The Mineral Point Kiwanis Club honored its December Students of the Month at its meeting Tuesday, December 3 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.
Hannah Ryser
Hannah Ryser is the daughter of Jake and Robyn. She has two siblings, Alex and Addie. Alex graduated from Pecatonica High School in 2018 and Addie is an eighth-grader at Mineral Point Middle School. She lived in Blanchardville and went to Pecatonica Elementary and Middle School. Hannah transferred to Mineral Point as a freshman which has had a positive impact on her life.
Hannah has been involved in extracurricular activities throughout her high school career. She has participated in Skills USA her junior year and Math Team for all four years. Hannah has played volleyball for her freshman, sophomore, and junior year and became a wrestling manager in her junior year as well. During these sports seasons, she has shown her leadership skills and positive attitude towards others.
After high school, Hannah will be attending Edgewood College to pursue nursing. Hannah became a Certified Nursing Assistant, also known as a CNA, through night classes at Southwest Technical College in her junior year. Being a CNA has allowed her to be more involved with the medical field. Hannah’s interest in medicine comes from needing medical professionals for as long as she can remember, starting with Graves’ Disease at age three and having her thyroid removed at age four. Having these circumstances at a very young age, Hannah has been able to adapt easily to things that get thrown her way. These milestones change the way that she sees the medical profession, allowing her to help others. After becoming a nurse at Edgewood College, Hannah plans to go to Med School to become either an orthopedic or plastic surgeon.
Lastly, Hannah would like to congratulate Larry Steffes for also being honored as Student of the Month. She can’t believe that her last year at Mineral Point High School is slowly slipping out of her hands. Her years in high school will forever be cherished. Hannah would like to thank the school staff for voting her and Larry to be honored by Kiwanis. She would finally like to thank her friends for sticking with her throughout high school. Most importantly she would like to thank her family for everything they have done for her. She would especially like to thank her parents because most of what they do goes unnoticed. She is saying thank you today for all of those unnoticed things and for helping her become the person she is today.
“Hannah Ryser has been an outstanding addition to MPHS! We are fortunate to have a quality student and person like Hannah transfer into our district. I will miss working with Hannah next year and wish her the best as she moves into the next phase of her life!” ~ Andy Palzkill, Middle/High School Counselor
“Hannah, thank you for being a part of Pointer Nation. Your determination, your willingness to help others, and your ability to problem solve will serve you well moving forward. It seems like just yesterday you were a freshman ready to take on the world and now as a senior I believe that you are ready to do just that. Best of wishes, you are going to do great things.” ~ Matt Austin, High School Principal
Larry Steffes
Larry Steffes has been a part of Mineral Point his entire life. He lives with his parents, Larry and Tabitha Steffes, as well as his sisters Martina, Emma, Claire, and Ava. Martina is currently a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His other three sisters are students in the Mineral Point School District.
Larry has participated in multiple activities during his time at Mineral Point High School. Larry is a member of the FFA, National Honor Society, and currently serves as the vice president of the Mineral Point Trap Team. Larry also played varsity football. He has been fortunate enough to participate in leadership events, compete in state competitions, receive multiple conference awards, and become a conference champion multiple times. He cherishes the memories he has made at Mineral Point High School.
Larry lives on a farm just outside of Mineral Point. He has worked on the family farm with his dad for his entire life. He has also worked for other farmers in the surrounding area. The experiences he has had farming have helped to shape him into the person he is today. Through farming, he has learned the value of hard work, honesty, and doing things right. Some of Larry’s hobbies and interests include bow hunting, gun hunting, turkey hunting, coyote hunting, squirrel hunting, rabbit hunting, crow hunting, trapping, and fishing. He also enjoys working on trucks and cars.
After high school, Larry plans on attending the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to pursue a degree in Agriculture. Larry would like to thank his parents for all the support and guidance throughout the years. Without them he would not be where he is today. Larry would also like to thank his friends for always supporting him. Finally, Larry would like to congratulate Hannah on her Student of the Month selection and wishes her luck on her future endeavors.
“Larry Steffes is a quiet, thought-provoking student with a passion for farming and family. In kindergarten, he shared his love of farming with his classmates and friends. He is a serious student and shows his quiet demeanor in all that he does. Once in a while, you may be lucky to see his bright smile which lights up those around him! Have a great senior year, Larry! Good luck next year!” ~ Jill McGuire, Kindergarten Teacher
“Larry has been a pleasure to work with as a school counselor and a head football coach. He has learned that hard work leads to success and his accomplishments in the classroom and on the football field are a testament to this fact. I look forward to maintaining a friendship with Larry in the future!” ~ Andy Palzkill, Middle/High School Counselor and Head Football Coach
“Congratulations on your selection as the December Student of the Month, I couldn’t think of a more deserving student. Your ability to work hard, be dependable, and have a positive attitude will be sure to serve you well in the next chapter. Thank you for your time and commitment during your high school career. It has been a pleasure to have had the opportunity to teach you. Best of luck with your future.” ~ Matt Austin, High School Principal
“Larry has been a past member of the Mineral Point Trap Team and is the Vice President of the 2020 Spring Team. Larry has shown his leadership abilities through trapshooting. When the need arises to organize help with duties at the Jonesdale Sportsman Club, Larry rallies the team members to get things done and done right. I am looking forward to see Larry grow as a student in high school and beyond. Larry has been a pleasure to work with,” ~ Bill Ottoway, School Liaison Officer