Squadroni, Schlagel, and Boeckers each brought a dish they knew how to prepare to the table. Squadroni cooked lasagna and garlic bread. Shlagel put together crabmeat stuffed mushrooms, chicken oscar, and cherry chocolate cake, while Boeckers prepared interactive panini sandwiches, a cookie dough dessert, and apple kiwi salad.
“I had already taken Creative Foods,” said Junior David Rayl, “so I had made lasagna before, but it was really interesting to watch Squad cook because you could really tell that he had a lot of experience. I really liked how Schlagel cooked crab stuffed mushrooms because I had never had them before and I wasn’t even sure how you would stuff a mushroom. I think cooking is fun and I figured I would use what I learned later on cooking for a girlfriend or wife.”
With multiple dishes prepared, the cooking class ranged from Squadroni’s lasagna to Schlagel’s stuffed mushrooms. Students came away feeling accomplished and had a new perspective for the kitchen.

Story by Hope Mueller

Video by Samantha Sansevere

“Sunday, I got on a bus to go to what I thought was Minneapolis, but it turned out to be Chicago. I asked the bus driver if we were going to Minneapolis and he said, ‘yes’, but 45 minutes into the ride I saw a sign that said ‘Going to Chicago’. I called my mom and sister and they started freaking out, and I was laughing about it cause I didn’t think it was a very big deal.”

Once Cole arrived in Chicago he called his sister, Miranda Cole asking her what he should do.

“Miranda said her friend was going to come get me and bring me back to Beloit, her college. About two minutes into the phone call this short guy came up to me and asked me for rolling paper. I was going to give him a piece of paper, when I realized he meant paper for rolling a joint of marijuana, and then he asked me if I smoked bud or not. I kind of just laughed him off and walked away.”

To pass time in Chicago, Cole explored Union Station while staying in touch with friends back home on the phone.

“I was in a room with a homeless person in each corner, and I was just sitting in the middle. One of the guys came up to me and asked for 80 cents. I only had 85, so I gave him that. I didn’t want to be too generous because I didn’t want him to take it as an insult. He claimed it was for a bus ticket, but I saw him go to McDonald’s afterwards.”

Making it back to Beloit on Sunday evening, Cole got onto another bus, the right bus, heading home to Minneapolis.

“I asked the bus driver four times when I got on the bus making sure it was the right one this time. Once I found out I was going in the right direction I was pretty relieved and took a nap for a couple of hours.”

Relieved to be home, Cole shared his experience about what he got out of his trip.

“I knew I was going to get home eventually, but when I realized I might have to stay on the streets until six in the morning I was kind of freaking out. It was cool because I was alone in Chicago, and it was definitely an adventure. It totally felt like something that would happen in a movie.”

During the preliminary day of Sections, where swimmers have to place in the top 16 to advance, Elliott swam the 500 freestyle and afterwards threw up six times and passed out. He was up until four o’clock the next morning throwing up, getting only two hours of sleep before waking up and deciding if he could continue on.

“I was skeptical for if I wanted to go back and swim,” said Elliott. “I really wanted to because I didn’t want to throw my entire season away. I worked really hard all year, and I knew I had a shot at state in the 500 and the butterfly. I just didn’t know if I could physically pull it off.”

Elliott will swim at the University of Minnesota’s Aquatic Center tomorrow. He brings goals that he has had carried with him since he started swimming at Buffalo.

“My goals for state are to have fun and cut time because I’ll be feeling better. But my all time goal since the moment I started BHS swimming is that I’ve always wanted to beat Nathan Engfer’s time in the fly of 53.35. I don’t know if it will happen, it’s just something I’ve always wanted to do and hopefully at state it will.”

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Although Elliott is looking forward to the State Meet, he has mixed feelings because he is the only one from the team advancing on.

“I’m excited for State, but I’m super sad at the same time. I’m so excited because I made it, but then again I’m the only one who gets to go on to this next step. It feels like all the other guys are getting left behind. I’m happy and I’m sad.”

Article continues after the video.