VOLUME 54, ISSUE 2 222 Memorial Drive Berlin, WI 54923
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022
The
Red ‘n’ Green
A BERLIN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT OPEN FORUM SINCE 1924
Co-salutatorians to give joint graduation address
Camdyn Rohde
Reporter For the class of 2022’s graduation ceremony, Co-Salutatorians Cecilia Bruce-DeMuri and Maddy Rilling will be giving a speech together, and Valedictorian Mateja Clark will not be speaking. Clark declined the offer to give a speech at graduation, readily handing off the responsibility to the salutatorians. “Mr. Bednarek called me down to his office and told me I could opt out of the speech since there were two salutatorians. I told him that if Maddy and Cecilia were okay with me not giving my speech I would gladly give it to them,” Clark said. At a typical graduation ceremony, the salutatorian gives the first speech about the past of the graduating class and the valedictorian speaks afterward about the future. This order comes from the origin of the two titles, salve meaning hello in Latin and vale meaning goodbye. Due to the atypical circumstances, Rilling and Bruce-DeMuri will be incorporating both speech purposes
into one. “Mr. Bednarek called us down together to his office and explained to us that because we are co-salutatorians, and because the valedictorian has opted out of doing a speech, he thought it would be special if we could do a joint speech to honor that. I fully agree and I am excited to give the speech with Maddy. I have appreciated learning alongside her,” BruceDeMuri said. Although the situation of cosalutatorians has occurred before, it is still uncommon. Typically there are methods used to break the tie in the case that one arises. “Cecilia and Maddy were tied for number two based on our class rank formula. While we do have tie-breaking procedures for the academic excellence scholarship, I felt no need to break the tie for the title of salutatorian. Both are deserving,” Principal Bryant Bednarek said. In addition to being neck-inneck their entire academic careers, Bruce-DeMuri and Rilling are also close friends. “Cecilia and I have had very
Students earn highest honors The following seniors received honors at the Academic Breakfast Awards program on March 30. The awards were presented by the Student Council presidents.
Letter
Molly Gallert Chase Kurczek Alexis Laude Andrew Smith
1st Bar
Gavin Batley Riley Beulen Samuel Gerber Yahir Gomez Olivia Gustke
2nd Bar Delaney Erb Violet Lueck Allie Borland Allisa Smoody Karisa Tessaro Jadon Vergin
3rd Bar
Lauren Batley Hunter Boegh Jaron Clinch Keziah Fredenburg Kaden Fritz Lily Huber Alaina Kapp Marissa Kwidzinski Skylar Longsine Ella Resop Jazmin Rodencal Luke Schroeder Bryce Werch
4th Bar
Cecilia Bruce-DeMuri Mateja Clark Jeremy Disterhaft Alexa Fleegal Kara Fritz Tyler Johnson Erica Jones Kaylee Olson Luyen Pham Gabrielle Reiser Maddy Rilling Camdyn Rohde Sophie Ryf Regina Schimke Thomas Schroeder Grace Werch
Created by: K. Olson
similar schedules throughout high school and have really been a big help to each other. It has never felt like a competition between her and me, but more something that we have helped each other with and experienced together,” Rilling said. Graduating at the top of one’s class is recognized as not an easy task. While it is an honor, both Clark and Bruce-DeMuri acknowledge that class rank is not what ultimately defines their four years at Berlin High School. “I don’t think that being the top of your class is necessarily the most important thing, and putting immense pressure on yourself to always perform perfectly can be really hard. The advice I would give to students who want to be top of their class is to have forgiveness with yourself,” Bruce-DeMuri said. “It is important to try hard, but knowing your limits and honoring your mental and physical health is even more important. I also think it is important to approach school with a sense of curiosity. I have
Seniors Maddy Rilling (left) and Cecilia Bruce-DeMuri (right) were chosen as co-salutatorians for the class of ‘22. Rilling and BruceDeMuri are working on their joint graduation address together, as Valedictorian Mateja Clark opted out of giving a speech. “Cecilia and I plan to cover both parts of the speech together. We plan to each talk in separate paragraphs but overall combine the speech,” Rilling said. Photo: C. Rohde found that when I get actively involved in classes and want to understand the full concepts of the content, I usually find success in the course.”
The speech will include both the past and present of the class of ‘22, and it will be given on Friday, May 27 at the graduation ceremony.
Scholarships aid seniors attending college Anna McCarthy
Reporter
Scholarships are very important to seniors as they cushion the financial burden of college. Each year, the Scholarship Awards Program recognizes these scholarship recipients. This year, over $200,000 was given away. “Scholarships are awarded based on need, GPA, and quite often where students are attending school and what they are planning to major in,” Berlin Community Scholarship Committee member Angela Femali said. Seniors had to complete multiple tasks to apply for scholarships. “For the application we had to fill out a Google Form and answer basic questions about ourselves along with an essay on how these scholarships can help,” senior Riley Beulen said. This year’s Scholarship Awards Program was the first one held live in two years. “The presenters would come up to the stage and some would explain the scholarship they were giving out and then present the scholarship to the chosen student. All of the seniors who were getting scholarships sat up on the stage and once their name was called would go and receive
their scholarship,” senior Kara Fritz said. Fritz received the Connie Curran scholarship for $10,000. This scholarship is awarded to a girl that displays strong academic and leadership skills throughout high school. “I am very grateful to have received the scholarships that I did. They will definitely help me out financially in college. I am very appreciative to all the donors as well,” Fritz said. Senior Alexa Fleegal received the "Standing Tall" scholarship which is awarded to students that had to overcome obstacles. For Fleegal, that obstacle was the loss of her father. “It was an emotional experience for me because that scholarship was geared towards someone overcoming an obstacle. I wrote about the recent loss of my dad and I was humbled to have been chosen for the $500 scholarship,” Fleegal said. College is increasingly expensive, and scholarships help lower these costs and help students get through college with less debt. “Scholarships are important because they help students with their financial needs as they continue their education in college,” Beulen said.
Senior Alexa Fleegal receives the “Standing Tall” scholarship at the awards ceremony. The Scholarship Awards Program was held on Wednesday, May 18. “My scholarship money will go towards paying for my tuition at UW-La Crosse. It will also help me pay for room and board,” Fleegal said. Photo: E. Wegner
In this
Issue
- Where are they going map pg. 4 - Senior Confessions pg. 6 -College Athletes pg. 8
Opinion
2 WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022
The Red ‘n’ Green
Pros and cons of graduation being on Friday Pros
Cons
-Graduation parties can run through the whole weekend.
-People work on Friday nights.
-Students and parents do not need to schedule their entire weekend around graduation. Many families go camping and spend time together for Memorial Day. -Teachers do not have to come help with graduation on the weekend. -If there is bad weather, there will be the option to move graduation to Saturday instead of having it in the gym. -People are able to enjoy their long weekend after graduation.
The Red ‘n’ Green is printed by Berlin High School and circulated free to students. The purpose of The Red ‘n’ Green is to be an open public forum for our staff, students and readers. We want to create close ties between the administration, faculty, students and the Berlin community. We will give readers the opportunity to voice opinions. The Red ‘n’ Green will accept only signed letters to the editor, although names will be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to return letters for corrections before publishing. The staff will not print any material that is libelous, obscene or malicious. Editorials are unsigned as they reflect the majority opinion of the staff. Editorial topics will be covered in a fair manner. However, controversial topics will be covered. Subscriptions are available. Please contact the business manager at the below email address or phone number.
-Family members who live far away and work might not be able to make it in time for a 6 p.m. Friday night graduation. -Families that are traveling from out of town would have to leave Thursday and take off Friday, or more. -Those who planned to see family before might not be able to because many people work until 5 p.m. -People will be very rushed with setting up for friends and family to come unless they take off of work on Friday. Created by: M. Simon
Red ‘n’ Camdyn Rohde
Berlin High School 222 Memorial Drive Berlin, WI 54923 920.361.2000
2022
Created by: M. Simon
Kaylee Olson kaylee.olson@berlin.k12. wi.us
Green
Senior Farewell
Kaylee Olson
3 years on staff
3 years on staff
Photo: Heaven's Touch Photography Q: What will you miss the most about The Red ‘n’ Green? A: “I am genuinely going to miss everything about being on The Red ‘n’ Green. It has been one of the best parts of my four years here at BHS.”
Photo: Glass Menagerie Photography Q: What will you miss the most about The Red ‘n’ Green? A: “ I’ll miss the people on staff. I really like how we get along and work as a team.”
Skylar Longsine 3 years on staff
Photo: Tara Rudy Photography Q: What will you miss most about The Red’n’ Green? A: “Talking to people I would not normally talk to.”
“[Kaden Fritz] (left) is the best choice for a senior role model. The reason for that is that he has been there for me for most of my high school year, in sports, the musical and so much more,” freshman Aidan Pierstorff said.
Social Media Manager:
Anna McCarthy anna.mccarthy@berlin.k12. wi.us
Reporters: Jane Hoffman Maddy Kresal Skylar Longsine Abby Milliron Reese Nowicki Camdyn Rohde Mia Simon Isaac Smith Emilee Wegner
Adviser:
Shannon Kuehmichel
Created by: M. Simon
Voices in the Hall: Who is your senior role model?
“[Lauren Batley] (right) has helped me this year in many different ways. She has taught me so much and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to get to know her even if it was for a short time,” freshman Aleea Lichtenberg said.
Editor-in-Chief:
“[Delaney Erb] (left) inspires me to keep trying my hardest in theater, music and art. She is the nicest person I’ve ever met, and I know I can always get advice and love from her,” sophomore Jenna Tuinstra said.
“[Bryce Werch] (left) works very hard in and out of school. He does not go a day without getting better and seeing that makes me want to get better at what I do,” sophomore Alex Johnson said. Created by: J. Hoffman
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Feature
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022 3
Senior club members reflect on leadership roles “I think the most rewarding part was seeing how excited people got when they received the yearbook or read the articles. We put a lot of work into it and seeing how excited people get makes me happy. I also got very excited to see everything come together in the end, whether it is articles in the print or pictures in the paper.” -Co-editor of the yearbook Kaylee Olson
“I wanted to help my school any way that I could and I found the Student Council. I was a member for all four years, and I felt that I could also help lead. The hardest part of leading is knowing that my actions are being watched, knowing that everything I do at school will affect someone around me. The most rewarding part is the friendships that I have made with the underclassmen. Don’t be afraid to try new things. You will find new friends in the most unlikely places.” -Co-president of Student Council, Gabi Reiser “I think the hardest part of being a leader is earning respect and finding a balance between being a friend and being authoritative. The most rewarding part is seeing those you are leading progress. I think everyone should try and be a leader once because it is a huge learning opportunity! It makes a person really understand faking it until they make it with their confidence and really helps people feel that they are important. Also, being a leader allows you to make others who may normally be outcasted feel that they belong.” -Red ‘n’ Green editor Skylar Longsine
On giving advice to future student leaders: “It will be hard and tiring at times and there will maybe even be moments where you question if it’s worth it. The answer is yes, it is. Looking back in my past years and just this one alone at BHS I can say that I’ve made so many memories, met new people, strengthened existing relationships, and even surprised myself. One of the most important things is to surround yourself with people who want you to succeed. Without my friends, teachers, or other staff I wouldn’t be as successful as I am. Most importantly HAVE FUN! Enjoy these moments that you have and embrace the lessons you can learn from it.” -Co-president of Student Council, Lauren Batley
“I’ve taken up leadership positions in all aspects of my life, such as school clubs, in the community, and in my everyday life activities. However, when it came to StuCo election, I was outing myself. Understanding the heavy responsibilities that come along with the title, my main concern was how to balance my life as a senior and my Student Council responsibilities at the same time. However, I chose to give it a chance and try my best! I believe that leadership is an action, not a position. Leadership is not about the role we hold in an organization, rather it is about the action we choose to take. With my experiences, I learned to accept that no matter what we do, it’s impossible to make 100% of people happy all the time. Therefore, making hard decisions is a skill set a leader must master.” -Student Council secretary Luyen Pham Created by: C. Rohde
Contributions to school overlooked Kaylee Olson Editor-in-Chief There are many students that do different behind the scenes work that impacts the school. Senior Molly Gallert does a wide variety of tasks that help out the art department. “Molly is currently my teacher assistant. She does all sorts of work in the art department. This sort of came about because she was in Aspiring Education for second grade last semester. Her experience was more observation than leadership, and instead of taking that class a second time I convinced her that being my assistant would be similar to Aspiring Ed, but I would give her leadership roles,” art teacher Angela Breunig said. “In addition to the Art Department, I saw Molly work hard behind the scenes for the musical. She helped draw and paint the sets during classes and after school.” Senior Max Naparalla works with the groundskeeping staff to keep the district looking well kept. He helps where he is needed, often bouncing between different tasks. “Every day Max works to keep our school safe and clean. He does this by continuing to pick up garbage around the district and also empty-
ing all of the garbage cans throughout the district. In the winter months, he helps plow snow and salt the parking lots and sidewalks,” Director of Operations Josh Youngbauer said. “When we are shortstaffed Max will step in and help the custodial staff clean areas of the school as needed. He also prepares fields for athletic events. Max definitely has a hand in the day-to-day operations of the school.” Although Gallert does so much for the Art Department, she says that her hard work goes unnoticed by students. On top of helping Breunig, Gallert also helps with the musical set and art display cases. “I know my work goes unnoticed because when it came to musicals I didn’t get recognition at all for it, it was just kind of expected. And for the showcases and boxes and the library, people don’t know I do those things. It’s kind of like people just think a fairy came in the middle of the night and poof it was brand new,” Gallert said. “I know Mrs. B. always gets told that the showcases are beautiful and she says that it’s all because of me and I get happy for that recognition, but that’s about as far as it goes. It does kind of get frustrating at times because I spend so much time on these things, but
I’m used to it by now.” Naparalla said that even though he does not get verbal recognition for his work, he feels like he gets appreciated when people see that the grounds are cleared and freshly mowed. If it was not done, people would be able to tell and not appreciate it anymore. “Everything I do for the district, people can see. So if it was not done they could see that,” Naparalla said.
Senior Molly Gallert paints the musical set after school. She spent countless hours working to make sure the set was perfect for the showing of the musical. Photo: C. Bruce-DeMuri
Lueck, Franke named May Students of the Month
Photo by: Rachel Van Den Photo by: Carrie Jahnke Hout Photography Q: Red ‘n’ Green Reporter Q: Red ‘n’ Green Reporter Skylar Longsine Skylar Longsine A: Senior Garrett Franke A: Senior Violet Lueck Q: What is a goal you have Q: What is a goal you for yourself after high have for yourself after school? high school? A: “I plan on paying off my A: “It has always been a semesters without loans, goal of mine to have my just financially balancing. I own classroom and be a want to graduate somewhat teacher. I took classes in high in my class by putting high school and plan to in an effort.” get through college to Q: What are your plans for help me reach that goal. after high school? My biggest goal is just to be happy, having fun with A: “College hopefully. I will family, and my career.” be attending Moraine Park Q: What are your plans Technical College. I will be majoring in networking for after high school? cyber security and technical A: “I will be attending UWsupport.” Whitewater and majoring Q: What is a lesson that in early childhood educa- you learned throughout tion. I plan on teaching high school? kindergarteners.” A: “I learned that effort does Q: What is a lesson that count. “ you learned throughout Q: Has there ever been a high school? time where you struggled
A: “I’ve learned to do things to find balance in high school? that make me happy. High school goes by so fast and A: “I did struggle a little, but you don’t have time not to I feel like everyone experihave fun.” ences that.” Q: Red ‘n’ Green Reporter Q: Red ‘n’ Green Reporter Skylar Longsine Skylar Longsine A: Friend Chase Kurczek
A: Friend Hunter Schwersenska Q: What are your favorite qualities about Violet? Q: What are some of your favorite qualities about Garrett? A: “She always gets stuff done. She always works A: “We can laugh about very hard and gets her pretty much anything. We work done on time and get along very well.” makes sure she does her Q: Red ‘n’ Green Reporter best.” Skylar Longsine Q: Red ‘n’ Green Reporter A: Teacher Jared Marshall Skylar Longsine Q: What are some of your favorite qualities about A: Teacher Erika Pethan Garrett? A: “I think Violet is hilarious. A: “Garrett is dedicated to I think that is the thing that what he is working on, and draws people to her. She is he is a very hard working a hard worker. She doesn’t individual.” give up.” Created by: S. Longsine
4 WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022
s s la
2 2 0 2 f O
Where will time take them...?
Workforce
C
Bryce Arndt Annamarie Aviles Emanuel Caulfield Isaac Dament Colton Darnick Blane Davey Peter Fritz Michael Fuentes Jonah Gonzales Jonah Hardel Raymond Hartmann Laurence Hoppa Lola Jecevicus Ben Krings Evan Legler Michael Martelli Dominick Millin Max Naparalla UW-River Falls Bailey O’Neal Delaney Erb Ethan Parker Hannah Phelps Henry Reabe Jacqueline Schwochert Johnathan Smith Diego Sparkman Murphy Strebelinski Makade Thom
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Ella Resop Minnesota State College, Red Wing Regina Schimke
Winona State University Winona, Minnesota Tyler Johnson North Central University, Minneapolis, Minnesota Gabrielle Reiser
California Beauty College Modesto, California Amber Olmstead
Undecided
Alyssa Arreola Sanchez Gavin Batley Penelope Bongert Clifford Denman Gage Gneiser Olivia Gustke Isaiah Hostak Andrew Przybyl Joseph Sahotsky Jennica Wallin
The Academy of Beauty Professionals Juliana Olvera
Marines
Bryan Aguirre
Fox Valley Technical College Logan Bastian Citlalli Cobos Lara Ashley Cotello Ryan Henley Alexis Laude Connor Paugels Estrella Picazo Grace Sonnentag Jadon Vergin Anna Waltenberry
Air Force Andrew Smith Army-National Guard Kyle Janzen
UW-Stevens Point Alexander DeLeon Wyatt Lind Sophie Ryf
UW-Stout Samuel Gerber Bryce Werch
UW-Oshkosh Kara Fritz Amirrah Hudson Erica Jones Marissa Kwidzinski Jalliana Ledesma Hannah Nigbor
Local 139 Operating Engineer School Hunter Schwersenska
UW-La Crosse Riley Beulen Alexa Fleegal Alaina Kapp Maddy Rilling Camdyn Rohde Allisa Smoody Xavier Wendt
UW-Platteville Jazmin Rodencal Karisa Tessaro
Baylor University, Waco, Texas Kaylee Olson
UW-Madison Lauren Batley Cecilia Bruce-DeMuri Mateja Clark Keziah Fredenburg Kaden Fritz Lily Huber Tommy Schroeder Grace Werch
Moriane Park Technical College Jaron Clinch Garrett Franke Molly Gallert Yahir Gomez Chase Kurczek Cade Martin Luis Picazo-Cruz Luke Schroeder Hunter Werch
UW- Fond du Lac Gabrille Delzer
UW-Whitewater Violet Lueck Lucy Smith Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa Luyen Pham Falmouth UniversityCornwall Alexandria Borland
Milwaukee Technical College Jazmine Esquivias Concordia University Hunter Boegh Carroll University Jeremy Disterhaft
University of South Carolina- Columbia Skylar Longsine
Created by K. Olson
Seniors make unique future plans Camdyn Rohde
Reporter
As four years at Berlin High School come to an end, the class of ‘22 is constantly fielding questions about their futures. While some have thoughts of their future on the backburner, there are also those students who seem to have their futures planned out, no matter how unique they may seem. One of these students is senior Regina Schimke. Schimke is planning to become a luthier, which is someone who makes or repairs string instruments. “I have essentially two options for getting into the luthier business. I could either go to college or do an apprenticeship. There is only one school in the country that has a violin repair course which is Minnesota State College Southeast, Redwing Campus in Red Wing, Minnesota. I have been in contact with a professional luthier in Fond du Lac and was debating between an apprenticeship with him and going to MSC Southeast this fall. I ultimately decided on MSC. When I graduate next spring I will have a Violin Repair Diploma, which, to my knowledge, is the highest official degree you can get,” Schimke said.
Similar to Schimke who chose her career due to her passion for music, senior Karisa Tessaro also chose her future career because of something she loves: animals. Tessaro plans on studying zoology post high school. “I have been studying animals since I could read, and I knew I wanted to go into the medical field. I also learned a couple years ago that I would rather work on exotic animals rather than domesticated ones. This is due to the fact that there are so many animals out there and I would love to learn about and even meet as many as I can,”Tessaro said. Whether it’s due to simply having a passion or something entirely different, there are many reasons for one to choose their future career. For senior Jazmin Esquivias, she chose to be a mortician to get over her fear of death. “I hope to one day build my own funeral home. I’m going to Milwaukee Area Technical College to get my mortuary license and a funeral director certificate. My second year I have to take a special chemistry class called Thanatochemistry which is ‘the chemistry of death.’ It involves all the chemicals used in the embalming process. All my other classes will be about funerals and
Senior Regina Schimke has plans to become a luthier after high school. “As a luthier I will primarily be fixing violins, violas, cellos, and basses. I will also be able to fix and rehair bows. I’m also taking two optional violin making classes. I don’t foresee myself making violins full time but I definitely will in my free time and maybe once I’m an established luthier,” Schimke said. Photo submitted death and those types of things,” Esquivias said. As the daunting idea of the future looms over the heads of many, Schimke feels quite level headed when it comes to her future career. “The more I think about it the more I realize how perfectly the lu-
thier path fits me. My dad was the one who first suggested it. I was getting frustrated trying to figure out what I wanted to do because I knew I wanted to do something with music, but the only real options were performing or teaching, both of which I didn’t want to do,”
Schimke said. “This is the only path I’ve found that combines everything I love: working alone or with a small group, fixing things, creative problem solving, a little bit of engineering when it comes to the acoustics of the instruments, and above all, music.”
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022 5
Incredible journey through time: Class of 2022 Ledesma, Pham demonstrate resilience Moments to Remember Skylar Longsine Reporter
Seniors Jalliana Ledesma and Luyen Pham have overcome a great deal in their journey through time. Ledesma struggled with the difficulty of a separation from her family, resulting in her mother moving hundreds of miles south. Pham also struggled with distance due to her moving from Vietnam with the hope of living a better life. Ledesma no longer wanted her past to hold her back, instead she chose to move forward and learn from it. “I overcame it by taking time to accept it as the past. I wrote it down and started burning the pages. The only time you should live in the past is when you are trying to see how far you came along,” Ledesma said. Ledesma did not struggle through her hardships alone. Be Great Graduate adviser Eydie Reiser provided guidance and support for her during her time of need. “When I moved to my father’s and my mother moved all the way to Florida, Eydie stepped up and became like a second mom in my eyes,” Ledesma said. Reiser sees Ledesma as a very driven and hardworking individual. “Jalli is a dedicated student who is working toward a better future. I have on a regular basis seen her achieve some major life goals,” Reiser said. Pham, with her own dedication and ambition, also worked very hard to be where she is
The class of 2022 favorite moments out their high
Senior Jalliana Ledesma shares her story for Youth of the Year. The Youth of the Year is chosen by a committee involving the Boys and Girls Club. The candidates are chosen because they overcame extremely difficult times in their lives and grew from it. Photo: Rachel Van Den Hout Photography, courtesy of The Boys and Girls Club today. “I am uncertain of what my life would be like if I had never crossed the ocean to start a new life on the other side of the world. Thinking back now makes me realize just how lucky I truly was to have been allowed to come to America, the Land of the Free. America gave me a bright future, a better life and greater freedom. I am a stronger, braver and more independent girl than I was six years ago, knowing wholeheartedly that I am extremely capable of achieving anything I set my mind to,” Pham said. While struggling with social barriers she was also fighting internal battles. “I decided to swallow my pain and set my mind to the task at
hand, choosing to fight for my place in the new world I was living in, to show my family that their faith in me was not in vain. I never gave up on myself, and every time I wanted to quit, tired of being an outcast and having to adapt, I thought about why I came to this country,” Pham said. Pham feels a special gratitude for all of her classmates for helping her through her learning curve. “Class of 2022, thank you for being part of my journey since day one. From translating English to Vietnamese, helping me open my locker to walking me to the bus after school, I wouldn’t be who I am today without your support,” Pham said.
Moments in time that shaped the class of ‘22 Senior Erica Jones “We were the last elementary class of Poy Sippi. Actually, the real last class was the one before my grade because they were in kindergarten when we left, so I am one of the last. Poy Sippi was a memorable place for students to go and that is the last of the students that went through.”
Senior Lily Huber “The big change from trimesters to semesters was an adjustment period that challenged my ability to adapt.”
Senior Karisa Tessaro “The loss of Austin Johnson. From what I knew he was the happiest kid I ever saw, a little ball of sunshine. He was always smiling, and he was a good friend. After his loss there were a lot of changes, a lot of therapy sessions, a lot of conflict, but I feel that collectively as a class we grew a little closer for a bit. We all came together to mourn.”
Senior Grace Sonnentag “We were the smallest All Saints class. I graduated with one other person, Kaylee Olson. It was a big change from the previous year. We were paired with the sixth and seventh graders and basically had to learn at a lower level than what we normally would have.”
“Mr. Arndt parking between two parking spots. Seen on BHS bad parking.”
Camdyn Rohde
Marissa
Kwidzinski
“Doing 'Newsies' as our musical freshman year. It was the most fun I’ve ever had in high school.”
“Issac Lueck running into a soccer goal post.”
Cecilia BruceDeMuri
Created by I. Smith
shares what their were throughschool careers.
Erica Jones
“Homecoming has always been my favorite!“
“Sitting in Ms.Leahy’s room watching a dinosaur run down the hallway racing Mr. Kvam.”
Violet Lueck
Created by: M. Simon
6 WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022
Arts & Entertainment
Seniors display leadership through music Maddy Kresal
Reporter
Senior year is the final period where students make their last impressions on the school. Everyone does this in a variety of ways whether that be in sports or clubs. Seniors Sophie Ryf, Camdyn Rohde, Kara Fritz and Allie Borland each dedicated their four years to music. “I am in the Honors Concert Choir, Soundwave, Acavox, Encore and was part of the musical. I decided to join because I have always had a love for music and music is very important in my family,” Fritz said. While being involved in multiple parts of music, there is a leadership skill that each of these four developed. “There has seldom been a time in my life where I have put music on the back burner. It has always been something that I put my best effort into and I encourage the underclassmen to do so as well. I think our (the seniors) passion for what we do in our music groups definitely shows, and that helps everyone else put forth more effort as well,” Rohde said.
Ryf was the drum major for marching season in Wind Techniques. Her approach to being a leader was much different than the rest. “I always liked the idea of being a drum major because my first two years we had really good people and drum majors. It was always something that I thought would be a very interesting experience, and it has been,” Ryf said. The balance between school and extracurricular activities can be a handful. Borland explains the hardest parts she experienced during her musical time. “I find that I often get into this perfectionist mindset. Sometimes that causes the overall mood of our groups to take a downturn because at that moment, I am valuing the quality of our performance over the fun memories that come with slowing down or joking around,” Borland said. Fritz also shares some challenges in music. “The hardest part was finding time to be a part of all the extracurricular groups and time to practice all of our pieces. It is also hard when our choirs aren’t
Senior Confessions Mateja Clark
I could never stay awake during any of my first hour classes.
balanced, meaning that there’s not many in one vocal part,” Fritz said. All of the hard work each of the seniors put into music was not overlooked by anyone, especially Choral Director Lisa Utecht. “They are very talented individuals who have worked hard at their craft not only to better themselves, but for the good of the group. They are smart, friendly, reliable, responsible and a blessing to our choral music department,” Utecht said. Even as each of the seniors faced hardships, the outcome in the end was well worth it. “My biggest takeaway from being a music leader would be that leading by example is really as important as people say it is. If you want your peers to be passionate and hardworking when it comes to music, you have to be, too. Passion and attitude are contagious,” Rohde said. Borland has a final thought for the underclassmen. “If you’re a student who’s on the fence about performing arts, know that your experiences now are worth more than your image or the opinions of your friends,” Borland said.
Seniors Kara Fritz and Camdyn Rohde attend one of the final choir concerts of the year. “I became a senior leader by using that foundation to help those around me. I appreciate music and all that it has done for me and those around me. I wanted to try my best to make music as enjoyable and great as possible,” Fritz said. Photo submitted
Words of wisdom from the
Class of ’22
“You be you. Do not waste your time trying to make others feel better if you feel bad inside. However, that does not mean you can be selfish,” senior Samuel Gerber said. “Do not stress about being the best, just be the best you can be,” senior Mateja Clark said.
I looked up Mr. Bell's “Polar Bears Around the Ice Hole” and lied about it.
Kaylee Olson
“Be as involved as you can! It makes high school way more enjoyable,” senior Kara Fritz said. “Do your best and do not stress over things you cannot control,” senior Jazmin Rodencal said.
I never did a book problem in Honors Chemistry.
Grace Werch
“Shape up. Do not care who likes and does not like you,” senior Marissa Kwidzinski said.
Created by: I. Smith
Worst trends throughout high school The Red ‘n’ Green surveyed the senior class about the worst trends throughout high school. These were the top five worst trends selected.
I used my last years calc homework if I did not have time to do it this year (retaking for CAPP credit).
Allisa Smoody 1. Snapchat chains
Riley Beulen
2. VSCO girls
3. Hitting the Woah
My friends and I helped toilet paper the school this year.
Created by: A. McCarthy
4. Mullets/perms/ chunky highlights
5. Eating Tide Pods
Created by M. Kresal
Sports
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022 7
Athletes earn funds through Scholarship Awards Program Emilee Wegner
Reporter
Berlin High School students have the opportunity to apply for many scholarships, five of them being athlete specific. The Berlin Backcourt Club’s two scholarships were awarded to seniors Hannah Nigbor and Hunter Boegh. “I received the Berlin Backcourt Club scholarship for $500. To get this scholarship you need to have participated in at least one year in the Berlin basketball program. I also received the Thomas C. Guden Memorial Scholarship for $300. This scholarship is given in memory of Thomas Guden who passed away at the age of 19. They look for people who have character, citizenship, and leadership on and off the field, you also had to participate in at least two or more years of High School softball or baseball. I am very grateful to have been chosen for these scholarships,” Nigbor said. Boegh is also grateful for being able to receive this scholarship and is thankful that his hard work within the sports that he plays has been recognized. “I was awarded the Berlin Backcourt Club scholarship, the Berlin Bulldog Football and Cheerleading scholarship
and the Mid-State Football and Cheerleading scholarship. I feel fortunate. I put a lot of work into it, and I am happy that I was awarded scholarships for my hard work,” Boegh said. The Berlin Bulldog Football and Cheerleading scholarship recipients are seniors Alaina Kapp, Grace Werch and Hunter Boegh. “I received the Berlin Bulldog Cheerleading award showing that I participated in the program for six years and that I cheered all four years in high school, along with showing leadership and being captain of the team this previous year. I feel so honored to have received this award and I am very grateful,” Kapp said. The Mid-State Football & Cheerleading Conference Scholarship recipients were seniors Grace Werch and Hunter Boegh. “I won the Mid-State Football and Cheerleading scholarship for $250. I also won the Berlin Bulldogs Football and Cheerleading scholarship for $500. I am very thankful and proud that I got the scholarships. It is really cool that you can get a scholarship for something you participated in as a kid,” Werch said.
Boys Soccer
Senior Alaina Kapp posing for her yearly Bulldog Cheerleading photo.
Photos submited Senior Hunter Boegh stands with mom Kristine Boegh while participating in the Berlin Bulldogs Football program.
Reporter
It is easy for American students to take advantage of the opportunities that come with going to school here. One opportunity that is available to all students is sports. For other countries like Germany, they do not get the opportunity to go out for sports. Sports have to be played outside of school and must be paid for, which is very similar to club sports. “I don’t have sports after school in Germany so I wanted to join. This was also a great opportunity to meet new friends,” foreign exchange student Sarah Becker said. A challenge that Becker faced back in Germany was the cost of doing club sports, since sports had to be done outside of school and paid for. “I was a little bit more into volleyball because I love the sport, but never could play volleyball in Germany because I didn’t have time or it was too expensive to play in a club,” Becker said. Foreign exchange student Ruth Illa Medina went out for sports to make new friendships and keep herself occupied. “I decided to go out for sports to keep myself busy and entertained, as well as for meeting new people,” Illa Medina said.
“I’ve seen myself grow throughout the years I came off of surgery the year before my freshman year and then just having the upperclassman take you under their wing gets you a lot of perspective on how to grow and become a better player on the field. I bring leadership which means keeping everybody’s heads up even when we’re down and always just making sure there’s time left in the game to make a comeback,” boys soccer captain Xavier Wendt said.
Football “This year’s seniors brought what I would expect every senior to bring which is leadership. That is taking the young guys under their wings and showing them the ropes of how we do things around high school football. They just matured and it’s really cool as a coach to watch them really make some gains from their freshman year to their senior year. That’s why we get into this, to see the their growth and to see them have potential for being a football player,” football coach Joe Stellmacher said.
Track & Field
Foreign exchange students immerse themselves in sports Elyse Osterberg
Reflections on what seniors brought to their teams
“The seniors brought experience, enthusiasm, hard work and dedication to track and field. They also brought a connection because we’ve been together for so long and there’s just a familiarity between us all. So rounding it out after their four years is meaningful certainly for the coaches and the athletes and even teammates that are around them that aren’t graduating with them,” track coach Matt Willett said.
Golf “This group has meant so much to me personally. They have embraced what, to me, golf is all about: spending time with your friends, meeting new ones and having friendly competition. Our team stresses integrity, hard work and fun and they’ve always understood when it’s time to work and when it’s time to relax. We expect to never have any scoring issues and in four years our kids have never had their honesty questioned. When another player has issues, our seniors have always handled it like gentlemen and ladies. The highest compliment I can give a golfer is that I would want to go and spend four hours with them playing golf. If any of these kids would ask me to play, I’d be there in a second. I hope they all continue to play whether it’s competitively or casually,” golf coach Todd DeRuyter said.
Softball “I think they all brought something unique and different. They’re definitely a strong group that we will definitely miss,” softball coach Kimberly Strebe said.
Volleyball “My seniors brought dedication, grit and spirit to the team. They led more by example than words. And the energy is fantastic! The growth over the years has been steady and purposeful. Every senior was self-aware and worked on their game every year. They knew that we would have a large squad and each one of them had a passion to play. I am so proud of what they were able to accomplish individually, but most importantly as a team. They will all be missed,” volleyball coach Eydie Reiser said.
Girls Soccer
“Lauren Batley as defender, and Cecilia Bruce-DeMuri as goal keeper showed leadership and skills to younger girls and brought their teaching skills to show the younger girls new tricks and tips for making a better team. Cecilia has been stepping up as a good keeper so she has improved. Lauren came out a little shy when she first started, but this year she had great strength and confidence in working hard,” soccer coach Alejandro DeLeon said.
Baseball
“The seniors bring leadership and the younger players look up to them to see how they should act on and off the field. I have only coached them for two years, but in that time they have grown with their play and grown as young men,” baseball coach Mike Webb said.
Cheer
“Our senior, Alaina, brought positive energy to every practice, game or performance along with great leadership. Over the years of knowing Alaina, she has grown to be such a positive influence for her teammates,” cheer coach Makenna Murkley said. Boys Basketball “This year’s group of seniors were very dedicated and they were active in bringing along the younger guys. They were a good group to have as my first group of seniors. They work really hard and set a good example. They want to get better every day and they brought that every day,” boy's basketball coach Jeremy Mercer said.
Cross Country
Foreign exchange student Sarah Becker, number 10, cheers after winning a point in volleyball. The girls huddled after each point to give each other words of encouragement. “It was and still is really nice to do what you like with your friends. It’s really fun,” Becker said. Photo submitted With doing sports comes many friendships and unforgettable memories. “My favorite memory was when I made my first rebound in basketball at the game against Ripon,” Illa Medina said. With a team sport like basketball it is the dynamic of the team that can make practices worthwhile. “I really enjoyed basketball since it was a team sport and practice was fun, although I was not the best in the sport. The company
was what overall made it fun,” Illa Medina said. One thing that comes with sports is the involvement of the student body. Dressing up and being in the student section is one way of getting involved in sports. “Besides the awesome student section that I love, there was one time the volleyball team went bowling and dressed up as grannys. This was the first time I met the team and it was so much fun,” Becker said.
Girls Basketball “The seniors brought leadership and stability to a team that has seen a number of coaching changes over the last few years. I only coached the seniors for this season. With the different coaching styles and expectations that they have seen over their time playing basketball at Berlin they have grown exponentially and hopefully have learned some life lessons throughout,” girl's baskeball coach Bill Lundin said.
Boys & Girls Swim
“They brought some leadership and experience. Throughout the years they matured and learned to be leaders and helped out on the team,” swim coach Bill Clewein said.
“Definitely an attitude of what the team means to them. They took the team seriously, and if the younger kids see that it is good for the team. I got a lot closer to them and I have gotten to see them as individuals and not just athletes,” cross country coach Roberto Lara said.
Wrestling
“Chase and Makade brought leadership to our team. They also brought a lot of wins, as they had the two highest win totals on the team. They both grew a lot as wrestlers and as people. It was fun as a coach to watch them go from goofy freshman to kids the rest of the team looked up to as seniors,” wrestling coach Scott Wagner said. Created by: A. Milliron
Sports
8 WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022 Senior Sports Achievements
Athletes pursue college sports
Anna McCarthy Hunter Boegh Second Team football senior
Kaden Fritz
State Qualifier 200-yard medley and 200-yard medley relay senior
Kara Fritz etc. Records broken, Honorable Look at MayMention Main 2021basketball and dosenior the same thing-JANE Gage Gnieser
Second Team football senior and freshman
Tyler Johnson
Second Team basketball senior First Team golf junior and senior Conference Player of the Year senior
Chase Kurczek
Two-time Sectional and State qualifier wrestling Conference Champion wrestling
Violet Lueck
First Team volleyball senior Honorable Mention volleyball junior Conference Champion shotput and discus junior School Record shotput: 38’5” School Record discus: 126’10.5”
Cade Martin
Sectional Qualifier wrestling junior Second Team football senior
Luis Picazo-Cruz
Honorable Mention defender junior
Reporter
For many students, their athletic career ends when they graduate from high school. College sports are much more competitive and it is harder to earn a spot on these teams. For seniors Hunter Boegh, Tyler Johnson and Gabi Reiser; however, having their athletic careers end is not the case. “I decided to play sports in college because I was given the opportunity with offers from multiple schools. I also want to continue to play because sports are a big part of my life,” Boegh said. All three of these student athletes have shown an immense amount of passion and dedication to their sports and it is paying off. Johnson will continue his golf career at Winona State University in Minnesota. “I have been all in on golf since freshman year. All spring, summer and fall I work on my game. I do not leave the golf course much when it is nice out. I also play in dozens of tournaments over the summers,” Johnson said. The process that athletes go through to be able to play for college teams is not as simple as it is for high school sports. Boegh had multiple schools interested in his football skills
Senior Hunter Boegh signs at Concordia University Wisconsin as he commits to play college football. “I worked in the off season and got in the weight room. I put in work when no one else wanted to,” Boegh said. Photo: K. Boegh and he ultimately chose to attend Concordia University, Wisconsin. “It was a long but fun process. I was able to view many different schools. I felt wanted and it was a very nice feeling and sense of accomplishment,” Boegh said. For Reiser, playing volleyball is more than just the sport. She will be attending college at North Central University Minnesota. “I love the game of volleyball, and it is my last chance to play
with my sister,” Reiser said. College sports are a huge accomplishment; however, there are still challenges that come with playing. “I think the biggest challenge will be that it is a bigger stage. I will play in a lot of big tournaments and on big time courses,” Johnson said. When going from high school to college sports, everything from the workouts to the competition becomes more extreme.
“College sports are in season all the time. Every day is dedicated to one sport and the training is more intense,” Johnson said. As with anything new, there will be challenges. Despite these challenges, Boegh says that he is looking forward to playing college sports. “I am excited to make new friends and play college football. It will be something completely new, but I am ready for the challenge,” Boegh said.
Seniors reflect on career highlights Football
Girls Swimming
Volleyball
Cross Country
Boys Soccer
“I played O-line, but being able to play defense and scoring,” Gage Gneiser said.
“I PR’d for the 200-meter backstroke,” Lily Huber said.
“All the hard work we put in paid off,” Violet Lueck said.
“I ran in sectionals my senior year for varsity,”Hunter Werch said.
“Getting to know eveyone really well,” Riley Beulen said.
Boys Basketball
Girls Basketball
Wrestling
Boys swimming
Cheer and Stunt
“Senior night being able to play most of the game,” Bryce Werch said.
“Scoring 12 points against Kewaskum,”Hannah Nigbor said.
“Winning regionals,” Chase Kurczek said.
“Reaching 5:27, which is a new PR for my 500meter free,” Kaden Fritz said.
“Being head of the team when we were between coaches,” Alaina Kapp said.
Golf
Track
Girls Soccer
Baseball
Softball
“We took two wins at the last two meets,” Jaron Clinch said.
“Senior year hitting 11’3 at Ripon,” Grace Werch said.
“A really good game against Ripon,” Cecilia Bruce-DeMuri Said.
“We beat Green Lake 13-7,” Thomas Schroeder said.
“Hit an infield homerun in Princeton,”Maddy Rilling said.
Sophie Ryf Third Team girls swim
Gabi Reiser
Honorable Mention volleyball senior
Murphy Strebelinski
First Team basketball senior Honorable Mention basketball junior
Makade Thom
Sectional Qualifier wrestling senior
Xavier Wendt
Honorable Mention midfielder
Bryce Werch Honorable Mention golf senior
Grace Werch
4x200 State Qualifier track freshman and senior Pole Vault State Qualifier junior School Record Pole Vault: 11’3” Conference Champion pole vault Sources:"The Mascoutin" Yearbook Athletic Director Joe Stellmacher
Created by: J. Hoffman
Text and photos by: R. Nowicki