Park High students build a car that goes 287 miles per gallon

Washington Park High School’s Design for Industry class competed in Wisconsin’s Energy Efficient Vehicle Association’s 10th annual Super-mileage Competition at Road America May 9-10.

They tested two student built cars in the unlimited class that completed 13 runs total.

Park HS Car #57 took second place in its class with an average of 287 miles per gallon, and a final run of 300.1 mpg!

(photo right) L-R: Seth Muller, Jerrid Orre, Mari Mason, Kyle Erdman, Mr. Caminiti, Justin Helm, Eddie Martinez, Brian Gronholm, and Jimmy Popawski

Super School Stars: 6th-graders at Racine Christian School

Racine Christian School 6th grade students Bradley Minger, Joshua Gee, James Ryback, Natalee Brzack, and Kellie Friesema display Haiti bake sale items for 5th grader Adrianna Westplate (on left).


Racine Christian School 6th grade students recently held a bake sale to raise money for earthquake victims in Haiti.

By selling home-made treats to students and staff at the school, sixth-graders raised $350. The money was sent to Haiti via the Red Cross.

Principal Dave VanSwol says, “Thanks to teacher Mary Elliott for sponsoring this project. It’s an important part of Christian education to learn and care about people in other parts of our world, and to sacrifice of our time and money to help them in times of trouble.”



Super School Stars is a regular feature on RacinePost honoring local students, teachers and administrators in our schools. Have someone to nominate for a Super School Star Award? Contact us at: racinepost@gmail.com

Super School Stars: Case German students

Case High School seniors Hanna Wilbershide, Dylan Runge and Lucas McCann were awarded Certificates of Merit by the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) for their results on the 2010 National German Exam. Of the more than 300 students taking the Level 4/5/6 exam in Wisconsin, McCann and Wilbershide tied for 23rd place and Runge finished 75th. The National German Exam is a yearly test administered nationwide that measures a student's ability in German in the areas of reading and listening comprehension.


Super School Stars is a regular feature on RacinePost honoring local students, teachers and administrators in our schools. Have someone to nominate for a Super School Star Award? Contact us at: racinepost@gmail.com

Super School Stars: Students at Wadewitz Elementary School

Jacob and Gretchen show off their new hairstyles,

which were the handiwork of Michael Chaney (right.)

When students at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St., met a challenge to collect at least 1,000 lbs. of food to benefit the Holy Communion Lutheran Church food pantry, student Jacob Sprecksel and PTA vice president Gretchen Berthiaume were ready to shed their locks. The two had their heads shaved at a Dec. 14 assembly as the Wadewitz student body looked on.

Every day students and teachers excel in our local schools. RacinePost will highlight a few of these successes with a weekly series called "Super School Stars." Do you know a student or staff member who deserves recognition? Contact us at: racinepost@gmail.com

Super School Star: Karen Plummer, Janes Elementary

Every day students and teachers excel in our local schools. RacinePost will highlight a few of these successes with a weekly series called "Super School Stars." Do you know a student or staff member who deserves recognition? Contact us at: racinepost@gmail.com

Karen Plummer is the reading best practices/model school coordinator at Janes Year-Round Elementary School. "She is top-notch at staff development and does a wonderful job of sharing tips and best practices for K-3 reading. Staff from other districts around the state, including South Milwaukee and Platteville, have visited Janes to find out how Karen does it," stated Jeff Weiss, director of curriculum and instruction for RUSD. "Karen has also really led this school in the use of data for student achievement. We're very lucky to have Karen."

Super School Star: Jeff Appenzellar, North Park Elementary

Every day students and teachers excel in our local schools. RacinePost will highlight a few of these successes with a weekly series called "Super School Stars." Do you know a student or staff member who deserves recognition? Contact us at: racinepost@gmail.com

Jeff Appenzellar, North Park Elementary

Jeff Appenzellar, 5th grade teacher at North Park Elementary is an outstanding teacher, mentor, and all around leader within the school community. Not only is he one of the most talented science teachers I have encountered, he co-ordinates a school safety patrol, helps manage the school nature center, and has given up his lunch time to run a citizenship workshop for the student body. He has developed school spirit with the students through chants, respect for others, and exemplary behavior and responsibility for all. Any student or parent of a student will speak of him with the highest regard. He is an amazing teacher and very deserving of this recognition.


Every day students and teachers excel in our local schools. RacinePost will highlight a few of these successes with a weekly series called "Super School Stars." Do you know a student or staff member who deserves recognition? Contact us at: racinepost@gmail.com

Super School Star: Rachel Gravunder, Wadewitz Elementary

Every day students and teachers excel in our local schools. RacinePost will highlight a few of these successes with a weekly series called "Super School Stars." Do you know a student or staff member who deserves recognition? Contact us at: racinepost@gmail.com

Rachel Gravender, P-5 coordinator at Wadewitz Elemenatry, poses by the display she created
for Wadewitz Elementary's upcoming Family Pumpkin Math Night.

Rachel Gravender, the P-5 coordinator at Wadewitz Elementary School, is a part-time employee whose contributions far exceed the time she's paid for, according to school Principal Ursula Hamilton-Perry.

Gravunder goes above and beyond to assist students and staff in any way she can. She assists staff with technology needs when help is not available immediately. She organizes fantastic learning experiences for families and students on a monthly basis (with the help of other dedicated staff members). She also coordinates a phenomenal Math Meet for students across SE Wisconsin.

"She is an awesome addition to our staff and we are very fortunate to have her," Hamilton-Perry wrote in nominating Gravunder for the "Super School Star" award.

Congratulations, Rachel! And thanks to Principal Hamilton-Perry for the nomination.

Do you know a student or staff member who deserves recognition? Contact us at: racinepost@gmail.com

Super School Star: Ian Morey

Case High School's Ian Morey is the latest Super School Star. He was nominated by Case Social Studies teacher Tammy Hayward. Here's what she wrote in Ian's nomination:

I would like to nominate Ian Morey who is in both my Theory of Knowledge and I.B. History classes. He is number 2 in the graduating class I believe, but is number one as far as participation in many events such Model O.A.S. and Model U. N. where he is a team leader and a big winner last year at the competition. Ian is also interned with much praise at the Obama headquarters here in town. He is involved with many other things such at N.H.S. and Key Club. Ian is wonderful!

Congratulations to Ian, and many thanks to Ms. Hayward.

Have someone you would like to nominate? Send us an email at: dustin.block@gmail.com. All you need is a paragraph introducing the person you feel is a Super School Star and a contact number so we can follow up with you. We'll write up a story about award winners, take their picture and give them a certificate. The more the better ... we hope to run them throughout the school year.

Super School Star! Lisa Kittel

Lisa Kittel

Horlick High School student Lisa Kittel helped a pedestrian struck by a vehicle on Oct. 7 in Kenosha. Here's the story from Horlick Teacher Diane Lange, who nominated Lisa for a Super School Star award:

I have a student in my Language of Medicine class, period 3, that recently intervened in a way that I believe needs to be given some special recognition.

On October 7 Lisa Kittel was returning from a swim meet in Kenosha at 8:00 pm. She was riding in a car with her mother and a friend of her mom's and witnessed a woman pedestrian being struck by a Suburban. They saw the woman laying in the street. Lisa sprinted across the road, stopping some civilians from lifting the womandue to the student's fears that the neck may have been injured. She assessed the woman and asked her what hurt. Rescue squad had been called. The woman complained of shoulder pain, hip pain, and abdominal pain on the left side where she had been struck. Lisa instructed people to block the wind and rain and another to call the woman's family. Lisa also attempted to direct traffic while they waited for the rescue squad.

When the rescue squad arrived, the woman was transported to the Emergency Room. Lisa reported then leaving the scene "soaking wet, but happy to have helped."

Lisa, a junior, is an honor student at Horlick High School. Congratulations to her, and thanks to Diane Lange for nominating her for a Super School Star award.

Do you have a student, teacher, administrator or staff member you would like to nominate? E-mail me at: dustin.block@gmail.com

Super School Star! Luigi Enriquez

Ask a teacher at Starbuck Middle School, and they'll probably know Luigi Enriquez.

The eighth-grader from Racine is involved in several programs, plays several instruments, gets great grades and, above all, is a really nice person, according to school officials. He's also RacinePost's newest "Super School Star."

"Everybody knows Luigi," said Sandra Brandt, principal of Starbuck.

Mrs. Kapralian and Luigi Enriquez

Beth Kapralian, a music teacher at Starbuck, nominated Luigi for a Super School Star Award.

Here's what she wrote:

"Luigi is an outstanding musician and student. He is extremely polite and courteous to peers and staff. He has been involved in orchestra, jazz band, peer mediators, study buddies, media team, engineering expo (I'm sure I am leaving things out!) to name a few.

He is very helpful to peers and staff and is willing to go the extra mile and always with a cheerful attitude.

He will be a success in whatever path he chooses in life."

Congratulations to Luigi, and many thanks to Mrs. Kapralian and Mrs. Brandt.

Have someone you would like to nominate? Send us an email at: dustin.block@gmail.com. All you need is a paragraph introducing the person you feel is a Super School Star and a contact number so we can follow up with you. We'll write up a story about award winners, take their picture and give them a certificate. The more the better ... we hope to run them throughout the school year.

Super School Star! Kathie Hobbs

"Kathie Hobbs is the most organized, knowledgeable, efficient secretary I have worked with," wrote Pam Wolff in her nomination of Hobbs for a Super School Star Award. Hobbs and Wolff both work for North Park Elementary School in Caledonia.

"The school could not function without her. She knows all the teachers, students, and parents. She can answer any question, find any item or info, and make it look easy. She manages to keep the office clean and germ free every day. She is never flustered, even when the rest of us are."

Wolff, who has worked for two other schools, added this final comment about Hobbs:

"Kathy is truly our school's heart and soul. She doesn't get recognized nearly enough."

RacinePost's "Super School Star Award" honors positive and uplifting stories from our community's schools. It's open to any student, teacher, staff, administrator or anyone else associated with our schools.

Have someone you would like to nominate? Send us an email at: dustin.block@gmail.com. All you need is a paragraph introducing the person you feel is a Super School Star and a contact number so we can follow up with you. We'll write up a story about award winners, take their picture and give them a certificate. The more the better ... we hope to run them throughout the school year.

Super School Star! Keonte Watson

During a school trip on Sept. 10, eighth-grader Keonte Watson and his classmates at Gilmore Middle School were canoeing at the REC Center in Racine.

A canoe with three girls in it tipped over and knocked them into the water. Keonte, who was on the shore at the time, noticed one of the girls wasn't tall enough to reach the bottom of the river. Dressed in nice clothes, he still ran into the water and helped her to the shore.

The selfless act impressed his teachers and led Gilmore Principal Kevin Brown to nominate Keonte for a Super School Star award.

"He was very nonchalant about it," Brown said about Watson's heroic act. "He just said, 'Mr. Brown, it made my clothes all stinky. I had to throw them all away.'"

"But he ran in without anyone asking him to," Brown added. "He really did help that girl."

Keonte is the first winner of RacinePost's new, "Super School Star Award." The award honors positive and uplifting stories from our community's schools. It's open to any student, teacher, staff, administrator or anyone else associated with our schools.

Have someone you would like to nominate? Send us an email at: dustin.block@gmail.com. All you need is a paragraph introducing the person you feel is a Super School Star and a contact number so we can follow up with you. We'll write up a story about award winners, take their picture and give them a certificate. The more the better ... we hope to run them throughout the school year.