introduces you to this year`s 20 Under 20. You`re looking good!

20
UNDER
20
introduces you to this
year’s 20 Under 20.
You’re looking good!
compiled by Lissa Carlson , Kendra Arch & Helen Kirch
photos by Savanna Westbrook, Endless Images
Photography (unless otherwise credited)
Meet 20 local young superstars, all under age 20
when they made our community proud by going
above and beyond in very different, yet equally
inspiring, ways. They each give us their best parenting
advice for raising our own superstars. The recurring
wisdom they offer is invaluable.
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Coulee Parenting Connection • 11
20UNDER20
hy, LLC
Katherine Burelbach
Contributed photo
Advice for parents:
Let kids do what they love and support them in it.
o s Ph o
K not h e
, Ap r o p
Diane
Katherine spent the summer in New York City completing the Gelsey
Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet (GKA) pre-professional program.
Among an impressive list of acclaimed artists, teachers, and ballerinas,
Katherine even works with the famous ballerina, Gelsey Kirkland.
to g r ap
Senior, Central High School
Namthip Nilawong
Senior, Viroqua Youth Initiative High School
Namthip lost most of her family in the Asian tsunami of 2004. Raised in an
orphanage in Thailand, she embraced the opportunity to study in America
in spite of knowing no one and very little English. Three years later, she is on
the cusp of graduating and continuing with a college degree. Her strength in
carving out a bright future against all odds is an inspiration to all.
Advice for parents:
I think parents should be open with kids, treat them like a friend,
give them good advice but don’t always tell them what to do. Be a good example for them,
and be a reasonable parent.
Gavin Sowa
4th grade, North Woods Elementary School
Gavin has been a tour guide at the Kane Street
Community Garden for four years. He also
performs nearly every job the garden offers,
including helping prepare the new children’s
garden. His grandmother says he is a loving and
compassionate boy with a great sense of humor.
Advice for parents: Parents should be wise and
treat their children gently… and give lots of chocolate!
Taylor Edwards
6th grade, Onalaska Middle School
Taylor is an all-around star. From coordinating her school’s annual food drive
to representing her school in a fundraiser as a “Smarter than a 5th Grader”
contestant, she recognizes the value of community contributions and kindness.
Advice for parents:
12 • Back to School 2013
Always remind your children how fortunate they are.
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Joe Vandermus
Senior, Onalaska High School
Not only is Joe a dedicated athlete,
but an outstanding teammate on
the Wave Swim Team. Head coach,
Annie Ryder, says he encourages
and coaches the team’s youngest
swimmers, proving he’s not only
an excellent swimmer, but also an
excellent role model.
Advice for parents:
Show your kids how amazing and great
Jesus’s love is for them and simply spend
time with each child. My advice is to follow
God’s advice which He provides through
His word.
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to
school
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Coulee Parenting Connection • 13
20UNDER20
John Divney
Senior, Aquinas High School
John started dancing when he was 6 years old. As a male dancer, he sometimes
experienced ridicule of his dance talent, but took it in stride and remained dedicated.
His payoff? This December, he will be the first high school student to dance the role
of Nutcracker Prince in the La Crosse Dance Centre’s “Nutcracker Ballet.”
Advice for parents:
I would encourage all parents to not give into society’s
stereotypes about what boys and girls are supposed to do. A child’s dreams and aspirations
are the purest form of their strongest desires, but their confidence in these dreams is fragile
when they are young. When your child hopes to become something other than what society
says is normal, nurture that hope, and watch your child come alive.
Kaleb Kidd
3rd grade (transferring from Irving Pertzch to Sparta School District)
Last Mother’s Day, Kaleb witnessed as a lawn mower backed into his 3-year-old brother. He helped
his older brother go through the yard to find the toes. “He is such a strong and amazing boy,” his
mother, Courtney Schroeder says. “He blamed himself for the accident, but we assured him that he
saved his brother.”
Kaitlin Volten
Freshman, UW-Madison
Kaitlin organized a project that offered personalized prayer shawls to hospice
residents. Her efforts earned her a Girl Scout Gold Award.
Advice for parents:
Encourage your kids to pursue whatever they wish to do, and
support them wholly in their endeavors.
Ben Smith
8th grade, Lincoln Middle School
Karen Solv
erson, Va
lley Vision
s Photogra
phy
Work together as a family.
Photo cre
dit:
Advice for parents:
Ben tickles the ivories like no other 12 year old in the Coulee Region. He’s won his
division at the Wisconsin Music Teachers Association’s State auditions multiple
times. Last year, he tackled the third movement of the Haydn Concerto in D for the
La Crosse Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony for Youth concert.
Advice to parents:
My advice to parents with children taking music lessons is to make
practicing as much fun as possible by giving rewards, making music a family activity, and
not putting on too much pressure. Sometimes I was ready to quit because I didn’t feel like
practicing or was really frustrated, and then my parents would usually let me take it easy for a
while, or they’d turn it into games, or just try to help me out a lot. Then it would eventually get
better and I’d be back to enjoying it.
14 • Back to School 2013
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Contributed photo
Tevy McKee
5th grade, Wyeville Elementary School, Tomah
Tevy organized a fundraiser for
the students of Moore, Okla., after
the May tornadoes devastated the
area. Tevy once lived not far from
Moore, and raised $100 for the cause.
Principal Marlon Mee says, “Not
many 4th-grade students would
undertake a task like this.”
Advice for parents:
My best advice
to parents would be to keep your kids and
family involved in the community. Projects
like cleaning up parks or volunteering at
a shelter. Teach your family that helping
others makes you feel good inside.
www.cpclax.com
Coulee Parenting Connection • 15
20UNDER20
Janie Felton
Senior, Viroqua High School
For four years, Janie has been the team captain for her own Relay for Life team,
which has earned her Bronze Sponsor status. She started the team for her
grandfather and a late teacher, Judy Olson. In addition, Janie is an accomplished
musician, playing an assortment of instruments, including violin, guitar, piano,
banjo, and mandolin.
Advice for parents:
Contributed photo
Challenge your kids and foster their curiosity. Also,
empower them to explore and pursue what they are passionate about. Having
an outlet, whether it’s creative, analytical, or purely humanistic, is a great way to
develop a strong sense of self while also helping others.
Tony Modtland
Junior, Logan High School
Tony was nominated by the Boys & Girls Club for his star attitude. In spite of
losing his father and moving from home to home, he recognizes his potential as
a leader and looks forward to living a life of success in spite of his past.
Advice to parents:
Sophomore, Aquinas High School
Efer moved to the Coulee Region from Peru when he was 7 to have surgery
for a vascular malformation of his face. His adoptive parents have seen him
through countless surgeries and treatments since then. They say the most
amazing part of his story is that his birth parents selflessly allowed him to
be adopted so that he could get the medical care he needs. He is a swimmer
and a 2012 semi-pro logrolling champion.
Contribute
Efer Christopherson
d photo
Never underestimate the power of three words… I love you. Through good times and bad, it’s important for your kids to know that you love and
support them.
Advice for parents:
Parents give you good advice and lead you to a great
future. From the beginning to end they are always there for you.
Lindsay Schmidt
6th grade, Longfellow Middle School
stay strong and love life!
16 • Back to School 2013
d photo
Advice for parents:
te
Contribu
Lindsay served as a 2012-13 Hospital Hero for the Children’s Miracle Network, raising
awareness and funds to support the organization. She was born more than 13 weeks early
and spent 77 days in the NICU. She realizes how lucky she is to be here and cares deeply
about helping other kids in need.
If your child is born with disabilities or born early, just remember to
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Contributed
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Luke Eber
Freshman, UW-Madison
In spite of breaking his foot, femur,
tibia, and then his knee during
his high school career at Central,
Luke went on to play football his
senior year. “Overcoming adversity
has become quite common for me
over the last few years of my life,”
he says. “However, the choices that
come with handling adversity are
what truly define a person, and my
parents have been there every step of
the way, giving me the support and
trust I need to make the outcome of
these obstacles extremely positive.”
Luke returns that support; his
mother is confined to a wheelchair
due to multiple sclerosis.
Advice to parents:
Never restrict
your child’s choices in life. Successful
parenting is when your young adult is
passionate about making healthy life
choices and doing the right thing, not
because that’s what their parents want,
but because that’s what they want
for themselves.
www.cpclax.com
Coulee Parenting Connection • 17
20UNDER20
Keegan Eide
Senior, Blair High School
Keegan’s unilateral hearing loss hasn’t stopped him from ranking in the top 25 percent of his
class, as well as keeping active in football, basketball, track, theater, band, choir, and drum
line. An exemplary young man, he has studied dance at the Minnesota Conservatory for the
Arts for 10 years.
Advice for parents:
Do not enforce your personal views on a child. Present to them the facts of a certain
situation and let them come up with their own educated opinions, rather than just follow the opinions of their
parents or mentors. Also, to support them in everything they do, because in the end it will mean a lot to them.
Contributed photo
Andrew Hoeft
Senior, UW-Whitewater
Between his sophomore and junior years of college, Andrew took an idea he
had while working at Festival Foods in La Crosse and turned it into a company,
Pinpoint Software. The company, now based in Whitewater, offers Date Check
Pro to help grocery stores manage expiration dates. It’s used by more than 30
grocery stores nationally.
Advice for parents:
One of the best things my parents did for me was to let me be
a dreamer. I constantly had crazy business ideas, including a strawberry patch and an ice
cream shop called Hoefty Scoops. They always encouraged me to keep dreaming as well as
continually pushed me to work harder so someday I would be able to achieve those dreams. I
would certainly not be where I am today without them.
Sheridan McCoy
Junior, Aquinas High School
Sheridan was nominated by Kristina Smaby-Schoh, who says she’s known Sheridan since she was
about 7. “She’s always been a charismatic, ambitious, and loyal young lady,” says Smaby-Schoh, who
instructed dance to Sheridan. “She has a good heart at such a young age and I can’t wait for her to
share that with the world as she ventures off to college and a career. She’s a product of what you get
when you work hard and do it with passion.”
Advice for parents:
Contribute
d photo
It’s hard to give advice to parents when I’m not one myself. I know I have appreciated
that my Mom and Dad have always asked what I wanted to do and supported me by helping to organize
schedules, pointing out opportunities, and encouraging me to try new things.
Ashley and Alyson LaRue
Freshman, Central High School
Photo credit
: The Studio
This dynamic duo organized a Kids Against Hunger drive, which to date has
brought people together to package nearly 27,000 meals for those in need. Kids
Against Hunger is a humanitarian food aid organization that works to feed
starving children worldwide.
Advice for parents:
Support your kids in everything. As we get older, we make many
more of our own choices and decisions, so we want you to give your truthful opinion and
advice, yet support us with what we decide. It is your support and advice that means the most
to us.
18 • Back to School 2013
www.cpclax.com
ENCHANTED FOREST
2013
Saturdays, October 19 & 26: 10 AM–2 PM
A non-scary trick-or-treat hike where magical
characters come to life. Hans Mayer, children’s
musician, will perform. Tickets are available
at the EcoPark starting October 1.
Children $7; adults $3.
Bring in this ad to receive 10% off tickets
purchased on or before 10/16/13. Restrictions may apply.
www.mhecopark.org
.ZSJDL1BSL%St-B$SPTTF8*t
Contrib
u te d p h
Presented by
Franciscan Healthcare
o to
Emily & Jessica Kupka
Emily is 12 and Jessica is 10.
Last year, Emily & Jessica lost their
older sister, Megan, to brain cancer
after a six-year battle. The sisters
maintained an inspirational and
heartfelt CaringBridge website
throughout that time. The family
took up horseback riding after her
death as a way to bond. However,
earlier this spring, a serious fall from
a horse left their mom hospitalized
with months of recovery. They are an
inspiring testament to living happily
and positively through life’s most
difficult times.
www.cpclax.com
Coulee Parenting Connection • 19