A school carnival and musical highlight the observance of Lutheran Schools Week at Trinity Lutheran School in Merrill March 3-9.
“The week will focus on the opportunities that Lutheran schools give,” said teacher Jeff Holt, a member of the Lutheran Schools Week planning committee at Trinity. “It’s an opportunity for people outside of our church to see what’s going on inside of our building and see the value of what we have here.”
In his second year at Trinity, Holt teaches social studies, religion and science in the middle school grades and enjoys being able to share his faith with his students. He is also an advisor for the student council, safety patrol and yearbook staff.
“We are always talking about how things relate to our faith and what we are learning,” he said. “All of our staff, teachers, cooks and pastors put Christ at the center of all they do.”
As a warm up to the week’s activities a school carnival is open to the public on March 1. The carnival will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the school cafeteria and gym and includes games, prizes, raffles and food.
“We always plan a carnival the Friday before Lutheran Schools Week to kick off the week and get kids fired up for it,” said Christy Dresen, president of the Trinity Parent Teacher Organization. “It’s just fun to see the kid’s faces light up.”
The PTO organizes the school carnival with the help of numerous parent and staff volunteers. Throughout the year they also coordinate several fundraising activities such as a kitchenware sale and a spring flower bulb sale. Proceeds are used to sponsor family nights, class field trips and to purchase supplies for the classrooms.
“We work well together and we just have fun,” Dresen said. “I’ve met some wonderful people.”
Dresen and her husband Rob have one son attending Trinity who is active in basketball, drama and the Kids for Christ organization at the school. They chose to send their son to Trinity because of the small class sizes, religious education and solid values that are taught both in and out of the classroom.
“I thought it would be a great environment for our child,” she said. “My husband went to a parochial school and he knew so much more about the Bible than I did and I wanted our son to understand the Bible better too.”
The school will be presenting the musical “Rescue in the Night” as part of Lutheran Schools Week activities March 8 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the church sanctuary. The production based on the biblical story of “Daniel and the Lion’s Den” will involve more than 40 students in grades five through eight.
“It’s a fun musical,” said director Shannon Grosnick, a 5th through 8th grade English and music teacher at Trinity. “It’s still the Bible story of the plot against Daniel as well as his struggles. It’s light hearted but still has the meaning that our Lord is Lord no matter what.”
Fifth grade student Nickolas Schuelke plays the part of a Herald in the musical and got involved because he thought it would be interesting to re-enact one of God’s miracles from the Bible.
“It sounded like a good re-enactment of one of my favorite Bible stories,” he said. “Last year our school had a drama club and I was involved in that. It was my first time in a real production.”
Grosnick, who is in her first year of teaching at Trinity grew up attending Lutheran schools.
“I love being in a Lutheran School,” she said. “I get to know all of my students. I’m not just teaching; I’m part of their lives.”
Other activities during Lutheran Schools Week will include a movie day and a special presentation entitled “Transformation” by Sheboygan High School teacher Richard Zeuner. Students will also participate in a “Jump for Heart” fundraiser for the American Heart Association as an all school service project.