JUNE
2019 Seniors say goodbye
Charleigh Reinardy - Knight Writer
Student Journalist - Lourdes Academy
OSHKOSH, WI - The graduating class of 2019, Lourdes 60th graduating class, is prepared to head off on their next adventures that God has in store for them.
The last two weeks of school were full of events for all of the Lourdes seniors. On the morning of May 23, the seniors celebrated their last mass with their Lourdes family in the Castle. The seniors were surrounded by their classmates, underclassmen, and families. To complete the mass, the seniors were given their senior gift and said their first goodbyes to their teachers.
The students returned bright and early Friday morning to perform service projects throughout the community for Lourdes donors and community members in need. After lunch, the seniors returned to campus to give back to their school with a few more service projects.
Friday night the seniors began a new tradition: the senior lock-in. The students arrived at Lourdes around 7:00 p.m. to begin their night of games, scatter ball, food, and painting a senior mural in the conference room.
Once returning from Memorial Day weekend, the students were excited for their graduation walk on Wednesday morning. The seniors dressed in their caps and gowns for the first time that week to travel to Seton and Cabrini Elementary Schools where they were greeted by the elementary students and staff. The students enjoyed walking through the halls of their former elementary schools and talking pictures on the playground and by the school signs.
The students spent their bus ride to and from the elementary schools reading Post-it-notes which covered the inside of the bus. The teachers took the time to write positive and encouraging messages to the seniors on the Post it notes and then they decorated the bus with them. Once returning to the middle and high school, the seniors traveled through the hallways and were cheered on by the underclassmen and their teachers.
Wednesday concluded with the senior awards night: a long standing tradition to honor students in their academic, service, and athletic accomplishments from their years at Lourdes.
The students eagerly awaited the graduation ceremony, but their faith came first. On Sunday, June 2, students from both the choir and band helped lead the candle light mass the morning of graduation. The seniors were a sea of red in the first few pews of St. Peter’s Church. The mass ended with a blessing from the community, and the seniors were off to graduation in the Castle that afternoon.
Valedictorian Dylan Konop and salutatorian Aubrey McDermott both delivered moving speeches that lit up the faces of the soon to be alumni. The band and choir filled the Castle with music as the students performed for the seniors for the last time. The seniors then walked the stage, received their diplomas, and switched over their tassels.
In a final celebration, the seniors gathered in the circle drive underneath the flagpole and threw their caps, symbolizing the end of their high school years.
Congratulations class of 2019!
Botany students search for leaves at High Cliff
By Maria Foss - Knight Writer
Student Journalist - Lourdes Academy
OSHKOSH, WI - On May 14, the Botany students trekked through High Cliff State Park to collect leaves for a class project.
The trip was a day-long event, and the students embarked on a four-mile hike through the woods to look for leaves. Since not all of the leaves on the trees were fully developed, the Botany students were only able to find three to four leaves out of the 20 needed to complete the project. However, they still had a fun time at High Cliff.
¨We were able to see a waterfall that went into a creek, and it was really cool,” junior Tate Fabisch said.
Sophomore Christine Starshak said that her favorite part of the field trip was seeing the rock formations and being able to walk through the woods. ̈ ̈The trees were so beautiful,̈ she said.
After the four-mile hike and several hours of hunting for leaves, everyone went to Tom's Drive-in for a treat.
After the trip and when the students collected the rest of their leaves, the criteria for the Botany project was to dry and press each leaf and create a binder with information and characteristics of each leaf along with the actual leaf.
“Before I was teaching at Lourdes, Mr. Trader [previous science teacher] completed the leaf project with his students every year. I decided to continue Mr. Trader’s project with my own students,” science teacher Carrie O’Connor explained.
O'Connor said that the purpose of the project is to help students familiarize themselves with specific leaf types and to be able to identify leaves by what they look like. “It is also an important project because I want my students to have a chance to learn how to preserve leaves in their natural state,” O’Connor said.
Social studies students travel to Madison
By Noah Ralofsky - Knight Writer
Student Journalist - Lourdes Academy
OSHKOSH, WI - High school social studies students toured the Wisconsin capitol building lead by Representative Michael Schraa on Fri., May 17.
Lourdes Academy social studies and history teacher Dr. Jake Jacobs and government teacher Cathleen Probst organized the trip and took their students from their respective classes to Madison. Jacobs said he has been taking his students on this field trip for seven years now, starting the year he began teaching at Lourdes. He says the purpose of taking the students is “to see how beautiful our state capitol building is and to explore the rich history of Wisconsin.”
Because this is Probst’s first year teaching at Lourdes, this was her first trip to Madison with her Lourdes students. She enthusiastically responded that she would go back next year but revealed that she will most likely be offering a trip to Washington D.C. for her AP U.S. Government students next year. Probst said she took this year's AP U.S. Government students to Madison to give them a real visual of how our government system works and where the politicians conduct their work.
Probst said her favorite part of the trip was being able to connect with her students outside of school, while Jacobs said, with a smile, that his favorite part was getting the free custard from Representative Schraa. In addition to his political career, Schraa also owns Leon’s Frozen Custard in Oshkosh.
The students also had various perspectives and learned different things on the trip. Senior Ellie MacKenzie said she learned that there is a statue of a badger on every level of the capitol building and said her favorite part was walking around the observation deck of the building. Senior Jacob Diker said he found the Wisconsin state legislature very intriguing and his favorite part was learning about our state government with his friends. Senior Charleigh Reinardy said her favorite part was also the observatory deck of the capitol building and being able to look over Madison.
Junior Noah Resop said he learned about all of the historical art inside the capitol building and said his favorite part was walking around State Street with his friends. Junior Ellen Moore said she learned about the history and art of the capitol building, which was also her favorite part of the trip. Junior Rosa Melendez said what she found interesting was the different stones put into building the capitol and said her favorite part of the whole trip was shopping on State Street.
Needless to say, our students and Dr. Jacobs are all looking forward to the trip next year!
