The Mineral Point Kiwanis Club honored its April Students of the Month at a virtual meeting Tuesday, April 6. The Kiwanis Club is meeting via Zoom during the pandemic.
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.
Liam Stumpf
Liam is the son of Greg and Chris Stumpf. Liam has two sisters, Kennedy, who is an anti-money laundering specialist for Robinhood in Dallas, TX, and Madison, who is a Junior at UW-Madison pursuing a degree in speech language pathology.
Liam is a member of the National Honor Society, a Skills USA officer, a DARE role model, and is a three sport athlete. He has also been a class officer, 4-H member, and a forensics participant.
Liam likes to play baseball, hang with his friends, and spend time playing card games and hanging at the lake with his family. He also enjoys football, snowboarding, jet skiing, and basketball. Liam’s high school summers have also been spent working for Klosterman Landscaping.
Liam will continue his academic career in Business at Missouri State University and will also play baseball.
Liam wants to thank the whole community of Mineral Point for the influence they have had on his high school career. Liam is grateful for the coaches that pushed him to do things that he wasn’t always comfortable with because he knows they believed in him. Their support and mentorship have contributed to the person he is today.
He is also thankful for all the teachers for their unending support and their guidance to make him a better student. Liam has always enjoyed school and the teachers he has had have only grown his passion for learning. He is very grateful for the most supportive community he knows — Mineral Point — and all the parents, fellow students, younger kids, and community members that have helped make Mineral Point his home.
Liam wants to thank the Mineral Point Kiwanis for their support of the Student of the Month.
“I didn’t get to know Liam until he transferred here from Dodgeville. First impressions were that he was kind, would get along great with the other students, would put forth a lot of effort into his academics, and would be an incredible athlete. After getting to know him, all of those qualities were true. Liam not only has an incredible work ethic, he is well liked by everyone and has proved himself on the football field, basketball court, and baseball diamond. He even shows his leadership skills as a team captain. Liam is on the National Honor Society, doing his share of community service around the community. He is a great role model and one that the younger students definitely look up to. As Liam goes forth into his future, I wish him good luck in college and the baseball career that he has ahead of him.” ~ Janet Lawinger, High School Administrative Assistant
“I recall Liam Stumpf joining our school; although it seems like, for many of us, he’s always been a Pointer! Liam, watching your success in both academics and athletics has been exciting! You are a kind, mature young man with lots to look forward to in the years ahead. Congratulations on being selected April’s Student of the Month! Here’s wishing you the best in your future endeavors! Pointers will be rooting you on!” ~ Jill McGuire, Kindergarten Teacher
“Liam has been an outstanding student/athlete during his four years at Mineral Point High School. He has excelled in the classroom and in all three sports (football, basketball, and baseball) earning all-conference honors in all three. During his four years, Liam has developed into a very good leader. He has a great personality, a positive outlook, and is well received by students and staff. I know he will do great things at Missouri State.” ~ Dan Burreson, High School Social Studies Teacher and Head Boys Basketball Coach
“Liam, thank you for being part of Pointer Nation and congratulations on your selection as the Student of the Month. Something that I will always remember about you is how you always had a smile on your face and a positive attitude. I appreciate your willingness to help out and be a leader and mentor within our school for your peers and younger MP students and athletes. I look forward to watching you take the next steps in your journey as a college baseball athlete. Your drive and enthusiasm are attributes that are going to help you be successful in any career path. Best of luck with your future.” ~ Matt Austin, High School Principal
“What a great addition to the Mineral Point student body Liam Stumpf has been. He came to our district as a very respectful, humble, and intelligent young man. He will be leaving as an outstanding role model, leader, athlete, and academically prepared for his next journey. Liam always has a smile on his face and is willing to greet you each day. He has grown into such a wonderful young man that while we wish him nothing but the best as he soon leaves our school, we will miss him and all the qualities that make him an outstanding Pointer! Best of Luck, Liam.” ~ Mitch Wainwright, Superintendent
“Liam Stumpf is outgoing, hardworking, and driven, striving to do his best in all he does. While pushing himself toward excellence, he is also dedicated to leading by example and elevating those around him. He is kind and friendly to everyone and always has a smile to share. Congratulations as April Student of the Month! Best of luck at Missouri State in all you do!” ~ Kipalee Bakken, Middle/High School Business Teacher
“Musician Billy Cox once said, ‘The two things in life you are in total control over are your attitude and your effort.’ As long as I have known Liam Stumpf, he has always had the best attitude and has always given 100% effort in everything he does. Liam’s bright smile tells it all. Liam is a born leader that is the glue that keeps a group together. He is always the first to volunteer for a task and is always someone I have been able to count on to follow through. I have always loved his desire to learn new information and his ability to push himself to the next level. I will genuinely miss Liam next year but can’t wait to see what the future holds for this talented, kind young man!” ~ Kristin Staver, High School English Teacher
Megan Toay
To start, Megan Toay would like to thank the Kiwanis and school staff for choosing her as one of the April Students of the Month. She would also like to congratulate Liam Stumpf on receiving this honor.
Megan has grown up in Mineral Point her whole life. She has amazing parents, Duane and Melissa Toay, along with two siblings, Chayse and Sammy. She would like to thank her parents for their never-ending support of everything she does.
Throughout school, Megan has been very academically driven. She liked to challenge herself by doubling up in some subjects and also taking some college classes. She also participated in some extracurriculars such as football and wrestling cheerleading, Key Club, and Future Business Leaders of America. She held leadership positions as captain for two years in wrestling cheerleading and treasurer her senior year for Key Club.
Starting her Junior year, Megan worked at Subway but currently works at Walmart in hopes of saving up for college. Along with those jobs, she also helped out during the summer at Shake Rag Alley, being an assistant when teaching the children some fun arts and crafts. She also volunteered at the hospital (and would have loved to continue had covid not shown up), where she helped at a children’s camp and eventually the nursing home where she would talk and laugh with the residents while doing some projects.
Megan will be attending the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in hopes of getting her bachelor’s degree in Pre-Physical Therapy. She then plans on going somewhere warmer to work on getting her Doctor of Physical Therapy.
Throughout high school, Mr. Matt Austin has been her biggest role model, along with Mrs. Jennifer Wahlin. From the start, Mr. Austin has always been there to help her when she needed it and cheer her up. Mr. Austin also taught her that it is essential to always look at the positives in life. Mrs. Wahlin became a role model starting Junior year for Megan because she was always so cheery and funny, which brought smiles to all the students. Megan would like to thank them for being such amazing people to listen to her when she needed it, and teaching her some amazing life lessons.
Once again, Megan would like to thank the Kiwanis and teachers for choosing her as Student of the Month. She is very grateful for it.
“I’ve known Megan since she was in elementary school and became a good friend of my daughter, Ivy. Megan started out as a shy young girl, but has grown into a beautiful young lady who is active in many things at school, including football and wrestling cheerleading. Megan also worked very hard this year to be selected for the National Honor Society and will do her best to uphold the four pillars of Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. I’m sure Megan will venture out to do great things after graduation and I wish her the best of luck.” ~ Janet Lawinger, High School Administrative Assistant
“Megan Toay was a quiet little kindergartner with a sweet smile. Through the years, she has always been hard working and determined. Megan has kept those traits as she represents Mineral Point in both school and work activities. I’d like to congratulate her on being selected as April’s Student of the Month! Good luck in the future, Megan! Always work hard!” ~ Jill McGuire, Kindergarten Teacher
“Congratulations Megan on being honored as a Kiwanis Student of the Month. I have truly enjoyed watching you grow and mature from Freshman year until now. You have been busy these past four years with your advanced course load, extracurricular activities, and also working part time! No matter what life holds for you, I know you will be successful because of your optimistic outlook on things, strong work ethic, and the ability to roll with the changes. Change can be tough no matter where you are in life. The past two years you have grown so much in this area…maybe not liking all the changes you were subject to, but you have learned that perseverance and hard work are the keys to success! I am so very proud of the young woman you have become!” ~ Jenny Wahlin, High School Spanish Teacher
“Congratulations on being selected as the Student of the Month for April. As you have navigated your high school career, you have grown in many ways and have learned how to use your talents to the highest level. If I were to describe you, I would use the words talented, driven, and caring. To me, these qualities are going to aid in your success and help you reach your goals. Megan, thank you for being a positive example for underclassmen and your community. Your future is bright and I am sure that you will accomplish amazing things.” ~ Matt Austin, High School Principal
“I recall the first time I met Megan Toay while I was substitute teaching at the elementary school. She was so sweet and extremely shy and quiet. In a few short years she transformed from that shy young lady to an outgoing, soft spoken leader who advocates for herself and others. She has been dedicated in her involvement with extracurricular activities including wrestling cheerleading and FBLA. She has great ideas and loves to help others. Congratulations as April Student of the Month! I wish you all the best in your future endeavors!” ~ Kipalee Bakken, Middle/High School Business Teacher
“‘If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself’ – Henry Ford. Miss Megan Toay has always been a born cheerleader fighting for the success of the group. This selfless attitude has always been what most impressed me about Megan. I have had the pleasure of being Megan’s teacher and cheerleading coach. In both the classroom and on the football field, Megan’s primary concern is getting the job done to make others happy and complete. Because of this quality, I am confident that her future is bright and full of success. I will truly miss her helping hand and kind heart next year but am super excited to see what lies ahead for her because of the good karma she has created.” ~ Kristin Staver, High School English Teacher
(Stumpf photo by Ann Gorgen; Toay photo by Kristin Weier Logan)