Kindness crosses county line

Plight of cash-strapped team sparks Messmer to action

By AMY HETZNER
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Posted: April 5, 2007

Messmer High School is a central-city Catholic school with about 85% of its student body qualifying for federally subsidized meals. Waukesha West High School is a suburban public school where only about 6% of the students live in low-income households.

But when students in Messmer's National Honor Society heard about the nearly $10,000 fund-raising challenge facing West's Academic Decathlon team, they saw only fellow students in need.

"Ten thousand dollars to these kids - National Honor Society kids from Messmer, inner-city kids - it just blew them away," said Bob Monday, a volunteer business teacher at the Milwaukee school.

As a result, the Messmer students plan to travel to Waukesha to hold a spaghetti dinner the night before the West team's departure for the national decathlon competition in Hawaii, with all of the meal's proceeds going to help pay for the cost of the trip.

West Academic Decathlon coach Duane Stein called the effort "heartwarming."

"These guys are just class guys," Stein said Thursday. "It's just a benefit for both schools. Both communities can get together and do things for each other."

The Messmer students' generosity stunned the West decathletes.

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Register today for the 6th Annual Messmer Capitol Drive Golf Outing! All funds raised support Athletic Programs and After-School activities for the over 1,000 urban students Messmer serves. Your $125 registration fee includes golf fees, a cart, lunch, dinner, beverages on the course, and a $65 tax-deduction.

More information, including registration information, may be found on the Messmer website www.messmerschools.org or by clicking here.