For outdoor enthusiasts who spend time along the path around the Falls, this will be a week filled with anticipation. Monday morning’s drive to work was in bright sunshine, but that would not be the case with next week’s start to the work week, given the fact that daylight saving time kicks in this coming weekend.
Morning travelers on Monday could just imagine having that extra daylight at the end of the day. Warmer weather and additional evening sunlight cannot come soon enough. Many studies have shown that there is a correlation between reduced sunlight and depression. The flip side has to be that we all feel better about life with that sunlight. People living in Wisconsin can use a “feel better,” no matter in what form it may come.
Panthers fans got a few extra doses of “feel good” this past weekend. The first started on Thursday evening with the individual state wrestling tournament. Even without being there, the technology was such that people back home could follow the action. The three wrestlers from Oconto Falls did well, with the highlight being senior Dewey Krueger coming home with a state championship medal as the culmination to his high school wrestling career.
He might object to the ride to that final match under the bright lights if it were characterized as a fairy tale story, but it was an emotional one. There were a lot of hearts pumping faster than usual, even though those hearts were not on the mat.
Another “feel good” came on Saturday with the student council’s super hero breakfast and craft market. A good number of vendors were on hand, and they seemed to be busy based on observations during two brief visits. The stroll through the gym brought back memories of the CMH Auxiliary’s Christmas craft shows from many years ago. They took a lot of work to set up, but drew many prospective customers.
The craft market included a number of vendors from Oconto Falls, which was a nice connection for people who might not have known of these local sources. There has to be a lot of satisfaction in creating something and then making someone else happy when the item is passed on.
A third “feel good” was the high school play that had three public performances beginning Friday night. The play included a large cast. Most were seniors. As a tribute to the seniors, the program included an insert that told a little about each student and the plans they have for the future. It was a great way to connect with these students.
As always, the set added to the experience. Having a trick door in one wall played an important part in the plot. As with many things that go on in the high school, the effort involved collaboration. The craft people in the tech ed department left their mark on that production.
Speaking of plots, there was an interesting line in the script about English teachers and school superintendents that got a few laughs.
It seems that the additional hours of daylight are pumping up the energy in our schools as the month of March starts the sprint to the end of the school year with an ever-increasing number of activities each week. March is the month for music and the arts in schools and many activities are connected to those two curricular areas.
The fine arts find themselves in an interesting place in our schools right now. There are no state tests and nothing is recorded on the school report card for these areas. Given the lowered priority for Wisconsin K-12 education in the governor’s budget, many of these programs are at risk.
When it comes to program reductions, some might adopt the philosophy that if it’s not tested, it’s not important. Unfortunately, these opportunities can be the ones that keep students in school and help them feel good about themselves.
The seniors standing in a wide row on the stage taking a bow at the end of the play had a great experience and will remember it for years to come. It was a little extra something that added to whom they are.
It would be unfortunate if all that remains of many of these opportunities for students in the future are the memories of what schools used to offer.
Hopefully, a little of that added daylight will be used by our legislators to revise that state budget for Wisconsin’s public schools.
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