Martina Steffes (left) and Katie Fitzsimmons are pictured with School Counselor Andy Palzkill at the Kiwanis Student of the Month luncheon.
The Mineral Point Kiwanis Club honored its April Students of the Month at its meeting Tuesday, April 17 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 high school, and their biographies are written by themselves.
Katie Fitzsimmons
Katie Fitzsimmons is the daughter of Scott and Emily Fitzsimmons. She was raised on a dairy farm outside of Mineral Point her whole life. Katie has two siblings; her sister Morgan, who is currently the Wisconsin State FFA Vice President and an online student at Iowa State University, and her brother, Graham, who is a 7th grader at Mineral Point.
Katie is involved in many activities such as FFA, 4-H, 4-H Ambassadors, Book Club, musicals, and Spanish Club. Along with this, Katie was the 2017 Badger Girls State Delegate, and a D.A.R.E. Role Model for the 5th graders this year.
One of the activities that Katie has been very involved in is FFA. She has served as an officer for three years and has accomplished a lot during her time as a member. An accomplishment that she is very proud of is being a two time State FFA Speaking Contest qualifier. In conjunction, Katie is very involved in the 4-H Ambassadors, a group that serves as role models for younger youth enrolled in the 4-H. She has been able to serve as a member of the “H-Team” and is the 2017-18 Iowa County 4-H Queen.
Katie will be attending Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa to pursue a degree in Agriculture Business. She hopes to have a job that involves the daily aspects of business along with keeping her close to the agriculture industry.
Katie has been greatly influenced by many teachers at Mineral Point High School. One that has greatly impacted her is Mr. Mike Robinson, the agriculture instructor and FFA Advisor. Over the years, Katie has realized that the advisor is the backbone of a successful FFA chapter. She wants to thank him for being so dedicated to the chapter and putting in many long hours to make sure its members always succeeded.
Another teacher Katie would like to thank is Mrs. Jenny Wahlin. She wants to thank her for always being passionate about teaching Spanish and the culture, whether it was in the classroom, or on the Spanish trip to Mexico. The memories and experiences that Katie had on that trip are something she will always carry with her. Both of these teachers always pushed Katie to succeed inside and outside the classroom, and for that, she is extremely grateful.
Finally, Katie would like to thank the Kiwanis Club and the high school staff that selected her for the prestigious honor of being named Student of the Month. She would also like to congratulate Martina Steffes on her achievements and receiving this honor.
“Katie is a very dedicated and hard working young lady. She has successfully carried a full course load as well as her many agricultural activities. Katie was on the trip that we took to Mexico following her sophomore year. I had a great time getting to know her and the other students in a different setting other than the classroom. We had a lot of fun! We laughed, we cried, and we even considered adopting an orphan named Luis! I will treasure the memories of that trip forever! I wish Katie all the best as she follows her dreams after high school. I have no doubt that she will be successful in any field she chooses to pursue.” ~ Jenny Wahlin, Spanish Teacher
“In the short time that I’ve been getting to know Katie, she has become a student I look forward to seeing every morning. Her maturity and positivity are far beyond most of her peers. She shows so much dedication to her school work, friends, family, and of course FFA. She is definitely a hard working woman. I love having our in-depth conversations about her future and life experiences. She has been such a joy to have in art class this year, and even though she doesn’t have much confidence in her art, she does a great job and continues to artistically grow. Her leadership and eagerness to try new things have been very inspirational for other students. I can’t wait to see what her future holds and where her hard work will take her.” ~ Lesley Macaulay, Art Teacher
“Katie Fitzsimmons is an exceptionally talented and giving person. She is sincere in her actions and sets forth a good example for her peers. Katie continues to positively influence others around her. Although I never had Katie as a student in my classroom, she has been a close friend of our family’s for most her life. Through Katie’s involvement in 4-H and FFA, she has taken advantage of numerous leadership conferences and opportunities that are made available to her. Katie works closely with her fellow officers and classmates and understands the importance of working collaboratively to accomplish club and chapter goals. Our family and I wish Katie the best of luck as she steps forward into the next chapter of her life. Katie’s future is certainly bright!” ~ Livia Doyle, 4th Grade Teacher
“Katie always had fierce determination to do whatever it took to meet her goals. She gave 150% effort to learning new things and doing her best at all of her work. She also had a big heart for her friends and the most supportive family ever! It was my pleasure to teach her in elementary school and an even bigger pleasure to watch her grow into the amazing student, leader, and young woman that she is. Thank you Katie for making your forever supporters in Pointer Nation proud! “ ~ Keri Radtke, 2nd Grade Teacher
“Katie Fitzsimmons came to school a shy, quiet kindergartner. As she has grown, I have watched her blossom into an extremely confident, poised young woman. With this, she has managed to stay kind and dedicated to her studies. Congratulations, Katie! Good luck in your future endeavors!” ~ Jill McGuire, Kindergarten Teacher
Martina Steffes
Martina has lived in Mineral Point her whole life. She has grown up with her younger sisters: Emma, who’s in 8th grade, Claire who is in 5th grade, Ava who is three and her younger brother, Larry, who is a sophomore.
Martina is involved in many extracurricular activities. Her favorite club to be a part of is serving as the President of the County Line 4-H Club. Martina has been a part of County Line 4-H for 12 years and has served all officer positions. She also is part of the Iowa County 4-H Ambassadors and serves on the “H-Team” as the Heart. She is also involved in Skills USA, FFA, high school trapshooting, and is a member of the National Honor Society. She also has been a part of the Dodge-Point Gymnastics team throughout high school. Due to a season-ending elbow injury, she has been the manager of the gymnastics team for the past two years.
Martina has been working as a certified nursing assistant for the past year at the nursing home in Mineral Point. She also plans to work full time this summer, too. Being a CNA has taught Martina a lot about life. She has learned how to be a responsible young adult and also has learned how to work with others as a team.
For Martina’s future goals, she plans to pursue a career as a Physician’s Assistant working in pediatrics. She will be attending UW-Madison in the fall with hopes of double majoring in Biology and Animal Science with a double minor in Psychology and Spanish.
A teacher that has always influenced Martina is Mr. Tom Steger. He has helped her find her love for science and her interest in the medical field. He is knowledgeable about all aspects of science and can answer any question that may cross your mind.
Martina would like to congratulate Katie Fitzsimmons for also being selected as Student of the Month and would also like to thank the Kiwanis Club for honoring her.
“Martina Steffes came to school with her easy going attitude and hard working personality. As I watch her through the years, she has kept her composed mindset all the while showing her consideration for others. She is self assured and diligent. I am happy to be able to congratulate Martina on her honor today! Good luck in the future, Martina! Keep smiling!” ~ Jill McGuire, Kindergarten Teacher
“One of the best things about working in a small school district is getting the opportunity to know students through the years and watching them grow, mature, and excel.
No one can tell what the future holds, but I knew Martina was special all the way back during middle school marching band color guard. She was very coachable, took direction well, and was polite–qualities not all middle schoolers possess. She also was a conscientious worker who strived to do her best.
As high school began, it was clear Martina had passion, and talent, for the sport of gymnastics. But what she lacked a little was luck. A series of serious injuries unfortunately ended her competitive career in a sport she loves.
It would have been easy for her to walk away from the sport completely. But, being the hard-worker she is, Martina has never been about finding the easy way out. She served as a manager and coach, helping to provide encouragement and advice to her teammates while the Dodge-Point program soared to new-found levels of success the past two years.
Martina’s competitive spirit also shines through in FFA, where she was a national qualifier in livestock judging, as well as being a pioneer for females on the trap shooting team, placing high at the state competition.
Most recently, Martina led a school-wide effort encouraging her classmates to ‘Walk Up’ and be more friendly to each other, knowing kindness is something there can never be enough of.
Martina isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in, but she does so with tact and intelligence. Her bright smile, quick wit, and compassion for others will continue to open many doors for her.” ~ Joelle Doye, Communications Director
“Martina has been a dedicated athlete throughout her high school career. Even when she could no longer compete due to an injury, she still participated, providing guidance and leadership to her teammates. Martina is also a dedicated student. Most recently she was recognized as an Academic All-State athlete and in previous years has been recognized as an Academic All-American athlete. To be able to maintain a high GPA while taking challenging classes and participating in gymnastics is not an easy task and speaks to Martina’s dedication and focus. I am pleased that Martina is being recognized for her scholastic achievements and believe she is very deserving of this recognition.” ~ Julia Oellerich, Dodge-Point Gymnastics Coach