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4 DPHS actors with lead roles in Annie the musical

Don't miss Redbird Production's Annie November 14-16, 7 pm at De Pere High School. Advanced tickets available now

https://cur8.com/18417/project/126583

Limited seating available at the door. Annie The Musical Program

With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone's hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage that is run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the Orphanage, Annie escapes to the wondrous world of NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan's evil machinations... and even befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt! She finds a new home and family in billionaire, Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.

Annie, based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, has become a worldwide phenomenon and was the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The book and score by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin feature some of the greatest musical theatre hits ever written, including "Tomorrow," "The Hard Knocks of Life" and more.

Annie is the perfect show for the entire family.  

Annie The Musical Program

FFA Takes Center Stage At National Convention

An innovative partnership with tech giant Microsoft, led by De Pere High School agriculture teacher Adam Wolf, has the national spotlight shining on De Pere’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter. 
 

Wolf and his students are attending the 97th annual FFA convention in Indianapolis this week. De Pere was the only FFA chapter in

DPHS FFA member Makayla Staudinger (center) is interviewed on an Indianapolis newscast.

the US invited to participate in media day at the convention, specifically to talk about their experiences using Microsoft’s FarmBeats program. (Watch DPHS student Makayla Staudinger’s interview with Indianapolis Fox59 news.) 

DPHS ffa students, teacher Adam Wolf and FFA national officers

DPHS teacher Adam Wolf (4th from right) with DPHS FFA students and national FFA officers.

 

Wolf has worked since 2019 to integrate FarmBeats’ affordable hardware kit and related curriculum into his ag classes and the FFA activities he oversees as an advisor. Students build garden monitoring systems, learn about artificial intelligence applications and analyze data among other activities.

“Many of today’s farmers use innovative tools like sensors, advanced GIS mapping and AI to get a deeper understanding of their crops. The data collected helps them make better decisions and develop potential new solutions for food production and resource management,” says Wolf.  “FarmBeats for Students brings

these tools and techniques into our classroom. 

“Using state-of-the-art ag technology in school sets up students for success as they build on current agricultural jobs and consider future careers.”

The FFA convention regularly draws more than 70,000 attendees. In addition to media day, Wolf was invited to present on the Spotlight Stage. Audience members are expected to include Indiana’s Lt. Governor, the mayor of Indianapolis, the CEO of Future Farmers of America and the national FFA officer team. 

FFA logo

According to FFA’s website, the group has more than 1 million members nationally and continues to grow. It is the largest student-run organization in the United States. 

International Student Spotlight

Karen, who is from Guatemala, says she knew as young as 6 years old that she wanted to come to the United States.

Now 18, Karen is spending a year as an international student at De Pere High School.

“It’s a good opportunity to open my mind,” Karen said. “In Guatemala we have many smart kids but not as many opportunities.”

Karen is from Patzun, a town with a population of about 60,000 located in the south central part of the Central American country. She said Guatemala has about 20 different languages. The dialect spoken in Patzun is Kaqchikel. 

DPHS International Student Karen Catu pictured in home country of Guatemala

Karen pictured in her home country of Guatemala.

Everything in De Pere is “really big” compared to her homeland, Karen said. When she arrived in August, the adjustment was a challenge. 

“First, the food was weird,” she said. “Sometimes I couldn’t (fully) explain myself in English. The first and second week of school, I wanted to learn, but I couldn’t understand. Now, I understand better.”

Joining the cross country team shortly after her arrival has been a great way to meet new friends. 

“The first week (of running) was too hard!” Karen said. “But it’s really fun, and the kids are good with me.”

Family: In Guatemala, Karen lives with her parents and two brothers ages 16 and 22. The family also has four cats, one dog, five rabbits and three chickens. Erik and Janelle Hansen are Karen’s host parents in De Pere. She’s one of five kids in the home, including DPHS sophomore Gabe.  “They are awesome with me.” 

Int'l student Karen Catur pictured with the Hansens, her host family

Karen (seated, center) with host family Erik, Janelle, Gabe, Brody, Mercy, and Sawyer Hansen.

Favorite subject in school: Science, especially biology. “I want to be a doctor,” she said. 

Favorite music: Twenty One Pilots, Post Malone, Maroon 5.

What Guatemalan food do you miss the most? “We make our own corn tortillas,” which she prefers to the flour tortillas that are more common in the U.S. For the Hansens, she has cooked paches, a traditional Guatemalan tamale made with mashed potatoes. 

Outside of De Pere, what places have you seen so far? Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya, Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago and Crivitz. 

Still on her “bucket list” of things to see and do: Go to a Packers game. Experience the winter weather and see snow for the first time. Improve her English speaking and writing skills.

What’s one of the biggest differences between living in De Pere and your home in Guatemala? It’s much safer here. “You can walk along the street and it’s good,” she said. “(In Guatemala) if you are a girl, it’s not a good idea (to walk alone). You always need a friend with you.”

map of Paztun Guatemala


 

DPHS Named AP Pacesetter

The achievement was announced by the Wisconsin Dept. of Public Instruction (DPI) and the Wisconsin Advanced Placement Advisory Council (WAPAC). 

In the 2023-2024 school year, 20% or more of all students at De Pere High School took at least one AP exam, and 86 percent earned scores of 3 or above (scale of 1-5) on the exams. De Pere is 1 of 61 high schools in Wisconsin to achieve AP Pacesetter Level 1 or 2 status.

Currently, the school offers 21 Advanced Placement courses, including the 2-semester AP Research and Capstone course. It is one of just 3 schools in northeast Wisconsin to offer the rigorous Capstone classes. 

In its news release, the DPI stated, "Rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) coursework can support students’ learning and positively impact their future. Creating and maintaining a supportive learning environment where students are encouraged to engage in AP coursework also helps normalize higher expectations for all students in a school."

 

Mr. Carlson Heeds the call of the classroom

High School math teacher Brian Carlson took a job in the private sector last year. Higher pay. More time with family. No lesson planning or grading on nights and weekends. But when the opportunity arose to return to his De Pere classroom, he didn't hesitate.

Carlson had joined an insurance company where he designed compensation models. He was fully remote, working from home with flexible hours. 
  
“It was a unique opportunity to try something different,” he said. 

But something major was missing – the people. 

“I missed my colleagues (at De Pere),” Carlson said. “In my private sector job, I’d only see people on a screen. That got old fast. It was all business. Nobody in my company knew my wife and kids, and I never met anyone else’s family.”

So when the chance arose to return to the DPHS math department, Carlson seized it. He had remained in touch with De Pere Principal Roger Allen, who was thrilled to welcome him back. 

Carlson’s leadership qualities – he previously served as the math department head – are especially valuable, Allen said. 

“He’s always positive and solution-based with his thinking,” Allen said. “To see him come back I thought would be a morale boost for everyone.”

Carlson is beginning his 20th school year, all at De Pere. Over the years he has taught pre-algebra, algebra, geometry and pre-calculus. He also helps coach the boys golf team. 

“If (the opportunity) wasn’t at De Pere, I wouldn’t have come back,” Carlson said. “You know you’re valued here. The community is very supportive of educators.

“You see some 100 kids a day. The number of lives you can influence … at no other job will you find you can have such an effect on people.”

And while the kids come and go, there’s also an important consistency in the student body. Carlson appreciates the overall positive attitude and respect they have for each other and the DPHS staff. 

“We’re very fortunate with the community of kids we have here,” he said. “There’s nothing else quite like it in the metro area.”

So, while back-to-school might have caused others some angst and nervousness, this year it was especially exciting for Carlson. He’s in a familiar, comfortable place where he plans to stay put. Even the big task of organizing a new classroom didn’t faze him. 

“When I came (back), I had more energy walking into the building that I never would have had at my old (office), which was in my basement,” Carlson said. “This is what I was called to do. It fits my personality, and it’s where I can make the biggest footprint.”