On Wednesday, February 8, five members of Ferradermis, Whitewater High School’s FIRST Robotics Competition Team, were accompanied by mentors Dilpreet Randhawa, Brienne Brown, and Laura Masbruch as they travelled to the state capitol to raise awareness for FIRST with their state representatives during FIRST Wisconsin Advocacy Day.
Seniors Daniel (Peter) Portwine and Jazmin Cederberg, Junior Cosette Wildermuth-Breitzman, Sophomore Maddison LaHaie, and Freshman Margaret Brown spent the morning at Monona Terrace, hearing from the leadership of FIRST Wisconsin and members of other FIRST teams from middle and high schools around the state about advocacy. They also learned about SASA, the Student Association for STEM Advocacy.
Maddi LaHaie, Cosette Wildermuth-Breitzman, Margaret Brown, Jazmin Cederberg, and Daniel (Peter) Portwine
Kevin Anderson from the Department of Public Instruction spoke with the students about the details of the Robotics League Participation Grant which was originally created by the state legislature in 2015 as part of Act 280. This grant is guaranteed to all Wisconsin robotics teams in grades 6-12 who apply and is meant to act as a $5000 matching grant to help offset the costs of competition. However, as the number of robotics teams in Wisconsin has grown, the pool of money allotted to the grant has not kept pace, despite an increase in a previous budget cycle. In the latest round of grant awards for the 2023 season, teams were awarded approximately $3800 each. A major goal of Advocacy Day was for students to ask their legislators to increase the pool of funds for this grant during the next budget cycle. Ferradermis has benefitted from this grant in each of their seven years of competition, so it is important to the team to see this funding continue and potentially increase.
Advocacy Day Attendees
In the Rotunda
Meeting
Preparations
Reflecting on a Meeting
Talking with Representative Schutt
Talking with Representative Shelton
Training at Monona Terrace
Walking to the Capitol
During the morning session, students also heard from Dan Rossmiller, who is currently the Director of Government Relations for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. Mr. Rossmiller helped the students understand the inner-workings of the state legislature and the budget process. The morning wrapped up with a mock meeting staged with Renee Becker-Blau, the new President of FIRST Wisconsin, and a group of students who had previously attended the National Advocacy Conference in Washington DC.
After lunch, the students headed to the State Capitol Building and held meetings with their various representatives. The crew from Ferradermis began with a joint meeting with Senator Steve Nass and Representative Ellen Schutt, who both represent the districts in which the students live. For this session, the students of Ferradermis led the nearly thirty-minute meeting but incorporated members of a FIRST LEGO League Team and a FIRST Tech Team from the Clinton and Beloit areas who are in the same districts.
With Senator Steve Nass and Representative Ellen SchuttWith Representative Francesca Hong
The team then also joined or led separate meetings with Senator Chris Larson of Madison, Representative Francesca Hong from Madison, and Representative Kristina Shelton from Green Bay. Representatives Hong and Shelton are both members of the Assembly Committee on Education, and Senator Larson sits on the Senate Committee on Education, so the team felt it was important to help them learn about FIRST and the need for increased funding for the robotics grant.
Student reaction to the day was highly positive. The students felt the meetings went well, and they left feeling like they had successfully shared their passion for FIRST Robotics. As one student said as the crew was leaving the capitol, “this experience really humanized politics.”
Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor and Banner Volunteer lmasbruch@wwusd.org
Students at UW-Whitewater at Rock County will soon be able to participate in competitive athletics as they move along their educational journey. The National Junior College Athletic Association has accepted the campus as its newest member. Rock County intends to field teams starting in the 2024-25 academic year, and its student-athletes will be eligible for postseason play starting in 2025-26.
“We are thrilled to be bringing intercollegiate athletics back to UW-Whitewater at Rock County,” said Tricia Clasen, dean and assistant vice chancellor. “Participation in athletics is a valuable college experience for so many students and offers the whole community opportunities to get involved in college sports. We can’t wait to cheer on our student-athletes!”
Founded in 1938, the NJCAA is the governing body for two-year collegiate athletics, providing student-athletes opportunities to prepare, compete, succeed and achieve in their academic and athletic disciplines. It is the second-largest national intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States with more than 500 member schools in 44 states. UW-Whitewater at Rock county is assigned to Region 4, which includes schools in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
“We are excited to welcome UW-Whitewater at Rock County to the NJCAA family,” said Christopher J. Parker, NJCAA president and CEO. “NJCAA believes that college athletics are an important part of college experience, and we couldn’t be more pleased that URock students will now be able to take part in our competitions.”
Initially, the Rock County campus plans to join NJCAA in the following sports: men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, and men’s and women’s bowling. The campus is in the process of identifying coaches to lead the teams, and more information will be shared with students once the teams are ready to welcome players.
Head Coach Jace Rindahl addressing the media for the first time [Lynn Binnie photos]
With the whole family attired in purple, Rindahl is joined after the conference by his children Dane, 2, being held, and Camille, 4, and his wife Caroline
By Lynn Binnie Whitewater Banner volunteer staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
At a press conference on February 9 in the Student Athletic Complex, Athletic Director Ryan Callahan officially introduced Jace Rindahl as the new head coach of the Warhawks football team, succeeding Kevin Bullis, who retired after eight years in the role.
Rindahl indicated that he is humbled and honored by the “great responsibility — I know that, I understand that, I’m excited about that. As an alum and a coach and a student athlete I feel what makes Whitewater special is the people.” He thanked Callahan for his faith and trust, and his wife Caroline and their children for their support, while also acknowledging the presence and influence of his parents and his sisters. He claimed he got his competitiveness from his sisters.
Rindahl said he has worked under three great coaches at Whitewater in his 16 years with the program, and he wants to take something from each of their approaches. Bob Berezowitz was the coach in his freshman and sophomore years. Lance Leipold, whom he described as a visionary, gave him his first opportunity to coach in 2009. “My first eight years out of high school were spent here as a student athlete and a coach, earning two degrees — for a young man who didn’t like school, it wasn’t easy for me. The people here and the coaches helped shape me and it’s my responsibility to give back.”
A player for UW-W from 2005-08, Rindahl was a three-year starter at linebacker and competed in four DIII championship games, winning in 2007. He was named 2008 Defensive Player of the Year by D3football.com, and finished his playing career with several All-America honors. Rindahl coached linebackers for UW-W during its run of three straight national championships from 2009-2011.
Jace left for the University of South Dakota for two years, where he served as running backs coach. His coach there had a motto, “It’s better to be prepared and not have an opportunity than to have an opportunity without being prepared.” It was there, Jace said, that he began thinking as a head coach. “I’m very fortunate,” he said, “there never was a plan B. Plan A was being a college coach.” The time away helped Rindahl to appreciate what we have here.
Rindahl described Kevin Bullis, who hired him back in 2015, as a great teacher. He was prepared when Bullis called him on the Sunday before Thanksgiving to say that he’d be announced as interim coach the next day.
“I’m 36 years young. I love challenges; I love being doubted, having my back against the wall. I love to compete — competing against the best is when you find out how good you are,” Jace continued.
“The program is in a great spot,” Rindahl claimed, as he said he didn’t foresee any major changes. He’ll be keeping the “Pound the Rock” mantra, though he also likes “Change your best; look in the mirror and realize you aren’t good enough.”
“The 2023 recruiting class is special because of our coaching staff….To the players, I’m excited – let’s go — let’s attack this thing one day at a time — it’s not about talking or tweeting — it’s about action, caring for others. We’ve got the right people here. I love you guys — go Hawks,” Rindahl concluded.
The storied Warhawk record as displayed in the Student Athletic Complex
Each year, FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Teams may nominate two sophomores or juniors for recognition on Dean’s List. Dean’s List is named for Dean Kamen who founded FIRST, and the award is the highest recognition for an individual student in FIRST Robotics. The award is meant to recognize great examples of student leaders who have led their teams and communities to increased awareness of FIRST and its mission. These students have also achieved personal technical expertise.
Sophomores Emerson Dunham and Maddison LaHaie
This year, the mentors of Ferradermis, Whitewater High School’s FRC Team #6574, are nominating sophomores Maddison LaHaie and Emerson Dunham as Dean’s List Semi-Finalists. The mentors have submitted five short essays on behalf of each student outlining their leadership talents, technical skills, and overall contributions to the team. Each student will then participate in an interview with judges at the Wisconsin Regional in Milwaukee in late March where two semi-finalists will be named finalists and advance to compete at the FIRST Championships in Houston in April.
Maddison LaHaie
Maddi dedicates herself to service. She actively decides to see the good in every situation. Due to a large number of new members this year, Maddi has taken it upon herself to make sure the students bond and learn to work together to achieve their goals. She has personally hosted two team socials at her home – an outdoor movie night and an ugly sweater party/game night. She is welcoming to everyone and pays special attention to making everyone feel seen. Maddi volunteers regularly with the Kiwanis as a team representative. Maddi has helped introduce an element of fun to meetings, creating FIRST Robotics themed Kahoots as friendly competitions.
Maddi LaHaie
FLL and working with our younger district students are Maddi’s passions. She served as a mentor to our new middle school team this year, helping them plan and organize their project. She then originated the idea for a LEGO party at our public library over winter break to celebrate the teams. After working closely with the local library to facilitate the event, Maddi’s efforts resulted in over 40 students spending an afternoon building with LEGOs and driving the FRC robot. Maddi continued to show her passion for getting kids excited about STEM by serving as a ref for our in-district FLL competition. Maddi served as our greeter/host for STEAM night at one of our elementary schools and our annual open house, in both instances working to get people excited about FIRST.
Maddi takes the lead on every issue of our monthly newsletter. She has become our resident expert on Canva as she uses it to create graphics for invitations, posters, and publications. As a freshman, Maddi learned to use WeVideo and then took charge of the (then) Chairman’s video, doing all of the editing and the voice over. Although Maddi’s focus is on the administrative side of the team, she has completed all of the training that allows her to be an extra pair of hands in the shop if needed, showing that she is willing to step outside of her comfort zone to help the team. As a freshman, she was also instrumental in bumper construction.
Maddi serves as the co-lead for the administrative subteam, focusing mainly on outreach activities. As both a freshman and a sophomore, Maddi wrote a large portion of the submission for the Impact Award and also took on the role of presenter. She has been a part of every sponsor presentation the team has done in the last year. Maddi serves as our main contact with the Kiwanis, helping with their pancake breakfasts and the fundraising and grand opening for the We-Go-Round accessible merry-go-round. Maddi’s creativity shined through as she came up with the story idea for our team’s first ever submission for the Digital Animation Award. She is always trying to think outside the box with fundraising, and is currently planning our team’s first attempt at raffle baskets for our open house.
Maddi’s energy and enthusiasm for everything FIRST is motivating in itself; she always finds a way to inspire enthusiasm in her peers and mentors. She is a fantastic listener, and she is very much in tune with the needs of her administrative team members. She truly leads by example, especially with her heavy involvement in outreach events. Maddi is always willing to step up and pitch in. If a scouting shift needs to be covered at an event or help is needed cleaning up, Maddi will be there. At the recent Advocacy Day at the state capitol, Maddi took her leadership to the next level by lobbying her state representatives for increased funding for robotics in the state.
Emerson Dunham
As Competition Logistics Subteam Lead in 2023 and head scout in 2022, Em has headed up our collaborative scouting efforts with 6421 Warriorbot’s WarriorWatch, a system which provides scouting data to all teams at any event. In doing so, Em often participates in in-person and virtual meetings with representatives from other teams to plan and organize scouting for an event. Em always makes sure that a new member is engaged with her when completing her tasks, making them feel included and helping build future leadership. Em is our rules expert, carefully color coding a printed copy of the game manual, so that she can support any subteam at any time. By always being there to answer questions and provide advice on projects, Em makes every member of Ferradermis feel welcome and successful.
Emerson Dunham
Recruited by a member who mentored her on our middle school FLL team, Em champions recruiting efforts. Em led the drive to present to the Rock Valley Conference Student Councils as well as in-house recruiting efforts during lunch and homeroom periods which resulted in three new high school students joining before summer. Em led the recruitment efforts at the freshman activities fair this fall, resulting in nine new freshman members. Em is always working to raise awareness of FIRST in the community, most recently by designing a piece of artwork featuring a large Ferradermis logo for display in the Chamber of Commerce spirit corner. During Robotics Week 2022, Em wrote daily announcements and led the charge on a robot coloring contest with handmade robot crayons.
As a freshman, Em quickly became a bumper expert, and her role in that area has continued in 2023. Her expertise with both heat transfer and adhesive vinyl shines whether she is operating the cricut or the full-size vinyl cutter. Although she chooses to work mainly on non-robot aspects, Em is comfortable around power tools and will step in at a moment’s notice to help with anything as she did this year with construction of field elements. Em is quick with math and analytics as demonstrated by her assistance with interpreting CAD drawings for the field layout and her statistical analysis of match data. During Tech Savvy 2022, Em assisted with the CAD station, stretching herself outside of her comfort zone. When new scouting tablets were purchased, Em took charge of configuring them.
Em’s artistic abilities and creativity shine, as she has taken charge of the ambience in our workspace, planning for LED lighting, creating posters, and making the room a welcoming place. Her efforts have led to a team logo on the door, and decorative signage around the room that help members navigate the workspace. Em produces our sponsor display for the robot and pit each year. She is often the one to come up with a lower cost solution that will fit our needs. As the first stop for visitors at our community open house, Em is critical in helping them understand the game and season. She is also a regular attendee at our monthly meetings with a school alumni who is helping create an endowment fund for the team and helping to secure the team’s financial future.
In 2022, Em stepped up as a leader in the stands at each of our three regionals taking on the role of head scout, producing a scouting schedule, and making sure all shifts were covered. Em leads by example. She is always the one to ask, “How can I help?” or “What needs to be done?” No task is too small, and she ensures everyone feels supported. When we laid carpet in our workspace, Em was the first one there, helping others learn the process. Em is the one to get us back on track at leadership meetings with a friendly reminder when conversations go astray. When a teammate is taking on a new task, Em keeps a watchful eye, but lets them find their way, assisting only when needed, as she recently did when a rookie student was doing calculations for building a safety glass station for our room.
Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor and Banner Volunteer lmasbruch@wwusd.org
Rated R (Language, brief nudity); 2 hours, 38 minutes (2022)
Lydia Ta’r (Cate Blanchett), the principal conductor for the Berlin Philharmonic, is one of the most respected artists in the world. She has composed music for stage, film and television. What happens when a world renowned artist becomes overwhelmed by fame, responsibilities, society, and her own personal expectations?
Nominated for Golden Globe Best Film, Screenplay, and Actress.
Please consider stopping by Whitewater High School for a short time between 10:00 and 2:00 on Saturday, February 11, to check out the Whitewater Unified School District robotics programs at our annual Robotics Open House. Representatives of the FIRST Lego League (FLL) teams from the elementary schools and the middle school will be there as well as the high school FIRST Robotics Competition Team Ferradermis. Enter through Door #38 behind the auditorium.
Submitted by Laura Masbruch Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor and Banner Volunteer lmasbruch@wwusd.org
By Lynn Binnie Whitewater Banner volunteer staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Sarah Treadwell, also known as “Space Case Sarah,” is a graduate assistant at UW-Whitewater in the Communication Department. She is the host of The Space Case Sarah Show with Kovi and Benjamin on iRoc Space Radio. Sarah is also a science writer for Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, lead production assistant for NASA’s Ask an Astrobiologist, and a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador. Her bio also says that she’s a “sidewalk astronomer, analog astronaut, and mom extraordinare.”
Sarah was honored to be selected to be the onboard communications officer on the JOIDES Resolution Expedition 399. The JOIDES Resolution (JR) is a research vessel that drills into the ocean floor to collect and study core samples. Scientists use data from the JR to better understand climate change, geology and Earth’s history. It is a part of the International Ocean Discovery Program and is funded by the National Science Foundation. The expedition will take place from April 7 to June 7, 2023. As part of Sarah’s outreach in preparation for this expedition, she is hosting a very interesting exhibit through the end of February at the Community Engagement Center, 1260 W. Main Street (the former Sentry building). The exhibit is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., and also on Saturday, February 18. Here’s a sneak peak of what it looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbnQIXIcync&t=56s
Sarah and UW-W science students are also taking field trip and group tour reservations, particularly for those interested in getting the full blown up boat experience (it requires a lot of hands on deck so to speak so they need a heads up for that). Here is a link to Sarah’s website for group reservations. https://www.spacecasesarah.com/jr-exhibit-field-trips
It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. This week we are featuring a popular winter activity, ice skating. This view from the early 20th century is of a skating rink made up from Whitewater’s first swimming pool, developed behind the old stone mill around 1910. The short-lived swimming pool was created in a man-made depression that was filled with water diverted from the old mill race. It operated briefly in the 1910s.
In the photo you can see that the rink or pool backed up to North Street near the old stone bridge. At the top right hand corner of the image you can see the back of the old brewery that sat at the corner of North and Jefferson Streets.
Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.
Races on the primary ballot are Justice of the Supreme Court and three Whitewater Unified School District School Board Member seats. All eleven active candidates for the school board responded to a questionnaire from the Whitewater Banner. Their responses may be read here. The League of Women Voters – Whitewater Area held a school board forum on January 28. Ten of the eleven candidates participated in this two hour event. The video may be viewed here.
