Fort eighth-graders celebrate completion of middle school careers

Nearly 200 eighth-grade Fort Atkinson Middle School students were celebrated Tuesday for having completed their middle school careers and welcomed as the next Fort Atkinson High School class of freshmen. The students represent the graduating class of 2026. 

They will be joined by students completing middle school in area private schools to round out the full class, according to school officials. 

During the Fort Atkinson Middle School ceremony, which was held in the school’s gym, several students were recognized for their achievements as academic award winners and participants in school-related activities.  

During the ceremony, several speakers, including School District of Fort Atkinson Superintendent Rob Abbott, Fort Atkinson Middle School Principal Matthew Wolf and Purdy Elementary School Principal Leigh Ann Scheuerell, who will be serving as the high school principal next school year, offered words of congratulations and recognized students for their achievements. 

Addressing the students, Abbott said: “I am pleased to be with you as we mark this important event as you transition from one part of your educational experience to another, moving from Fort Atkinson Middle School onto Fort Atkinson High School. Another way to put it: moving from the top of the heap as eighth-graders, to the very bottom of the proverbial heap as ninth-graders.  I have a feeling that some of you will find that change more comfortable than others.” 

Abbott asked students to reflect on those who have helped them develop over the past three years the social, emotional and academic skills they will need to be successful in their high school careers and beyond. 

Said Abbott: “The last time I stood before you as an assembled group was the first week of your sixth-grade year in the commons for your class meeting. That was back in the days when you were a little shy, a bit timid and somewhat intimidated by the vastness of all things FAMS. I hear that has changed. I’m guessing that when you started here at the middle school you had some preconceived notions as to how it would go. Boy were you wrong. We were all wrong.  I took a new job as superintendent, and you started middle school in what was arguably one of the toughest times to ever  be a middle school student.  Each of your three years have been different, uncharted, and upended from what any of us can remember from the past. Clearly, your middle school years have been anything but typical.  

“Maybe this wasn’t the middle school experience any of you — or any of us —were expecting or planning, but it’s the one you got. With those challenges you have had, comes opportunity; the opportunity to redefine who you are, to redefine who you want to be, and to redefine where you want to go.” 

Abbott next told students some of what they might expect as they move to completion of their high school experience.   

He concluded: “This is about writing your next chapter. Those pages are blank, waiting for you to fill them with what comes next.  The move to the high school is always a big step, but next year, you will have the opportunity to help not just redefine yourselves, but also be part of redefining who and what Fort Atkinson High School will become in the future.”   

A list of award winners and activity participants follows: 

Awards

• Spelling Bee Awards: 1st place to Samantha Mallin, 2nd place to Emmett Fettig

• Director’s Award FAMS Band: Emmet Fettig

• Most Improved FAMS Band: Liam Cosson

• Rose Scholarship Recipients (one from each “home” elementary school): Oliphia Lin, Rockwell; Tayler Vegter, Barrie; Ian Beavers,  Luther, and Phoenix Severin, Purdy.

Activities 

Art Awards:

• Luther Art Show: Caroline Anderson, Maddie Cramlet, Aleah Ahmad, Tori Edwards, Gabe Devant, Bella Bowie, Mickey de Groot, Daisy Heussner and Reese Hacht.

• Youth Month: Joely Mack, Eli Szabo, Bella Bowie, Chloe Barganz and Mya Schwarz.

• Mary Hoard Art Show: Alex Haack, Chloe Barganz, Daisy Heussner, Joely Mack, Meredith Fast, Eli Szabo, Max Calvert-Minor, Mya Wenhardt, Aleah Ahmad, Maddie Cramlet, Andrew Peterson, Callie Craves, Ella Falk, Garrison Guston, Kayla Fox, Kya Kelleher, Sam Martinez, Ella Edquist, Alisvelys Serrano, Maia Price, Mickey de Groot, Mya Schwarz, Phoenix Severin, Abbey Alvarado, Bella Bowie, Reese Hacht, Alexis Bigelow, Devan Rao and Greysi Mejia.

• Ernie Pope Art Show: Gemma Leisgang, Carter Lemke, Chloe Barganz, Bella Bowie, Ainsley Copp, Ella Falk, Mickey de Groot, Mackenna Farrell, Reese Hacht, Daisy Heussner, Lukas Kreger, Joely Mack, Mya Schwarz, Phoenix Severin, Eli Szabo and Mya Wenhardt.

Music 

• 4th Street Singers, Grand Champion at LaCrosse Competition: Emily Hesselbacher, Lorena Luciano, Hannah Behling, Garrison Gustin, Chloe Barganz, Madalyn Cramlet, Fernando Cervantes, Mya Schwarz, Meredith Fast, Mya Wenhardt, Joely Mack, Faith Vasquez, Tori Edwards, Samantha Mallin, Phoenix Severin, Ainsley Copp, Emmett Fettig, Mya Schwarz, Jaxson Hoeye, Daisy Heussner and Maia Price.

• Jazz Ensemble, 1st Place Middle School Jazz Ensemble at the Eau Claire Jazz Festival: Samantha Mallin, Mya Schwarz, Madalyn Cramlet, Carter Lemke, Phoenix Severin, Braiden Wainwright, Emmet Fettig, Liam Cosson, Alexis Bigelow, Garrison Gustin, Eli Szabo, Connor Tamblyn and Mr. Samuel Fettig.

Sports 

• Girls Volleyball Players: Caroline Anderson, Abbey Alvarado, Ellie Norberg, Tati Samuels, Litzy Zuniga Torres, Mickey de Groot, Lily Rottmann, Audrey Wargolet, Callie Draves, Maddie Cramlet, Ella Edquist, Ella Falk, Bree Renz, Tessa Mane, Ava Recob, Kya Kelleher, Emma Norris, Emma Jordan, Chloe Barganz and Mackenna Farrell.

• Girls Basketball, Undefeated: Tessa Mane, Emma Norris, Allison Smiley, Laura Nowotny, Lily Rottmann, Bree Renz, Kya Kelleher, Alicia Miller and Audrey Wargolet.

• Boys Basketball Players: Kohen Brandt, Alexis Martinez, Liam Cosson, Marshall Griffiths, Jame Schafer, Lyrik Pettit, Landon Stachel and Braiden Wainwright.

• Wrestling Team Members: Kohen Brandt, Caleb Horwath, Keegan Huser, Auden Schaller, Ayden Schaller, Karsten Goutcher, Alexis Martinez, Andrew Peterson and James Schafer.

• Track and Field Members: Hannah Behling, Theron Dodd, Callie Draves, Ella Falk, Mackenna Farrell, Abby Strese, Mya Wenhardt, Emmet Fettig, Chloe Garcia, Macayla Graham, Garrison Gustin, Emma Jordan, Kya Kelleher, Donald Vernon, Anthony Kirkland, Tianna Kostroski, Carter Lemke, Alexis Martinez, Serjio Noh and Lyrik Pettit.

• Archery Members: Addison Maxfield, Bree Renz, Connor Tamblyn, Ava Green, Ainsley Copp, Landon Stachel, Laura Nowotny, Henry Wiesmann, Madalynn Cramlet, Lukas Kreger, Caroline Anderson, Kassie Swenson, Lily Pope, Caleb Horwath, Kya Kelleher and Brody Mech.

Other

• FINS, student senate: Addison Maxfield, president; Hannah Behling, member; Kammi Lyons, member; Landon Stachel, vice president; Maddie Cramlet, member, and Samantha Mallin, publicist and secretary.

• Battle of the Books, 3rd place in our school competition: Ainsley Copp, Makenna Farrell, Kylie Luebke and Kya Kellaher.

• Yearbook Members: Kayla Fox, Garrison Gustin, Kylie Luebke and Kayla Teed.