Senior Stories

ARISE Virtual Academy Class of 2023!

KEAGAN JOYCE

SDJ educational pathway: Milton East/Milton Harmony Northside Intermediate School, Milton Middle School, ARISE Virtual Academy.

Immediate plans for the future: Enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Pursue a degree in nursing.

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What are your goals after graduation, and what plans do you have in place to reach those goals? To serve my country and continue to help people afterward through nursing. I believe nursing is an amazing career choice to go into because not only can I learn those skills while being in the military but they will also pay for my schooling.

Share one of your fondest memories from your time in the School District of Janesville. I think the fondest moment I’ve had in the district was realizing how much the staff truly cares about students. From Day 1 of being in the Janesville School District, every teacher or principal I have had has always been helpful in school and out of school in his or her own way.

Which educational opportunities do you feel you got the most out of at ARISE? The ability to learn without relying on constant help, and being able to figure things out on your own while having a helping hand, if needed. I truly believe being able to do it on my own and read the instructions without just listening helped me to grasp concepts I wouldn’t have with traditional teaching.

If you could go back and change one thing about your high school experience, what would it be? If I could change one thing it would be that I didn’t go to any sporting events. I missed out on seeing friends play sports and enjoying time with other people.

Share a piece of advice you received from a School District of Janesville staff member that has stuck with you. To not give up what I truly want to do because, even if I fail, I can always retry. I think this has stuck with me the most because of how high my expectations are for myself. Being told this helped me realize that, even if I fail, I can always pick myself back up and try again.

Do you have any advice to share with incoming freshmen? Focus on time management, don’t be afraid to ask questions and make sure to take amazing notes! Notes are a great way for not only students to study but for teachers to grasp what students understand and where they might be struggling.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment at ARISE? I believe my biggest accomplishment is graduating, because online school with minimal help is something that not many people can accomplish. Everyone learns differently, and not everyone can grasp the same information as easily. To me, being able to go through the diverse coursework and have no major issues is truly an accomplishment.

What was the greatest challenge you faced in getting to graduation, and how did you overcome it? Time management, putting enough time aside to complete each assignment, test, quiz or even studying is hard to estimate. Some days require more than others. I took classes at ARISE that helped me to understand strategies on this and find the best ways to manage my time.

What have you learned about yourself as a person over the past four years? I have learned I hate to quit. I really struggle with stopping a specific task to start a new one or view a new objective, so I keep pushing rather than stopping and focusing on what I should be focused on.

Where do you hope to be in five years? Ten years? Twenty years? In five years, I hope to still be in the military, if not in nursing school. In 10 years, I hope to be done with my bachelor’s in nursing and be a nurse practitioner. In 20 years, I hope to have a doctorate in nursing if I’m not retired!

ARISE Virtual Academy Class of 2023!

TORYN SWARTOUT

SDJ educational pathway: Wilson Elementary School, Harrison Elementary School, ARISE Virtual Academy.

Activities: Chamber orchestra at Parker High School.

Awards and honors: Letter and medals for orchestra, high academic awards from SDJ.

Immediate plans for the future: Study forensic science at UW-Platteville.

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What are your goals after graduation, and what plans do you have in place to reach those goals? My main goal is to go to college and major in forensic science at UW-Platteville. I want to use the knowledge gained from that to later go into the forensics field as a lab tech or crime scene investigator.

Share one of your fondest memories from your time in the School District of Janesville. Going to Chicago in fifth grade and watching the “Matilda” musical at a theater. We also got to visit the Chicago Art Institute, which was awesome to learn about the art. I also got the opportunity to join and help in my school's game club and play games, making some great memories.

Which educational opportunities do you feel you got the most out of at ARISE? I was a member of our school's newspaper before the whole pandemic happened. Doing that gave me a lot of insight into writing, communicating and coordinating with other people as the main editor of the paper.

If you could go back and change one thing about your high school experience, what would it be? I think the biggest answer is pretty obvious – the pandemic. But there are others, too. One of my favorite teachers, or rather a teacher's helper, left at the end of my ninth-grade year, and she was a big inspiration and influence on me. She motivated me to be a better student and work hard toward a goal, but she left for Nevada to become a teacher, which I think is wonderful as she was going after her own goals.

Share a piece of advice you received from a School District of Janesville staff member that has stuck with you. If you put in the work and effort, the things you learn today will help you for a lifetime. My high school math teacher always says this, and I can say it absolutely is a correct statement. It has helped motivate me to strive and do my very best work.  

Do you have any advice to share with incoming freshmen? If at first you think you are doing badly and don’t like your schoolwork, don’t give up. It might seem like the stuff you’re learning is pointless and you think that you don’t need it, but you will never regret the things you learn in high school.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment at ARISE? Becoming the student I am today. When I was first at ARISE, I was a horrible student. I would turn in blank assignments and put in little effort to others. But then I was introduced to my favorite staff member, and she motivated me to do better and put in the effort.

What was the greatest challenge you faced in getting to graduation, and how did you overcome it? I would say it's the same as my greatest accomplishment. Having to get my act together and begin to put in the effort was a lot more difficult than one might think. However, with the help of my teachers and the effort I put into myself, I was able to overcome the challenges I faced.

What have you learned about yourself as a person over the past four years? I’ve learned a lot about myself over the years, but the most important things are that I procrastinate a lot and I always get tired. However, when I put my mind to it, I can do great things and I can learn things fast. There have been good and bad things I have learned, but no one is perfect. Once you accept that, you can start to better yourself as a person.

Where do you hope to be in five years? Ten years? Twenty years? In five years, I hope to freshly graduate or perhaps still be in college studying for my forensic science degree. In 10 years, I hope to be working or interning as a forensic scientist. In 20 years, I hope to be in a stable job position as a forensic scientist.

Rock University High School Class of 2023!

JAMES MATHESIUS

SDJ educational pathway: Homeschooled for elementary, eAchieve Academy (virtual school) for middle school and Rock University High School.

Activities: Played one year of soccer at Craig High School. RUHS Student Leadership Council member, assisting with fundraising and prom planning.

Plans for immediate future: Attending UW-Madison.

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What are your goals after graduation, and what plans do you have in place to reach those goals? Right now, I’m learning programming to create a “learning management system” for schools such as RUHS or Blackhawk Technical College to create courses and post assignments online, because after high school I want to work as a software developer. I’ve been applying for internships to find a summer job related to programming. In the fall, I plan to attend UW-Madison.

Share one of your fondest memories from your time in the School District of Janesville. My fondest memory was taking AP Seminar last year as a junior. The two presentations our group did were both so fun to work on and present. 

Which class or series of classes do you feel you got the most out of at RUHS? I loved taking AP Seminar. I also loved taking physics and calculus with Christopher Collins. He’s a teacher at Oshkosh, but he also does or did at the time do telepresence classes for surrounding high schools such as ours. His teaching was great, and it definitely inspired me to continue taking more math classes. Another great class I took was speech during my freshman year. I don’t remember the teacher’s name, but she was amazing, and she really gave great feedback on how to present and give presentations that I have always kept in mind since.

If you could go back and change one thing about your high school experience, what would it be? I’m not sure I would change anything. My goal when I enrolled at RUHS was to earn an associate’s degree, and I’ve both had a great high school experience and am close to achieving that goal. So I’m really happy right now, and there aren't really any different classes I’d choose to be in or clubs or anything like that. 

Share a piece of advice you received from a School District of Janesville staff member that has stuck with you. No single piece of advice really comes to mind. Every teacher at RUHS, though, is fantastic.

Do you have any advice to share with incoming freshmen? If you’re attending RUHS, I would start thinking about what associate degree you want to work towards as soon as possible. All of the classes in the program are shown on Blackhawk’s website, so it’s easy to search their programs. That way, you have a goal to work towards.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment at RUHS? I’d just have to say doing well academically and attending Blackhawk and earning an associate degree. It’s not super exciting, but I’m happy about it.

What was the greatest challenge you faced in getting to graduation, and how did you overcome it? I think the biggest challenge was completing the second semester of my associate degree. A lot of my classes are flexible, so I left a little too much to do at the end of the semester. That last month was very busy, and I’m really lucky I was able to get everything done and didn’t get sick or something. Now I’m a little more careful about staying on pace and managing my time. 

What have you learned about yourself as a person over the past four years? I don’t like horror movies, and I’m no longer interested in mechanical engineering. Instead, I plan to study computer science. I’d love to take another flying lesson sometime, and I love to see new cities. 

Where do you hope to be in five years? Ten years? Twenty years? In five years, I hope to have graduated from college. I’m currently planning to study computer science, and my main goal for the future is to start a company. I really enjoy programming, so I think starting a software company would be a lot of fun, but if I could find a way to utilize the things I’ve learned about engineering at Blackhawk, that would also be really cool. 

Rock River Charter School Class of 2023!

RODNISHA COBBS

SDJ educational pathway: Lincoln Elementary School in Whitewater and Rock River Charter School.

Activities: Show choir, basketball and cheerleading during high school. Also involved in Sisters Inspiring Sisters (SIS) at Craig High School. 

Plans for immediate future: Attend UW-Whitewater to study forensic science.

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What are your goals after graduation, and what plans do you have in place to reach those goals? My goals after high school are to go to college to become a forensic scientist. I plan to intern at the Illinois Forensic Center, as well as some job shadowing with a police department.

Share one of your fondest memories from your time in the School District of Janesville. My absolute favorite memory while in high school would be the rehearsal time for the Martin Luther King Jr. assembly. I loved watching the whole assembly come together and seeing everyone's creativity.

Which educational opportunities do you feel you got the most out of at Rock River Charter School? Forensic science and life science. These were the two classes that really stuck out to me and gave me a better look into the field I would love to go into.

If you could go back and change one thing about your high school experience, what would it be? I would say I would go back and change the people I was friends with. Surround yourself around people who want to see you do well in the world, not someone who knocks you down.

Share a piece of advice you received from a School District of Janesville staff member that has stuck with you. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. It's better to try and fail than to fail without trying. My biggest problem is that sometimes, if I fear I will fail, I won't try. But it’s OK to fail and learn from it to become better.

Do you have any advice to share with incoming freshmen? Enjoy it while you can. Time really does fly by quicker than you think. You don't want to get to your senior year and realize you haven’t enjoyed your high school experience.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment at Rock River Charter School? My greatest accomplishment at RRCS would be finishing 12 classes since this school year started. 

What was the greatest challenge you faced in getting to graduation, and how did you overcome it? Having the motivation to show up and be present at school.

What have you learned about yourself as a person over the past four years? That I am my own person, that no one defines me and that not everyone is really going to be in your life forever. And that's OK.

Where do you hope to be in five years? Ten years? Twenty years? In five years, I hope to be done with college and have a job in a forensic department. In the years after that, I would love to be married and have twin girls.

Craig High School Class of 2023!

GABRIELLA ELLIOTT

Educational pathway: Pederson Elementary School, Sam Davey Elementary School, Eleva-Strum Intermediate/Middle School, Altoona Middle School, Janesville Craig High School.

Activities: DECA –- Won 3 Medals, went to State, and I am an officer; SkillsUSA -- Secretary; FBLA - Won fifth place in regionals; National Honors Society, National French Honors Society, FFA, French Club, Interact Club, Octagon Club, Leo Club, Black Student Union, girls’ golf (sophomore year), donated blood six times.

Awards and honors: Two awards for academic achievement (in which GPA must be higher than 3.7 in a single semester) during my junior and senior years.

Immediate plans for the future: Attend college, majoring in finance and accounting. (Gabriella is taking part in Bucky’s Promise, a four-year scholarship for tuition and fees to UW-Madison.)

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What are your goals after graduation, and what plans do you have in place to reach those goals? To attend college and major in finance and accounting for my MBA (Master of Business Administration). Once I acquire my MBA, my goal is to get a high-paying job where I love what I do. I work full-time during the summer and part-time during the school year, so I save every penny I can to pay for college. I am applying for lots of scholarships and grants so I can afford to go to college. I plan to study hard throughout college so I can succeed! 

Share one of your fondest memories from your time in the School District of Janesville. One of my fondest memories from my time at Craig was when I was emcee for the Martin Luther King Jr. assembly. I was so proud of myself for getting on stage in front of hundreds of people and not feeling scared. Though I was mostly introducing acts, I felt like my part was still important and meaningful. I liked having an influence and having people hear me and just listen. It is a surreal feeling not seeing a crowd in front of you but knowing they are listening to every word you speak. It gives me chills every time I think about it.

Which class or series of classes do you feel you got the most out of at Craig? My Marketing class (taught by Mrs. Larson), my Accounting 1 class (taught by Mrs. O'Leary) and my Entrepreneurship class (taught by Mrs. Engh) taught me the most. I took my Marketing class during my junior year, which was my first year at Craig. It introduced me to the world of business and how interesting and crucial it is to learn. Mrs. Larson is the one who really switched my focus from being a Mathematics major to a Finance major. She inspired me to recognize a side of the world I never put much thought into. I am currently taking Accounting 1, which also inspired me to major in Accounting. The class itself pairs really nicely with Finance, and I really enjoy the class. Mrs. Engh's Entrepreneurship class taught me the insider view of owning and taking care of a business. These three businesswomen have inspired me to be who I am today, and I cannot thank them enough for it.

If you could go back and change one thing about your high school experience, what would it be? I would change joining basketball and continuing girls’ golf. I moved to a new school during my eighth grade year and, due to pettiness, promised myself to never play basketball for a new school. I moved my junior year to Craig, I didn't have enough time to join girls’ golf and just quit. I regret not joining these sports, and I wish I could tell my past self, "Hey, keep going."

Share a piece of advice you received from a School District of Janesville staff member that has stuck with you. One piece of advice a teacher told me was along the lines of "Graduation is the last time you all will be in the same room together. Try to savor the last days of your high school life." This really stuck with me and reminded me of the reality of growing up. COVID hit my freshman year, and time has just zoomed since then. Now as an 18-year-old senior, I look back and wish I had never wanted to grow up faster.

Do you have any advice to share with incoming freshmen? Recognize that some things will be easy and a lot more will be hard. High school is no joke, and it might seem like you will stay in your bubble forever, but sooner or later it will pop. You will lose friends, but you will also gain new ones. You will gossip, complain, groan, laugh, cry, smile, etcetera, but always make sure you remember the little lessons life gives you in each of these moments. Be strong and study hard, freshies. This is the final step to adulthood.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment at Craig? My greatest accomplishment at Craig was winning three medals at DECA regionals and qualifying for state. I have always been someone who has never won awards, medals and trophies, so to win for the first time and stand on stage in front of hundreds of people as a winner has to be one of my greatest feelings of all time.

What was the greatest challenge you faced in getting to graduation, and how did you overcome it? Moving from Wisconsin to Colorado, and then back to Wisconsin. It was a huge change that spanned a few months, and I didn't know how I would get to where I wanted to be. I overcame it by focusing on my goals: getting good grades, getting into college and making sure my mark wouldn't be forgotten in a class of more than 200 kids. I strived to make big changes seem not so big when it came to who I wanted to be.

What have you learned about yourself as a person over the past four years? That I am a beautiful person who doesn’t need anyone to tell me I’m not. I was walked over all the time as a freshman, and people abused my kindness. Now that I have grown, I have let in people on my terms, and I don't let anyone's judgments affect me anymore. I don't allow myself to be walked on, and I surround myself with only good energy now.

Where do you hope to be in five years? Ten years? Twenty years? In five years, I hope to still be in college studying for my MBA. In ten years, I hope to be living in a beautiful home with a wonderful, high-paying job and happy with life. In twenty years, I hope to have grown into a high-position job with a family. All my life, all I have ever wanted is to succeed. After I succeed, I want to travel. After I travel, I want to relearn myself all over again. I believe in growth, which is my long-term goal. Some roots grow deeper than others, and others break off and die. I will still grow. Success and happiness are all that I ask and strive for.

Craig High School Class of 2023!

MICHAEL PALMER

SDJ educational pathway: Harrison Elementary School, Marshall Middle School, Craig High School.

Immediate plans for the future: I plan to take part in an electrical apprenticeship. My brother has been an electrician since he graduated from high school, and I plan to work with him after I graduate. 

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What are your goals after graduation, and what plans do you have in place to reach those goals? I have always loved working with my hands – building, making and fixing things. I plan to become an electrician, which is something I have enjoyed doing. I plan to take part in an apprenticeship-type program. Currently, l am in the South Central Wisconsin Builders Association (SCWBA) house-build class, which helps kids learn the process of how to build a house from the ground up.

Share one of your fondest memories from your time in the School District of Janesville. There have been so many. In fifth grade, I met my best friend, who had extremely similar interests in the things I do. We built many things together that year, which really boosted our friendship. I have met so many amazing people and teachers, some of whom I am still in contact with. There are so many amazing experiences through school that helped make me who I am.

Which class or series of classes do you feel you got the most out of at Craig? I have been in the School Within a School (SWS) program throughout high school. This has been such a fun experience, as I have had many of the same teachers. For instance, Mrs. Metcalf has been my English teacher for all four years. This class has been a fun one for me. I have also been through most of the tech ed classes such as construction, automotive and welding. 

If you could go back and change one thing about your high school experience, what would it be? My sophomore and junior years were very interesting with COVID going on. All the online classes and A/B days; that was definitely an experience for students. Even though it was hard for everybody, it seemed to help people realize that we can be versatile with education.

Share a piece of advice you received from a School District of Janesville staff member that has stuck with you. I have had lots of advice. One is from the welding teacher, Mr. Bachinski. He always tells kids that you don’t want to be a slave to a paycheck, meaning that if you don’t enjoy the job you’re doing, you need to find something you enjoy. This has stuck with me, because he has said it every year and in every class I have had with him.

Do you have any advice to share with incoming freshmen? I would say work hard, do your assignments and turn them in on time. And be happy.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment at Craig? One great accomplishment for me has been being able to keep my grades up while taking part in many outside activities such as a brewery research project I’ve been helping with since freshman year. The old Northside brewery behind Mercy Hospital was torn down in the early 1940s. The remnants of the large, expansive building dates all the way back to 1857. Since 2015, volunteers of the Rock County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail worked to clear the nearly 3-acre site of trees and brush and open the area up. Over the past couple of years, I have been doing the majority of the digging (by hand) and clearing foundations of nearly 3 feet of dirt, brick, limestone and debris. This has been a passion project for me, and I’ve dedicated thousands of volunteer hours to do this, along with lots of research, about Janesville’s 18 former breweries and artifacts that are uncovered at the site. I also have an extensive collection of antique bottles (it might sound crazy, but some antique bottles can be worth thousands of dollars), all of which have been uncovered at different dumps (former dumps from 100+ years ago) or in the Rock River. While finding these antique bottles is amazing, there is so much trash in the river. My digging buddies and I have cleaned an extensive amount of garbage from the water, hauling out truck and trailer loads of trash. 

What was the greatest challenge you faced in getting to graduation, and how did you overcome it? Going back to the whole COVID thing, this was definitely a big challenge being in and out of the school, then online. But we were able to make it work. I was able to overcome this by continuing to work hard and get help if I needed it. The teachers were also very helpful. After all, this was something none of us had experienced before.

What have you learned about yourself as a person over the past four years? I have learned a lot about myself. I have definitely had many experiences I had never done before, such as doing radio interviews and giving presentations. Both of those things were for the brewery project, but I’ve also learned how to talk to adults very well, as I’m pretty much always talking with them about the things I do. I’ve also realized how fortunate I am because some kids aren’t able to do the stuff I or other students do.

Where do you hope to be in five years? Ten years? Twenty years? As I mentioned before, I am looking to be an electrician. Within five years, I’m hoping to have the training to be able to work and enjoy it. In 10 years, I would love to be able to have a farm and fix up an old farmhouse. In 20 years, I will probably continue to be working and, by now, have a family.

Parker High School Class of 2023!

JAMES BRYANT

SDJ educational pathway: Jackson and Madison elementary schools, Franklin Middle School and Parker High School.

Activities: Brothers Reaching Out (BRO), varsity football and varsity track and field.

Awards and honors: At his former high school (before transferring to Parker), he made the A and A/B honor rolls twice. He achieved high honor roll at Parker first semester this year, and he was an all-state shot-putter at his former high school in Indiana.

Immediate plans for the future: Continue academic and athletic career as a student at University of North Carolina, majoring in biomedical engineering on a pre-medical pathway.

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What are your goals after graduation, and what plans do you have in place to reach those goals? My main goal throughout high school was to go to college and be a student athlete for free or at a little cost. Fortunately, I achieved this goal and I am going to the University of North Carolina for almost nothing. My new goal for college is to have an average grade-point-average (GPA) of 3.75. I plan on achieving this goal by using all the resources around me in college such as student-athlete tutors, study rooms and more.

Share one of your fondest memories from your time in the School District of Janesville. One of my fondest memories from my time in the School District of Janesville was participating in the TAG/Challenge program in grades 3-8. This program set me up so well for high school and beyond in a way I couldn’t even imagine. It was such a great opportunity for my classmates and I to work together at high levels academically. At the time we were in the program, we didn’t know how it would pay off. But it is safe to say the program paid off very well for us.

Which class or series of classes do you feel you got the most out of at Parker? Though I didn’t come back to Parker until my senior year, I got a lot out of all of my classes this year. Specifically, I would say that AP biology, AP chemistry, and TC microbiology were the classes I feel I got the most out of. Since I am pursuing medical school, these classes really gave me a head start in seeing what it takes to succeed in the pre-medical pathway.

If you could go back and change one thing about your high school experience, what would it be? The main thing I really wish I could change about high school would be to redo my sophomore year. That year was really tough because it was the year when school was all goofy because of the Coronavirus. My old school had us on a hybrid schedule, so we would spend half of the week online and then half of the week in school. I didn’t take the online portion seriously and wouldn’t really do most of my work. Because of that, my GPA was lower than I wanted, and that is something I can no longer change.

Share a piece of advice you received from a School District of Janesville staff member that has stuck with you. I think the best advice I received was to look at things from an outside perspective. This can mean looking at yourself from the outside to see what others see in you or just looking at a question on a test from a different perspective. This has helped me a lot when it comes to applying for internships, college and scholarships. Learning how to think outside of what you see to learn what a college or organization wants to see in an applicant is a skill that works wonders. 

Do you have any advice to share with incoming freshmen? Take your freshman year seriously. The grades you get each semester of your freshman year are permanent and will directly affect your GPA. If you plan on going to college, good grades during all four years of high school is completely necessary. 

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment at Parker? I would say completing my classes with good grades. I am currently in six college credit classes and I finished with all As, a couple A- and a B first semester to give me a GPA of 3.62.

What was the greatest challenge you faced in getting to graduation, and how did you overcome it? My greatest challenge has been overcoming the adversity I have faced along with keeping the motivation to push through it. I have lost multiple friends/teammates to gun violence, faced multiple career-threatening injuries and homelessness. Overcoming all of that definitely wasn’t and still isn’t easy, but keeping tunnel vision on my goals has definitely kept me motivated.

What have you learned about yourself as a person over the past four years? I’ve learned a lot about myself over the past four years, and I have really just barely scratched the surface of my career and potential. Learning about myself and what motivates me to strive for the best me has really opened my eyes to what all I can accomplish. 

Where do you hope to be in five years? Ten years? Twenty years? Five years from now, I hope to see myself walking across the stage with my Master’s degree and preparing for medical school. Ten years from now, I would like to see myself finished up with medical school and going into residency. Twenty years from now, I hope to be finished with my fellowship certifications and in practice or going into practice. 

TAGOS Leadership Academy Class of 2023!

MICHAEL MILLER

SDJ educational pathway: Converse Elementary School, Cunningham Intermediate School and Roy Chapman Andrews Academy (all in Beloit); TAGOS Leadership Academy.

Activities: Parker Arts Academy (actor/tech crew), Creative Writing Club, Student Leadership Council, and took part in JPAC performances through TAGOS.

Honors and awards: Monthly leadership awards, attendance awards, State Solo/Ensemble, Inducted into the International Thespian Society.

Immediate plans for the future: To continue performing in musicals throughout Wisconsin.

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What are your goals after graduation, and what plans do you have in place to reach those goals? To pursue the fine arts in college. I want to pursue musical theater and also theater technology. Ultimately, I'd like to get to Broadway, but to get there I'm continuing my education at Carthage College and then community theaters to get my name out. 

Share one of your fondest memories from your time in the School District of Janesville. Probably the times I've spent just exploring outside with teachers and peers, going to new places and hiking, or just relaxing in the grass and studying nature with friends. 

Which class or series of classes/educational opportunities do you feel you got the most out of at TAGOS? Definitely performing with the Parker Arts Academy and the Janesville Performing Arts Center. Those two groups encouraged me to find a passion on stage and to pursue that passion in a time where I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. 

If you could go back and change one thing about your high school experience, what would it be? Don't try dating people. It gave me a lot of knowledge, but it also cost me a lot of friendships and made high school dreadful for the first two years. 

Share a piece of advice you received from a School District of Janesville staff member that has stuck with you. Life is about choices. I learned that from my former math teacher, Eric Skrzypchak (now at Parker High School). Everything I do is a choice, and I want to make sure I keep picking the right choices.

Do you have any advice to share with incoming freshmen? Embrace your dreams. If you have a passion, hobbies, things you like – focus on keeping those strong, find more love with them and keep those passions as you get older. 

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment at TAGOS? Making connections. Thanks to TAGOS, I've reached out to several individuals in the theater community and have gotten my name out to a few directors in Janesville. 

What was the greatest challenge you faced in getting to graduation, and how did you overcome it? Handling my time with my education and practicing for my performances. Working on keeping on task with homework and classes has been challenging, but It feels rewarding when the final performances are finished and I can look back and see what all I've overcome and experienced.

What have you learned about yourself as a person over the past four years? I am a very positive person. I like being energetic and I like making people laugh, but I also like to be a bright light on someone's bad day. According to my teachers, I have the soul of an old man. 

Where do you hope to be in five years? Ten years? Twenty years? Hopefully, continuing to hone my craft in the fine arts and become more knowledgeable in the field and be performing on stage. Maybe in five years, it's at Carthage. In ten, perhaps Broadway? In twenty, maybe in movies?

ARISE Virtual Academy Class of 2022!

One way to get work done is to remove all distractions.

That’s an unusual reason to attend a virtual academy, but Diana Brockwell thought it would work for her.

After attending Marshall Middle School and spending some time in a comprehensive high school setting, she decided “traditional” wasn’t working for her. Instead, she opted for ARISE Virtual Academy, because she knew what she needed to help her learn.

First, she needed more study time and less socialization.

“I have a really hard time with motivation,” Diana said. “If I went to school and saw friends, I was more likely to focus on my friends. If you go to school online that’s all you focus on – academics.”

Second, she determined she needed to have better relationships with her teachers. Diana admits she had a “hard time” dealing with the adults she encountered during her comprehensive high school experience.

Although ARISE is virtual, it offers office and classroom space within Franklin Middle School. Students come in to visit with instructors or peers.

Diana said that made it “10 times easier” for her to meet with and get to know her instructors.

“If I needed help or needed to talk with teachers, I could go into ARISE,” she said. “They were always there.”

She formed great relationships with teachers such as Joann Ohlrich.

“Mrs. O was like my go-to person for any classes I had … and even for personal stuff,” Diana said. “I would go to ARISE and she would just walk around the halls of Franklin with me and talk about my life.”

Those strolls down Franklin’s hallways made a big difference in Diana’s ability to cope.

The final piece of the puzzle for Diana’s scholastic success involved finding a place where she could catch up on credits quickly. Educators refer to this situation as being “credit deficient,” and the further students fall behind, the less likely they are to graduate.

“I had a hard time. I had to catch up really quickly,” Diana said. “ARISE one-hundred percent made sure that I was able to graduate. If it meant I had to take a lot of classes at one time, they made it happen.”

At the same time, teachers kept reaching out to her on a regular basis to make sure she was able to cope.

“They always made sure I had what I needed, and that I wasn’t struggling,” Diana said.  

Diana doesn’t plan to go to college. She has worked at Taco Bell for two years and plans to train for a management position with the company.

She realizes her future plan likely will mean long hours and hard work, but she feels up to the task. She knows what she needs to do next — just like she knew what she needed to succeed in high school.

ARISE Virtual Academy Class of 2022!

Call it fate, or call it a blessing.

Six years ago, Emily Sommerfeldt was preparing to make the transition from Washington Elementary School to Franklin Middle School. Though the elementary-to-middle school transition is nerve-racking for most kids, it was particularly daunting for Emily. 

For as long as she could remember, she has struggled with severe anxiety. Once, in an effort to help Emily through her panic, her elementary school principal went so far as picking her up at home.

But when Franklin’s orientation and picture day rolled around, Emily found she just couldn’t deal with the stress.

“My mom had to go for me,” she said.

While Emily’s mom was exploring Franklin, she discovered ARISE Virtual Academy, the School District of Janesville’s online education option. The offices and classroom for ARISE are housed at Franklin.

Students at ARISE sometimes meet with teachers at the school or just come in to be with their peers in a place that feels safe.

Emily admits it was a break for her mom, too.

“She was having a pretty hard time with my anxiety, as well,” Emily said. “When she found ARISE, I felt relieved there was another option for me.”

Just because Emily was learning online didn’t mean she didn’t make meaningful connections. For instance, a former counselor checked in with her several times a week.

“She was very much a listener. She was very personable,” Emily said. “I didn’t necessarily feel like I was talking to a counselor when I was talking to her.”

ARISE teacher Robert Schraedley also taught Emily math and photography. He would have her come into the classroom once a week to make sure she had a grip on her math courses.

Perhaps most important, he gave her valuable feedback on her photographic work.

“Not a lot of teachers give too much feedback if you get a decent grade,” Emily said. “But he would always make sure to put in his two cents. He’d talk about his own experiences, too.”

Emily’s English teacher, Stephanie Davis, was always willing to help, too. Emily said Davis regularly answered questions that went beyond English assignments – such as advice about college.

Emily said she plans to continue her education in an online format. She has applied to six different schools but has not yet made a decision. She intends to pursue a career in graphic design and envisions herself working both from home and in an office.

“I’d like to work with clients online and create designs and art that fit them,” she said.

Emily said ARISE gave her the chance to see how much work can be done--and how many connections can be made—in the online world.

Finding the school might have been fate or just a lucky chance. But for Emily, it was a blessing that has allowed her to succeed.

Rock River Charter School Class of 2022!

A committed student who loves her teachers.   

A mother ready to go the extra mile. 

That was a winning combination for Desiree Gray, who will graduate this spring from Rock River Charter School.

Her teachers describe the 18-year-old as a student who has “shown tremendous growth” since arriving at the school in Sept. 2019.  

“Tremendous growth” is teacher-speak for successfully making the transition from uninterested, unmotivated and unprepared to engaged, focused and ready.

For Desiree, it was the teachers at Rock River who made the difference. Ask her how or why, and her response shows she believes the answer is obvious – a thing everybody should know, like the alphabet or how to send a text. 

“They’re just better,” she said. “They help you more.” 

Those teachers were so important to Desiree that even after her family moved away, her mother continued to drive Desiree and her brother back to Janesville each day to attend Rock River.

Why not just go to school in her new community?

“Because I like this school,” Desiree said. (Again, how could we not already know this?) 

Desiree said she feels “more free” at Rock River, citing a flexible schedule that accommodates her circumstances. 

Such autonomy isn’t for everyone. In many young adults, that sort of freedom leads to a path-of-least-resistance work ethic in which either the minimum—or nothing at all—gets done.  

Fortunately, it had the opposite effect on Desiree. 

“She’s dedicated,” said Betsy Steuck, Desiree’s graduation coach. “She stays later when she misses work or needs to catch up.”

When Desiree became pregnant in fall 2021, she kept her nose in her books and remained focused on reaching her goals. When she was interviewed for this story, she was days away from giving birth.

Girls in Rock River’s teen parent program usually take two weeks off before returning to school. At the time, her graduation coach predicted she would be back before the two weeks were up. 

“It will probably kill her to sit and not get school work done,” Steuck said with a laugh. 

Desiree isn’t sure what she plans to do next. For now, her baby will get most of her attention. But she might eventually pursue a career as a medical assistant or some other position in the healthcare field.

If the past few years have taught Desiree anything, it’s that showing up and getting the work done will take her as far as she wants to go.

TAGOS Leadership Academy Class of 2022!

Academics hasn’t always been Israel Waldrop’s strong suit. 

He’s more of a hands-on kind of guy. One who would rather be doing than sitting still.

That’s why he decided to go to TAGOS, a School District of Janesville charter school focused on project-based learning. Unlike most of his classmates who joined TAGOS at some point in high school, Israel has been there since seventh grade.                 

This spring, Israel will graduate after having successfully completed a Youth Apprenticeship in Manufacturing program. 

During his time at TAGOS, Israel’s teachers said he has evolved from a reluctant, withdrawn introvert into a more confident, hardworking student. 

He credits project-based learning with his success. 

“You can choose what you want to do,” Israel said. “You learn something you actually want to learn instead of memorizing something that’s taught to you like they do in traditional school.”

Israel has focused heavily on science and social studies because those are his favorite topics. He especially enjoyed working on two specific projects: cell biology and the campaigns of World War II.

During one of his final project nights, his presentation focused on Nikola Tesla, the often-overlooked engineer and inventor who gave us AC (alternating current) power.

Project-based learning requires an exceptional amount of self-discipline. Students can choose what they want to study, but their topics must meet specific learning targets in each subject. In addition, their work is done independently.

At first, that was difficult for Israel, but he developed his own motivational tools. For example, he would set a goal for the day, and if he didn’t make it, he would “spend an hour at home just sitting there.”  

He called it a “punishment,” but it was more like a self-imposed time-out. 

One of the biggest challenges Israel faced involved completing courses for the manufacturing apprenticeship, which was taught in a traditional classroom setting. But he made the adjustment and went to work on the manufacturing line at KANDU Industries in Janesville. Now he acts as a sort of job coach for those with disabilities who work at the business, helping them out when they get stuck. 

Israel said he likes working at KANDU, and he plans to continue working after graduation. He wants to save up enough money to “get on his feet” and then either go to college or get into business.

What kind of business?  Israel doesn’t know yet. But he knows he wants it to be all his own. 

Something he’s built with his own two hands. 

Rock University High School Class of 2022!

Gardeners have a saying: “Right plant, right place.”

In order to flourish, plants need the correct environment: right soil, right light and right weather. Roses need sunshine. Tomatoes need heat. Palm trees won’t grow in Wisconsin.

For Logan Kremer, the right place to grow has proven to be Rock University High School. There, he found an environment that allowed him to thrive into a self-confident, well-rounded, future-focused person.

Logan’s challenges began when his family moved to the area while he was in middle school.

“After we moved, I was really anxious to start a new school,” he said. “My parents offered to homeschool me, so I picked that. My sister had been homeschooled because she didn’t like middle school either.”

Logan’s sister also picked Rock University High School. She introduced him to the school gradually, bringing him to activities and events. 

Even so, the change was challenging for him.

“When I first got here, I was really introverted,” Logan said. “I was really nervous. I didn’t know any of the students personally. I was always really quiet in class, and I didn’t participate unless it was absolutely necessary.”

About a year into his time at RUHS, he met a group of friends and slowly became more comfortable with the school itself.

“It’s to the point where I know everyone—even the new kids—and I’m not afraid to talk to them,” Logan said.

The teachers were different, too.

“It’s not like I walk in the room and it’s, ‘Oh, this is my teacher, and I have to do my work,’” he said. “It’s more like I get to go to the class and talk to the teacher like a normal person and have fun while I learn.”

While at RUHS, Logan has taken a number of courses including business management, marketing principles and business communication. That makes sense, considering he has held jobs since the age of 15, saved his money and enjoys investing in the stock market.

This summer, when he turns 18, Logan plans to get his real estate license and begin his own property management company. He already has experience in the industry, having provided bookkeeping and communications services for his uncle’s property management business.

It’s difficult to understand how Logan went from being painfully anxious to articulate and at ease with himself. When asked how he managed to do that, he offered this advice for other kids.

“I think it’s about finding the right space, but I also think it’s just being more confident in yourself,” he said. “I was always nervous about embarrassing myself anytime I talked. But honestly, people don’t care, right? You think they care way more than they do.”

Logan advises students to focus on what they find important to figure out what they value and want.

“That will lead you to motivation, and that will lead you to success,” he said.

Obviously, Logan has found his place and knows his values. Now, watch him flourish. 

Rock University High School Class of 2022!

For Lexus Partipilo, school was never a problem. She did well as a student at Washington Elementary and Edison Middle schools, and she was progressing just fine in a traditional high school setting. 

Yet, somehow, she found “fine” just wasn’t quite enough.

“It was just not the right fit for me,” she said. “I didn’t feel comfortable being there, and I wasn’t being challenged academically. I was, like, finishing all my homework in class.”

Wait, what? How is that a problem?

Lexus had always planned to attend a university, and she was worried about not being prepared. She wasn’t crazy about the drama of high school life, so she did her research and decided Rock University High School would be a better fit.

“I loved the small size. Instead of having cliques like you do at other schools, you really talk to everyone because it’s way more open,” Lexus said. “You actually get to build relationships with your teachers, too, because you don’t have as many. You’re not spending every hour with a different teacher.”

But RUHS came with a new set of challenges. Students have fewer classes, but they are longer, and students have more free time to manage. Also, Rock University expects students to pursue two-year degrees—or at least take classes at the adjoining Blackhawk Technical College.

“Oh boy, you really need to manage your time well, because you can’t just get all your homework done in class,” Lexus said. “That is something that definitely bit me in the butt along the way because I just wasn’t used to it.”

Lexus admits she had to figure out how to manage bigger projects and learn how to get help from teachers she didn’t see every day.

She also has been taking courses at BTC, and that has helped redefine her career path.

“At first, I was really focused on human services courses because I was interested in doing substance abuse counseling,” Lexus said. “But being in those classes showed me I was not emotionally prepared for that.”

Lexus’ human services teacher suggested she might be too kind-hearted for such a career.  Instead, she’s now considering careers connected to helping others.

“I had a speech therapist for six years when I was growing up, and that’s always been an interest of mine,” Lexus said.

But she also loves journalism and anything connected to the communications field. Next year, Lexus plans to attend UW-Green Bay, starting out focused on business communications before branching out into the sciences to see what works best for her.

“I’m a very indecisive person,” she said with a laugh.

When asked what kind of advice she would offer other students who might consider attending Rock University High School, Lexus said they need to learn to create their own motivation.

“You definitely have to push yourself,” she said. “You can’t just continue in your normal routine.”

In other words, it’s a place that challenges you to do more than just “fine.”

Craig High School Class of 2022!

Craig senior Melvin Garcia has achieved a startling amount in his four years of high school.

He has plunged fearlessly into the trades, both on his own and in school. One of his first jobs was as a car detailer. Then he wanted to learn to become a mechanic, so he walked into J&O Automotive and asked for training. He took all the prerequisite courses and then joined the student home build program.

Melvin played soccer all four years, was a member of one of the oldest advocacy clubs in the U.S. and was a part of ELEVATE, Craig High’s capstone business program that works with local companies to solve real-world problems.

Melvin is modest about his accomplishments He often talks about the influences in his life – those who helped him become the young man he is.

He starts with Carrie Wyatt, his Spanish teacher and advisor for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), an advocacy group that dates back to 1929. Wyatt was Melvin’s go-to person for talks about just about everything.

“She’s a really special teacher to me,” he said. “I feel like she valued me and my friends for who we were. She’d be open to talk about anything.”

In addition to the teachers who lead the ELEVATE program, Melvin lists his ELEVATE mentor, Brian Lawton, CEO of EXIT Realty, among those who have influenced him.

“Brian’s an amazing guy,” Melvin said. “He’s a cool person. The things he taught me were about more than real estate. They were about life.”

Lawton recommended Melvin read “Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds,” by David Goggins. The book is the story of Goggins’ life, and it explains how anyone can push past fear to reach their full potential.

“It is mind-blowing,” Melvin said. “It’s my favorite book.”

The message he took from the book? You have to learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Only by pushing yourself into those difficult situations will you get what you want in life.

Then Melvin mentioned his parents, Ciro Garcia and Estela Barranco.

“My parents have supported me my whole life,” he said. “I mean, they’ve been there every step of the way. Every single step. I was so lucky to have that support.”

One of the highlights of Melvin’s high school career—along with being a member of Craig’s regional tournament-winning soccer team—was being involved in the student house build. The program allows students to participate in building a home from the foundation up. They get to work in a variety of trades and see the application of their school work in action.

“This house, it started with a hole in the ground and a big pile of dirt,” Melvin said. “And we’ve done basically everything. It’s up. It’s amazing.” 

Melvin’s plans for the future include “learning as many skills as I can.” By that, he means pursuing the trades – just as he did in the home build – and continuing as a mechanic-in-training.

Eventually, he wants to go into real estate.

“I’m ready to work,” he said.

Parker High School Class of 2022!

More than 2,000 years ago, the Greek philosopher Epictetus wrote, “People are not disturbed by things but by the view they take of them.”

In the spring of 2022, aspiring musical theater major Faith Green echoed his comments when she said, “As long as I keep the right mindset, I’ll be OK.”

With that kind of attitude and wisdom, soon-to-be Parker High School graduate is already more than halfway toward her goal of performing on the world’s stages.

When she first came to Parker, Faith plunged directly into the theater department. In that first year, she stuck to behind-the-scenes tech work for shows including “Anything Goes.”

But then, when auditions for the “Little Mermaid” came around, she thought she might land the lead role – Ariel.

Nope. Didn’t happen.

Still, Faith knew she had to shine in whatever role she took on.

“You have to work with what you get,” she said. “I had to learn to be expressive when the focus wasn’t on me.”

That hard work paid off. During “Little Mermaid,” she had a very brief solo line: “Lucky enough to stay for dinner.” But it was that brief moment where director Jim Tropp took notice.

Faith went on to major roles in shows such as “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma,” “Chaplin,” “White Christmas,” “42nd Street,” “Music Man” and “Guys and Dolls.”

But even when Faith was picked for lead roles, it wasn’t all glitz and glam. She shared the role of Betty in “White Christmas,” and it was an exhilarating and exhausting routine of singing her heart out one night and dancing her heart out the next.

“The nights I wasn’t Betty, I was out there tapping it up,” Faith recalled with a laugh.

One of her favorite roles was as Adelaide in “Guys and Dolls.”

“I had never been in a comedic role,” Faith said. “But Adelaide was so over-the-top. It was so much fun.”

Faith said so many people have influenced her along the way that it was hard to pick just one or two people to mention.

“My acting teacher, Megan Burkart, was wonderful,” Faith said. “I was having a tough time during ‘Little Mermaid,’ and she was so compassionate. She pulled me aside and told me about some things she had been through. She said, ‘If you ever need someone to understand, I’m here.’”

Faith’s vocal coach, Robyn Brennan, also has been “hugely important” to her.

“I’ve been working with her since middle school, and she understands me. She understands my voice,” Faith said.

Faith is currently auditioning for musical theater programs throughout the country, and she’s not sure where she will end up. She recognizes her career won’t be easy, and she will have to be prepared for rejections. 

That’s why her mindset matters so much.

“I have to tell myself the right things,” she said. “I know I don’t have to take those decisions personally; I know that those decisions are not an indicator of my future success. Sure those feelings (of disappointment) will be there, but they will pass.”

That is Faith's advice for her fellow students in the Parker Arts Academy, and for those entering college programs.

“Be prepared for adversity, and don’t give up,” she said. “It might feel like you’re standing at the bottom of the ladder, but work with what you have. Do it, and have fun.”

That’s good advice for all of us.