If each high school year’s fireworks finale ends with the splendor of graduation in early June, then May is the month that builds up the show with several colorful displays of academic and extra-curricular activity to draw the oohs and aahs from our community.
Our Knowledge Bowl team started things off in April, finishing in fourth place at the state meet. This team consisted of Andy Kern, Leif Anderson, Linnea Gesch, Adam Dorr, and Amelia Roth. Coached by April Wahlstrom and David Liechty, this group has now made it to the finals three years in a row.
Just this past week two of our three Envirothon teams placed first and third respectively in the section contest to advance to the state contest this coming weekend.
The Envirothon program gives our students the opportunity to explore public policy and the roles of government in managing the state’s resources. The program also challenges students’ critical thinking skills and cooperative problem-solving skills. The state contest is in Slayton, Minnesota, where team members Andy Kern, Lucy Calender, Abby Prom, Ladin Kivircik, Claire LaVigne, Leif Anderson, Robin Henrikson, Amelia Roth, Aurora Schelmeske, Hazel Oberholtzer, Chloe Blackburn, and Doran Acero will all compete for the title.
The next few weeks have some of our very best students who are enrolled in Advanced Placement courses, taking college credit exams in Spanish, physics, English, environmental science, calculus, world history, and human geography. In total, Cook County students will take over 100 Advanced Placement exams that have the potential of leading to either college credit or a waived-prerequisite class at the university level.
Next week we have seven of our students traveling to Bemidji with their teacher, Mrs. Maggie Friedrichs, to take part in the Concordia Language Village. Students will be immersed in Spanish for three full days as they are coached to develop a higher level of proficiency in their language skills. Mrs. Friedrichs will be taking her talented seniors for a memorable cultural experience.
On May 22 our high school band, under the direction of Mr. Mikkel Haas, will perform its final concert of the year at 7 p.m. in the Arrowhead Center of the Arts. On May 24 Mrs. Erika Ternes directs the middle school/high school choir concert on the same night as the middle school band concert. Come see both spectacular performances!
In the midst of a wealth of academic opportunities, our student-athletes in baseball and softball have been competing on the ball diamonds, while our HS/MS track team sets the pace in their meets. The softball playoffs will begin on May 22 with baseball beginning post-season play one week later on the 29th. The track team will compete at its section meet on Wednesday, May 23.
Our high school students and athletes have had great opportunities throughout the year, but things explode in May.
For an update on any of the events taking place at the high school, or the numerous events happening at the middle school and Sawtooth Elementary, please visit www.cookcountyschools.org. If you don’t find what you are looking for, email me at mdorr@isd166.org. It is an amazing time of year watching our incredible students finish out the school year in a positive way.
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