The top of the Osaka Castle appears above the treeline in Osaka, Japan.
By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
An exchange student program, contact with the parent company of a local industry and the creation of a sister city for the City of Wabash.
Those are just some of the things to come from a two-week trade mission between representatives of the City of Wabash and officials with cities in Japan and China.
The delegation left in early November and returned shortly before Thanksgiving. It’s first stop was five days in Japan, with the rest of the mission spent in China.
Members of the delegation – Mayor Scott Long, Grow Wabash County Executive Director Keith Gillenwater, Wabash City Schools Superintendent Jason Callahan, Honeywell Foundation Executive Director Tod Minnich, Bob Mason, The Ford Meter Box Co.’s International Sales Manager, and Lisa Ford – met with members of the media on Tuesday, Nov. 27, to discuss the trip.
“I think moving forward, we’re going to open up Wabash to the world and the world up to Wabash,” Long said. “This is the initial step toward that.”
Northfield's Kyra Kennedy tries to drive around Manchester's Jirni Cripe during second quarter action Saturday night. Photo by Joseph Slacian
By The Paper Staff
Led by 13 points apiece from Kennedy Fierstos and Eva Bazzoni, Manchester’s girls basketball squad outlasted Class A No. 4 ranked Northfield 41-39 Saturday at Northfield.
Manchester took a 19-14 lead by the end of the first quarter, and maintained a 30-27 lead at the half. Northfield edged closer, 33-31 at the end of the third quarter, but Manchester was able to hold the Lady Norse off in the end to improve to 4-4 on the season.
Northfield fell to 5-2.
Wabash wrestler Ethan Higgins fights for position on Northfield's Roger Red during Saturday's Wabash County Wrestling Invitational at Manchester. Higgins was the champion of his weight class, going 5-0 on the day. Photo by Josh Sigler
By The Paper Staff
Wabash’s wrestling squad boasted eight individual champions on its way to claiming top honors in Saturday’s Wabash County Invitational.
Jared Brooks (106), R.J. Steg (113), Ethan Higgins (120), Braden Brooks (126), Robert Barnett (132), Anthony Long (138), Traydon Goodwin (152) and Justin Samons (220) each claimed individual titles for the Apaches.
Manchester finished second with a 4-1 record.
Trescott (170), Delton Moore (182) and Bryce Kamphues (285) each claimed individual titles.
“Several wrestlers stepped up for the team and got victories going up a weight class, including Delton Moore, who won the county title at 182,” Manchester coach Byron Sweet said. Bryce Kamphues and Trescott Duffy both remained undefeated on the year as well after picking up key victories for the team. The entire team had a solid showing, with 10 of 14 varsity spots having a winning record on the day.”
Wabash junior Dereck Vogel looks for a passing lane against Oak Hill on Wednesday, Nov. 21. The Apaches defeated the visiting Golden Eagles 53-43, in the season opener. Photo by Joseph Slacian.
By The Paper Staff
The Wabash boys basketball squad opened the 2018-19 season with a 53-43 victory over Class 2A No. 3-ranked Oak Hill Golden Eagles on Wednesday, Nov. 21
Trenton Daughtry led the way for the Apaches with 19 points and six assists.
Elijah Vander Velden finished with 10 points and five rebounds, and Logan Vander Velden added eight points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Wabash returned to action Saturday, Nov. 24 and fell at Madison-Grant, 73-70, in overtime.
The Apaches battled back from a 40-28 halftime deficit, but came up short in overtime.
Daughtry again led Wabash with 24 points, six rebounds, three steals and three assists. Logan Vander Velden added 23 points, six rebounds and four steals, and Blake Gribben chipped in with nine points and eight rebounds.
Members of the Metropolitan School District of Wabash County board hear a presentation from Administrator Assistance during their Feb. 6 meeting. Photo by Josh Sigler
By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com
The Metropolitan School District of Wabash County school board got the ball rolling on its independent study of academic advancement in a lengthy work session Monday, Feb.6, hearing a presentation from a consultant as the board tries to feel out where it goes next.
The board released a statement for it’s purpose of the study, stating: “Leaders in business have long recognized the value of strategic planning. Strategic planning requires a clear understanding of where an organization is at the present time and an equally clear vision of where it wants to go in the future. Education is not different. MSD of Wabash County is in excellent health. We are academically and financially strong. With great confidence we look forward to providing a superior education for every student. We have been proactive in our decision making to the benefit of our district; therefor, we are asking ourselves a simple question: What should we do today to make a strong district even stronger?
“Each element of the study will be from the vantage point of what is best for the students and taxpayers of MSD, the statement continued. “Our goal is providing the best education with the stewardship of our resources. This goal is achievable with solid strategic planning and the continued dedication of the district’s valuable employees.”
The board then heard a presentation from Administrator Assistance, and education consulting company. Creator Steve Wittenauer said the group’s motto is to help schools solve problems.
“If you went to our website, you’d be able to see everyone that’s on our team, a lot of schools we’ve worked for and the things we’ve done. We’ve done a lot of strategic plans, and we see this as nothing more than creating a strategic plan (for MSD),” Wittenauer said. “We want to get the community involved to be part of that plan. We hope to come up with something at the end that they can either endorse, alter, or whatever the case might be with some ideas and recommendations at the end.”
Superintendent Mike Keaffaber said he liked the fact that Administrator Assistance, if commissioned to do the study, would seek out community input.
“I think it’s important that we do the face to face – it’s almost like a climate audit to see what our constituents and community are wanting us to look at,” Keffaber said.
Board member Todd Topliff said his biggest concern is what the consultant-school board relationship might cost.
“Barring that, I think what they bring to the table -- I did like the fact that they will try to include not just the school board and administrators, but also surrounding communities’ schools along with community members, whether it be the chamber of commerce and other leaders in the community,” Topliff said. “They get a say in a part of this because we’re here for them as well. I think there needs to be on our side as school board MSD – we need to reach out to the surrounding school systems to make sure they’re willing to participate. Because if it’s a one-sided study, it’s a wasted study. We need to have all parties involved to make sure it’s a legitimate study that can come back with legitimate recommendations or proposals.”
The board has other options it would like to weigh before it commits to hiring Administrator Assistance to commission an advancing academics study.
“There are other entities that do this, and so we may or may not do that,” Keaffaber said. “You like to compare. You like to see. I was impressed with this group. They do have a lot of people – not just two or three or four people that they (had at Tuesday’s meeting), but they talked about they have a group or cadre of 35 people. It takes a lot of knowledge, and they talked about the 1,500 years of experience they have. I’m very, very impressed, but it’s good to look at other vendors.”
