Humans of Homestead

"I'm going to Michigan State University because I felt like it was the best fit for me both as a school and as a football program. I was accepted into the Honors College which is why it was the best option for me academically. It gives me a lot more options. As far as the football aspect goes, I really like the coaches, players and history of the program. The coaching staff is very honest and they...

"My dad grew up in Chicago and is a huge Cubs fan, as well as the rest of my family. When it came to the World Series, my dad and I made a deal that if the Cubs actually won, we would get a puppy. I had been bugging my parents for months before that. Sure enough, they won. I ended up finding and getting the perfect puppy. We got her from a breeder in Northern Wisconsin. When thinking of a name for...

"Starting in September, I'll be going on a nine-month mission trip. I'll be traveling to five different countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Thailand, Cambodia and Albania. My team and I will be working with local churches, orphanages, schools, farms and pretty much any other sort of organizations you can think of. I've been doing mission work since I was an early teenager. I've traveled across the country...

"I have been dancing for about 13 years. I started when I was two. I have always had a passion for it, even when I was younger. It just became a big part of my life without a specific plan. For me, the best part of dancing is being able to let go of everything and express yourself without words. When you really love it like I do, it doesn't matter if you are good at it. You just dance because you...

"Last summer I went to Camp Interlaken for eight weeks. Last year was my tenth year attending. This year I was a counselor-in-training. I was in charge of third, fourth and fifth graders. At some points during camp, there were some hard times and problems with the kids, but in the end it was really rewarding. The first day they were all extremely shy and unwilling to talk, but by the end, they were...

"I began playing tennis at the late age of 12 and therefore have been playing for the past six years. Before then, I was on the Schroeder Swim Team and absolutely despised it. My mother, however, wouldn't let me quit unless I had another sport in mind that I wanted to pursue. Picking tennis was honestly like picking a slip out of a hat; I'd taken classes through the Rec Department and liked it so I...

"In my free time, my favorite thing to do is listen to and read about music. Keeping up with my favorite artists is always intriguing and fun. Listening to new music is a great way to have a good time through just relaxing. I also love playing video games, watching Netflix and keeping up with the news. I used to do Forensics during my freshman and sophomore year. The best part of forensics was how...

"I committed to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in November of 2016. I chose Whitewater because of their successful business program and because I wanted to continue my baseball career. So, it works out very well. I have been playing baseball since I was in pre-school. My father got me into baseball by introducing it to me at a young age. I've loved it ever since. The best part of baseball...

"I moved here in August from North Carolina because of my dad's job. Homestead is much bigger than my old school. The worst part about moving here has been just being unfamiliar with places and people. The best part has been making new friends. My friends and I play video games in our free time. However, Mequon itself is worse than what I expected it to be. There's not much to do here in the town...

"I took more of a non-traditional career path.. I have my own business that I started with my teaching background as well. I have been working towards getting my master's. So, I am kind of at a point where I'm juggling a lot of things. I used to live in a town of 1,000 people, and then moved to Milwaukee. So, there's been a lot of change in the past year in my life with a new business, a new...

"The two main extracurriculars that I participate in are tennis and Younglife. Younglife is an organization that is essentially 'a party with a purpose'. Every Monday, a big group of kids comes together to play games, sing songs and at the end of the night hear a brief talk about religion. I first became involved with it in eighth grade when a mom at my church started Wyldlife, which is Younglife...

"In five years, I imagine myself still teaching both the AVID elective class and English.  I’ll be pursuing my Master’s Degree in something; I’m just waiting for the educational epiphany that’ll guide me towards what I want to pursue that degree in to occur! Four adjectives that describe me would be invested, goofy, passionate and a little bit strange. My biggest weakness this y...

"I've seen a good chunk of the United States, and I've encountered some really neat events in my lifetime. I've been extremely fortunate to be able to travel. Years ago, I've had the opportunity to visit the Grand Ole Opery twice. It's located in Nashville, Tennessee. While I was there, I got the chance to go backstage. While backstage, I was able to meet many big stars. I can't rememb...

"I run because it is harder than it seems. It is one of the only sports where you rely on all of your hard work. Although the hurdles are almost as tall as me, I enjoy them very much. I chose hurdles because I almost got disqualified from them in middle school. So, in high school, I decided I was going to keep doing hurdles, and come back with a vengeance. I ended up lov...

  "I've been dancing for about four years. I got into dancing because a lot of my friends were in it. I dance at Bella Via. Part of what I do as a dancer at Bella Via is assistant teaching for the younger kids' classes. I always try to be a good role model for them. It's an amazing studio! Some dancers that inspire me the most are my teachers: Megan, Kendra, Josh, Deanna, Alyssa and N...

"Over spring break, we went to Honolulu and the Big Island. The best moment was arriving at the airport in Honolulu and feeling the hot weather! We did a lot of things while we were there. We marched in two parades, and performed at Pearl Harbor. We also took the time to do non-band related things! We hung out on beaches, hiked Diamond Head Crater and walked around a volcano. One night, Mr...

"I love lacrosse because it is something new to almost everyone on the team, including me! So, we are all learning the ins and outs of it together. There have been great friendships formed so far! We already have become so closely-knit, and I love that." (Anna Lauenstein, junior) ...

"There were 160 people in total, but it seemed a lot smaller because most of the time, you were with a small group of people you chose to be with. We visited many different cities, ones which I thought you could only see on postcards and Pinterest photos. The cities we visited were Seville, Grenada, Toledo and Madrid. The coolest part was being able to connect with so many people through a com...

"I grew up in a household of educational professionals. My mom was a kindergarten and special ed teacher for 40 years. When I was little, I would hang out in her classroom, and so, from the time I was young, I always valued education. I love the engagement that happens with students. I also think one of the best parts of teaching is that things are always new. You constantly are getting new groups...

"I do track for several reasons. One is that there is a lot of support from people who push you to do your best in almost everything that you do. Another is the satisfaction that comes when you get a better time or a higher height. There really isn't a 'great' part to running itself, but it has to be done in order to succeed and do well. I do hurdles because I have been doing them since eighth g...

"I am a Jewish Canadian who speaks Russian and French. It's kind of unique, I guess. I've met many amazing, influential people in my life, but one that has really stood out was a man by the name of Art Janov. He was a celebrity physiologist during the 1970's and 80's. Janov influenced many of the famous musicians of that time. He has written many books, songs, produced movies and basically hi...

"I cut off my middle finger in England one time. I was six months old and it was my first time there. I stuck my finger out and it got cut in this door. So, my skin from, like, my knuckle down was ripped off. Then, my grandma started screaming. My mom came in and grabbed me and put my hand under cold water and screamed at my sister to get my dad. So, when my dad came in to see if they could rea...

"I started playing baseball when I was three. It was my dad's favorite sport. He gave me the idea to do it. I stuck with it because I found it really fun. I have always liked the sport in general. I like the sport partly because I'm good at it. I also really enjoy the rush I get when I play, and how many calories I burn. The best part is pitching. It's what I do. I chose pitching because my d...

"Last summer, I went to China on a service trip with my sister.  I volunteered at a panda conservation camp. I helped clean out their cages and I fed them too. We also went up to a mountain to learn more about the culture. We said Chinese prayers while using traditional flags and the experience was amazing. While I liked taking care of the pandas, I didn't really like the country itself. It w...

"During the second trimester, I got a concussion. Apparently, some random guy hit me from behind during a hockey game. I don't remember much. All that I remember is that my coach looked at me and smiled. Next thing I know, there were like 7,000 people hovering over me. I tried to get up, but there were people holding me down. It was scary. I was lifted on a stretcher, and then I was on my way ...

"On Labor Day weekend in 2002, my parents took me, at age 3.5 years old, to the Children's Hospital with what they thought was a virus. The doctors told my parents they were concerned with my low white blood cell count. Within 24 hours, they were diagnosing me with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). For two weeks I stayed in the hospital, but at the end of those two weeks I returned home to...

"I play volleyball, and I horseback ride too. I play tennis too. I started horseback riding in first grade. I started because my mom won a horseback riding lesson at an auction. I stuck with it because it was so fun and it got my heart racing. One time, I was galloping my horse through a body of water and he threw me off and I went flying into the water. I didn't get mad, I just went with it. I de...

"Well, during a hockey game against USM, I got shoulder-checked. It separated my AC joint. I was out for two games. Thankfully, I was back in for the end of the season. I'm on a good recovery track to play baseball soon." (Ryan Cho, senior)...

"I go snowmobiling up in Price County, Wisc. I've been snowmobiling since sixth grade. I started doing it my backyard, but now I do it on trails. I ride the Milwaukee River when it's frozen. It's recommended for the ice to be 12 inches. If I know the area, I don't follow them. It's probably something most people don't do that often. When I'm snowmobiling, it clears my mind. I reach speeds up to 100...

"I'm from South Africa. I go just about every year. I went last summer. I visited Johannesburg and Cape Town. All my family lives there, so I spent time with them. I was with my family the whole trip. The best part is the culture I get to experience every time I go. Cape Town is way cleaner than Johannesburg. Cape Town is along the coast. You feel safe walking around there. While in Johanne...

  "My dad was the person who greatly influenced me to pursue my interest in music. I was really into guitar and singing. I started playing when I was seven. I usually perform for my family, but sometimes other people too. I am currently enrolled in the School of Rock. Throughout the years, I have managed to learn the ukulele and piano, which is super fun and easy!" (Savanna Campagna, s...

"In five years, I see myself at NYU, majoring in theater and marketing. I see myself living in an apartment with my best friend in mid-town Manhattan." (Sarah Sullivan, sophomore)...

  Top Embarrassing Moments of My Life "Well, it was a hot summer day at the Steffen/Wilson playground area. It was an intense day. I was running back for my flag football team, and I made a mistake of wearing pants that buttoned up the sides. So, I ran up the field, and instead of tearing off my flag like they were supposed to, they tore off my pants. Also, in seventh grade, there�...

"I tutor and mentor grade school students at Milwaukee College Prep. Also, I try to get as many high school kids as possible to participate in strengthening the program. I also try to bridge the division between our two communities. My main project is Kids for Kids. I also participate in Relay for Life; however, my main focus is still Kids for Kids. Since the end of my freshman year, my friend...

"Teaching and coaching go hand-in-hand. It was 2006. Throughout that year, we had a number of track athletes who did a really good job as far as training, setting goals and just doing everything that a coach would want them to do. We had a goal to try to qualify for state track in the 400-meter-relay. We worked extra hard after practice, even on the weekends. We did everything that you would ask f...

"I love swimming because it gives me an opportunity to bond with a fun group of people and learn a lot of lessons in life!" (Chris Eckhardt, junior)

"I wanted to be a teacher because I always enjoyed learning and I was inspired by both my best teachers in high school and my worst. My best ones I learned so much from. They were so neat. The worst ones were just frustrating. They should have been putting so much more into teaching. And I just kind of fell into chemistry teaching because the only position available that I was interested in wa...

"Matt is kind of weird sometimes. I mean, like, he has two sides. He's kind of nice sometimes, but other times, it goes downhill. For the most part, we get along, but sometimes, we just don't work. He can be a rotten egg sometimes. The best part about Matt is he always buys me food. And, he cares about me, which is nice, because Jimmy doesn't care at all. The worst part about Matt is he has an a...

 “Whenever I am asked what I am most afraid of, I find it very hard to answer. I have to think a lot about the answer. I always end up saying things like, ‘Oh my gosh! Bugs scare me!’ or ‘The dark is terrifying!’, stuff like that, even though it isn’t the truth. Those don’t really scare me. Truth is, I’m most afraid of giving up on myself. I have gone through some rough times...

“We met in third grade. He had recently moved from Guatemala and didn’t have many connections. One day, I needed colored pencils, but I didn’t have any. Without asking him, he reached into his backpack, pulled out a box and shared his colorful pencils with me. We’ve been friends ever since” (Logan Kramer, junior).   “He moved around constantly throughout his childhood. He seeme...

"A unique thing about me that most people don't know would be the fact I farm chickens. I wouldn't really call it a full-blown passion. That would be an off the grid, self sustaining farm, creating all our power needs and food needs- we are not even close to that. It's just fun. My favorite part about raising these chickens is selling the eggs and sharing them with friends. I'm Joe the far...

  "I've been riding horses for years. There's just something so addictive about it. It's like when I'm riding, I'm free. Nothing else matters. It's just me and pure happiness. Once when I was riding, it didn't end so happy. Haha. Long story short, my horse ended up bucking me off. I ended up really hurting my neck and back, actually, I basically hurt my entire body except for my hands. My friend had been ...

  "The passion started [about] six or seven years ago. One year, during the summer, I took my Young Eagles Flight at EAA, up in Oshkosh. I got the opportunities at a couple points, to control the plane... It felt so great. The view was so astonishing that... I grew an interest... to be a pilot. [My] thought was, "let's join the Air Force!" I talked to a couple people about it, i...

“It was a strange day. I got engaged. I became a homeowner. And almost died. I experienced a fight-for-life helicopter ride to the University of Madison’s hospital, on Feb. 19, 2003. It was right by the Johnson Creek outlet mall near Lake Mills. He crashed into me. He was going the wrong way on a divided six-lane highway. He must’ve taken some wrong on-ramp. How do you get on the w...

"I remember this one childhood adventure from kindergarten. I went on vacation to Mexico. It was my first time actually traveling. I thought it was so cool. When I got to Mexico, I remember just being this hyper, little rat-kid. I remember running around the resort trying new foods and seeing cool animals. Just doing all of those incredibly fun things when you're five years old is straight up happ...

“I have a lot of embarrassing stories. You know how people have those ‘once this happened’ moments? Yeah, I have one of those every single week. One time, I laughed so hard, I spilled milk all over my shirt. At first, it was funny, but then I cried the rest of the day. This other time, I walked with my skirt being held up. I had to give a presentation that day too. There were a lot of...

“Over the summer, I went on Mr. Engle’s Europe Trip. I saw really cool sights. In London, my favorite part was the London Eye, because you can see the entire city from right there. In it, there’s these screens, and you’re in this giant capsule, which spins you all around. So, you get to see all these different views and monuments. Then, in Paris, we were supposed to be aware of pickpocketing...

"I came back because of the Paris attacks. I went to France for about half a year, but I was supposed to go for a full year. I lived in a boarding house with 20 other girls, all from different countries. I roomed with a few of them. One was my cousin, Regis. There was a Mexican and Lithuanian too. We had house moms who took care of us. The moms would switch every Saturday or Sunday. The ed...

"This summer I was part of the Honors Orchestra Program at the Pine Mountain Music Festival. Twenty five kids from around the country auditioned and were asked to be a part of the Pine Mountain Music Festival Symphony Orchestra. For every part, there was one professional musician and one high school student. Just to give you an idea for how amazing some of the players were, the Clarinetist was from the ...

"My entire life, I've heard stories about my grandma growing up in Trinidad and of my mom and her eight siblings vacationing and visiting family there. There are so many stories about that I can't fully remember any of them. The topics of the stories range from spending time with family on the dock, to walking down to the beach to relax or swim (there aren't that many sand beaches, so if you wa...

Q: How did you two meet? Mr. Tony Navarre: Molly's aunt and I were acquaintances in my hometown. When I moved to the Milwaukee Area to teach at Homestead, she gave me Mrs. Navarre's contact information. That is how we connected. Mrs. Molly Navarre: We met at Homestead but had connections from Eau Claire where Tony is from (and where I went to college).  Tony coached two of my cousins in various sports ba...

"If I had to grab five things in a fire, I would grab my clothes, electronics, money, basic necessities and bags because I need the clothes to stay warm and have something to wear, electronics because they cost the most, money to help pay for the new stuff, basic necessities like soap and toothpaste because they help you maintain a healthy life and bags to carry all of the things I saved." (Jack Rieb...

"I started dance when I was three years old. Dancing was in my blood. My mom did it, all of my sisters dance and my aunt did too. I joined the dance team because I wanted to do something associated with the school. Also, my older sister was on the team when she was in high school and she loved it. I love dance because it allows me to express who I am through movement, and I love the aspect o...

"One time I put a fry in Kayli's water and she started crying. It's the greatest moment I have with her. It was really funny, even if she doesn't think so. We kind of share clothes, like she steals mine all the time. I can't imagine not having her in my life. My sister is my best friend for life." (Kayla Wilson, junior) "The best part of having a twin sister is always having a friend your o...

“My guidance counselor told me it would be a waste to go to college, but my parents expected me to go. So, I had to think about what I was best at. I knew I loved to socialize and move around. I also knew I loved little kids. My dad always said he thought I would be a good nurse, or a good teacher. I was also a good runner in high school and my coach suggested I go into physical education. In...

"I’ve always believed that a large part of who we are is correlated with where we grew up. The places, people and stories from where we grew up are what, to a great extent, comprise our identity. Whether you have lived in the same community since birth, building deep friendships with those around you, or have lived moving from place to place, meeting new people and seeing new things as you go, y...

"My most memorable moment was probably when I asked this one girl out. The day before I asked her out, I snuck over to my friend's house. It's really far away, like on the other side of the neighborhood. Once I got there, I ripped a rose from their front lawn's rose bush. My mom wouldn't help me get nice flowers, so I took matters into my own hands. After I stole the rose, I ran back to my ho...

"I am finishing my 41st year at Homestead. It remains my second home. I'm so happy and blessed that that's true. I love the the students and the staff and look forward to everyday coming here." Mr. Shelby Keith Dixon, Substitute teacher

Emma Zander "I have over twenty pairs of socks and these aren't even the craziest. You should see the hotdogs." Nikolas Gouverneur...

Emma Zander "What was the happiest moment of your life?" "I moved here in fifth grade, knowing no one. The people were all very sweet, but I was lost at first and didn't know if I fit in. By the time I got to know some people who seemed interested in having a friendship with me, I invited them to my 10th birthday party. That day was the happiest day of my life. There wasn't really a theme. We went...

Emma Zander "If you really think about it, everything in the universe is just a different flavor of ice cream." Jonathan Bartlett, senior Can't get enough Humans of Homestead? Check out a previous story. Do you have a story that needs to be told? What about a friend?  Nominate a student or staff member below. Loading......

Everyone has a story. Everyone has a challenge. Take a step back and look around. Did you know that the girl next to you in study hall had to put her dog down last night? Did you know that the boy sitting in front of you in AP Calculus juggles a job, a sport, and a rigorous schedule? Challenges come in different shapes and sizes, but everyone has felt them at some point or another. What are your challenges?...

Emma Zander "Why should theatre be taught in schools?" "The arts allow us to be human to think for ourselves and come to our own conclusions, not the conclusions our teachers or the books offer us. Theatre also teaches the basic information we need as adults: to be able to think outside the box, make a living, interact with others, be a part of a community, be a good parent, a good brother, sister, neigh...

Emma Zander "Besides thumbs, what's the biggest difference between apes and men? Science!" - Mr. Richard Hubbell, Science Can’t get enough Humans of Homestead? Check out more here. Do you have a story that needs to be told? What about a friend?  Nominate a student or staff member here....

Emma Zander "Freshman year, I vacationed in St. Thomas and fell asleep in the sun. My face and legs turned a pinkish red; it hurt so bad and I couldn't move. When I came home it was all cracked and peeled. I went to the doctor and he 'diagnosed' me with a third degree burn on my face. I still had to go to school as a little freshman with my face looking like I had a disease and everyone laughed at me. Everyo...

Emma Zander "March is going to be the best month; it always is. There's something about St. Patrick's Day and being able to Irish dance in so many shows  after months of practicing. The wig, putting the wig on is always fun." Caitlin Geurts, freshman...

Emma Zander "How did the bromance begin?" "We met on a spontaneous ride into the sunset on a white stallion. The rest is history." Dane Newman, freshman (right) and Ben Starsky, sophomore (left)...

"I'm excited for spring break. I'm just trying to get last minute work done before it starts." Fotoula LaGalbo, freshman  

"This is the most messed up book I've ever read." (in reference to Chuck Palahniuk's Haunted) Brad Sadoff, senior

"I am so close to being done with my senior year. Knowing that the end of high school is so close is exciting. Everything and anything seems possible. It's a type of freedom I've never experienced before. I know that after four years of high school I have changed. Maybe I've even grown as a person. Homestead can be an amazing, life-altering place. But only if you let it." Priya Khullar, senior...

"I miss my AP Bio students!" Mrs. Sherry Williams, Science

"Everyone should go and join art club! You can't go wrong because you don't need any formal training. And we have food 80 percent of the time." Rebekah Styles, freshman

"I would say the most memorable experience of my life happened when I was a freshman in college. It was related to a song. The song was 'Close to the Edge' by Yes. The interpretation of that song changed the direction of my life. A more concrete memorable moment is being present at my father's side as he died. It was a very powerful, beautiful and sacred moment. I'm a teacher in this setting now beca...

"I'm less than thrilled to be back at school. "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" is the only thing that is getting me through the day." Caitlin Barham, senior

Emma Zander "When did you know you wanted to do this for a living?" "When I was sixteen, in Ms. Krueger's art class. She kind of had an open art class, where you can do whatever you want. I thought, 'I want to tell a story.' Ultimately, I wanted to storyboard a movie. It was unconventional. Usually kids wanted to do a portrait, a still life, or something with ceramics and sculpting. So, I pitched her on the idea of 'Hey, I want to write a one hundred p...

"Caucus for a cause." Jada Davis, junior

"I will indubitably do what I will do." Alec Gertz, junior

  "I have been dancing for 15 years. As a child, everyone tries all kinds of different sports, from basketball to soccer to flag football and even baseball. Almost every little girl ends up trying dance. I ended up trying it, and sticking with it as my sport. I stayed with it because there are so many different paths that it can take you on. There are also many different types of dance...

"The best part about working in a hair salon is all the people. if you ever have questions about anything, there's always a bunch of people around who can answer those questions. overall, it's just great because you get so many free lessons on beauty things. basically, they pay me to be more educated! I plan on taking a manicuring class, but don't plan on doing this full time. to be perfectly...

“In the duration of my entire high school running experience so far, I have always had some sort of injury. But I still try to run, and I’m still going to try to improve.”  -Erin Carley, sophomore

"One of my favorite things about being on dance team is being able to perform on our school’s football field for all of my family and friends." -Mackenzie Kurtin, sophomore

  “Words­­--the most powerful weapons we have in this world." ­-Abbi Passey, junior

"Art and photography are some of my favorite things to do." - Molly Plamann, freshman

“Newcomers in track should just remember to try their best and focus on getting better times. Don’t be discouraged if you have a bad day. Track is a really good experience to set goals and push yourself to achieve them.” -Lauren Klein, sophomore

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened." - Doctor Seuss - Sage Austin, sophomore

“Some of the coolest places I've gone are on road trips to Cape Cod and Florida in the summer with my family.” -Gretchen Jones, freshman

"The best thing about dance is feeling the rush as you walk out onto the field/stage and being able to perform in front of your family and friends." -Katelyn Meer, junior

"I've been trying to make make my last days at Homestead memorable." Nikki Brendemuehl, senior

"Writing in a journal is a way of thinking, a way of figuring out what you believe, a way of capturing the art of your mind.  Artistic expression is a natural human behavior, part of what makes us human."   Mrs. Angelina Cicero, English teacher

"School was challenging this year, but overall it went well." Tim Rodd, sophomore

"I had to go to the office because I forgot my backpack at home. I remembered my lunch, just not my bag. I swear I've never done this before. You know it's deep into senior year when you leave your backpack at home." Andrew Mullins, senior

"I've watched movies here I would never have watched on my own; it turns out that I enjoyed them, and that some of them opened my mind to new horizons." Kaitlin Geiger, junior

"How do you describe the feeling after a race?" "It's really just exhilarating and it gets you fired up. There's nothing better than finishing a race knowing you've done well." -Derrick Karas, sophomore

"I have to ice my shins because I run so fast." -Leif Erlandson, sophomore  

Kate Glueckert is: a. A photographer just for fun b. In the drama club c. A golfer d. All the above   Answer is: D "I enjoy taking pictures because sometimes you capture something that has an emotion and has feeling." -Kate Glueckert, sophomore    

"I miss my AP Bio class so much! We were so good at making breakfast and making the freshmen across the hall jealous. We would waft the smell of fried bacon, toasted waffles and fresh orange juice over frequently." Leah Busse, senior

"I'm working on an essay for Mr. Daigle. It's turning out pretty good." Stevie Bresser, freshman

Emma Zander "What are you working on?" "A male and female door for Arabian Nights." "What is the best part of the door?" "The wheels for eyes." "Anything you like about Tech Theatre?" "Being free to design how we want and not have to follow too many guidelines." Sam Brink, junior...

"I love math! Math is everywhere." Mrs. Olson, Math