Cassie Bossert and Rebekah Ottoway are pictured with Joelle Doye, Mineral Point Kiwanis President and MP Schools Communications Director.
The Mineral Point Kiwanis Club honored its December Students of the Month at its meeting Tuesday, December 6 at the Pointer Cafe.
The students, who are members of the senior class, are selected for this honor through a voting process by staff at the school, and their biographies are written by themselves.
Cassie Bossert
Cassie has lived in Mineral Point her whole life with her parents Rob and Carolyn, and her two younger brothers, Grant and Brett.
Cassie is a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club, Youth Group, Blue Crew, and a social media officer of FBLA. She also plays on the basketball team.
Cassie has worked at The Pit Stop since 8th grade until this past summer where she started working at Lands’ End, working about four days a week. Outside of school she enjoys playing sports and spending time with family and friends.
Cassie plans to attend Edgewood College in the fall of 2017 and major in biology to pursue a career in the medical field.
During her time at Mineral Point High School, Cassie has been fortunate to have the support of her many teachers and administration. Two people have greatly influenced and helped Cassie grow as a person. The first person is Janice Neil, Cassie’s Teacher of the Deaf. Janice has been working with Cassie since she was three years old and sees her once a week. Janice make sure Cassie gets the materials and tools she needs in the educational setting. She has encouraged Cassie into believing she can do anything while having a hearing loss as long as her mind was set to do it. Cassie would like to say thank you to Janice for everything she has done for her while she was growing up.
The second person is Cassie’s sign language interpreter, Kelli Ritchie. Kelli has worked with Cassie throughout all four years of high school. Kelli helps make sure Cassie is not missing what is being said during class. Kelli also helped interpret for Cassie during basketball season as the team progressed through playoffs when the crowds grew louder. Cassie would like to say thank you to Kelli for going above and beyond for her during her high school career.
Cassie also wants to recognize her basketball coaches Mitch Wainwright, Mike Chambers, and Bill Mitchell who have all pushed her to achieve and were supportive of her unique communication needs on the court. The life lessons and moments she has experienced with the Mineral Point girls basketball team will be something she will always remember fondly of her time at MPHS.
“Cassie Bossert is committed to putting forth her best effort in everything she does. She is a positive role model and inspiration to our students. She excels in academics, sports, and extracurricular organizations. She serves as Social Media Director for our Future Business Leaders of America. Her efforts contribute to keeping our members involved and motivated. Cassie’s character and dedication make her a great asset to our school.” Kip Bakken, business teacher.
“Cassie is truly a special and remarkable young woman. She is a dedicated student and motivated learner who strives for excellence in everything she does. I have enjoyed watching her grow and mature from a bright-eyed second grader to a talented young woman. Her infectious smile and fun-loving nature are two of her many qualities I admire the most. Congratulations Cassie! I am certain you have a bright and successful future ahead of you.” Sue Niehaus, 2nd grade teacher.
Rebekah Ottoway
Rebekah is daughter to Bill and Trish Ottoway and has three brothers: Ian, Gabe, and Uriah, and a sister, Cassidy. Her family lives on a small farm outside of Mineral Point. Her father, Bill, is the high school’s police liaison.
This past summer, Rebekah worked at Lands’ End four days a week, totaling about 35 hours a week. She has been a part-time lifeguard for the past two summers at the MP Public Pool where she enjoys working with other guards and teaching swimming lessons. Her present job is working at High Street Sweets and it is something she enjoys very much. She also spends a lot of time babysitting for numerous families in the local area.
Rebekah is a part of the varsity softball team. She is the President of the Key Club, a member of Skills USA, FFA, Blue Crew, Science Club, and competes in Forensics. Rebekah is honored to be a member of the National Honor Society. She actively volunteers for NHS and provides service through her participation in the local church youth group. Since third grade, Rebekah has shown swine at the Iowa County Fair every year.
Rebekah enjoys spending her time with her friends, family, and her softball team. She plans on attending UW-Madison or Viterbo University in the fall of 2017 to major in nursing or biology.
During her high school career at MPHS, Matt Austin has had a significant influence on Rebekah in school and life in general. Mr. Austin is her chemistry and physics teacher. He encourages her to push herself and learn beyond the classroom curriculum. Mr. Austin is always willing to help and his positive attitude manifests through his students. Even when he has a busy school day, he always finds time to work with his students. Rebekah feels confident in her science classes because he teaches her to understand why things are the way they are instead of just memorizing material to pass the test. She would like to give a big thank you to Mr. Austin and all he does for her individually and making her senior year bright and memorable.
A community member who Rebekah looks up to is Lisa Hay. She is the owner of the successful High Street Sweets, and she and her husband, Don, take pride in their lodging business for tourists staying in Mineral Point. Rebekah admires her contributions to the community and her participation in Kiwanis. Lisa treats everyone with respect, and she always makes you feel important. Her passion for the historic society of Mineral Point is exemplified through her house, the Cothren House. When there is an event in town, Lisa usually decorates the candy store for it. Her holiday spirit brings joy to the town, and the candy store reflects it. Rebekah thanks Lisa for all she does for the community and for teaching her how to become a better person.
“Rebekah is a great student and a pleasure to have in class. I can always count on Rebekah to volunteer and get involved in whatever we do!” Jenny Wahlin, Spanish teacher
“I had the pleasure of teaching Rebekah in art class during her high school career. Rebekah has always been a driven, organized individual in and outside of the classroom. Her caring nature and personality allow her to work well with others in a team setting, as she always respects others’ opinions even when they differ from her own. She should be proud of her leadership ability and I am certain that Rebekah is going to continue to do great and creative things in her future. Congratulations on student of the month.” Lesley Macaulay, high school art teacher.