Publications Class Plans to Streamline Productivity

By Marshall DeLonay

The publications class this year has gone through many changes from the previous year.  The main change is the instructor, Mr. Fry.  It is his first year at Newman Catholic High School, but that does not mean he is short of talent.  He has many new ideas for the class and hopefully they will be implemented for next year.

There are not major changes that will take place, just a different way of doing things and putting them together that will make things run more easily.  He hopes to cover the yearbook and the newspaper in ways that will make them run more smoothly than they did this year.  This year’s class did get the yearbook finished and the newspaper has gotten rave reviews, but there were some deadlines for the yearbook that were missed, which he does not want to happen next year. 

Something that will help the students next year will be assigning various school events to different members of the publications staff so they can go and take notes, conduct interviews, and take quality pictures.  By doing this, everything will be covered in a timely manner and there will be equality in coverage.  There has also been some speculation in regards to the class receiving their own digital cameras.  This would be a great addition to the class, because this would ensure high quality pictures that would capture the true essence of the moments at school and sporting events. 

All in all the changes to the publications class are going to become a great addition to the already great curriculum here at Newman Catholic High School.  While the class this year has not had all of these opportunities, they still have done a fantastic job with being Mr. Fry’s first class, and he will surely never forget the laughs and fun they have had this year.

Seniors Have Big Plans

By Marshall DeLonay and Adam Rutz

The seniors at Newman Catholic High School have always had high aspirations, and this year’s graduating class is no exception.  As many Newman Catholic High School students are finishing up their careers at NCHS, nearly all of them have their plans for post-graduate schooling narrowed down to their final schools or have already selected their school for next fall.  With the seniors spreading out and going to different colleges across the country, there will be many big changes for them, but that is all a part of growing up and the seniors are ready for this newfound responsibility.  With students pursuing their talents at the next level in athletics, music, art, and many other subjects, Newman Catholic education seems to be preparing these students well for the next level.

There are a number of students who are going to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and they are excited for this new adventure.  Some students who plan on attending Eau Claire include Luke Hruska, Luke Kallstrom, and Matt Johnson, Claire Henry, and Paige Gelling.  Paige is planning on studying hard and majoring in Communications and Spanish.  She is also going to be a part of the marching band and she is looking forward to traveling with the band on their many trips.  There is one thing that is vexing her; the roommate situation.  She stated, “I am very nervous about that part of college, hopefully I don’t have a creeper for a roommate.” 

Claire is also heading for UW-Eau Claire and planning on becoming an elementary school teacher with emphasis on middle school math.  She has decided to take part in the intramurals and hopes to study abroad in Latin America or Europe.  She is also concerned about the roommate situation, but she stated, “If it is an issue I’ll just visit my sister to get away from her.”

Richard Peksa, an honor student and one of the captains of the Newman Catholic football team, is planning on going to Marquette to study engineering. “Marquette has a very rich history of academic excellence and that was one of the reasons I decided I will enroll there for next fall,” Peksa said.

Other students are going to a variety of schools; Melissa Vessel is going to UW-Milwaukee and studying dance in hopes of opening up her own dance studio and doing what she loves for a living.  She is looking very much forward to going to Africa during her sophomore year to study African dance.  She is also planning on being in a dance company in college, but once she graduates she does not wish to pursue that field of dance; rather she wants to instill dance in young minds.

Carson Rufledt is going to Kansas University to study Pre-Med in hopes of becoming a general practitioner. He says of the long move away from Wausau, “The thing I will miss most will be my family and friends, but I am ready to take on the world and hopefully do what I have always dreamed of doing.”

Luke Prososki is one of those students who have yet to pick a school.  He is considering Cal State Fullerton, Columbia, Minnesota, Princeton, and UCLA for his next level in education. Prososki has narrowed his list down to five, and all of those schools have great resources to helping him develop skills for his future.

Quite a few students at NCHS, including Andrew Wilke and Brad Gottschalk, are considering going to the UW-Marathon County for a year or two and then transferring; that route has been very helpful for many students from Newman Catholic in the past.

Whatever the graduating class of 2011 decides to do, they will do it will great dignity and respect, and even though they will surely be missed at Newman Catholic High School, they will never be forgotten and we cannot wait to see what great things they will accomplish in the future.

Good luck and may God bless the Class of 2011.

Newman Catholic Senior Finishes Gymnastics Career

By Makayla Heisler and Bailey Dillon

 

Bailey Dillon, a senior at Newman Catholic High School, competed in the last gymnastics meet of her career.  On Saturday March 12, 2011 in Wisconsin Rapids, the talented gymnast had to get a 32.0 to qualify for state; unfortunately she didn’t get the scores, but she tried her hardest.

Bailey has been participating in gymnastics for almost her whole life. “I have been in gymnastics since I was three years old and five of my sisters have been doing gymnastics with me since they were born.” Bailey loves the fact that her sisters are also in the sport she loves, and is glad that her sisters will continue on with the sport.  She says, “It is not going to be easy to just leave them and not workout with them anymore.”



Bailey Dillon is second from the right



Bailey loves gymnastics and she thoroughly believes that although Saturday was her last meet, her last experience was worthwhile. Bailey has also really appreciated the support she has been getting for gymnastics.  She says, “I am thankful for all the support that I have been getting and I just wish I had more time to show it off.”

Bailey Dillon works as a gymnastics coach at Wausau’s YMCA. She enjoys teaching young children how to have fun and try their best in gymnastics. Bailey is spreading her talent to a younger demographic, and the students at Newman couldn’t be happier for her.

Beware of 'Senior Slide'

By Brianna Bratland

Senior slide is when students stop trying and caring about school when they get accepted to their college. In the mind of a senior once you get accepted to college you are set.  School does not matter anymore, because you already got in.  The quality of homework, tests, and their attention span starts to spiral down.

Seniors love the idea of not having to care about doing well in school, but senior slide is not recommended by teachers. The fact is, if students’ grades start to go down and their performance weakens, a college can decline a student’s acceptance.  Seniors need to keep their grades up and finish high school strong.  This year’s senior class consists of 59 students, and the class is very good about their high school performance. 

Stephanie Thomson, a senior at Newman Catholic, shares her feelings on senior slide.  “I feel like I would enjoy senior slide, but since I have to prepare for my AP tests I do not have the ability to take part in a senior slide.” 

Every student likes the idea of not having to worry about how well they do in high school after a college acceptance, but the reality is that school is important and students always need to do their best. 

Lady Cards Return to the Kohl Center

By Paige Gelling

On Thursday, March 24^th, hundreds of Newman Catholic High School Girls Basketball fans will make their way down to Madison. They will cheer on the Lady Cards as they face off against undefeated Black Hawk in the WIAA Division 5 semifinal state game.

Senior Taylor Thomas is returning to Madison to play in her second career state tournament. “The thing I’m most looking forward to is getting to see how our team stacks up against the three other best teams in the state. We don’t see competition like this in the regular season and it’s always exciting to face better teams and new challenges as a team.”

Junior Daley Rupar is experiencing state for the first time this year, and she couldn’t be more excited. “I’m looking forward to spending time with all the girls, watching everyone play some ball, and creating memories that will last a lifetime. I’m so pumped!”

This will be Newman’s eighth appearance at the state tournament within the past 11 years. Leading the team are Head Coach Tom Weinkauf and Assistant Coaches Brad Tipple, Scott Siewert, and Kayla Sarver. Tip-off for the state semifinal game on Thursday will be at 3:15 p.m. at the Kohl Center in Madison. Come on out and cheer on your Cardinals!

2011 Yearbook On The Way

By Marshall De Lonay

The 2011 Newman Catholic High School yearbook is finally done!  After many months of work and preparation, the yearbook is finished with high quality.  The students in Publications class feel very proud of their achievement and are waiting hopefully to find out what the rest of the student body thinks of their hard work.

Many students took on daunting tasks, such as the different sections for each class.  Marshall De Lonay had the senior section, something he is very proud of and took a lot of time to accomplish.  He hopes the other seniors and students will notice the high quality of craftsmanship he put into the pages about the seniors, because they are leaving after this year and he wants to make their yearbook something they will never forget.

The other sections should not go unmentioned.  All of the other classes’ pages are done wonderfully and the sports sections are put together in a lovely way.

While there were some hiccups during the process of completing the yearbook, such as missed deadlines and not having enough pictures or the right pictures to put on certain pages, it was completed successfully.  Those newcomers who joined publications class at semester have added a lot to the completion, and they were a great help; without them the yearbook would not be what it has become.

The yearbook will be available to the student body on May 18^th and 19^th and the Publications staff, cannot wait to get the yearbook to those hopeful individuals and see their faces when they page through and remember all the great memories of this year.

Mass Day Dress Code Incentive Introduced

By Stephanie Thomson

There has been much speculation regarding a new dress code rule on the campus of Newman Catholic High School.  The new rule would allow each class to have a jeans day every Friday if 90 percent of their class dresses up for Mass on Wednesday. There are guidelines students must follow in order to receive the jeans day on Friday.

The guidelines for guys include dress pants, neat dress shirts with collars, sweaters, and ties.  Men are allowed to wear clean athletic shoes if they are wearing a tie.  The rules for women include: dressy pants, skirts of dresses of appropriate length, dressy shirts, blouses, sweaters, and clean dress shoes (non-athletic).  Also, when May comes around, shorts are not allowed on Mass days. 

The rules for the jeans day are as follows: students may wear jeans with a school appropriate shirt or t-shirt.  This means that no logos may be bigger than 2x2, unless it is Newman spirit wear.  The jeans may not have rips, tears or frays. 

If you and 90 percent of your classmates follow these simple rules for dressing up on Mass day, you will be able to have a jeans day every Friday for the rest of the school year!

Spring Break Plans Excite Students and Teachers

By Paige Gelling

The weeks between Christmas and Spring Break seem to be the longest weeks of the school year. Every month during the first semester has some sort of a break in it, but after Christmas the days seem to drag on. This year, Spring Break runs from March 26th through April 3rd. Many Newman Catholic High School students and teachers look forward to break because, for a vast majority, it means sun, surf, and sand. For others who are staying in the Wausau area, it means some much needed rest and relaxation.

Junior Erin Gassner is really looking forward to Spring Break. Although she is staying in frigid cold Wausau, she still thinks the week will be a lot of fun. “I plan to spend my time shopping, hanging out with friends, and possibly visiting a few colleges.”

Senior Melissa Vesel plans to head down to Sanibel Island, Florida. “My family and I have flown down the past several years, but this time we decided to drive so we can stop along the way and visit more sites. We are going with the Menzner family, which has been a tradition for many years. I plan to sit on the beach, read books, and simply enjoy some much needed relaxation.”

Computer teacher Mrs. Klein has some very exciting plans for this year’s Spring Break. “My family and I are “road-tripping” to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We’re leaving right after work on Friday, driving through the night, and arriving by mid-day on Saturday. We’re renting a condo on the beach. It’s so beautiful there. We plan to take long walks on the beach, search for shells, hang out on the beach, eat the local seafood, and just relax! The weather in that part of the state is usually 70 to 80 degrees. My favorite part is hearing the ocean outside the window when I go to bed at night. It’s the best!” 

From the looks of it, Spring Break is bound to be a great week for NCHS students and teachers alike. We hope they all travel safely to and from their destinations, and come back rested and re-energized to push through the rest of the school year.

Key Club Students Participate in Chocolate Bar Sale

By Erin Gassner

Do you crave delicious, homemade, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate bars? You don't have to look far to purchase them; the Key Clubbers of Newman Catholic High School are participating in their annual Seroogy's chocolate bar sale.

Seroogy's is a candy company located in northeast Wisconsin. They have been dedicated to making high quality confections since 1899. Not only do they make chocolate bars, but they also make handmade caramels, toffees, fudge, and other delicious treats.

The candy bars come in well-loved flavors such as Mocha, Mint, Peanut Butter Crisp, Chocolate Crisp, and Milk Chocolate. Each bar costs $1.50. The proceeds will go to fund a pediatric med-kit for first responders who care for infants.  The kit will be donated to one of the local medical care facilities by the Newman Catholic Key Club.

If you know any Newman Catholic High School students who are involved in Key Club, please consider purchasing some delicious chocolate bars from them!

Key Clubbers Head to DCON

By Gaonou Lo

Every March, Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (WI-UM) Key Club members have the opportunity to attend the Key Club District Convention in Green Bay, WI.  The District Convention (DCON) provides multiple workshops that will help many students strengthen their leadership and volunteer skills and learn more about what Key Club is all about.  Some of the workshops this year include Going Green, UNICEF, Key Club 101, and many more.  There are so many workshops to choose from, there is even a workshop that will teach you how to salsa dance! 

This is Nicole Cornell’s fourth year going to DCON and she finds it fascinating how every year is a different experience and she learns something new every year.

Each year, DCON has a different theme and each district has the opportunity to be creative and decorate their hotel hallway using their theme.  This year the theme is superheroes and Newman Catholic was given the theme Fantastic Four.  This is a convention, so business or professional outfits are required.  However, there is always a dance at DCON that allows students to dance and relax! 

Solo and Ensemble Contestants Move On to State

By Brianna Bratland

Solo and Ensemble competition is when students get to show off their musical talents by singing or playing a musical instrument in front of judges who will evaluate them on how they did.    

There are many different music pieces to choose from whether they are singing or playing an instrument.  They can choose to go solo, or they can sing with a group of people.  Once they have their piece they work with their accompanist to perfect their piece for the judges. 

Solo and Ensemble has no set place that it is held; the school changes each year.  On February 18, Newman Catholic traveled to Marshfield Columbus to perform their pieces.  When they perform, they have to introduce their piece and their accompanist, and then they do what they do best; sing or play.  This year Mrs. Ahles, Mrs. Mootz, and Mrs. Losinski are the main accompanists and they are doing a fantastic job instructing the students, and helping them do well in front of the judges.  The scores include a starred first, a one, two, three, or four with starred first being the best.  If the student or group gets a starred first on their piece, they go on to state. The other ratings get a job well done!

           

This year Newman Catholic had a successful Solo Ensemble.  Newman had many students that got starred firsts on their performances and they will be going to state competition in May.  Not everyone went to state, but everyone did an excellent job!  Participants that made it to state are Juta Pranuayte, Erin Kast, Erin Gassner, Blair Raschke, Anne Zieglmeier, Marshall DeLonay, Andrew Dushek, Brogan Resch, Lily Ward, and the Newman Catholic High Jazz Band. Everyone worked hard and did their best, and their hard worked paid off.