Meet our Student of the Week, well-rounded Messmer senior Joshua Miller
For this week's Student of the Week poll, we featured two well-rounded students who excelled in both classroom work and extracurriculars. Keep reading to see who won and how to nominate a student for Student of the Week.
This week, Joshua Miller of Messmer High School is our Student of the Week winner.
Messmer counselor Melissa Hoeppner nominated him for our statewide award, saying Miller is a well-rounded student who holds down a part-time job as an assistant phlebotomist. He also participates in student council, track and field, and the Youth Health Society club.
Hoeppner said Miller is aiming high for his career after high school: He plans to go to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to pursue a degree in biomedical science.
High school students are nominated for Student of the Week by principals, teachers, youth organizations and others who work with teens. Voting is open each week from 5 a.m. Monday until noon Thursday with polls at jsonline.com, postcrescent.com and greenbaypressgazette.com.
Do you work with youth and know someone who should be Student of the Week? Reach out to Debi Young, statewide education editor, at debi.young@jrn.com to get a link to the nomination form.
Rebecca Loroff is a K-12 education reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. She welcomes story tips and feedback. Contact her at rloroff@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Meet our 21st Wisconsin Student of the Week winner
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Indianapolis Star
3 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis World War II soldier's remains returned to family after 1940s recovery mix-up
Family chatter about childhood memories was shared as an escorted vehicle drove to an Indianapolis International Airport gate. Military and public safety officials were preparing for the landing of an American Airlines flight, while the family of late U.S. Army Pvt. LeRoy B. Miller Jr., talked about the lives he couldn't watch grow up. The 31-year-old World War II soldier was reported missing in action in Germany in 1944. On Aug. 15, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency brought Miller's remains home. "The information they gave us explained he died from an explosion," his great-niece, Avila Moore, told IndyStar. "We didn't know what happened back then. Was he captured? Was he tortured? Now we know." The agency is a U.S. Department of Defence branch tasked with providing the fullest possible accounting of missing personnel from past U.S. conflicts. This involves searching for, locating, identifying and returning the remains of missing service members to their families. Moore's family had already buried who they thought was Miller back in the 1940s, when his tag was found in a mass grave site overseas, but after extensive DNA analysis and research, the family finally has the right soldier, and an extraction will need to be made for the original buried remains. "It's just hard to believe that it could happen," Miller's nephew, Lance Hamilton, told IndyStar. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced U.S. Army Pvt. LeRoy B. Miller Jr., 31, was accounted for on Aug. 13, 2024, after his death during World War II. Miller was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division in November 1944. His battalion captured the town of Kommerscheidt, Germany, in the Hürtgen Forest. A series of heavy German counterattacks eventually forced his battalion to withdraw. Miller was reported killed in action on Nov. 8, 1944, while fighting enemy forces at Kommerscheidt. His remains could not be recovered after the attack, according to the agency. Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. During that effort, a recovery team found a mass grave at Kommerscheidt that contained the remains of several American and German soldiers on Sept. 11, 1947. "Recovery effort was heroic in that it was very difficult to do because the locals didn't really want to help," Hamilton said. "They wanted to bury everybody and just let it go, but with pressing investigations, they're bringing everybody home. So they got his bones, and preserved them to a point where they could find out who he was." The exhumation team found Miller's identification tag on one set of remains. The remains were sent to the United States Military Cemetery in Neuville, Belgium, for processing. Based on the tag, officials identified the remains as Miller's and transferred them to his family for final burial in America. But 73 years later, in 2017, an agency historian analyzed documentation regarding three sets of unidentified remains while studying unresolved American losses in the Hürtgen area. Scientists considered the possibility that Miller's remains may have been commingled in the grave or misprocessed and misidentified in the 1940s. At the time, Miller was identified based on the presence of his identification tags, but an updated investigation determined that the original identification was made in error. So whoever Miller's family buried was not related to them. "I've always had kind of a close relationship with him, which may sound a bit strange," Hamilton, who has never met the soldier, said. "My grandmother always talked so fondly of him. He was a very accomplished musician who loved piano and composing." Hamilton said he's always carried Miller's accomplishments with him. He said Miller will always be remembered for his creativity. His family still has some of his records. Miller was one of the youngest composers to have his music played by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. "He just wanted to create music," Hamilton said. "That's all he ever really wanted to do, but he felt that he had to go to war. It wasn't a choice. He had to do it." He was a classical pianist, and Moore said they're going to be playing some of his music at his memorial. "We live in the home he was raised in, and I found some music in a piano bench," Moore said. Hamilton said identifying Miller's remains has been a long process, and he was skeptical of the findings at first. The family didn't believe anything like this could happen, and they didn't believe the remains that matched up with their DNA was Miller's. "But, out of our skepticism, we kept slowly proceeding to find the truth, and here we are," Hamilton said. An honorable transfer happened with his remains arriving at the Indianapolis International Airport aboard an American Airlines flight on Aug. 15, 2025. The ceremony included military honors, the family being escorted, and the remains being transported to Flanner Funeral Home. A graveside service with full military honors is scheduled for Aug. 22 at Crown Hill Cemetery.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Yahoo
How Your Device Can Help You Make It Through Mercury Retrograde
Sure, astrology isn't for everyone. But there's no doubt that Mercury retrograde is widely blamed for creating confusion when it's in full effect. Better safe than sorry, here we double tap into some tips from an astrology expert to navigate this cosmic event without the communications errors. BELLEVUE, Wash., July 21, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--No matter what your particular astrological beliefs, if any, there's no denying when things seem to go a little crazy in our lives and the world at large, a lot of us run to Google to look up whether Mercury retrograde is in effect. Well, if things are feeling a little funky right now, let us be your search engine: Mercury is indeed in retrograde, from July 17 until Aug. 11. In astrology, Mercury is the planet that rules communication among people and in technology. So when retrograde starts, some believe, mishaps tend to happen and electronics seemingly go haywire, says Susan Miller, the founder of two astrology-focused apps and the popular website Astrology Zone, which boasts 13 million unique readers. Crowned the "queen of astrologers" by The New York Times, Miller has written 18 books on various astrology topics and contributes her advice to national publications like Us Weekly. "This phenomenon is one of the few that affects everyone in a fairly uniform way, and its effects are always obvious, especially in the days leading up to and on its official start," Miller explains. Miller says there's no need to hide in fear during Mercury retrograde. Instead, people can revisit some mindful tips on communication skills to increase productivity and avoid some of the frustration that can arise from miscommunication, both IRL and on your device. Plus, if you do it right, your device — especially when it's powered by America's Best Mobile Network and comes with Magenta Status — can be an essential tool to combat the craziness the universe might send your way. (We helped you navigate the solar eclipse safely, didn't we?) No need to pull out your star chart — we spoke with Miller to bring you the expert advice you need to make it through with confidence and clarity. Can you explain Mercury retrograde to us? If you were in a car and another car passed you, you could tell it was going faster than you. But if it slowed down and you then passed it, it would appear that car was going backward. Then when the other car speeds up and passes you again, it kicks up all the dust in the road. Mercury retrograde happens when the other car speeds up and lifts the dust, causing turbulence and disruption to what we feel on Earth in our everyday lives. Because Mercury is the planet situated closest to the sun, its orbit is much shorter than Earth's. About three or four times a year, Mercury speeds past Earth, and that is when we experience a Mercury retrograde period. In 2025, we will experience this in July through August and Nov. 9 through Nov. 29. When a planet is in retrograde astrologically, it is in a resting or sleeping state. Therefore, while Mercury "naps," the activities it governs don't have the benefit of a well-functioning, wide-awake planet to supervise them. Expect a certain degree of pandemonium to ensue. Our devices are a lifeline of communication. What should people look out for when using their phones during Mercury retrograde? Mercury retrograde is known for creating confusion, which is not ideal for most communication. Friendships and romances tend to go haywire. People aren't always thinking straight during these phases and tend to create miscommunications that can in turn cause a domino effect of errors. Try not to jump to conclusions and keep striving for clarity. Be even more vigilant and double-check your text conversations to root out flaws or incorrect assumptions. Always go the extra mile to find errors during retrograde. These periods demand a slow and deliberate approach. Keep summarizing what you think the other person has just told you. I know we are in the "just text me" era, but I recommend following up texts with a phone call if you can stomach it. Putting in a little extra attention to the emails you are sending can also go a long way to alleviate any larger problems. How can we prepare our devices — and ourselves — ahead of this astrological event? Mercury retrograde periods are notorious for causing computers to crash and for other electronic devices to show signs of wear, requiring urgent repair. I suggest people back up their devices or at least check when you installed the latest necessary software updates to keep yourself safe from cybersecurity issues. 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Mercury rules anything that begins with "re:" redo, reassess, repair, repeat, redesign or revisit. I find people reconsider their stance when Mercury is in retrograde, and in some cases, conditions turn out to be more favorable to you than they might have been before. Perhaps a job you thought you didn't get comes back into the picture, or you take time to organize things around you and find something special that had been previously lost. It's always human nature to want to hear that new opportunities are coming our way, but we need to focus on the quality of our work and improve it to the best it can be. Often this is a better use of our time than continually chasing the newest idea. Mercury retrograde allows you to be thorough and to perfect your performance — and that's certainly not a bad thing. Follow the T-Mobile Newsroom on X and Instagram to catch the latest company updates. About T-Mobile T-Mobile US, Inc. 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USA Today
19-07-2025
- USA Today
Watch puppies react to sting rays, sharks, more at Australia aquarium
A group of future guide dogs in Australia enjoyed a day out at the aquarium as part of their training process. Video footage shows the 9-week-old pups named Bruce, Betsy, Bronte and Barkley visiting the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium in Australia and observing the marine life there. The pups, managed by Petbarn, Australia's largest integrated pet care provider, visited the aquarium as part of their training as future seeing eye dogs for Australians who are blind or have low vision. Watch: Pups react to marine life at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium Petbarn Foundation Manager Janelle Miller told USA TODAY over email on Sunday, July 13, that the puppies "displayed a perfect balance of curiosity and composure" and "explored their environment with interest, observing marine life and investigating different textures while remaining attentive to their handlers.' Which animals did they respond to the most? While the pups observed the oceanarium in awe, they particularly reacted to "large marine life such as sting rays, sharks and turtles moving overhead with appropriate curiosity," Miller said. "They also had a cute interaction with two of SEA LIFE Sydney's scuba divers who were cleaning the tank," she added. Why did the pups visit the aquarium? Bruce, Betsy, Bronte and Barkley are in the initial stages of their development to become Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs, according to Miller, who said the "complete training process takes approximately two years before they're matched with a client who is blind or has low vision." Miller added the dogs' visit to the aquarium was part of the Petbarn Foundation's annual Seeing Eye Dog Appeal, which aims to raise awareness around the foundation's mission and funds to "train 22 Seeing Eye Dogs for Australians who are blind or have low vision." The visit also provides "valuable exposure to unique sensory experiences that these puppies wouldn't encounter in everyday settings," Miller said, explaining the pups experience "different lighting conditions, reflective surfaces, unusual sounds, and varied floor textures" at the aquarium. Puppies 'highly receptive' to new experiences at this age Miller said the puppies' age "represents a critical developmental period" in their training. "At this age, they're highly receptive to new experiences, which is essential for building the foundation for their future work as Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs," Miller said. In their daily life, the puppies also enjoy obstacle courses and exploring new environments, all of which are essential components of their training, according to Miller. Petbarn works with different dog breeds such as Labradors, Golden Retrievers and Lab/Golden crosses. The breeds are specifically chosen for "their intelligence, temperament, and physical attributes that make them well-suited for training," Miller said. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
