Administrative Assistant to the Principal Missy McKenna has worn many hats in her 18 years at Lakeside— starting the scrip program, serving lunch, and for almost a decade, serving on the “front line” for student, staff and visitor needs in the office. She’s saying goodbye this spring.
How (bitter)sweet it is!
Look at the faces of those seniors on the cover—smiles, excitement, cookies—life is pretty sweet. They are counting down the days to graduation and looking back on high school memories and four years spent with a faculty and staff who have educated, encouraged and equipped them for life outside these walls and for an eternity with their Savior. How sweet it is.
How does it feel when you are a staff member saying goodbye after 18 years of service to this Warrior family? That is a little bittersweet. Sweet memories abound, from working in the kitchen with the most amazing Christian women to having the privilege of starting our Warrior Scrip program, and then in 2017, God led me to what was overwhelmingly the sweetest time in my tenure— working in the front office.
I had a front row seat to the halls of Lakeside and got to cultivate my relationship with our students and families. At sporting events, those were “my kids” I was cheering on. Sometimes they literally were my own children— as I teared up on A Cappella Sundays or watched our daughter crowned Homecoming Queen. There are memories of parents who emailed or spoke words of encouragement when we walked through the long days of COVID, trying to create some sense of a “normal” high school experience. Then there is the faculty and staff. I’ve also had the joy of being their cheerleader and the organizer of appreciation. Oftentimes I have had the blessing of sharing conversations about faith over a cup of coffee. What faithful workers God has given to this corner of His kingdom.
So with all of those memories, what makes this goodbye bittersweet? I will miss the people and being surrounded by God’s word on a daily basis— bitter—but the sweetness? Sweet is seeing what God does in the lives of His children and how He calls us into new and exciting ways to serve Him: My husband is called to a new ministry within our church body—to go and spread the word that more workers are needed ... the harvest is ripe! We ALL know someone we can encourage to consider public ministry as a vocation. Lakeside has uniquely prepared me to be a helpmate to Sam in this new calling; instead of focusing mostly on Warriors, we get to go throughout the country speaking to Christians about the job God has set before us—to go into all the world and preach the good news of what Jesus has done!
I suppose this goodbye is, in fact, only sweet, as I—along with the class of 2026—leave these halls, thankful for the gifts Lakeside has given me. May His grace continue to bless the Warrior family as we look forward to the day when we all rejoice in the sweetness of life eternal with Him.
In His service, Mrs. McKenna
MISSION
Motivated by the love of Jesus, Lakeside Lutheran High School partners with families to educate, encourage, and equip students for life and for eternity.
about our federation
The Lakeside Lutheran Federation includes 33 congregations in a diverse geographic region in southcentral Wisconsin that extends north to south from Beaver Dam to Janesville and east to west from Okauchee to Middleton.
The LL Link is a publication of Lakeside Lutheran High School in Lake Mills, Wis., published twice annually and distributed free of charge to graduates, supporters, students, families and friends. Readers are encouraged to pass on copies to benefit others. Please direct all correspondence, letters, news corrections, comments and requests to be added to our home mailing list to:
Lakeside Lutheran High School 231 Woodland Beach Rd. Lake Mills, WI 53551 info@llhs.org • 920.648.2321
Principal: Pastor Don Schultz
Executive Director: Kirk DeNoyer
Asst Principal: John Dorn
Mission Advancement Director: Matt Oppermann
Admissions Director: Steve Lauber
Activities Director: Todd Jahns
Regents Chair: Ben Mlsna
Photo credits: p. 3: Sarah Strawn Photography p. 10-11: Excel Engineering
Remainder contributed or by LLHS communications staff
The Mission Advancement office has made a tradition in recent years of gathering seniors for a few minutes late in the school year to thank them for their servant hearts and to encourage them to finish out the year “Warrior Strong!”
God’s blessings to the class of 2026 as they join the awesome army of Forever Warriors.
Thank you to Crumb en Croute LLC, Sun Prairie, for the amazing cookies!
Our 15th annual Grand Event had well over 300 guests and volunteers on campus to celebrate Christian education and the LL ministry. Fun fact: each decade of Lakeside history was represented by alumni! Look for alum faces here! Thanks to our generous sponsors, donors, online and onsite participants, $240,000+ was raised for the ministry, including more than $50K for the building campaign kicked off publicly then. Save the date for GE16 on April 10, 2027 ⬅
See p. 9 for another alum sighting at Grand Event. See these and other “Warrior Family” events photos to browse and download at our online gallery: llhs.smugmug.com/ LLFamily
Faculty Feature: Calculating infinite value of a math class tradition
He might be more widely recognized today as the Warrior videography guru, but there’s a subset of both students and alum who will always remember Mr. Todd Hackbarth as the master of the calculus. He’s been teaching advanced math to decades of mathletes since his arrival in 1997; it was in 2004 that he created a monster—an amazing, hilarious, impressive monster comprised of ... graphing calculators.
“I started when English teacher Jason Lowery [‘00–08], instituted “Writing Across the Curriculum”—a program that had students writing in every class,” shares Hackbarth. “I joked that if we had to write papers for math class, I was starting “Math around the World.” Math would be done everywhere. Before spring break, I told students to take photos wherever they went that included their calculators. I put them all on a hallway bulletin board and told Mr. Lowery my program had begun. Everyone thought the pictures were so fascinating that I have done it ever since.”
“Math has always been a love of mine,” he continues. “I think much of it started with my mom, who loved math and taught me even before I began school. It’s even more special as I teach it. God created the world with such incredible order that we can predict times, speeds, temperatures, and much more with great accuracy. Math can also be used to show the absolute improbability of this world coming together by chance. Then one of my greatest joys [teaching at Lakeside] is graduates passing on God’s Word to their children. A favorite passage of mine is John 1:4 ‘I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.’ That is exactly how I feel about the graduates as well.”
Math Around the World (more formally known as “Calculator Pictures”) Stats
• Submissions received: “in the neighborhood of 2,000” says Mr. Hackbarth
• Most memorable from the first year: one in front of the Parthenon in Greece ↘
• Photo categories: students usually take them in a famous place, such as an iconic place internationally, a U.S. landmark, a “inside joke” spot (e.g., headquarters of Texas Instruments (the maker of our graphing calculators), with famous people, or funny photo edits (e.g. stars holding them in movie scenes).
• Most common category? Famous landmarks
• Funniest submission? Hackbarth says, “My students are constantly making me laugh. One day the projector screen fell during class and shocked everyone. In the midst of all the turmoil, two students secretively took a calculator picture with a bunch of us trying to fix the screen.”
• Biggest “awww”: an alum from Hackbarth’s homeroom took a calculator picture at his wedding ⬆
Alum Link: A journey of consequence and life-changing grace
Lucas White (‘04) spoke to Warriors in sophomore health classes this year to talk about his life after Lakeside—a story that didn’t unfold the way he expected. Like most teens, he faced choices and challenges that shaped his future path. Small decisions eventually led to a consequence that would change his life for years to come. Yet in the midst of those struggles, his story is also one marked by God’s grace and forgiveness—a reminder that no matter how far someone may drift, God’s love is never out of reach.
Lucas was introduced to alcohol when his dad managed a bar as a second job. In the summer before high school, he drank for the first time. At 18, he tried marijuana. After graduation, he was a typical young adult—working, attending classes at Blackhawk Technical College for welding, and spending time with friends. At the time, life felt normal.
What seemed to be casual smoking and drinking became more ingrained. Lucas admits that one of the biggest misunderstandings of using alcohol and drugs is ignorance. “A big misconception is that it won’t suck you in or change you if you’re not careful,” he shares. “Many things appear to be good but you don’t realize how they are changing and think there is not a problem. You never think anything bad will happen.”
Everything changed after a late night in February 2009. After staying out until 2 am, Lucas arrived late to a planned ice fishing event. Once on the ice, he took a hit of marijuana and began drinking. After the event, despite being cut off by a bartender, he made the decision to drive. He drove his ATV across the lake, parked it, and got in his truck to head home.
A few miles in, he blacked out, crossed the centerline, and struck a car head on. In the aftermath, a father and son lost their lives. Lucas was charged with two counts of OWI homicide and sentenced to 14 years in prison. He spent time at Dodge, Oakhill and Thompson Correctional institutions, serving his sentence and carrying the weight of his decisions.
In the midst of deep guilt, he met with his pastor, who had reached out to him in prison. Lucas was reminded of the need for a Savior. “I knew my faith was weak, and the only direction to turn was to the Lord,” he shared. Through Bible reading, daily meditation booklets, Bible studies, and receiving communion, Lucas found his weak faith growing in a way it never had before. Today, Lucas speaks openly about God’s grace and forgiveness despite poor choices. While he knows he can’t undo the past, he has found hope in the truth that forgiveness through Christ offers a path forward. That faith has become the foundation of his second chance. Now working as a maintenance technician, Lucas also shares his story with school and community groups, hoping to reach others before they follow a similar path. His main point is choice. “You have a choice; it comes down to whether you really want to stop and change. As bad as it seems, it can change as long as you want to. There’s a lot of [alcohol and drug] programs and groups that can help.”
Reflecting on his time at Lakeside, Lucas appreciates a few things that he took for granted as a student. “I appreciate the friends that I made, the opportunity to hear God’s Word daily, and the support of the school as a whole.” In the end, his journey is one of both warning and hope—a reminder of the consequences of our choices, but also of the powerful, life-changing grace of God that meets us even in our lowest moments.
Senior yearbook pic
Lucas with parents Dennis and Robin at a recent Christmas.
Alum Lucas White (‘04) shares a hard story with Warrior teens in Dec. 2025.
Alum Link: Mountain Recovery: Alum
help in “Rocky” situations
In Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, trouble on the road can escalate fast—from simple breakdowns to dangerous situations in minutes. That’s where Mountain Recovery—a towing company founded by Charlie Stubblefield ‘04—comes in: known for tackling steep passes, deep snow, and complex mechanical problems, it’s become a trusted first call for drivers in distress. With the right mix of grit, skill, and compassion, the Mountain Recovery team doesn’t just tow vehicles, they bring peace of mind when the unexpected strikes.
Company Beginnings
The vocation of helping others began when Charlie Stubblefield ‘04 still lived in Wisconsin. He was a firefighter and paramedic for Lake Mills Fire Department for years before making the decision to head west in 2019. Invited to move by some close friends of his and his wife, Sarah (Bauer ‘04), he decided to shift careers and try something new.
Inspired to try the towing industry by a TV show called Highway Thru Hell, a docuseries that follows the operations of a towing and recovery company in Canada (on Prime and Weather Channel). However, he had doubts and initially took it off his job list. “I didn’t know anything about that industry, anyone in that industry,” he said. “In the towing and recovery industry, it’s multi-generational ownership, and not only that, but it’s really expensive to buy a tow truck.”
On average, a tow truck can run $750,000, money that Stubblefield didn’t have in his back pocket.
Still, driving on Colorado roads, he observed the high number of vehicles abandoned roadside—many left for many hours, even days at a time—a stark contrast to Wisconsin where most highways are clear. Interest piqued, Stubblefield would stop behind vehicles with just his pickup truck and help with basics like filling their coolant or changing a flat. He began developing fair prices for these services since other roadside assistance would often take
hours to respond to distress calls. With beautiful mountains and world-renowned ski resorts as a backdrop, his customers were mostly travelers without local connections. After doing well in the summer of 2019, his big break came when he experienced his first Colorado snowstorm.
While renting a place in Vail, Stubblefield received a call from local police who heard about his roadside assistance and asked him to help some truck drivers who didn’t know how to put snow chains on their trucks. Not knowing himself, he watched a YouTube video, helped all the stranded truckers, and made $5,000 in one night. That began something new. Eventually, he was able to connect with other tow companies, buy his first heavy wrecker, and hire his first employees. In a few years, his business would grow to become the largest towing company in Colorado.
Rising Spotlight
a second season has been ordered and is currently in the works to air on Discovery Channel.
With a huge social media following, Mountain Recovery now has sponsorships from Carhartt and others, and caught the attention of the nation’s largest towing and recovery company, Firstline Road Solutions. Last summer, Mountain Recovery merged to partner with Firstline, which operates in over 8o locations across 7 states with over 600 trucks.
Putting Faith into Action
In summer 2022, his business went from local success to nationally known. Stubblefield took a call from an executive producer of Highway Thru Hell, asking to follow Mountain Recovery and shoot footage of them working. Weather Channel subsequently bought it, made it a series, and in April 2025, Stubbelfield’s Mountain Recovery business was featured nationally on the show Rocky Mountain Wreckers. It did so well that
Stubblefield learned how to put his faith into action many years before moving out to Colorado and starting his company. During his time with LMFD, he was given many opportunities to show his faith. “In my early 20s, before I joined the fire department, I don’t know that I was acting on my faith,” he admits. “But
once I joined, that gave me ways not only to help serve the general public through the fire service, but also ways that I could help share my faith with my fellow firefighters. I was one of the only Lakeside kids on the fire department. I feel like they razzed me a little bit about that, but it gave me opportunities to start talking about my faith and actually putting that into action.”
(‘15) and Lisa (Scott’ 15) Hafenstein
Forever Warrior Connections
In 2020, Dustin Hafenstein (‘15) was Stubblefield’s first hire for his Mountain Recovery team. Charlie and Dustin’s dad, Brian Hafenstein (‘86), helped each other out in Lake Mills. Brian gave Dustin’s name to Charlie if he needed help in figuring out what was wrong with stranded vehicles on the side of the road.
Stubblefield calls Dustin, “a brilliant mechanic and technician.” Dustin has moved up the ladder in the company and now works as a Heavy Wrecker Operator and Fleet Manager.
Hafenstein’s wife, Lisa (Scott, ‘15) has also been commissioned by Discovery Channel for her still photography and night time “hero shots” of the mountain recoveries.
Want to watch?
The Mountain Recovery team is featured in one season of Rocky Mountain Wreckers, a 10-episode docuseries on The Weather Channel, which also follows other heavy-towing businesses in the Rockies. While a second season has been ordered and is currently in the works, the original 2025 season remains the only one available to watch at press time.
Lakeside Lutheran Impact
Stubblefield credits Lakeside’s woods and metals programs to shaping who he is as a person. “It was a pretty pivotal time for me because it allowed me to exercise an actual interest that I had that I could really put to work. I don’t know what I would have done without that.”
“I’m really grateful for my Lakeside education. It helped me to become a well-rounded individual to the point where—at the time—I didn’t know how I was going to apply that knowledge and those skills, but now it has all come together. We’re blessed beyond what we could have ever imagined being in this situation.”
Charlie (‘04) and Sarah (Bauer ‘04) Stubblefield have three children (oldest to youngest): Blake, Calvin and Quinn.
Dustin
‘23 Cheyenne Johnson (‘23) and Will Miller (‘23) engaged in April 2025 and are planning a May 29, 2026 wedding.
‘23 Grace Plitzuweit (‘23) and Tyler Marty (‘22) are engaged. They are planning a 2027 wedding.
‘22 Lydia Bilitz (‘22) and Kyle Main (‘22) are engaged and planning a summer wedding.
Quinn Bilitz got engaged to
‘14 Maria Manteufel (‘14) married Josh Hegge in October of 2024 in Columbus. They reside in Stoughton.
‘22 Jameson Schmidt (‘22) and Carly Paske (‘22) were married last August in Arlington, WI. Celebrating with them in their wedding party were FW Corey Paske (‘16), Carter Paske (‘29), Lydia Bilitz (‘22), Kobe Paske (‘20), Cameron Paske (‘19), Maid of Honor Lily Schuetz (‘22), Best Man Kyle Main (‘22), Christian Schmidt (‘21), Lillian (Runke ‘21) Schmidt, Jonathan Schmidt (‘25) and Mathias Schmidt (‘27).
‘02 Andrea (Oppermann ‘02) Grasenick married Marcus Grasenick in 2022. They welcomed a son Lukas in 2023 and a son Ryan in 2024. They are both teachers (Andrea at Shoreland Lutheran HS and Marcus at Kingdom Prep Lutheran HS). They enjoy traveling around the country with their boys. Andrea also served as a clinician at the 2025 WELS National Choral Fest at Fox Valley Lutheran High School this past fall.
‘01 Kaycee (Hafenstein) Welke recently had an article published for the WELS Forward In Christ about raising her younger daughter Aria, who is neurodivergent with ADHD and Autism, and the importance of inclusion for all in worship services. You can read it at forwardinchrist. net/welcome-to-my-pew.
‘00 Sara (Lenser ’00) Rowe excited to share that she has accepted a full-time (mostly remote) job position with Kingdom Workers, through which she taught English in China back in 2007-08! She will be supporting programs that include Foster Support, ministry to those with disabilities (previously Jesus Cares Ministries), and RISE (Restoring Identity through Support and Empowerment), which supports those who have experienced relationship abuse.
‘95 Michelle (Zastrow ‘95) Wegner shares “This school year marks my 15th year in the ministry: 3 years at Peace in Sun Prairie teaching kindergarten (before having my son Lincoln) plus this school year makes 12 years at Trinity-St. Luke’s (my 1st year at TSL was the year my daughter Brooklyn started kindergarten). In December of ‘25 my husband Josh and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary.”
‘17
Grace Suiter. They are planning a wedding for the summer of 2026. Quinn is a pastor in Holmen, WI.
‘86 Matt Asmus was named the 2025 inventor of the year for the controls business at Johnson Controls in January 2026, the second consecutive year he was inventor of the year. His 40th US patent was allowed on November 26, 2025
‘84 Dena (Lassanske ‘84) Miller died peacefully at home on December 4, 2025 after a battle with colon cancer. Services were held on Dec 16 at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Green Bay, Wis.
‘66 Richard (Rick) Wright passed away on March 29th at home, surrounded by his family. A celebration of life was held Sunday, April 26.
UPDATE US!
Alum, we want to hear about your personal/family/work announcements! Your fellow Forever Warriors want to celebrate, to pray, to encourage you as you go through life events. Update us online at llhs.org/apps/form/alumupdate or email updateus@llhs.org or ... send something to us old-school style! 231 Woodland Beach Rd. Lake Mills 53551
Tim Otterstatter ‘81 is hosting a decade-long reunion. Graduate from ‘76-’86? YOU are invited to join in the fun on Saturday, July 25 at the Hayloft Barn at W2765 E Gate Drive, Watertown, 6-11 pm: light snacks, tap beer and cash bar. RSVP to Tim at jtotter63@gmail.com or 715-479-8118. Not from the classes of ‘76-’86 and want to join in on the fun? ... you won’t be turned away.
This year’s Grand Event offered dinner guests a new style of infotainment. Adrianne Stuebs (left)—wife of Christian (‘93) and mom to 5 Forever Warriors (after Will ‘26 graduates this spring)—and Elise (Meier ‘20) Ulman sat onstage for an encore interview of the one they did for Adrianne’s Higher Hope podcast earlier this year. While the podcast exists “to shine a light on Christian women and the positive impact they have on those around them,” our “Fiesta of Faith” feature focused on Elise sharing how LL’s mission to “educate, encourage and equip our students for life and for eternity” played out in the time she spent teaching southof-the-border in the Dominican Republic.
Find @higherhope.podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & others by searching Higher Hope with Adriane Stuebs
CONNECT!
by his design (bhd) is a 3-year, $9.2M initiative to expand and renovate classrooms, create flexible learning spaces, and provide more room for athletics, arts & co-currics. Nearing capacity, we need to improve accessibility, campus flow, and collaboration to serve students into the future.
With lead gifts committed toward the $9.2 million goal—including a 1.25:1 match up to $4.6 mil— we are more than halfway to goal. God is clearly at work preparing the way. Bold expressions of faith are designed to inspire others to join We invite you to prayerfully partner with LLHS in this important season of keeping the momentum rolling—trusting God’s provision and helping build a future where students learn boldly, live faithfully, and lead courageously, by His design.
An addition will add 7 classrooms & workrooms and lavatories to the northwest corner of campus, ready for use by August 2027.
The addition of a multipurpose space, locker rooms and expanded east side parking is also expected to be ready to use by August 2027.
A self-standing building for ticketing, concessions and lavatories on the south end of the outdoor field is also planned for use by 2027.
scan to read more
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One of the classrooms planned will be a large STEM lab adjacent to the existing woods lab.
Together, through prayerful commitment and faithful giving, we will transform this vision into reality and honor the One who makes all things possible (Proverbs 16:3).
• April 2026: Public campaign launch ›› • June 2026: Financing secured (if needed)
• August 2026: Groundbreaking
• August 2027: Construction completion & grand opening
Prefer a conversation with Mission Advancement Director Matt Oppermann? Call him at 262-455-1484
Sign up to receive monthly updates and progress reports on the by his design building projects on the Lakeside Lutheran campus from summer 2026 to fall 2027
Or go to bit.ly/BHDnewsletter
Alum Link: Hahn ‘02 heads up a new Warrior look
“One of the most rewarding parts of design is seeing the final product in action. For me, designing for Lakeside wasn’t just another project—because Lakeside is part of my history. Even after years away, watching my work become part of the school’s identity is very rewarding, and I’d like to thank Lakeside for giving me the chance to be involved..” ~
Greg Hahn
‘02 senior yearbook pic and today
Gregory Hahn remembers spending time at Lakeside even before he began his years as a student in 1998. Since his dad, Jerry Hahn, was a Lakeside teacher and coach, there were plenty of times when Greg was on campus early on. “I remember scorekeeping games for the baseball team when I was in 5th grade, attending basketball camps, and things like that,” he says. “My most memorable subject was the three years of German I took with Mr. Walta—I enjoyed that class. I played basketball for two years, freshman football, and was even in the talent show once or twice.”
He shares that he’s always been interested in both art and sports—not just the games themselves, but the aesthetics around them, like logos and baseball caps. That curiosity led to logo design, which began as a hobby. As he shared his work online, he began being contacted for projects. It became a creative outlet that grew into something bigger.
Though he is not actively pursuing graphic design work anymore, during his freelance years under DesignsbyHahn, clients included Faulkner University, Montana Western, Paine College and more, as well as high schools and minor league pro teams. “Birds of prey—like eagles or hawks—are probably my favorite to design,” he says. “Birds are so common that the challenge is to create a unique look. If I had to pick a favorite, I’d say Oklahoma Wesleyan’s eagle logo from a decade ago.”
How did he get involved with a Warrior redesign? “Back in 2015, when my dad was still coaching, I asked him if Lakeside had ever considered updating its logo,” Greg recalls. “He connected me with Kim Winters in the publications office, and we started brainstorming.” He created a few illustrations, but the project stalled. Fast forward a decade, and Kim reached out to say
there was renewed interest from a number of directions. Greg picked up where he left off— making necessary edits before coming to the final result, what we now see on the varsity gym wall.
Today Greg lives in South Korea with wife Soyoung and daughter, Savi (Savannah). In addition to the design projects he’s worked on, he and Soyoung teach English. He enjoys “reading, basketball, hikes in the hills around our home, and spending time with my family.”
When asked to reflect on the process of creating a new look for the Warriors, he shared thoughtful decisons. “It combines Lakeside’s well-recognized crossed LLs with the warrior head—two key elements of the school’s identity—into one design using both familiar shades of Lakeside blue. Bold lines make it versatile and easy to reproduce at any scale whether online or on apparel,” he says. “It’s distinctly Lakeside, and it’s designed to represent not just athletics but the school as a whole. My goal was to make a design that Lakeside can be proud of for years to come.” Lakeside is grateful for Hahn’s care and generosity in donating his time and expertise in this update. While the historical Warrior head remains in various places and uses—in particular with older alumni—the new generation of Warriors (& future Warriors) have responded with a resounding thumbs up!
The new Warrior head joins other conference logos on an 8-ft dia. “pie,” also in the East Gym.
School Update: Co-curriculars experiemce wide success
Ø FFA members freshman Kinsley Kutz (St. John’s,Jefferson) and sophomore Stella Schmocker (St. Paul’s, Fort Atkinson) took 1st and 2nd place in the prepared speaking event at the FFA District Speaking Contest.
Ø Warrior Team 53551W Resilience competed in the state VEX Robotics Championship alongside 48 other Wisconsin teams in March. After qualifying matches, the team finished 16th overall with a 6-4 record and fell in Round 1 of the knockout round.
Ø With more than 90 students participating, we are blessed to have had 29 out of our 52 total entries earn a starred-
WINTER SPORTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS & MORE
Ø In our first year of girls wrestling full team conference competition, they won a regional championship! Junior Lucy Kuchta (Eastside, Madison) (185#) and freshman Gwendolyn Forster (St. Jerome, Columbus), (120#) won regional titles in their weight classes. A total of 5 Lady Warrior wrestlers qualified for sectionals.
CONFERENCE/REGIONAL CHAMPS
Ø #3 seed Girls Basketball went 19-8, won the Capitol North Conference, and won the regional championship for the first time since 2018. Junior Nadia Murphy (St. Luke’s, Watertown) earned Capitol North Player of the Year recognition.
Ø #2 seed Boys Basketball ended its season with a 18-7 record at the regional final game against Luther Prep. Senior Wes Rahn (Bethany, Fort Atkinson), received All-State honors and senior Brady Wolfram, son of Brett ‘86 and Jodi (St. Paul’s, Fort Atkinson) received WBCA Elite Academic All-State honors.
Ø Wrestler John Clum, son of Tom and Natalie (Twohig ‘04) (Calvary Bible Fellowship, Monona), became the first freshman in Lakeside history to qualify for the state wrestling tournament with an impressive 37-12 record in a competitive 132# weight class. The team marked the season with a 3rd place finish at the conference meet, one of the highest conference finishes in years.
Ø Senior bowler Garrett Parkhurst (St. Luke’s, Watertown) placed 5th at district and qualified to bowl at WHSBC State Championships for the 2nd year in a row. Parkhurst also earned the opportunity to compete in the annual All-Star Challenge in Green Bay.
Ø Going next level: Jackson Stein (St. Paul, Lake Mills) signed his intent to play football at D1 University of North Dakota. Wes Rahn signed to play basketball at D2 University of Minnesota-Duluth.
first rating at the WSMA SoloEnsemble District festival, qualifying 58 teens to perform at the State Festival April 25 at UW-Whitewater, including Warrior Percussion Ensemble, Swing Choir, and 24 vocal, piano, and other instrumental solo, duets, and small ensembles. At state, 25 entries received a 1st rating, including Percussion and both Swing Choir entries. Three performers were “Exemplary Performance” nominees (the equivalent of State RunnerUp) and two others received Exemplary Performance awards (the equivalent of State Champion!): Lucy Kuchta for her Musical Theater solo, and senior Elizabeth Mellon (Our Redeemer, Madison) was awarded for both (!) an Alto vocal solo and Piano solo.
Ø Both our Varsity and JV teams were champs at the spring Capitol Conference math meet, competing against 10 other schools on each level from both the Capitol North and the Capitol South through three individual events and one team event. The Warrior teams also swept the fall conference meet.
Ø Warrior Forensics culminated its season by finishing third at the Wisconsin Forensics Coaching Association (WFCA) state tournament at Neenah High School in Neenah on April 11. LLHS is in its 4th year of WFCA and competes in Division 3, which includes high schools with enrollments up to 934 students.
We are grateful for the heartfelt gifts offered to the ministry of Lakeside Lutheran High School by one or more donors from November 2025 through April 8, 2026 in loving memory or honor of loved ones.
Shout to the Lord with joy, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are his. Psalm 100,:1-3
in Memory of
Marilyn Baneck
James Battist
Marilyn Bitter
Joey Briella Lou Bowling
Ray Bowling
Benjamin Brumm
Marlene Buchta
Nancy Buske
Karen Cornell
Jason Dollard
Doris Draeger
Sue Eaton
John “Jack” Else
Sara Feuerstahler
Robert Franz
Agnes Froemming
Clara Garbisch
Delores Gentz
Armin Genz
Doris Gillis
Stacey Goldberg
Judith Gueldner
Ronald Hartwig
Virjean Jaeckel
in Honor
of
Class of 1979
Alexandra Krahn’s birthday
Lydia Kelm
Kenneth Knauth
Phyllis Kohl
Deana Kolb
Carol Kornstedt
Richard Kornstedt
Jeff Krakow
Sylvia Kube
Barbara Kuehn
Rosalie Kutz
John LaDien
Elaine Lehmann
George Lehmann
Peter Lehmann
John Loeck
Don Loppnow
Dena Miller
Loved Ones
David Oppermann
Ryan Palmer
Mary Ann Pernat
Dorothy Popp
Rev. John Quandt
Marvel Riesop
Neal & Kris Kohlhoff’s Wedding Anniversary
Alexandra Krahn
Cecelia Krahn
Mia Krahn
Paige Krahn
Lorna Roberts
Carl Schaper
Bill Schmidt
Karen Schoenwetter
Delores Schultz
LaVerne Schulz
Cole Strohbusch
Joyce Strohm
John Sullivan
Dan Tardie
Roger Tews
David Thiele
John Thurow
James Tiefel
Judy Tietz
Ethel Tracy
Henry Vredeveld
Mila Vredeveld
Niles Wendorf
Steve Wimmer
Nickey Wiszynski
Clifford Witte
Lois Zabel
Arlene Zastrow
Herman Zastrow
Bob Kuykendall’s Birthday
Cheryl Moeller’s Birthday
Got news? Share changes & updates at llhs.org/apps/pages/alum
At this spot on the LLHS website you can also see the current list of class reunion contacts on file.
2026 REUNIONS
Check out the latest information under “Upcoming Reunions” at llhs.org/alum/ Want to get on e-mail lists for these reunions that are still in planning stages? Provide your info to updateus@llhs.org and Jess will make sure your reunion organizer gets your address.
Ä Class of 1966: 60 years ... Plan for a reunion this fall. Date and details will be shared soon. . Reach out to Roger Herbert with any questions at rogsan815@att.net.
Ä Class of 1976: 50 years ... Get ready to celebrate on August 29! After a school tour at 2 pm, we’re at the Lake Mills Legion at 4 pm, dinner at 5. Cost is $40/person. Casual dress. Invites are out. Questions, please reach out to a planning lead: Gary Zastrow g.zastrow@yahoo. com, Peggy (Schoenfeld) Cooper psscooper@gmail.com, Beth (Gullixson) Grasser beth.grasser@ gmail.com or Deb (Fenner) Kopplin at divodeb@yahoo.com. RSVP now!
Classes of 1976—1986 Tim Otterstatter ‘81 is hosting a decade-long reunion. Graduate from ‘76-’86? YOU are invited to join in the fun on Saturday, July 25 at the Hayloft Barn at W2765 E Gate Drive, Watertown, 6-11 pm: light snacks, tap beer and cash bar. RSVP to Tim at jtotter63@gmail.com or 715-479-8118. Not from the classes of ‘76-’86 and want to join in on the fun ... you won’t be turned away.
Ä Class of 1985: 41 years ... never too late to celebrate! Join other ‘85ers on August 1. After a school tour at 4 pm, we’ll celebrate and dine at Milford Hills Gun Club at 6 pm. (W5670 French Road Johnson Creek). Invites are out. Reach out to Kris (Schmidt) Pappenfuss kpappenfuss@ wlavikings.org or Kathy (Schmidt) Haley kathyhaley_99@yahoo.com with questions.
Ä Class of 1986: 40 years ... Plans are to meet at Lakeside early afternoon on July 25 for a tour & more before joining the decade reunion in Watertown (see above). More specifics coming soon. Contact Tammy with questions at tammyiglesias67@gmail.com.
Ä Class of 1996: 30 years ... Mark your calendars for September 12 to meet at the Fall Festival in Oconomowoc from 1-6 pm. More specifics will be sent out soon. Contact Tina (Berg) Kraft with any questions at tkraft1977@yahoo.com.
Ä Class of 2000 & 2001: 25/26 years ... Mark your calendars for: Saturday, October 24, 2026. 2 PM – Tour of LLHS / 3 PM – Drinks downtown Lake Mills (location TBD) / 6 PM – Dinner & socializing at Salamone’s Pizzeria in Fort, $10–15 per person / More details—including an official RSVP—coming your way in August. Save the date and spread the word to classmates you’re still in touch with. Questions, reach out to Kayla (Jaeckel ‘00) Brown at nkbrown08@gmail.com or Lauren (Herro ‘01) Elm at laureneelm@gmail.com
Ä Class of 2006: 20 years ... A reunion is happening this fall! Stay tuned for details. Contact Meredith Degner with questions at meredithdegner@hotmail.com.
Class of 1971, 1981, 1991, 2011, 2016, 2021 ... No reunions planned yet. Anyone is welcome to plan/coordinate a reunion, and there is still time! Reach out to Jess Meyer at jmeyer@llhs.org to get started.
