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Homestead Senior Receives VFW Scholarship with Award-Winning Essay on Democracy

Senior Reagan Godden received 1st place at the local Post level and 2nd at the District level in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Voice of Democracy Scholarship Contest

Homestead High School is proud to announce that senior Reagan Godden received 1st place at the local Post level and 2nd at the District level in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Voice of Democracy Scholarship Contest. This is a national essay/speech contest that starts at the local level with the potential to advance to the district level and national levels. The Mequon-Thiensville area belongs to VFW District 6, which is made up of 20 local Posts across five counties. This year, 30 submissions were received, with 11 finalists reaching the District level for review by a panel of judges.

On Tuesday, January 16, VFW district representatives Ron Schnorenberg and John Kleinmaus visited Homestead High School to present Godden with her scholarship award for her essay on the theme, “What are the greatest attributes of our democracy?” Godden received a monetary reward of $175 along with a framed certificate on behalf of the VFW District 6. Godden’s essay focused on the Bill of Rights, highlighting six amendments and their role in clearly defining the freedoms and rights of American citizens in a free democracy. Godden credits her interest in the United States government to the U.S. History class she took at Homestead with Mr. Nicholas Schueller. The course, Godden said, prompted her to think about the ways government applied to her own life. She then heard about the VFW scholarship opportunity through student announcements and the Homestead counseling office and decided to it a chance.

“Every little bit helps when it comes to having money for college,” said Godden. Though she has been accepted to several Big 10 colleges, she has yet to decide where she will be attending in the fall.

“It was an honor to have two veterans here with us to present Reagan with this award,” said Eric Ebert, principal of Homestead High School, “The subject matter is close to my heart as a former teacher of government and it is a great achievement for Reagan as the first Homestead student, in at least several years, to receive this award through the Voice of Democracy scholarship program.”


According to the VFW, the Voice of Democracy audio-essay program was established in 1947 and provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves regarding a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. Each year, nearly 40,000 students in grades 9-12 from across the country enter to win their share of $2.1 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the program.

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HHS National Merit Semifinalists

The National Merit Scholarship Competition (NMSC) recently announced the names of over 16,000 Semifinalists in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Homestead High School is excited to announce that seven of our senior students have qualified as National Merit Semifinalists. Those students include: Camille Chen, Hannah D’Cruz, Maya Graupe, William Harwood, Benjamin Levin, Jasmine Xu, and George Zhu. 

These academically talented seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of competition. Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

The National Merit Scholarship Competition (NMSC) recently announced the names of over 16,000 Semifinalists in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Homestead High School is excited to announce that seven of our senior students have qualified as National Merit Semifinalists. Those students include: Camille Chen, Hannah D’Cruz, Maya Graupe, William Harwood, Benjamin Levin, Jasmine Xu, and George Zhu. 

These academically talented seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of competition. Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

“The remarkable achievement of these students is a testament to the dedication and excellence of our students, their families, and our outstanding educators here at Homestead and MTSD,” said Eric Ebert, principal of Homestead High School. “These seven scholars have not only demonstrated academic prowess but also a commitment to intellectual curiosity and a passion for learning. We are immensely proud of their accomplishments, and we look forward to seeing them continue to excel as they move forward in their academic journeys.”

Over 1.3 million juniors across 21,000 high schools entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

Students who qualify as Semifinalists based on their performance on the PSAT/NMSQT are the only program participants who have an opportunity to advance to the Finalist level and compete for National Merit Scholarships. From the approximately 16,000 Semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to Finalist level, and in February will be notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. Finalists will be announced beginning in April 2024.

Find more information about the National Merit Scholarship Corporation at www.nationalmerit.org

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HHS World News Ranking

The U.S. News and World Report has ranked Homestead High School in the Mequon-Thiensville School District #7 out of 452 (Top 2%) ranked high schools in the state of Wisconsin. The school was also ranked #458 of nearly 18,000 (Top 3%) public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare students for college. By earning a national ranking in the top 40%, Homestead High School has reaffirmed its achieved status as a U.S. News Best High School.

“Our school community knows its value as Mighty Highlanders, but it’s always nice to see the hard work of our students and staff members validated in rankings like this,” said Eric Ebert, Principal of Homestead High School. “I’m proud of the dedication, impressive achievements, and continued successes of our students and educators - all of those things are absolutely reflected in this update from the U.S. News & World Report.”

The U.S. News and World Report has ranked Homestead High School in the Mequon-Thiensville School District #7 out of 452 (Top 2%) ranked high schools in the state of Wisconsin. The school was also ranked #458 of nearly 18,000 (Top 3%) public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare students for college. By earning a national ranking in the top 40%, Homestead High School has reaffirmed its achieved status as a U.S. News Best High School.

“Our school community knows its value as Mighty Highlanders, but it’s always nice to see the hard work of our students and staff members validated in rankings like this,” said Eric Ebert, Principal of Homestead High School. “I’m proud of the dedication, impressive achievements, and continued successes of our students and educators - all of those things are absolutely reflected in this update from the U.S. News & World Report.”

U.S. News bases rankings on performance on six ranking indicators: college readiness, college curriculum breadth, state assessment proficiency, state assessment performance, underserved student performance, and graduation rate. While the six ranking indicators that determined each school’s rank were the same as those used in the three prior years, U.S. News adjusted its calculation of these measures to account for the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on schools in the 2019-2020 school year. A notable achievement for 2023 was Homestead’s rank as #2 in the state and #397 in the nation in the category of College Curriculum Breadth Index Rank. This indicates the proportions of 12th graders who took and passed AP or IB exams in multiple areas. 

“The collective drive of our students, passion of our educators, and support of our community is evident in this most recent ranking from the U.S. News & World Report,” said Dr. Matthew Joynt, Superintendent of Schools. “This ranking is a testament to the value of high-quality public education and affirms MTSD’s place as a true ‘launchpad to success’ - something that we could not continue to achieve without the support and teamwork of our entire school community.”

Visit https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/wisconsin for additional information regarding the state and national rankings.

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College Board National Recognition Awards graphic

Three students at Homestead High School have earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. These programs celebrate students' hard work in high school and showcase their strong academic performance. The academic honors for rural area, Black, Indigenous, and/or Latino students are an opportunity for students to share their strong academic achievements with colleges and scholarship programs. The following Homestead students earned a National African American Recognition Award academic honor because of their GPA of 3.5 or higher and outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT or AP Exams.

Three students at Homestead High School have earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. These programs celebrate students' hard work in high school and showcase their strong academic performance. The academic honors for rural area, Black, Indigenous, and/or Latino students are an opportunity for students to share their strong academic achievements with colleges and scholarship programs. The following Homestead students earned a National African American Recognition Award academic honor because of their GPA of 3.5 or higher and outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT or AP Exams.

  • Charlise Ness - 12th grade
  • Olivia Rembert - 12th grade
  • Sara Yesufu - 11th grade

“We’re thrilled to celebrate these students and recognize them for the hard work and tenacious effort they’ve consistently put forth in the classroom,” said Eric Ebert, principal of Homestead High School. “We’re proud of their strong academic performance not just on a daily basis, but also on College Board assessments like the PSAT and AP Exams. There’s so much that makes our students unique, and receiving this honor is certainly an asset for their future.”

The criteria for eligible students include a GPA of 3.5 or higher, PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 assessment scores that are within the top 10% of assessment takers in each state for each award program or earned a score of 3 or higher on 2 or more AP Exams in 9th and 10th, attendance school in a rural area or small town, or identify as African American/Black, Hispanic American/Latino, or Indigenous/Native.

Eligible students are invited to apply to BigFuture during their sophomore or junior year and are awarded at the start of the next school year in time to share their achievements in high school as they plan for the future. At the same time, colleges and organizations using the College Board’s Student Search Service can connect directly with awardees during the recruitment process.

To learn more about College Board and Big Future, visit: https://www.bigfuture.org

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Group photo of HHS Latin Team

The Homestead High School Latin team, led by longtime World Language teacher, Magistra Marianne Wallach, recently returned from the annual National Junior Classical League (NJCL) at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Held each summer, the NJCL is a chance for classics students across the nation to celebrate and compete in a multitude of diverse events to showcase the proficiency, enthusiasm, and talents of students in all that is Latin and Greek.

The Homestead High School Latin team, led by longtime World Language teacher, Magistra Marianne Wallach, recently returned from the annual National Junior Classical League (NJCL) at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Held each summer, the NJCL is a chance for classics students across the nation to celebrate and compete in a multitude of diverse events to showcase the proficiency, enthusiasm, and talents of students in all that is Latin and Greek.

This year, the Homestead team joined 60 Wisconsin students to compete with more than 1,200 delegates across 30 states. Wisconsin schools represented were Homestead, Brookfield East, Brookfield Central, Brookfield Academy, USM and Divine Savior Holy Angels. Students competed in 12 academic tests (Roman & Greek History, Grammar, Mythology, Literature, Roman Life, Mottoes, and Reading Comprehension), graphic arts, and Latin Oratory. In addition, all states competed in six Olympika sports. In spite of their small size compared to other larger state delegates, Wisconsin won first place in track and field, soccer, swimming, basketball, and second place in volleyball and ultimate frisbee.

The certamen competition, a Jeopardy-like game, pitting each Latin Level (Novice, Intermediate and Advanced) against other states' teams, was also another highlight of the week. All three of the Wisconsin Level teams qualified for the semifinals, with the Latin I level making it to the final championship round. The Latin I level team was comprised of Homestead rising sophomores Charlotte King, Emily Taylor, Addison Drumm, and Luke LaLonde. This team finished in second place, marking the first time since 1992 that a Wisconsin novice team has made it to the Top 3 championship round of this prestigious event!

Several HHS students also placed in the top five in the nation for the 12 academic tests in their Latin Level, including: 

  • Sophomore Luke LaLonde placed second in the nation for Latin 1 Grammar and Vocabulary and fourth in Derivatives
  • Sophomore Charlotte King placed second in Classical Art and third in Geography 
  • Sophomore Addison Drumm placed third in Classical Art 
  • Sophomore Emily Taylor placed fifth in Myth
  • Seniors Olivia Rembert and Brian Franks achieved second and fourth places in the NJCL Essay Writing contest, respectively
  • Junior Matthew Seiberlich won first place for the 2023 Digital Scrapbook Contest 

In addition, sophomore Ian Godden swept all eight swimming events that he competed in at the Olympika swim competition, earning him a second place medal in the Overall Olympika competition and eighth place in Overall Sweepstakes. Junior Owen Gudex was chosen as one of the ten performers at the 2023 That's Entertainment talent show the final evening of the convention. Rounding out the achievements for the Homestead program was a first place finish in Graphic Arts by Addison Drumm for her drawing of the myth Narcissus.

“The LXX National Junior Classical League Convention was a venue where Homestead Latin students displayed talent, spirit and keen knowledge of the ancient classics while gathering with their Wisconsin companions to promote enthusiasm and foster growth and community for the Latin language,” said Magistra Wallach. 

As the 2023-24 school year begins, Homestead Latin will begin preparing for next year’s NJCL event at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

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Awards Ceremony Cover

On May 22nd, Homestead held it's 2023 awards ceremony congratulating the Class of 2023 seniors who are recipients of various community awards and scholarships.

On May 22nd, Homestead held it's 2023 awards ceremony congratulating the Class of 2023 seniors who are recipients of various community awards and scholarships.  Click below to see the winners.

Homestead 2023 Awards Presentation

 Ceremony Program PDF

Students with awards

Juniors Eli Devorkin and Jasmine Xu are recipients of the Jay Miley “Service Above Self” award. This award is given to students who have gone above and beyond in service and commitment to others. 

Homestead High School is proud to announce that juniors Eli Devorkin and Jasmine Xu are recipients of the Jay Miley “Service Above Self” award. This award is given to students who have gone above and beyond in service and commitment to others. Devorkin and Xu were honored in April during a luncheon sponsored by the Milwaukee North Shore Rotary Club.

Both award recipients have been inspired by their parents and mentors to jump into action to make a difference in the lives of others through service. Jasmine and Eli are honor students at Homestead High School and actively participate in numerous clubs and activities both in school and in their community.

“Eli and Jasmine have answered a calling to enrich the lives of others through their kindness, compassion and service to others,” said Homestead High School counselor, Sarah Robinson. “I’m inspired by their service to others - our world certainly needs them.”

Devorkin is passionate about working with and supporting children with physical and mental disabilities. He dedicates his time at All-Star Health Center in Mequon, training and exercising with children and young adults who need extra support. Devorkin plays for the Homestead baseball team, works a part-time job at Les Moise sporting goods store, and is considering a career in physical therapy.

Xu is involved with a non-profit organization called ENGin that connect volunteers with students in Ukraine to teach them English via Zoom. In her teaching role, she meets individually with her students once a week to monitor their English progress and teach new topics. In addition, Xu creates
individualized lesson plans for each student based on their progress and she shares supplemental resources and websites with her students to promote their learning. She also takes time during the week to maintain informal communication with her Ukrainian learners to build a positive relationship with them and support them socially. Additionally, Xu plays the cello with Homestead’s chamber orchestra, is a member of Homestead’s programming club, math team, and golf team. She has recently been selected to attend The Summer Science Program, a highly competitive and academically enriching summer program offering students research opportunities in the STEM fields.

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Latin students with their awards outside the school

The NLE is a test given annually to Latin students across the United States and around the world. The NLE is not meant to be a competition but rather an opportunity for students to receive reinforcement and recognition for their accomplishments in the classroom. Depending upon their score, students may earn certificates, medals, and may even qualify for scholarships.

Congratulations to these outstanding Latin scholars:

Homestead is excited to announce the winners of the HHS 2023 National Latin Exam!

Pictured in front, left to right:

  • Magistra Marianne Wallach
  • Emily T. (Gold Medal)
  • Anya M. (Magna cum Laude)
  • William H. (Gold Medal)
  • Luke L. (Gold Medal)

Pictured in the back row, left to right:

  • Michelle I. (cum Laude)
  • Anna P. (Silver Medal),
  • Addison D. (Silver Medal)
  • Charlotte K. (Gold Medal)

Other National Latin Exam winners not pictured are:

  • Will S. (Gold)
  • Rosalie K. (Gold)
  • Aleksey M. (Silver)
  • Peter C. (Silver)
  • Lucas M. (Magna cum Laude)
  • William G. (Magna cum Laude)
  • Eliana P. (Magna cum Laude)
  • Sara W. (cum Laude)
  • Wolf S. (Silver)
  • Matthew S. (Silver)
  • Hanna M. (Silver)
  • Lauren S. (Silver)
  • London B. (Magna cum Laude)
  • Joseph E. (Magna cum Laude)
  • Emersyn S. (cum Laude)
  • George Z. (Gold)
  • Olivia R. (Silver)
  • Mary G. (cum Laude)
  • Drew T. (Magna cum Laude)
  • Brian F. (cum Laude)

 

The NLE is a test given annually to Latin students across the United States and around the world. The NLE is not meant to be a competition but rather an opportunity for students to receive reinforcement and recognition for their accomplishments in the classroom. Depending upon their score, students may earn certificates, medals, and may even qualify for scholarships.

Congratulations to these outstanding Latin scholars!

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Homestead Senior's Art Displayed at Milwaukee Art Museum

Click here to check out the full story and Julia's interview from CBS58

A Mequon student was hesitant but took a risk entering an art contest. But after winning, one of Julia Gaskin's pieces was on display at the Milwaukee Art Museum.

"I was honestly really surprised," Gaskin, a Homestead High School senior, says. "Even when I won at the regional level, I was like wow -- I won that?"

Gaskin submitted pieces to the Scholastic Art Competition; won a gold and silver medal regionally, and then she won a national silver medal for "Airplane Sketches." She says her creativity took off while on a flight to Florida.

"It was a just a line experiment, a color experiment. I ended up really liking how it turned out, so I made it into a full piece," Gaskin says.

The 17-year-old says she often uses her iPad to draw and create collages, and she often finds inspiration from photos on the social media app Pinterest. But Gaskin says one of her favorite canvasses is actually cardboard.

"I can't draw on just a blank white piece of paper," she says. "But with cardboard it's already been used. It's got all of the spots on it and everything, and you can imagine there's been a story. Then you can tell the story through the art that you're making.

Gaskin is an Advanced Placement 2D Art & Design student finalizing her portfolio to be critiqued later this spring. She says her emotions have influenced how her art has developed this year, and her national recognition has given her a boost.

"It's really helped me to be more confident in my art and be prouder of what I make," Gaskin says.

After graduation, Gaskin says she will study video game design in college. Before high school ends though, she will have a new piece on display at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend. The MOWA Teen Council's exhibition, "Breaking the Cycle," will be on view April 22 to July 9, 2023.

computing award

Homestead High School is proud to announce that students Michelle Dubrovsky (grade 12) Madeline Frank (grade 11), Julia Gaskin (grade 12), and Alison Kellner (grade 12) have been recognized by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Awards.

Homestead High School is proud to announce that students Michelle Dubrovsky (grade 12) Madeline Frank (grade 11), Julia Gaskin (grade 12), and Alison Kellner (grade 12) have been recognized by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Awards.

NCWIT helps organizations recruit, retain, and advance women from K-12 and higher education through industry and entrepreneurial careers by providing community, evidence, and action. The AiC awards honor women in grades 9-12 for their computing-related achievements and interests, and encourages them to pursue their passions.

Award recipients are selected based on their aptitude and aspirations in technology and computing, as demonstrated by their computing experience, computing-related activities, leadership experience, tenacity in
the face of barriers to access, and plans for post-secondary education.

Dubrovsky has participated in girls tennis for all four years of high school and has been on the varsity tennis team for the last two years. She is vice president of the Homestead chapter of She’s the First, a club with the goal to make sure girls everywhere are educated, respected, and heard. Additionally, Dubrovsky is a member of the National Honors Society and has completed four years of Merit Awards at Homestead. “After high school, I hope to attend a four-year university,” said Dubrovksy. “I am still hearing back from my top schools, so I have not made a decision yet as to where I will be attending in the fall.” Noting a passion for computer science that began during her freshman year, Dubrovsky has taken as many computer science courses at Homestead as she can in order to further her knowledge of the subject. She also plans to major in computer science in college.

Alison Kellner is part of the National Arts Honor Society (NAHS), National Honor Society, and the Programming Club. Upon graduation, Kellner plans to attend Northeastern University to major in Cybersecurity. “My interest in computer science started after my freshman year and it never fizzled out,” said Kellner. “I took as many computer classes as I could fit into my schedule. I hope to go far in the computer science community and help people along the way.”

Each of the girls has demonstrated an exceptional drive to furthering their knowledge in computer science, according to Homestead High School computer science teacher, Harrison Palzewicz. “Michelle has a deep passion and curiosity for the world of Cybersecurity,” Palzewicz said. “Her growth in Computer Science classes here at Homestead prove that she will make a big impact in the field. Julia is an artist with computing. Her work continues to stand out because of her creative touch and mind for details. Madeline is always thinking about growing the Computer Science community. She has always been interested in helping others and continues to grow stronger in her advanced programming skills. And Alison's ability to break down complex problems is very impressive.”

To celebrate this achievement, these students are invited to attend the NCWIT-WI Affiliate Aspirations Award Ceremony on Sunday, May 7 at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) campus.

To find out more about NCWIT and AiC, visit: https://www.aspirations.org/