The Mineral Point Kiwanis Club honored its May Students of the Month at its meeting Tuesday, May 2.
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 final Students of the Month for the 2022-23 school year.
Brody Lee
Brody Lee is the son of Ron and Lori Lee. He made his first appearance into this world in March of 2005 in the big city of Madison, alongside his twin sister Sydney. He also has an older sister Brandi, older brother Joey, and we cannot forget the dog Rex. Brody grew up in the house his dad and mom built between Mineral Point and Darlington. He has been attending Mineral Point Schools since Preschool.
Currently, Brody is co-captain of the Mineral Point Trap team, two years in a row, and has been on the team since 7th grade. He was the state champion at Rome, WI in 2021 and 2022, and will be feeling the pressure at State again this coming June. Brody played with the Dodgeville Mustangs Youth football in 6th, 7th and 8th grade, then Mineral Point High School football his Freshman through Senior year. His Senior year he was selected as captain of the team by his teammates. His Senior year playing was cut a little short after receiving a concussion. However, he still gave his team support by helping other team members in practice and cheering them on from the sidelines. Brody wanted to try wrestling, so he committed to it from 6th grade through Freshman year.
Throughout the four years of High School, Brody has been on the honor and high honor roll. He has been a member of the FFA since 8th grade and has been involved in several FFA activities throughout the years. He was highly active in the ag shop where he built the brackets that are holding up the big tv screen in the high school gym. He learned how to run the plasma cam and created many signs with it, such as the Mineral Point High School Hall of Fame metal signs above all tvs in the hallways. He was also in construction class and helped build the ticket booth for the football games. He has been a member of Skills USA for three years and participated in the state competition for welding two years in a row. Most recently, Brody just finished the Construction Academy course through Southwest Technical College where he learned many skills in the construction fields. He also took an OSHA 10 class, passed his test, and is now certified.
Brody is an avid sportsman and any chance he gets he will be outside enjoying the great outdoors. He enjoys all sorts of hunting, fishing, and trapping. For the past five years, he has been a member of the Sauk County Youth Shooting team where he shoots trap, skeet, sporting clays, and international trap. Last year he won the Wisconsin State Junior Olympic trials for International Trap, which allowed him to continue to the National Junior Olympic trials in Michigan. It was a great learning experience and he got to meet several Olympians.
This summer Brody will be working for Carey’s Seamless Gutters and Overhead Doors. In the fall he will be attending Southwest Technical College for the Welding program where he can pursue a career in Welding. He has a passion for welding and enjoyed working as a welding intern for Hennessey Implement last summer.
Brody would like to thank all his teachers and coaches from Preschool on up for all the memorable years sharing their knowledge. He would also like to thank his parents for allowing him to try new things and supporting him when growing up. Finally, he would like to congratulate his long-time friend, Kennedy Wenger, for being selected as Student of the Month and he would like to thank the Kiwanis Club for sponsoring this event.
“Brody Lee is just a great young man. He treats all with respect and is very hard-working. It has been a pleasure working with him during his high school career.” ~ Mr. Justin Leonard, Head Football Coach
“Congratulations, Brody, on becoming Student of the Month. It has been a pleasure watching you grow into such a great young man! Your attention to detail has been evident since you were young. We see your success in trap shooting, FFA, and all your other talents. I know this attentiveness to detail will take you far in life and allow you to be the best you can be! Enjoy every moment as you finish out your time here at MP Schools. Good luck next year and beyond!” ~ Mrs. Jill McGuire, Kindergarten Teacher
“Congratulations, Brody, on being selected as a Student of the Month for May! I have enjoyed getting to know you over the past two years, but especially this year. Brody is hard-working, reliable, and a lover of all things outdoors! Brody is the kind of person you could drop off in the middle of the wilderness with nothing and he would come out thriving! I admire his endless knowledge and know he can always be depended on to complete a task. Brody is an all-star on our Trap Team, and having shot trap before myself, I am fascinated that he shot a perfect 100 at State! Brody is a leader in our Ag and Tech Ed departments and clubs, a leader in academic classrooms, and a leader in athletics. Brody, I look forward to hearing of the adventures life will take you on. Best of luck in your future!” ~ Mrs. Erika Brunson, Middle/High School Counselor
“Brody is not your typical Student of the Month. He is not a ‘lay it on thick’ kind of guy. Brody Lee is, well, a character. He is a great student, even though he complains about reading (why does he hang out in the library before school?) Brody will jump in and help with anything. He takes all the chairs down for me in the library Monday mornings and fetches stuff for me from my car. He is a good leader and an accomplished sportsman. He has won State in Trapshooting and looks to repeat again this year. His weekend hunting antics are for the books. Literally – he should write a book. He will tell me about beaver he has trapped, deer he has hunted, coons that got away, how many fish he caught, how deep the mud was that he was stuck in and he always tries to get me to watch some gross video about hunting, but I am on to that. He has humor at just the right moments. However, he is a poor loser at Euchre. He is getting better though. Brody will be successful in the future from his strong work ethic and his good nature. He is probably uncomfortable hearing his praises as he doesn’t expect anything in return for his efforts. I hope he continues to be a role model for all the hunting kids we have at school. Congratulations Brody!” ~ Mrs. Sue Gollon, Middle/High School Library Assistant
“Congratulations on your selection as the May Student of the Month. Talented…the word that jumps to mind when thinking about Brody. Brody is a gifted welder and extremely hard-working young man, who leads by example. As a school, I want to personally thank Brody for his work on the brackets for the gym display, the metal signs he created, and his willingness to pitch in and help anyone with any project. As he takes on the next part of his journey, I am confident that he will inspire those around him and find success. Best of luck.” ~ Mr. Matt Austin, High School Principal
“The saying ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ always comes to mind when I think of Brody. At first glance, Brody is a kid you can tell lives to be outdoors working with his hands. However, he is equally skilled in the classroom. I loved hearing his spot-on interpretation of a piece of literature or reading his finely crafted essays, then turning around and seeing him build me whatever I dreamed up for prom, homecoming, or media. You are such a multi-talented kid, Brody; no avenue will ever be closed to you! I am so excited to see the roads you choose!” ~ Mrs. Kristin Staver, High School English Teacher
Kennedy Wenger
Kennedy Wenger is the oldest child of Neil and Kirby Wenger. She was born in Dodgeville in 2004. She has two younger siblings — Keegan, who is a Freshman, and Kendall, who is in 7th grade. They both attend Mineral Point as well.
Kennedy grew up on the outskirts of town and has been attending Mineral Point Schools since preschool. She is a current member of Skills USA, FFA, and Student Government, and is a second year member of the National Honor Society. She has been a four-year member of Skills USA and Student Government. She has been an FFA member for five years, including an officer for three years. She has held the position of Reporter, Treasurer, and Vice President.
Kennedy was voted Class Representative her Freshman Homecoming. Along with that, the student body voted her as Queen Candidate this past Homecoming. In addition, her classmates voted her as Prom Queen her Junior year.
Not only is she in clubs, but she is also very involved in volleyball, basketball, and softball. In volleyball, Kennedy was All-Conference in her Junior and Senior years. She was also named the SWAL’s Most Valuable Player this past season. She also earned All-State Honorable Mention. Her team won an outright conference title and won their Regional in 2023.
For basketball, she was a three-year All-Conference member. She was also All-State Honorable Mention. Her teams were back-to-back-to-back Conference and Regional Champions. In her Junior and Senior years, they were back-to-back Sectional Champions, earning their way to State back-to-back years. In 2021, they were State Runners-up and in 2022 they were State Champions.
Finally, in softball, she has completed two full years and is in her final season (no season Freshman year due to COVID.) She has been a two-time All-Conference member. She was named All-State Honorable Mention in her Sophomore and Junior years. Her team was Conference Champions in 2021.
She was nominated for the prestigious WIAA Scholar Athlete Award and has been Academic All-State for multiple years across multiple sports.
Other activities that she enjoys include playing AAU volleyball and softball where she has had the opportunity to meet and develop friendships with other athletes from across the state. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends, especially the time spent at Lake Wisconsin at her grandparents’ cabin. During the summer, she is employed at a small business in Mineral Point. AB Electric has taught her many life lessons that she will forever use in the future.
Kennedy would like to thank her extended family, parents, coaches, and teachers for all the support over the years. She would like to give a special shout-out to the Mineral Point community. It is this combination of personal and community support that makes Pointer Nation an amazing place to grow up and she will be forever grateful. Kennedy would like to congratulate fellow classmate and friend, Brody Lee, on earning student of the month.
“Kennedy is such a wonderful student, athlete, and overall person. She is quiet and respectful, but is not afraid to stand up for what is right. Kennedy’s presence will be greatly missed in Mineral Point High School.” ~ Mrs. Elizabeth Grutz, Middle School Special Education Teacher
“Kennedy is an outstanding role model and a truly amazing person. She is looked up to by so many for her hard work, determination, and kindness. I feel very grateful to have gotten to know Kennedy better through her high school career and know she will go on to do such great things!” ~ Mrs. Amanda Ingwell, Elementary Instructional Assistant
“Kennedy is a kind and sweet girl. Her hard work and dedication on and off the court make her a great all around student and athlete. When she is in her competitor mode her sweet smile turns to utter concentration and you can see the fire in her eye. She is fun and fierce! Kennedy, I hope you enjoy your last days at MPHS! Congratulations on becoming Student of the Month! Best wishes in the future! We will be admiring from afar!” ~ Mrs. Jill McGuire, Kindergarten Teacher
“Kennedy Wenger is an all around great person. She excels in the classroom and in every athletic event she participates in. Although she has a lot of natural talent, she works so incredibly hard to be the best at everything she does (and she usually is). She is an incredible role model for our younger students and is always focused on her next goal. Kennedy is a second year NHS member, a three sport athlete, a member of Skills USA and FFA, as well as a Class Officer. Kennedy, thank you for your commitment to excellence across the many areas of MPHS. We will miss having you in our halls next year, but also can’t wait to see where your hard work and dedication take you. Congratulations!” ~ Mrs. Erika Brunson, Middle/High School Counselor
“‘If you have a dream, don’t just sit there. Gather courage to believe that you can succeed and leave no stone unturned to make it a reality.’ – Dr. Roopleen. Kennedy, your hard work and dedication to everything you do in life has made you the successful young woman you are. When a challenge is thrown your way, you accept it with a smile and work twice as hard to overcome it. Keep being you because you make your school, community, and family proud! I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you. Always know that we are your biggest cheerleaders in life and will always have your back! Love, Your Cousin Morgan (aka Mrs. Burris at school)”
“Kennedy, congratulations on being selected as the Mineral Point Student of the Month for May. You are a true example of a leader for your peers and community. Your grit, ability to stay focused, and problem solve are what make me believe that you will find success at the next level as you attend UW-Platteville next year and compete volleyball at the collegiate level. I can’t wait to see what the future holds. Best of luck with your future.” ~ Mr. Matt Austin, High School Principal
“I knew Kennedy was going places when I first saw her as a little 7th grader setting a volleyball in the gym! It was equally exciting to watch her excel in the classroom. Kennedy, I do not doubt that success will always follow you because you make it happen. One of your most outstanding qualities is your work ethic. You are a kid who can always be relied on to do what you are asked and, even better, do what you are not requested but know has to be done. I can’t wait to see you thrive at UWP – remember, I was your first talent scout!” ~ Mrs. Kristin Staver, High School English Teacher
(Lee photo by Lifka Bennett, Wenger photo by Robin Wiegman)