Middle School Activities

SEPTEMBER

Best Buddies — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisors: TBD
Time Commitment: Meeting once a month.
Activities: Participate in activities and learn leadership skills; an opportunity for students with and without disabilities to establish relationships. Continue these relationships throughout the month within the school.

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisor: Mrs. Janke and Mrs. Rohde
Time Commitment: Approximately two meetings per month after school for 45 minutes plus competition dates (September–May).
Activities: FBLA-Middle Level provides an opportunity for members to explore a range of career skills as well as project-based learning experiences. In FBLA-Middle Level, members will identify problems and solutions to begin developing business skills. FBLA-Middle Level provides an opportunity for members to discover what lies within themselves as leaders and to gain foundational leadership skills.

Future City Club — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisors: Corrine Beresford
Time Commitment: Meetings are twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00-4:00. Times may be adjusted as we get closer to competition based on need. Runs from September through February. Regional Competition: Saturday, January 18 at MSOE.
Activities: The purpose of this club is to engage students in STEM through the engineering by design process in which they showcase a solution to a sustainability issue as they create a city of the future. Students will design both a virtual and model city of the future that solves a problem. The theme changes each year. Two teams are able to present their cities at the winter competition at MSOE. It’s a great way to make friends, solve problems, and show your creativity as you work as a team.

Jazz Band — Grade 7 & 8 band students
Advisors: Mrs. Shook and Mr. Pryor
Time Commitment: Practice most Mondays during fall and spring.
Activities: Learn jazz-style music to perform at concerts throughout the year. Open to all current band students who play saxophone, brass, percussion, or keyboards.

Jr Key Club (JKC) — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisors: Ms. Topitzes, Mrs. Betanzos, and Mrs. Czerwinski
Time Commitment: Meetings once a month after school throughout the year.
Activities: Lead community service projects to benefit local and greater Milwaukee area families. Previous activities include collecting pop tops for the Ronald McDonald House, Coats 4 Kids winter coat collection, fundraiser for the American Heart Association, senior center technology visits, and a canned food drive.

Math Counts — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisor: Mrs. Szuminski
Time Commitment: Every other Thursday after school until 4pm throughout the year.
Activities: Have fun with math through a variety of activities and games while building confidence in the subject.

Midtown A Cappella - Grades 6, 7, 8 (Tryouts Required)
Advisor: Ms. Fichtner
Time Commitment: Thursdays 5:00 - 6:15; GHS Choir Room. ** See Ms. Fichtner with audition/program questions.
Activities: Learn a cappella (music made only with your voices) versions of popular songs to perform at various opportunities throughout the year. Open to all students. Audition information will be shared prior to auditions.

Science Club — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisors: Mrs. Betanzos and Mrs. Schilling
Time Commitment: Bi-weekly meetings after school throughout the year.
Activities: Have fun with science, learning through experiments, challenges, inventions and current events!

Student Council — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisors: Mrs. Wittemann, Mr. Wilcox
Time Commitment: Meetings once a month after school. Informational meeting in the middle of September and application due at the end of September. Other time commitments vary according to position and involvement on committees.
Activities: School and community service projects, school spirit activities, school-wide fundraiser, and after-school social activities.

OCTOBER

Destination Imagination (DI) — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisor: Mrs. Bykowski
Time Commitment: Tryouts held in October. Practices determined by each individual team.
Activities: Creating an original skit, including all scenery, props, and costumes, based on your team’s challenge. Numerous creative problem-solving activities.

HOSA - Future Health Professionals — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisor: Lisa Stigler
Time Commitment: Will meet monthly October - April. DatesTBD.
Activities: HOSA provides opportunities for middle level, secondary and post-secondary students to plan and participate in educational experiences that prepare them for careers in healthcare. KMS and GHS students with an interest in future careers in healthcare will have an opportunity to do further research, support local healthcare needs through an annual service project, and compete with peers from the state on skills and knowledge of the healthcare field.

MESA (Multi-Ethnic Student Association) — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisor: Mrs. Witteman and Ms. Bayless
Time Commitment: October–April every other week after school.
Activities: Promote and discuss diversity at Kennedy Middle School and within the community.

KMS News Club — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisor: Mr. Gaskell
Time Commitment: Mondays and Thursdays beginning in October (week of 10/21) through March (week of 3/17) in the library.
Activities: Learn to use various forms of media (video, podcasts, infographics) to communicate KMS news and happenings.

Newspaper — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisors: Mrs. Feucht, Mrs. Veldboom
Time Commitment: Begins in October and continues through May. Meetings once a week after school. May involve some independent work.
Activities: Writing stories, covering school and community events, taking pictures, formatting, and editing.

Yearbook — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisors: Mr. Gaskell, Ms. Restivo
Time Commitment: Introductory meeting in September. Weekly meetings after school until 4:30pm early January–mid-March.
Activities: Yearbook page setup and design. Some picture taking.

Young Writer’s Club — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisor: Mrs. Hillshafer
Time Commitment: Offered the first and last Thursday of the month after school until 3:45pm throughout the school year.
Activities: Write creatively or get help and feedback on school writing assignments. Options for publishing and sharing successful pieces.

NOVEMBER

Drama Club/School Musical — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisors: Ms. Fichtner and Mrs. Karrels
Time Commitment: Rehearsals will be Monday - Friday this year until the performances which are 2/21 and 2/22 at 7PM. Days called to rehearsal will be on a calendar shared with all participants. Try outs will be in November.
Activities: Learn and perform a junior-length musical with three out-of-school performances. Hone acting, singing, and dancing skills through large group performance.

DECEMBER

Forensics — Grades 6, 7, 8
Coaches: Mrs. Hillshafer, Mrs. Ahrens
Time Commitment: Kick-off meeting and piece selection in November. After winter break, weekly practice after school until 4pm. Competition begins in January and continues through mid-March.
Activities: A variety of speaking, acting, and oral presentations. Categories include group acting, solo acting, group interpretation, news reporting, poetry, prose, speech presentations, storytelling, etc. Activity Fee required.

Ski & Snowboard Club — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisors: Mrs. Stigler, Mrs. Gagan, Mrs. Brehmer, Mr. Schuh, Mrs. Wunschel, Mr. Dettlaff
Time Commitment: Four after-school outings to Little Switz December–February.
Activities: Students may ski or snowboard. Instruction is available for those students who would like to learn. Fee required.

Woodwind Choir — Grade 7 & 8 band students
Advisors: Mrs. Shook and Mr. Prior
Time Commitment: Practice most Mondays in winter.
Activities: Learn folk tunes, movie music, and small ensemble pieces to perform at March band concert. Open to all current band students who play flute, oboe, or clarinet.

SPRING

Variety Show — Grades 6, 7, 8
Advisors: Mrs. Buettner, Ms. Fichtner
Time Commitment: Auditions take place in March. Practices Monday–Thursday after school when requested by the advisors. Show held in April.
Activities: Create an act to perform for the school. Could include singing, dancing, acting, playing an instrument, comedy, etc.