On the 100th day of school as a kindergartener, Autumn dressed up as a scientist! On the 100th day of school this week as a fifth grader, Autumn found out she was awarded a scholarship to Space Camp! Congratulations Autumn!
Autumn as a 5th grader
More about Space Camp: Students may apply for scholarships in four categories: Financial, Leadership, Academic Achievement and Special Needs. Autumn applied under the Academic Achievement category. The application process included: getting letters of recommendation, two essay questions, science experiment using scientific methods and designing a mission patch. For Autumn’s science experiment she chose to grow bacteria from both of her brothers’ rooms to see which brother had more germs. She will be attending Space Camp for a week in August.
The Jefferson County Parks Department will be hosting a Community Input Workshop on Monday, February 17 at UW Extension from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
The purpose of this workshop is to present past Jefferson County Parks plans, dialogue around what you value most about your interaction with or for the Jefferson County Parks system, sharing on what you are most proud about the County Parks System, hopes you have for the future parks system, partnership opportunities, along with future actions and initiatives that are most important to you. These are key planning questions that could be asked in many ways. The Agenda below provides a nice framework for drawing out the communities’ thoughts and ideas about an ideal future Jefferson County Parks system.
This process is part of a routine cycle of county plan reviews and updates going back to 1997. Your perspectives will make a difference, and will help influence the future direction of the Jefferson County Parks.
Agenda
A. Welcome and introductions
B. Overview of the Jefferson County Parks System, planning, and accomplishments.
C. Community and Public Input Session
What do you most appreciate, are proud of, and value most about the Jefferson County Parks System and implementation of past plans? (Celebration of Success and our Values)
What are new vision ideas that you think could lead to an improved or enhanced Parks System? (Future Hopes and Vision Ideas)
How would you like to see the Parks System move forward, and which initiatives or actions are most important to you? (Future Actions and Strategies)
Additional comments
D. Next Steps
We hope you will be able to join us on Monday, February 17th and feel free to bring a friend! Your perspectives will make a difference, and will help influence the future direction of the Jefferson County Parks. This workshop is a vital part of the parks plan update, and we hope to see you there. This should be both a fun and meaningful workshop!
Community Input Workshop
When: Monday, February 17, 2020, Start at 6:30 p.m.
NEW from Generations on Line! www.EasyCensusHelp.org is an interactive tutorial, teaching a new tablet user, techno-timid current tablet user, laptop or PC user to practice the specific skills needed for filling out the 2020 Census online. This is an interactive, practice area and absolutely no data is stored! It is important for older adults to complete the census as the Older Americans Act uses numbers provided by the census to allocate funding for services and programs. You can practice at home, attend one of our informational sessions (date above) or stop in at Bridging Technology sessions for help.
Seniors in the Park
504 W Starin Rd, PO Box 178
Whitewater WI 53190
Phone 262-473-0535
Hours Mon-Thurs 8:00 am-4:00 pm Friday various days/hours
Senior Coordinator Deb Weberpal, CPRP
dweberpal@whitewater-wi.gov
Volunteer Editor Romelle Koch
Front Desk Patrea Wilson
Parks & Recreation Director Eric Boettcher
As a reminder the Indoor Season of the Whitewater City Market runs November through April every Saturday morning 9 a.m. to noon inside the community room of Irvin L. Young Memorial Library. In addition to the vendors listed in the link below, don’t miss your chance to support Ferradermis through raffle ticket sales this week only at the market!
Weekly vendor lists and descriptions are posted to the Whitewater City Market Facebook account here.
Prefer a weekly email reminder? Sign up to join the market’s email newsletter list here.
On December 8, 2019, First United Methodist Church of Whitewater (FUMC) announced that it had become a “Reconciling Congregation.” A Reconciling Congregation is fully inclusive and welcoming, not judging persons based upon their sexual orientation, gender identity or any other personal or social characteristic.
In
February of 2019 a special worldwide conference of The United
Methodist Church was called to consider possible changes to the
denomination’s position on human sexuality and to explore options
to strengthen church unity on the issue. Delegates to that
conference, many from non-US churches, voted by a narrow margin to
not only retain denomination-wide prohibitions against same-sex
marriages and practicing LGBTQ clergy, but to increase enforcement of
those policies. In response, the “Prime Time” high school youth
of FUMC almost immediately adopted a statement in opposition to the
denomination’s decisions, affirming that “God made us who we are
and ALL of us are children of God.”
In
response to the bold statement by the youth and supportive comments
from many adult members, FUMC formed a task force to consider
becoming a Reconciling Congregation. That task force recommended
adoption of the following welcome statement, and all members and
friends of the congregation were encouraged to vote on its
acceptance:
You
are welcome to come just as you are and be met by God who knows you
by name, who loves you and wants to have an ever-closer relationship
with you. God made us who we are, and ALL of us are children of God.
To
people of all…
Sexual orientations and gender identities
Racial and ethnic backgrounds
Ages and physical/mental abilities
Economic and family status
…we
welcome and affirm you.
We
are all on a spiritual journey and want all to feel included here.
Nearly
two hundred children, youth and adults voted. Some people
volunteered why they voted “yes.” “I am totally in favor,”
said one. Another simply said, “It’s about time.” A third
voted in favor but added, “I still have questions.” A young girl
who has two mothers said, “Because I want to keep coming here.”
In
announcing the overwhelmingly positive vote in December 8th
worship services, Lynn Binnie, chair of the task force, said, Being
a Reconciling Congregation does not refer to a single issue but to
our faithful commitment to be reconciled to one another in all
matters, without demanding that there be unanimity. We’ve always
known that we are a welcoming congregation, but there are people in
the Whitewater area who have heard about the stance of our
denomination and who, as a result, believe that they would not be
truly welcome here. As a Reconciling Congregation, we are
making a public statement that God welcomes all and so do we.
Whitewater High School’s Robotics Team Ferradermis will be hosting their second annual open house on February 22, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Whitewater High School. Visitors should use Door #38 (behind the auditorium) to enter and enjoy what the open house has to offer. This event is open to community members, sponsors, potential sponsors, and parents. In addition to learning about Ferradermis, this year you can learn about the LEGO League Robotics Teams that formed in the district at the elementary and middle school levels.
Ferradermis will be demonstrating what a normal workday will look like along with showing what we will be doing this year at competitions. This will involve Ferradermis members giving tours of our workspace, a video introduction to this year’s game, CAD models of the robot, and a tour of the practice field. All of this will be going on while we are still getting ready for our first competition.
One of this year’s goals for Ferradermis was to help make improvements to the school shop to benefit both the team and the students enrolled in technology and engineering classes. WHS staff members, school administrators, the district business manager, robotics mentors, and representatives from industry have been meeting monthly to prioritize the equipment needs in the shop and develop a long term plan for upgrading the equipment.
A chop saw donated to the team by Meyer Contracting has made cutting aluminum for the robot much quicker and easier
Anderson Waelchli uses the rivet gun donated by Milwaukee Tool to quickly assemble the drive base with guidance from Reilly Aschenbrener
Brandon Mueller operates the new used mill the school purchased for the shop to machine parts for the robot
Brett Wicker works with mentor Troy Clauer to prepare materials for machining
DJ Housel uses one of the lathes in the shop to turn a part for the 2020 robot
Fletcher Crone operates the mill while Mentor Sam Meyer and Brett Wicker look on
Members of the electrical team use the battery operated soldering iron donated by Milwaukee Tool
Reilly Aschenbrener uses the CNC router to cut a piece for the part of the robot that will store the Power Cells (balls)
Students use handtools to create a temporary board to hold the electronics
Team members used CAD to design a jig to hold a router to cut the perfect circle for the Control Panel field element
Team members work to assemble a practice field in the Flex Space, an addition made to the high school building as a result of the last facilities referendum
Technology and Engineering Teachers Mr. Cody Watson and Mr. Mike Wintz accept delivery of the used mill
The team would like to thank Schenck Process and Whitewater Manufacturing for machining some of the more complex parts from our CAD designs
The school district began by purchasing a used Comet Mill with a digital readout to replace a mill that was no longer repairable. The team has already made great use of it when manufacturing the drive base for the 2020 robot. Sophomore Andrew Rollette has become the resident expert on the machine for the team and commented, “the mill has completely changed the way we make our robot. We can make good parts, and we are learning how real parts are machined.”
Troy Clauer, a volunteer mentor with the team and a maintenance engineer for Whitewater Manufacturing, has been pouring his heart and soul into making repairs to the South Bend lathes which were purchased used by the school in 1965. Two of the three lathes are usable but are definitely showing their age, and it is likely that a new lathe will be high on the list of priorities for equipment upgrades. The repairs Clauer has made to the lathes have allowed the team to make spacers and flywheels for the 2020 robot’s shooter mechanism.
Meyer Contracting donated a chop saw for cutting aluminum to the team earlier this fall, and members of the mechanical/build team have been heard to comment that cuts that used to take 10 minutes now only take 30 seconds and are much more accurate as well. This saw, along with the rivet gun, battery operated soldering iron, and other tools donated last spring by Milwaukee Tool, have dramatically increased the speed with which the team can build.
The team has just started making use of the CNC router that had been purchased for the shop in the last few years with the help of community funding. The router has already been used to cut wood, polycarb, and aluminum for this year’s robot.
Most recently, Schenck Process and Whitewater Manufacturing joined forces to purchase a TIG welder that the team can use to weld aluminum. With training from robotics mentor and welder Rob Prager, team members will be able to weld parts of the robot to make it lighter and stronger and allow for more complex designs.
STEM is a growing part of this community, and the robotics teams in the district can’t wait to show you what we have accomplished so far. Come see us in action on February 22!
Dr. Roger Pulliam was the winter Commencement keynote speaker on November 2, 2015. (UW-Whitewater photo/Craig Schreiner)
Roger Pulliam, a champion of equity and inclusion at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater who devoted his life to opening the doors of education for everyone, has died at the age of 77.
He passed away Wednesday morning, Feb. 12, in Wisconsin, according to his family. More information will be shared as it becomes available, including the date and location of memorial services.
“It is impossible to quantify Roger Pulliam’s impact, not only on our campus, but on higher education across the United States,” said Chancellor Dwight C. Watson. “Generations of students benefitted from the groundbreaking work of this selfless and kind man who — during his tenure at UW-Whitewater — was the heart and soul of our diversity and inclusion efforts. Our thoughts are with his family and the many alumni and colleagues who were fortunate to have learned from and worked with him. Dr. Pulliam was a man of integrity who lived and exemplified the values of the Warhawk family.”
As a boy growing up in Gary, Indiana, Roger Pulliam was hungry for education. He became the first person in his family to graduate from high school, and followed that milestone with another, becoming a first-generation college student.
At Western Michigan University, Pulliam earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in education. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in education at the University of Michigan.
Pulliam’s passion for learning blossomed into a nearly 60-year career in education in which he showed an unrelenting devotion to representing, including, and advocating for diverse students and educators and promoting the success of his students and community.
As an administrator at Western Michigan University, he established the Martin Luther King Program in 1968 with the sponsorship of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. He later joined the faculty at the UW-Whitewater, where he worked in various roles from 1989 to 2018.
During his tenure, he served as assistant vice chancellor of academic support services, director of advancement and, most recently, interim chief diversity officer.
Pulliam won state and federal funding to enhance the achievement of first-generation, low-income and multicultural students at UW-Whitewater. He also succeeded in helping hundreds of students participate in travel-study experiences. These efforts extended to his work as a founding member in 1998 of the Office of National Black Student Union, fostering numerous co-curricular experiences for students.
His efforts were so remarkable that he was the inaugural recipient of the Lifetime of Service Award, from the Wisconsin State Council on Affirmative Action, and was celebrated at the Wisconsin State Capitol in October 2019.
“I knew that regardless of the high school they attended, if students came to UW-Whitewater, we had the resources and the determination to get the best out of them,” he said in a 2019 interview.
Alumni spanning several decades credit Pulliam as their guiding light and hero — compelling them not just to complete an undergraduate degree, but to seek advanced degrees. Many of his students have gone on to make tremendous contributions to the State of Wisconsin and the country at large.
He inspired students and alumni — especially those from diverse and first-generation backgrounds — to contribute to the growth and success of the university. The Pulliam-Dunlap Scholarship at UW-Whitewater includes the name of the aunt who raised him and his eight brothers and sisters.
UW-Whitewater recognized Pulliam’s career and contributions with the S.A. White Award in 2013. He also served as commencement speaker for Winter Commencement in 2015.
Jeff Angileri Director of University Communications University of Wisconsin–Whitewater 800 West Main Street | Whitewater, WI 53190 Phone: 262-472-1195 | angilerj@uww.edu
Warhawk Men’s Basketball lost to No. 8 UW-Platteville by 2 in a final score of 68 to 70. Find additional game information here.
Warhawk Women’s Basketball currently ranked No 4 came up with a win against UW-Platteville in a final score of 59 to 55. Find additional game information here.
The Whippet girls defeated Brodhead on Tuesday evening, Feb. 11, 52-45.
Abby Grosinske led the Whippets with 21 points with Kacie Carollo contributing 12 and Alyssa Schumacher 10. Schumacher went 6 for 7 from the free throw line.
Carollo and Cassidy Laue led the team in rebounding, pulling down 7 and 6 respectively.
On Tuesday, February 11th, the Whitewater Whippet Gymnastics Team competed against the Elkhorn Elks in their last dual at Elkhorn High School.
The gymnasts had a successful meet concluding the competition with a team score of 109.325.
The highlights of the meet on the Varsity side included freshman Caleigh Yang scoring a record high on the Balance Beam with a 6.8 and a 7.775 on the Vault. Junior Jenna Caldwell scored an 8.1 on Vault, 7.1 on the Uneven Bars, and a 7.675 on the Floor exercise. Freshman Halee Peters scored a 7.95 on Vault and a 7.0 on the Uneven Bars. Sophomore Anna Ejnik scored a 7.475 on the Floor exercise and a 7.5 on the Vault. Freshman Maddy Donnelly scored a 7.475 on Vault.
Brenda Aguilar
Caleigh Yang
Halee Peters
On the Junior Varsity side much improvement was made with freshman Brooke Bazeley scoring a high score on the Balance Beam with a 4.8, Julia Feit competing Vault for the first time scoring a 6.3, Ashly Xochipa scoring a record high on the Vault with a 6.9, and Brenda Aguilar scoring a 6.6 on the Floor exercise and a 7.05 on Vault. Brenda also competed Varsity Beam scoring a season high of 6.35.
These Whippet gymnasts will be back in action this Saturday, February 15th, at the Platteville Invitational. Come on out and support your Whippet athletes!
Article and Team Photo Submitted by Coach Kelly O’Hara, Additional Photos by Bob Mischka
