Just a reminder to get signed up for your high school spring activities. Reregister on 8to18 - https://olympiahs.8to18.com/ Please make sure to have a current physical turned in as well.
Last call for 50th Anniversary Apparel - see the link below - the online store will close on Friday, March 10th.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PnP0bBrK3B4dbMVW8vqfKzmFaJkQ1-Wd/view?fbclid=IwAR22qWeE780Peo5f8VrqphvWeVUzjm9Q3xS0SMcmj-UUwYwwGCFC0TC48Bg
The A9 Diner is a work-like experience for people in Mr. Ketelsen’s life skills class. A life skills classroom helps students with functional living skills such as chores or day-to-day activities like work. The A9 Diner offers people, in the Olympia School, food and drinks which will be delivered right to them. I was able to watch the diner work and talk to Mr. Ketelsen and a student.
In my interview with Mr. Ketelsen, I asked him why he decided to start this program and he responded that he has always wanted to do a program like this even as a student teacher so when he started working at Olympia his goals were to start the A9 Diner and mimic a true work environment for students to engage in work skills. I also asked about the setbacks and positives that this program has faced. He replied that Covid was a major setback considering that some of their food was homemade and they had to pause on the A9 Diner because of the contact. However, that didn’t stop them from finding new ways. Since Covid changed the processes of work this helped the A9 Diner with a new way of creating real-world services. They had to learn how to drop off orders just like in real life.
After my interview with Mr. Ketelsen, I was able to interview one of the students on their experiences with the program. I asked them if they noticed any benefits of the A9 Diner. They responded that they learned how to take orders and make sure it's right. I also asked them if they are enjoying this program to which they replied “Yes it's pretty fun!”
Finally, after finishing my interviews I asked Mr. Ketelson if there was anything else he would like me to know and he said I should add the word “Inclusion”. I think that word sums up what I have seen and what many other people have experienced with this program. One of the main points he hit on when discussing the program was teaching manners and when to say thank you! Thank you, Mr. Ketelsen and the A9 Diner for letting me discover this wonderful program!
Julia Collins and Michael Bagby ended their IHSA Speech season by competing at IHSA State. Michael competed with two events: Humorous Interpretation and Dramatic Interpretation and Julia competed in Informative. Michael advanced to the finals at state in Dramatic Interpretation, placing 6th overall. Congratulations to these talented students on an amazing end to their IHSA speech season.
Boys varsity basketball season ends with a 52-38 regional loss to Tri-Valley.
The coaching staff is appreciative of all the time and effort put forth by our seniors graduating from the program and we wish Elijah, Gannon, Gunnar, Keaton and Blaine nothing but the best in their future endeavors.
Olympia High School would like to welcome Head Coach Chelsea Williams and Assistant Coach Randi Krehbiel to the high school girls' track program.
In Mrs. Langley’s Career Skill’s Class, student’s learn a wide variety of information about multiple career paths. One such path is Trades. Olympia Senior, Andrew Carroll, is headed down that path as an Electrician upon graduation. He will be entering into an apprenticeship. He stopped into Mrs. Langley’s class to discuss this fantastic career opportunity where he will finish with a successful job and zero student loan debt. The students were interested in learning about trade jobs and this trade path.
There is expected to be a significant shortage of trade jobs over the next 10 years. Let’s help our students go down the right path to success.
Thank you Andrew for sharing your future path to success!!!
LAST CALL for bids for STATE BANNERS - Deadline - 7:00 PM tonight, Feb. 10, 2023. Winning bid notified on Monday, February 13th. Email michelle.olson@olympia.org with your bid. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DE9IDn1pYv3FIaM-kr15wlyyBf2bo3cECmxZW-9nWQs/edit?usp=sharing
Do you want to save money while also helping the Olympia Business Club raise money to go to a leadership conference?
Last Saturday the Olympia Speech Team competed in the IHSA Speech Regionals hosted at Olympia. This Saturday the team will be sending 10 events to sectionals held in Belleville.
Here’s How the Team did overall:
3rd in Team Sweeps
1st in HI - Michael Bagby - Will be moving on to sectionals
1st SOS - Julia Collins - Will be moving on to sectionals
5th PR - Grace Birkey
3rd OC - Reid Kelly - Will be moving on to sectionals
3rd HDA - Isabelle Stivers and Mason Newton - Will be moving on to sectionals
2nd DI - Michael Bagby - Will be moving on to sectionals
4th OO - Brooke Rycyzyn - Will be moving on to sectionals
5th EXTEMP - Mabry Lynn
4th Info - Julia Collins - Will be moving on to sectionals
6th RS - Gabrielle Elless
3rd DDA - Ainsley Mahoney and Ava Crebo - Will be moving on to sectionals
4th IMP - Mabry Lynn - Will be moving on to sectionals
4th DEC - Brooke Rycyzyn - Will be moving on to sectionals
Boys varsity basketball loses at Illini Central
Final score
Oly 60 IC 62
JV wins by 48
Senior Night for our Girls Basketball players tonight vs Illini Central at 6:00pm
Girls basketball will be honoring their seniors tonight. Seniors will be announced before warmups of their game approximately at 5:35. Come out and support your Lady Spartans!
"Meet the Regional Team Night" for the OHS Speech Team will happen tonight starting at 6 PM in the High School Learning Center. All 14 individual events on the Regional Team will be presenting their pieces prior to the IHSA Regional Olympia being hosted on Saturday, February 4!
Olympia Middle School Will Present Annie JR. on Thursday February 3, at 4:00 PM; Saturday, February 4, at 7:00 PM; and Sunday, February 5, at 2:00 PM at the Olympia High School Theater. Tickets are $4 for students and $6 for Adults. The tickets can be purchased from a cast or crew member, calling Wendy Wade at (309) 379-5941, ext. 8330, or at the door.
Annie JR. follows the story of an orphan named Annie (Alice Brucker) living a “hard-knock life” at The New York Municipal Orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan (Bella Callanos). Annie dreams of being reunited with her parents and takes action to find them. From adventure to adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil machinations, befriends President Franklin Roosevelt (Layla Durham) and finds a new family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Leo Durheim), his personal secretary Grace Farrell (Addalynn Stewart) and a lovable mutt named Sandy (Olivia)!
Today is the official national signing Day for football and I would like to recognize Blaine Halley and family for his signing of a full ride schlorship to play football at SIU next fall. They got a great one!
Boys varsity basketball picks up a conference win at home vs Riverton
Varsity final
Oly 65 Riv 57
JV final
Oly 65 Riv 36
The OHS Speech Team had a great last competition before the IHSA series. Highlights included JV tournament champ Mabry in Impromptu and Varsity tournament champ Michael in Dramatic Interpretation. Good Luck at Regionals!!
Boys varsity basketball loses to Monticello
Final score
Oly 47 Mon 56
Jv also loses
Next game is Friday at Auburn high school
The boys swimming meet scheduled for today Jan. 10th at Olympia has been cancelled. We will honor our boys' swimming alumni at our home swim meet on Thursday Jan. 12th at 4:15pm.