The Bear Facts
April 26, 2025



Good morning! I’m Tate Foertsch!

I’m Hailee Reutzel!

And I’m Alyssa Haugland! You’re listening to the “Bear Facts”, the weekly radio show from Bishop Garrigan High School.

This weekend four Garrigan seniors are on their way to Orlando. Brooke Ludwig, Sam Greteman, Thadd Kollasch, and Molly Peterson will be competing at the International DECA Career Development Conference. Back in February at the state DECA contest, Brooke finished first in Hotel and Lodging Management; Sam, and Thadd were third in the state with their Sports and Entertainment Management entry; and Molly advanced to nationals in Buying and Merchandising Operations. Congratulations, DECA!

Next Tuesday seventeen juniors will be inducted into the Bishop Garrigan Honor Society. Membership in the honor society is based on a formula that factors in academic success, participation in school activities, and volunteer service. Applicants also have to write a brief essay on leadership as part of the admission process.



New honor society members this year include Kyle Bormann, Kayden Graves, Addison Kuper, Carley Nielson, and Carter Schwab, as well as Sacha Alesch, Allison Denker, Alyssa Haugland, Ethan Marso, Hailee Reutzel, and Ava Snider. The other new members are Gabe Swift, Ava Roethler, Aubrey Meyer, Reece Kemna, Tate Foertsch, and Emmi Bartolo. Congratulations, honorees!

There are also seventeen second-year honor society members, many of whom will be assisting with the induction ceremony. They include Isabella Waechter, Alaina Bormann, Scott Bormann, Nick Thul, Molly Peterson, and Trayton Cink, together with Isaac DeLange, Owen Murphy, Drew Muller, Spencer Doerning, Griffin Geving, and Schyler Morse. Rounding out the group are Zoe Montag, Thadd Kollasch, Hanna Merron, Daniel Meis, and Brooke Ludwig. The induction ceremony will be Tuesday morning at 8:15.

Earlier this month Bishop Garrigan hosted the state solo and small ensemble music contest, and our band entries did especially well at the competition. All five Garrigan entries earned Division One or “superior” ratings. The solos earning ones included Isabella Waechter on flute, Spencer Doerning on trumpet, Molly Peterson on oboe, and Gabby Buscher on alto sax. A percussion choir featuring Izzy, Spencer, and Molly—together with Griffin Geving and Kayden Graves also got a one rating. Congratulations to all these musicians!

Right before Easter break fourteen Golden Bear artists exhibited their work in the Stinson Prairie Arts Council Student Art Show. While sophomore Madden Miller is better known as an athlete, he took first in the show, which earned him a $50 prize. Others competing in the show were Emma Garman, Brooklyn Berte, Josephine Joyce, Spencer Doerning, Cate Birkey, and Hanna Merron; plus Max Buscher, Brooke Ludwig, Alice Casey, Alyssa Haugland, Eva Kohlhaas, Haley Nemmers, and Lucas Behounek. Congratulations, artists!


Two BGHS seniors recently signed letters of intent to play college sports at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake. Trayton Cink will be playing football for Beavers, and he plans to major in agribusiness. Hanna Merron will be an accounting major at B.V., and she will be playing college softball there. Congratulations to both Trayton and Hanna for continuing their sports careers after high school.

Last week the Iowa State Dance and Drill Team Association announced the 2025 recipients of their Lois Turnage Outstanding Community Service Award. Just sixteen dance teams in all classes received that award, and we’re pleased that once again Bishop Garrigan was among them. The danz squad does numerous service projects, helping out all over Kossuth County, and it’s nice to see their work recognized statewide.

Next Friday we’ll be hosting our annual Grandparents Day here at Bishop Garrigan. Grandparents are among our school’s biggest supporters, and we’re always glad to welcome them. The grandparents will join elementary and middle school students for a prayer service at St. Cecelia’s in the morning. The high school students will have lunch with them and give them tours of the school later in the day.

On our Golden Bear calendar today Sam Greteman, Thadd Kollasch, Molly Peterson, and Brooke Ludwig are heading to Orlando for International DECA. They’ll be competing tomorrow and Monday.

Monday we’ll start the day with the Divine Mercy Chaplet in the gym. Then Tuesday morning there’s the honor society induction.

There’s coed golf at West Hancock Tuesday night. Also on Tuesday the girls track team runs at Forest City and there’s boys track in Emmetsburg.

Wednesday there’s CYO golf, which this year is hosted by Ft. Dodge St. Edmond. Thursday there’s a coed track meet at North Union and also coed golf at North Iowa.

Friday is Grandparents Day. After school the quiz bowl team will compete in the online 30—20—10 contest. Then next Saturday we’ll be hosting a junior high quiz bowl tournament here at Garrigan.

Finally this week, we join people around the world in mourning the loss of Pope Francis. We offer our prayers that he will rest in peace and that the cardinals may quickly find a new leader for the church.

That’s the “Bear Facts” for April. Thanks for joining us, and be sure to tune in again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.