April 2016 by The Black Hawk Times

the

black hawk times April 2016

tableofcontents careerdayfieldtrip 8 nationalhonorsociety 9 cabaretcomingsoon 10

11mr.ghspageant 12dodgeballtournament 13 graftongive$

studenteditorials14&15 balancingschool&jobs16&17

springsportsstarting 18&19 20 studentmusicawards 21 blackhawkofthemonth

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jump out of a plane

3wordinthehalls 4&5 springbreakrecap 6&7mentalwellnessweek

wordinthehalls what is on your bucket list?

“Go to Italy.”

“Jump out of a plane straight into the ocean to scuba dive.” Rebecca Eichhorn

Sophia De La Pasqua

“Make my o wn Joshua Schu apps.” ltiez

“Climb Mount Everest.” Jacob Craig

“Go to Alaska.” Michael Klingeisen

“Be a character designer for different TV shows.” Fiona Lawton

“Sail down to Cuba.”

“I want to go skydiving” Marlena Ruege

“Just let me eat 10 bowls of ramen in one sitting. Then I’ll be happy.” Matthew Horstead

Adam Schatt

“Make a souffle.” Ben Darling

“Riding a lion in the Macy Day Parade.” Theodore Wilder Ja’Quese

graftonspring

Where did Y

Sophomore Katherine Knott

Key West, Florida

Junior Taylor and Tanner Lindow

Anna Maria Island, Florida

Senior Christopher Holdway and Junior Jonathon Holdway

Fort Myers, Florida

Junior Caitlin Kugi

Cancun, Mexico

Seniors Morgan Weisflog, Whitney Marshall and Breannah Palubiski

Naples, Florida

Senior Julia Kluck and Sophomore John Kluck

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Juniors Jacob Wilkin, Tanner Autey, Carson Klaus, Kayla Tsui, Sophomore Evan Agnew and Freshmen Jaden Autey and Cambryn Klaus Sophomore Summer Schmidt Junior Matthew Silisari

Ally Parsons and Sara Gramoll

Cozumel, Mexico

Greece San Diego, California

ngbreak2016

id YOU go?

mentalhealthaw mirrorless monday T o create awareness for mental health issues, Mr.

Ms. Slagle, Mr. Pledl, Mrs Pelischek, Mr. Hanley, and Ms. Isbell worked together to developed Mental Health Awareness Week at GHS. “Mental health issues are rising in everywhere, we wanted to let students know there is help avaliable“ stated Mr. Hanley.

Pledl, Ms. Pelischek, and the counseling office came together and created Mental Health Awareness Week from March 7-11. Different themes and activities were prepared for each day of the week that promoted positive mental health. Beginning the week, on Monday March 7, all mirrors in the building were covered to teach students that looks aren’t important. Mr. Pledl stated, “Society puts too much pressure on physical appearance, we wanted students to not focus so much on their looks, and instead focus on their inner self.” Students had different opinions and interpretations on Mirrorless Monday. “It was weird not being able to look in the mirror and check my face and hair,” stated junior Viola Kruger-Jackson. She also thought the ultimate message

was great and said, “We’re all beautiful in our own ways, there’s no such thing as ugly.” Freshman Maxime Duret thought the covered mirrors weren’t a positive way of demonstrating that looks weren’t important. “Inner beauty is more important than outer, but I don’t think many people got the full message with the mirrors being covered,” stated Duret. Towards the end of the day many covered mirrors were ripped down or vandalized. Ms. Isbell stated, “The results of the covered mirrors didn’t go as planned, but we got the message across to students and staff.” The committee plans on continuing Mental Health Awareness Week at GHS with new activities next year.

Ashley Yang

awareness week respectretreat

n Tuesday, March 8, the sophomore class was gathered to devote six hours to getting to know each other through Youth Frontiers. While the students have been grouped together for two years, five years, or possibly ten years, they soon discovered they did not know each other as well as they thought. Youth Frontiers is a nonprofit organization committed to making schools a better place. With five studentgeared retreats and three educator focused retreats, Youth Frontiers travels to hundreds of schools each year, striving to improve students’ social, emotional and academic health. The day was continuous stimulation; moments of seriousness were scattered throughout fun. One minute we were laughing, the other minute, crying. The leaders had the power to make the students feel awkward, uncomfortable, and indefensible, but counter that by making them feel accepted, comfortable, and relaxed. Students were asked to complete unusual and surprising tasks: making sculptures

out of sneakers, burping and screaming, and creating a large human chair by all sitting on each other. Some activities were less silly, such as gathering around to sing “Lean on Me.” With one hour left in the day, the sophomores were asked to circle up for one last time for an exercise titled ‘Campfire’. The lights were dimmed; with a single candle and microphone placed in the center. The class was encouraged to step to the microphone and share the way in which they wish to spread respect: by respecting oneself, by respecting others, or by standing up when you see someone being disrespected. Students began to shed their angsty, cold exteriors and open up to not only their friends, but their entire grade. When placed in a situation of vulnerability, the students reacted with participation, sharing things no one expected. Once the activity was over, it was apparent the day made an impact. Students were crying, apologizing to peers and group hugging. For more information, YF can be found at youthfrontiers.org.

Sophia Didier

“The respect retreat was a lot of fun but, more importantly, made me feel more connected to my class.” -Victoria Wallock

careerday fieldtrips O

n Friday, March 18, GHS students participated in Career Day by traveling around Grafton exploring their interests. The objective of career day was to expose students to potential career paths. This was made possible by a grant awarded to the Chamber of Commerce. Students went to various businesses including MATC, Frank Mayer & Associates, Hampton Inn & Suites, John Crane, and Echo Valley Farm. Students filled out a survey that determined what career clustered they were interested in. Clusters ranged from agriculture and business to manufacturing and hospitality. Junior Maggie Proefrock went to Milwaukee Area Technical College for the education training career path. ”The experience of seeing the jobs now will hopefully help me narrow down what I want to do when I finish high school,” said Proefrock. Senior Nicholas Peters went to John Crane Metal Center for manufacturing. “It was a success because I got to see a lot of new things. I learned today how big the gap is between two clamps on a generator!” Overall career day was a success as many students took home valuable knowledge that could not be gained in the classroom.

“Career day gave me an opportunity to see jobs that I am interested in” -Jack Birch

1 Senior Katherine Hunt and Junior Chloe Doring relax while learning more about hospitality at Hampton Inn & Suites. 2 Students were dispursed all throughout Grafton visiting businesses through the Grafton Chamber of Commerce. 3 Students listen to a speaker at Milwaukee Area Technical College learning more about education.

Christopher Holdway

all he to a ning

nhs inducts 36 students 1

N ational Honor Society is an organization that recognizes the highest achieving students in high schools

1 Master of Ceremonies, senior Sydney Struck, and advisor Mrs. Helen Kunick work together to organize the candles before the lighting. 2 Senior member Adele Danner pins junior inductee, Zainab Manzoor. 3 Two year members Maggie Reske and Angela Marx pose together with new senior member Alexandra McKelvey.

Kaitlyn Larson

across the country. Grafton High School’s NHS Induction Ceremony was on March 14th at 7 pm in the auditorium. It is considered an honor to be inducted into NHS as a junior or senior. This is an opportunity to prepare for college, careers, and a successful life. Students who apply are judged on the four pillars known as scholarship, leadership, character, and service completed throughout high school. There are chapters in all 50 states with more than one million students participating nationwide. Two year member Tommy Makela stated, “Being a NHS member recognizes the time and effort you’ve put into school, extracurricular activities, and volunteering.” The 35 minute ceremony was conducted by the officers and members who were previously inducted. The Master of Ceremonies was Sydney Struck and two year senior members Jennifer Woolf, Madilyn Hill, Molly Lutz, Kayla Kintzele, Daniel Bader, Andrew Gibson, and Taylor Bould all spoke on the pillars of NHS. Principal Mr. Scott Mantei closed the ceremony with a declaration of NHS. Advisor Mrs. Helen Kunick stated, “It was chaotic but rewarding in the end. Usually the NHS process begins in September but because I didn’t become the official advisor until January, it was a stressful process.” She added, “It’s a side of students you usually don’t get to see as you see dedicated students outside of school making the community a better place.” New member senior Erin McCann states, “I was more than excited to be accepted as a senior, it’s an honor to be inducted either way.” This year NHS had 71 applicants and from there 11 seniors and 25 juniors were selected to be inducted this year.

“thinkoutloud”

Come see the Show!

he GHS Cabaret production finally returns while starting up practices recently within the past couple of weeks. Instructors Mr. Qutaishat, Mr. Atkins, and new choreographer Jared Martin, are all teaming together to produce the production “Thinking Out Loud.” With a total of eighteen scenes and over fifty cast members, the three teachers manage to fit everyone into the show. Several solos including acting, singing, and dancing were given out this year, especially with the large variety of lyrical numbers. Some songs of the show include: “Confident” by Demi Lovato, “Yes I Can” by Sammy Davis Jr., “Human” by Christina Perri, and the classic Coldplay song, “Fix You.” Like in previous times, teachers of the production assigned acting, singing, and dancing captains. Junior Abbey Monreal takes the role as the singing captain, senior Maddie Schultz as acting captain, and senior Rachel Balistrieri as dancing captain. These three girls are given the responsibility to instruct the other students while teachers are either busy or working with other teens. “I have been in Cabaret all four years and fell in love with it my freshman year,” Balistrieri states. “The support from everyone is phenomenal, the cast really becomes a family. It’s so fun being busy with rehearsals and constantly being surrounded by music.” Captain Abbey Monreal says, “everyone should come out to see the show to appreciate all the hard work we put in, and experience a wonderful, emotional performance from their fellow classmates.” Practices continue through spring break, and the first half of April. This year, the show will be adding one performance. Those days include Thursday April 21 - Sunday April 24.

Thursday, April 21st @ 7:00 Friday, April 22st @ 7:00 Saturday, April 23st @ 7:00 Sunday, April 24th @ 2:00 Tickets are $9

Grace Potter

mr.ghsiscrowned

On Friday, March 11, Grafton High School held

the first annual Mr. GHS Man Pageant as a fundraiser for Prom 2016. The pageant contestants were: junior Matthew Silasiri and seniors Bailey Bodart, Maxwell Jensen, James Cooper, and Nicholas Niswonger. Junior Erin Hogan and senior Molly Lutz served as the emcees. To start the pageant, each contestant had a chance to show off his casual wear. Each contestant had their own song as they walked out and the emcees spoke about each contestant. Cooper wore a white t-shirt, khaki shorts, black tennis shoes, a baseball cap and sunglasses. For laughs, the contestants also had a lip-syncing battle. Silasiri lip-synced to “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice while Jensen and Bodart lip-synced a duo to “Hello” by Adele. Cooper and Niswonger then tried to earn votes by lip-syncing to “Magic” by B.O.B. “The lip-syncing battle was definitely my favorite part because we got to be ourselves and do whatever we

James Cooper

Chloe Doring

Maxwell Jensen

wanted,” said Niswonger. Each contestant received two free tuxes from Men’s Wearhouse. They wore one to school during the day to promote the event and one during the pageant for the formal wear portion. Each boy came out on stage and showed off their tuxes. After formal wear came the question portion.They were each asked four questions that they had a chance to prepare for. One they had was, “If you could be a superhero who would you be and why?” After answering those the audience had an opportunity to send in questions for the contestants to answer. A question from the audience included, “Why do you deserve to be Mr. GHS?” To choose the winner the crowd was texted their vote to Hogan. With all the votes in, Hogan then announced the winner. Jensen was named runner-up, and Bodart and Niswonger tied for the crown of Mr. GHS. “I was very surprised that it ended in a tie, but I believe that we both deserved it,” said Bodart. Mr. GHS received a free tux rental from Men’s Wearhouse and a parking spot in the teacher’s parking lot.

Matthew Silasiri

Bailey Bodart

Nicholas Niswonger

dodgeball

On March 18th, Grafton High

School hosted its first annual dodgeball tournament. It was held in the GHS gym and consisted of three teams.Each team played a best of three series. The Black Team, consisting of seniors Brandon Oswald, J Vincent Roy, Eric Dondlinger, Nicholas Mills, Daniel Sanchez, and Michael Kennedy, and sophomores Rebecca Eichorn and Theodore Wilder, took home the win. “I was super excited to win this event, going into the tournament I thought we had a good team but winning the tournament just confirmed it,” Black team member J Vincent Roy added. After sweeping the first team 2-0, it came to a final showdown against the White Team that included seniors James Carpenter, Adam Lukas, Alexis Sutherland, Conner Neek, Eric Schaub, Bailey Colber, Christian Rowland, Taylor Bould, Samuel Bucheger, and Kayla Kintzele. The game ended with the Black Team on top. Carpenter said, “I’m really bummed that we couldn’t get the last win; but in the end it was all about having fun and I’m glad I could participate in such a fun event.” Overall players enjoyed the tournament and no injuries were reported. Also it was an exciting and unique way to raise money for prom.

“In the end it’s all about having fun!” -James Carpenter

Photos by: senior Alexis Sutherland

Tom Mann

graftonfunds thefuture G

1 GHS Black Hawks unite for an important Grafton Gives meeting. 2 Seniors Emma Roscoe and Cassidy Klug smile outside of a donor’s home. 3 Senior Margaret Reske laughs while on her way to another donor’s home. 4 Seniors Angela Marx, Kimberly Navarrete, and Nicole Auchter make plans for the upcoming Grafton Gives event. 5 Seniors Monica Wenten, Madilyn Hill, and Madeline Schultz review prepare for the upcoming Grafton Gives event with a volunteer. Ainsley McIlnay

rafton Gives is a fund-raiser sponsored by the Grafton Community Scholarship Fund. They have been providing students with the opportunity to receive scholarships for twelve years by encouraging students to go door-to-door asking for donations in the Grafton community. This event takes place annually in March. The goal of Grafton Gives is to the let the donors connect with the students participating and to let the community see the faces of those they are donating to. Each grade level works together to raise scholarship money, 70% of which goes directly to the senior class. The remaining 30% is then divided amongst the freshmen, sophomore, and junior classes based on the amount of student participation in each grade level. Last year the students involved in Grafton Gives were able to collect over $20,000 in total donations. “For me, I think it’s amazing that we had over 125 students volunteering. Every route was covered, and the overall result was very positive,” stated Rieck. This year’s Grafton Gives event took place from Friday, March 18 through Sunday, March 20. “I thought it was rewarding because you can see the difference that the money really makes,” said sophomore Gabrielle Sparapani. “I did it last year and I would do it again.” The Grafton Gives group collected between over $15,000, and the number continues to grow as last minute donations are sent in daily. “People that made a donation seemed happy and knew it was going to a good cause,” stated four year member and GHS senior Alexandra McKelvey. “It was cold, but it was worth it!”

“I thought it was rewarding because you can see the difference that the money really makes.” -Gabrielle Sparapani

editorials

tudying abroad is an experience of a lifetime that high school and college students embark on to learn more about the world. Whether the time spent abroad is a three week excursion through Costa Rica, an artsy semester in Paris or a year living in bustling Shanghai, studying overseas is an opportunity that one is unlikely to have again. There are lifelong benefits that one can take away from an experience abroad. Foreign language acquisition is the main roadblock when it comes to Americans studying abroad, but it is one of the most beneficial gains from living in a foreign country. Bilingual people have better brain health compared to monolingual speakers. Bilinguals also have an increased brain density and daily brain function that can offset mental diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia up to five years. Despite such great benefits in mental health, most Americans continue to remain monolingual. A group of Grafton High students were asked if they were afraid to speak a foreign language in a native setting. At a 2:1 ratio of those interviewed, the majority of students said they are afraid to speak a foreign language. Senior Sydney Kahn said, “Comprehension is so hard [in a foreign language] because they speak so fast.” If American students, like Kahn, spent a school year or even a semester abroad, their foreign language skills would increase rapidly. Yet, some like junior Julia Hanley say, “I feel like they’d make fun of me.” This could be true, but a host family or even ordinary people on the street would aid a language learner as much as possible. If more Americans travelled abroad, both foreigners and Americans would learn to mutually respect one another’s culture and would become globally conscious. According to a United Nations database, out of the top ten countries where American college students study, four countries are English-speaking nations and the remaining six nations have a large English-speaking population

or offer courses in English for American students at their universities. That said, the language immersion for the 60,000 American citizens abroad is much different from that of the 785,000 foreign students hosted in the United States every year. Cultural understanding can not only benefit one personally but society as a whole, too. It can help deepen international relations in both political and business arenas. A business would not have to heavily rely on translators as their employees would be their own interpreters and have cultural insight from personal experience. Studying abroad is a phenomenal journey that one can take and is more possible than one may think. It’s not necessary to wait for a university sponsored program, even those in high school are able to get a jump start on expanding their horizons. AFS-USA sends over 2,000 American high schoolers abroad each year with program lengths varying from two weeks to a full academic year. The Rotary Club also offers options for Americans to live abroad with multiple host families to further the knowledge of a country’s culture. Without knowing a single word of a language or the norms of a foreign country, Americans are able to travel abroad to not just gain personal benefits, but potentially change the world. Isaiah Voss

careerday:worthit? C

areers are one of the most fundamental subjects students must think of near the end of their high school career. Some say your career defines who you are as a person, but I’d say otherwise. On March 18,GHS participated in Career Day by allowing students to pick a career field they wanted to learn more about. I attended the presentations for Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security fields. This was hosted at the Grafton Fire Department. We were then introduced to Charles E. Wenten, the Chief of Police in Grafton. He began by telling us about himself, what jobs he had in the past, how he arrived at Grafton, and how he had previously worked as a park ranger. While he felt being a park ranger was “the best job in the world,” it unfortunately could not pay the bills. So he came to Wisconsin to

continue his career as a police officer. After spending 13 years serving as an officer in Brown Deer, he moved to Grafton and was appointed Chief of Police in 2003. After he had finished telling us about himself, he went on to tell us about the opiate problem that is currently gripping our country and community. It was obvious that he felt very strongly about the subject, which in turn showed us how passionate and sincere he is about his job. Division Chief for the fire department, Matthew Karpinski, then gave a brief overview of the fire department. He stated that they do everything from putting out fires and rescuing people from car accidents, to providing emergency medical care to the scenes of accidents. He then explained the process one must go through in order to become a Fire Department employee. He spoke about positions such as an EMT,

Ben Darling

pump operator, and engine driver. While I personally am not interested in either of those career fields, I do wholly appreciate and value what they do for us each and every day. The information they shared showed there’s a larger variety of positions available in both fields than I previously thought. Meaning that if you work for the police department, you don’t have to be an officer. Or if you work with the fire department, you don’t have to be a firefighter. When we were first told of the “field trip”, I was skeptical. I believed that it would be a colossal waste of time, especially considering how many assignments we were losing work time for. I am glad to say, however, that I was wrong. The speakers who presented showed that no matter where you come from, you can pursue the career you truly enjoy.

firstannualseniorbanquet

source ofGexcitement raduation won’t be the only for the seniors this

Photo by Boutique Photographer Linda Gumieny

year. Possible dates, May 31st or June 1st. is when the Class of 2016 will be honored at Grafton’s first-ever senior banquet. This opportunity initially stemmed from senior Natalie Nowak, with the help of Mr. Mantei. At his previous school, end of the year senior banquets were a big hit. A GHS committee was arranged and they are continuing to put together plans for a great night. So far they have narrowed it down Shully’s venue at the Watermark or The Black Swan and they are designing tickets and collecting donations from parents to make this event a reality.

“This banquet will give the seniors one last moment to be together and really bond,” said Nowak, “I really wanted something other than graduation where we’re forced to be there.” Each senior will purchase a ticket to attend this semi-formal 4 hour dinner event. The committee is hoping to include a raffle with college-related items such as school supplies, gift cards, or even a mini fridge funded by the parents and local companies. Senior Sara Zimmermann plans on attending the event and stated, “It sounds like a good idea and a fun way to spend time with classmates.”

Cassidy Klug

balancingstudentlife andaparttimejob G oing to school full time can be hard for even the best of

student; mixing that with a part time job can add another layer of complication. Having a job requires students to not only commit time to said job but also balance their studies, social life, and family commitments. The usual age students start searching for a part time job is around 15. This in itself presents a challenge because students are unable to drive themselves, making it a parent responsibility as well. Senior Jonathan Kottke is a member of the working community at the local Ace Hardware. He is an individual who does not drive, but that doesn’t stop him. Kottke said, “getting to work during the winter months can be a struggle

because I have to walk, but working at Ace helps me to learn how to fix many things. I have also learned beneficial people skills.” Gaining these people skills is important aspect of life because it helps to prepare students for real life challenges as they grow up and transition into full time careers. Even though gaining these life skills is very important, being a student should come first. Sophomore Sai Rohith Chityala does not have a job. “Not having a job helps me to focus more on school studies and time to talk to the ladies”Chityala said. Having to juggle school and work can be a obstacle, but with the right mindset and positive attitude, balancing a job and school work can be an attainable task.

“Well I ref on the weekends, and that lets me get my homework done during the week so there is a lot less stress when it comes to my weekend.” -sophomore Matthew Fischer

Money Smart Week: April 23-30 To learn more about money and how to manage it visit moneysmartweek.org

Tips on how to balance school and work life Emma Roscoe (senior) “A tip that I would give to anyone that has a job is to try and make it primarily a weekend job that way the school week is solely for school.” Dawson Lewis (junior) “I would say that having a study hall is definitely a huge advantage, so if your schedule allows it try and have one, especially if you have more than just a job and work to deal with.” Stephanie Jondahl (freshman) “Well, I only have a job during the summer so I can focus on school as well as volunteer oppurtinites, club activites, and friends.” Brian Gilson (senior) “A very important tip would be that school should always come first. Procastination is never the way to go. I have had numerous long nights of homework because I waited till the last minute.”

Pros

Extra spending money Looks good on college applications Teaches responsibility Workplace experience Communication skills Abigail Benvenuto and Julia Fischer

Cons

Huge time commmitment Interferes with extracurricular activites Conflicts with studies

thebeginning oftheend

The start of any sport is bittersweet; for the freshmen it is filled with excitement

and anticipation, and for the seniors the start of the season is the beginning of the end. For the average senior, as the year begins to come to a close, nostalgia takes over. We asked seniors and freshmen in each spring sport different questions about the past and upcoming season.

Baseball “My favorite memory of baseball is all of the team parties and dinners we had. We would all go to someone’s house and just hang out. It was great team bonding.” -Senior Grady Bauer

“The most accomplished I have felt was last year when we were runner-ups at sectionals. That’s the best the Grafton boys tennis team had done since 1984.” -Senior Sam Bucheger

“One moment I felt extremely proud to call myself a Black Hawk was last golf season. We were the first team from Grafton in 10 years to go to sectionals as a team. Unfortunately, we missed going to state by 6 strokes. This year we have a solid team and I look forward to the season ahead of us.” -Senior Bailey Colber

“I wanted to play baseball because both of my older brothers played and I wanted to keep the family tradition going.” -Freshman Carson Chopp

Tennis “I was going to play basketball, but I decided to do tennis instead. I am really looking forward to learning new techniques.” -Freshman Michael Willms

Golf “I am looking forward to playing with the upperclassmen and getting to know them better. I am really looking forward to improving my game also.” -Freshman Brady Ward

Abigail Valerius

Soccer

“Soccer has taught me the value in hard work and respect, not only for our team, but for my coaches and opponents as well.” -Senior Monica Geiser “I’ve already played a sport in high school but I’m still nervous because soccer is my most competitive sport. My older brother, Mike, played soccer too, and I want to be just like him.” -Freshman Laura Stockhausen

“The best moment of my high school career was last year, we beat Germantown 3-0. They never scored and our defense was amazing. It was a great moment as a team.” -Senior Whitney Marshall

Softball

“I played softball and baseball almost all my life and I wanted to continue playing. I’m not really nervous for the season, but excited instead.” -Freshman Taylor Fritz

“My favorite moment was my sophomore year when I qualified for the state track and field meet. Not only did my team and I get to run at La Crosse, but we also medaled. It was an amazing experience.” -Senior Nikki Kreutzer

Track & Field

“I am most excited to see how our season goes as a team and to continue to get stronger and faster. I am also looking forward to meeting new people.” -Freshman Kate Senczyszyn

localtalentontherise W

ith the overwhelming talent of many GHS students, it comes as no surprise to many that several have recently been nominated for awards that recognize their musical talents and achievements.

omprised of GHS seniors Molly Lutz (lead vocals and bass), Tyler Miller (guitar and vocals), Daniel Underwood (bass and vocals), James Cooper (drums), and Mequon’s Andrew Conley (keyboard), Life in a Tree has been a locally well-known band for five years. LIAT is currently nominated for two Wisconsin Area Music Industry Awards for Best Alternative Rock/Rock Artist, and Best Female Vocalist (Lutz). “We’ve previously been nominated for Rising Star and it’s pretty cool and definitely humbling that we’re now up for more prestigious categories,” Miller said. “With our new album being released soon, these

nominations just add onto our already exciting year.” The band is one of the youngest groups to be nominated for the WAMI Awards and with their groundbreaking success has become a local representation of how hard work and talent, no matter what age, is possible. The Wisconsin Area Music Industry Awards show will be held on Sunday, April 17 in Appleton, WI.

HS junior Erin Hogan was honored with the title of Rising Star for the Musical MainStage Concert Series reserved for high school students in the Milwaukee area. Hogan was selected as one of the six individuals to perform in the Broadway-themed cabaret show Musical MainStage. “When I heard this fantastic news I was so happy that I would get the chance to work with a cast of four accomplished professional actors,” Hogan said. “I was so excited to learn.” This honor is not the first for Hogan, however. Along with many other incredible opportunities, in 2015 Hogan sang at Carnegie Hall with an international choir and also worked with the Florentine Opera. This year, she won a full scholarship to attend the vocal arts camp at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music art/song competition and festival. Hogan is now currently taking lessons with Dr. Alisa Jordheim and is continuously rising to success.

s awhile ”It sometimes take especially to get recognized, but just starting off locally, doing nue stick to it and conti what you love.” T) -Jimmy Cooper (LIA “Always work hard every da y because you never know w hen the oppo rtunities can vanish. Never give up on wh at you want to accomplish— anything is po ssible.” -Erin Hogan

Carolyn Dowty

Photo taken by the Grafton Education Foundation

blackhawks ofthemonth Q: If you could only listen

Q: What is your dream house?

A: “My dream house

would be a lake house on the Chain-O’Lakes in Waupaca.”

Q: What are some of your hobbies?

A: “I like to go Jet-

skiing, knee-boarding, and boating.”

-Senior, Eric Schaub

Q: If you found a wallet with $1,000 dollars in it what would you do?

A: “I would return

it if there was an ID in the wallet, or turn it in wherever I found it.”

to one song for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

A: “Don’t You (Forget

About Me) by Simple Minds. (Song from the Breakfast Club)”

Q: If you were candy,

what candy would you be?

Q: If you were abducted A: “A Hersheys chocolate by aliens, would you tell anybody? Why or why not?

A: “I wouldn’t because

bar.”

-Senior, Sophia Kallas

who would believe me?”

-Mr. Zachary Gajewski Isaiah Voss