Boy's BB Regional Victory!

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!

--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.
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.
In the field of art you never know what to expect; around every corner lays a new piece of art. Sophomore Deja Haskin adds, “Going into painting [class] I thought we were just going to paint things but now I see it’s more than just putting paint on paper.” Art is challenging, fun, and as fulfilling as you can imagine.
             Are you ready to get busy?

--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.
                                            Go Bishops!

--Contributed by junior Jekim Jones