Teuscher named valedictorian, Zielke salutatorian
Daniel Teuscher and Jared Zielke are the top of the 2016 graduating class at Little Wolf Junior/Senior High School.
The Class of 2016 Commencement Ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, May 27, in the LWJSHS.
Daniel Teuscher
Valedictorian Daniel Teuscher is the son of Steve and Diane Teuscher, of Manawa.
His favorite subjects in high school were psychology and calculus. He plans to pursue an accounting and finance degree at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
“I always loved working with numbers and money, so I figured I should pursue a career that would combine both of those two things,” Teuscher said. “I always hear others say that I need to choose a career that’ll make me happy, and I know that accounting and finance are the careers for me.”
He chose UW-Green Bay because it has a nice campus location that’s only a short drive from the city. He also likes that all the academic buildings are connected by underground tunnels.
“UWGB isn’t too far from home, but it’s far enough so I can get the true college experience,” he said.
Five years from now he plans to be finishing up his studies to become an accountant, and studying in preparation for the certified public accountant (CPA) exam.
“Becoming a CPA with an accounting major would open up so many opportunities for me and for my career,” he said.
His extracurricular activities during high school included track and field, basketball, Quiz Bowl, National Honor Society, Babe Ruth/Legion Baseball, Band Council (president), Pep Band, solo ensemble, St. Mark Youth Group, playing guitar at Sturm Memorial Library, Varsity Track Letter, Varsity Band Letter, All Conference Band, 2015 Track MVP, 4×2 Relay Conference Record, All Academic Conference Award, and High Honor Roll.
His favorite moment in high school was breaking the conference record in the 4×2 relay.
“After exploding from the blocks, I handed the baton off to Zach Kreklow, who handed it off to Austin Wagner, who handed it off to Tanner Meyer to finish the race,” he recalled. “Finishing with an official time of 1:33.99, we broke a record that was held in place since the early 2000s. This is definitely an exciting moment that I’ll never forget.” Teuscher’s role models are everyone that has had an impact on his journey to graduation.
“Whether it’s my former teachers, my friends, my coaches or my parents, they’ve all impacted me and helped me get to where I am today,” he said. “I take useful skills and knowledge from everyone that I come in contact with, … form them into my true self, and by doing that, I have the opportunity to become the best that I can be.”
Jared Zielke
Salutatorian Jared Zielke is the son of Troy and Corinne Zielke, of Weyauwega,
His favorite subjects in high school were English and art because he enjoyed writing, reading, drawing and painting in his free time. He also enjoyed Human Biology and Advanced Placement U.S. History.
His extracurricular activities during high school included cross country, basketball, track and field, Art Team, Art Club, drama, forensics, FFA, St. Paul Youth Group, National Honor Society and Pep Band.
Zielke was selected for All-Conference Band, twice won All-Conference honorable mention at cross country conference meet, was selected for Commitment to Excellence Award for the Waupaca County Post, won All-Academic Conference awards, was named to Honor Roll and High Honor Roll, and won the President’s Award for Academic Excellence.
He was also a 2015 graduation marshal, created a handful of T-shirt designs for organizations at school (Student Council, homecoming, 10,000 shots club and Art Team). He has planted flowers, ushered at services, assisted in Sunday School classrooms and was a Vacation Bible School group leader at St. Paul Lutheran Church.
Zielke has also helped run LWHS blood drives, assisted with school registration, run the clock and kept statistics for the youth basketball program, sold t-shirts at Think Pink events, and volunteered at the school’s Wolf Walk.
“The most thrilling, memorable moment for me from high school was when we won the Homecoming Spirit Cup as juniors,” he said. “We worked really well as a class and had tons of fun with all of the competitive activities. I remember the moment at the Triangle in Manawa, moments before the winning class was announced we were all holding our breaths. And when they said ‘juniors!’ our class went crazy with excitement.”
Zielke plans to attend UW-Stevens Point to work towards a bachelor of science degree of biology with an emphasis in environmental/ecology.
His main reasons for choosing UWSP is that it is a smaller campus and close to home.
“I grew up surrounded by family and they’ve become an important part of my life,” he said. “Also, UW-Stevens Point has a respectable natural resources program and a large nature reserve, which would largely benefit my studies in biology.”
Five years after graduation from college, Zielke expects to be in a steady job using his college knowledge.
“I see myself in a lab, studying environmental samples for progression toward a better planet,” he said. “Life is an event of risks, chances and choices, and I know that if I keep my goals in mind, I’ll have one grand adventure.”
For role models, he looks up to many different people for specific things. He admires his mother, Corinne Zielke, for her leadership, responsibility, wisdom, perseverance, confidence, guidance and authority; middle school teacher and cross country coach Jacquelyn Gast for her positivity, outgoingness and encouragement; high school teacher Tracy Konkol for her timeliness, tolerance and patience; and his grandparents, David and Sally Thiel, for their good humor and support.
“If I could take these qualities from all of the people listed and put them into a single being, I believe it would be the perfect role model for anyone,” Zielke said.