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Walking out to the goat yard every day brings me so much joy. Seeing my favorite type of bovidae so often is absolutely amazing. Goats are definitely the best farm animal to have. In many ways, goats are easy to care for, relatively cheap, and make a great addition to any farm.
Goats are one of the easiest farm animals to care for. They don’t require intense physical care or a lot of medication. The attention you give them determines how friendly and docile they will be toward someone. Goats don’t need much food either. They love eating weeds and browsing on branches, so they’re perfect for keeping weeds and other unwanted plants under control. During the winter, they will be happy with a bit of hay and a scoop of grain.
Goats also have many uses besides just weed eating. They also provide delicious and nutritious milk, if you want to use them for that. Their milk is low in fat, and is great for people who are lactose intolerant since it rarely upsets the digestive tract. Goat milk can also be made into tasty cheese, butter, or cream. Goats are also used for their meat, which is easy to prepare and is very tender.
Spending time with your goats will often make them friendly and interactive. They will let you pet them, feed them, and brush them. They make great pets, with a calming presence and a fun way to sit outside and watch them play. Baby goats are especially adorable and fun to watch, since they are always energetic and playful.
Whether your goats are used as pets or for their products, they make amazing farm animals. So, if you really want something extra and easy to add to your farm, you should definitely consider getting a goat. I know they are definitely special to me.
Last school year marked the first time in many years that the Patriots had a cheerleading squad. This year, the Patriots have continued the new tradition, and have six dedicated members on the team!
This year’s squad consists of two juniors, one sophomore, and three freshmen. The juniors are Lexis Gleason and Karly Wendt. Our sophomore is Ella Higby. The freshmen are Ariyah Ross, Kiera Wiese, and Ellison Koehn.
The girls are coached by Andrea Sortino. They cheer and pump up the crowd for basketball, volleyball, and football. They also help promote school spirit and put on pep rallies.
When asked about how the season has gone and will continue to go, Lexis Gleason said, “As a cheer group of mostly new faces, I am proud of how far we have come. We are always pushing ourselves to be better as a squad and there are a lot of new things coming our way in the future. We will continue to cheer on our sports teams and students alike. GO PATS!”
The Leigh High School One-Act play production team’s season is in full swing, preparing for their upcoming performances and competitions.
This year’s team is one of the biggest teams in history with 60 cast and crew members! This year’s production is the Broadway classic, “Anything Goes” by Cole Porter.
The story features the madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London in the 1930s. Billy Crocker, played by Luke Eisenmann, is a stowaway in love with the famous heiress Hope Harcourt, played by Reese Wietfeld. The problem is that Hope is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, played by Wyatt Langhorst. Nightclub singer Reno Sweeney (Brianne Kuhr) and Public Enemy #13, “Moonface” Martin (Trevor Hoffman) join Billy in his quest to win over Hope.
Other notable roles in the performance include Hope’s gold-digging mother Evangeline Harcourt (Baylee Settje), Billy Crocker’s boss who has a great love of alcohol (Tyce Larson) the man-eating temptress Erma (Sydney Messerlie), the ship’s Captain (Blake Loseke) and Purser (Kyle McMullin), a reverend (James Moore) and his two newest religious converts Spit and Dippy (Liz Hoffman and Cade Hoesly) a reporter and photographer (Izzy Hollatz and Carmen Malena) as well as Reno Sweeney’s “angels” (Lexis Gleason, Kammy Held, Karly Wendt, and Easton Brabec).
This student director for this year’s play is senior Emily Stender. She will also be the head lighting coordinator.
The play is directed by Mrs. Justine Fischer and assisted by Mrs. Megan Hillen, Mrs. Michelle Held, and Mrs. Kamin Held. Dennis and Linda Hillen are helping once again with set design and construction, and Loretta Tejkl is helping with set design and costuming. Special thanks to Mr. Jarrod Bazata’s shop class for all their help with set pieces as well.
“We are all really excited about this year’s play!” Mrs. Fischer said. “We often do pieces with a lot of magic or fantastical elements, and “Anything Goes” does not have any of that. So that will be our biggest challenge this year to make real-life people really come to life in a big way. We have a fairly young cast and crew this year with many new people in large speaking roles. So there is a lot of learning to do, but they have all had amazing attitudes so far, so we are excited about where we can take this show! We are fortunate to be able to host districts in Leigh again this year, so we hope everyone will make plans to join us at one of our performances!”
The performance schedule is as follows:
--Friday, November 15 – Afternoon Matinee Performance – 2:15 pm (Admission: Freewill donation)
--Tuesday, November 19—East Husker Conference Play Competition at Howells-Dodge – Please begin at 8 am—LHS performs at 1:15 pm (Admission: EHC admission price)
-Sunday, December 1—“An Evening of Drama & Desserts” –Join us for coffee, cider, hot cocoa, and dessert at 6:30 pm with the show performance beginning at 7 pm! (Admission: Freewill donation)
-Wednesday, December 4—“Class D-1 District One-Act Competition at Leigh—plays begin at 9 am, LHS performs LAST at 2:45 pm with awards to follow (Admission: NSAA admission price)
On October 22-25, 19 members of the Leigh FFA Chapter traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana, for the 97th National FFA Convention and Expo. At the convention, over 1 million FFA members attended, setting a new record for attendance.
“The National FFA Convention was such a great learning experience for our members. We did some very unique tours in different career pathways. Our members were exposed to different parts of our country and learned about the agriculture industry in the eastern region,“ FFA Advisor Mrs. Alyssa Went said.
Attendees had the opportunity to visit several different states such as Iowa, Illinois, Indianapolis, and Kentucky. On the way to Indianapolis, attendees went on educational tours throughout the trip.
On the first day of the chapter's embarkment, members toured Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens and went to the World's Largest Truckstop. At Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens, members learned about different tropical plants and ecosystems created within the garden's dome. Attendees also toured Hummel Livestock in Illinois. Members learned about different breeding systems with domestic and exotic cats and also had the opportunity to see exotic animals and the Hummel’s livestock business containing goats and cattle.
The next day the chapter traveled to Indianapolis, touring Tuttle Orchards. Attendees toured the Tuttle’s apple orchard as well as the processing facility for their distribution of apples and learned about the marketing aspects of their business while sampling seven different varieties of their homegrown apples. Wrapping up the ending to the second day, the chapter concluded the day by attending the Megan Moroney concert with FFA members from all over the United States.
Before the chapter went home, on the third day, members got to experience visiting the Convention Center and Expo, where they got to go shopping and talk to different businesses and colleges. Concluding tours, Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, was the final tour destination where members visited the Churchill Downs racing facility and learned history about the Kentucky Derby.
On Friday morning, the chapter headed back to Nebraska, stopping one last time at the “World's Largest Truck Stop” in Iowa.
The Leigh FFA chapter tries to make the trip to National Convention every other year for interested members.
Sophomore Grace Hansen said, "I thought attending the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis was a really great experience. It was fun getting to tour the different facilities and businesses we traveled to and I can't wait to go back to my senior year.”
On Wednesday October 16th, the Leigh High School Mechatronics class went on an industry tour organized by Central Community College. The students that attended are taking the first class in the Mechatronics program at Leigh offered through CCC.
The students that attended the industry tours were seniors Riley VanDyke, Carter Brabec, and Jared Olsen and juniors Luke Eisenmann, Brett Wemhoff, and Brayden Loseke.
The first tour was of Behlen Manufacturing in Columbus. The students learned about all the different products that are made and were able to see firsthand the automation and different production lines in the building. They enjoyed seeing the materials go from raw material to finish product ready to be sent to the customers.
The next tour was of BD. The students enjoyed watching the product move through the different phases of development. Again, they saw the importance of the mechatronics technicians in the amount of automation that occurs and the people necessary to keep the lines running smoothly.
Finally, they went to CCC where the students were given lunch in the cafeteria and a tour of the Mechatronics program facilities and the plastics facility.
It was a great opportunity to see how the students in the first classes at CCC are working through the same processes the high school students are at Leigh. The tours provided opportunities for the students to see different careers available at places like BD and Behlen if they decide to pursue a degree in mechatronics.
“I learned about the processes of making buildings and needles. I hope we can do it again and see how other things are made as well,” said senior Riley Van Dyke.
“Overall, they enjoyed the day and are already looking forward to their next industry tour opportunity,” said Mrs. Bachman, the Mechatronics teacher.
On Tuesday, October 14, two senior girls attended the Midland Honor Choir: Amaiya Ross and Paige Kurpgeweit.
There were around 120 students who attended the event from many different schools. These students arrived at 7:50 am and the concert started later at 8 pm. Their day was full of different fun singing opportunities.
Senior Paige Kurpgeweit stated, “It was really fun and an amazing learning experience. I was honored to participate in the all-girls’ treble choir. I highly recommend anyone who enjoys music to try out next year.”
Choir Director Sydney Wemhoff stated, “In previous years, the Midland Honor Choir did not require auditions, but with an increase in interest from many schools this year, auditions were introduced. Out of 214 singers who auditioned, I was thrilled to see two of our students got selected for the treble choir. This was an incredible opportunity for the girls, giving them the chance to perform some challenging and inspiring music."
Over 50 excited Kindergarten and 1st grade students had an exciting day on Thursday, October 17 on their fall field trip!
The Kindergarteners started their day at Malena’s Dairy, and the 1st graders got to start at Larson’s Dairy. Then, they all went to Poppy’s Pumpkin Patch together!
At Malena’s Dairy, the Kindergarteners learned what dairy cows eat, how many gallons of water they drink, and products made from milk. They got to learn all about cows and how crucial they are to everyday life. They fed bottle calves and ended the field trip eating delicious ice cream.
At Larson’s Dairy, the first graders had a blast learning all about cows. They saw the robotic dairy parlor, and they made homemade ice cream and butter. Both classes even got to adopt a calve to consider as their own class pet.
Then the students went to Poppy's Pumpkin patch. Mrs. Wietfeld said, “The students shared many laughs while exploring the pumpkin patch. Some of their favorite activities at the pumpkin patch were the slides, corn pit, jumping pillow, petting zoo and riding the trikes.”
All together, both classes had a blast at the pumpkin patch. They even got to take some pumpkins home.
Snapping a four-game win streak, the Clarkson-Leigh Patriot football team came up short in their final two games of the season to end the year with a 4-5 record.
In their final regular-season game, the Patriots played the undefeated David City Scouts in Clarkson. This was a lopsided match from the beginning as the Patriots struggled to get anything going offensively in the first half against a very good David City team. At the end of the first quarter, the score was 6-28. By halftime, the Scouts had tacked on another 14 points to their lead, making it 6-42.
In the third quarter the Patriots managed to put up 14 points, the same as the Scouts, but it was not enough for a comeback. The fourth quarter was scoreless for both teams, bringing the final score of the game to 20-56 in favor of the Scouts.
Despite the loss to 8-0 Scouts, the Patriots managed to make the Class D-1 State Playoffs, as one of the top 32 teams in their class.
On Thursday, October 24, 2024, the Clarkson-Leigh Patriots traveled to Stanton, Nebraska to face the Stanton Mustangs in their first-round playoff matchup. The Patriots came into this game as the 16 seed, while the Mustangs were the 1 seed. The underdog Patriots came into the game with nothing to lose, scoring on the first drive. The Mustangs answered with a one-play touchdown to put them in the lead.
On the ensuing possession, Clarkson-Leigh was unable to capitalize, allowing the Mustangs to widen their lead. The Mustangs controlled the rest of the first half, with the score being 6-36 at halftime. The Patriots fought hard in the second half, but fell short with a final score of 18-52.
Despite the loss, Wyatt Crosley rushed for 91 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Jacob Koehn also rushed for 99 yards.
Head coach Jim Clarkson said, “The 2024 Season was a roller coaster. With only a couple four-year seniors, there were a lot of first-time starters. We played a tough early schedule and lost some tough games, but our guys kept working and getting better and really showed a lot of improvement throughout the season. Drawing Stanton in the first round was a tough break, but I was really impressed and proud of how our guys stepped up to the challenge and didn't back down. The coaches are really excited for the future of the program.”
Sophomore Wyatt Langhorst said, “We gave it our all on the field. We had a great season overall with lots of growth throughout the year.”
Game Stats vs. Stanton (1st Round Playoffs):
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Clarkson/Leigh 6 0 0 12 18
Stanton 24 12 8. 8 52
Passing – (Completions-Attempts, Yards, Touchdowns)
Wyatt Crosley–1-5, 23, 1
Rushing – (Attempts, Total Yards)
Crosley—19, 91; Blake Loseke—3, 4; Tucker Matthies–8, 27; Jacob Koehn–16, 99
Receiving—(Attempts, Total Yards, Touchdowns)
Matthies--1, 23, 1
The Junior High football team ended their season on October 14th on a well-earned win. They won against the David City Scouts 44-20. They played a great game overall.
Coach Jeff Bachman said, “This was a great way to end our season! Our guys did a great job and picked up a fun win.”
One of the players, Grayson Loseke, said, “We were kind of surprised on the first play, but we responded very well and shut them down.” To me, it sounded like they had a pretty good defensive game.
For a season summary, Ryan McMullin, another seventh-grade player on the team said, “We learned a lot and really improved as the season progressed.”
Seventh-grader Bryce Tasa said, “I feel that we really got a lot done this season, but we need to learn how to be a little more physical.”
“For a junior high team, I think they really started to come together,” Coach Jeff Bachman said, “This season, it was fun to watch our guys grow and improve. I’m excited to watch this group continue to grow as football players in the future.”
This win ended the junior high season with a record of 3-3.
On Wednesday, October 16, Blake Loseke, Reese Wietfeld, Grayson Loseke, Ryan McMullin, Emery Malena, and Khloe Kabes got the chance to attend the Digital Citizenship Symposium in Columbus to promote National Digital Citizenship week October 14-18.
Robin Urban, the fourth-grade teacher, said “The Digital Citizenship Symposium was held in Columbus at ESU7. Its purpose was to promote positive digital choices within a school environment. Our kids got the chance to identify a digital citizenship problem at our school and then begin to create an action plan for a solution.”
They also created public service announcements promoting digital citizenship.
Grayson Loseke, a seventh-grade student stated, “At this conference these students were able to enhance their leadership skills, and make connections not comparisons so that they can utilize social media positively not negatively.”
Overall, this conference allowed students to meet with other students from our area in person, and also collaborate with other learners from across the state via zoom to learn how to use the internet in a safe and responsible way.
