(Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)
DANE — January 26 to February 1 was Catholic Schools Week around the nation and in the Diocese of Madison. The students and staff at Blessed Trinity School in Dane used that as an opportunity to take a break from the challenging winter and normal classroom activities.
They invited friends and family to join them on Thursday, Jan. 30, for their celebration of Spirit Wear/School Appreciation Day.
A morning snowstorm wasn’t enough to stop the seats from filling up as parents and other guests arrived in the school hall.
As the event began, Principal Jeffrey Karls welcomed everyone, followed by a blessing from Pastor Fr. Chad Droessler.
Students put on a melodrama
Language arts teacher Mr. Mike Irwin introduced sixth, seventh, and eighth graders’ production of the melodrama “Saving the Farm.”
Mr. Irwin prepared the audience by explaining that “everything is exaggerated” in a melodrama. He encouraged everyone to “boo” and “hiss” during the appropriate times during the skit. The audience was helped by a sign-holder who displayed “boo” and “hiss.”
“Saving the Farm” was the story of a Nell, a farm owner behind on her mortgage played by sixth grader Julia Wiessing, and Wiley Whiplash, played by seventh grader Dylan Streeter as the “villain” mortgage broker (complete with a silent movie era mustache and top hot) who wants the farm for “dubious reasons.”
Nell and her aunt, played by eighth grader Alison Treicel, are later saved by Nell’s friend Casey, played by eighth grader Jonathan Meinholz, who had just passed his lawyer’s exam.
The audience played along with the roller coaster of emotions “booing,” “hissing,” and cheering at the right times.
Kindergarten, first, second, and third graders, led by teacher Mrs. Rhonda Bolton, gave a mini concert singing about the virtues of patience and self-control as well as “I Whistle a Happy Tune” from The King and I. They also sang a favorite of theirs, “Hey, Dum Diddley Dum.”
Fourth, fifth, and sixth graders helped out with some of the behind the scene work for the performances.
Lunch and carnival
While the smells of sloppy joes and pasta began to fill the air, signaling it was almost lunchtime, Grand Knight David Munz and Deputy Grand Knight Robert Koresh from the Knights of Columbus Council 6463 presented a check of more than $900 to Principal Karls. The proceeds were from a recent breakfast at the parish.
Father Droessler again gave the blessing before the meal, and everyone lined up to enjoy the lunch.
While students and guests were eating lunch, followed by ice cream with dozens of options for toppings, teachers and staff began to set up the afternoon fun — a carnival.
Most of the students’ first stops were at the cotton candy machine, along with an air-popping popcorn machine giving the carnival the look and aroma of past parish festivals.
Students and guests tried to win sweets at a “cake walk,” along with other carnival games, including a ring toss, a shooting game with stacked aluminum cans and a toy gun, and a booth where everyone had to guess how many chocolate Kisses were in a jar.
Teachers and staff, who were operating the games, told every student as he or she walked by, “Everyone’s a winner!”
“‘Reverence, Respect, and Responsibility,’ our school motto, set the stage for our Catholic Schools Week celebration,” said Karls. “The day provided opportunities for the students and staff to practice our school motto in numerous ways. It was a most joyful celebration at which we could show gratitude for our parish community support.”
Also during Catholic Schools Week, the students at Blessed Trinity School enjoyed an all-school bowling day, as well as Sports Wear Day, complete with pizza for lunch and athletic competitions in the afternoon to close out the week.