Pirate Nation
News for Bay Port High School Alumni & Friends
March 2024
Bay Port High School has a rich tradition of excellence in the Howard-Suamico community, Northeast Wisconsin, and beyond. We are grateful for our proud alumni who live out the vision, mission, and core values of the Howard-Suamico School District each and every day.
The Pirate Nation newsletter is designed to engage, connect, and inspire HSSD alumni and friends. Please contact Howard-Suamico Education Foundation Executive Director Nicole Smith with any feedback or story ideas. We want to hear from you!
Before he was a face on billboards across the Midwest, Russell Nicolet was a Bay Port High School Pirate. After graduating from Bay Port in 1999, Russell attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and then attended law school in Minnesota at William Mitchell College of Law. He now resides in Hudson, Wisconsin with his family and is a trial attorney and president of Nicolet Law.
Russell started Nicolet Law in a one-room Hudson office in 2007 and has since expanded his practice to cover three states and multiple offices, all while continuing to practice law. Russell is proud of his “Midwest Mindset,” and works hard to help his neighbors achieve the best possible outcomes in their cases. Nicolet Law is a family-oriented law firm, with Russell’s brothers, sister, and mother involved as well.
Russell was not originally planning on going to college, but his family convinced him to take the ACT and apply to at least one school. Russell’s teacher at Bay Port, Mr. Mike Jameson, had talked about his time as a college student. “That was the only college I knew of based on his stories from my classes with him, so I applied to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point,” said Russell. “I remember some great teachers that all believed in me, even when I was not a great student at the time. I feel like the entire journey was full of great people who made growing up in that area and attending the Howard Suamico School District very special to me.”
Bay Port senior Maggie Gannon never stops moving. Whether she is racing down a ski hill, playing soccer, or attending a club meeting, she enjoys an active lifestyle on the go. Maggie recently competed at the Wisconsin Ski and Snowboard Championships in La Crosse, placing 25 out of the 161 girls that competed.
Maggie started racing in seventh grade, competing at a high level with the Granite Peak Ski Team. In the high school division, there are five conference races and the two-day state meet. “The reality of this sport is a lot of hard work and travel to train and compete,” said Maggie. “I am grateful for the experience and hope to see another racer represent Pirate Nation in the future!”
Outside of competitive downhill skiing, Maggie is captain of the girls soccer team, secretary of the Youth Service Learning (YSL) club, and works as a card service intern at Nicolet Bank. After graduation, Maggie plans to attend UW-Madison to major in nursing and eventually become a nurse practitioner.
“My experience at Bay Port taught me important skills that I will need for my future,” said Maggie. “I have learned to manage my time between a heavy course load and commitment to academics, along with athletics and extracurricular activities.”
Bay Port High School Presents "The Wizard of Oz!" To purchase tickets, click here. If you are in need of handicapable seats, please contact Kathy Binon directly at 920-662-7246.
Show dates can be viewed here.
Bay Port Earns Spirit of Excellence Award
Bay Port has been named a Spirit of Excellence Award winner by the WI Association of School Councils! This award honors achieving excellence in leadership, sportsmanship, and community service. This award was based on a student-created portfolio. Led by junior Cora Martin, a team of talented students conducted research, interviews, and documented artifacts of evidence to support their submission. Congrats to our dedicated students and their teachers Mr. Nelson and Mr. Meyer!
Congrats, Bay Port Bowlers!
The Wisconsin High School State Bowling Competition was held in early March. Bay Port and Sheboygan engaged in a fierce duel in the Boys Division One Championship, with Bay Port taking second place. Learn more.
Bay Harbor Visits Alpha Memory Care
Recently, first graders at Bay Harbor visited Alpha Memory Care residents to make valentines and play bingo! Students practiced leadership skills by introducing themselves and asking questions to learn more about the residents. Smiles were shared and new friendships were made.
