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.
Tag Archives: Elise Marlett
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
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
Color Out of Space
By Elena Chamberlain, Current Staff
Ceiling tiles or blank canvases? The white, removable ceiling tiles have sprouted student-led creativity at West Bend West High School. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
Masks On, Sleeves Up
By Elise Marlett, Editor in Chief
The COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t cancel this decades-old tradition. Continue reading
Filed under Community, School News and Features
Teachers Adapt to New Cohort Schedule
By Elise Marlett, Editor in Chief
The West Bend High Schools have a new approach to limiting the spread of COVID-19. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
West Bend Student Invited to the Set of ‘6 Underground’
By Elise Marlett, Editor in Chief
A local student’s hobby of six years landed him the opportunity to watch a blockbuster action movie being filmed. Continue reading
Filed under Entertainment
Mandate the Masks
VIEWPOINT
By Elise Marlett, Editor in Chief
I do not envy those in power in this school district whose choices have the potential to drastically alter the lives of my friends, family and teachers. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features, Viewpoint
Welcome, Editor!
Elise Marlett, East junior, will serve as the West Bend Current’s Editor in Chief for the 2020-21 school year. She replaces graduating senior Samantha Dietel. Congrats, Elise!
Filed under School News and Features
Tooting Our Own Horn: NEWSPA Awards 2020
Local student journalists earn 24 awards
Ten West Bend students have been recognized in a statewide contest for high school journalists. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
A Beautiful Deed in the Neighborhood
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
As of Tuesday, Diane Malicki has sewn an estimated 75 face masks for her neighbors in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Continue reading
Filed under Community
Italy Trip Postponed Until Next Year
Students understand, but still feel disappointed
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
Global illness concern has forced the West Bend High Schools band to reconsider their own safety.
Even before today’s announcement that the West Bend School District will close for the next four weeks due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, the WBHS band had postponed their spring break tour of Italy. Since the trip will now take place during the spring break of 2021, current seniors will not be able to attend and are being issued full refunds. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
Introducing the All-District Strings Festival
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
The orchestra program is putting on their largest performance in history. Continue reading
Filed under Entertainment, School News and Features
It’s Garbage Time
Students can help custodians by properly using the trash and recycling bins
By Elise Marlett and Noelle Mentch, Current Staff
Custodians at the West Bend High Schools may be working harder to protect the environment than students realize. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
Rise Together to Prevent Addiction
Students give standing ovation to 13-year-old speaker
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
Walking into the auditorium, students were expecting a drug and alcohol presentation like any other, but were pleasantly surprised. Continue reading
Filed under Community, School News and Features
Youth Impact Club Will Promote Mental Wellness
Suicide prevention is deeply personal for the new club’s adviser
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
Anticipating high student turnout, a new club has moved its first meeting to one of the largest rooms in the school. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
The Current Staff Recognized by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association
Eight total awards is a new school record
Four members of the West Bend Current earned six first place prizes in a statewide contest. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
Tooting Our Own Horn: NEWSPA Awards 2019
Dietel leads with 11 awards
Members of the West Bend Current set a school record with 28 individual awards in a statewide contest for high school journalists. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
Vandalism Won’t Spoil Black History Month Celebration
Teju the Storyteller headlines Thursday’s event
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
The leader of the West Bend High Schools multicultural club was in disbelief when she saw what had been done. Continue reading
Filed under Entertainment, School News and Features
The Ripple Effect of School Violence
Eight percent of county students report they have stayed home from school due to safety concerns
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
Students at the West Bend High Schools still feel vulnerable one year after the Parkland, Fla. school shooting. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
Many Students Struggle with Mental Health
Survey results may lead to changes in required health class
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
More than half of the high school students in Washington County have struggled with their mental health. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
County Health Officer ‘Floored’ by High Vaping Percentage Among Students
WBHS will use education and law enforcement to combat vaping increase
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
Many teens at the West Bend High Schools appear to be part of what the Food and Drug Administration describes as a nationwide epidemic. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
Dangerous Behavior Correlates With Transition to Junior Year
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
It has been determined that sophomores and juniors take more risks than students in other grade levels.
According to the results of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey administered in April to Washington County students, there are aspects about the transition between sophomore and junior year that increase the likelihood that students will engage in dangerous activities. Several students at the West Bend High Schools have thoughts on why this is a trend in the data. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
Most West Bend Students Opted Out of Behavior Survey
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
The West Bend High Schools now have data about unsafe student behaviors, but only from 11% of the student body. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
Why Wasn’t 9/11 Memorialized This Year?
By Elise Marlett and Lauren Oppermann, Current Staff
September 11, 2018 seemed just like any other day for students at West Bend High Schools.
Many students and teachers were surprised when 9/11 was not given a schoolwide memorial last Tuesday. In previous years, an announcement was read over the PA system or articles retelling the devastating story were handed out to students. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
‘I Couldn’t Just Sit Back’: Protest Organizers Call for Change
WBHS students are divided about how to address school violence
By Elise Marlett and Lauren Oppermann, Current Staff
Four West Bend teenagers have taken the lead after the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
East junior Lindsay Kramer, West senior Olivia McClain, East senior Alina Prahl and West sophomore Jada Williams organized the West Bend High Schools’ participation in a nationwide moment of silence. The demonstration took place 10 a.m. Wednesday on the football field. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
How Have the High Schools Addressed Safety Since Parkland?
Community Q&A planned for March 22
By Samantha Dietel, Current Staff
“If you see or hear something, say something” is a phrase that has lately been given a great emphasis at the West Bend High Schools.
In light of the recent shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., students, parents and other West Bend community members have wondered how the district is planning to respond to the calls for better safety in schools. Several steps to improve the safety of WBHS have already been taken since the attack, including plans for a community discussion about safety that will be held by the school board March 22. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
Local Students Protest School Violence
PHOTO ESSAY
Today students at the West Bend High Schools participated in a national school walkout. According to organizers, the event was intended to honor the 17 lives lost at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. and to encourage legislators to pass stricter gun control laws. These snapshots, taken by Current staff reporters, capture how the event unfolded on the WBHS campus.
Filed under School News and Features
East Swimmer Wins State Title
Fitzgerald takes first in 200 individual medley
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
West Bend East High School has a state champion swimmer for the first time since 2013.
Bryan Fitzgerald, a senior and member of the West Bend Boys Co-op Swim and Dive team, placed first in his claim-to-fame race, the 200 individual medley, at the WIAA Boys Division 1 state meet on Saturday. His time of 1 minute, 50.15 seconds is the eighth-fastest time in the history of Division 1 boys swimming for this event. He also participated in two relays, placing 14th and 22nd, and received second place in the 500 freestyle. The team placed 14th as a whole. Continue reading
Filed under Sports
Exchange Student Is All Business
By Elise Marlett, Current Staff
It’s always important to stay focused in school, but Eleonora Madmarova pays particular attention to her business classes.
Madmarova, an exchange student from Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, is spending this school year at West Bend East High School. Madmarova arrived Aug. 2 and is living with the Strassburg family in West Bend. She has come to not only experience American culture, but to explore her passions by learning business skills through the classes offered at the high school. Madmarova aspires to be a successful business woman in her adult life and believes that this experience can get her there. Continue reading
Filed under School News and Features
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