior Jada Ruffin, took the class last semester. Jada had prior knowledge of the test and knows how important the test will be to her future. She realizes if she wants to go out of state for
college she needs to get a decent score.
Jada said going over Math and Science was particularly helpful as she had forgotten much of the material. "I want to go over Reading the most now because of the pace of the test." Mr. Tim Gallagher, one of the ACT instructors agreed and said, "In order to be successful [on the ACT] you have to read faster."
Jada wants to get a least a 21 on the ACT
and intends to apply to UWM, University of Texas, and UW – Platteville.
--Contributed by junior Gabriella Leachmon
Getting Busy with the Art Department
Art has no specific defintion. For some it can mean creativity
and others it’s just who they are. It has more than one meaning as well as many ways
of being expressed.
The Art Department here at Messmer has many things to offer. There are
classes like Artist Portfolio, Honors Art History, Painting, and Ceramics just
to name a few. In each class students are able to explore a whole different
world through art. They are able to express themselves and be creative in every
way possible.
This semester things are a little different. The Art Department is offering Painting, Artist Portfolio as well as Ceramics 2. The projects this semester will be very different from those of last semester. Art Teacher Ms. Rebecca Hoeppner says, ”Ahhh-You will just have to wait and see! With Artist Portfolio students, you will never quite know what to expect!” With saying this she assures us that there will be some new and wonderful art pieces produced this semester.
This semester things are a little different. The Art Department is offering Painting, Artist Portfolio as well as Ceramics 2. The projects this semester will be very different from those of last semester. Art Teacher Ms. Rebecca Hoeppner says, ”Ahhh-You will just have to wait and see! With Artist Portfolio students, you will never quite know what to expect!” With saying this she assures us that there will be some new and wonderful art pieces produced this semester.
Art to some people is a talent or just something that comes
naturally. Ms. Hoeppner added, “Art is a challenge to give students the courage to
create. We can all make art; it comes down to believing we can.” Sophomore
Sarah Jones says, “For me art is another way for me to express myself although
I’m not that good at it.” It is something that is also seen in everyday life here at Messmer, displayed throughout the building.
--Contributed by Sophomore Ramanda Davis
Keeping It Clean
Messmer High School has a very hardworking staff
that works in maintenance! We are really grateful to have people like them to be here for us, making Messmer look its best every day.
Mr. Richard Dieterich, a maintenance
engineer, has been working here at Messmer since 1974. Dieterich says, "I
like my job because it varies a lot, also because I get work with different
people." Being part of maintenance is not an easy job. He says, "The hardest part is getting
an alarm call at 3:30 am. Also its challenging to clean the swimming pool and
figure out why a room in not heating or is overheating."
Mr. LeRoy Ruffin is
another member of the team. His job is maintaining the
building and its surroundings keeping it looking good at all times. He has been working at
Messmer for 10 years. Mr. Ruffin likes everything about his job and considers it to be really interesting. He says, "Students can make my job easier
by just picking up after themselves." Also, Mr. Ruffin states, "One of
the challenges of my job is just making sure when I do a job, I do it
right."
Ms. Brenda Woodson is also part of Messmer’s
maintenance. Her job is to be the environmental aid. She has been working at
Messmer for 12 years. She says, "What I l like about my job is cleaning the
bathrooms." One of the challenges of her job is to get
the students to clean after themselves. She states, “Respect one another and yourself.” Ms. Woodson considers respect to be really important because everyone
should care about their environment, belongings and being clean.
Tom Ludorf is the
manager. He has been working here for 12 years. He doesn't have
a clear view of what his title is here at Messmer because it changes from
time to time, but mainly it’s fixing buildings and grounds. He states, “I like
keeping the building nice, and interacting with the kids.” Mr. Ludorf thinks that
is the best part of his job because it makes it a lot more fun. He also considers
himself the “school dad “ because he is always helping out students with their
lockers. He says he would want students to pick up after themselves to make his
job easier. Also Mr. Ludorf says, “The challenging part of my job is that it’s
a really old building and it is in use all day--it’s really difficult to keep
it nice.” He says, “No chickle en mi
escuela.” (No gum in my school!)
An interesting fact is that Mr. Ludorf and many of his family members went to Messmer, for three generations. His brother Joe, also a graduate, works part time at Messmer. All of this history is
what has kept him here for so many years. He considers Messmer his second home.
Messmer High School is in great
hands!
--Contributed by sophomores Jessica Gregorio and Gabriela Moreno
No Fear at the Deer
On
January 30th, Music Teacher Mr. Greg Flattery and band students went to the Bradley Center
to play courtside to the Milwaukee Bucks and the Chicago Bulls before
the game began. A question that might cross your mind is "How did these
students get to partake in this event?"
The Milwaukee Bucks Center
contacted Mr. Flattery and asked the band department to play pre-game
music in the lobby or courtside. Students experienced the professional
atmosphere of an NBA game while
offering their own skills providing music to the public. Mr. Flattery said, “It was fun to
play and rub elbows with musicians and athletes and show off our
talent.”
There
were 30 Messmer students attending the game, with 12 of them playing in the band. The students could take part in the event by going to
Mr. Flattery and paying a discounted price for a game ticket. He organized the event and the
transportation.
The students really enjoyed the experience and learned from it. Next time, when watching a Bucks' game think of the Messmer Band!
--Contributed by junior Michaun Cobb
Safety First
Mr.
Marty Wallner worked at Messmer for 3 years. His job here is Campus Safety Coordinator. He is responsible for maintaining a safe environment for
our students and staff. His days consist of walking through the
hallways, watching the main entrance, reviewing tapes of multiple security cameras, and responding to emergencies. Mr. Wallner also coordinates security for
basketball games.
Mr. Wallner's experience here at Messmer
has been positive. He said, "We really have some great people here,
both adults and kids, and that's what really makes this place what it is." An interesting fact is that he played on the Messmer/Shorewood
football co-op team its first three years starting in 2001.
Before Mr. Wallner worked at Messmer he had a few
different jobs. He landscaped, which he really enjoyed, he worked at a lumberyard, and was a ramp agent for Midwest Airlines. He also worked
at the airport guiding airplanes to and from runways.
Mr. Wallner has
a lot of great things to say about being Campus Safety Coordinator. He really
enjoys working with young adults. He said, “I am firm believer that if
you are trying to make a difference in our society, it is best to reach
out to the kids.” There are also some challenges to his job such as getting the students to leave the building at the end of
the day, especially when the weather is bad.
Lately in the news there have been school shootings. As a result Messmer High School has reviewed their lockdown procedures. According to Mr. Wallner, in a lockdown students are to simply follow the instructions of the teacher, and remain calm with the confidence that they will be safe. Messmer High School is happy to have Mr. Wallner in charge of security.
--Contributed by Sophomore Avery Smith
Boy's BB Update
The Messmer Boy's Basketball teams have been doing very well
this season. From the beginning, the freshman team has created a trend of blowing the opposing team out.
One of their first games ended with a 53-26 victory over one of Messmer’s rival
team, University School. It is good to know that Messmer will have some
talented basketball players to rely on in the near future.
Messmer’s JV team has shown time and time again that
they are one of the best JV basketball teams in their conference. They have an awesome record of 14-2.
All the hard work of training and practicing
with the Varsity basketball team has paid off for the JV team. However, this
does not make it easy for the JV boys. Sophomore Cylus Hunter said that even
though JV works with the Varsity, “Sometimes it is difficult to keep playing hard
through the fourth quarter and finish out the game strong.”
Our Varsity team, following the patterns of the freshman and
JV teams, has also been doing a very good job of putting on a great show for
the parents and students who come out to support the team. This year, the
varsity team’s focus was to bring their individual talents together and learn
to use them as one whole team, creating team chemistry.
Coach Alan Vance taught
his team this lesson with the team motto: “We, not me. No excuses.” The Varsity conference record is 13-2.
--Contributed by junior Jekim Jones
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