FFA National Soil Judging Is a Unique Experience

by Austin Uppena

Hundreds of buffalo and prairie dogs, the search for armadillos, red dirt that stains everything it touches, very good food, and really crazy weather. These are the memories I recall the most from my trip to the National Soil Judging Contest in Oklahoma.

On Sunday, April 28th, 2019 at 11:30am my father pulled the school van out of the high school parking lot on the way to Oklahoma City with myself, Nick Edge, Brittany Horner, Evan Bloyer, Marissa Mayers, and Megan Roesch. The advisors/chaperones on the trip, Tracy Brunton, Jason Edge, and Mike Uppena, were thrilled to put up with us in the car for the next 12 hours. On the way there, we kept busy by sleeping, snacking and making fun of each other; also on the way, Evan Bloyer made a vow to see an armadillo.

The van arrived in Oklahoma City at 11:30pm. We found our hotel and went right to sleep. The next day, Monday the 29th, we had a free day to explore and sightsee. We started off the day visiting the biggest Bass Pro Shop in the world. The Bass Pro Shop was located in the Bricktown district, which is known for its river walk, exquisite restaurants, and state of the art triple-A baseball field. We went to a nice restaurant after the Bass Pro Shop and got to eat amazing food and have some sweet tea, which is better in the south. Everyone would have gone to a triple-A baseball game afterward, but it got rained out, so we went back to our hotel. For supper, we headed to Nick Edge’s Uncle’s house. John Edge fed us brats, hot dogs, burgers, and razorback. While we were there, we practiced soils, rode his rangers around his land, and played basketball.

On Tuesday the 30th, our group ate really good food and practiced in multiple soil pits. In a soil judging contest, you categorize the soil by texture, structure and usage. You also judge the quality of the land and find the slope of the land, which is how many feet the land rises in 100 feet. The first thing we practiced was finding the slope. Our supervisors helped us and made sure we knew what we were doing. After doing slopes we headed over to the actual pits to practice judging Oklahoma soil.  A pit is a hole about waist deep. You use the pit to help determine factors like how well crops could be grown and how well water drains in the area. When soil judging, you must also judge the area around the pit which is called the pit area. The pit area is very important in determining what the land can be used for based on the things you find there, like whether it can be used for pasture, cropland, tree production, or if it would be best suited for wildlife habitat. You should also be looking for any kind of water features like lakes, streams, or rivers. Water can change the determination of what special features you may need to install on your land, like riparian buffers or dams. There were six different pits to practice at and we tried them all to make sure we were as good as we could be. It started to absolutely downpour on us just as we were leaving to go back to our hotel. That night, we ate at IHOP. While we were eating the weather was very crazy. The sky was orange and there was a weird, unsettling feeling in the air. There were tornadoes in the counties surrounding us, so I guess we were lucky they didn’t get close to us.

Wednesday, May 1st was another practice day. On Wednesday however, there were only two pits to practice. These pits had sandy soil which can affect how the water gets used in the soil. Sandy pits can be a little harder to judge because we don’t see them very often in a contest in Wisconsin, especially in the Southwest corner of the state. Practicing these pits was very important because the contest on Thursday had a few pits with sand in them. Our group finished the day off by mini golfing, then eating at a famous steakhouse that is over 100 years old. However, after mini golfing and before eating at the steakhouse, we did a group study session where we looked over the official soils book and judged pits on paper.

Thursday, May 2nd was the day of the contest. It was a very busy day that started at 6:30 in the morning. We woke up and scrambled to get to the contest registration site. After our team got registered, we waited for all of the other teams to register so we could travel to the contest site as a group - all 160 teams had a police escort for the 45 miles to the contest site. The contest was located on an Indian reservation Northeast of Oklahoma City. It was very interesting to learn about the Native Americans, how a reservation is run, and see what a reservation looks like. There was a lot of land left to nature. As we were driving through the reservation there were hundreds of buffalo and prairie dogs. It was very cool to see these animals because we don’t have animals like them in Wisconsin. There were, however, no armadillo yet for Evan to see.

Once we arrived at the contest site, we were divided into groups, and each group was given a pit to judge with 20 minutes at each pit. After every 20 minutes, the groups rotated until everyone had judged each pit. We were given lunch while the judging cards were scored. After eating, we changed into FFA official dress and went to Remington race track back in Oklahoma City. We were given a tour of the facility, learned all about horses, and what happens before, during, and after a race. Afterwards, we got to visit the National Cowboy Heritage Museum where the awards ceremony would be taking place later that night. We roamed around the museum until it closed, then waited for the ceremony to start. We placed 75th out of 104 FFA teams; not as good as we would have liked, but still pretty good for learning how to judge Oklahoma soil in just a few months. Teams that placed high have been judging contests very similar to the National Contest for years.

We traveled 4 hours north to Emporia, Kansas to stay the night and reduce our travel time on Friday. Friday morning we woke up at 6:15, ate breakfast, and climbed into the vehicle we would be trapped in for the next eight hours. We slept most of the way and bothered each other during the time we weren’t sleeping. We wanted to throw Marissa out of the van and Evan could not cross seeing an armadillo off of his bucket list, unfortunately.

The trip to Oklahoma was a great learning experience for everyone involved. We worked hard to learn Oklahoma soil and had fun doing it. There were so many landmarks, animals, and unique places our group got to see. There was really never a time besides the seriousness of the contest where we weren’t laughing or smiling. The most important thing we took from the trip were all of the memories we made because of the special opportunity we had to go to Oklahoma.

Students' Offer Their Opinions After Required ACT

by Brady Curtis

The American College Test, or the ACT, is the most used standardized test in the United States. This test is used for college admissions in the United States and is claimed to determine one's intelligence. In most cases, the juniors in each high school take it in early spring as it is a statewide and state-mandated test. Our juniors here at Potosi High School took the ACT this spring and have since gotten their scores back.

Of the juniors I spoke with, about half were happy with their scores, and the other half either thought they had done better than they did, or wish they would have done better. The consensus, however, is that most of these students do not agree with this standardized test meaning so much for your future. One student said the following: “Most of your future, when it comes to college, depends on this one single test on one single day. I do not think these scores ultimately show how smart you are because what if you were having a bad day and somebody that maybe isn’t as smart as you were having a good day?” Students can take the test as many times as they would like if they were to have a bad day on the day of the test. There is, however, a test fee of $100 to retake the test. Some may not want to retake the test because of the fee. These feelings toward this test seem to be class and even school-wide.

A senior here in Potosi who took the test about a year prior also had some similar thoughts on the test. “You are advised beforehand to just guess on questions that you either don’t understand how to do or don’t have enough time to do. Having lucky guesses compared to unlucky guesses could be a big score difference in your composite score. You can’t determine how smart somebody is when a portion of the answers are guesses.” A reason that the students may be encouraged to guess is to get the best possible score they can, but does this really determine your intelligence?

Many junior students - 12 out of 14 surveyed (about half of the whole class) - say that they would change things about the ACT if they were given the opportunity. This would include changing things like being timed, the number of problems, etc. Also of those 14 students, 10 said that they do not feel the ACT completely determines how smart somebody is. 7 of the 10 juniors wish that in the future the test will change and things will be different for future students. 1 of the 10 said this about the situation: “I would feel better knowing that when I am a parent, the test my child takes to determine their future will be better than the one we took.” Who knows, maybe in the future things will change and there will be a test that will be as powerful as the ACT that is considered to determine somebody’s intelligence a little better.

On the other hand, there are reasons why this test is given out and used with such importance. It is true that there needs to be some kind of test to evaluate all of the students on the same scale. The state obviously feels that this is the best way to determine this, and it does work for the most part. A main reason why all juniors are required to take the test is to help determine what the student is best at and possibly what career they may want to pursue. Also, not every Junior that takes this test goes to college, and this test is not only used by colleges, but also companies. The biggest factor that schools and companies use when determining candidates is how smart the candidate is. This test can somewhat help them do this. There are obvious reasons and importance for the test and everything within the test. Not everything is perfect, but in reality, somebody’s intelligence has to be measured by something and maybe a flawed system is better than no system at all.

Fashion at Potosi High School

by Maggie Schmitz

It is 3:37 pm at Potosi High School and the end of the day bell has rung. High school students dressed in different styles and colors flee their classrooms and emerge into the hallway. Some are wearing jeans and a nice top, while others are wearing a t-shirt and sneakers. But just like every other school, Potosí High School does have some common styles and fashion statements that are popular throughout the school. The fashion does change with the season and as styles go in and out, but at a small school like Potosi, many people share similar tastes in fashion. Students often take inspiration from one another and build off of other’s tastes and ideas. Other students might also get inspiration from siblings, social media, and celebrities.

The fashion at Potosí High School could be described as pretty casual. Students are going for more comfortable and easy outfits, while still trying to keep with current trends. Students want to look nice, while also being able to move around and be comfortable. Popular pieces for girls to wear are American Eagle jeans and shorts, simple tops, jean jackets, Vans, and Birkenstocks. Jeans, Khaki shorts, graphic t-shirts, and sneakers are popular pieces for boys. Athletic attire is also very popular at Potosi High School. Many students can be found wearing athletic clothing if they’re going for a very comfortable and easy look. Running shorts, workout tops, leggings, joggers, windbreakers, and athletic shoes are popular pieces to wear when going for a sporty look. The students of Potosí High School have a lot of pride and you can always spot Chieftain merchandise throughout the day as well. A maroon shirt is easily paired with a pair of black leggings or jeans for an easy casual look.

When it comes to shopping for clothing, the possibilities are endless since we have access to the internet and online shopping. Although we have the internet, many students prefer to go shopping in-store. This way they can try on clothing to see if things fit and look good. Students shop at the Dubuque and Madison malls and at outlet malls such as the ones in Wisconsin Dells and Johnson Creek. Outlet malls sell name brand merchandise for a discounted price so you can get great deals on a lot of new clothing. This is especially nice for high school students since they do not have a very big income. Lots of students feel guilty spending a lot of their money on clothing so they are smart shoppers and look for deals and reasonable prices. Stores such as American Eagle, Forever 21, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and The Finish Line are popular places for high school students to shop.

Since the fashion at Potosi High School is mainly very casual, not many students dress up unless there is a special occasion like a game day. A dressy outfit at Potosí High School might be something like a skirt and fancy top, a dress with heels, or khakis and a button-up shirt. Many students do not particularly enjoy dressing up because they feel uncomfortable. “If I have to sit in classrooms all day, I want to wear something comfortable and easy, not something that will get annoying throughout the day,” states Brady Curtis. Others do not like to dress up because they fear what people will think of them if they do. Since Potosi students typically wear very casual outfits some students feel uncomfortable expressing their different tastes and fear that other students might make fun of them. Though some fear what others will think, others do not have any problem with expressing their style in different ways. “I do not care what others have to think about what I wear because it is what I like,” says Potosi High School senior Cyrus Siegert.

Although Potosi High School is a very small school with not much diversity, the fashion at school is continuing to grow, and more and more people are beginning to feel more comfortable expressing their style. When students can express themselves freely through their outfits, they feel more confident, comfortable, and happy. “I feel better when I wear what I want because it gives me confidence, and the better I look, the better I feel,” stays Potosi student Amber Udelhoven. Students can wear what they want, which exposes other students to new styles and ideas. The fashion at Potosí High School continues to expand and become more diverse every day, helping more and more students express themselves.

PC Baseball Earns First Ever Victory

by Cy Siegert

Relief. That’s the feeling that best describes the way players, coaches, and fans of the Potosi-Cassville baseball squad felt after their first ever program victory against River Valley, Monday, May 13th. It was certainly a long time coming, after the PC team had previously been on an 18 game drought, looking for not only a victory, but answers as well. “Things got pretty difficult, not only were we winless, but struggling to have fun as well,” the senior shortstop Will Bierman claimed. “But, our team was able to reunite again as one, working together and communicating on what needed to be done to change things.” Things certainly did change for the PC Hitmen, as they turned things around and birthed a newfound motivation and drive to not only acquire a victory, but to just have some good old fashioned baseball fun while doing so.

“It definitely has been as fun as it’s ever been, if not definitely more,” Junior Outfielder Ty Dressler explained. Although, the teams first victory started off not like you’d expect, with the first inning-ending up in a 3-0 deficit. Another inning had passed, and not much got going for either team. The third inning began and the Potosi-Cassville Hitmen knew it was time to “get the sticks going”, as one would say. With a couple of hits and a walk here and there, the once-struggling team now found themselves with a one-run lead, with the score being 4-3. After that inning, the Hitmen gained more momentum on their side for the entirety of the game, although the game was far from over. Later down the stretch, the River Valley Baseball squad was able to tag in a couple more runs, regaining their lead, 5-4. As Junior First Basemen Brad Reynolds put it,  “We knew we weren’t running away with this one, Valley’s got a solid team”.

It was neck and neck, with both teams pitching two men on the mound, they knew this game was not only going to be won by runs scored, but also with grit. The 6th inning had come around, with the Potosi-Cassville being up one run, 7-6. The top of the inning had begun, with Senior Will Bierman on the mound finishing up the game, prior to senior Mason Infield pitching the first half of the games. Bierman struck out the first man, but the River Valley Blackhawks were able to get baserunners on. With two runners on 2nd and 3rd, the Blackhawks were able to get a man home, tying up the ballgame at 7 runs apiece. The bottom of the 6th came around, and again, the Hitmen knew, they needed to “get the sticks going”. The Hitmen managed to get a man on base, Ty Dressler, who stole his way around the bases. Bierman was now up to bat, with Dressler on 3rd. The pitch came in, and Will slapped it into the outfield, where it was caught for the 2nd out. But, thankfully for the Hitmen, being only the 2nd out, Dressler was able to tag up on the hit and make it to home plate, obtaining a one-run lead.

7th inning. Do or die for the Hitmen. All that was separating the once-winless team from a win, was three outs. And three outs they earned. The first came off of a strikeout by Bierman, and the second out came from a line drive hit fielded by Bierman, who then threw the batter out at first. Last but certainly not least, a fly ball was hit straight up into centerfield, where senior Alex Freese was waiting, as the ball gradually came down into his glove. Finally, the team was winless no more, and looking to end the season on a high note. As Alex Freese said with triumph, “This first win felt awesome, but we’re hungry to finish out the year with a couple more.”

Schoology Transition Benefits Teachers and Students

by Jadyn Noonan

“The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don’t really notice it, so it’s part of everyday life” - Bill Gates. Technology has been changing the way we do things every day. Every morning we get up and look at our phone to check the news or send an email. Technology has made things easier in some ways, but in others, it has made things a little harder.

Nowadays every kid has a phone and it is glued to their hand every minute of the day, Tweeting, Snapchatting or looking at Instagram, but recently technology has been used for their schooling. Every student at Potosi High School has a Chromebook that they use for school to write papers, make presentations, and now to take tests and turn in homework through something called Schoology. I was able to talk to some teachers at Potosi about what they think about the switch to Schoology and the use of that tool.

Mr. Lynn uses Schoology every day; he has his students do assignments on Schoology, as well as take tests and quizzes. Mr. Lynn also puts all of the notes in Schoology for the students so they can look at them at any time. Mr. Lynn commented on the fact that it makes things more organized; things are easier to grade, and it saves time and paper. I asked Mr. Lynn how hard it was to switch over to using Schoology. He said that it wasn’t that hard for him since he was already using something like it before. Mr. Lynn still has some kids that like to do their work on paper, and he prints things out for them to do that.

Mr. Bockenhauer uses Schoology for weekly check-ins with his students. He also uses it for grading assignments, and to send out blueprints. Bock thinks that the change has helped and hurt; he thinks that with all the technology, we have gotten away from the basics of some skills that we used to have to think through that now a computer can do. He thought that Schoology was a little difficult to learn how to use effectively, but it has saved him time. Bock still has some kids that request to have their weekly check-ins on paper.

As a student, I have appreciated having things online because it was more convenient for me, and I thought it was nice that all my class materials were on my Chromebook. I think that moving to Schoology has helped lots of other students as well.

“Always Persevere”: Potosi's New Art Teacher

by Jason Oyen

Every day, start to finish, a connoisseur of art brings joy to her students, keeps the art room spic and span, and never makes anyone feel out of place. She allows people to show their creativity, their inner self; she helps bring them out of their comfort zone. In recent times, Potosi School District was short on an art teacher, but found an undeniable applicant they couldn’t let go of.

Mrs. Kelsie Urbain (Von Hollen), the newest art teacher in Potosi, and the daughter of Naomi and Mike Von Hollen, was born on November 16, 1993 in Dubuque, Iowa. Urbain grew up in upper Dubuque, near Stephen Hempstead High School. To begin her education, she attended Hoover Elementary School and went on to attend Roosevelt Middle School, both in Dubuque. As a child, Urbain remembers playing with her siblings in a pink battery-operated Barbie car. Eventually, the motor broke, but instead of throwing it away, she and her siblings pushed it up a hill, rode it down, but couldn’t stop easily, so they ended up wiping out. Growing up, she and her siblings would always find something to keep them entertained. With her being the youngest of the bunch, her siblings would always find a way to scare her, whether it be hiding around the corner and jumping out at her, making her watch scary movies, or getting chased around the room by her brother who had pantyhose on his head. “It was never a dull moment,” said Urbain.

Once high school rolled around, she kept herself busy, whether she worked, participated in extracurriculars, traveled overseas, or worked on art. During the 2007-08 school year, Urbain began attending Stephen Hempstead High School where she took part in the color guard. “I really enjoyed the color guard and going on trips to compete. I was in the Colt Cadets which was a drum and bugle corp which I enjoyed doing,” said Urbain. Later on, she found a job at Fairway where she worked in the bakery. She remembers having to make and package the food along with decorating cakes. “The job was a little boring but the people I worked with made it fun!” In the meantime, Urbain started to feel adventurous. “I went to Europe, Italy, France, and Switzerland. I did a lot of sightseeing, went on the London Eye, saw Big Ben, went to Pompeii, which I thought was really cool. I went and saw the Eiffel Tower which I thought was amazing because I always wanted to do that. I went to Venice, went to the Sistine Chapel and saw David, a statue by Michelangelo.”  

After graduating high school in 2012, knowing that she wanted to be an art teacher, Urbain needed to find a college that fit her needs and had the programs that she wanted to participate in. While researching colleges, she found that the University of South Dakota was the college for her. The college had a fantastic art department, along with an outstanding color guard. “I recommend participating in color guard, you can meet a lot of new people that way, you can also go on band trips, which are always fun.” Just like high school, Urbain also needed a job while she was in college. “I worked in the cafeteria, then I worked at a coffee shop. I worked with an older lady by the name of Jean who was like a grandma to everyone who came to the coffee shop on campus. She always had a great attitude and cared about everyone. If you were willing to talk, she would listen.” Urbain went on to graduate in 2016.

“If there was anyone I looked up to, it would have to be Mr. VanVleck, my elementary art teacher who still teaches at Hoover Elementary. He was awesome, he was one of the teachers who inspired me to become one. I’ve always loved art and sharing creativity, seeing what people come up with is really neat.”

Before she acquired a job at Potosi School District, Urbain taught at West Carroll High School which had about 400 students in the high school. They had budget cuts which caused her to leave her position there. Two years ago when Potosi was looking for a new art teacher, Urbain applied the same time as our previous art teacher Samantha Hilby. Hilby got the job, which left Urbain looking for another place to work. A year later, the art teacher position opened up once again, Urbain applied once again, and got the job. While going through this process, Urbain had one thought and one thought only. “Always persevere, never give up.” Urbain enjoys the small community, how everyone is positive here. “Not all schools are as positive as Potosi, everyone here should be grateful for that. If there's anything I like about teaching here, it's the fact that I get to see students from grades K-12, seeing their creativity, and hanging up their artwork.

Buddy Program at Potosi School District

by Nate Wieseler

If you attend Potosi High School,  like hanging out with kids and having a good time, you should apply for the buddy program. It's a program that allows the high school students to get closer and bond with the elementary kids. It helps show the Elementary kids a good role model and to get involved. It's a great way to give back to the school district and to also better yourself by simply hanging out with a kid.

The buddy program was established about three years ago. Nick Horner, a 2017 graduate said, “Mrs. Markham really started all of this, and with a little help from the kids we were able to start it up.” They also said, “The buddy system was a great way to get the seniors or role models of the school to get involved with the elementary kids.”

Brittany Horner, a current senior who is involved in the buddy system said, “The buddy system is a great thing; it not only helps the elementary kids, but it helps the high school kids. It really impacts the high school kids’ future, and what they plan on doing in life. If I could do it over I would do it ten times out of ten.” I also interviewed another student who is involved with the buddy system. I asked them about what they did with the kids and how often they met. They replied, “Once a week I would go visit my buddy and we would do multiple activities.  There was never really a set thing we would do; the kid would usually choose. The activities we did included board games, sports, interactive activities, just talking, going outside, arts and crafts. We did mostly everything we could with the kids.”

The buddy system is a great way to impact the kids of your community and to even better yourself.  This is a great way for high school students at Potosi to have an impact and leave a lasting impression on their younger peers.

Seniors and 6th Graders Connect with the Environment

by Jaydon Carbone

At seven in the morning on May 15, 40 sixth grade students gathered at the entrance of Potosi High School. School would have started in an hour, if there was school that day, but these students were on their way to Wyalusing. A tradition that sixth graders from Potosi have done for forty plus years, it was their turn to participate in Outdoor Education. Joining the sixth graders were fifteen senior counselors, a few parents, and several staff members. Once the bus was packed up, groups were assigned, and everyone was ready; the bus left for the Effigy Mounds of Harpers Ferry in Iowa.

Once there, the large group of 55 was separated into two groups headed by two men who knew a great deal about the Effigy Mounds. The first group was led by an employee of the park who had a great passion for the mounds and the land surrounding. Mr. Steve Chandler led the second group on the tour that he had been going on for many years. On the hike, campers were told to pay attention to any species of bird that they could see so they could add it to the park’s bird sighting list. Campers and counselors also learned about the variety of plant life that calls the Effigy Mounds its home. After a long hike, campers reached their destination and were rewarded with a beautiful view of the Mississippi River.

Despite hiking for two hours, the campers were still full of energy and excited for the rest of their day. After the Effigy Mounds, the group dropped their things off at the cabins, and headed out to do more outdoor activities. Included in the next couple hours were orienteering, tent building, and fire building. Once they were finished with that, they were taken back to camp for a quick lunch. There was not much time for rest, however, as there was still much to do. Everyone finished lunch, and was given some time to practice their skits and cheers. Soon, Merle Frommelt came to speak to the group about Native American history. Mr. Frommelt showed the campers his impressive collection of Native American tools and rocks, explaining the use of everything. Once he was done explaining everything, he invited everybody outside for a contest. The contest was over who could throw the atlatl, a Native American hunting weapon, furthest. Once it was all done, Mr. Edge had won the contest. The next hour was dedicated to building group banners and table centerpieces. Once the arts and crafts were finished, campers were given some time to themselves before dinner.

Dinner that night was walking tacos, which is fitting considering how much walking was done that day. As the daylight dwindled, campers began the long hike to the Wyalusing Observatory. Once there, everyone was given a close up look of the moon and several stars. Unfortunately, the moon was full that night, so certain stars were difficult to see. Despite that, almost everyone thought it was cool to see the moon’s craters up close. By the time everyone was finished, it was almost 10:00.  Campers made the long hike back to their cabins and got ready for bed. Exhausted, many fell straight into bed once able, and were sleeping for the rest of the night.

The next day technically started at 7:15, but almost everyone was awake around 6:30. The weather did not cooperate with the plans that were made for Thursday, so the first hour after breakfast was spent practicing skits and cheers. The rain passed quickly, and soon everyone was hiking down a slippery trail. Once the bottom was reached, the girls walked a little further to go fishing, and the boys were separated into two groups. One group went with Mr. Siegert to go rappelling, and the other went on another nature hike with Mr. Eastlick. While the girls were not having any luck fishing, the boys were having fun hiking and rappelling. After two hours, the campers hiked back up the trail, which had dried by then for lunch.

After a big lunch of spaghetti, it was time to hike the same trail. This time, the boys went fishing, and the girls split into hiking and rappelling. Aiden Uppena was the only person to catch a fish the whole day, as he caught two bluegills. The rest of the boys were unlucky, and only caught a few frogs with their nets. Soon, the girls joined the boys at the fishing hole, and it was time to walk back to camp.

Much to the campers’ joy, this was the last time they had to hike up the long trail that led back to camp. As soon as they were back, it was time to get themselves ready for their families to come to visit them and watch skit night. Many students, sixth graders and seniors alike, were excited to see their parents and tell them about their experiences at Outdoor Education. Once the parents were there, they enjoyed a grilled hot dog or burger, courtesy of Mr. Uppena.

The skits went by quickly and everyone had a lot of fun. Soon, everyone’s parents had to go home and it was time to go on one last hike for the day. As the campers and some counselors were on the hike, staff and some counselors were setting up for the dance. While on the hike, Mr. Chandler spoke about the importance of treating people equally and with respect. As soon as the campers returned, the dance started. The dance lasted for about a half hour, as most kids were exhausted and ready to go to bed. They were offered s’mores before bed, a deal that most of them took. As soon as they had their fun by the campfire, it was off to bed for the night.

The fatigue caused by the previous day was evident, as several people overslept the next day. However, everyone managed to make it to the morning announcements on time. Before they could be dismissed for the days’ activities, the campers and counselors had to clean their cabins for check out. Every cabin was cleaner than they were upon arrival, and it was time to finish the activities. The campers were going to be split again, one group doing archery with Mr. Siegert, the other hiking with Mr. Chandler. The hike was down to Pictured Rock Cave, which was a short walk from camp. Once the boys returned, it was the girls’ turn to go on the hike. The boys’ archery turn went well, and there were some impressive shots in the group.

The girls returned from their hike and the boys finished their archery competitions. Lunch time was getting near, where everyone was treated to pizza at the park. Once everyone was done with lunch, the group separated into a kickball group and a volleyball group. These games went on until it was time for counselors on the baseball team to leave.

The remaining counselors and campers then went to clean up litter in the park as their community service. As soon as it was time to go home, everyone was tired again. The bus ride home was quick, and soon everyone was back home. Sixth graders said goodbye to their favorite counselors and thanked them for making their experience a good one. Many kids talked about how they cannot wait to go back as seniors.

As a senior who was lucky enough to go back and experience it all again, I am very thankful that I was able to relive some of my memories with my classmates. I was also glad I got to help make it fun for members of the sixth grade class. Outdoor Education is a great activity for anyone to be a part of, and our students are very lucky to be able to do this at least once during their school career.

Two Represent Potosi at All-Star Game

by Alexandria Pennekamp

The All-Star events include football, basketball, baseball, and of course softball. The Division 5 South Softball team is made up of students from the southern part of Wisconsin. They will compete against student-athletes on the team from Division 5 North. There were only 12 female student-athletes selected to compete on the All-Star Team. The coaches nominate two people to participate in this sporting event. Jadyn Noonan and Amber Sue Udelhoven were both selected to represent Potosi High School at the All-Star Game in Wisconsin Dells, WI.

I interviewed Jadyn Noonan, as I interviewed Amber Sue a few months ago talking about the basketball All-Star Game. I asked Jadyn a couple of questions regarding what it means to be selected for this year’s summer event. There are different types of fundraising that goes on for these different sports. The football players are raising money for children with cancer, and baseball and softball are raising money for The Special Olympics. There are certain amounts that participants have to raise for these events. Softball players are supposed to raise $300 or more. Jadyn has raised more than $300. The way she fundraised was from the help of her parents to let the community know. Her reaction when she got chosen was feeling honored and excited to play, not just for herself, but with her best friend Amber Udelhoven. When you donate money you get a chance to go to the game for free.

The location of this event is the Wisconsin Dells Sports Complex. This game is the last game they get to play in their high school career. This event is where you get to meet new friends and people.

This is a great organization that is going to a great cause. All of the money that will be raised will go to families in Wisconsin to help with the cost of medical bills, etc. To assist in raising money for the The Special Olympics, you can go to Jadyn’s profile at https://www.wfsca.org/page/show/2520063-2019-rosters

Referendum Will Improve Shop Programs

by Ethan Groom

The Potosi school district has been waiting quite some time for much needed shop improvements. The newly passed referendum has provided an opportunity to make those improvements a reality. Shop teacher Mr. Bockenhauer thinks that the shop improvements will make for a more student friendly environment.

Mr. Bockenhauer’s main goal when he came to Potosi Schools was to make improvements to our shop. Mr. Saari, superintendent of Potosi, proposed an addition to the referendum about a year ago and they began planning for the changes. The decision was now in the hands of the school district voters; this decision would not have been possible without the support of the community. Preparing for the upcoming changes has taken a lot of time and thought; Mr. Bockenhauer and Mrs. Brunton have visited local businesses and training programs to determine what improvements are necessary. The itemization and pricing of new tools and equipment also took place in the preparation process, as well as creating blueprints for changes to the layout of the building.

Some changes taking place will include replacing worn out tools, rearranging the machines, material storage, and work areas to make the shop more efficient and user-friendly. In addition, electrical, lighting, exhaust, flooring, and coverings will be updated to provide a cleaner, safer, more student-friendly environment. The addition of a Fab Lab for 3D Printers, CNC Machines, Robotics, and other computer-controlled equipment will also be implemented. While most of the changes are to the shop, there will be minor changes to the classroom such as new flooring and paint. Not only will things be updated, but there will be lots of new equipment that Potosi has never had in the past.

Improvements to the shop were needed to support our students in meeting the growing demand for skilled labor in the workforce. These improvements will provide students with the training needed to obtain a high paying job directly out of high school. Mr. Bockenhauer’s goal is to offer students opportunities for industry certifications, along with state-of-the-art tools to make them sought-after employees.  The equipment currently being used in the shop is outdated, underpowered, lacks performance, and no longer is being used in the workforce; which is another reason the changes are necessary. The new equipment will increase our abilities of building and fabrication, as well as learning opportunities and time management, unlike the equipment we have now.

Although we have been waiting a long time for improvements in the shop, the wait has been worth it. With the referendum, students will have the opportunity to experience hands-on construction, giving them a leg up in the workforce. These changes will be implemented throughout the next two years and last for years to come. Mr. Bockenhauer, along with everyone else in the community, is very excited to see the finished product.

School Food Service has a Vital Job

by Sabrina Phillips

We have all eaten school lunch at some point in our lives. Some may not like what they have and complain, while others are thankful even if they may not enjoy it as much as they would like. For some, they waste all of their food because it isn’t “good enough”. Others, that may be the only meal they have.

School lunches have changed a lot over the years. They have much stricter regulations due to new government rules. They also have a specific budget they can’t go over. They have a yearly budget, but they also have a calorie budget that is daily and weekly. They can’t exceed a specific amount of calories per day, or at the end of the week. Just to plan a meal they have to follow specific regulations on whether it would pass the state inspection, if it follows the sanitation rules, follows food safety of public instruction. They have to count everything and keep production records; they also have to be ServSafe in order to serve food in the school district. The state comes for inspection twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring.  

Since Potosi is such a small school there are only three people who work in the kitchen, Jen, Sarah, and Pam. Jen says they are very great helpers. Students are fed well at Potosi Schools; they have ala carte items they can choose from if they would like. On average the school serves 110 students at breakfast and 280 students at lunch every day. Jen comes in at 6:30 to get everything ready for breakfast, Pam and Sarah come in at 8:15 and help Jen; they typically use batch cooking.  The elementary eats first, then high school, and finally middle school. Every group gets fresh food that hasn’t been sitting out.

Most of the students are very polite and use their manners. However, Jen wishes they said more about it; she would like feedback on what they like, or what they don’t like. There is a bit of waste that is involved because some students feel like they have to take certain things.  The high school students take full advantage of the ala carte; they feel like they have more choices that way. However, the elementary is a bit different. They have more students who are in need because they have a low-income family. Luckily Potosi Schools have a free and reduced lunch program that you can ask if you qualify for and the state pays the school for those people.  Since Potosi is such a small school we only need the cafeteria workers to be ServSafe. If we had a bigger school, we would need a dietician or a nutritionist.

A big plus of being a school cafeteria worker is you don’t have to work weekends, holidays, and you get to see happy kids everyday. You have a very big impact on kids, and Jen, Sarah, Pam realise it.

Potosi FFA Competes at National Soil Judging Competition

By Nick Edge

Potosi Schools FFA program has long been known for success in land judging competitions. This year is no different as our current senior soils team has once again qualified to attend the National Land Judging Competition in Oklahoma City. If you’ve never land judged (also known as soil judging), then you’re probably wondering what land judging is all about.

Land judging competitions help teach students and adults about the field of soil science. It also helps with an understanding of how to use the soil and how to manage the land you are on. Knowing this information is beneficial not only for farmers, but for conservation efforts and construction companies as well.

During our trip to Oklahoma, we stayed in Oklahoma City from Sunday to Friday. On Sunday we left at around noon and finally arrived  around 11:30 p.m. that night. Monday, we went sightseeing throughout the city. First, we stopped at the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial, which was very interesting. Then, we ate at a local restaurant in the famous Bricktown district. On Tuesday, we went to the practice pits for most of the day, even though the weather was not cooperating. We later went to Eischen’s for some of Oklahoma’s famous chicken. Wednesday was another day to practice. We did that all morning. In the afternoon, we went mini golfing and did some other fun activities. Later that night, Mrs. Brunton had a coaches meeting for the contest on Thursday and we had time to socialize and do homework. Thursday was the day of the contest. On Friday, We left Emporia, Kansas and drove the eight hours home.

The contest was held at the Cherokee Arapaho Nation Headquarters. There were multiple contests happening this day: Land Judging, Homesite Judging, and Range Judging. There were over 600 students and 400 adults registered to compete. There were a total of 104 FFA teams from around the nation competing for gold. We, however, placed nowhere near gold. The Potosi Senior Soil team placed 74th out of 104, but we were the second best team from Wisconsin. Monticello placed first, Potosi second, Shullsburg third, Shell Lake fourth, and Lancaster fifth.

While we were there, the Potosi Senior Soils team and Mrs. Brunton had the opportunity to be interviewed by Bob Middendorf of 97.7 WGLR. The interviews were done through the phone. Mrs. Brunton was interviewed twice, on Monday and Thursday, after the contest. Myself and Evan Bloyer were interviewed on Tuesday. Austin Uppena and Brittany Horner were interviewed on Wednesday. The interviews were broadcast during the Farm Show the day after each interview.

The trip to Oklahoma was full of memories and learning opportunities. Learning how to soil judge was one of the best experiences I have had in high school. I highly recommend learning how to soil judge because it is pretty fun when you know what you’re doing. Also, you can have the opportunity to go to Oklahoma and miss a week of school and hang out with your friends, teachers, and Mr. Uppena.

Plant Sale At Potosi High School

By Amber Sue Udelhoven

At Potosi High School the Horticulture class has been preparing for the plant sale on May 11, 2019. They have a total of 53 varieties of plants they will be selling this Saturday. They have thirty more hanging baskets than last year, for a total of 150, and new planter pots, lots more petunias, begonias, and other plants that they have never had in past years. I asked Mrs. Brunton what is the most common plant that she thinks will sell the most and she replied “Hands down the Petunias, and the different vegetables.”

Mrs. Brunton started doing plant sales in 2015 here at Potosi High School. She wasn't really given a choice, since she had a Horticulture classes and there was a greenhouse already being used. Mrs. Brunton got started with the plant sales when she started here because they were something that was already started in Potosi and there was already a greenhouse. Mr. Uppena was also a huge help as he did the plant sale previously and knew how to work the greenhouse.

After her first year here, she took over all the ordering for the group of schools, which includes River Ridge, Cassville, River Valley, and Riverdale. The plants came from British Columbia, Canada, which is near Maine. They plan to build more tables to replace some of the old, worn out ones in the greenhouse now.

This year Mrs. Brunton is hoping to sell seven to eight thousand dollars worth of plants. Compared to last year, this year Brunton thinks that they have better looking plants and have more of a variety of plants, including more hanging baskets. The planter pots are new so hopefully they will sell because we have never had them before.

The sale will start at 9am and go until 3:30pm. The students of the Horticulture class and the FFA will be working the sale. The students and Mrs. Brunton are hoping to see you Saturday My 11, 2019 to help support the FFA conferences, Judges, and Field Trips.