Owen Stephenson & Cody Pierce
The Mineral Point Kiwanis Club honored its September Students of the Month at its meeting Tuesday, September 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.
These are the first Students of the Month for the 2019-20 school year.
Cody Pierce
Cody Pierce was born in Reston, Virginia, in 2001 and is the son of Glenn and Cathy Pierce. He lived in Haymarket, Virginia, for almost 10 years. In the summer of 2011, Cody and his family moved to Wisconsin, and he started going to school in Mineral Point. While the transition wasn’t easy, Cody has made many friends and memories during his time here. His sister, Callie, is a sophomore who also attends Mineral Point High School.
Cody has been involved with numerous activities during his time in high school, especially surrounding music. He has played trombone in band since fifth grade. While he took a break from choir for a while, he joined back as a bass his sophomore year and has never regretted his decision. He has participated in solo and ensemble contests and honors bands and choirs. He operated the light board for both “The Addams Family” and “Shrek: The Musical,” and he made his stage debut as King Sextimus in “Once Upon a Mattress” last year. This year, he will be returning to the stage as Javert in “Les Miserables.”
Outside of music, Cody also takes part in many other extracurricular activities. He has been a member of Key Club, Skills USA, Mock Trial, Math Team, Forensics, and Future Business Leaders of America. He became a member of the National Honor Society last year as well. He was also chosen as one of the recipients of the Best All-Around Junior Student Award. Over the summer, Cody attended Badger Boys State in Ripon. This year, he will be serving as the vice president of FBLA. He has also served on student council during his sophomore and junior years and is grateful for being chosen to serve again this year.
Athletics-wise, Cody has been on the Pointer golf team since his freshman year. While he believes he has not ever been particularly “good” at playing golf, Cody has enjoyed the team aspect that golf offers and looks forward to being able to try to get better at something outside of a classroom. He has had his ups and downs with the sport but appreciates the help of the coaches and values the friendships he has made while on the team.
Outside of school, Cody works at Walmart as a CAP Team 2 member. In this position, he normally unloads trucks, stocks shelves, and helps customers find the items they want. He is grateful for the lessons he has learned on the job and for the opportunities that a real work environment has provided him.
Following high school, Cody is interested in pursuing both computer science and astrophysics and would love to find a way to combine them. He would also love to continue in music when he can. He has been working on applying to multiple colleges, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Luther College. He aspires to work at NASA someday and study the limitlessness of our universe.
Cody would like to congratulate Owen Stephenson for being honored as Student of the Month as well. Owen was a big help in welcoming Cody to Mineral Point and the school district when he moved. Cody would also like to congratulate the future Students of the Month, and he wishes the best of luck to all of his classmates during their final year of high school. Cody also would like to thank all of the teachers who have helped shape him into a better person throughout his years in Mineral Point.
“I have had the pleasure of getting to know Cody through his involvement in musical theater, as a member of our forensics team, and as a student in my class. To be sure, Cody is outstanding from an academic standpoint; he is a quiet and determined young man who strives for excellence in every thing to which he commits himself, and he delivers every time. Cody is one of the kindest students that I have ever had the privilege of working with. His performance of the King in ‘Once Upon a Mattress’ stole the show on opening night. Last year, Cody challenged himself to join the forensics team without really knowing very much about it, and in his very first season of competition, he won gold in the category of Poetry Reading. Cody is very deserving of the recognition of Student of the Month.” ~ Jason Smith, High School English Teacher
“Cody came to MPES sometime after kindergarten. My first memory is of a polite student. He was always kind and quiet and I especially recall his sweet smile when meeting him in the hallway. Congratulations, Cody, on being selected as one of the September students of the month! Such an honor! Good luck in your senior year! Enjoy every moment!” ~ Jill McGuire, Kindergarten Teacher
“I have had the pleasure of teaching Cody Spanish for the past four years. He is a teacher’s dream! He pays attention, does his homework, asks questions, and makes a mean tropical punch for class parties! Cody has been in so many different activities and courses that he had to take last year off of Spanish to fit them all in. I know that he was worried about picking up Spanish again this fall, but he has done an excellent job so far! Cody has such a wide variety of interests and I commend him for all the time he puts in trying out new activities. He is always up for a challenge! Thank you, Cody, for being such an awesome person and student, and thank you for that accent mark cheat sheet you made me your freshman year. I still have it taped to my computer monitor!” ~ Jenny Wahlin, High School Spanish Teacher
“Cody has been a tremendous asset to our high school band program and our trombone section. He is constantly striving to be a better musician, as well as a role model for our group. He pushes others to be at their best, and is always open to suggestions on how to become better himself. Cody’s personality is very admirable. He is a person who is always open to helping out in any way necessary, and can be trusted to do it well. Cody, you are a wonderful student and person, and I am proud of your accomplishments. Keep up the great work!” ~ Matt Nevers, Middle/High School Band Teacher
“Cody is a driven and talented young man who strives for perfection in all he does. He has very high expectations for himself. He is quiet, humble, and does not seek attention for accomplishments. He seems to prefer having them go unnoticed despite his many achievements. Cody has challenged himself to step out of his comfort zone through involvement as an officer in Future Business Leaders of America and his role in the musical where he has discovered new abilities, shared his talents, and motivated others. Enjoy your senior year and all the success to come!” ~ Kip Bakken, Middle/High School Business Teacher
“Cody, thank you for your time here at Mineral Point. You have shown that hard work and dedication in your studies is important to being highly successful within the classroom. With that, you have displayed many qualities and talents, like your ability to understand information at a deep level, that I believe has prepared you for college and whatever the future holds. Good luck.” ~ Matt Austin, High School Principal
“It has been wonderful to get to know Cody these past four years. My favorite part though has been watching him grow so much in his own self-confidence! He has gone from a shy, quiet student, to a star in our high school musicals and a true student leader. Cody, continue to shine bright! I wish you a senior year full of making memories, preparing for your wonderful future ahead, enjoying every day, and of course, dominating this year’s math competitions! Best wishes!” ~ Cindi Nothem, High School Math Teacher
Owen Stephenson
Owen Stephenson has been raised in Mineral Point his entire life. He lives just outside of town with his parents Julie and Trevor Stephenson and his younger sister Sophia who is just starting her first year of high school.
Throughout his high school career, Owen has been lucky enough to participate in numerous clubs and teams. Owen is a member of the Math Team, Mock Trial, FFA, Key Club, Forensics, Student Government, National Honor Society, Musical Theater, Band, and he currently serves as the Treasurer for the Mineral Point Trap team. He is especially looking forward to the musical this year and being onstage with his sister for the first time. Owen has also played both varsity soccer and baseball. He is currently the captain of the Dodge-Point Soccer team. In his time in each of these sports and activities, Owen has been fortunate enough to compete and perform at state competitions, he has become a regional, and sectional champion, he has received conference awards, participated in honors bands, and even been an expert witness in a murder trial, but most importantly Owen has learned. He has learned what it means to be part of a team, and how each role is as meaningful as the next. He has learned first hand about life in a foreign country. He has learned what it means to be a leader, and above all he has learned the importance of understanding and compassion towards his peers and everyone around him.
Next year Owen will be attending college to major in music, more specifically music therapy. Where exactly he will be attending is a decision he is still waiting to make… or putting off. At this point, Owen would like to take the time to thank his employer, Lisa Hay, for all her help and insight in his college application process. He would not be nearly as prepared for what’s ahead if it weren’t for Lisa’s help. Owen would also like to thank Peter Schmalz for all his help in musically preparing Owen for what’s ahead. Without Peter’s guidance, Owen would not be half the musician he is today. Next, Owen would like to thank his teachers for sacrificing their so much of their time over the past four years to help him and other students succeed. He is forever grateful for having teachers so dedicated to keeping him on the right track for his future. Finally, Owen would like to congratulate Cody on his Student of the Month selection, and wish him luck in whatever lies ahead. There is no one Owen would rather share this honor with.
“Owen has always been incredibly kind to others. He has a bright future.” ~ Lynn Ross, 4th Grade Teacher.
“Owen has been a bright spot since his elementary school days! The word that comes to mind is involved. Owen always seemed to be involved in many academic, musical, and sports activities from the beginning. He is truly an all around student! His kind demeanor has led him to become a young man our school is proud of! Congratulations, Owen, on being selected as one of September’s students of the month! Have a great senior year!” ~ Jill McGuire, Kindergarten Teacher
“I have enjoyed getting to know Owen through his involvement in musical theater, forensics, and as a student in class. He is an outstanding student academically speaking, but excels in everything in which he is involved. One of the things that I particularly appreciate about Owen is the fact that he always has a smile on his face, is thoroughly enjoyable to talk to, and has a great sense of humor. Owen loves to talk about his passion for music and in particular his admiration for the metal band, Metallica. As educators, we want to see our students involved in many activities, and Owen is a student involved. Owen plays soccer, but his performance in the musical ‘Once Upon a Mattress’ was one of the highlights of the show. He also chose to challenge himself by participating in Forensics last year, and he won a gold as a participant in the category of Poetry Reading. Owen very much deserves the recognition of Student of the Month.” ~ Jason Smith, High School English Teacher
“Owen is one of our five french horn players in the high school band. The horn is one of those instruments that is either sounds beautiful, or…not. Owen luckily has made it past the not so great sounding stage on the instrument to a level that sounds really lovely. It takes a special person to perform the horn, and Owen has risen to the challenge. Owen has been a pleasure to have in class all of these years. I will definitely miss the person who gladly drops anything he is working on to help out when needed, even when the tasks are not that fun. Congratulations Owen, you have become a fine young man and I am proud of your accomplishments!” ~ Matt Nevers, Middle/High School Band Teacher
“Owen is a great example to underclassmen of what it takes to be a top-notch student at Mineral Point. Over the last four years I have had the privilege to get to know Owen, who I would describe as dynamic, genuine, empathetic, and unwavering. These traits, along with his determination, have helped him develop into the person and leader he has become today. And as you move forward to the next chapter in his life, I am sure that you will find success.” ~ Matt Austin, High School Principal
“When I think of Owen, there is one word that instantly pops in my mind, and that is ‘kind.’ We teach our students to be many things, like respectful, responsible, prepared, and productive. But for me, being kind is one of the most important, and Owen is exactly that. He always goes out of his way to offer a friendly greeting, an excited story, or just a simple have a great day. Owen, these actions most certainly do not go unnoticed and help to make Mineral Point High School a great place to be! I wish you the most enjoyable senior year, and I can’t wait to see you more this fall as your final Math Team season kicks off! Thanks for always being so amazing and kind!” ~ Cindi Nothem, High School Math Teacher
“I could go on for hours talking about how incredible you both are. Maybe that’s because we’re family or maybe it’s because I’ve seen you grow up into amazing young men. Your leadership in and outside of the school continuously grows. People know you for not only being so talented, but also for your kindness and individuality.
Not too many people can say they have such a loving extended family like ours. We cherish our Sunday morning breakfasts and do just about anything to have a get together to play games. I can only hope that the ‘littles’ in our family can grow up idealizing the ‘bigs,’ especially you two.
I can’t wait to see where your future takes you because your skills are endless. I’m so very proud of you both and you truly deserve being the firsts of this award for the Class of 2020. Thanks, now I’m crying!”
Love you both,
Lesley Macaulay, Middle/High School Art Teacher