Amber DeRuyter stars in the independent film ‘Lonesome’
By Hasti Ghasemi Vaghar, Current Staff
After decades performing on area stages, Amber DeRuyter has now been recognized for a performance on the silver screen.
Continue readingWest Bend Graduate Honored at Film Festival
Filed under Community, Entertainment
Brickner Sets School Math Record
By Cassidy Scherzer, Current Staff
Let’s do the math: When Cullen Brickner scored a perfect 200 on the General Educational Development Option II math exam, it was the highest score by a West Bend School District student in the 13 years the program has existed.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
No Worries About ‘No Way Home’
By Brandon Labecki, Current Staff
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” overcame the worries of many, using past characters and ultimately leading to a fulfilling conclusion in Marvel’s Spider-Man trilogy.
Continue readingFiled under Entertainment
Goodbye Green, Hello Blue
By Leah Schmidt, Current Staff
Students and staff returned from Thanksgiving break to a subtle but noticeable change to the West Bend High Schools campus.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
Review: ‘The French Dispatch” Ranks Among Anderson’s Best
By Amy Daniels, Current Staff
After the release date was changed multiple times within a year, Wes Anderson finally released this fascinating film for us.
Continue readingFiled under Entertainment
Review: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ Bucks the Original Too Much
By Brandon Labecki, Current Staff
Netflix’s “Cowboy Bebop” takes many liberties in the live-action adaptation of the original anime series of the same name.
Continue readingFiled under Entertainment
Juniors Still Waiting for Traditional High School Experience
By Caroline Peplinski, Current Staff
The coronavirus pandemic forever changed the lives of nearly every human on the planet. Current juniors at the West Bend High Schools, for example, have never had a normal year of high school.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
How Denis Villeneuve Sold the ‘Unfilmable’
VIEWPOINT
By Collin Chesak, Current Staff
“Dune” director Denis Villeneuve dazzled the doubters by overshadowing a risky $165 million price tag with a box office run that now nears the $400 million mark.
Continue readingFiled under Entertainment
West Senior Hired to Promote Historic Theatre
By Cassidy Scherzer, Current Staff
One area student has gained behind-the-scenes experience at the Bend, West Bend’s historic theater that survived the Great Depression and now a global pandemic.
Continue readingFiled under Community, Entertainment
Local Journalist Interviews Rock Legend for ‘Guitar World’ Cover Story
Former East student finds success as a freelance music journalist
By Nicole Walters, Current Staff
A music writer with local ties has finally reached the Edge.
Continue readingFiled under Entertainment
The Current View: Pandemic Reading
How has COVID-19 affected your reading habits?
“I have always been a very avid reader, and I can honestly say it only increased over Covid, especially over the spring break. I checked out 42 books from the library.”
Dana Timmermon, West senior
Continue reading
Filed under Viewpoint
The Sky Isn’t Falling
Temporary supporting columns are needed until a structural flaw can be repaired
By Hasti Ghasemi Vaghar, Current Staff
When concrete falls through the ceiling, the clean-up needs more than a dustpan.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
All-In: The Recent Success of Milwaukee Sports
VIEWPOINT
By Collin Chesak, Current Staff
The city of Milwaukee has overcome the challenges of small market sports and become an example for the entire country.
Continue readingFiled under Sports
Musical Auditions are Back
By Leah Schmidt, Current Staff
If the pandemic era has felt a little like being isolated in a swamp, Tess Breit believes area audiences are ready for a fairy tale experience.
Continue readingFiled under Entertainment, School News and Features
Crew of Juniors and Seniors Mentor Ninth Graders
By Hasti Ghasemi Vaghar, Current Staff
Incoming ninth graders at the West Bend High Schools were surprised in September to discover that their first-day activities were being led by juniors and seniors rather than teachers.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
Review: ‘The Guilty’ Is Too Locked Up
By Amy Daniels, Current Staff
“The Guilty” is another American remake of an international success that doesn’t quite live up to what made the original so remarkable.
Continue readingFiled under Entertainment
All Is Not Well in the MCU
By Brandon Labecki, Current Staff
With Marvel’s conclusion to the third phase in its superhero film franchise, it seems that there is limited room to move forward and keep its audience engaged.
Continue readingFiled under Entertainment
Farewell, 10-Minute Passing Period
By Kayla Lemens, Editor in Chief
Thanks to a schedule change, students at the West Bend High Schools are struggling to manage their time in between classes.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
Living IRL: Delete the Social Media Habit
VIEWPOINT
By Kayla Lemens, Editor in Chief
It’s now been three months since I last opened Snapchat.
Continue readingFiled under Viewpoint
Racing to Save Lives
By Stephanie Snyder, Staff Writer
A race against suffering, hosted for the people by the people.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
Welcome, Editor!
Kayla Lemens, West junior, will serve as the West Bend Current’s Editor in Chief for the 2021-22 school year. She replaces graduating senior Elise Marlett. Congrats, Kayla!
Photo courtesy of Kayla Lemens.
Filed under School News and Features
The Resiliency of the Music Department
COVID-19 presented challenges for choir, band and orchestra
By Kayla Lemens, Current Staff
After eight long months, the music department is finally returning to normal.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
Exams Done, Advanced Placement Students Keep Learning
Students were surprised to learn of changes to exam week
By Elise Marlett, Editor in Chief
This year’s final exam week will look different for Advanced Placement students at the West Bend High Schools.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
A Towering Gift
By Norah Johnstone, Current Staff
This year the graduation committees of the West Bend East and West High Schools chose updating the tower stairwells and adding window decals as their gift to the school.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
‘Would You Make It By 4:30?’: Graduation Speaker Must Race to Muskego
By Elena Chamberlain, Current Staff
Directly after giving her graduation speech, Danielle Schumacher has to bolt.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
Water for All People
By Amber Georgenson, Current Staff
After graduating from West Bend East High School, Laura Burns didn’t know what she wanted to do when she grew up. Now she works for a global non-profit organization, and students at her former school are trying to help.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
An Oldie But a Goodie
WBHS senior helps revive old baseball tune with local ties
By Megan Landvatter, Current Staff
As the baseball season starts up again, a lost piece of Brewers history has been found and restored.
Continue readingFiled under Community, Entertainment, School News and Features, Sports
Student Lounge Brings Fresh Look, Crowds to Second Floor
By Kayla Lemens, Current Staff
A new lounge at the West Bend High Schools has created new opportunities for students and, according to some staff members, new headaches.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
Mystery Couple Identified
By Caroline Peplinski, Current Staff
When an old picture of unknown high school sweethearts was shared online last week, West Benders wondered who they were.
As it turns out, today marks their 40th wedding anniversary.
Continue readingReview: ‘Nomadland’ Is a Modern Masterpiece of the Average American
Acclaimed drama is an Oscar frontrunner
By Amy Daniels, Current Staff
After “Nomadland” earned six Oscar nominations and rave reviews from critics, I decided to see for myself if the movie deserved the attention it was getting.
Continue readingFiled under Entertainment, Viewpoint
Ready to Dive In
COVID-19 will not cancel this year’s Dolphins show
By Norah Johnstone, Current Staff
This might be Bridget Pfiel’s second year coaching Dolphins, but it’s her first show.
Continue readingFiled under Sports
The Courtyard: Past and Present
Students once were allowed to smoke in “the pit”
By Caroline Peplinski, Current Staff
Most days, the West Bend High Schools’ courtyard sits empty and silent. However, that wasn’t always the case.
Continue readingFiled under School News and Features
Be Kind, Rewind: Farewell to the Video Store and a Way of Life
Area teachers and former video store clerks ponder what Family Video’s closing means for the culture of film viewing
By Elise Marlett, Editor in Chief
It’s the end of an era.
As of February 28, all Family Video locations across the country are permanently closed, including the location in West Bend. With Family Video being the only remaining video rental store in West Bend prior to closure, local movie lovers must accept a transition from discs to streaming. For many, the transition prompts deep feelings of nostalgia as the culture of film viewing has changed so drastically in the past decades.
Continue readingFiled under Community, Entertainment
Decision 2021: Meet Board Candidate Kurt Rebholz
By Noelle Mentch, Current Staff
Kurt Rebholz believes that his financial background and openness to different ideas are some of his strengths that make him a great member of the school board.
Continue readingFiled under Community, School News and Features
Decision 2021: Meet Board Candidate Chris Zwygart
By Megan Landvatter, Current Staff
After serving on the school board for the past three years, Chris Zwygart believes that he is ready for a second term.
Continue readingFiled under Community, School News and Features
The West Bend Current 