One hundred and sixteen students from schools in the Rock Valley Conference performed in the annual Rock Valley Conference Honors Choir on Thursday, February 2nd. The concert was held at Whitewater High School after a day of rehearsal under the direction of Dr. Robert Gehrenbeck, Director of Choral Activities at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Dr. Sarah Read Gehrenbeck performed as the collaborative keyboard artist. Students singing in the Honors Choir were selected from Beloit Turner, Big Foot, Clinton, East Troy, Edgerton, Evansville, Jefferson, McFarland, and Whitewater high schools. The Whitewater students who sang in the choir were Katie Block, Meridyth Cashion, Jazmin Falcon, Josh Kirley, Marina Linos, Aliciana Lopez, Myles Morse, and Zel Scherer. Congratulations on an excellent performance!
A video excerpt of the rehearsal of “Roll, Jordan, Roll” is available here.
The following area students have been named to the Dean’s List at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for the fall semester of the 2022-23 academic year, ending December 2022.
Qualification for the Dean’s List is limited to students who have attained outstanding academic achievement. To be eligible, students must have earned not less than a 3.5 semester grade point average and carried a minimum of 12 credits.
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, founded in 1909, is one of the 13 four-year institutions in the University of Wisconsin System. UWL offers 130-plus degree programs from undergraduate to doctoral levels in arts, social science and humanities; science and health; business; and education. UW-La Crosse – www.uwlax.edu – is a top-ranked national university. It is the No. 1 public university in Wisconsin with less than 25,000 students, according to U.S. News & World Report’s Best National Universities ranking.
Students on the Dean’s List from this area include:
Bryce Hibbs, Communication Studies Major: Organizational and Professional Communication Emphasis Josie Hintz, Finance Major Catherine Skindingsrude, Biology Major: Biomedical Science Concentration Celine Zahn, Therapeutic Recreation Major
Guest designer Em Allen paints rocks for the showStudents assembling a step unit Students working on the costumes
Update 2/14/23 @ 9:20 p.m. : Sarah Keller from Whitewater, WI, who is studying Music at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is a member of the cast, serving in the role of Edith in “Pirates of Penzance” by Sir W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan.Sarah is a junior, and this is her second collegiate show. She was Aello in the production of “The Harpies” and is now performing the role of Edith. She would like to thank the amazing directors, her cast mates, and the wonderful tech crew for putting on a great show!
The College of Arts and Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater announces the next show of the Theatre/Dance season with “Pirates of Penzance” by Sir W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan. Directed by Sara J. Griffin, this production will run in the Barnett Theater from February 15-18 at 7:30 p.m. and February 18-19 at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale for the performances and may be purchased online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. Admission for adults is $18, for those age 65+, $16; for those under 18, $12. There is a $2 surcharge for tickets purchased at the door at the time of the event. The Barnett Theater is located in the Greenhill Center of the Arts at 950 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI 53190.
Set sail with this classic whimsical comedy! Mistakenly apprenticed to a raucous band of pirates, Frederic is caught up between a marauding crew that lacks killer instinct, a squad of overly empathetic policemen, and a modern major-general’s bevy of daughters. Hilarious and hopeful, you’ll find plenty of wit, charm and an abundance of musical gems.
Sir W.S. Gilbert was born in 1836, and at the age of two was kidnapped by Italian gang members but was soon set free. As an adult, Gilbert worked as a lawyer for the high courts in 1861, penning political humor and dramatic stories, illustrated poems and columns to a popular British publication. He wrote to this publication under the name of “Bab,” and after many years of writing, a collection of poems was made into a book for Gilbert. These poems would become inspiration later on for Gilbert’s operettas with Sullivan.
Sir Arthur Sullivan was born in 1842 and was surrounded by music from an early age. Sullivan composed his first anthem at the age of 8, and was awarded a prestigious scholarship, attending many prominent academies all over Europe. Over the course of his twenties, Sullivan created many choral works, which then morphed into a desire to create compositions for comic operas.
The duo first teamed up in 1871 to create “Thespis,” as well as two other shows over the next six years. Their smash hit “H.M.S. Pinafore” ran for almost 600 performances. Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas were the first steps in creating what we now know as musical theater, and to fully cement their legacy in history, the duo created their most acclaimed show: “Pirates of Penzance.” The two created fifteen shows during their time together, and created a musical legacy that is still cherished to this day.
On choosing this production, Griffin states, “Since March of 2020, the world has needed an escape. Being forced to stay inside our dwellings, separated from the people and pursuits we love, many of us developed coping mechanisms and desperately sought an escape from the unrelenting angst. Thankfully, the light at the end of the tunnel became clear, for many of us, and all we had to do was wait for it to arrive. But what about the people for whom there was no light? That what awaited them on the other side was just as daunting, unrelenting, and miserable as their current circumstances? This led me to a parallel between our collective recent experience with the collective experience of child workers in the Victorian Era, when ‘Pirates’ was written. Rather than simply present ‘Pirates of Penzance,’ I wanted to put it through a specific lens, one that would give it a context to allow the audience to connect with the story on a more relatable level. I hope you enjoy our production and appreciate the two-hour escape.”
The cast for this production includes Colin Allison as The Pirate King, Erin McKee as Mabel, Nahuel Recoba as Frederic, Robbie Chelius as Major General Stanley, Emma Dutcher as Ruth, Ian Black as Sergeant of Police, Jacob Mhyre as Samuel, Sarah Keller as Edith, Makayla Fedler as Kate, and Tessa Fitzsimmons as Isabel.
“Pirates of Penzance” will run in the Barnett Theater from February 15-18 at 7:30 p.m. and February 18-19 at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale for the performances and can be purchased in advance online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. The Barnett Theatre is located in the Greenhill Center of the Arts at 950 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI 53190.
Editor’s note: The above press release was received from the UW-W College of Arts & Communication.
On Thursday, February 16, from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m., the League of Women Voters – Whitewater Area will host Dr. Claudia Rueda, Associate Professor of History in the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, for a presentation on Nicaraguan history. Dr. Rueda’s talk will enhance our understanding of the cultural and political environment left behind by the Nicaraguan families who recently immigrated to our community. With having recently welcomed a number of Nicaraguan immigrants to the Whitewater Area, we at the League feel strongly that understanding Nicaragua’s history can assist us in being better friends and neighbors to our new community members as well as other immigrants who now call Wisconsin home.
Dr. Rueda earned a Ph.D. in History from The University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests include Student Protest in Nicaragua, The Sandinista Revolution, Student Movements in Latin America, and Revolution and Rebellion in Cold War Era Latin America. She has taught courses in U.S. History, Colonial Latin America, Dictators and Dirty Wars, and Youth & Protest in the Americas. She authored the 2019 book,Students of Revolution: Youth, Protest, and Coalition Building in Somoza-Era Nicaragua.
This event will be virtual. To attend live, please join the webinar using the URL:https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84236451273. Or, join us by telephone by dialing (312) 626-6799, Webinar ID: 842 3645 1273. The event will be live-streamed on Facebook.com/lwvwhitewater.org and recorded. It will be made available to the public afterward.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit our website at https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/whitewater-area, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram @lwvwhitewater.
Three current and one former Whitewater High School student were recently honored by the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) with the Aspirations in Computing award. Senior Jazmin Cederberg and former student Arsonic Webster-Barczak were named Wisconsin Winners, while Senior Dayna Carlson and Freshman Ace Hudec earned Wisconsin Honorable Mentions. All four have studied computer science extensively at WHS and are members of the Ferradermis FIRST Robotics Competition Team.
Dayna Carlson, Ace Hudec, and Jazmin Cederberg
The students will be honored at an awards ceremony at the Milwaukee School of Engineering on May 7 that will feature college booths, many young IT professionals with whom students can network, and a keynote speaker. Students will receive a medal and a prize bag filled with goodies from local businesses and organizations that value each student’s accomplishments and applications.
NCWIT is a non-profit community of more than 1,400 universities, companies, non-profits, and government organizations nationwide working to increase the meaningful participation of girls and women in the world of computing. NCWIT helps organizations recruit, retain, and advance those who identify as women or non-binary from K-12 and higher education through industry and entrepreneurial careers by providing community, evidence, and action. They do this by providing opportunities to awardees for networking, career development, and community-building.
Article and Photo Submitted by Laura Masbruch Whitewater High School Computer Science Teacher and Banner Volunteer lmasbruch@wwusd.org
VIP Services will be hosting their first annual ‘Casino Night Benefit’ and new logo unveiling on Saturday, February 18th from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at their offices on 811 E. Geneva Street in Elkhorn. Funds raised at the event will be used to support VIP’s ongoing community programs and help launch their new branding efforts.
Tickets to the benefit are $50 each and include entrance, playing chips, local beer provided by Duesterbeck’s Brewery, wine, soft drinks, and snacks. Guests will have the opportunity to play blackjack, roulette, craps and Texas hold’em. The top three chip holders at the end of the night will get to pick from the prize table, which will include a large-screen HD TV and a wine basket with a gift certificate to a local favorite, The Duck Inn. There will be other raffle opportunities and a prop-filled photo booth where guests can have their photo taken in front of a backdrop.
“This unique event presents an exciting opportunity to showcase VIP’s services and create new connections in the community,” Poshepny said during a promotional announcement for the event. “We are very proud of the work we do, as well as those we support in their efforts to overcome challenges and barriers to find employment and other opportunities to become involved in the community.” Those interested in buying or reserving tickets are encouraged to call VIP Services at 262.723.4043 or visit VIP’s offices.
VIP’s motto: Empowering people with disabilities to explore and experience endless possibilities.
Editor’s note: The above news release was received from VIP Services.
On Saturday, February 11, the Whitewater Wrestling Team competed in the Regional Wrestling Tournament held in Jefferson. The tournament consisted of 13 teams, each attempting to achieve top two status to advance to the team sectional with the top four individuals to qualify for individual sectionals. After a grueling day of competition, the Whitewater team defended their title from a year ago, clinching the team title, outdistancing Martin Luther who took second place. As a team, Whitewater will travel to Evansville to compete in the team sectional against Belmont/Platteville, a team that came out of a very strong region.
Whitewater Whippets
Individually, Whitewater wrestled very well throughout the day. Traysen Thomason and Aaron Porras led the way for the Whippets, each of them winning their first individual Regional championships at 138 and 160 pounds. Traysen wrestled very well throughout the day winning a very exciting semi-final match 9-8 and then a championship match 8-4. Aaron Porras started his day with two pins and then a very tough match in the championship winning 6-5.
Coming in second for Whitewater were CJ Tomomitsu, Connor Friend, and Odair Porras. CJ and Connor each lost in the championship match against very tough competitors, putting up a good match but coming up short. Odair lost in the semi-finals, won his third-place match, and then had the opportunity to wrestle for true second. He wrestled very well in the 2nd place match to move up the podium.
Individual Sectional Qualifiers
Taking third place and also qualifying for sectionals were Jasen Porras, Victor Hernandez, and Payton Lyon. Jasen and Victor won their third-place match. Victor did not get a wrestle back as he had already wrestled the 2nd place person, and Jasen lost in the wrestle back so he held onto 3rd place. Payton had a very tough loss in the championship. He nearly pinned his opponent in the championship but ended up losing. It was tough to come back from the loss, and he ended in third place, yet still qualified for the sectional.
Aaron PorrasTraysen Thomason
The individual qualifiers will compete on Saturday, also in Evansville.
Article and Photos Courtesy of John Schimming Whitewater High School Head Wrestling Coach jschimming@wwusd.org Action Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka
Members of Ferradermis and representatives of the Lincoln FIRST Lego League Team hosted an open house on Saturday, February 11, at the high school. The team wishes to thank our community members, sponsors, and Senator Steve Nass for stopping by to check out the high school team’s progress on their 2023 robot and to learn about the robotics programs throughout the district.
Robotics Administrative subteam members gave tours which included hearing from members of the Competition Logistics, CAD, Programming, Electrical, and Mechanical subteams and a chance to hear about the team’s first ever Digital Animation submission.
Ferradermis will take the field with their newest robot at Sussex Hamilton High School on Sunday, February 19, for a scrimmage with teams from throughout southeast Wisconsin before heading to Duluth for the Northern Lights Regional on March 1.
Thank you to NBC’s Chicago Fire, the Wildermuth-Breitzman family, and the LaHaie family for donating prize baskets to the team. Congratulations to our basket winners Jeff and Peggy Lee, Linda Robinson, Tori Breisath, Susan Bellman, Amanda Genung, Mason Pautsch, and Nathan O’Shaughnessy!
2022-2023 Ferradermis Sponsors
Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor and Banner Volunteer lmasbruch@wwusd.org
Whitewater Unified School District Legislative Breakfast – Monday @ 8:00 a.m. Agenda: Click on meetings in upper right corner Whitewater High School Library 534 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin 8:00 a.m.
City of Whitewater Plan & Architectural Review Commission – Monday @ 6:00 p.m. Agenda includes Public hearing regarding consideration of a Conditional Use Permit for a proposed Auto Repair Service with Rental of Box Trucks and Trailers located at 1002 S Janesville Street, Parcel ID#/WUP 00341 for Big Deal LLC. (Lee Loveall) and Public hearing regarding a Site Plan Review for the Ferguson Building, Lot 2, Innovation Drive. This meeting is IN-PERSON and VIRTUAL City of Whitewater Municipal Building – Community Room 312 W. Whitewater St. Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto.com/998152653 You can also dial in using your phone. Access Code: 998-152-653 United States: +1 (872) 240-3212 Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://meet.goto.com/install
City of Whitewater Public Works Committee – Tuesday @ 6:00 p.m. Agenda includes Discussion And Possible Action Awarding The Southwest Water Main Extension, Contract 1-2023 To The Qualified Low Bidder and Discussion And Possible Action Regarding Changes To Downtown Business Employee Permit Parking. Cravath Conference Room Municipal Building – 2 Floor 312 W Whitewater St
Whitewater Unified School District Calendar Committee – Wednesday @ 4:00 p.m. Agenda: click on “meetings” in upper right corner Whitewater Unified School District Central Office William D. Kyle Board Room 419 South Elizabeth Street
Irvin L. Young Memorial Library Board of Trustees – Wednesday @ 6:30 p.m. Agenda includes sale of three properties and future of Friends of the Library Community Room 431 W. Center Street Whitewater, WI 53190 Wednesday, Feb 15, 2023 06:30 PM Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88261320467?pwd=Y1NicWhSRzdLbmpJc1dTUkE2dytvdz09 Meeting ID: 882 6132 0467 Passcode: hCqKjh0S Or Dial 1 312 626 6799 Meeting ID: 882 6132 0467 Passcode: 46883370
City of Whitewater Community Development Authority Board of Directors – Thursday @ 5:30 p.m. AGENDA includes Presentation on “Perspectives on (Re) Development”; Closed session items, to be followed by open session: (a) Deliberating acquisition of 126 North Jefferson Street (Tax Parcel /BIRW 00002) and Vacant Land at 104 East Main Street (Tax Parcel /BIRW 00002). (b) Letter of Intent regarding potential mixed‐use development on East Main Street/Jefferson Street. Location: Municipal Building – Community Room 1st Floor 312 W. Whitewater St. This will be an IN‐PERSON and VIRTUAL MEETING Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join us via computer, smart phone or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods. You are invited to a Zoom webinar. Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device: Please click this URL to join. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82620171822?pwd=MGMvanpWNXNwMGx1U0FXcFNPUWprUT09 Passcode: 389030 Or Telephone: Dial: 1‐312‐626‐6799 Passcode: 389030
Gov. Evers Orders Flags to Half-Staff in Honor of Milwaukee Police Department Officer Peter Jerving
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers announced Executive Order #185 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Mon., Feb. 13, 2023, in honor of Milwaukee Police Officer Peter Jerving, who was killed in the line of duty on Tue., Feb. 7, 2022, at the age of 37.
“Officer Jerving was a devoted officer who proudly served his city, having spent most of his life wanting to become an officer. By all accounts, he was a dedicated and distinguished public servant who demonstrated exemplary courage, and his passing is an exceptional loss for the city of Milwaukee and our state,” said Gov. Evers. “Kathy and I join Wisconsinites across our state in continuing to keep Officer Jerving’s parents, loved ones, and friends and colleagues, including the Milwaukee Police Department, as well as the entire city of Milwaukee, in our hearts and prayers as we mourn his tragic death.”
Officer Jerving was a lifelong Milwaukee resident with four years of experience with the Milwaukee Police Department. Recognized for his exceptional public service, Officer Jerving received a Milwaukee Police Department Merit Award in 2022 for his life-saving efforts in providing care to a gunshot victim in hazardous conditions.
Services for Officer Jerving will be held on Mon., Feb. 13, 2023, in Brookfield.
