News & Events

Update 1/17/24 @ 5:00 p.m. – Peter Underwood, former Whitewater resident now living in Arizona, indicated that we misidentified this bird as a falcon, stating that, “it is in fact an immature Cooper’s Hawk, a very common backyard hawk across the country. (Peregrine would rarely if ever be seen in Whitewater area.)” Our thanks to Peter for this correction.

Crystal Singer discovered this beautiful bird in her backyard on Saturday morning, January 13.  

Our thanks to Crystal Singer for sharing these beautiful photos of her backyard discovery.

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Named after FIRST Robotics Founder Dean Kamen, Dean’s List is an opportunity for each FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Team to recognize up to two sophomore and junior team members for their demonstrated leadership and commitment to the FIRST core values of discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun. Nominees should show effectiveness at increasing awareness of FIRST in their school and community, demonstrate passion for a long-term commitment to FIRST, and be a role model who can motivate and lead fellow team members. The student’s individual contributions to their team should contribute to the overall success of the team, and they should have proven experience in areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

For the 2024 FRC season, the head coaches of Ferradermis have selected Junior Andrew O’Toole and Sophomore Erison Dreksler as their Dean’s List Semi-Finalists. These two students will participate in an interview with a panel of judges at one of the team’s regional competitions in a bid to become one of two Dean’s Lists Finalists selected from that regional. Roughly 250 finalists then compete at FIRST Championships in Houston to become one of ten Dean’s List Winners for the world. The head coaches must submit short 800-character responses to a series of questions for each nominee. Below are the nominations for each student:

Erison Dreksler

Erison is a kind soul who supports everyone who wants to be involved with the team. They are the first to welcome new members and get them hands-on with the robot, no matter their skill level. They are most often the one to gather the team at the end of a meeting for a wrap-up so that each member has an opportunity to celebrate their individual contribution to the team that day. Erison fully embraces any opportunity for team bonding, attending every activity. Erison served as technician for the drive team in 2023, but at the Wisconsin Regional, when our Human Player experienced a medical emergency moments before our first elimination match, our drive coach looked at Erison, and said, “you’re up!” Erison never blinked; they just seamlessly stepped in with only minutes to learn the signals.

Erison plans to study electrical engineering and will make an incredible mentor for any FIRST level. They demonstrated this already with their work with our district’s FLL teams. They accompanied five teams to regionals last fall and spent the day going between teams to make sure everyone had what they needed. When a presentation is to be done for a sponsor or student group, Erison is the first to step up. They recently presented to our school’s multilingual learners in an attempt to involve some of our new migrants in the team. Erison was one of three students to represent FIRST Wisconsin at the SLATE Educational Technology Conference in Wisconsin Dells where they worked all day to make connections with representatives from other school districts and encourage them to start FIRST teams.

When our electrical subteam lead unexpectedly moved before the start of the 2023 season, Erison stepped up and assumed that role without ever having the recognition of the title. They did this as a freshman who only weeks earlier had never touched the robot; they just learned what they needed to, when they needed to. Erison continued to help out the administrative team when needed and worked with another student to open a new method of interaction with the community by making all of the connections needed to get a booth for the team at the Whitewater City Market on five occasions last summer. The two also used this opportunity to create a new fundraising stream for the team by learning to use the school’s laser engraver to produce trinkets that could be sold at the market.

As a freshman, Erison joined the team strictly to do administrative work and expressed no desire to ever work on the robot. A few weeks later, they were knee-deep in electrical work. As a direct result of their freshman experience on the team, they enrolled in the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Introduction to Engineering course as a sophomore and are signed up for a program to spend a week at MSOE this summer learning about the school’s various areas of study. Erison has stepped into the role of electro-mechanical subteam lead as a sophomore, stretching out of their comfort zone to learn to operate the CNC milling machine and other shop equipment. Erison also stepped up to learn to both drive and operate the 2023 robot in the offseason so that they could do demonstrations for the community.

Erison shows up. They are present, they are engaged, and they are determined. No job is too small or too large for them, and that sets a standard for others. Whether it is replacing the carpet in our practice space, assembling furniture, or cleaning the tech room, Erison will be in the middle of it. Every time the team packs for an event, Erison is the one to oversee packing. The mentors don’t worry that the team will have everything they need; they know Erison will help their fellow students get it done right. Our team knows they can trust Erison to support them and be there for them when they are struggling without judgment. Erison is not afraid to approach mentors with concerns on behalf of their fellow students, and the mentors have a great deal of respect for their opinions.

Erison’s involvement in the school’s Diversity Alliance shows their commitment to making all students welcome with everything they do. Their 3.8 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale and their superb performance in honors math and English courses shows their dedication to academics as well.

Andrew O’Toole

Andrew typically likes to avoid the limelight. However, FIRST Robotics competitions tend to bring out his fun side, especially when it comes to hats, including the infamous, “Drive it like you stole it,” hat and a certain goose that he adopted from another team during the finals at an off-season event. Andrew is great with our littlest fans, recently helping kids as young as five learn to drive swerve at a public library event and working with the elementary students on STEAM Night. We think he had the most fun putting on a show with our parade bot in the slush recently during the Holiday Parade! Andrew is a terrific spokesperson for Ferradermis and FIRST Robotics as evidenced by his two appearances on Behind the Bumpers in 2022 and 2023, sharing details of our bot with other teams.

As a freshman, Andrew presented to an auditorium full of Student Council members from our athletic conference schools and to the entire school as part of our Robotics Week assembly. As a sophomore, he worked within the school to recruit for the team at the freshman activities fair and by doing  presentations for our tech-ed classes. Andrew has recently been a lead presenter for two of our newest and largest sponsors, paying a visit to MicroPrecision and giving MacLean-Fogg management a tour of our workspace, engaging them in conversation about the importance of robotics. He recently spoke at a school board meeting on behalf of the team as well. Andrew’s mentoring plans for the future will be on a timeline related to his military service, but he does see himself giving back to the program.

Andrew is our “big picture” kid. He is a problem solver that can quietly study a mechanical issue and talk through multiple potential solutions with his engineering mentors, quickly grasping new concepts. He can then turn around and explain the concept in lay terms to teammates without as much mechanical knowledge. As a freshman, he spent endless hours figuring out the optimal approach to use our robot’s windmill arms to climb in the hangar during the endgame until he could nail it every time in less than 10 seconds, making the team highly competitive on the field. As a sophomore, he took over as head driver and became an expert at pushing the swerve to its limits. Andrew has also been at the center of pit operations for two years and will take over as pit crew chief this year.

Andrew is well respected for his mechanical knowledge and multiple times has been asked by our school’s technical education teachers to demonstrate equipment in the shop. He is the school’s resident expert on the CNC milling machine and CNC router. Andrew has taken two years of programming coursework in Python and Java, including AP, so although he doesn’t work directly on programming the robot, he can help troubleshoot. His knowledge of circuitry is expanding as he studies microcontroller programming this spring. He will also support our team’s CAD subteam lead and do a large portion of the CAD work on the robot this year. He has already led the charge to prototype and CAD several mechanisms on the 2024 robot.

Growing from mechanical subteam lead last year, Andrew is serving as team Co-Captain this year, overseeing the entire technical side of the team, including the electro-mechanical, CAD, programming, and safety subteams. Much of his leadership comes by example. He is not one to waste time, and his work ethic is contagious. He is a quiet leader, but he often heads up complex design discussions with his teammates and mentors. His fellow teammates are very comfortable asking him questions and participating in discussions. Andrew’s sense of humor often draws just an, ”O’Toole!” from his teammates and adds a light moment to meetings. In his two years on Drive Team, Andrew has been at the center of many strategy discussions, providing leadership to both his teammates and alliance partners.

Andrew is enrolled in a lot of STEM coursework, excelling in AP Calculus as a junior but also spending time in the shop with Exploratory Tech and Metal Fabrication. His 3.9 GPA on a 4.0 scale, maintained through many honors and AP courses, shows his dedication to his studies. In addition, Andrew finds time to excel in athletics, running at the State Cross Country meet and having been a member of the swim and track teams. He is currently pursuing entrance to a military academy post high school.

Article and Photos Submitted by Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor and Banner Volunteer
lmasbruch@wwusd.org

Cheng Yang, 20, of 1128 B W. Florence St, Whitewater, has been charged with a hit and run – injury, a felony.

Harling Gamez Rodriguez, 24, of 424 W Forest Ave, Whitewater, has been charged with possession of narcotic drugs, a felony.

Jose A Morales, 46, of 494 W. Whitewater Street, Whitewater, has been charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence – fifth offense, a felony.

Editor’s note: These cases have not been concluded. Unless a judgment of conviction is entered, each defendant is presumed innocent of all charges.

As a lifelong educator, now retired, I hope to lend my experience and passion for public school education to my local school board. Having worked as a coach, teacher, principal and superintendent I am well aware of the changing cycles within education. As a parent I saw my sons benefit from quality instruction as they both graduated from Whitewater High School and moved into success in college and their professional careers. I want the best possible experience for every student in the Whitewater schools.

School boards across Wisconsin have been handcuffed by an archaic funding system built upon a formula based on 1993 spending limits. Local taxpayers have been dealt an ever increasing burden where local referendums become necessary just to maintain existing programs. Funding limits cause school leadership to become more creative while teacher pay and benefits fall further behind other costs of living.

While our district is striving to retain quality educators, the challenges grow with each passing year. Valuing staff is crucial. Where salaries may not be competitive with other fields; appreciation, recognition and support can help offset those fiscal gaps.

It is my intention to make every effort to build trust in our school leadership. Open transparent honest actions are one of the key ways to build that trust. Open communication, a reduction of closed meetings and involving all pertinent stakeholders in decision making is how this is accomplished.

Having lived in Whitewater for eighteen years, my family has benefitted greatly from all it has to offer. My hope, if the electorate will give me the opportunity, is to give back to this very special district and community with my passion for education.

I can be contacted for more information or to respond to any question or concerns by email or text.

Yours in Education, Jeff Tortomasi rocktorto@gmail.com cell/text 715-905-0909

Editor’s note: The above announcement was provided by Jeff Tortomasi. The use of the Whitewater Unified School District logo on the homepage should not be construed to imply endorsement by the district.

In an effort to cultivate a sense of community engagement and fulfill graduation requirements, Whitewater High School proudly announces the success of its recent afternoon of service projects in recognition of MLK Day. Staff and students worked collaboratively to create meaningful opportunities for service learning that positively impacted our community.

Through a collaborative effort between dedicated staff and enthusiastic students, WHS successfully implemented a diverse range of service projects. From environmental initiatives to outreach programs, students were able to choose projects aligned with their interests, creating a dynamic and impactful experience for all involved. The Whippets’ first day of service learning demonstrates our commitment to fostering not only academic excellence but also in nurturing responsible, compassionate citizens who actively contribute to the well-being of our community.

The success of these service projects extends beyond fulfilling graduation requirements; it leaves a lasting impact on the community and fosters a sense of accomplishment among the participating students. WHS looks forward to building on this success in future service-learning initiatives, continuing to empower students to make a positive difference in the world around them.

Article Submitted by Kate McNulty, Whitewater High School
kmcnulty@wwusd.org
Photos Courtesy of Laura Masbruch, LouLou Wade, and Kiana Aranda

Our in-office pantry has received tons of toiletry donations over the past month!

For those who aren’t aware, we have a pantry in our office’s back room (at 133 S. Franklin Street – Whitewater), where any community member can pick up toiletry/household items. We do not require an application or any documentation for a person to utilize this service. It is here, free of charge, for anyone needing extra support. The Bethel House client pantry is available during open office hours: Mon-Thurs 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Please note if staff is out or meeting with clients, the pantry may not be accessible, so it is best to schedule an appointment by calling 262.473.2715 or emailing casemanager.bethelhouse@gmail.com.

A special thank you to the following individuals/groups for their recent donations (including a handful of anonymous donations dropped off/sent to us):

Stephanie McDonald & her network of friends/colleagues
UW-Whitewater Circle K (@uwwcirclek)
St. Patrick Catholic Church
First United Methodist Church of Whitewater
First English Lutheran Church – Whitewater

Donations are always welcome! Our most needed items right now are: toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, hand soap, cleaning wipes/sprays, bandaids/first aid items, and body wash. We are NOT in need of toothbrushes, toothpaste or bar soap. We keep updated details on our website (along with “kit” donation ideas) here: http://www.bethelhouseinc.org/donate.html