“Mr. Kempf has a very laid back teaching style which makes everyone in his class comfortable. Often when he is giving a lecture or explaining something he gets really excited and grabs everyone’s attention by raising his voice or doing something crazy. He gets us excited about a science topic because he is excited also,” Senior Leah Dahl said.
 The key to his teaching success, however, may be quite simple. His focus remains on each students’ beliefs and thoughts about the concepts he encourages them to explore. The numerous roles Kempf has played in his years at Fort have endeared him to many. Kempf has been a consistent supporter of the B.A.S.I.C. organization founded and run by students.
“To summarize what Mr. Kempf has done for the B.A.S.I.C. club would take more than a few sentences. He has been a huge help in keeping the club running and on track. He has made his room available for meetings and weekly Friday devotionals. Mr. Kempf will be missed by all B.A.S.I.C. members.  e things he has done for the club are greatly appreciated,” Junior Rose Filipiak said.
Kempf has added many positive elements to the high school curriculum in his time as a teacher. His contribution in creating the Medical Occupations course work has filled a void in the academic offerings at the school. These courses have been the launching pad for many students entering the medical field a er high school. Teachers of the Year o en focus on more than just curricular pursuits. Kempf has also served as a personal mentor to many students throughout the years.

“Mr. Kempf is a great guy and a cool teacher. We always have a lot of fun and a ton of laughter in our homeroom. From competing with Frey’s homeroom to debating the rules of checkers, it’s always a blast,” Senior Josh Hargan said.
Others have echoed Hargan’s statement.
“He is always looking out for our best interest. He is encouraging and really a great person to look up to,” Sophomore Amber Foerster said.
His guidance has extended into more personal areas of students’ lives as well.

“Mr. Kempf has helped me a lot. He has helped me grow in my faith, and he is always there to offer some good advice. I have been blessed to know him, and I know that the science department will be a lot different next year without him,” Hargan said.
Successful educators understand that content and guidance alone are only elective tools for some students. Others require more experimental methodology in order to reach them. Kempf ’s humorous, goofy personality is one of the many reasons why he is so appreciated.

“His teaching style is really easy to pick up. He is one of the most fun teachers I have ever had in my entire schooling career. He is really funny and knows where the line between joking and keeping the class on-task and just getting off task,” Junior Mike Gartland said.
For others, the humor was almost necessary to make it through the day.  at humor will be sorely missed next year as Kempf has announced his retirement from teaching at the end of this year. However, it is not his humor alone that will be missed.
“John has made coming to work the last 22 years enjoyable. From his ridiculous polyester pants, to the occasional rants that can be heard down the hallway, John has been a little ray of sunshine in our day-to-day survival. He has always been there for a few kind words when the day is going bad, shared good advice when I was ready to blow my stack, or just been a good listener when I need to vent,” Rumppe said.
Kempf ’s words regarding his ability to mix his personal and professional life provides a clear understanding of just how selflessly Kempf has dedicated himself to the service of others throughout his career.

“As a Christian, I remember the idea of working for God as opposed to working just for man. It gives me a sense of why I’m doing what I’m doing, using my talents
and abilities to help others,” Kempf said.

“Emilie Bakken possesses all the traits of an outstanding student. She works tirelessly to do her best work and to improve herself, she displays a tenacious hunger to learn, and she sincerely cares for those around her,” English Teacher Mike Hall said.
Bakken is graduating as a 2 sport athlete, by playing volleyball and softball. In volleyball, she was predominantly an outside hitter, and softball, the starting pitcher all four years. She has earned six Varsity Athletic Letters overall, 3 in volleyball and 3 in softball, and is expecting her seventh this softball season. In volleyball, she received Second Team All-conference as a Senior. In softball, she received Second Team All-conference as a Freshman and a Junior, and First Team All-conference as a Sophomore. She was also the Most Valuable Player in softball as a Freshman, Sophomore and Junior. Emilie is expecting more honors this softball season.

Bakken’s personality is contagious in school and in her variety of activities.

“Emilie certainly has enviable academic gifts, but her ability to genuinely make others around her smile transcends any transcript or test score,” Hall said.

Emilie will attend UW-Madison in the Fall, majoring in Medical microbiology and immunology, in hopes of becoming an allergist. Long time friend and teammate Cassidy Lyons will be her rommate.

The new budget, which will need to address an $811,941 deficit in the district, is the catalyst for the district to take steps that would have been necessary sooner were the district in worse financial shape.

“For the past several years we have continued to offer Driver Education to our students.  We have been the only school district in the near-by region who has been fiscally able to do this,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Fitzpatrick said.

Many schools in the area who do not offer driver’s education as a part of the curriculum employ the services of CESA #2.  CESA #2 is a private third-party that provides Department of Public Instruction (DPI) approved driver’s education courses.  If the district does cut driver’s education from the curriculum, it is likely that Fort would join Jefferson, Milton, Edgerton, and many other area schools in working through CESA #2.

Learning to drive via CESA #2 has its drawbacks, the biggest of which is cost.  It costs $400 to take a driver’s education course through CESA #2 as opposed to the current cost of just $200 directly through FAHS.

Eliminating the annual cost of providing driver’s education would take a large chunk out of that budget deficit.  In 2008-2009, the most recent year for which final statistics are available, $115,027 was expended by the program and $38,490 was brought in through fee revenue, making for an annual cost of $76,537.

On the flip side of this, of course, is the fact that students wishing to learn to drive will have to undoubtedly pay more to do so, regardless of the third party that they choose.  With the current state of the economy, this could potentially lead to some students not getting their permit because they cannot afford to.

Fitzpatrick also stated that the decision to consider cutting driver’s education was not one that was sprung on Calverin Flach, current driver’s education instructor, but that he was notified early in the process.

“I spoke with Mr. Flach early this fall sharing with him that Driver’s Education would likely be considered for a budget reduction this spring.  I felt that it was only fair that I inform him early on, rather than in late March or April when the Board got into budget deliberations,” Fitzpatrick said.

As for Flach, he plans to retire regardless of the result of school board budget deliberations.

“Mr. Flach did notify me of his intentions to retire and the Board approved his retirement in February.  I did share with Mr. Flach that if the Board of Education decided to continue Driver Education, I would recommend that his retirement be rescinded and that he would continue as our instructor.  Mr. Flach indicated that he and his wife have decided to pursue other options regardless of the Board’s decision on the Driver Education program”, Fitzpatrick said.

Flach reflected positively on his years spent teaching students to drive at FAHS.

“The twelve years that I have been in this district was just a pure joy and honor to have worked with the students and their families…I can say truly that I am going to miss the students and I am going to miss their families,” Flach said.

School board budget deliberations are expected to begin sometime during the Spring with a citizens’ task force assisting.  School board spokesperson and President Scott Johnson was unavailable for comment on the situation.

The names were selected because they represented two members behind the St. Valentine massacres in 1929.   Leila is in holding with her two babies, and as they grow older, they will either be held in the Agriculturea classrooms, or sold to local buyers.  Agricultural students were allowed to examine the goat before and after the birth, and used this pregnancy and birth as a learning experience some may not see other places.

The Agriculture classes have multiple animals such as goats, rabbits, and pigs, that are parts of the learning process for many of the students taking Agriculture courses.

Consisting of guitarists Gehred-O’Connell and Dalton Scolman, drummer Tommy Johnson and bassist Mariah Foerster, the Fearle$s Pandas formed by a simple spur of the moment idea.

The band formed during a trip to Six Flags last year. With all of the members having histories in music, they believed they could pull it off.

“We just kind of wanted to. We just said, ‘let’s make a band’,” guitarist Calvin Gehred-O’Connell said.

The Fearle$s Pandas believe their genre of rock/metal could be the next big thing.

According to the Fearle$s Pandas fan site, the Pandas are, “The bee’s knees, the dog’s pant, and the cat’s pajamas mixed together, thrown into a cannon of kick-ass, and shot into a dark canyon of amazing.”  The band also advertised future auditions for a new Fearle$s Pandas singer.

Before forming the Fearle$s Pandas, each band member had been part of another musical group, having been members of either Jazz Band or Marching Band.

“I played the viola in fifth grade, and have been in Jazz Band since Freshman year,” guitarist Dalton Scolman said.

Referencing other music groups like Mastadon, Every Time I Die, and The Gallows, Scolman believes that the Fearle$s Pandas could be the next big thing.

With the Fearle$s Pandas being such a musically diverse band, the band members had a really tough time placing their band in a specific genre.

The band considered genres like punk, metal, and easy listening, along with their own unique genres, including “mind destructing”.  So far the band has only performed once, at the Speedy Bean in Jefferson.

“[Performing at the Speedy Bean] was awesome,” drummer Tommy Johnson said.

Even though the police were called because of a noise complaint, the band enjoyed their performance, along with their pay of coffee and milkshakes.

With one performance in the bag, the Pandas have continued to write new material for future performances.

“We have five songs, but we have material for about twelve,” Gehred-O’Connell said.

The band predicts that they will have enough songs within the next few months to be able to release a CD. During the songwriting process, the Fearle$s Pandas have tried to rehearse as regularly as possible so as to perfect their performance.

“We practice when we can, which is usually about once or twice a week,” Scolman said.

The band has also started practicing for future performances, which include Rock Lotto, Jazz di Pasta, and drummer Tommy Johnson’s graduation party.  The band has been  searching for future performances and gigs.

Performing at Summerfest is also a possibility, depending on the result of Launchpad, a high school band competition at UW-Madison in June. If the band wins the Launchpad competition, they automatically qualify to perform at Summerfest this summer.

With an ever-growing fan base around the Fort Atkinson area, the Fearle$s Pandas have already started designing merchandise that will please even the most die-hard Fearle$s Pandas fan.

“We’ll have about 20 different T-shirt designs, priced at about twelve to fifteen dollars,” Gehred-O’Connell said.

The band members plan to inform the public when Fearle$s Pandas merchandise is released, either through posters or word-of-mouth.

The Fearle$s Pandas consider themselves a unique band, bursting with potential. With the band in its beginning stages,only time will tell how far the Fearle$s Pandas will make it in the music world.

Signal: Would you consider doing photography as a hobby for you, or do you consider it as a business?
Flowers: I definitely see it more so as a business. Reason being, I get paid for most of the work that I do.  Also, a lot of my work has been published.  I think when it’s a hobby you can go out and do it on your own for fun.  But when it’s more so a business people come to you and ask for you to take the photos.

Signal: What types of photos do you shoot for the web-blog?
Flowers: This site is pleasantnoise.com.  On the site I do a lot more article writing than I do photography.  I often interview bands, review albums and talk about different tours that are going on.  While doing that, though, I often get to take photos at events for my personal photography.

Signal: I’ve heard you do senior photos.   What is that like?  How many people have you shot?
Flowers: Yes, that is true, I do senior photos.  I think it’s so different than what I normally do, the style that I have to use is completely different!  A lot of my work is very themed and with senior photos it’s a lot more laid back.  The whole process, camera mode, lighting and editing is all different.  But it’s always nice to be doing something new that challenges me.

Signal: What type of cameras do you use?  Have you invested a lot of money in professional equipment?
Flowers: For most of my photo shoots I use Canon cameras.  I personally think they are the best and easiest to work with.  Occasionally, I use Lomography and Holga cameras.  I have spent so much money on photography equipment!  Well over 2,000.  Pretty much all the money I make doing photography ends up buying something else for it.

Signal: Where do you get your artistic inspiration from?
Flowers: A lot of my inspiration is from experiences, nature and my environment, sometimes it’s just pure imagination.  There can be a day where you can look at a photo I had taken and it will reflect my mood completely.  Other times it’s so wacky that people think I’m a little crazy for coming up with the idea.

Signal: Do you prefer to take pictures of people or nature?
Flowers: As much as I think nature is amazing to look and be around, it’s nothing like working with a person.  I for sure prefer working with people.  There are so many more things you can do with a person compared to nature.  Also it’s really nice to get ideas for the shoot from the person and their opinions.

Signal: Where do you like to do shoots?  Do you have a favorite place? If so, why?
Flowers: I wouldn’t say I have a favorite place, but I usually always like to shoot outside opposed to inside in a studio.  I think there are so many more things you can capture in a photo that will make it more interesting.  I also think that when you’re doing a really themed shoot it makes things seem much more realistic.

Signal: How long does an average photo shoot take?
Flowers: It all depends on the type of photo shoot I am doing and what is involved.  Depending on the location, hair, and make up, what kind of equipment I am using and many other factors all effect the duration.  Editorial shoots seem to take the longest and more just natural shots tend to go much quicker.  The longest shoot I have done ended up being somewhere around three hours.