Wish Mom a Happy Mother’s Day with a Bouquet Full of Love!
Stoughton
Thursday, May 9, 2019 • Vol. 137, No. 42 • Stoughton, WI • ConnectStoughton.com • $1.25
Don’t delay, order today!
STOUGHTON FLORAL Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm; Saturday 8 am-3 pm Open Mother’s Day 11 am-1pm
168 E. Main St. • Downtown Stoughton stoughtonfloral.com • 873-6173 or 866-595-6800
Syttende Mai returns
Stoughton Area School District
Festival will be May 17-19 AMBER LEVENHAGEN
Photo by Scott DeLaurelle
Kegonsa Elementary fourth-graders Harvey Stokstad, Viggo Stanton, Cara Link and Darniell Banks check out the results of their latest “Kegonsa Kids” interview with art teacher Tess Olson last week. The students later will edit the video and post it on school counselor Jake Schultz’s school YouTube channel.
‘Live, from Kegonsa Elementary …’
it,” said school counselor Jake Schultz. “Just looking at the clock here.” “3, 2, 1, go … Hello and welcome back to Kegonsa Kids talk show.” SCOTT DE LARUELLE They’ve got interviewers, a cameraman, script Unified Newspaper Group editors and staff research“You have two minutes, ers. And they usually can otherwise you’re winging get a whole show recorded
and wrapped in time to get back to recess. With the explosion of technology and social media in recent years, today’s fourth-graders live in a different world. But one thing that will always stay the same is creativity and imagination, and a group of fourth-graders
at Kegonsa are combining that with the latest tech tools in a new “talk show” called “Kegonsa Kids.” And you never know, it might just be the next big thing online. It all started in the middle of the year, when Viggo
Unified Newspaper Group
Royalty
Gather your bunads and lefse, Stoughton, because Syttende Mai is just around the corner. The annual heritage festival celebrates Norway’s constitution day of May 17, 1814, which is comparable to America’s Fourth of July. The festival will be held May 17-19 at various locations around downtown Stoughton. The American celebration dates back as far as 1868, when Norwegian immigration to this area of Wisconsin reached its highest percentage; however, it wasn’t until around 20 years ago that the large-scale celebrations began in Stoughton. Sponsored by the Stoughton Area Chamber of Commerce, the festival features music, food, races, Norwegian heritage and culture celebrations, and is topped off with a parade on Sunday that travels down Main Street. All of the events this year are returning, some with expanded offerings from recent years. Some events require a Booster Button for admission. They can be purchased for $5 at most of the venues, as well as several stands throughout the festival grounds and along
The Syttende Mai king and queen tradition dates back to 1969, when the first couple, Odvar and Esther Haug, were awarded the position. Jerry and Karen Lapidakis are serving as royalty this year, with Natalie Zarnoth and Gage Sveum as princess and prince. Syttende Mai royalty are selected based on community service and commitment to sharing their pride for the city’s Norwegian heritage. The Lapidakises don’t have Norwegian heritage, but have demonstrated a dedication to the Stoughton community. They’ve lived here since 1972, and have served with numerous organizations in the community, including (but not limited to) the Stoughton American Cancer Relay for Life, the Opera House Restoration Committee, the Stoughton Village Players Theater, the Friends of the Stoughton Public Library and the Stoughton Area School Board, on which Jerry held a position for 15 years. The couple will visit as many businesses as they can during Syttende Mai week and will be featured
Turn to Talk show/Page 20
Read our Pets special section
School board committee chairs chosen for upcoming year corner on July 1, Stoughton School Board president Frank Sullivan announced SCOTT DE LARUELLE committee chairs for Unified Newspaper Group the comWith the 2019-20 school ing year on Sullivan y e a r j u s t a r o u n d t h e Monday
Courier Hub
night. The chairs are: Joe Freye (employee relations), Jon Coughlin (finance), Steve Jackson (facilities, insurance), Tim Bubon (policy), Kathleen Hoppe (ad hoc, CESA), Yolibeth FitzGibbon (calendar) and Alison Sorg (Wisconsin Association of School Boards).
Coughlin
Turn to Festival/Page 18
Inside
Stoughton Area School District Coughlin replaces Bubon as board treasurer
Main Street. A complete schedule of events can be found at the chamber’s festival website, stoughtonfestivals.com.
Pages 9-14
In anothe r s h u ff l e of board members’ responsibilities, Sullivan announced that Bubon,
Turn to Committee/Page 17
People You Know & Trust We Are Your Neighbors Cress Funeral & Cremation Service is more than just a funeral home, we are people you know and trust. For generations, providing the Circle of Care, before, during and after the loss of your loved one. McFarland ~ Deerfield ~ Stoughton East Madison ~ West Madison Middleton ~ Waunakee ~ Sun Prairie Day or Night (800) 235-9681
www.CressFuneralService.com
adno=76448
Group of fourthgraders create their own YouTube show
adno=74908
Courier Hub The