Month: April 2018

Middle School Students Excel at State and National Levels

Congratulations to Sophie Walton for the outstanding job she did competing at the state spelling bee over break. She made it through to the 8th round where she went out on the word bobadil. Sophie ended up in 23rd place which is quite an accomplishment competing with top spellers from the entire state of Wisconsin.

Congratulations also to Emerson Ellenwood. Emerson recently had a reflective letter that he wrote to his favorite author in the national Letters about Literature competition chosen to go on to the next level of competition. His letter to Veronica Roth, regarding her book Divergent, was one of 58 chosen from over 700 entries that were received from the state of Wisconsin alone. The top three letters and authors will be chosen from the 58 and they will receive special awards in a ceremony to be held in Green Bay on April 21.

Kudos also to the following members of the 7-8 Math team that competed in the WI Mathematics Council Contest. These members received special recognition for their high individual scores: Andrew Rollette, Brock Grosinske, Emma Clarksen, Samantha McKelvey, and Max Hsu.

Reese Brantmeier competed in a super-national Easter Bowl tennis tournament in Palm Springs, California. 128 tennis players competed in the event and Reese came in third place winning the bronze trophy.

The exceptional achievements of each of these students make us very proud and sets the bar high for our school and community. Go Whitewater!

Chancellor Emeritus Jack Miller passes away at age 70

John (Jack) W. Miller, the former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater chancellor who served from 1999 to 2005, died Monday, April 2. He was 70 years old. Memorial service information was not immediately available. The UW-Whitewater flag will be lowered to half-staff in Miller’s honor from Monday, April 9, through Saturday, April 14.

“Jack Miller contributed to a legacy of excellence at UW-Whitewater,” said Chancellor Beverly Kopper. “Through his efforts and leadership, the physical campus underwent a major transformation, and the Warhawk brand gained national prominence. I want to express my condolences to Jack’s wife, Barbara, and their children and grandchildren during this difficult time.”

As chancellor, Miller oversaw the completion of the $14.5 million Kachel Fieldhouse, home of the campus’s recreation sports and indoor track and field facilities, and site of UW-Whitewater’s commencement ceremonies. Miller also headed a highly successful campaign to raise more than $5 million in private funds for Timothy J. Hyland Hall, home to the College of Business and Economics. He also oversaw a $28 million renovation and addition to the science facilities of Upham Hall.

An ambassador for UW-Whitewater and Warhawk Athletics, Miller was instrumental in UW-Whitewater’s pursuit of national athletic championships. The Warhawks won their first of 16 team titles in a 15-year span during his tenure (Volleyball, 2002). He was inducted into the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Hall of Fame as part of the 2018 class.

Miller was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Brothers of the Academy for commitment to access, retention and graduation of underrepresented students in higher education in 2005, and the Pacesetter Award from the National Academic Advisory Association as CEO of the Year in 2003. His annual study of America’s Most Literate Cities was published by USA Today and recognized in more than 100 of the largest daily newspapers and on National Public Radio.

Miller earned his bachelor’s degree from Ohio University in 1969, his master’s degree in education from Northern Illinois University in 1972 and his Ph.D. from Purdue University in 1975. He was named chancellor at Central Connecticut State University in 2005, where he served until his retirement in 2016.

WHS Math Team Wins 1st in 2018 State Math Contest

The varsity Math team after a previous meet.

The Whitewater High School varsity math team won first place for class B schools in the 2018 state math contest.  This is the third time since 2010 that the team has won first place. Earning individual honors: Jacob Korf and Nicole Sedmak won All-state 1st team, while Nick Kuzoff, Zach Gross, James Dedrick, Colin Chenoweth, and Zach Brantmeier won All-state 2nd team.  Also contributing to the team score was Dalton Chenoweth.

Scholarly Scoop: Out of the Basement and into the Streets: Far-Right and Antifascist Mobilizations in the Trump Era

When: Friday, April 6,  at 10:30 am

Where: Starin Park Community Building

The populist rhetoric of the 2016 election brought a number of movements into the public consciousness. Among them were various factions of the extreme right-wing of American politics.

Dr. Stanislav Vysotsky

White supremacists and other bigots associated with the “alt-right” saw in the candidacy of Donald Trump an opportunity to spread their message to a wider audience. Antifascist groups mobilized in response to these public displays of fascism, which brought these conflicts out of the underground and into the streets. This talk will provide an overview of contemporary fascist and antifascist movements with a focus on the key differences between them.

 

Presented by Dr. Stanislav Vysotsky, an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Criminology at the UW-W.

Dr. Vysotsky’s research focuses on the conflict between supremacist groups in contemporary American society and their militant antifascist opposition. He has conducted ethnographic and interview research with antifascist activists in order to understand the relationship between threat, space, subculture and social movement activism.

Please register in advance by calling 262-473-0535.

2018 Spring Election Results

Unofficial Results for the 2018 Spring Election

Updated April 4, 2018; 5:57 am

 denotes Projected Winner

Votes by County
Whitewater Council Person at Large Walworth Rock Jefferson Total
Brienne Brown 521 0 66 587
Jim Allen   588 0 75 663
Write In 6 0 0 6
Votes by County
Whitewater Council Person D2 Walworth Rock Jefferson Total
Jimmy Schulgit  27 0 0 27
Write In 3 0 0 3
Votes by County
Whitewater Council Person D4 Walworth Rock Jefferson Total
Lynn Binnie  378 0 0 378
Write-In 8 0 0 8
Votes by County
Whitewater Unified School District Walworth Rock Jefferson Total
Tom Ganser  1168 164 182 1514
Jean Linos  956 158 152 1266
Kelly Davis  1306 170 228 1704
Write-In 36 12 3 51
Votes by County State of WI
Wisconsin Justice of the Supreme Court Walworth Rock Jefferson Total Total
Michael Screnock 9255 9463 7667 26385 440,235
Rebecca Dallet  7854 15075 7021 29950 555,196
Write-In 23 24 12 59 N/A
Votes by County State of WI
State Referendum Elimination of State Treasurer Walworth Rock Jefferson Total Total
Yes 7096 6953 7380 21429 364,971
No  9278 16807 5245 31330 581,147

Free Poetry Reading; April 11, 7 pm at Cultural Arts Center

Marilyn Annucci of Madison, Wisconsin named the winner of the 2018 Press 53 Award for Poetry for The Arrows That Choose Us.

Ms. Annucci is the author of two chapbooks—Waiting Room, winner of the 2102 Sunken Garden Poetry Prize (Hill-Stead Museum, 2012), and Luck (Parallel Press, 2000). Originally from Massachusetts, Marilyn has lived in Madison, Wisconsin, for twenty years, and teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she is Professor of English in the Department of Languages and Literatures.


Winner of the Open Book Poetry Competition: Nicholas Gulig’s Orient 

Nicholas Guligis a Thai-American poet from Wisconsin. The author of North of Order (YesYes Books) and Book of Lake (Cutbank), he currently lives in Fort Atkinson, WI and teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Wisconsin Makers Inc. Host Third Annual Iron Pour on Saturday, April 7

Photo from the 2017 Iron Pour

The public is invited to this family-friendly event at the regional makerspace, located at 200 E. Clay St. across from the American Legion. It will be held rain or shine, with inside activities in the event of cold or inclement weather. Doors open at 9 am and spectators are welcome to watch the “pour team” — Teresa “Tree” Lind, a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater lecturer of art and design, and her students — melt cast iron in an outdoor furnace and then fill sand scratch molds with the molten metal.

Those wishing to make their own casting may buy a scratch mold square to personalize with their design. Each scratch mold must be completed no later than 11 am. At noon, Lind and her students will begin pouring the cast iron into the molds. They will present the completed castings to participants at 2 pm. Persons wishing to get a head start on their squares — which make great trivets, garden “stones” and decorative art — may attend a free workshop Wednesday, April 4, from 6 to 8 pm.

“Your unique design will be preserved in cast iron for ages to come,” said Wisconsin Makers member Doug Grall,” adding that past years’ iron pours each drew more than 100 attendees. “Your iron mold sculpture will make a truly unique one-of-a-kind design of your own making.”

People may sign up for the iron pour and purchase their molds via EventBrite at Facebook.com/WisconsinMakers. Each scratch mold costs $25 and includes the free workshop.

Also on Saturday, April 7, attendees will be able to take self-guided tours of the community workshop, view metal items being formed with the 3-D printer and create hardware lettering art from a large pile of nuts, bolts, and hardware. Brats will be available for $3, and chips and soda, for $1 each.

Wisconsin Makers is a nonprofit regional makerspace (community workshop) offering an affordable, collaborative and educational environment that inspires people of all ages to become innovators by unlocking their skills through continual experimentation and training. Work areas/equipment include 3-D printing, laser engraving, machining, welding/fabrication, electronics, blacksmithing, woodworking, ceramics/pottery, jewelry making, arts/crafts, quilting/fabric arts, matting/framing and much more. For more information on or to register for the iron pour or workshop, or to learn about memberships, visit wisconsinmakers.org, the Facebook page, call (262) 753-6455, or e-mail Lynda at wisconsinmakers@gmail.com.

Ethan Barclay-Weberpal Scholarship Fund Fundraiser, April 7 from 1 pm to 6 pm

When: Saturday, April 7,  from 1 pm – 6 pm

Where: Time Out Pub & Eatery, 101 E Milwaukee St, Janesville, WI

On the morning of January 16th, 2018, PFC Ethan Barclay-Weberpal tragically lost his life at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, CA. Being a Marine was a dream of Ethan’s for many years and he was extremely proud to be serving his country. Ethan was a vibrant young man who loved life and loved his family and friends. Ethan’s family would like to honor his memory by providing scholarships to those who embody and reflect Ethan’s passion for service. In an effort to launch this, a fundraiser benefiting the Ethan Barclay-Weberpal Scholarship Fund through UW-Whitewater is being organized for April 7th from 1 pm – 6 pm at Time Out in downtown Janesville, WI. There will be silent auctions, 50/50 raffles, basket prizes, meat raffles and more! Silent auction items include Milwaukee Brewer packages, hotel stays, high-end wine, gift baskets, Wisconsin football tickets, and restaurant certificates. Live music will be provided by Duane Worden from 1 – 3 pm and Gary the Band from 3 – 6 pm “A hero remembered……never dies” – please help us keep Ethan’s memory alive.

 

UWW Health Organization Promotes Kick Butts Day

Communicating Health In Practice (CHIP), a health organization at UW Whitewater raised awareness of the cessation of smoking on March 20 and 21.  Students offered “Quit Kits” to other students which included packages containing gum, sunflower seeds, and even tic tac. The goal was to show students and staff that there are other ways to not smoke, which is a habit that can lead to so many negative health effects. The organization has also been working on creating an on-campus,tobacco-free policy. Organization Treasurer and UWW Senior Tanner VanDrisse stated, “there are so many things that can harm students in today’s world if we can help prevent one way to die, we certainly will try with all our might.”

Organization members have also raised awareness on drinking and driving, as well as cyberbullying and look forward to continuing their efforts in the Whitewater community.