Two Wisconsin Teachers
Write Book about Wisconsin Athlete
Elizabeth Jorgensen teaches English at
Arrowhead Union High School in Hartland, Wisconsin. She aims to share texts
with her students that encourage thinking and action. “I love when a student
realizes reading can be fun,” she says.
Elizabeth’s mom, Nancy Jorgensen is a
retired choir teacher. “When students have interest in what they’re
studying, they have a purpose, and they make meaningful connections to their
own lives,” she says.
Elizabeth and Nancy have educated Wisconsin
students for a combined half century. During this time, they’ve watched
class sizes balloon and technology advance. But they say one thing hasn’t
changed: students are still interested in finding themselves within a
curriculum, learning new things, and participating in relevant experiences.
They hope their latest book will provide
another way for students to do just that.
Gwen Jorgensen: USA’s First Olympic Gold
Medal Triathlete is a middle
grade/young adult biography of their sister and daughter, the 2016 Olympic
gold medalist.
Elizabeth says, “We hope students see
themselves in Gwen’s story of trying something, failing, learning, trying
again, failing some more, working with a team, and finally achieving a
goal.”
Gwen Jorgensen: USA’s First Olympic Gold
Medal Triathlete is written in
two timelines.
“One timeline follows the days leading up
to the Rio triathlon. The other timeline flashes back to Gwen growing up.
Her elementary, middle school, high school and college years,” Nancy says.
“The book is suspenseful, even though readers know the ending—and the text
is interactive as readers are asked to set their own goals.”
Nancy and Elizabeth are offering no-fee
author talks to Wisconsin school groups, sports teams, and classrooms.
“As educators, we know students need to be
active in their learning, so our talks are tailored to each individual
group. Students have time to write, ask questions, collaborate, and set
goals,” Elizabeth says. “We want students to leave our presentation having
learned something, but also having had some fun.”
Previous talks have included information
about the writing process, publishing a book, and Gwen’s career as a
professional athlete.
Although the book is aimed at student
readers, Liza Wiemer, the award-winning author of The Assignment, says,
“Anyone of any age will finish the book deeply inspired to pursue their
goals—big or small—with passion and heart.”
A free educator guide for teachers, coaches
or parents, can be found on their publisher’s website. All lesson plans and
activities in the educator guide are tied to Common Core Standards.
Teachers interested in author talks should
contact Nancy via email (nancy.l.jorgensen@gmail.com).
Talks are offered both virtually and in person.
Gwen says, “I hope my story inspires young
athletes to chase their dreams and goals, but most importantly, to enjoy the
process.”
Signed copies of Gwen Jorgensen: USA’s
First Olympic Gold Medal Triathlete are available at Books & Company in
Oconomowoc.
Additional information is available on the authors’ websites:
LizJorgensen.weebly.com and
NancyJorgensen.weebly.com
Eagle's Nest Project
Airplane Sweepstakes
Falcon Aviation, the STEM aviation program
of Westosha Central High School in Wisconsin is raffling off an airplane.
Win a 2018 Van's RV-12 ULS!
You could win this beautiful 2018 Van’s
RV-12 ELSA N915EN or other great prizes including an Axis 500 4×4 UTV or a
pair of Vvolt Alpha E Bikes.
This sweepstakes will support the ENP WI
foundation by providing the necessary funds to operate the Central High
School STEM Aviation Program including aviation scholarships, building of
our aircraft, and other flight experiences for students.
The sweepstakes runs from Jan 3rd, 2023
until Sept 8th, 2023 or when 5000 tickets are sold. See contest rules for
complete details.
Taking 9th to 12th grade students, aged 14
to 18, Falcon Aviation is centered around building and, in some cases,
flying a Van’s RV-12 light aircraft. “We started in 2014,” Senft said. “The
first plane took us one year, one month and one day to complete, the second
took 18 months because I changed the curriculum, and the third 2.5 years,
after Covid shut us down for a while.”
Now a fourth is in build and Senft is
candid about the challenges he and the program face. “I love it, but it has
been extremely tough because most of the time it’s just me working with the
students. The major struggle is funding. Each airplane costs about $100,000
and since we rely 100% on donations, lack of funding could eventually shut
us down.”
While the students focus on constructing
their latest RV-12iS variant, a major fundraising effort is therefore
ongoing through an imaginative sweepstakes. A $100 ticket gives entrants the
possibility of winning the program’s second RV-12, or $65,000, while second
and third place prizes are also up for grabs.
Just 5,000 tickets are available until
September 2023, from
https://rafflecreator.com/pages/63842/vans-rv-12-plane
https://falconaviation.org/the-cockpit/sweepstakes/
Information courtesy of Runway Girl Network
D.C. Everest Fishing Team
Named 2022 Wisconsin Interscholastic Fishing Association Team of The Year
On February 18, the D.C. Everest Fishing
Team was named the 2022 Wisconsin Interscholastic Fishing Association Team
of the Year out of a field of more than 120 WIFA high school teams around
the state. WIFA is committed to the education, conservation and management
of natural resources and building an understanding of aquatic ecosystems and
sciences. WIFA’s primary goals are to get students involved in the outdoors
and to become future ambassadors of the sport of fishing through spirited
competition.
https://www.dce.k12.wi.us/
D.C. Everest
Band to Celebrate “Turning the Corner” with 2023 Rose Parade Performance
The annual Rose Parade is
viewed by millions of people around the world and has become an iconic part
of New Year’s Day celebrations. This year, the D.C. Everest Senior High
Marching Band and seven other area high school programs will take part in
this historic event and perform together as the Wisconsin Northwoods
Marching Band. The nearly 400-member Northwoods band will be the second
largest marching band to ever perform for the Rose Parade, second only to
Allen High School Marching Band from Texas in 2016, which had 716 members.
Students will march along the 5.5-mile parade route in front of nearly 1
million attendees from around the world.
Amy Wainscott, the 2023
Pasadena Tournament of Roses President, announced the theme this year is
“Turning the Corner.” Explained Wainscott, “Turning a corner means rising
above – alone, or with family, friends and community. This year, as we turn
the corner together, we share in the hope, beauty and joy of what 2023 will
bring.” Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who made a remarkable
recovery from traumatic injuries, will serve as the 2023 Grand Marshal. Joe
Finnegan, DCE Senior High Band Instructor notes the student-musicians are
ready to celebrate turning the corner as well. “The last couple of years,
student-musicians across the country have dealt with the challenges
presented by COVID — sometimes having to rely on digital platforms to
practice and perform together. Our students have persevered and risen to the
challenge — honing their skills so they can proudly represent the State of
Wisconsin on January 2.”
One of the ways in which
students will showcase their state is through a unique musical composition
crafted by Joe Finnegan and legendary (now retired) Mike Leckrone, director
of the University of Wisconsin Marching Band. The musical piece, "Beautiful
Wisconsin," celebrates our nation and Wisconsin, and is a combination of "On
Wisconsin" and "America the Beautiful." Leckrone composed the woodwind and
brass portions of the piece while Finnegan composed the percussion
portion.
The Wisconsin Northwoods
Marching Band is composed of student-musicians from Antigo, Lakeland D.C.
Everest, Merrill, Mosinee, Northland Pines, Three Lakes and Wausau East.
The President of the Rose Parade, Amy Wainscott, is a graduate of Northland
Pines High School and played a critical role in the formation of the
Northwoods Marching Band. The Wisconsin musicians will join 20 other
marching bands in the 134th Rose Parade.
•
All Gifu
Honor Green Band (Gifu, Japan)
•
Banda de
Música La Primavera (Santiago, Veraguas, Panamá)
•
Brookwood
Bronco Marching Band (Snellville, Ga.)
•
Buhos
Marching Band (Veracruz, Mexico)
•
Foothills
Falcon Band (Tucson, Ariz.)
•
Fresno State
Bulldog Marching Band (Fresno, Calif.)
•
LAUSD All
District High School Honor Band (Los Angeles, Calif.)
•
Pasadena
City College Herald Trumpets (Pasadena, Calif.)
•
Pasadena
City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band (Pasadena, Calif.)
•
The Pella
Marching Dutch (Pella, Iowa)
•
Rockford
High School Marching Band (Rockford, Mich.)
•
Rose Bowl
Game Participating Team (Pac-12 University)
•
Rose Bowl
Game Participating Team (Big Ten University)
•
Rosemount
High School Marching Band (Rosemount, Minn.)
•
The
Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band (Long Beach, Calif.)
•
Spartan
“Legion” Marching Band (Norfolk, Virginia)
•
Taipei First
Girls High School Marching Band, Honor Guard and Color Guard (Taipei,
Taiwan, Republic of China)
•
Triuggio
Marching Band Triuggio (Monza and Brianza, Italy)
•
United
States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band (Marine Corps Recruit Depot,
San Diego and Camp Pendleton, Calif.)
•
Vista Ridge
High School Ranger Marching Band (Cedar Park, Texas)
•
Wisconsin
Northwoods Marching Band (Minocqua, Wis.)
Students have been practicing
and performing since February 2021 to prepare for the 2023 Roses Parade. The
past two summers, they have completed whirlwind tours of northern Wisconsin
— performing in five parades on July 4th in 2021, and six parades on July
4th in 2022. They also have been working diligently to raise funds for the
trip, which costs about $2,500 per student.
If you would like to learn
more about this unique opportunity, the band's fundraising efforts, and the
behind-the-scenes preparation for the January 2, 2023 performance, please
contact DCE Band Instructor Joe Finnegan.
More Than a
Marching Band: How Music Educator Adam Bassak Instills a Love of Music,
Performance
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
The Baldwin-Woodville Marching Band
poses outside of the Wisconsin State Capitol ahead of the 2022 State of
Education Address.
The State of Education
Address by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction always includes a
performance by a school music ensemble, this year by the high school
marching band from the small northern communities of Baldwin and Woodville.
The band wowed all in attendance with their fall show, “Kaleidoscope.” The
students were obviously keyed up and well-rehearsed, bringing their
wonderful performance to the capitol rotunda.
What people may not realize,
however, is the intricate planning and preparation needed to execute such an
important performance. First of all, the ensemble is not allowed to perform
or warm-up in the capitol prior to the performance. When you consider that
the rotunda, with all of its hard and complex surfaces, creates an echo
lasting at least five seconds, you understand the unique challenge. How does
an ensemble perform so well under these circumstances? It begins with the
skills and experience of one teacher - Adam Bassak.
After the band’s amazing
performance, I asked Mr. Bassak if I could call him during his 3-hour bus
ride home and ask him a few questions. My goal was to “pull the curtain
back” on the amazing teaching that is taking place each day in Wisconsin
schools while celebrating a teacher who continues to go above and beyond for
his students. The paragraphs that follow contain some of the things Mr.
Bassak and I discussed that afternoon.
Chris: Tell
us about your background, and how you came to Baldwin-Woodville.
Adam:
I grew up in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and attended the University of
Wisconsin- Eau Claire for my undergraduate degree in music education. During
that time I was on staff with the marching band at Chippewa Falls High
School. My first job was with the Royall School District teaching 5-12 grade
band. After three years, I applied for a teaching job at Baldwin-Woodville
High School, and I’m in my 17th year there. During that time, I earned my
Masters in Educational Leadership degree through Silver Lake University, as
well as taking continuing education credits at different universities. My
teaching responsibilities include instructing the Symphonic Band, Marching
Band, Pep Band, Winter Drumline, Winter Winds, and chamber groups at
Baldwin-Woodville, as well as a Technical Theater class.
Our marching band has
finished in the top three bands at state each year, including seven state
championships. Our Winter Drumline competes in the Minnesota Percussion
Association Circuit and is a two-time Scholastic Regional A Champion, as
well as a three-time WGI Percussion World Championship participant. In
partnership with Forward Performing Arts and the Madison Scouts, I helped
create and direct the first WGI (Winter Guard International) Winds group in
Wisconsin. The group was an Independent A Champion and finished fourth at
WGI Wind World Championships.
Chris:
Why did you decide to go into
teaching?
Adam:
When I was a freshman, I thought about quitting band. Middle school
saxophone just wasn’t that interesting to me. My mom got me into some
private lessons and then asked me to stick it out for one more year so I
could have Mr. Greenhalgh. I came home after the first or second day of band
camp my sophomore year and my mom said, “How are things going in band?” I
said, “Oh, good. I think I want to be a band director!” I was hooked.
Chris:
Doug Greenhalgh was the music
educator who perished in a 2005 bus accident, along with his wife (Therese),
granddaughter (Morgan), the bus driver (Paul Rasmus), and student teacher
(Brandon Atherton) following the state marching band competition in 2005.
Adam: Yes. It was a
horrific event.
Chris:
What did Doug Greenhalgh mean
to you?
Adam:
After the bus accident, I
would drive back and forth from my job at Royall to Chippewa Falls to help
out. I have a picture hanging at the top of my stairs that the Chippewa
Falls School District gave to me. The picture has a quote that Doug said to
his band that night at the state championships. He said, “Kids, no matter
what else happens tonight, I want you to always remember this moment. You
will have this moment for the rest of your lives.” I look at this picture
and quote every day before I go to school to remind myself why I teach. My
goal is to create those moments with kids every day.
Chris:
What does this performance at the State of Education Address mean to you and
your students?
Adam:
It is a great opportunity to
contribute to an important event in education. It was great for the students
to experience everything from Dr. Underly’s address, to the poet, to the
speech by one of the Wisconsin Teachers of the Year. And just the
opportunity to perform in a venue like the capitol. You just don’t get many
opportunities to perform in a space with that amount of resonance, and from
a musicality standpoint in a space where you sound like that as a group.
Plus the history of it all. You are at the state capitol representing your
own community and music across the state while performing for so many
influential people. It was a great experience for the kids.
Chris:
What was the challenge to
playing in the rotunda?
Adam: We
put mat underneath the percussion to help soak up the sound a bit and had
the students play percussionists with different implements. In that space,
however, it is still hard for the students to really hear each other from
one side to the other. I was standing on one side of the ensemble conducting
so that the kids in the back could see the pulse, but even I couldn’t hear
the trumpets on the other side of the ensemble. With the delay and echo you
really had to watch the drum major to make it work. The color guard also had
to figure out transitions and how to perform in a limited space on a
different level from us. I truly don’t know how they did it, they are a
fantastic group of performers.
Chris:
What would you say to music
educators who are new to their positions this year?
Adam: No
matter how a rehearsal or performance goes, always remember what you are
creating with kids. You will have days where you may have a bad rehearsal or
something will not work out as you expected it to. In the end, it is the
process that you get to go through with kids, and spending that time with
them in the hope that you instill a lifelong appreciation of music.
Chris:
What is the best part of your job?
Adam:
I perform and play music on a daily basis with great kids. I get to do what
I love and to teach it. To me, watching a student or group grow over time is
probably the most rewarding thing, but knowing that they did it as an
ensemble and are proud of their accomplishments completes everything. Music
is so powerful on every level.
Chris:
Is there anyone that you would like to thank or lift up?
Adam:
I wouldn’t be a band director if not for my mentor and band director, Doug
Greenhalgh. His understanding, passion, personality are evident in
everything I do as a music educator. My parents, who were both very
supportive. In fact, my mom was at every performance of mine both as a
teacher and a student before she passed away. Of course, I want to thank my
family, staff members, parents, and the amazing network of teachers and
administrators around me who support me, teach me new things, and make me a
better person.
This item was submitted by
Chris Gleason, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Arts and
Creativity Consultant.
Tomahawk
teachers kiss a cow following a bet made with students
TOMAHAWK, Wis. (WJFW) -
Tomahawk students raised two-thousand dollars for the Never Forgotten Honor
Flight. Students were rewarded for their fundraising efforts. I spoke with
students and faculty a pep rally. Of course they wanted to help veterans,
but there's more to it. They had a high "steaks" bet - if you will - with
their teachers.
“I don’t think I was prepared
for that in my training, but the kids are pretty excited about it," said
principal Guy Steckbauer.
For good reason, the kids
made sure the faculty followed through on their bet.
“The kids came up with the
idea of kiss the cow as an exciting new thing to do and we had told the kids
you’d have to make $1500 for it to happen, and they far surpassed that by
doing $2000," said Meghan Barker who teaches 5th grade.
The money collected was
enough to send 4 veterans on a Never Forgotten Honor Flight.
“We weren’t just doing it for
the cow, we were doing it for them to get enough money for them to raise to
go to Washington D.C.," said one 5th grade student.
Students worked as a team,
competing by grade, to reach their goal.
"I handed out one of the
honor flights tickets and the smile on his face made me happy for the next
week," said another 5th grade student.
These students at Tomahawk
elementary wanted to recognize those who made the sacrifice.
“The veterans deserve this
because they fought for our country and they fought for everything that they
wanted and we wanted to help them take the flight," said one student.
When Lady Liberty strolled
in, the chants started.
“This is absolutely just
their reward as a whole school to see something concrete come out of their
good efforts," said Barker.
The 5th grade class won the
Nickel war, so it was their teachers giving a peck.
“We were jumping off tables
when we heard that we won. And then Mr. Michelson got called for the most
class and I said Mr. Michelson, pucker up, and he went hmm," said one
student.
The moo-ment that they were
waiting for.
“It was wet, that’s for
sure," said Barker.
The students we’re udderly a-moo-sed and
the teachers didn’t want to be cow-herds.
“It’s just very strange to
think about kissing a farm animal, so I closed my eyes and did it," said
Steckbauer.
The faculty believes that
their students really understood the reason they were doing this, and they
did need a cow-culator to count up all of those nickels they collected.
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