Hundreds of students and their parents visited classrooms out of session Tuesday night.

It was Back to School Night throughout the Shawano School District, giving students and parents time to meet the teachers and see where they will spending a lot of their time over the next nine months.

“It’s nice to meet (the students) before school,” Hillcrest Primary School second-grade teacher Karen Flunker said, “and it’s great for the kids so there is no apprehension.”

Whether the students are second-graders or freshmen in high school, Back to School Night seems to help get rid of those first day jitters.

Incoming Shawano Community High School freshman Kylie Gunther was worried about finding her classes, but after visiting the classrooms on her schedule, she said she felt reassured.

“Kids get comfortable and get to know where they’re going,” Hillcrest Principal Troy Edwards said. “It gives a nice transition.”

Not all anxieties can be calmed in one night, though.

Kylie’s best friend, Erica Schmidt, is pretty nervous about her step up to the high school ranks. She is worried about what the upperclassmen will be like and the new experience in a new school.

“It’s scary,” she said.

Students are not the only ones feeling nervous. Teachers get stressed, too.

Flunker is beginning her 23rd year teaching at Shawano, but she still gets anxious.

“I get butterflies. You’re just trying to get through the day, but it’s fun,” she said.

Third-grader Katie Rigg, who is moving up to Olga Brener Intermediate School from Hillcrest, never gets nervous about school.

“I love it,” Katie said.

She is looking forward to the school’s big playground and cafeteria, which she got to see Tuesday night.

Dan Moreno, who teaches general science and chemistry at Menominee Indian High School, recently returned from a six-week stay in the desert of southern Arizona.

Moreno was a participant in an innovative program taking place at the University of Arizona called “Research in Optics for K-14 Educators and Teachers,” or ROKET for short.

Hosted by the Center for Integrated Access Networks, a National Science Foundation-funded engineering research center at the University of Arizona in the College of Optical Sciences, the program invites educators of Native American students to participate in a hands-on research project in a top-tier research laboratory at the university.

Additionally, the educators participated in a number of Native American directed classes and workshops to further apply and enhance their understanding of STEM topics to their Native American students.

Moreno worked with Dr. Jeffrey Pyun and graduate students to perform research on variables of sulfur polymer systems, and attempted to synthesize and analyze novel sulfur polymers for use in infrared optical applications.

For his participation, Moreno received a stipend, his travel and housing were supported, and he had a budget to purchase supplies for his classroom for the 2015-2016 school year.

Moreno will apply his experiences in the classroom through a lesson plan investigating the chemistry of dyes. His class will use spectroscopy to identify traditional plants used for natural dyes, including the wood sorrel plant used for yellow dye in Menominee culture, and will be able to analyze and describe the chemical composition of natural and synthetic dyes, as well as compare and contrast their different chemical compositions.

For information about CIAN and the ROKET program, visit http://blog.cian-erc.org/roket.

None of the 170 children in Olga Brener Intermediate School’s fifth-grade class were alive on Sept. 11, 2001, but all of them came together Friday to remember the dark day in American history and honor those who died that day.

The students gathered behind the grassy field behind the school with a red, white and blue paper chain of 3,000 links, symbolizing the number of people killed at the site of the Twin Towers in New York, at the Pentagon and on Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

They formed a circle with the chain, then walked together and put the chain in a pile and sang “God Bless America.”

Teacher Karen Preston coordinated the activity, which she started years ago with her own class. However, it soon became evident that the 24 students in her class could not make 3,000 links, so she got the other fifth-grade classes involved.

“Since they’re the oldest ones in the school, I thought this was an appropriate age for them to start understanding the events of 9/11 and commemorating it in a way that was meaningful,” Preston said.

The teachers are also encouraging the students to talk with their parents, grandparents and other family members to learn more about what happened. Also, with the advancement of video websites such as YouTube, students were able to see documentaries and other footage from that day.

Preston remembers where she was 14 years ago on Sept. 11: teaching fifth-grade students at Shawano Community Middle School. With limited Internet access, teachers were finding out what had happened via two televisions at the school. She also remembered getting phone calls throughout the day from a neighbor who gave her updates about what was on the news.

“I remember being pretty shaken and a little bit nervous about the kids who might be going home to an empty house and maybe click the TV on and be scared,” Preston said. “We were at a loss about whether we should tell them anything, and I don’t remember what our actual decision was.”

Preston said she hopes the students will write about Sept. 11 in their writing journals and talk about their feelings.

Arland Dillenburg, a fifth-grade student, said it’s important to keep the memory of that day alive, not only to remember history, but also to remember the people.

“You can imagine how many lives were lost, with each of these rings being a person,” Dillenburg said, indicating the chain on the ground. “It’s very important to learn about history to know how your ancestors gave their lives to help other people.”

Fifth-grader Riley Dreier imagined that the people who were her age 14 years ago must have been really scared as events were unfolding.

“One of my grandparents’ friends survived 9/11,” Dreier said. “You want to keep history going and make sure people know. It’s sad how many lives got lost.”

Preston hopes her students will appreciate history, especially with what happened, by remembering this day, but she also hopes they’ll think about what happened afterward and try to give back to their community and country.

“I don’t want them to dwell on the sad part, but rather remember the resilience of the American people and what we’ve done,” Preston said. “9/11 is now actually a day of service, so I want them to realize, even though it was sad, they can make a difference in a positive way.”

Two donors recently visited a classroom at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Shawano to see how their donation was being used.

Bill Albright, who lives in Georgia, and his sister, Julie Erickson, who lives in Iowa, made a donation to Sacred Heart in honor of their parents, Dr. John and Sue Albright, who both died in 2010. John Albright practiced medicine in Shawano for over 40 years. Julie and Bill and two brothers graduated from Sacred Heart.

A plaque in the school’s 4K room designates it as the Albright Room.

Teacher Corinne Salerno said the donation helped with many wonderful items including a new floor, interactive smartboard, games, toys and a colorful rug.

The 4K students presented a handmade thank you poster to the Albright family.

“The Albright donation is a wonderful help to continue the growth of the 3-year-old preschool and 4K program,” said the Rev. Luke Ferris, pastor at Sacred Heart.

“We just wanted to give back to the community that we grew up in,” Bill Albright said.

Three schools in Shawano County will participate in International Walk to School Day on Wednesday.

The event promotes safe school routes, pedestrian safety and the importance of physical activity. Each school has a unique event planned involving students, parents, community leaders and school staff.

Pastor Luke Ferris and parents will join students in walking to Sacred Heart Catholic School, 124 E. Center St., Shawano.. Those who don’t walk to school will have the option to walk 10 laps around the school parking lot in the morning or during recess. Any students who participate will be entered in a drawing to win a door prize.

After students arrive at Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St., they will gather for an assembly celebrating International Walk to School Day.

At Bonduel Elementary School, 404 W. Mill St., all elementary school students who live in town will be encouraged to walk to school. Students who reside in Navarino and Cecil will be bused to the local fire station and will walk to school from there.

Safe Routes to School programs encourage children grades K-8 to walk and bike to school by creating safer walking and biking routes. Federal funding is provided to state departments of transportation to help administer the programs.

By improving walking and biking travel options, Safe Routes to School promotes healthier lifestyles in children at an early age and decreases auto-related emissions near schools.

For information,visit www.eastcentralsrts.org.

Silver Lake College recently honored Bob and Pat Endries, of Shawano, during its dedication of the Endries Family Heritage Room.

A focus of the room is a pictorial history time line map honoring the people, mission and impact of the Manitowoc college.

The history map, the physical improvements in the room and future renovation of the adjacent patio are due to the generosity of Bob and Pat Endries.

“One of our core values at Silver Lake College is community. Synonymous with community at Silver Lake College will be, forever, Bob and Pat Endries,” Chris Domes, president of Silver Lake College, said during the ceremony on Sept. 23. “Today, we dedicate a space that celebrates community. This core value of community that we strive to instill in our students every day will thrive on our campus because of the generosity of Bob and Pat.

“Every day, visitors, prospective students, parents, alumni and those of us who live, work and study here will be greeted and reminded of the Endries family and their commitment to building community. I would suggest this is a priceless gift to us.”

The Endries Family Heritage Room is used for board meetings, faculty meetings, strategic planning meetings, small luncheons and other events.

“Part of the reason for our gift is you, Sisters,” said Bob Endries, referring to the college’s sponsor, the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity. “We were educated by you, we saw what you do. We still see what you do.

“Each one of you should, if you could, pat yourself on the back because you have built one very strong organization, a very strong educational facility and more than that a whole lot of people walking around the world that are better for what you started. Pat and I are just pleased to be a part of this. We have been given something and we do believe we owe it back.”

Bob and Pat Endries split their time between their lake home in Shawano and their home in Brillion.

Shawano Community High School

The next SCHS Student Council’s American Red Cross blood drive will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 30. Appointments can be made by visiting redcrossblood.org and entering the sponsor code “shawanohs” or by calling 715-526-2175, ext. 2111.

Thank you to all Shawano students, teachers, staff and community members for your incredible support, participation and spirit during homecoming week, and a special thank you to all of those who organized the week’s activities. Thank you to the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce and all of the area businesses and organizations that supported the Shawano Hawks in Friday’s homecoming parade. Check out photos from the week on the Shawano School District Facebook page or in the October newsletter, which will be released this week at www.shawanoschools.com on the Families tab under Announcements. Call 715-526-3194 to have a copy of the newsletter mailed to you.

Shawano Community Middle School

Public informational meetings for the middle school referendum are scheduled from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 13 and 6-8 p.m. Oct. 29 at the middle school. Community members will have the opportunity to tour the school, ask questions, and learn more about the project concepts and costs. The referendum vote will be held Nov. 3. A Flipbook of the referendum is available on the district website, http://www.shawanoschools.com/district/referendum.cfm.

Hillcrest Primary School

Hillcrest PTA’s first annual Fall Festival, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 17, will feature games, crafts, raffles and food. The Hillcrest PTA needs your help in creating unique, fun-filled family baskets for the raffle. The themes are Family Fun, Winter, Summer, Baking, Love for Learning and Back in School. Basket items or candy donations for game prizes can be dropped off at the Hillcrest office.

Parents and students, there is still time to make a senior meeting appointment with a SCHS school counselor. Call student services at 715-526-2175, ext. 8120, to schedule.

Shawano School District

Upcoming: Oct. 23, no school.

Bonduel Elementary School

The school year is off to a great start at Bonduel Elementary. The teachers and students are excited to be back!

We will host a special day for our Hispanic families from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Oct. 13. We host this important day every year to make everyone feel welcome and answer any questions or concerns the families or students may have. We have an interpreter at the event to help us. We also enjoy pizza, and the students go home with a book of their choice. We are looking forward to this wonderful night.

For the last two weeks, the third-graders at Bonduel Elementary School have been organizing a pet food drive for the Shawano County Humane Society. They have been learning about volunteering and will be learning about service dogs in reading and social studies. The students decided they wanted to help local animals, too, by collecting food, kitty litter and pet supplies.

Now that school is back in session, it’s time to get back to practicing those good articulation and speech skills. Going for a ride in the car? Or just driving in to school? Try some “driving” games to practice those sounds. The license plate game is always fun — have your child find his or her speech sound on a license plate, then say a word that has that sound in it. Or play the billboard game — have your child find his or her speech sound on a billboard and then say the word or phrase from the sign. By practicing your child’s speech sounds in environments other than in the school setting, you are helping foster “carryover.” Carryover is when your child begins using good speech sounds more naturally, in all types of settings, not just in school. Remember, speech therapy is very similar to sports, where practice makes perfect. The more times your child practices his or her speech sound, the easier it will become.

Every winning ticket/duck pulled from a pool Saturday at the Gresham Scholarship Fund’s eighth annual Duck Pluck was donated back to the scholarship fund to help local graduates continue their education.

Five winners were pulled from Don and Karen Wurth’s pool during the fundraiser.

Wallrich Insurance Agency had the first-place ticket, worth $1,000. The other winners, and fund donors, were State Bank-Gresham, second, $250; Jerry Bodmer, third, $100; Deb Fisher, fourth, $100; and Charlie’s County Market, fifth, $50.

Kids heading to school Wednesday in the Shawano area left behind the minivans and SUVs to try something new: walking.

A sunny autumn morning made for perfect weather for kids and their parents to get some healthy exercise as part of International Walk to School Day.

“It was a beautiful morning to be out there walking,” said Nancy Schultz, coordinator of the local group Safe Routes to School.

Schultz estimated that hundreds of students in Shawano County took a break from their normal routine to walk to school. And she hopes some of them will make it a habit.

Participating schools included Shawano Community Middle School, Olga Brener Intermediate School, Hillcrest Primary School, Bonduel Elementary School, Sacred Heart Catholic School and St. James Lutheran School.

School officials said they hope to eliminate obstacles — mainly fear — that prevent parents from allowing their kids to walk to school regularly.

Hillcrest Principal Troy Edwards said administrators are working with Shawano city officials to establish crosswalks on nearby Waukechon Street, a busy road that separates most families from the school.

Hillcrest has about 660 students in pre-kindergarten through second grade.

Edwards said he was encouraged to see so many parents willing to let their kids head for school on foot during Wednesday’s special event. Some even abandoned their vehicles a block or two away, he said, just so their children could experience a short walk.

“Parents went out of their way, even more so, to have their kids walk,” Edwards said.

Many school administrators offered students incentives to join Walk To School Day, including T-shirts, key chains and wristbands. Some also encouraged other healthy activities at school, such as walking laps in the gym or on the playground.

Olga Brener Principal Terri Schultz estimated that 40 percent to 50 percent of her students participated in some walking activity, compared with about 10 percent who walk to school regularly.

The intermediate school has about 550 third-graders through fifth-graders.

Schultz said she recognizes that some parents are hesitant to allow their kids to walk to school, out of concern for busy street traffic or other safety hazards. The school has taken steps to alleviate such issues by providing crossing guards, road signage and other safety measures.

Schultz said she was pleased to see so many kids giving walk-to-school a try.

“We want people to know those choices are there because the safe routes are there,” she said. “And they won’t know that unless they try it.”

The new Automotive Youth Educational Systems program at Shawano Community High School will be officially unveiled at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 21.

The program will be held at the new state-of-the-art auto training lab at SCHS, 220 County Road B.

The program, headed up by automotive technology instructor Jeremy Hodkiewicz, attained its National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation certification last spring, which qualified it to become Wisconsin’s 15th AYES program.

AYES helps to build partnerships between affiliated schools and nearby participating dealerships and independents. The goal is to introduce a greater number of young people to automotive technology careers and to prepare them to meet the needs of prospective employers.

According to industry estimates, the demand for automotive service technicians continues to be strong. More than 400 additional technicians are sought each year in Wisconsin.

AYES experience will begin in the 11th grade and continue through the 12th grade, and will include paid, on-the-job training at a participating dealership.

For the school, the AYES partnership opens the doors to industry support through classroom training equipment donations and greater career opportunities for program graduates.

The Wisconsin AYES programs reach an estimated 1,800 students each school year. Last summer the program’s participating schools placed 55 interns at dealerships throughout southern, eastern and central Wisconsin.

The Foundation of the Wisconsin Automobile & Truck Dealers Association also operates an active scholarship program for automotive, collision, sales and diesel technology students. This year 102 applicants were interviewed for the scholarships. To date, 85 have received awards of Snap-on professional tools and partial tuition for classes in related programs at any one of Wisconsin’s technical colleges. Seventy-nine of the applicants are employed in the industry with three more jobs pending.

Shawano School District

There is no school on Friday.

Shawano Community High School

Shawano Community High School will present the play, “Harvey,” Oct. 29 through Oct. 31. The curtain rises at 7 p.m. for each performance at the SCHS auditorium. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students. The Oct. 29 show is “pay what you can.” This play contains material that is best suited for audiences ages 14 and up.

The next SCHS Student Council’s American Red Cross blood drive will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 30 at SCHS. Appointments can be made by visiting redcrossblood.org and entering the sponsor code “shawanohs” or by calling 715-526-2175, ext. 2111.

Shawano Community Middle School

The final middle school referendum open house will held from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 29. Community members will have the opportunity to tour the school, ask questions, and learn more about the project concepts and costs. The referendum vote will be held Nov. 3.

Olga Brener Intermediate School

The Olga Brener Running Club is hosting a costumed, obstacle fun run at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at Olga Brener, and everyone is invited. To make sure there are enough treat bags, please return permission slips by Oct. 28. For information, call 715-524-2131.

Mark your calendar for the Olga Brener PTO Halloween Dance from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 30. There will be a disc jockey, coloring stations, face painting, movies, refreshments, prizes and raffles, and fun for all ages. Please note, children must come with an adult; they cannot be dropped off. Costumed attendees will be entered into raffles for gift cards, Hawks gear and more.

A visit to the doctor’s office has a special bonus for Menominee children, thanks to a project launched this fall by the College of Menominee Nation’s Teacher Education Program.

Newborns to 8-year-olds having checkups or immunizations at the Menominee Tribal Clinic are now leaving with age-appropriate books for their at-home libraries. Parents get brochures explaining how to help even the youngest child get a head start on language acquisition and reading.

The goal, CMN professor Cyndi Pyatskowit said, is to encourage and support a culture of literacy and learning in the Menominee community. Pyatskowit, chairwoman of CMN’s Teacher Education Program, notes that the new project continues the work of the Sacred Little Ones Family Engagement Initiative, now in its fifth year at the college.

The Menominee Tribal Clinic’s community health and medical departments are partnering with CMN on the new project. Partners on earlier projects have included Menominee Indian Head Start, Menominee Tribal School and Keshena Primary School.

The Sacred Little Ones project has also led children’s literacy activities at the S. Verna Fowler Academic Library/Menominee Public Library on the Keshena campus, including College 4 Kids sessions held weekly throughout the 2014-2015 academic year.

“We have been especially focused on helping parents, grandparents and others who interact with very young children with simple ways to introduce their children to the joys of reading, and to help them bring books into their homes,” Pyatskowit said. “Research has shown that the vast majority of students who demonstrate reading proficiency say they had books available to read at home. When we know that a relatively consistent proxy for ‘parental commitment to education’ is the number of books in the home, we think one of the keys to helping kids become readers is to help families have a home library.”

To date, the CMN Sacred Little Ones initiative has purchased and distributed about 2,500 books. Hundreds will go for distribution in the Menominee Tribal Clinic project. Many others have been shared in the College 4 Kids program, at the Eagle’s Nest shelter in Neopit and placed in the Little Free Library book boxes on the Menominee Reservation.

Project coordinator Kelli Chelberg said the books cover a wide range of titles, including fiction, nonfiction, seasonal, hardcover and informational.

“Some are picture and simple-word board books suitable for the very youngest children who are beginning to develop language skills,” Chelberg said. “Others are designed for pre-kindergarten children and beginning readers. The educational brochure that comes along with the book has suggestions for ways the parent or other adult can engage the child in positive ways that will pay off as both a bonding experience and an incentive for further learning.”

College of Menominee Nation students in teacher education classes are also being engaged in Sacred Little Ones activities through assignments to develop some simple, fun activities that can accompany a number of the books distributed at well-child clinic visits.

Sacred Little Ones projects are funded with W.K. Kellogg Foundation grants to CMN through the American Indian College Fund. The college is also providing support to the book project through a U.S. Department of Education Limited English Proficiency Grant.

Bringing local residents dinner and a show has been a fall tradition for Shawano Community High School’s music programs for many years.

The tradition continues next weekend as the annual Dinner Dance Revue returns to the high school auditorium with familiar tunes performed by the school’s jazz band and the Showstoppers show choir. The directors for the groups, Christopher and Jonathon Kent, respectively, believe the show gives the students a chance to go above and beyond regular school concerts and see how performers work in the real world.

“We want to put them in as professional an environment as possible,” Christopher Kent said. “My kids are playing 12 tunes. In the real world, that’s almost two sets in a three- or four-hour gig.”

The Showstoppers will perform a medley of songs from “Jersey Boys,” not only singing but also performing choreographed group dances, with the jazz band providing musical accompaniment. The choir will also perform, among other things, a number of songs made famous by Kool and the Gang, including “Celebration,” and the girls in the group will perform Taylor Swift’s “Red.”

The jazz band will perform a swing version of “Jericho,” as well as “Uptown Funk,” the love theme from “Tarzan” and several Stevie Wonder songs, along with a few big band and techno surprises.

“We try to paint with a pretty broad brush,” Jonathon Kent said. “The wide range of music is integral to the show.”

The two musical groups have been bringing the show jointly to residents since 2005, but each had its own fundraising performances for close to 25 years. The jazz band performed a spaghetti dinner show; the choir performed and served dessert.

“We did two separate shows within three weeks of each other,” Jonathon Kent said. “Then we decided to do this together.”

People who have attended the Dinner Dance in previous years will see a different show next weekend, according to Jonathon Kent.

“These groups, they dynamically change from year to year,” he said. “You don’t always have the same kids coming back. We’ve gotten pretty sophisticated with it.”

While the students are the main attraction, parent volunteers have worked behind the scenes to help ensure the show goes off without a hitch. Mary Lou Kugel started volunteering with the group two years ago, when her daughter was in the jazz band as a sophomore.

“It’s been a wonderful experience for me,” Kugel said. “Of course, I enjoy this type of stuff anyway, but I have a great group of parents who are always willing to volunteer.”

The SCHS music programs have always had strong community support, Kugel said, which encourages the programs to continually improve and bring stronger shows to the community.

“This area is known for its music and arts moreso than other communities, and there’s a great deal of talent, which I think stems from parents working with their children at a young age, getting them into music and arts,” Kugel said. “The students know it doesn’t come easy, though, and they have to practice. It’s a combination of things that brings out that talent.”

Christoper and Jonathon Kent emphasized the importance of getting tickets in advance, as none will be sold at the door. Once the high school office closes Friday, no more tickets can be purchased.

The reason for advance tickets is so the caterer, Sue Moede, knows how many meals to prepare for each night.

“People have to understand that there’s a dinner attached to this,” Christopher Kent said. “We’re not a dinner theater, so we can’t do this last minute.”

Shawano School District

There is no school on Nov. 20.

The next School Board meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Board Room at Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B, Shawano.

Shawano Community High School

SCHS presents the annual Dinner Dance on Friday and Saturday. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with the performance at 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $20 per person and are available at the high school office, Charlie’s County Market and BMO Harris Bank.

Shawano Community Middle School

The SCMS orchestra and choir will present their fall concerts on Tuesday and Nov. 19, respectively. The concerts begin at 7 p.m. at the Shawano Community High School auditorium. The SCMS band concert will be Dec. 17.

Need a babysitter? Leaf raker? Dog walker? Snow shoveler? Responsible and enthusiastic SCMS students are looking for chores in the community to raise funds for their trip to Washington, D.C., in spring 2016. Please contact Rod Watson at 715-526-2192, ext. 8301, or watsonr@shawanoschools.com if you’re interested in working with SCMS students.

Hearing about a family acquaintance who succumbed to cancer made Camryn Kraning feel a little sad. It also made her want to do something.

So the 13-year-old student at Bonduel Middle School got together with friends and organized a bake sale to raise money for others battling the deadly disease.

The benefit, which started Thursday and continues Friday from 1-4 p.m. at the school, has grown into a community event to show support for two area residents waging fights with cancer.

Camryn, an eighth-grader, said she was delighted to see other people donate baked goods to make the benefit bigger — and the impact greater.

“It feels good helping people,” she said. “It brings a warm feeling to my heart.”

Together with classmates Macy Gondeck and Aubrey Campos, Camryn kicked off the bake sale Thursday by selling cookies, cupcakes and other treats during parent-teacher conferences at the middle school, 400 W. Green Bay St.

One of the cancer patients for whom the event is being held, Jenny Hacker, dropped by Thursday and thanked the three students in person.

Hacker, who is old friends with Camryn’s parents, said she was touched by the act of compassion and generosity. As she continues her fight with cancer, Hacker said the bake sale means more to her than just money.

“It means a lot more, because there’s a principle behind it: They’re reaching out,” she said. “Good people do good things.”

Randy Kraning, Camryn’s father, said one of his co-workers recently lost his wife to cancer. After learning about the woman’s death, Camryn surprised her parents by announcing that she wanted to organize a benefit to help people with cancer.

“I don’t know how she came up with the idea,” Kraning said. “It was something she wanted to do on her own.”

Bonduel school officials gave their approval for the bake sale, even though the school does not require students to engage in community service.

Considering that the students are only eighth-graders, Principal Mark Margelofsky called it “really cool” to see them showing such strong instincts for benevolence at such a young age.

“We couldn’t be prouder of the girls,” he said.

Once the three friends decided to organize the event, they looked for help identifying cancer patients who could benefit.

Camryn’s parents, Randy and Lisa, both attended school with Hacker and knew that she had been diagnosed. A second local cancer patient who will also benefit has asked to remain anonymous.

Hacker, 39, said she hopes the event raises awareness about cancer risks and the importance of early detection. Four years ago, she was diagnosed with colon cancer after ignoring warning signs and symptoms for at least two years.

The mother of two is continuing with treatments under a doctor’s care. Much of her personal philosophy involves keeping a positive attitude, which is another reason why the school bake sale has struck a chord with her.

“A good deed,” she said, “goes a long way.”

The third time was the charm for Kaila Wussow as she won the National Dairy Entrepreneurship Proficiency Award at the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, which was held Oct. 28-30.

“I am still in awe that I was chosen for this award,” Wussow said.

Now a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Wussow applied for the award as a sophomore at Bonduel High School, placing third in the state.

When she was a junior, Wussow updated her application and placed second.

“Finally, this year I redid and updated my information and was honored to place first within the state for the Dairy Entrepreneurship Award,” she said.

Then Wussow was one of four finalists at the national competition.

Her dairy career began when she was a year old and wanted an animal of her own as her parents, Ron and Nicole Wussow, only had Holsteins. They got a registered Jersey for her, and now she has a herd of 31 animals, 29 Jerseys and two Holsteins.

“My herd of Jerseys is unique in that most of the animals that I have today are from the original cow that I received when I was 1,” Wussow said.

The family, which includes younger brother Colin, owns and operates Milk-n-More Farms and Harvesting in Cecil. To be considered for the award Wussow had to fill out a lengthy application.

“Since I competed in the entrepreneurship section, I focused on the business that I have created with my dairy animals,” she said.

She started keeping records when she joined the FFA in the seventh grade, keeping track of all her animals, their production and breeding records, her business expenses, revenue, skills she learned by working with the animals, and her goals. Once chosen as a finalist, Wussow prepared for an intense interview.

“They want to know what your profits and losses are and other general questions they see in your application,” she said.

Over the years, Wussow said she tried to breed for animals that not only look good for showing but can milk and earn money for her business. Jerseys are known for their high fat and protein content in milk.

“It’s important to be profitable, and the only way for a dairy farmer to do this really is for her animals to produce milk,” she said.

Wussow is majoring in dairy science with a minor in agriculture business. She is adding agriculture marketing communications as a second major. After college she would like to work in the dairy industry either in marketing or journalism.

After 10 years, she would like to go back to the family farm and be the fifth generation to own and operate the dairy.

Wussow worked hard to get where she is but acknowledged the help and encouragement from her parents, brother, grandparents, friends, the dairy industry, FFA adviser Doug Raymakers, and the Bonduel FFA chapter and FFA Alumni.

“They always encourage me to do my best and helped me realize that hard work really does pay off in the end,” she said.

Bonduel Elementary School

November has been a busy month at Bonduel Elementary School.

Students in Mary Wudtke’s third-grade class have been growing academically in leaps and bounds. They have been working on becoming multiplication and division rock stars! They are learning to persevere in solving word problems, number puzzles, dissecting rectangles, multiplication facts, division facts, and the list goes on. In science they are learning about living and nonliving things. Do you know what happens when you put a stalk of celery in a cup of colored water? Ask a third-grader, and they will be able to explain the job of a stem. Many stories have been read and will continue to be read. Students have really liked the nonfiction stories, as well as realistic fiction stories. They are doing a great job of retelling the stories, identifying main ideas, cause and effect, connecting to the text, and reading. Students are becoming more confident and willing to open the door to new information and ideas.

Drums boomed, jingle dresses jangled and native languages filled the air Tuesday during a presentation celebrating Native American Heritage Month at Shawano Community Middle School.

A number of middle school employees had recommended to Principal Mary Kramer that the school have some sort of celebration of Native American tribes and cultures. With the help of the College of Menominee Nation, the school’s presentation featured a number of dancers and speakers who explained their cultures and beliefs.

Gina Giese said the celebration was the first schoolwide event observing Native American Heritage Month in the 14 years she has worked there.

“Any time there’s an opportunity for a new experience or something for the kids to see, that’s a wonderful thing for all of us,” Giese said. “The message here was just phenomenal.”

About one in five SCMS students are Native American, according to Kramer, so the presentation helped the other 80 percent of the student population understand why some of their classmates wear medicine pouches or follow tribal customs.

“This was perfect timing, because now they’re going to spend the next five days with their families, and it’ll be a chance for them to talk about what they learned while they were here,” Kramer said.

Three Shawano students were also part of the presentation, helping to showcase the fancy dress dance. Eighth-grade cousins Katelyn and Elise Wilber, along with seventh-grader Angel Waupoose, had never performed in front of their schoolmates before but have performed at powwows on the Menominee Reservation. They’ve been dancing since age 3.

“I first started with traditional (dance), then went to jingle and then to fancy,” Katelyn Wilber said. Elise and Angel followed the same path.

CMN was eager to bring tribal culture to the middle school for the day, according to Holly Beyer, who has lived in Shawano County her entire life and is currently a senior at the college. She and Sally Hill, another CMN senior and president of the CMN Student Government, volunteered and provided an hourlong program of speeches, dances and other lessons about cultures, including Menominee, Navajo Nation and the Standing Rock Sioux.

“The president of the college told us this would be a good opportunity for us to provide a community service, so we put together a little program for them,” Beyer said.

Hill, who was Miss Comanche in 1987, noted that presentations like the one held Tuesday were vital in a time when some tribal members are moving away from the old ways and assimilating into an American way of life.

“We have been here in the United States since the dawn of time,” Hill said . “It’s important we showcase our traditions and heritage and show the Native American people are still strong, that we’re still here.”

Shane Webster, a member of the Menominee and Oneida tribes and one of the drummers Tuesday, noted that the drum beat is the heart of many Native American tribes. Without the drums, there would be no dancing, he said.

“Through these cultural exchanges, we find ourselves. We find something that is not there, something that is missing,” Webster said. “My heartbeat and your heartbeat are the same. My heartbeat is that drum.”

Hill noted that drum songs usually are not written, as many tribes use oral history to teach their ways and stories to younger generations.

Hill was dressed in tribal garb; Beyer was not. She explained she dressed in American style to show that, while the dances and drums are an important piece of Native American culture, they do not define their entire lives.

“I think the powwows are a beautiful part of our culture, but it’s important for you to know that not all natives dance, and not all of us have Indian names,” said Beyer, who went back to school after working for 25 years in the gaming industry and plans to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in education. “We are also business people. We are students. We are administrators. We are lawyers.”

After the presentation, Beyer and Hill received positive comments from the students.

“A lot of the students came up to us afterwards and said, ‘Thank you. We got a lot out of it,’” Beyer said.

Like all 4-H club members, Gracie Onesti is expected to do community service.

“I realized I didn’t do that much,” Gracie said.

When she read about the homeless shelter being organized by the nonprofit group Shawano Area Matthew 25 on The Shawano Leader’s website, Gracie started thinking what she could do to help.

She also knew some children attending Shawano Community Middle School, where she is in seventh grade, were homeless.

Gracie pitched an idea to school social worker Sara Welsh to put boxes in each of the 32 homerooms to collect items for the shelter. Welsh quickly gave her the go-ahead.

“I’m excited to get started,” said Gracie, who also suggested the homerooms compete to see who can collect the most donations.

The collection drive will run from Dec. 2-16. The winners will get an ice cream reward.

The students will collect items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo and more.

“It it works, I’m going to try to do more drives,” Gracie said.

“I’m very proud that she went on her own,” said Becky Onesti, Gracie’s mother. “We want to thank the school for allowing her to do this.”

SAM 25 Vice President Shannon Daun said all the items will be used, and the whole board is thankful for Gracie’s generosity.

“I think it’s just an awesome idea,” Daun said.

Welsh said Gracie has done all the hard work and said the teachers are excited and supportive.

“We’re honored to have someone like her in our school and helping the community,” Welsh said.

Shawano Community Middle School

The kids from Shawano Community Middle School have been doing many fundraisers to help pay for their trip to Washington, D.C., in May 2016.

They have been doing jobs such as raking leaves, dog walking, babysitting and more. Just like bigger stores in the mall, the kids also are volunteering to wrap gifts. They did this Saturday at Walmart. The kids had a blast making the holiday shopping much easier for area shoppers. They will also be there from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

There is no charge for the service, but donations are accepted.

Thank you to all who helped them Saturday. It did help toward their trip.