Time to Take Flight!

The 2012 Messmer Track & Field Season ended with 12 school records being broken and most relay teams going to the Sectional Meet. On March 11, Head Coach and Physical Education Chair Ms. Sue Feuerstein and her team were back at it. 

Coach Feuerstein said, "We as coaches feel very positive about this year's team." She and the rest of the coaching staff are excited to see the athletes step up and are eager to fill empty spots. 

Senior TrayVond Whitaker said, "I’m excited about this season. We have a lot of great athletes and a wonderful coaching staff." TrayVond is one of many seniors on this year’s team. Four amazing coaches coach the Track Team: Ms. Feuerstein, Vice Principal Mr. Geoffrey Kaiser, English Teacher Mr. Jeremy Armstrong, and one newcomer, English Teacher Mr. Ryan Bergren. Coach Feuerstein said, "I’m very grateful for the other coaches’ expertise and commitment."

With a strong coaching staff and a host of amazing athletes, The Bishops look to send several athletes to the State Meet.

--Contributed by junior Terrell Matthews

Coming Out Swinging

As the baseball season has begun, Chad Hofmann, Varsity Head Coach and Business/ Technology Chair, along with the other coaches, have started to begin helping players improve for game scenarios, focusing on specific positions and game routines.

As rain continues to restrict the teams from outdoor play, both Junior Varsity and Varsity teams have been stuck indoors and have rescheduled several games. Luckily, the Varsity team was able to play one game that was on the regular schedule against Living Word Lutheran. 

The Varsity team came out the game strong, and led the game 2-0 going into the third inning, from the stellar batting by seniors Alex Matthews and Michael Gladney, and brilliant pitching by sophomore Raymund Pierce. But in the bottom of the third, Living Word Lutheran started a rally and closed out the game with a 12-2 victory.

Being limited to indoors and the canceled games can be helpful by allowing the players time to focus on improving skills, or modifying some habits. Skill improvement during these times is very critical to how a player performs in a game, on the field. The time also allows players to zero in on key game situations and keep players focused on reaching their goals. Junior Keenan Parker says, “I haven’t been in a catcher’s position in a long time, [the extra practice] allowed me to build on my knees, and not let many balls get past me behind the plate. Raymund says, “My goal this season is to reach first team All-Conference again. I got honorary mention since I was a freshman last year.”

Coach Hofmann sums it up by saying; “A couple of things will be new for us this upcoming season. Most of our home games will be played at Aaron Field (UWM's field), which is an improvement because it is much closer to Messmer and it is a better field. I hope to see more fans coming out to support our team. Also new this season we will be practicing at Nicolet High School field (Stormonth field) which is a drastic improvement from practicing at Dineen Park.”

Rain, Rain, Go Away, So The Bishop's Baseball Team Can Play!

--Contributed by sophomore Cylus Hunter

It's Time to Kick It with Girl's Soccer

The girl's soccer team requires a lot of teamwork and determination.  There are two new coaches this year and they are all about hard work. Coach Alice Uldelhofen and Coach Brian Benn both are pumped up and ready to get things moving with this year’s team. 

To prepare for the games, the coaches are whipping the girls into shape by doing daily soccer exercises. These exercises consist of hard conditioning, coordination, and making sure the skill levels are up to par. Coach Udelhofen said, “Our goal number of players [is] 24 girls.” 

After conditioning is finished, practices will begin. The practice schedule this year will take place after school Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 5:15 p.m. at Easterbrook park--weather permitting. Bad weather means practice in the gym.

Coach Uldelhofen is very motivated for this years’ soccer team. She said, “I want to develop a strong program so there can be a varsity team next year.”  By the looks of it, Messmer is going to have a great girl’s soccer team this year. Go Lady Bishops!

--Contributed by senior Neena Mathews

Digital Photography

Digital Photography class is a course that combines art and computers together. It also explores the process of taking photos and digital imaging.  The teacher of the class is Mrs. Rebecca Hoeppner. Early in the class, Mrs. Hoeppner taught the students how to properly work a 35mm digital SLR camera. This included taking clear images, uploading them onto the computer, and manipulating some of them in Adobe Photoshop CS3. Junior Stephanie Florres said, “I like how we are able to change snapshots that we take, and turn them into fine works of art.” The purpose and goal of the course is to help explore our relationship with the world.

To complete the class goal, students use elements of art, principles of design, digital techniques, and critical interpretation of artwork. As a result of these things, the students will gain experience in technology through the digital cameras and with Photoshop CS3. Along with this, students will establish appreciation and understanding of visual arts. Digital Photography class offers a mixture of skills unparalleled to any other course. Those skills are a development in art and cultural awareness, and the building of visual and verbal vocabulary. As a bonus, the students critical thinking abilities and creative problem solving skills will be improved. Students who take digital photography are given the ability to see the world around them in a new perspective.  Along with having class goals, students also set personal goals. Junior Juwana Khujo said her personal goal is to “take in all of the knowledge and skills that the class offers, and maintain a good grade while I’m doing it.”

Mrs. Hoeppner said that she “looks forward to the ‘six word memoir’ project”. The idea of this project came from the famous novelist Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway was asked to write a full story in six words, and he responded “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” The assignment given to the class was to choose one of their favorite memories. After that, the students were to create a memoir for the special memory that they had selected.  The next step was to take a picture that connects to the memoir, and upload their image to Photoshop. Finally, the students typed their memoir onto their photo.

Once a project is completed, in Digital Photography, and in every other art class a critique (feedback) is given. This is the time where students are congratulated for their accomplishments. However, this also allows students to recognize their mistakes and correct them. By doing the critique process, the class improves their skills by learning from the mistakes that they made, and by seeing what worked well for them. Overall, Digital Photography is a very fun and helpful class that really benefits the students. When asked what she likes best about teaching the Digital Photography class, Mrs. Hoeppner replied that “It is always different, and something new happening. I also like the way that photography teaches how to view the world differently.” 

--Contributed by junior Jekim Jones

 

She's Booked

Here at Messmer, we have a wonderful staff member by the name of Ms. Polly Partain, known as Ms. Polly, who is our librarian. She is in charge of everything that has to do with the library. Ms. Polly said, "I decide what books to purchase, buy books, put them on the computer and get them ready for check out.  I checkout and check in books, and put them on the shelves.  I clean and repair books, and help students find books for leisure reading or research.  I hand out and collect computers to students, keep them clean and make sure they are running properly. I troubleshoot student problems with the computers."

As you can see, Ms. Polly is vital to the Messmer community. She helps students with any problems they may have while using the computers, as well as directing them to the best research sources for papers and projects. She is also known for suggesting just the right book when a student comes to the library to check a book out. Ms. Polly is also in charge of the after school Book Club, which reads books and discusses them. They make book trailers and diverse book covers, and most importantly, they have fun. 

After school is a busy time for the library as many students gather there to complete homework or to use the laptops. Sophomore Tamia Scott said, "I love that Ms. Polly likes Twilight. She's very enthusiastic about helping students." Junior Chykese Weathers said "Ms. Polly rocks, she’s cool." Ms. Polly says the best time for her is "...when the library is full of students and they have smiles on their faces feeling at home in the room." She added, "I love my job and feel blessed to work here." 

Remember, keep calm, and visit our great librarian!

--Contributed by junior Christina Tenner

Flying High with Raptor Day

Raptor Day is something new to Messmer; on March 14th the Schlitz Audubon Society set the scene for an exciting discovery of our feathered friends. Raptor Day was held after school in the Multipurpose Room. Workers from "Eagles and Friends" came to Messmer for the presentation.

You may be thinking; what is a raptor? Raptors are birds of prey that catch other animals with their strong feet, and they have excellent eyesight as well as hearing. Raptors are animals like eagles, owls, hawks, and falcons.

Science Teacher Ms. Elizabeth Prichard headed the event and said, "They hunt live prey or scavenge for carrion, and can be diurnal or nocturnal. [Raptors are] often at the top of the food chain in many ecosystems." 

Ms. Prichard says Raptor Day was about, "Educating people about our feathered friends." The goal was to expose students to birds they may not know about, and give them up-close insight into them. 

Sophomore Nicholas Gardner said, "I learned a lot about eagles and other birds by attending Raptor Day...they are very sharp birds and have keen eyesight and hearing." Raptor Day was a big hit. Ms. Prichard said, "We were truly excited to meet an Eastern Screech owl (Tucker), a Barred Owl (Orion), a Kestrel (Malary), a Red Tailed Hawk (Sky-Walker), and the star of the show, the American Eagle (Glory).

Orion, the Barred Owl even spoiled us with his little song of 'Who Cooks for you? Who Cooks for you all?'" Many people were amazed by the birds and the things they could do. Nicholas adds, “I liked Raptor Day and I think it was a good idea.” 

Last year Ms. Prichard brought us reptiles, this year raptors--what wonderful creatures might she have in store for us next year?

--Contributed by sophomore Ramanda Davis